FILM INTROThe Power & Components of Film

Last Week’s Objectives Become familiar with a variety of

internet tools Become familiar with social media’s

usefulness Revolutions started from it Businesses use it Prospective employees use it to promote

themselves Set up your blog and get your blog task

Write at least 5 posts of at least 150 words each

Focus should not solely be personal, but should be broad enough to interest outside audience

This Week’s Objectives Understand the power and components

of film Become better at analyzing and

critiquing film

Today

Review some more elements of blog – privacy settings, sharing, etc.

Review films that have impacted us & why

Analyze 1 clip in layers

Understand more aspects of blogging

Understand the power of film

Understand some components

Activities Objectives

Announcements Get your blog critiques in pronto

Polls & video

Activity #1: More blog features

Project Details At least 6 posts about a topic that would

interest an outside audience (not solely personal) Should reflect proper grammar &

mechanics Should have a “voice” – be stylistic and

interesting Span a number of days Includes at least 2 videos and 3 pictures Includes 5 links to other pages A widget/gadget

The power of film

Activity #2: Think, Pair, Share

“A picture is worth a thousand words”

Film’s Power

The Power of Film In what different ways does film (an

intentional visual narrative) have power?

To answer this question, let’s look at your favorite films… Think of three movies that you’ve seen in the

course of your life. What emotions did that movie have you

experience? Here’s a list to help you out: happy, sad, angry, reflective, depressed, excited, scared…

The Power of Film

Your Favorite Films Impact on you Impact on

culture

Tools of FilmHow did these film/visual narratives make you experience these feelings?

Practice in film analysisYou have all been asked in English classes before to interpret symbols in written texts.Now I’m going to ask you to interpret a visual text. There will be no words, only the moving image.

Practice in Film AnalysisYour Task

Describe what you see first—use as many descriptive words as you can—think of visual elements: lighting, camera movement, camera angle, props, etc.Record the feelings the image evokes in you.Jot down some ideas of what interpretive message the moving image could communicate.

The Moving Image Gets More Layers

Now we’ll add actors, dialogue and action to the scene.What message does this altered scene communicate. Does it change your interpretation?

Film = Visual StorytellingThe filmmaker and the audience negotiate a shared experience: sharing in the construction and meaning of the narrative.

the filmmaker’s story (the story told / the plot)

the audience member’s story (the story perceived / the total effect)

Film’s Intent• Tell a story• Kennett’s story definition:

• Somebody / characters• doing something• at some place and time

• The story is the centerpiece• Shots, dialogue,

lighting, editing, sound serve the story

Conflict/Action +Setting =

STORY

Film = Visual StorytellingThe filmmaker takes the audience “by the brain” and shows us a storyThe story is told through what we see and hear immediatelyFilmmaking (a.k.a. constructing visual narratives) is a highly intentional act.

“Nothing in a mainstream narrative is there by accident.” --Jill Nelmes

The Tools of Film

settingprops costume performance

lightingcamera editing

sound

mise en scene

What is Film?“The cinema is the greatest means of expression ever invented. But it is an illusion more powerful than any others, and it should therefore be in the hands of the magicians and wizards who can bring it to life.”

-- King Vidor, American director of 61 feature

films between 1913 - 1959

Intro Film ActivityIn your brand spankin’ new journal, reflect on the various types of films that you’ve seen and jot down your response to this question…

In what different ways does film have power?

How can it be…Destructive? Constructive? Instructive? Inspirational?

Think of a film example that would support your points.