how to read a film - wmwikis-+how+to...literature versus film literature film diction author’s...

HOW TO READ A FILM

Six Elements of Style

in Film Making:

How Directors Tell a

Story

By Blanqui Valledor

Six Elements of Style

Literature versus Film

Literature Film Diction

Author’s Choice of Words o Specific effect of word choice:

connotation and denotation Overall Style

o Types and lengths of sentences

o Types of words used o Use of imagery/figurative

language

Cinematography Shots

o Extreme Long Shot o Long Shot o Medium Long Shot o Medium Shot o Medium Close-up o Close-up o Extreme Close-up

Angles o Low o High o Eye-level o Worm’s Eye o Dutch (Oblique/Canter) o Bird’s Eye

Movement o Pan o Dolly (in/out) o Tracking (side to side) o Tilt o Zoom is NOT a camera

movement, but a lens movement.

Imagery The language that engages the

senses and evokes emotion o Visual Imagery: what we can

see o Auditory: what we can hear o Tactile: what we can touch o Olfactory: what we can smell o Gustatory: what we can taste o Kinesthetic: sense of

movement o Organic: internal sense of

being

Imagery Mise-en-scene

o Composition o Lighting o Special Effects o Costume/Makeup o Sets/Props

Sound o Non-diegetic (outside the story)

Tone The attitude of the speaker toward

another character, a place, an idea or a thing.

o It is important to pay attention not only to what the character or speaker does, but also to what he or she says.

Tone Cinematography Mise-en-scene Sound

o Diegetic (within story) o Non-diegetic (outside story)

The tone taken by the movie’s narrator reflects the screenwriter’s and director’s psychological, emotional, and intellectual attitudes toward their story.

Syntax The order of words in a sentence;

the rhythm of the prose. o Prominence o Position o Pace

Editing How the story is told; rhythm and

pace. o Prominence o Position o Pace

Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person - Limited Third Person – Omniscient Objective

Point of View Omniscient – (unrestricted) 3rd

person point of view of all aspects of the movie’s action or characters

Restricted – a narration that reveals information to the audience only as a specific character learns of it.

First person narration – voice of an actual character in the movie (i.e. Cher in Clueless (1995))

Voice-over narration – a person who is not a character (i.e. documentaries)

Figurative Language Language not meant to be taken

literally (metaphor).

Figurative Language Symbolism Cinematography Mise-en-scene Editing Sound (non-diagetic)

Six Elements of Style - Literature

Title of Work: ______________________________________Author: _____________________

How does the author present? Evidence from the text? How does it develop the theme?

Diction

Imagery

Tone

Syntax

Point of View

Figurative Language

Six Elements of Style – Movie

Title of Movie: ________________________________________Director: _________________

Theme: ____________________________________________________________________

How does the director present? Evidence from the movie? How does it develop the theme?

Diction/Cinematography

Imagery

Tone

Syntax/Editing

Point of View

Figurative Language/Symbolism

Basic Film Definitions

1. STRUCTURE OF A FILM

Shot

A single 'run' of the camera. This is the basic unit from which a film is constructed. The length (or

duration) of a shot depends upon:

a. its purpose ie. establishing a place; to show action; to show reaction b. the pace (or tempo) of the sequence in which it occurs.

Sequence

A group of shots depicting one action, or, which seems to belong with or depend upon each

other. (Say 3 to 18 shots).

Scene

A group of sequences, or, (for short scenes) a group of shots, which:

a. depict an event in the story. and b. occur in one place.

A scene is generally a larger unit than a sequence (though) sometimes a group of shots can be

classified as either).

2. TYPES OF SHOT

Extreme Long Shot [E.L.S]

Shot taken from a great distance, almost always an exterior shot, shows much of locale

Long Shot [L.S.]

A distance shot in which a setting, and not a character, is the emphasis. This is generally used to

establish the place in which action will occur, hence the term establishing shot. Given its

function, a long shot is often used at the beginning of a scene or sequence, and may be

combined with a panning movement of the camera to show us a wider area.

Mid Shot [M.S.]

A middle distance shot which focuses our attention on a particular subject. With a mid shot the

camera is close enough to pick up detail, though still far enough away to be able to follow the

subject as he/she/it moves. The mid shot, therefore, is commonly used to show action e.g. as in

a fight scene.

Close Up [C.U.]

A close shot of an object or person, the aim being to focus our attention on a particular detail.

Close ups of a person have a number of different functions:

a. in an establishing sequence a close up of someone suggests that he/she is a main character

b. the first close up of a character (in a sequence of shots), establishes point of view e.g. who is watching an event

c. a close up is most commonly used to show the reaction of a character, i.e. a reaction shot.

Extreme Close Up [E.C.U.]

A shot of a small object or part of a face that fills the screen used for emphasize.

3. CAMERA MOVEMENTS

Pan

Movement from side to side from a stationary position.

Tilt

Movement up or down from a stationary position.

Tracking

The camera is not stationary but moves to follow a moving object or person. The camera is

mounted on a moving device such as a rail platform, a dolly or a vehicle.

Dolly

Movement outwards away from a subject. Note: The speed of a camera movement (from very

fast to very slow) can dramatically alter its effect.

4. MOVING FROM ONE SHOT TO ANOTHER

Cut

The ending of a shot. If the cut is a jerky movement, which seems a little inconsistent with the

next shot it is called a jump cut.

Fade In or Out

The image appears or disappears gradually. It brightens to full strength over a full second, or

darkens to fade out. The fade is often used as a division between scenes.

Dissolve

One image fades in while another fades out so that for a few seconds the two are

superimposed.

5. CAMERA ANGLES

In filming a shot a decision is made about the angle at which the camera is to be directed at a

subject. High and Low angles may be used to influence our impression of a particular character.

A character filmed from a low angle (camera placed low) will seem strong, powerful, tall, proud,

etc... whereas if a high angle (camera place high) is used the subject will appear weak,

insignificant, vulnerable, small etc... Our impression of a structure or object can be manipulated

in a similar way.

A distorted angle (oblique/dutch) may be used to make a scene more frightening, or to make

the viewer feel anxious, or queasy (especially if fast or jerky camera movement is also used).

6. EDITING

This is the process of assembling and splicing together the various shots which comprise a film.

Underlying the process is a technique which can be called pairing, i.e. a story is built up by

alternating one set of shots with another.

There are common instances of pairing:

c. A conversation or confrontation between two characters. The shots alternate from one to the other, angles may be used to suggest inferiority or superiority.

d. Shots of a character are alternated with shots of what he/she sees. The first shot of the character is the P.O.V. (It establishes point of view i.e. who is looking).

e. Cross-cutting. A sequence of shots in which the alternation is between two different locations (e.g. A burglar creeping into a house in which an unsuspecting victim lies sleeping). The sequence builds to a climax and ends with the two things coming together.

The Editing Speed (or tempo) of a particular sequence is also an important consideration. Fast

editing involves fast cutting. ie. The shots are 1 to 2 seconds long. Fast editing generates

excitement and anticipation as for example in a chase sequence. Slow editing (i.e. Shots are 3 to

10 seconds long), has the opposite effect, calming and relaxing the viewer. Accordingly slow

editing is a characteristic of love scenes.

7. OTHER TERMS

Soft Focus

A slightly blurred shot to make the subject seem more attractive, romantic, nostalgic or

dreamlike.

Hand Held Camera

The tripod and dolly are deliberately abandoned in favor of this method when a director wants

to create a sense of anxiety or confusion, exploiting the unsteady movement of the camera. A

hand held shot in which a character is approached from behind usually suggests that someone is

being followed and is about to be 'pounced upon'...

Montage

The editing together of a large number of shots with no intention to create a continuous reality. A

montage is often used to compress time (a number of facts are established in one sequence). Films may

begin with a montage which establishes a particular time and place. With the absence of a visual

relationship between them, the montage shots are linked through a unified sound - either a voiceover or

a piece of music.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Pre-production http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWnXZa92Oc&feature=relmfu Outline and Treatment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5dOY5xZAcU&feature=relmfu Scriptwriting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JcJNul9y4k&feature=relmfu Storyboards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWPjjoOFIu8&feature=relmfu How to Format Scripts http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/howtoformatascreenplay Lighting Basics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e8NJZBiS2s&list=PL1FB0ADA8CF1A10C4&index=9&feature=plpp_video Editing Transitions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQIWywngiLI&feature=relmfu Sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujdhCw5u9Yg&feature=relmfu

SIX ELEMENTS OF STYLE IN FILM MAKING

HOW DIRECTORS TELL STORIES

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Slide 2

1. DICTION = CINEMATOGRAPHY

Shots

Angles

Movement

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Slide 3

CINEMATOGRAPHY - SHOTS

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CINEMATOGRAPHY - ANGLES

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Slide 5

CINEMATOGRAPHY - MOVEMENT

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Slide 6

ACTIVITY – IDENTIFY THE SHOT AND ANGLE

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2. IMAGERY = IMAGERY

Mise-en-Scene

Sound (non-diagetic)

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Slide 8

MISE-EN-SCENE

Overall feeling of a movie

The sum of everything the audience sees, hears, and experiences while viewing it.

Influences our mood

Décor, lighting, smells, and sounds

All movies have Mise-en-Scene

Strong Mise-en-Scene: viewer experiences the aura of the place and time.

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Slide 9

EXAMPLES OF MISE-EN-SCENE

Composition

Lighting

Special Effects

Costume/Makeup

Sets/Props

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SETTING, DÉCOR, AND PROPERTIES

Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987)

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Slide 11

WHAT DO YOU SEE? HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

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Slide 12

SOUND

Diegetic (within story)

Non-diegetic (outside story)

Affects in Film

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3. TONE = TONE

Cinematography

Mise-en-scene

Sound

Diegetic

Non-diegetic

The tone taken by the movie’s narrator reflects the screenwriter’s and director’s psychological, emotional, and

intellectual attitudes toward their story.

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Slide 14

TONE

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Slide 15

4. SYNTAX = EDITING

How the story is told; rhythm and pace.

Prominence

Position

Pacing

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EDITING

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Slide 17

EDITING

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Slide 18

EDITING

Cut

Transition between scenes when one scenes ends and another one begins

Types

Cut Away

A shot inserted in a scene to show action to another location.

Faces, emotions, narrative.

Cross Cutting

Action going on in time, two different spaces.

Chases – people, cars, etc.

Dissolve

A gradual transition in which the end of one scene is superimposed over the beginning of a new one .

Fade In/Out

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5. POINT OF VIEW = POINT OF VIEW (CAMERA/EDITING)

Omniscient – (unrestricted) 3rd person point of view of all aspects of the movie’s action or characters

Restricted – a narration that reveals information to the audience only as a specific character learns of it.

First person narration – voice of an actual character in the movie (i.e. Cher in Clueless (1995))

Voice-over narration – a person who is not a character (i.e. documentaries)

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Slide 20

6. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE = FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Symbolism

Mise-en-scene

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Slide 21

ACTIVITY 1

Watch the short film, Perfection and identify the theme.

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Slide 23

ACTIVITY 2

Now that you have identified the theme of the short film, how does the director create it using the following:

Table 1 – Figurative Language

Table 2 – Diction (auteur, cinematography, editing)

Table 3 – Imagery (mise-en-scene)

Table 4 – Tone (cinematography, mise-en-scene, sound)

Table 5 – Syntax (editing)

Table 6 – Point of View

Remember you need to identify how the director uses the above to create the theme. Be specific!

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Slide 24

STUDENT SHOWCASE

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QUESTIONS?

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