The Language of Film

Richard Ponton

The great thing about literature

is that you can imagine,

the great thing about film is that

you can’t.

James Monaco, How to Read a Film

The better a viewer reads an image the

more the viewer understands…

• its physical reality

• what it means based on cultural references

• its various sets of meanings

When you look at a frame, one of the first

things to consider is distance.

How much do you see of the character(s)?

•Is it a close up?

•Is it a full shot?

•Is it a medium shot?

Can you see the whole body or a part of the

body?

A Place in the Sun 1951

In general the closer the camera gets to the

characters, the closer the viewer feels towards the

characters.

This is why close ups are often used for:

love scenes

scenes where the character is suffering or

fearful

any other scene where the viewer is supposed

to understand what the character is feeling.

As the camera moves further away from the character(s), the

viewer is provided more information about them or about their

situation.

From Pirates of the Caribbean

From Lord of the Rings

The further the camera is from the subject, the moredistant you will feel from what is happening in the sceneor to the character(s). Further cameras let theaudience have a look at the subject in relation to itssurroundings.

The Establishing Shot

It lets the audience have a look at the subject in relation to itssurroundings. It usually appears at the beginning of a film orscene to establish the setting or to introduce a film.

The Illusionist 2006

The Two-Shot

Makes two characters the subject of the frame. It allows you to

understand how the characters interact and react to each other.

Avatar 2009

Another thing you should consider when observing

a frame is the angle or camera position.

Was the frame shot from high above?

(a high angle)

Was it shot at eye level?

Was it shot from a low angle?

A frame shot from a high angle is often referred to as

God’s eye view because it suggests that ‘someone’

is observing the characters. It can suggest danger

and helplessness.

300 2006

Apocalypto 2007

The Fountain 2007

A frame shot from a low angle makes the subject seem larger.

The Postman Always Rings Twice 1946

Citizen Kane 1941

The Dark Knight 2008

Inglorious Bastards 2009

A character that seems larger than another in a frame is usually the

dominant character.

From Double Indemnity 1944

From

Rebecca

1940

From

Gone with the Wind

1939

From Letter from an Unknown Woman

1948

The Departed 2006

A canted (Dutch) angle suggests that something is

wrong either in the character or the story’s situation. It

also may show dramatic action, making viewers

uneasy.

Besides shots and angles, you should also watch for symbols.

Some common symbols are:

Images of entrapment are usually shown through characters framed by

doors, gates, or confined spaces (like closets).

From The Kid 1921

From Carrie 1976

Pan’s Labyrinth 2006

Atonement 2007

A Beautiful Mind 2001

The Departed 2006

Images of duality are usually represented by characters reflected

in mirrors , water, glass.

Psycho 1960

The Lady from Shanghai,1947

The Matrix 2003

Black Swan 2010

Stairs, dark alleys, canted angles, darkness enveloping a character,

seeing only part of a character are some images of imminent danger.

From Silence of the Lambs

From Kiss Me DeadlyFrom Halloween

From The French Connection

Light cutting through a character(s), lines

which divide the frame, usually mark images of

characters that are in turmoil.

From The Usual Suspects

From Blade Runner

From The Awful Truth

Sweeney Todd 2007

Eyes – In general, they are themost important

feature to film.

From Un Perro Andaluz

From The Blair Witch Project

From Psycho

Other definitions

• Cliché- overuse of situations, symbols

• Voice over-a narrator whose voice is heard throughout a film

• Restricted narration-limited to one character

• Omniscient narration-changes from one character to another, the viewer receives information from many

sources.

Auteurs/genre

• An auteur is a director who manifests a consistency of style and theme across his/her films. Auteur films are inventive and creative. Auteur films emphasize their uniqueness.

• Genre refers to a mass produced product of the Hollywood film industry.It studies the conventions of certain kinds of films. Genre categorizes films according to their thematic and visual similarities.Genres are not static, they evolve. They also create certain expectations in the viewer.

Bibliography

Buckland, Warren. Teach Yourself Film studies.

Hodder & Stoughton, 1998.

Monaco James, How to Read a Film.

Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 2000.