Module 4 Lessons

Lesson 58

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How Do You View a Movie?

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What is your first response after you watch a movie? If you're like most people, your initial reaction is probably "I liked that movie!" or "I didn't like that movie!" To be an active and critical viewer, you need to ask yourself why you liked or disliked the movie. What was the filmmaker trying to communicate? How did he or she do this? What emotions did you experience as you viewed the film? What produced these emotions?

If you're able to answer these questions, you are on your way to becoming an active viewer. To help you answer these and other questions about the feature film you have chosen for your film study, you will use a three-part framework to view the film. You will view your movie on three levels—literary, dramatic, and cinematic.

• Literary elements of a film are those elements that films share with novels or short stories—plot, characters, setting, theme, and point of view.
• Dramatic elements of a film are those elements that films share with live plays—actors, dialogue, costumes, make-up, directors, and sets.
• Cinematic elements are those elements that set films apart from books or plays. They include cinematography, sound, film editing, and special visual effects.

1. List your five all-time favourite movies.

2. For each movie you listed for question 1, tell the following:

1. Why is the film a favourite?
2. What particular element in the film did you especially like?

Literary Elements of a Film

Usually when you ask people why they like a particular movie, the reasons they give are on a literary level; for example, they like the plot or the characters. The literary elements of a film are the same as the elements of a novel or a short story.

3. Look back at your list of favourite films and choose one. Then answer the following questions.

1. Who are the main characters? The protagonist? The antagonist? What significant details do you attach to each character? What are the relationships of the characters?
2. What happens within the plot? What disrupts the routine of the characters? What problems do they encounter? What connection does this have to your life?
3. Where and when does the action take place?
4. Why does the conflict happen? Why do the characters behave in a certain way? Why do events happen in the way they do?
5. How is something accomplished? How will the characters resolve their problems?
6. Whose point of view is the story told from?
7. What is the mood of the film?
8. What is the theme or message that is communicated by the film?

 

Journal Entry

In your journal, create a chart similar to the following. Then complete the chart with details from one of the movies on your list of favourites.
 

Elements of Plot	Story Details
Initial Incident
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Conclusion

Dramatic Elements of a Film

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Like plays, movies have actors that portray characters—and, like the actors in plays, movie actors engage in dialogue and wear make-up and costumes to establish their characters. Both plays and movies have directors who put their personal touches on the action of the story. As well, both have sets that establish a sense of place for the audience.

4.

1. Name a movie you saw just because a certain actor was in it.
2. Which of the movies from your list of favourites would you say has outstanding acting? Why?
3. Name a movie from your list of favourites in which the costumes, make-up, or sets were especially effective.

Journal Entry

A profile is a short biography that gives a reader a clear and interesting picture of a person. Do some research on a favourite actor. List words or phrases that you think best describe that actor. Use some or all of these words to write a profile of the actor you have researched.

Cinematic Elements of a Film

You should now be able to recognize the literary and dramatic elements in a film, so in the remainder of this lesson, you will look at the cinematic elements.

Mr. Haas: How are movies different from plays? Brandon: Movies involve the use of cameras. There are a lot of technical elements in movies that plays don't have. Dominic: Many movies have special visual effects, such as computer-generated images. You wouldn't likely see those in a novel or a play. Chelsea: Movies use sound-track music. Lin: What about film editing? That's unique to movies, and it's an important part of movie making. Mr. Haas: I'm impressed! You already know a lot about the cinematic elements of films.

In order to discuss the cinematic aspects of films, it's necessary to be familiar with some technical terms that deal with cinematography, sound, editing, and special visual effects. Although you've been introduced to many of these terms already, they're included here to strengthen your understanding.

In the pages that follow, you'll look at these cinematic elements:

• camera placement
• editing
• sources of sound
• colour and lighting

Camera Placement

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What do you see? How do you see it? Why do you see the action, events, characters, and objects this way? Camera placement in filming will determine the answers to these questions. Following are examples of camera placement:

• Types of Shots

• long shot
• medium shot
• close-up
• extreme close-up, for example, a shot of a part of a face that fills the screen

• Camera Angles

• high angle
• low angle
• eye level
• aerial

• Camera Movement

• pan: The camera moves horizontally from a fixed base.
• tilt: The camera points up or down from a fixed base.
• tracking or follow shot: The camera, which is mounted on a moving device such as a rail, dolly, or vehicle, follows along with the action of the subject.
• zoom: This is not a camera movement but is a smooth change in the focal length of the camera lens; it gives the impression the camera is getting closer or farther from the subject.

Shots may comment on action, character, or theme. Following are some questions to consider when examining camera placement:

• Does a long shot establish a setting? Does it distance the audience from a character emotionally?
• Does a close shot provide the audience with detail and information, or does it restrict the audience's perspective?
• Do low- and high-angle shots represent characters' points of view, or are they symbolic of character power or weakness?
• Are subjects centre-framed on the screen?
• Is the background uncomplicated, or is it cluttered?
• What effect does the background have on the development of the characters or plot?
• Do details in the frame contribute to character or to plot advancement?

Editing

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Editing is the process of assembling and splicing together the various shots that make up a film. The length of shots, the rapidity of cuts, and the use of juxtaposition shape audience reaction to characters and events. Following are common transitional devices used in editing:

• cut—the ending of a shot; a common type of transition in which one scene ends and another begins immediately
• fade-out or fade-in—one scene gradually goes dark and another gradually emerges from the darkness; 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

Closely connected to transitional devices in editing is how time passage is shown in a film. For example, calendar pages may change rapidly, the hands of a clock may revolve, or one image may dissolve into the next. Changes in costume or surroundings may also show time passing.

Sources of Sound

What sounds accompany the film? Do they add to the effectiveness of the film? The following are common sources of sound in films:

• voice-over narration
• dialogue
• sound effects
• sound-track music

Sound-track music often plays a major role in a film. It may define the atmosphere, mood, or tone of a scene, identify or define characters, unify shots, and assist the transition of time.

Colour and Lighting

Colour in films may be used to communicate specific ideas. Colours in varying shades are often used as symbols to communicate emotions or particular aspects of character or setting.

Some common meanings associated with colours are shown in the following chart. Different cultures may have different symbolic meanings for colours.
 

Consider how colour is used for the overall look of the film. Note colour contrasts from one scene to another. Does the colour have a symbolic or atmospheric purpose? If the film is in black and white, what was the purpose for this choice? Was it to produce a specific mood or style?

Did You Know?

You may be surprised to learn that the ancient Greeks scorned blue as ugly, yet today blue is a favourite of the majority of Europeans and North Americans. Many interesting facts about colour can be found in the book entitled Blue: The History of a Color by Michel Pastoureau.

Lighting is an important cinematic element in a film. Are scenes brightly lit? Is there much shadow and darkness? What is the purpose of such lighting? Does lighting focus on a character or object? Does it draw attention to detail? Is it used to conceal, to dramatize, or to symbolize aspects of character, action, or theme?

5. Do any of the movies on your list of favourites have particularly interesting cinematic aspects? If so, what are they?

6. Television ads also have cinematic elements. If possible, view several television ads with a partner to observe the use of the following cinematic elements:

• camera shots—long shot; close-up shot
• camera angle—high angle; low angle
• camera movement—tracking
• editing—cut; fade
• colour or lighting

In your investigation of the cinematic elements of movies, you've covered a great deal of material. Knowing the language of the cinematic aspects of filmmaking will help you pay attention to visual images and become a more careful viewer.

 

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Suggested Answers

1. Lists will, of course, vary. Does your list contain only recent movies, or are there some that you viewed a long time ago? Are the movies on your list similar in type, or do you have a variety?

2. a. and b. Again, responses will vary. Perhaps you like a particular movie because it has a compelling plot or memorable characters. Did it communicate a special message to you? Maybe you favour a certain movie because it stars a particular actor. Did you list any movie as your favourite because of the camera work, the sound effects or music, or the special visual effects?

3. a. to h. Responses will depend on the movie you chose. Were you able to answer all of the questions? Can you see the similarity between the elements of a story and the literary aspects of the movie?

4. a. to c. While you probably recognize that actors and acting are important parts of a film, you may not be aware that other dramatic elements—such as costumes, make-up, and sets—also contribute to the meaning of a film. Details of costumes, make-up, and sets may provide information about characters, time, and place. As in a live play, dialogue also gives information to the audience.

5. It is unlikely that you can recall examples from your favourite movies to illustrate each of the terms from the list, but perhaps some of the cinematic aspects stand out. Perhaps there were special visual effects that were unique or the camera work was very effective. Were the music and sound effects especially noteworthy? What about the editing? How were transitions done?

Following is one student's response to this question.

One of my favourite movies is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. After going through the information on the cinematic elements of movies, I viewed E.T. again. I discovered that most of the elements discussed were in the opening scene. For instance, at the very beginning, when E.T. explores the forest, the music is quiet and mysterious. It sets the mood. There is a feeling of mystery and wonder. A lot of dissolves are used for transitions. When the people come on the scene, the photography, editing, music, and sound effects all change abruptly. A different tone is established.

6. Were you able to identify the cinematic elements listed in the ads you viewed? Did any of the ads stand out because of the photography or visual effects? Were you able to identify scenes that you now realize had effective editing? Did any of the ads have interesting sound effects or music?
 

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Lesson Glossary

cinematic

having to do with the cinema (motion pictures)

cinematography

the art and technology of motion picture photography, involving the general composition of a scene, lighting, choice of cameras, camera angles, and movements

dramatic

having to do with live plays

juxtapositio

two different shots or images placed side-by-side for contrast or comparison; for example, a tiny cottage beside a highrise apartment

literary

having to do with written works, such as novels or short stories