Class Notes for Understanding Movies, 14th Edition

Preview (31 of 122 Pages)

100%

Purchase to unlock

Loading page image...

Instructor Resource ManualforUnderstanding MoviesFourteenth EditionLouis Giannetti

Loading page image...

iiiPrefaceIf I had but one film to choose for a film analysis course, I would choose eitherCitizen KaneorAmadeus.Amadeusis so rich aesthetically, dramatically, and intellectually that it can supportsustained analytical attention. LikeCitizen Kane, Amadeusprovides superior material for analysisin concert with each chapter ofUnderstanding Movies.Amadeusis a good film to study early in the course so that it can be used as areference filmfor therest of the semester. Use of a reference film facilitates class discussion, offers a touchstone forcomparison to other films, and presents a suitable alternative toCitizen Kanefor synthesisexercises and assignments.Any film can be selected as a course reference film, butAmadeusvibrates with creativity in every aspect of the cinema, making the film an excellent selection.Supplemental resources for this text:www.imdb.com This is the Internet Movie Database website. It is one of the world’slargest compilations of film titles, viewer reviews, and movie production information.www.filmsite.org Another comprehensive website that provides detailed summaries of manyfilms in many genres.www.rottentomatoes.com This website tracks film releases, box office grosses, and otherpertinent information, including professional critic reviews. It is highly recommended.www.metacritic.com/film/Another website along the lines of Rotten Tomatoes.www.rogerebert.com The home of one of the most popular film critics of modern times,Roger Ebert.www.commonsensemedia.orgThis website provides reviews and recommendations of films,especially for parents with young children. The critical reviews here are not geared toward anaudience that seeks out journalistic and theoretical criticism.www.worldbest.com/movies.htmA website that provides links to the websites listed aboveas well as many others that review film and follow Hollywood news and information.

Loading page image...

ivTable of ContentsPreface...............................................................................................................................................................................iiiIntroduction to Revel........................................................................................................................................................1CHAPTER 1: PHOTOGRAPHY..................................................................................................................................6Learning Objectives ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6ChapterOutline..................................................................................................................................................................6Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................13In-class Discussion Questions and Answers…………………………………………………………………………..14CHAPTER 2: MISE ENSCÈNE...................................................................................................................................16Learning Objectives ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..16ChapterOutline................................................................................................................................................................16Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...21Active Learning Assignments................................................................................................................................22In-class Discussion Questions and Answers…………………………………………………………………………..23CHAPTER 3: MOVEMENT.........................................................................................................................................25Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….25ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................25Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..29Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................31In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….32CHAPTER 4:EDITING...............................................................................................................................................34Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….34ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................34Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..39Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................42In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….42CHAPTER 5:SOUND...................................................................................................................................................44Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….44ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................44Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..48Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................52In-class Discussion Questions and Answers…………………………………………………………………………. 52CHAPTER 6:ACTING...................................................................................................................................................54Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….54ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................54ChapterSummary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..57Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................61In-class Discussion Questions and Answers…………………………………………………………………………..61CHAPTER 7: DRAMA.....................................................................................................................................................63Learning Objectives ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….63

Loading page image...

vChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................63Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..65Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................68In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….68.CHAPTER 8:STORY.....................................................................................................................................................71Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….71ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................71Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..75Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................78In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………….……………………………………….79CHAPTER 9:WRITING................................................................................................................................................81Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….81ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................81Chapter Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….84Active Learning Assignments..............................................................................................................................86In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….86CHAPTER 10:IDEOLOGY..........................................................................................................................................89Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….89ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................89Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..92Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................96In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….96CHAPTER 11:CRITIQUE............................................................................................................................................98Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….98ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................98Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………100Active Learning Assignments..............................................................................................................................104In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….104CHAPTER 12 SYNTHESIS:CITIZEN KANE......................................................................................................106Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….106ChapterOutline...............................................................................................................................................................106Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..113Active Learning Assignments...............................................................................................................................117In-class Discussion Questions and Answers………………………………………………………………………….117

Loading page image...

1INSTRUCTOR’S RESOURCE MANUALIntroduction to REVELWelcome to the REVEL edition ofUnderstanding Moviesby Louis Giannetti.Every chapter in the fourteenth edition ofUnderstanding Movieshas been carefully revised forpublication in REVEL, a fullydigital experience designed to integrate text contents withinteractive elements.Understanding Moviescontinues to be organized around elements of filmand provides valuable insight into how movies communicate and convey meaning to theiraudiences through a unique network of language systems and techniques.The narrative content is the same as the print text but contains enhancements; integrated mediainteractives and assessments let students read the content and engage with the material throughhands-on applications. This immersive educational technology boosts student engagement,which leads to better understanding of concepts and improved performance throughout thecourse.All chapters begin on an introductory screen with chapter-specificlearning objectives.Each subsection of content appears on its own screen.

Loading page image...

2Students can click on key terms to read a term’s definition in-line with chapter content.Movie stills and publicity shots not directly correlated to the text are clustered into interactivesby topics related to the main narrative. These galleries allow students to pause and individuallyclick through a group of images and their annotations.Each chapter includes ajournal prompt. The journal prompt serves as a guided note-takingexercise to build student ability to critically analyze key elements in the development andcreation of movies.

Loading page image...

3Each main section ends with a three- to five-questionmultiple-choice quiz.A variety of other interactive features integrated throughout each chapter also enhance studentlearning.Every chapter ends with areviewscreen. The interactive elements on this screen providestudents with opportunities to study the content of the chapter.Advanced flash cardsallow students to review and study each chapter’s key terms.

Loading page image...

4End-of-chapter material also includes a ten-questionchapter quizand ashared writingprompt.Theshared writing promptserves as an online discussion for students in a specific class toapply and analyze an essential chapter concept through contribution and response with theirpeers.

Loading page image...

6CHAPTER 1: PHOTOGRAPHYLearning Objectives1.Recognize the distinctions among the three principal styles of film and the three types ofmovies, and evaluate how the style affects the presentation of the story.2.List the six basic categories of film shots and their purpose in developing the scene.3.Describe the five basic angles in the cinema and what contextual information the audiencederives from each choice.4.Outline the various types of lighting styles used in film and the symbolic connotations of each.5.Explain the way directors consciously use colors to symbolically enhance thefilm’sdramaticcontent.6.Identify how lens, filters, and stocks can intensify given qualities within a shot, and suppressothers.7.Evaluate the changes that digital technologies have had on film production, editing,presentation, and distribution.8.Assess the role of cinematographers in the filmmaking process and identify how they are ableto consolidate the various elements of film photography.Outline1. Realism and Formalisma. Even before 1900, movies began to develop in two major directions: the realistic andthe formalistici. Lumiere brothers’The Arrival of a Trainii. Georges Melies’A Trip to the Moonb. styles in cinema:i. realism1.reproduces the surface of reality with a minimumof distortion2.preserves the illusion that the film world is unmanipulatedii. formalism1.deliberately stylizes and distort raw materials2.the stylization calls attention to itselfiii. classicism1.most fiction films fall somewhere between these two extremes2.avoids the extremes of realism and formalismc. types of films: documentary, fiction, avant-garde2. The Shotsa. defined by the amount of subject matter that’s included within the frame of the screen

Loading page image...

7b. six basic categories of shotsi. extreme long shot1. photographed from a great distance away2. used as establishing shotii. long shot1.roughly the same amount of space as the staging area of a large theater2.deep-focus shotA. a long shot consisting of a number of focal distances and photographedin depthB. sometimes called a wide-angle shot because it requires a wide-anglelens to photographiii. full shot1.closest range within the long shot category2.just barely includes the human body in fulliv. medium shot1. the shot of the couple2. split focus rather than a single dominant focusv. close-up1. shows very little if any locale2. concentrates on a relatively small objectvi. extreme close-up3. The Anglesa. the angle from which an object is photographedb. often serves as an authorial commentary on the subject matterc. five basic angles in the cinemai. bird’s-eye1. directly overhead2. permits us to hover above a scene like all-powerful gods3. the people photographed seem vulnerable and insignificantii. high1.not as extreme as bird’s-eye2.often taken from a crane or high point to maximize locale3.gives viewer a general overview4.reduces the importance or power of a subject5.slows movementiii. eye-level1. as if an observer were viewing the events2. permits us to make up our own minds about what kind of people arebeing presentediv. low1. has the opposite effect of high2. a person photographed from below inspires fear and awev. oblique1. involves a lateral tilt of the camera2. suggests tension, transition, and impending movement

Loading page image...

84. Light and Darka.comedies and musicals tend to be lit in high keyb.tragedies and melodramas are usually lit in high contrastc.mysteries, thrillers, and gangster films are generally lit in low keyd.styles of lightingi. high key: bright, even illumination and no conspicuous shadowsii. low key: diffused shadows and atmospheric pools of lightiii. high contrast:harsh shafts of lights and dramatic streaks of blacknesse.lights and darks have had symbolic connotations in general, artists have useddarkness to suggest fear, evil, the unknowni.light usually suggests security, virtue, truth, joyii.some filmmakers deliberately reverse light–dark expectationsf.three-point lightingi.cinematographers developed the technique during the Hollywood big-studioeraii.the key light is the primary source of illumination, creates the dominant of animageiii.fill lights, which are less intense than the key, soften the harshness of themain light source, revealing subsidiary details that would otherwise be hiddenby shadowiv.the backlights separate the foreground figures from their setting, heighteningthe illusion of three-dimensional depth in the image.g.painterly versus linear stylesi.a painterly style is soft-edged, sensuous, and romanticii.line is de-emphasized: colors and textures shimmer in a hazily defined,radiantly illuminated environmentiii.on the other hand, a linear style emphasizes drawing, sharply defined edges,and the supremacy of line over color and texture5. Colora. color tends to be a subconscious element in filmi.strongly emotional in its appealii.expressive and atmospheric rather than intellectualb. since earliest times, visual artists have used color for symbolic purposesi.cool colors (blue, green, violet) tend to suggest tranquility, aloofness, andserenityii.cool colors also have a tendency to recede in an imageiii.warm colors (red, yellow, orange) suggest aggressiveness, violence, andstimulationiv.they tend to come forward in most images6. Lenses, Filters, and Stocksa. lensesi.the camera’s lens is a crude mechanism compared to the human eyeii.especially with regard to size and distance, the camera records things literallyiii.realist filmmakers tend to use normal, or standard, lenses to produce aminimum of distortion

Loading page image...

9iv.formalist filmmakers often prefer lenses and filters that intensify certainqualities and suppress othersv.telephoto lenses produce a number of side effects that are sometimesexploited by directors for symbolic use1.most long lenses are in sharp focus on one distance plane only2.the longer the lens, the more sensitive it is to distances3.long lenses also flatten images, decreasing the sense of distancevi.wide-angle lenses, also called short lenses, have short focal lengths andwide angles of view1.used in deep-focus shots2.preserve a sharpness of focus on virtually all distance planes3.the wider the angle, the more lines and shapes tend to warp4.movement toward or away from the camera is exaggerated whenphotographed with a short lens5.the fish-eye lens is the most extreme wide-angle modifierb.filtersi.used for purely cosmetic purposes to make an actor taller, slimmer,younger, or olderii.some trap light and refract it in such a way as to produce a diamond-likesparkle in the imageiii.many filters are used to suppress or heighten certain colorsc.film stocksi.two basic categories: fast and slowii.fast stock is highly sensitive to light and in some cases can registerimages with no illumination except what’s available on locationiii.slow stock is relatively insensitive to light and requires as much as tentimes more illumination than fast stocksiv.traditionally, slow stocks are capable of capturing colors precisely,without washing them outv.fast stocks are commonly associated with documentary movies7. The Digital Revolutiona.digital cinema combines television and computer technologies and is essentiallyelectronic in natureb.the images are not stored on a filmstrip, but on memory cards and hard drivesc.digital images can have a higher degree of clarity and resolution than celluloid imagesd.digital images are composed of “pixels” (short for picture elements) seen as tiny dotson the TV monitori.the more pixels that make up an image, the closer it resembles the subject beingphotographed, with a minimum of distortionii.pixels are usually arranged on a two-dimensional gridiii.the sharpness or resolution of an image is a function of the number of pixels itcontainsiv.standard video screens have about 480 scan lines of visual informationv.high-definition video (which is the favored form in cinema) has up to 1,080 scanlines

Loading page image...

10e.digital technology has revolutionized special effects in moviesf.digital video cameras are much more portable than big, clumsy 35mm film camerasg.digital technology can save millions of dollars in motion picture production costsi.complex makeup can also be created digitallyii.computer-generated images can be stored for future useiii.traditional animation is being replaced by computer generated animationiv.digital editing is also much easier than traditional methodsv.digital technology is making motion picture distribution and exhibition cheaperh.computer-generated images have radically undermined the traditional distinctionsbetween realism and formalism in film theory8. The Cinematographera.director is generally the dominant artist in the best moviesb.the principal collaborators—actors, writers, cinematographers—perform according to thedirector’s unifying sensibilityc.sweeping statements about the role of the cinematographer are impossible to makei.varies widely from film to film and from director to directorii.virtually all cinematographers agree that the style of the photography should begeared to the story, theme, and mood of the filmd.during the big-studio era—roughly from 1925 to 1955—most cinematographersbelieved that the aesthetic elements of a film should be maximizedi.beautiful pictures with beautiful people was the goalii.today such views are considered rigid and doctrinairee.“Many times, what you don’t see is much more effective than what you do see,” thelate Gordon Willis noted.f.realist directors are especially likely to prefer an unobtrusive styleg.there are far more films in which the only interesting or artistic quality is thecinematographySummaryCritics and scholars categorize movies according to a variety of criteria. Two of the most commonmethods of classification are by style and by type. The three principal styles—realism, classicism,and formalism—might be regarded as a continuous spectrum of possibilities, rather than airtightcategories. Similarly, the three types of movies—documentaries, fiction, and avant-garde films—are also terms of convenience, for they often overlap.Even before 1900, movies began to develop in two major directions: the realistic and theformalistic. The three styles of film, identified as realism, formalism, and classicism are generalrather than absolute terms, and in the end, are really just labels.Generally speaking, realistic films attempt to reproduce the surface of reality with a minimum of

Loading page image...

11distortion. Formalists, on the other hand, deliberately stylize and distort their raw materials so thatno one would mistake a manipulated image of an object or event for the real thing. Classicalcinema can be viewed as an intermediate style that avoids the extremes of realism and formalism.Few films are exclusively one style over the others. Virtually all film directors go to thephotographable world for their subject matter. What they do with this material captured by thecamera lens, and how they shape and manipulate it, determines the eventual style the viewerperceives in the finished product.The shots are defined by the amount of subject matter that’s included within the frame of thescreen. In general, shots are determined on the basis of how much of the human figure is in view.Theshotisnotnecessarilydefinedbythedistancebetweenthecameraandtheobjectphotographed. In actual practice, shot designations vary considerably.Although there are many different kinds of shots in the cinema, most of them are subsumed underthe six basic categories: (1) the extreme long shot; (2) the long shot; (3) the full shot; (4) themedium shot; (5) the close-up; and (6) the extreme close-up. The deep-focus shot is usually avariation of the long shot, consisting of a number of focal distances and photographed in depth.The angle from which an object is photographed can often serve as an authorial commentary on thesubject matter. There are five basic angles in the cinema: (1) the bird’s-eye view; (2) the highangle; (3) the eye-level shot; (4) the low angle; and (5) the oblique angle.If the angle is slight, it can serve as a subtle form of emotional coloration. If the angle is extreme, itcan represent the major meaning of an image. The angle is determined by where the camera isplaced, not the subject photographed. Film realists tend to avoid extreme angles. Formalist directorsare concerned with the angle that best captures the essential nature of the subject. Extreme anglesinvolvedistortions. By distorting thesurface realism of an object, agreater truth may beachieved—a symbolic truth.The use of light and shadow can also create mood and emotional impact. The illumination of mostmovies is seldom a casual matter, for lights can be used with pinpoint accuracy. There are a numberof different styles of lighting. Usually designated as a lighting key, the style is geared to the themeand mood of a film, as well as its genre. Comedies and musicals tend to be lit in high key, with bright,even illumination and no conspicuous shadows. Tragedies and melodramas are usually lit in highcontrast, with harsh shafts of lights and dramatic streaks of blackness. Mysteries, thrillers, andgangster films are generally in low key, with diffused shadows and atmospheric pools of light.Lights and darks have had symbolic connotations. In general, artists have used darkness to suggestfear, evil, the unknown. Light usually suggests security, virtue, truth, joy. Lighting can be usedrealistically or expressionistically. The realist favors available lighting, at least in exterior scenes.Formalists use light less literally. They are guided by its symbolic implications and will often stressthese qualities by deliberately distorting natural light patterns.During the Hollywood big-studio era, cinematographers developed the technique of three-pointlighting, which is still widely practiced throughout the world. With three-point lighting, the key lightis the primary source of illumination. Fill lights, which are less intense than the key, soften theharshness of the main light source. Backlights separate the foreground figures from their setting.

Loading page image...

12A painterly lighting style is soft-edged, sensuous, and romantic, best typified by the Impressionists.Line is de-emphasized: Colors and textures shimmer in a hazily defined, radiantly illuminatedenvironment. On the other hand, a linear style emphasizes drawing, sharply defined edges, and thesupremacy of line over color and texture.Color in film didn’t become commercially widespread until the 1940s.Sophisticated film color wasdeveloped in the 1930s, but for many years a major problem was its tendency to prettify everything.Color tends to be a subconscious element in film. It’s strongly emotional in its appeal, expressive andatmospheric rather than intellectual. Since earliest times, visual artists have used color for symbolicpurposes. In general, cool colors (blue, green, violet) tend to suggest tranquility, aloofness, andserenity. Cool colors also have a tendency to recede in an image. Warm colors (red, yellow, orange)suggest aggressiveness, violence, and stimulation. They tend to come forward in most images.Because the camera lens is so primitive compared with the human eye, some of the most strikingeffects in a movie image can be achieved through the distortions of the photographic process, usingappropriate lenses, filters, and stocks.Realist filmmakers tend to use normal, or standard, lenses to produce a minimum of distortion.These lenses photograph subjects more or less as they are perceived by the human eye. Formalistfilmmakers often prefer lenses and filters that intensify certain qualities and suppress others.Long lenses tend to flatten images, decreasing the sense of distance between depth planes. Twopeople standing yards apart might look inches away when photographed with a telephoto lens.The wide-angle lenses, also called short lenses, have short focal lengths and wide angles of view.These are the lenses used in deep-focus shots, for they preserve a sharpness of focus on virtually alldistance planes. The wider the angle, the more lines and shapes tend to warp, especially at the edgesof the image. Distances between various depth planes are also exaggerated with these lenses.Film stocks fall into two basic categories: fast and slow. Fast stock is highly sensitive to light and insome cases can register images with no illumination except what’s available on location, even innighttime sequences. Slow stock is relatively insensitive to light and requires as much as ten timesmore illumination than fast stocks.Digital technology has radically changed how movies are photographed, how they are edited, howthey are distributed, and how they are shown to the public. Introduced in the 1980s and refined inthe 1990s, digital technology has, for all intents and purposes, replaced the celluloid technology thatdominated the motion picture industry for over a hundred years.Digital cinema combines television and computer technologies and is essentially electronic innature. The images are not stored on a filmstrip, but on memory cards and hard drives. Digitalimages can have a higher degree of clarity and resolution than celluloid.Digital images are composed of “pixels” (short for picture elements), which can be seen as tiny dotson the TV monitor. Because these pixels can be easily manipulated by computer, digital technologyhas revolutionized special effects in movies.Digital video cameras are much more portable than the big, clumsy 35mm film cameras. Digital

Loading page image...

13video is also cheap. Digital video can save movie producers millions in other costs such as inediting, which is also much easier than traditional methods, as well as in distribution and exhibitionof movies. Traditional animation, with its time-consuming, hand-drawn celluloid images, is alsobeing replaced by computers, which produce images that are created digitally, not by hand.Thecinematographerplaysavitalroleinthecreationofafilm.Generallyspeaking,thecinematographer (who is also known as the director of photography, or D.P.) is responsible forarranging and controlling the lighting of a film and the quality of the photography. Usually thecinematographer executes the specific or general instructions of the director.The collaborative work between this person and the director shapes the overall vision of the film andhow it will look onscreen. Of course, certain directors take more control over this vision than others,but the cinematographer is still the person who oversees the camera crew. Films worth discussinginclude any Hitchcock film, Traffic,andDays of Heaven.Active Learning AssignmentsLearning Objective 2. List the six basic categories of film shots and their purpose indeveloping the scene; and Learning Objective 3. Describe the five basic angles in the cinemaand what contextual information the audience derives from each choice.1.Watch the “Cropduster, Highway 41” scene from Alfred Hitchcock’sNorth by Northwest(available on YouTube). List all the camera shots and angles used by the filmmaker. Whichshots do you think are the most effective? Why? How would you characterize the style of thisscene? Realist? Formalist? Classical? Why?Learning Objective 1. Recognize the distinctions among the three principal styles of film andthe three types of movies, and evaluate how the style affects the presentation of the story.2.Make a list of science fiction or western films you’ve seen and then a list of comedies orromantic comedies. Now think about which category of film, sci-fi/western or comedy/rom-com, uses which shots and angles most often. Does one genre use more long and extreme-longshots than the other? What about medium shots and two-shots? If you think there is adifference, explain why. Do you think there are any hard-and-fast rules when it comes toshooting any particular genre of film?Learning Objective 7. Evaluate the changes that digital technologies have had on filmproduction, editing, presentation, and distribution.3.Compare two scenes, one from the originalWar of the Worlds (1953)and one from the mostrecent remake by Steven Spielberg in 2005. Explain how special effects have changed from onefilm to the other, in terms of the technical capabilities available to the production team, and alsohow those effects strengthen or weaken the narrative.

Loading page image...

14In-class Discussion Questions and AnswersLearning Objective 1. Recognize the distinctions among the three principal styles of film andthe three types of movies, and evaluate how the style affects the presentation of the story.1.Question:Gold Diggers of 1933presents us with a unique cinematic experience, especially withrespect to style. What type of film is this, documentary, fiction, or avant-garde? Or is it amixture of one or more of these types? Why? What filmmaking style best describes this film:realist, formalist, or classical? Why?Consider:The choreographies of Busby Berkeley are triumphs of artifice, far removed from the realworld. Depression-weary audiences flocked to movies like this precisely to get away fromeveryday reality. They wanted magic and enchantment, not reminders of their real-lifeproblems.Berkeley’s style was the most formalized of all choreographers.He liberated the camera from the narrow confines of the proscenium arch, soaring overhead,even swirling among the dancers, and juxtaposing shots from a variety of vantage pointsthroughout the musical numbers.He often photographed his dancers from unusual angles.Sometimes he didn’t even bother using dancers at all, preferring a uniform contingent ofgood-looking young women who are used primarily as semiabstract visual units, like bits ofglass in a shifting kaleidoscope of formal patterns.Learning Objective 5. Explainthewaydirectorsconsciouslyusecolorstosymbolicallyenhance the film’s dramatic content.2.Question:How does color, or the lack of it, create mood and atmosphere in Vittorio De Sica’sThe Garden of the Finzi-Continis? Why did De Sica shoot the film in color? Why didn’t he justshoot the film in black-and-white? Why do you think he did not mix color and black-and-white?Consider:Since earliest times, visual artists have used color for symbolic purposes. In general, coolcolors (blue, green, violet) tend to suggest tranquility, aloofness, and serenity. Cool colorsalso have a tendency to recede in an image.Warm colors (red, yellow, orange) suggest aggressiveness, violence, and stimulation. Theytend to come forward in most images.Black-and-white photography in a color film is sometimes used for symbolic purposes.Some filmmakers alternate whole episodes in black and white with entire sequences in color.The problem with this technique is its corny symbolism. The jolting black-and-whitesequences are too obviously “significant” in the most arty sense. A more effective variationis simply not to use too much color, to let black and white predominate.In De Sica’sThe Garden of the Finzi-Continis, which is set in Fascist Italy, the earlyportions of the movie are richly resplendent in shimmering golds, reds, and almost everyshade of green.As political repression becomes more brutal, these colors almost imperceptibly begin towash out, until near the end of the film the images are dominated by whites, blacks, andblue-grays.Learning Objective 7. Evaluatethechangesthatdigitaltechnologieshavehadonfilm

Loading page image...

15production, editing, presentation, and distribution.3.Question:InLife of Pi, the special effects are so realistic they almost convince us that we’reactually seeing the young protagonist sharing a lifeboat with a ferocious tiger. Explain why thismight be a problem in categorizing this film as realist or formalist in style? Explain why youthink the filmmakers chose to use digital effects as opposed to a real tiger for example? Whatwas the result of the audience viewing the film in 3-D? Did it change the style at all?Consider:Critic Stephen Prince has observed that such technological advancements as computer-generated images have radically undermined the traditional distinctions between realism andformalism in film theory. Why do you think that is?InLife of Pi, the tiger was not a real tiger, but was created by CGI (computer-generatedimagery). The tiger was created by hundreds of artists at Rhythm & Hues, based in LosAngeles.Most of the movie takes place within the narrow confines of the boat. Is this important?The crew viewed film footage of actual tigers before constructing their digital tiger. Why?The 3-D is strikingly realistic, as the tiger seems to be snarling, growling, and lunging at theviewer—a perfect demonstration that realism is not always based on reality.

Loading page image...

16CHAPTER 2: MISE EN SCÈNELearning Objectives1.Identify the two main screen aspect ratios and evaluate how directors have used masksand other techniques in order to both enhance and overcome them.2.Analyze the way the human eye perceives a composition and the way design and thegeography of the frame is used to enhance a thematic idea.3.Describe how the three visual planes suggest depth in a scene and how the use of thisterritory can act as a means of communication.4.Diagram the five basic positions in which an actor can be photographed, and describethe different psychological undertones of each.5.Explain the four main proxemic patterns in film and culture, and describe how thedistances between characters can be used to establish the nature of their relationships.6.Illustrate why open and closed forms serve as two distinct attitudes about reality andlist in which circumstances they each prove most effective.Outline1.Introduction to mise en scène (“placing on stage”)a.phrase refers to the arrangement of all the visual elements of a theatricalproduction within a given playing area—the stageb.in movies, mise en scène is more complicated, a blend of the visual conventions of thelive theater with those of paintingi.filmmaker arranges objects and people within a given three-dimensional spaceii.once this arrangement is photographed, it’s converted into a two-dimensional imageof the real thingiii.mise en scène in the movies resembles the art of painting in that an image of formalpatterns and shapes is presented on a flat surface and is enclosed within a frameiv.cinematic mise en scène is also a fluid choreographing of visual elements that areconstantly in flux2.The Framea. functions of the framei. each movie image enclosed by the frame of the screenii. defines the world of the filmiii. separates it from the actual world of the darkened auditoriumiv. film is temporal as well as spatial

Loading page image...

17v. single-frame image from a movie is necessarily an artificiallyfrozen momentb. aspect ratios for film, television, and videoi. most movies projected in one of two aspect ratios: 1.85:1 (standard) and 2.35:1(widescreen)ii. television used to have aspect ratio of 1.33:1iii. today television has a wider aspect ratio, but still not as wide as most theatricalwidescreensc. frame as an aesthetic devicei. in traditional visual arts, frame dimensions are governed by nature of subject matterii. inmovies, frame ratio is standardized and isn’t necessarily governed by nature ofmaterials being photographediii. constant size of movie frame is especially hard to overcome in verticalcompositionsiv. as an aesthetic device, the frame performs in several ways1. the sensitive director is just as concerned with what’s left out of frame aswith what’s included2. frame is thus essentially an isolating deviced. symbolic implications within the frame and off-framei. some directors like Hitchcock use the frame voyeuristicallyii. placement within the frame is another instance of how form is actually contentiii. each of the major sections of the frame—center, top, bottom, and sides—can beexploited for such symbolic purposes1. central portions of the screen generally reserved for the most important visualelements, and a kind of norm2. area near the top of the frame can suggest ideas dealing with power,authority, and aspiration3. bottom of frame tends to suggest meanings opposite from the top:subservience, vulnerability, and powerlessness4. left and right edges of the frame tend to suggest insignificance5. there are instances when a director places the most important visual elementscompletely off-frame—especially when character is associated with darkness,mystery, or death6. two other off-frame areas can be exploited for symbolic purposes: the spacebehind the set and the space in front of the camerae. circular history of motion picture viewing3.Composition and Designa. one of the primary problems facing the filmmaker is much like that confronting thepainter: the arrangement of shapes, colors, lines, and textures on a flat rectangularsurfaceb. in classical cinema, this arrangement is generally held in some kind of balanceharmonious equilibriumc. when a visual artist wishes to stress a lack of equilibrium, many of the standardconventions of classical composition are deliberately violatedd. human eye automatically attempts to harmonize the formal elements of a compositioninto a unified wholei. the eye can detect as many as seven or eight major elements of a composition

Loading page image...

18simultaneouslyii. in most cases, however, the eye doesn’t wander promiscuously over thesurface of animage but is guided to specific areas in sequence1. through the use of a dominant contrast2. after we take in the dominant, our eye then scans the subsidiary contrastssubsidiary contrastse. generally, visual interest of the dominant corresponds with the dramatic interest of theimagef. b ecause films have temporal and dramatic contexts, however, the dominant is oftenmovement itselfi. some aestheticians call this intrinsic interestii. movement is almost always an automatic dominant contrastiii. importance of motion varies with the kind of shot usedg. visual confusion can result when there are more than eight or nine major compositionalelementsh. compositional elements (weights. and their location within the framei. for instance, we tend to scan pictures from left to rightii. upper part of the composition is heavier than the loweriii. images seem more balanced when the center of gravity is kept lowiv. isolated figures and objects tend to be heavier than those in a clusteri. certain lines suggest directional movementsi. horizontal lines tend to move from left to rightii. vertical lines, from bottom to topiii. diagonal lines are more dynamic—they tend to sweep upwardj. a skeletal structure underlies most visual compositionsi. artists have favored S and X shapes, triangular designs, and circlesii. binary structures emphasize parallelismiii. triadic compositions stress the dynamic interplayiv. circular compositions can suggest security, enclosure, the female principle4.Territorial Spacea. since most movie images deal with the illusion of volume and depth, the film directormust keep these spatial considerations in mind while composing the visualsb. filmmakers compose on three visual planes: foreground, middle, and backgroundc. space is a medium of communication, and the way we respond to objects and peoplewithin a given area is a constant source of information in life as well as in moviesi. findings of psychologists and anthropologists—including Konrad Lorenz, RobertSommers, and Edward T. Hall—are revealing in terms of how space is used in cinemaii. in his studyOn Aggression, Lorenz discusses how most animals—including humans—are territorialiii. territories have a spatial hierarchy of poweriv. space is one of the principal mediums of communication in filmv. the way that people are arranged in space can tell us a lot about their socialpsychological relationshipsvi. in film, dominant characters are almost always given more space to occupy thanothersvii. the amount of space taken up by a character in a movie relates to their dramaticimportanced. the five ways of photographing an actor

Loading page image...

19i. full front—facing the cameraii. quarter turniii. profile—looking off frame left or rightiv. three-quarter turnv. back to camerae. because the viewer identifies with the camera’s lens,the positioning of the actor vis-à-vis the camera will determine many of our reactions.f. the more we see of the actor’s face, the greater our sense of privileged intimacy; theless we see, the more mysterious and inaccessible the actor will seemg. tightly framed versus loosely framed shotsi. generally, the closer the shot the more confined the photographed figures appear tobe; such shots are usually referred to as tightly framedii. conversely, longer, loosely framed shots tend to suggest freedomh. the psychology of territorial space5.Proxemic Patternsa. anthropologist Edward T. Hall demonstrated thatproxemic patterns—therelationships of organisms within a given space—can be influenced by externalconsiderationsb. Hall subdivided the way people use space into four major proxemic patternsi. intimate: from skin contact to about eighteen inches awayii. personal: from eighteen inches to about four feet awayiii. social: from four feet to about twelve feetiv. public distances: from twelve feet to twenty-five feet and morec. proxemic patterns and their camera shot equivalentsi. the intimate: close and extreme close shotii. the personal: medium close rangeiii. the social: the medium and full shot rangesiv. the public distances: long and extreme long shot rangesd. in general, the greater the distance between the camera and the subject, the moreemotionally neutral we remain.e. usually, director selects the shot that most clearly conveys the dramatic action of ascene.f. 3-D movies and the expansion into the“fourth wall”6.Open and Closed Formsa. open formsi. emphasize informal, unobtrusive compositionsii. seem to have no discernible structure and suggest a random form of organizationiii. objects and figures seem to have been found rather than deliberately arrangedb. closed formsi. emphasize a more stylized designii. although such images can suggest a superficial realism, seldom do they have theaccidental, discovered look that typifies open formsiii. objects and figures are more precisely placed within the frame, and the balance ofweights is elaborately worked outc. realism and formalismi. generally, realist filmmakers tend to use open forms

Loading page image...

20ii. formalists lean toward closed formsd. the use of the frame in open formsi. in open-form images, frame tends to be de-emphasizedii. suggests a window, a temporary maskingiii. implies that more important information lies outside the edges of thecompositioniv. space is continuous in these shotsv. to emphasize its continuity outside the frame, directors often favor panning theircamera across the localevi. shot seems inadequate, too narrow in its confines to contain the copiousness ofthe subject mattere.the use of the frame in closed formsi. shot represents a miniature proscenium archii. all necessary information carefully structured within the confines of frame.iii. space seems enclosed and self-contained rather than continuousiv. elements outside the frame are irrelevant, at least in terms of the formal properties ofthe individual shot, which is isolated from its context in space and timef. in open-form movies, the dramatic action generally leads the camerai. such anticipatory setups tend to imply fatality or determinismii. the camera seems to know what will happen even before it occursg. in closed-form films, the camera often anticipates the dramatic actioni. tend to imply destiny and the futility of the willii. characters don’t seem to make the important decisions; camera does—and in advanceh. fifteen visual principles of mise en scènei.Dominant: Where is our eye attracted first? Why?ii.Lighting key: High key? Low key? High contrast? Some combination of these?iii.Shot and camera proxemics: What type of shot? How far away is the camera fromthe action?iv.Angle: Are we (and the camera) looking up or down on the subject? Or is the cameraneutral (eye level)?v.Color values: What is the dominant color? Are there contrasting foils? Is there anycolor symbolism?vi.Lens/filter/stock: How do these distort or comment on the photographed materials?vii.Subsidiary contrasts: What are the main eye-stops after taking in the dominant?viii.Density: How much visual information is packed into the image? Is the texture stark,moderate, or highly detailed?ix.Composition: How is the two-dimensional space segmented and organized? What isthe underlying design?x.Form: Open or closed? Does the image suggest a window that arbitrarily isolates afragment of the scene? Or a proscenium arch, in which the visual elements arecarefully arranged and held in balance?xi.Framing: Tight or loose? Do the characters have no room to move around, or canthey move freely without impediments?xii.Depth: On how many planes is the image composed? Does the background orforeground comment in any way on the midground?xiii.Character placement: What part of the framed space do the characters occupy?Center? Top? Bottom? Edges? Why?xiv.Staging positions: Which way do the characters look vis-à-vis the camera?xv.Character proxemics: How much space is there between the characters?

Loading page image...

21SummaryMise en scène is basically the arrangement of all the visual elements of a scene within a film. It is ablend of the visual conventions of live theater with those of painting. As a result, it is an art that isintimately linked with cinematography. There are formal elements at work in mise en scène, thatwhen used effectively, create a successful interpretation of what we see on screen.The“frame”as used in cinema, is a defined area of visual and narrative activity. It functions as thebasis of composition in a movie image. One of the primary factors that filmmakers must considerwhen composing the contents of a frame of film is theaspect ratiothat will be used. That is the ratioof the frame’svertical and horizontal dimensions as it will look on a movie theater or televisionscreen. As an aesthetic device, the frame performs in several ways. The sensitive director is just asconcernedwithwhat’sleftoutof theframeaswithwhat’s included. The framing of visualcontent for a film implies symbolism and metaphor. The major sections of the frame—center, top,bottom, and sides—can all imply psychological and emotive meanings. This also is true for whatmay be off-frame. Motion picture viewing has come full circle from early peepshows to IMAX 3-Dscreens and now returning to the miniature screens of cellphones.The composition and design of what we see on the screen is an important process for the filmmaker.How the content of the frame is presented to us helps us determine what is important and what is notwhen interpreting the narrative. Patterns are the key to creating a sense of narrative continuity. Weare guided in this process through the use ofdominantandsubsidiary contrasts. Included in theprominence ofdominant contrast, as our guide to following the narrative, isintrinsic interest. Also,movement and motion, which are part and parcel ofdominant contrast,contribute to the contentoftheframe.They pointoutforus what is significant and what is not. The compositionalelements (weights of shape, color, and texture), when distributed across the frame either balanced orasymmetrical, help createa psychologicalmood and convey thenarrative asthe filmmakerperceives it. One must remember that cinematic design is generally fused with a thematic idea. Thenumber of characters seen in any given frame of film can create stable or unstable points within thenarrative.Film is an art form that exists in time and space. But film, despite being displayed on a two-dimensional surface, also creates the illusion of depth and three-dimensional space. The filmdirector must always be aware of this in his creation of the visuals. The primary manner inaccomplishing a sense of three-dimensionality in film is the use of all three areas of the frame:foreground, middle, and background. One of the most elementary, yet crucial, decisions the filmdirector makes is how much detail should be included within the frame. Along with this is thedetermination of where the camera should be in relation to the subject, which in turn means howclose doweget to the subject. The spatial relation between us, and who we see on screen, involvesthe notion ofterritories, which have a spatial hierarchy of power. The main characters in a film’snarrativetendtooccupymorevisualanddramatic space. Thus, the way an actor can bephotographed, five positions in all, determines how we react to them and interpret the narrative. Thisalso closely follows along with the idea that the frame itself is a territory, and thustightly framedandloosely framedshots shape our interpretations of the frame’scontents. When everything isfinally put together in a frame, it becomes apparent that territorial space can be manipulated withconsiderable psychological complexity.

Loading page image...

22Anthropological studies ofproxemic patterns, the relationships of organisms within a given spaceand the influence of external factors such as light, noise, and climate, can be applied to filmmaking.There are four major proxemic patterns: intimate, personal, social, and public. These patterns canhave associated camera position equivalents, which will assist the viewer’sinterpretation of thescene. The choice of a shot is generally determined by practical considerations.If thereis aconflict between the effect of certain proxemic ranges and the clarity needed to convey what’sgoing on, most filmmakers will opt for clarity and gain their emotional impact through some othermeans. The popularity of 3-D movies has added a new dimension to territorial space: 3-D makes thedepth of an image much more realistic than the conventional illusion of depth in two dimensions.This can engage the viewer even more as the image moves into the personal space of the viewer.This new realism combined with surround sound takes the viewer into a realm of total immersion,and closer to their perception of the real world.The concepts ofopenandclosed formsare generally used by art historians and critics, but theseterms can also be useful in film analysis. In practical applications, they are best used in a relativerather than absolute sense. No film is completely one or the other, but rather gravitates to one type.These terms are used only to help understand the level of reality presented in the film’snarrative.Open and closed forms are loosely related to the concepts of realism and formalism discussed in thistext.Ingeneral,realistfilmmakersuseopenforms,whichemphasizeinformal,unobtrusivecompositions and are stylistically recessive. Open forms use imagery that has no discerniblestructure and suggest a random form of organization. The open form film allows the dramaticaction tolead the camera, and the frame is de-emphasized. Formalist filmmakers tend to useclosed forms, which emphasize a more stylized design. Objects and figures are more preciselyplaced within the frame, and the balance of weights is elaborately worked out. Closed forms aregenerally self-conscious and visually appealing.The closed form film allows the camera toanticipate the dramatic action. Open and closed forms are most effective in movies where thesetechniques are appropriate to the subject matter. A systematicmise en scèneanalysis of any givenshot includes fifteen elements.Thesefifteenvisualprinciplescanbeappliedtoanyimageanalysis. Applying these principles can help us train our eyes to“read”a movie image with morecritical sophistication.While mise en scène is just as important to realism as it is to classicism and formalism, it isgenerally easier for students to perceive and discuss the self-consciously artistic visual designs ofmore formalistic films. Two good examples,AmadeusandDangerous Liaisons,are excellentstudies for mise en scène analysis.Active Learning AssignmentsLearning Objective 6. Illustrate why open and closed forms serve as two distinct attitudesabout reality and list in which circumstances they each prove most effective.1.Define open and closed forms. Pick one scene from the first half ofFull Metal Jacketand one from the second half of the film that contrast form. What does the choice ofcompositional form say about the characters? What does it say about the theme of themovie? Does Kubrick change the predominant form from the first half of the film tothe second? If so, what might this transition mean in terms of the dramatic context andthe narrative?

Loading page image...

23Learning Objective 5. Explain the four main proxemic patterns in film and culture, anddescribe how the distances between characters can be used to establish the nature of theirrelationships.2.How is the concept of “territorial space” defined and used in filmmaking? What are theconcerns of the director when working with space and its illusion on-screen? Along withterritories, how do tightly framed and loosely framed shots shape our interpretations of theframe’s contents? Use examples fromThe Graduateto aid in this discussion, and have thestudents explain the “spatial hierarchy of power” found in several scenes of this film.Learning Objective 1. Identify the two main screen aspect ratios and evaluate how directorshave used masks and other techniques in order to both enhance and overcome them.3.View a scene shot in widescreen and one shot in a traditional aspect ratio (for example, a scenefromLawrence of Arabiaand a scene fromRush Hour). Discuss how changing the aspect ratiocan change the meaning of a particular shot, scene, or even whole movie. Does genre matter inthe choice of an aspect ratio? Do some film genres work better in widescreen?In-class Discussion Questions and Answers:Learning Objective 2. Analyze the way the human eye perceives a composition and the waydesign and the geography of the frame is used to enhance a thematic idea.1.Question:Compare and contrast two scenes that have the same characters in them butuse different framing techniques for composing the images, for example, from a movie likeThe Good ThieforFinding Neverland.Consider:Where to put the camera is perhaps the most important decision a film directormakes before shooting a scene.What do the differences in framing imply about the characters?Does the dramatic context affect the meaning of the framing?Learning Objective 4. Diagram the five basic positions in which an actor can be photographed,and describe the different psychological undertones of each.2. Question:View two scenes fromLike Water for Chocolatethat have the same character in them,but that photograph them from different angles or camera placementsand discuss the differences inhow the scenes reveal story and character.Consider:Do the scenes use different proxemic traits or the same?What do the proxemics imply about the relationships between the characters?Does the dramatic context affect the meaning of the proxemics?Learning Objective 2. Analyze the way the human eye perceives a composition and the waydesign and the geography of the frame is used to enhance a thematic idea.3. Question:Name the fifteen visual principles used for mise en scène analysis, and apply them to ascene of your choice from the Coen Brothers’Blood Simple.

Loading page image...

24Consider:What techniques of mise en scène, if any, do the Coen Brothers emphasize in this film?What techniques do they use only minimally?Does the film rely on open or closed forms?Is the framing predominantly tight or loose?Based on your analysis of the mise en scène, isBlood Simplea realistic or formalistic film?Why? What evidence can you show to support your answer?

Loading page image...

25CHAPTER 3: MOVEMENTLearning Objectives1.Describe the three main types of motion and kinetic arts, and explain how each typecan be affected by stylization.2.Illustrate the basic ways that movement is used within the genres of slapstickcomedies, action films, dance movies, animation, and musicals.3.Compare the kinetic richness within the staged choreography of dance sequences andaction scenes.4.Explain the psychology of movement on the screen, and how it can create an emotionalresponse based on the depth of the shot, motion of the camera, and the camera’s lens.5.Identify the seven basic moving camera shots and the different psychologicalmeanings implied by each.6.Differentiate the five basic distortions of film movement.Outline1. Cinema derives from the Greek word for“movement,”as do the wordskinetic, kinesthesia,andchoreography—terms usually associated with the art of dance2. Kinetics (the art of motion)a. relating film genres to movementi. a naturalistic actor like Bruce Willis uses only realistic movementsii.pantomimistslikeCharlesChaplintendedtousemotionmoreballetically,moresymbolicallyiii. even more stylized are the movements of performers in a musicalb. intrinsic meanings associated with various portions of the frame are closely related to thesignificance of certain kinds of movementsi. upward motion seems soaring and free because it conforms to the eye’s natural tendency tomove upward over a compositionii. movements in this direction often suggest aspiration, joy, power, and authorityiii. downward movements suggest opposite ideas: grief, death, insignificance, depression,weaknessc. psychological implications of movementi. because the eye tends to read a picture from left to right, physical movement in thisdirection seems psychologically naturalii. movement from right to left often seems inexplicably tense and uncomfortableiii. movement toward or away from the camera is somewhat like a character moving towardor away from us

Loading page image...

261. movement toward the audience is generally strong and assertive, suggestingconfidence on the part of the moving character2.movement away from the camera tends to decrease the intensity and the characterseems to grow remoted. lateral movement vs. depth on the screeni. generally, if the character moves from right to left (or vice versa, he or she willseem determined and efficientii. lateral movements tend to emphasize speed and efficiencyiii. when a character moves in or out of the depth of a scene, the effect is often oneof slownessiv. when depth movement is photographed in an uninterrupted lengthy take, theaudience tends to anticipate the conclusion of the movemente. movement in relation to shots and anglesi.distance and angle from which movement is photographed determine much of itsmeaningii. the longer and higher the shot, the slower the movement tends to appeariii. from close and low angles, movement seems more intense, speeded upf. movement vs. stasisi. movement in film is a subtle issue, for it’snecessarily dependent on the kind ofshot usedii. neither movement or stasis is more “intrinsically filmic” than the otheriii. epic and psychological movies use movement in different ways, with emphasison different shots1. epic movies usually depend on the longer shots for their effects2. psychological films tend to use the closer shots3. one stresses action, the other reactioniv. two filmmakers can approach the same story and produce totally different results1.Hamletis a good example2. Olivier vs. Zeffirelliv. conveying emotions through kinetic symbolism1. Sergei Eisenstein’sOld and New2. Charles Vidor’sLadies in Retirement3. ecstasy and joy are often expressed by expansive motions4. fear by a variety of tentative or trembling movements5. eroticism can be conveyed through the use of undulating motionsvi. minimalist movement1. Ozu and Bresson2. experiments in restricted movement such as inBuried3. The Moving Cameraa. backgroundi. before the 1920s, filmmakers tended to confine camera movements to the subjectphotographedii. in the 1920s, such German filmmakers as F. W. Murnau and E. A. Dupont movedthe camera within the shot not only for physical reasons but for psychological andthematic reasonsiii. a major problem of the moving camera involves time

Preview Mode

This document has 122 pages. Sign in to access the full document!

Report

Study Now!

Document Details

Related Documents

Test Bank for Understanding Movies, 14th Edition

Exploring Conflict and Personal Growth in Binti In

Analysis of Harrys House Album Cover

LORD OF THE FLIES MASK PROJECT CHARTING SYMBOLISM

Understanding Sculpture Materials, Types, and Tech

Examining Expert Reviewer Criteria and Film Evalua

Unusual Normality, by Ishmael Beah

HEAL THE WORLD CRITICAL

The Hawk Tuah Girl An Exploration of Identity, Cul

The Weeknd-A Tale of Resilience and Musical Genius

Company

Explore

Study Tools