**SOME NOTES (To help you with your scene analysis)

Here are some notes highlighting some things we discussed in class today re: film analysis.

Use this as a guide to help you with your post.

(Of course, you won't necessarily elaborate on each of the elements of film listed here for you assignment, but use what you need to do a good job.)

***

2/16/10 NOTES

Intro to writing about FILM:

ELEMENTS OF FILM FOR ANALYSIS

Mise en scene

TRANSLATION: In film, this is everything that the director puts in the scene (e.g., Sets/Locations, Costumes, Makeup, Props, Actors).

Director:

Author/Narrator (Short story) = Director/(et al.) (Film)

What other work has the director done?

What other similar films can this be compared to?

How does the director tell this story?

Principle actors:

Portrayal of the characters

Qualities they bring to their performances

(Avoid talking about actors’ talent. Talk instead about the qualities certain actors

have and how these build (or don’t build) the character.)

Other Elements:

* Cinematography

* Editing

* Sound/Music

* CINEMATOGRAPHY

Long shot

Medium shot

Close-up shot

High/Low [camera] angles

Panning

Tracking

Canted frames

* LIGHTING

High Key / Low Key lighting

Backlighting (Silhouette)

* EDITING (Basic tool is The Shot, or the Take)

Long/Short Take (In film, a 3-minute take is actually a LONG take!)

Continuity Editing (This is commonly used in Hollywood as a means to focus on the story w/out cinematographic “distractions.” This has multiple rules and techniques. You can look into this.)

* MUSIC/SOUND