Film Study

ABOUT FILM
H I S T O RY & O P I N I O N S

History of Film
The first film was created in the
late 1800s
At first it was just stage
performances on film. The
realization that the screen is
not held back in the same way
as the stage inspired creativity

History of Film
The screen actor is not
governed by the rules of a
stage
In fact, a film doesnt
necessarily need any actors at
all

Constantly Changing

Film draws upon characteristics of

literature, drama, poetry, painting,
music, dance.
Film uses cutting edge technology
With all of these elements, and the
changes that happen within them,
it is easy to see how film could also
be expected to be constantly
changing.

Dreamlike Quality
Film creates a virtual present for
the viewer, like a dream does.
Movies unfold in the present,
before your eyes
The dreamer is the center of a
dream like the viewer tends to
virtually be the center of a film.

Point of View

In a stage production, the point of

view cannot be manipulated
In a film, point of view is always
being manipulated
The camera dictates the point of
view and forces the viewer to see
things a certain way.
Example
click to go to Lullaby video

Freedom of Film
Film is free from restrictions of time
and space.
With todays technology and lack
of legal restrictions there is more
freedom in film than there has
ever been.

Influence of Film
How many films do you watch in a
week?
How much money are you willing
to spend on a night out at the
movie theatre?
Could film be used to influence
the masses?

Purpose of Film
Entertainment
Informs and persuades
Evokes emotions (specific tones
and moods)
Educate
First and foremost-to make

Purpose of Film
Endorsements!!
Companies pay a lot of money to
have their products shown in film,
whether it is during a sports event
or used in a movie.
Examples??
Movie Example

click here to go to the link.

Literary Connections
Film mimics the techniques used
in short stories, novels, poems,
and/or visual images.
There are many movies based on
these text forms.
Can you think of ways a film
might mimic techniques of
literature?

Everything is Deliberate!
When you feel a certain emotion,
the film-maker has intended for
you to feel that way
When you notice a certain sound,
its because you were supposed to
notice it
Every piece of every frame was
created on purpose

GENRES
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES

FIVE Basic Genres:

1. Drama
2. Romance
3. Comedy
4. Suspense
5. Action

1. DRAMA
Film that invokes an emotional
response in the viewer
Has deeper themes that revolve
around topics like love, loss, death,
and birth
Sub-categories include:
CRIME

EMOTIONAL

HISTORICAL

SPORTS

POLITICAL

PSYCHOLOGIC
AL

2. ROMANCE
Film that expresses the inner most
desires and the strongest feelings
human beings possess
Theme always includes a lovestruck character of some sort.
Sub-categories include:
MARRIAGE

COMEDY*

MUSICAL

DIVORCE/
SEPARATING

TWISTED

MAGICAL

Romantic Comedies fall into both Romance and Comedy genres.

3. COMEDY
Film that is meant to make people
laugh.
Theme always includes a type of
comical context, like satire, dark
comedy, spoofs, slapstick, silliness,
misunderstandings, drunken
wildness, and/or Brit wit.

3. COMEDY

Because there are so many options

of themes, there are varied
responses to the different themes.
While some might love one
comedy, they may not even
understand another.
Sub-categories include:
LITERARY

ROMANCE*

TEEN

WORK

DARK/SATIRE

MANNERS

*Romantic Comedies fall into both Romance and Comedy genres.

4. SUSPENSE
One of the most durable genres.
Alfred Hitchcock is one of the
founding greats of this genre
Meant to evoke fear and/or anxiety
in the viewer. Causes an inner
stress.

4. SUSPENSE
Themes revolve around murder,
horror, mystery, and/or espionage
Sub-categories include:
HORROR
PSYCHOLOGIC
AL

LAW AND
CRIME

MURDER

SUPERNATURA
SOCIAL ISSUES
L

5. ACTION
The first action films included the
men-in-tights type of fights, like
Robin Hood
From the 1940s to the 1960s
action films were mostly based on
themes of war.

5. ACTION

Today films consist of anything that

can cause excitement and demand
frenzied, explosive, hyped-up,
effects-packed action
extravaganzas.
Sub-categories include:
ADVENTUR
E

CRIME

SCI-FI

SUPERHER
O

WAR

FANTASY

WESTERN

MARTIAL
ARTS

k
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o
W
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GYour group will be assigned a genre.
In a Google Presentation:

Slide one: Title Slide

Slide two: three examples of movies
that fit into your genre
Slide three: image for one of your
movies that is linked to the trailer AND,
based on the notes, an explanation of
how the movie fits into your genre
(including what sub-categorie(s) it fits
into)

Criteria

Marks

Neatness

/5

3 Examples (show you understand

the overall definition of your genre)

/6

How your MAIN EXAMPLE works

-This is the example that you have
chosen to focus on and analyze.

/10

Correctness (spelling, punctuation,

capitalization)

/2

Sources page DO NOT

PLAGIARIZE!!!

/2
TOTAL

/20

FILM
STUDY
COLOUR AND
LIGHT

Different colours
hold different
meanings.
Colours can evoke
different emotions

GREEN

BLUE

BLACK

WHITE

RED

Gendered Colours

Lighting Techniques

Back Lighting:
Lighting the subject
from behind
creates silhouettes.

What emotions can this pull from an

audience?

Top Lighting:
Lighting of a subject
from above may
create a romantic
halo effect,
suggesting,
perhaps, purity.

Under Lighting:
Lighting the subject
from below makes
the point of focus
sinister and
threatening.

Side Lighting:
Point of focus is half-lit,
the other half in
darkness. This
suggests ambiguity, or
perhaps a
psychological self-

High Key Lighting:

Bright even
illumination and a few
conspicuous shadows.
There is little contrast
between light and
dark.

Low Key Lighting:

Emphasizes diffused
shadows and
atmospheric pools of
light. There is a
strong emphasis
between light and

Unmotivated
Lighting:
Intense light from an
unseen, impossible
source. It
illuminates the point
of focus.

Chairoscuro:
Literally, Italian for
clear-dark. The
arrangements of light
and dark elements in a
visual, usually for
symbolic intent or to
establish mood

Point-of-View
Shot:
From the
perspective of a
character. As the
audience, we see
what the

Extreme Long
Shot:
A panoramic view of
an exterior location,
filmed from a great
distance. Human
figures are barely

Medium Shot:
From a distance
where a human
figure is shown
from the waist
up.

Close - Up Shot:
Detailed shot, usually
only showing a persons
head or a small object.
Used to isolate the
subject so that the
audience only pays

Extreme Close-Up
Shot:
Singles out a portion of
the body or an isolated
detail, often used for
symbolic purposes. Often
highlights a significant

M
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Angle:
The CAMERAS
angle of view
relative to the
subject.

High Angle:
The Camera is up high
looking down on the
subject. This makes
the subject seem less
significant.

Low Angle:
The Camera is down
low looking up at the
subject. This makes
the audience feel
fearful or insecure.
Also gives authority to

Flat Angle:
The Camera at eye
level and with subject.
This is a neutral shot.

Birds-Eye Angle:
The camera shows a
scene from directly
above. This is very
unnatural and strange.
This puts the audience in
a god-like position
looking down at the

Canted Angle:
The camera is tilted
(not horzontal to the
floor) to suggest
imbalance, transition,
instability; the world
may be considered out

Angle of Destiny:
The camera is tilted (not horizontal to
the floor) and above the subject, as
through it is set in the corner of the
ceiling. This suggests a moment of
great contemplation of decision. It is
often held for an extended period of
time.

Show up to 1:00

Internal Frame:
Frame (within the frame
of the visual), such as a
window or a doorway.
This limits the point of
focus. It is symbolic of
isolation, entrapment, or
protection.