Visual Perception of Film and Media

Type: Workshop (15h)

academic year: 2010/11, second semester
Logistics
Instructor:

Iwona Pomianowska, MA (PhD candidate)

Email:

ivvona@gmail.com

Phone:

+32(0)495.273.853

Workshop Description and Objectives

The perception of complex visual stimulation on TV, Film and Internet depends
on the viewers perceptual capacities and the spread of visual attention. Understanding
the visual perception of the current media is crucial in the visual media creation process
as well as in the conceptualization of visual messages designated for the wide public.
The importance of the visual information processing cannot be underestimated in the
everyday information workflow in the age of omniscient electronic media. It determines
peoples functioning and the adaptation to the contemporary social environment.
Therefore it is of high importance to train future cognitive psychologist to
understand the visual media creation as well as its perception by the viewers so that
they can engage themselves in the future visual information workflow, whether it
concerns TV broadcast, Film production, graphic and Internet design or visual
advertisement. Through the cognitive psychology of visual perception the visual media
creation workflow can be improved by adjusting it to recipients perceptual capacities,
needs, and communication styles.
The aim of the course is to analyze the issues of attention and the visual
perception that enable spectators to engage in the visual media communication.
Discussed will be the influence of the visual design factors (color, luminance, shape,
edge orientations and motion) on the perception and visual attention distribution over
the screen while watching a filmic material. Additionally, we will try to answer the
question, how the visual attention distribution over the shot determines the
understanding of the movie itself.

Specific objectives

Insight into the media creation workflow and the investigation of factors
determining the visual perception of the media
Survey on the experimental work being done in the film and media domains
Inventing practical solutions to improve the media creation process

Course requirements
This workshop is based on students practical work therefore it is required from them to
ready to work on image materials using any graphical editor, which allows on the visual
elements manipulation (it can be also a PowerPoint application) .
Grading
There will be a number of points, which are required to be obtained in order to pass this
class. The quantity of points determines the grade. Attendance is obligatory.
Students will be obliged to fulfill three practical tasks. Each task will be separately
evaluated:
-

A short PowerPoint presentation on one of the proposed topics

Two pieces of practical homework

Grading system
43 - 50 points = grade A
44 - 42 points = grade B
35 - 43 points = grade C
26 - 34 points = grade D
< 25 points = grade F - failed

Presentation: There will be one obligatory presentation (max 10 minutes) on The role
of visual attention in perception of a film scene. The detailed description will be
provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course. The presentation will be given
individually or in groups (dependently on the number of students) during the second and
the third session. The maximum score for each of them is 20 points.
Homework: There will be two obligatory pieces of homework (for the 2nd and the 3rd
session), which will be based on practical work of students. It will be based on material
and information provided by the instructor. The maximum score for these two tasks is
30 points.

SYLLABUS of the Workshop:

Session 1:
1. Introduction to the topic of the course and organizational information concerning the
students evaluation. Scheduling of the individual presentations.
2. Review of the practical issues concerning the visual media creation and its
perception. There will be shown a selection of short movie fragments, which will help
students to visualize the problems of communication through the visual media and the
current challenges of viewers visual perception.
3. Work in groups. Students will be introduced to the practical problems from the media
creation process. These problems will concern:
Visual Attention, Selective Attention how do they affect Film Perception?
Session 2:
1. Students presentations on a chosen media creation issue.
2. Presentation of the experimental work being done within the film and media domain.
A chance will be given to students to participate in the small experiment in order to
grasp the importance of psychological research in understanding media perception.
4. Work in groups. Students will be introduced to the practical problems from the media
creation process. These problems will concern:
Motion perception how does it determine Film Perception?
Session 3:
1. Students presentations on a chosen media creation issue.
2. Presentation of the most interesting examples of students practical homework.
3. Work in groups. Students will be introduced to the practical problems from the media
creation process. These problems will concern:

Social cues perception and its influence on movie perception

6. Final evaluation.

Literature:
recommended:
1. Goldstein, E. B. (2007) Sensation and Perception, 6 th edition. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth.
2. Bordwell, David & Thompson, Kristin. (2003). Film Art: An Introduction (Ninth edition
ed.). International edition: McGraw-Hill.
3. Bordwell, David & Carroll, Nol (1996). Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies.
Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
additional:
1. Giltrow, David; Film and Visual Perception ; Educational Broadcasting International
2. Stoffregen, T. A. (1997). Filming the world: An essay review of Andersons The reality of
illusion. Ecological Psychology, 9, 161-177.
3. Hochberg, J. (1986). Representation of motion and space in video and cinematic
displays. In K. R. Boff, L. Kaufman, and J. P. Thomas (Eds.), Handbook of perception
and human performance (Vol. 1, chapter 22). New York: John Wiley and Sons.
4. The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice. 3rd Edition
(2002). Focal Press.