short film analysis

formalist theorists

Sergei Eisenstein
montage-using editing to produce shocks and conflicts
e..g. dark V light
happy V sad
close up V long shot
large V small shot
slow V fast

-through careful structuring of shots in a juxtaposition of opposites the filmmaker can shape the mind and emotions of the viewer.

Rudolf Arnheim
'the things that film can do that reality can't-what makes it an art form'

Realist Quote

"Those directors who put faith in the image and those who put their faith in reality".

genre

• relation between film and audience (expectations, markets)
• similarities and differences between films within a genre
• what defines a genre
• use of conventions and stylistic elements

quick film analysis

Christmas with dad

• actuality-shows that child as he talks about her
• no transitional effects-quite quick, sharp cuts
• music repetition
• lots of close ups showing expressions
• hand held camera
• observational camerawork-fly on the wall

Gasman

• extreme close ups of daily ritual
• kept cutting out diegetic sound
• SRS
• tracking shot of feet running

Love me or leave me alone

• diegetic sound effects heightened (spit, breathing)
• wing mirror shot of car
• quick cuts-match tempo

semiotics

• signs and signifiers
• language of film
• how meaning is constructed (conventions)
• oppositions
• genre codes
• metaphor
• intertextuality

feminism and psychoanalytic film theory

• surrealism
• memory
• the unconscious
• dream V reality
• symbolism
• hidden/underlying meanings
• sexuality
• representations of gender

formalism

• montage/editing
• structure of a film
• relation of form and content
• effects on viewer
• editing/lighting/sound/staging (how they create meaning)

Realism

• representation of time and place
• how subject matter is treated/made realistic
• mise-en-scene
• effects on viewer
• ambiguity
• use of long take, depth of field, etc

Documentary films-Errol Morris

'Gates of heaven'
nature noises in background (birds)
interviews with pet owners-natural setting (outdoors-field, kitchen doorway)
actuality-shows a monochrome photo of their pet (photos placed on grass as the background to stick with naturalistic theme-at which point interview continues as a detached voice over)
slow paced-calm

documentary

Ideas for Edale trip

Planning-Edale filming

Shot types we plan to explore-long shot, medium shot, close ups, SRS, POV, establishing shots (of the most interesting scene that ties in with the narrative), pans, extreme close up (heather, trees, etc), over the shoulder shot, focus pulls

Shot angles: high angle, low angle, birds eye

Equipment-tripod, items of clothing/shoes, white paper (to test exposure settings)

Things we need to take into consideration-continuity (lighting...do all fiming in day), creating steady scenes (tripod NOT ALL handheld), getting eough footage so we don't come stuck when it comes to editing