FM4

1. FM4 Varieties of Film: Issues and Debates Aim: to introduce the FM4 exam paper and 3 topic sections.

2. The structure of the paper • FM4 is split into three sections: • Section A - World Cinema topics: which is in turn split into 4 different sub-topic areas. This question is worth 35 marks • Section B - Spectatorship Topics: which is also split into 4 sub-topic areas. This question is worth 35 marks • Section C - Close Critical Study: a study of a single film. This question is worth 30 marks. • The exam is 2 and 3/4 hours in length!

3. Spectatorship topics • There are 4 topic areas in Section B. We will be studying: • Spectatorship, Popular Film and Emotional Response. • The exam board asks students to base their understanding of this topic on at least two films in any given genre. • We will be looking at films within the horror genre and how these films use cinematic language to manipulate audience emotions.

4. The aims of the section B • The WJEC specification states the aim of this topic are: • An understanding of how cinema produces a range of emotional responses in the spectator,using both macro and micro features. • An appreciation of how spectators seek a range of different experiences when watching films,including experiences that may challenge and disturb. • An appreciation of cinematic contexts including the significance of audience viewing situations, fandom and cultism in contributing to spectator response.

5. Specimen Question • This is an exemplar question form the board’s specimen paper: • How far is the emotional response to mainstream films triggered by specific techniques used by the filmmakers? • What is this question asking you to do? Is it asking you to examine the micro or macro aspects?

6. Emotional Response? • Before we tackle the more complex issue of spectatorship…… lets get emotional! • Think about the last three films you watched: • What emotional response(s) did it illicit? • How did it make you feel, during and after the film? • What filmmaking techniques did it use to gain that emotional response? • Were there any genre conventions used to gain an emotional response? • Make notes on the sheet.

7. Genre and emotional response • Film like any art form should illicit some sort of emotional response from the viewer. • Brainstorm a list of emotions you could potentially feel from cinema. • Brainstorm a list of potential emotional responses from the following genres: • Action • Romantic comedy • Task: now watch clips from an example of the above genres and make notes on the sheet.

8. Classic Hollywood and emotional response • Hollywood in the golden age of the 1940s and 50s used a variety of macro and micro techniques to manipulate emotional responses. • Look at clips from these two very different films: • ‘Singin in the Rain’ dir: Stanley Donen (1955) • ‘Casablanca’ dir: Michael Curtiz (1943) • Make notes: Even though your watching the films ‘out of context’, how are the scenes supposed to make you feel?

9. Mini-case study • ‘No Country For Old Men’ • Directed by the Coen Brothers (2007) • Genre: thriller • Setting: Texas/Mexican border. • Watch and make notes on three key scenes from the film.