Film as a Dialogue Interpreting cinema

1. Film as a DialogueInterpreting cinema Marc Adang en Gerwin van der Pol

2. Film as a Dialogue Interpreting cinema Introduction

3. What does it mean to watch a film? • Difference between ‘ordinary’ filmviewing, and what a researcher does. • The ordinary filmviewer understands and interprets, • The researcher does the same, but does it systematically, and reflects on the whole process • Film interpretation= to analyse + to signify • Film interpretation = also, a lengthy process of asking questions, search for answers, and testing conclusions

4. Dialogue with theory • Theories can offer models to gain insight in a facet of the film. • The same theory, applied to different films, results in different answers. • Different theories, applied to the same film, can lead to the same insight. • Every method, theory or model can be applied on a film, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that every theory is equally useful.

5. Film as a dialogue • Preface • A. Introduction • 1. A film is a dialogue • B. Filminterpretation • I. Preliminary orientation • 2. Acquaintance with the film • 3. Asking questions • II. Time and space • 4. Time • 5. Space • III. Characters, Relations, development • 6. Characters • 7. Relations • 8. Development • IV. Interpretation • 9.Interpretation • C. References

6. Film as a Dialogue Interpreting cinema Part A. A film is a Dialogue

7. A film is a dialogue • The same film is different: • Before • During • After • Understanding takes place on three different levels: • Diegesis • Film • Reception

8. Film as a dialogue • Preface • A. Introduction • 1. A film is a dialogue • B. Filminterpretation • I. Preliminary orientation • 2. Acquaintance with the film • 3. Asking questions • II. Time and space • 4. Time • 5. Space • III. Characters, relations, development • 6. Characters • 7. Relations • 8. Development • IV. Interpretation • 9.Interpretation • C. References

9. Acquaintance with the film • First, pre-systematic analysis • Constant adjustments, corrections and additions during the course of studying the film. • Chart of scenes • Synopsis • Characterization of the film

10. Chart of scenes • Comparable to a chart of scenes in drama • But now made by the researcher • Not a complete text • More non-verbal information + Indices • Spreadsheet, 11 columns

11. Chart of scene/spreadsheet1. concrete information • Scène numeration and time code • Who? (descriptive) • Where? (descriptive) • What? (descriptive)

12. Chart of scenes/spreadsheet2. interpretation • segmentation • Indices and problems of time • Indices and problems of space • Indices and problems of characters • Indices and problems of relations • Indices and problems of development • Indices and problems of themes

13. Synopsis

14. Characterization • First attempt to characterize the film • First basis for further observations

15. Characterize: fictionality Fake/implausible Fantasizing(Fabulating) Didactic True/plausible

16. The plastic bag • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw&playnext=1&list=PLE2D698ED898D95E7

17. Characterize: fictionality Fake/implausible Fiction Fantasizing(Fabulating) Didactic Nonfiction True/plausible

18. Characterize: genre

19. Characterize: style • Style is content

20. Characterize: Style Realism Expressionism Classicism

21. Characterize: ambition level Conventional Critical/exploring/personal Conforming to the system filmic Complex/ modernizing

22. Characterize: context • Filmmakers: • Director • Producer • Most important crew members • Actors • Production and distribution • Historical/ geographical

23. 3. Asking the right question • Questions on the level of diegesis • Perception • Semiotics • Questions on the level of the film • Function of filmic means • Understanding how the film cues the spectator to understand the diegesis in a certain way • Questions on the level of the reception • What are effects on the spectator? • How does he understand the film? • What kind of emotions are evoked? • In what kind of aesthetic judgment does the film result? • in what kind of moral judgment does the film result?

24. Film as a dialogue • Preface • A. Introduction • 1. A film is a dialogue • B. Filminterpretation • I. Preliminary orientation • 2. Acquaintance with the film • 3. Asking questions • II. Time and space • 4. Time • 5. Space • III. Characters, Relations, development • 6. Characters • 7. Relations • 8. Development • IV. Interpretation • 9.Interpretation • C. References

25. Time • Time in the diegesis • Space of time • Situating • Space of time of the film • Diegetic time compared to film time • segmentation • Interpreting time

26. Space • Diegetic space: • Construction • meaning • De filmic space • construction • Meaning • The relation between diegetic and filmic space • Interpretation of space

28. Film as a dialogue • Preface • A. Introduction • 1. A film is a dialogue • B. Filminterpretation • I. Preliminary orientation • 2. Acquaintance with the film • 3. Asking questions • II. Time and space • 4. Time • 5. Space • III. Characters, Relations, development • 6. Characters • 7. Relations • 8. Development • IV. Interpretation • 9.Interpretation • C. References

30. Film as a dialogue • Preface • A. Introduction • 1. A film is a dialogue • B. Filminterpretation • I. Preliminary orientation • 2. Acquaintance with the film • 3. Asking questions • II. Time and space • 4. Time • 5. Space • III. Characters, Relations, development • 6. Characters • 7. Relations • 8. Development • IV. Interpretation • 9.Interpretation • C. References

31. Final interpretation • Thematic analysis • Using indices as starting point • Characterization • Retaking the earlier characterization and now drawing clearer conclusions

32. Characterize: context and position • Filmmakers: • Position within their own oeuvre • Historical, geographical • Influences • Position within political debate • Position within film history • Nachleben • Changes in meaning of the film