Film Analysis Themes by Janstova Thesis: Key Motifs & Directors

1. COM 633: Content AnalysisHuman-coded Content Analysis; The Coding Scheme Kimberly A. Neuendorf, Ph.D. Cleveland State University Fall 2010

2. Human-coded Content Analysis Measures: Not So Different from other Quantitative Studies • Like survey or experimental measures. . . • Exhaustive, mutually exclusive categories • High level of measurement • Good distributions/transform if necessary • May combine into scales

3. The Coding Scheme • Codebook + Coding Form = Coding Scheme • See The Content Analysis Guidebook Online for some examples • Janstova Thesis example (27-page codebook)

4. Patrika Janstova Thesis:Empirical Testing of Auteur Theory via Content Analysis: A Study of Jane Campion Films • Sources of theory and variables: • Auteur theory (Bazin, Truffaut, Sarris, Wollen & structuralism) • Campion films and scholarly literature • Other auteurs—50 Contemporary Filmmakers (Y. Tasker, 2002). . . Every third filmmaker listed

5. Janstova Thesis:Themes & Motifs for Non-Campion Directors • Gregg Araki • 1      Intensifies lighting and color of the city (LA) • 2      Love, sex and lust • 3      Queer characters • 4      Tries to show being gay doesn’t make a difference among people • 5      Characters are obsessed with video cameras • 6      Adolescents and homosexuality • Luc Besson • 1        Lack of dialog – comic strip influences? • 2        Stories of young people who have difficulties adapting to a society • 3        Society lets the family down - the young people become emotionally deprived • 4        Youth in crisis • 5        Dysfunctional families • 6        Parents are absent • 7        If mother figure appears – as evil force • 8        Protagonists are lonely and suffering • 9        Self-erasure of the protagonists • 10    Literal portrayals of underworlds – metro, sea, lower regions of cities 11    Characters are “larger than life” • 12    Bricolage of genres – more genres in one

6. Janstova Thesis:Themes & Motifs for Non-Campion Directors • Tim Burton • 1        Love for horror and fantasy • 2        Plain weirdness of main characters • 3        Technical experimentation with possibilities of animation and visual effects • 4        Main characters are outsiders villains with extremely complex personalities • 5 Main characters have very pale skin • 6       Themes of exclusion and inclusion7        Johnny Depp • Jackie Chan • 1        Kung-Fu stunts • 2        Master-pupil theme (comical) • 3        Silent cinema feel to some of his scenes (i.e., chasing scenes, bar fights) • 4        Female roles are always over the top girlish • David Cronenberg • 1        The physical and the psychological are usually intertwined • 2        Main character is often male scientist – with a bizarre name • 3        Themes: science, disease, aging, invasion, death in literary metaphors • 4        Bodily and psychic mutations • 5    Hostility towards women – men fear and are jealous of females • 6    Womb envy • David Fincher • 1    Critiques of today’s society • 2    A man alone in the universe • 3     Visual translation of feelings of isolation of the characters • 4    Wide angles, shallow focus = isolation • 5    Muted light and color • 6     Psychological and emotional state of American males of 20th century • 7    Decay of American family • 8     Females are barely present

7. Janstova Thesis:Themes & Motifs for Non-Campion Directors • Jim Jarmusch • 1  Alienation of characters • 2    Use of jump cuts • 3    Characters have no real direction in life • 4 Not interested in What? and Why? but How did one character get where he is now... • 5 Main characters are outsiders • Abbas Kiarostami • 1  Challenges the audience • 2    Poetic and philosophical style • 3   Self-referentiality • 4    Social realist traits/themes • 5    Bleakness and loss - main themes • 6    Often hopeful and enthusiasm accompanies the results • 7    Likes to involve the audience as much as possible • Ang Lee • 1 Modernity vs. tradition • 2 Deep secrets and internal torment come to surface • 3    Conflict between freedom and societal traditions • Michael Mann • 1     Interested in real events • 2    Fading centrality of a male • 3     Visual: soft blues, and sterile and harsh whites

8. Janstova Thesis:Themes & Motifs for Non-Campion Directors • John Sayles • 1    Social concerns • 2     Political awareness • 3   Complex characters • 4 No central protagonist, usually group of characters • 5    Stretches the boundaries of genres • 6    Witty dialog • 7     Realistic characters • Steven Soderbergh • 1    Character based films • 2     Ironic humor • 3    Sense of isolation and loneliness • 4    Characters are harshly detached, emotionally frozen • 5    Characters are unable to fit with the world around them – lonely • 6     Ultimately, his films are character studies of populated with strangers in a strange land • Oliver Stone • 1    Lonely and isolated male protagonist in quasi-spiritual journey • 2    Character goes through innocence, suffering and experiences liberation or destruction • 3    Testosterone-driven and often didactic dialog • 4    Marginalization of women • 5    The lure of homo-social is evident • Peter Weir • 1    Very national – Australian – rather than international • 2    Avoidance of sexuality • 3    No vivid sex scenes • 4     However he shows erotic desire • Allison Anders • 1     Multiple protagonists • 2     Teen angst (anxiety, fear, worry) • 3     Gangsters • 4    Biopic  • 5    Emotional intimacy and heterosexual love atavistic

9. Janstova Thesis:Variable Sets & Units • Variable SetUnit of Data Collection • Themes & motifs Film • Narrative constructions Major character • Production techniques 5-minute interval

10. Janstova Thesis:Sample • All 6 Campion films 1989-2003 • 18 “matched” non-Campion films • Total n=24 films

11. Janstova Thesis:The Codebook Available at the Content Analysis Guidebook Online (newer version, http://academic.csuohio.edu/neuendorf_ka/content)