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Elements of Film. Getting ready for the critique. Developing your Critique. Writing a critique about a movie is more than just saying it was good or bad. You are describing the elements and then concluding whether it is a good film or not.
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Elements of Film Getting ready for the critique
Developing your Critique • Writing a critique about a movie is more than just saying it was good or bad. • You are describing the elements and then concluding whether it is a good film or not. • Basically, you are writing a story version of the film.
Elements of Film • Setting • Atmosphere • Cinematography • Lighting • Décor/Clothing • Pace • Suspense • Sound & Music • Editing • Character • Acting • Plot • Narrative Structure • Genre • Themes
Setting • Describing the location • Geographical • Historical • Social Milieu (Social Environment) • Culture • The physical space where something occurred • Social Structure
Atmosphere • Mood • Cheerful • Depressed • Tense • Calm • I.E…You are describing the “feeling”. • What feeling does this film give off in your opinion? • What is the feeling one can expect to receive in watching this film?
Cinematography • How the camera is manipulated • Camera Angles • High • Low • Straight – On • Bird’s Eye • Camera Distances • Extreme long shot • Long Shot • Medium • Close – Up • Extreme Close – Up • Camera Movement • Tracking/Dollying • Hand Held • Crane • Pan • Tilt • Helicopter
Lighting • Helps set the mood of the film. • Can be implemented in many different ways to obtain various affects • Realistic • Romantic • “Dark” • “Surreal”
Décor/Clothing • Design and costume set • The arrangement of objects and costumes in the setting of a film.
Pace • The rate of activity or movement • Rhythm or tempo • Fast – paced • Slow – paced • “Meditative” • “Poetic” • A main concern for the director • Control Actors’ actions • The action must swell, subside, and swell again. • The director does this to keep the scene from losing its energy and intensity
Suspense • A feeling of pleasurable fascination and excitement mixed with apprehension, tension, and anxiety developed from an unpredictable, mysterious, and rousing source of entertainment.
Sound & Music • Sound: • Like, lighting it helps set the mood of the film. • Aid to the other elements of the film. • Realistic • Expressive • Simple • Multi-Layered • Music: • Helps with the pacing of the film and helps set the mood and define the setting • Soundtrack • Source
Editing • Happens post - production • Cutting & Pasting • Cutting for Continuity • Cutting Within a Scene • Cross Cutting • Parallel Editing • Create sensually provocative montages; bring out the emotional truth in an actor's performance; create a point of view on otherwise obtuse events; guide the telling and pace of a story; create an illusion of danger where there is none; give emphasis to things that would not have otherwise been noted; and even create a vital subconscious emotional connection to the viewer, among many other possibilities.
Character • Defining the person • Complexity • Believability • Voice • Stereotype
Acting • The art of character portrayal • Professional (big screen) • Nonprofessional (independent film) • Realistic • Stylized/Symbolic (fantasy)
Plot • The events that make up the film • Storyboarding • Storyline • divided into five parts • Are: exposition (of the situation); rising action (through conflict); climax (or turning point); falling action; and resolution. • Cause & Effect • An intricate, complicated plot is called an imbroglio
Narrative Structure • The structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which a narrative/story is viewed. • Divided into three sections: • Setup • all of the main characters and their basic situation are introduced. • contains the primary level of characterization (exploring the character's backgrounds and personalities • Conflict • is the bulk of the story • begins when the inciting incident (or catalyst) sets things into motion • Character Development • Resolution • the problem in the story boils over, forcing the characters to confront it, allowing all elements of the story to come together and inevitably leading to the ending • Straightforward or Complex
Genre • Action & Adventure • Animation • Biopics • Bollywood • Comedy • Crime • Documentary • Drama • Family • Horror • Music documentary • Musical • Period & Historical • Science Fiction & Fantasy • Short Films • Sport • Thriller • War Films • Westerns • World Cinema
Themes • The Point of the Film • Issues • Ideological Conflicts • Lessons Learned