Introduction to Film

1. Introduction to Film English 12 April 2, 2013 Ms. Haynes

2. Outline • Why study film? • Top Movies or TV Series of your time • Film Narrative • The shot • Types of shots • Framing/shot length • Camera angle • Movement

3. Why study film? • Entertaining! But also… • Advanced medium with tools and conventions of its own • Interplay of sound and image • Way to enhance literacy • Encourages critical thinking • Meaning still made from details of character, theme, plot, mood, conflict, symbolism

4. Top Films of Your Time! • Make a list of the top ten movies or television series you love • Beside each movie, write one thing you love specifically about it… Is your favourite lead actor or actress in it? Is it filmed in a particular genre? Is it based off a familiar story? Does it have your sense of humour? Shameful guilty pleasures?

5. My top ten… • Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – hilarious, Michael Cera (Canadian!), “evil exes,” video games • The New Girl – ZooeyDeschanel, hilarious, roommate problems, elementary teacher • Glee – story of my life • The Walking Dead – addicting story, annoying characters, zombies • Game of Thrones – addicting story, fantasy • Phantom of the Opera – my favourite musical • The Proposal – Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds (Also Canadian!), hilarious, sentimental, work/life balance – GET LOW • Community – hilarious, college life, charming individual characters • The Butterfly Effect – Ashton Kutcher, scarring life events • Final Destination series – freak accidents

6. Film Narrative • “How do I feel, and how does the filmmaker make me feel this way?” • Story elements (plot, character, theme) • + Production elements (camera angles, lighting, acting) • = Narrative • SHOW and tell -> Mise en scene

7. The Shot • The basic unit of meaning in written texts is the word. The basic unit of meaning in film is the shot (the frames produced by one continuous take of the camera, without cuts). Editing -- how the shots are organized into a sequence-is what makes the narrative. The order in which shots follow each other is as important as the shots themselves.

8. For example, imagine a sequence that begins with a shot of a woman and a man embracing. We understand from seeing this that the two people are attracted to each other -- maybe even in love. But if this shot then cuts to a shot of someone secretly watching, and if that person is the woman's husband, we have a whole new layer of information. If the camera then cuts to a close-up of his face and he is smiling rather than looking upset, the film goes in yet another direction.

9. Types of Shots • Keep in mind these three things when discussing shots: • The framing or length of shot • The angle of the shot • If there is any movement • Each shot has a different purpose or effect • A change between two different shots is called a cut

10. Framing or Shot Length • Extreme long shot – ie. “Hollywood” signs • Long shot – Looking at things life-sized • Medium shot – Waist up • Close up - Face • Extreme close up – Single eye, lips, hand

11. Camera Angle • Bird’s eye view – looks down on subject from above • High angle – not so high, subject is part of scenery (camera on crane to film) • Eye level – neutral shot, like a human is looking at subject • Low angle – useful for short people (Tom Cruise!), may feel powerless against subject • Oblique/canted angle – sideways camera angle, used frequently in horror movies (handheld camera)

12. Movement • Pans – scans a scene horizontally • Tilts – scans a scene vertically • Dolly Shots (“trucking” or “tracking”) – camera placed on moving vehicle beside action • Hand-held shots – similar to paparazzi videos or news reports, literally from hand, unstable sometimes • Crane shots – dolly shot in the air from crane • Zoom lens – magnifying subject without moving camera • Aerial shot – usually beginning of movies, taken from a helicopter point of view (P.O.V.)