Film Studies
Unit 26 Task 2: Understand the relationship between films and their production contexts
Production from Belinda Raji
Unit 26 Task 1: Be
able to apply different analytical approaches to Film
Theories studied:
Realism, Auteur theory, Genre theory, Feminism
P1:
learners will demonstrate that they know about more than one approach to film analysis though the
application will be implicit rather than explicit. Their application of theory
will lead to the identification of possible meanings, although there will be
little detail, and ideas or points
made will be generalised and undeveloped. Learners will refer to whole films rather than
specific elements of those films. In discussing codes and conventions in a genre analysis a
learner might note, ‘The knife is part of the iconography of the horror movie
In 12 of the 15 movies I studied for my content analysis a knife was used for
at least one of the murders and in five it was used for all of them. Knives
have connotations of the ordinary and the everyday, and are used for doing
things like cutting up meat in the home. They also have connotations of danger
because most people have cut themselves at some time in their lives so they
know what it feels like.’
M1:
the application of theory will yield a detailed,
coherent discussion of key examples. Learners will be able to talk
about texts in such a way as to show
how they are constructed and how meanings can be derived through the
application of theoretical methods. Relevant
examples that draw upon elements or details of the films studied will
be given to support what is said, but learners will not elucidate these
examples to show how they illustrate the point they support. In discussing
codes and conventions in a genre analysis a learner might note, ‘The knife is
part of the iconography of the horror movie and is often the means by which the
victim is killed. In 12 of the 15 movies I studied for my content analysis a
knife was used for at least one of the murders and in five it was used for all
of them. The other two common means of killing were strangulation with a rope
and with the bare hands. Knives have connotations of slashing movements and
gushing blood. The most famous example of this must be the shower scene in
Hitchcock’s Psycho. Being knifed to death is particularly frightening because
you can see the person killing you. It’s not like shooting, which is done at a
distance and is a much more cold-blooded way of killing. This is why the gun is
the conventional weapon in gangster movies like Scarface.’
D1:
the application of theory will be critical.
Films studied will be subjected to an evaluative
process that compares, assesses and discriminates. Ideas will be developed and points supported with arguments and well focused examples
which are elucidated in such a way as to draw
out of the example precisely what it is about it that exemplifies the point it
illustrates. Examples will refer to precisely defined elements or details of the films studied.
In discussing codes and conventions in a genre analysis a learner might note,
‘The knife is part of the iconography of the horror movie and is often the
means by which the victim is killed. In 12 of the 15 movies I studied for my
content analysis a knife was used for at least one of the murders and in five
it was used for all of them. The other two common means of killing were
strangulation with a rope and with the bare hands. What these methods all have
in common is that they involve close bodily contact between the victim and the
killer, which makes the murder more frightening, unlike shooting which is done
at a distance and is a much more cold-blooded way of killing. This is why the
gun is the conventional weapon in gangster movies like Scarface or war movies
like Platoon, where the killing of Elias by Barnes shows how far apart they are
morally as well as physically and Barnes’s act seems even more calculating
because it is so careful and deliberate. Knives have developed connotations
through intertextuality that are specific to horror movies, such as slashing
movements and gushing blood. In the most famous example of this – the shower
scene in Hitchcock’s Psycho – we never actually see the murderer, but we do see
the movement of the knife repeated over and over again, and the blood swirling
down the shower outlet as though it is just water.
Notes on completing
the task:
1)
Treat this like an academic essay. It needs to
be largely written in order to meet the criteria of analysing, giving detailed
illustrative example and evaluating. Use screen shots to help make your points
but explain in words what you have
concluded from your research into your film area.
2)
Use two or more theories – for example Genre and
Feminism or Genre and Auteur theory.
3)
Examine the bigger element (for example Genre)
before examining to more specific detail (the role of women – feminism)
4)
Use your notes from class to help you. Apply the
notes to details from the films you are using.
5)
It will be very clear if you do not know your
films very well.
Key vocabulary to use
signifies
|
narrative
|
‘male gaze’
|
lighting
|
Diegetic sound
|
Panning
|
symbolises
|
Equilibrium, dis-equilibrium,
new-equi.
|
Oppression
|
Anchorage
|
Non-diegetic sound
|
Tilting
|
connotes
|
Patriarchy
|
Address
|
Quick Editing
|
Long shot
|
|
denotes
|
Dominant ideology
|
Typography
|
Cutaway
|
Extreme close-up
|
|
Iconography
|
Audience
|
framing
|
Match cut
|
Medium shot
|
|
Content analysis
|
Voyeurism
|
focus
|
Jump cut
|
Birds eye view
|
|
Codes & conventions
|
scopophilia
|
Establishing shot
|
Hand-held
|
||
Mise-en-scene
|
Tracking
|
Useful
sites:
http://www.springhurst.org/cinemagic/glossary_terms.htm
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