Introduction to film

Introduction to film

Introduction:

            Any kind of media whether visual or audio is made up of several elements that make up the whole. These elements can be described in different ways depending on personal opinion and understanding. Film is one such media that is made of several elements without which it cannot be complete. Therefore, in the analysis of any movie, it is important to understand the contributions of each element to the whole. Secondly, the interpretation of a movie and its meaning also involves an analysis of the different elements in different perspectives. This paper aims at explaining the processes involved in the analysis of movies and how a person can derive meaning from movies. The different elements that make up an entire movie are the source of details that are used in the analysis and interpretation of meaning in a movie.

The analysis of an entire movie:  

            The first step in the analysis of a movie is to understand its context. The genre, category or classification of the movie is an important aspect of movie analysis (Nelmes, 2003). This involves understanding whether the film is a comedy, horror film, documentary or otherwise. Understanding the genre of a film can serve as a good place to start an analysis. In addition, it ensures that a person knows what to expect. Other elements of context involve an understanding of the historical and social perspectives that led to the development of the movie. Some movies are based on a historical event therefore, if a person should analyze it effectively, he or she must understand this event. This would involve conducting a study of historical events that led to the development of the film or upon which the film is based. Secondly, social development also influences the development of films. Movies reflect whatever is happening in the society. As societies continue developing, movies also depict this development. The importance of understanding the social connection between a film and the society is vital in analysis. It ensures that the analysis is based on the correct social context.

The second step in the analysis of a movie is understanding its title. The title means a lot and depicts what the movie is all about. Some titles are modified to make them catchy and arouse the interest of viewers but this is also an important part of analysis (Chesebro, 1998). Some titles are made up of the key theme in the storyline while others are made up of the main character’s name. For example the title of the movie Charlie and the chocolate factory directed by Tim Burton, incorporates the name of the main character and the setting of the movie. By understanding this title, a person already knows that the movie is about a person named Charlie and a chocolate factory. In addition, the opening credits of a movie give information that is important in analysis. The names of the director, producer, and music producer, among others are a vital part of analysis. In addition, the names of the main characters can be used to write the start notes to an analysis report.

In the analysis of a movie, it is important to have watched the film several times. It is also important to watch the movie from the perspective of an analyst as opposed to that of the conventional audience. This is because the attention that an analyst gives to a movie is not the same as that of a normal audience. The conventional audience usually watches a movie with the aim of deriving entertainment from it while the analyst watches a movie with the intention of gathering information. The next and most important step in the analysis of a movie is the breakdown of the visual style used in the movie (Bordwell, 1994). This is a broad topic and requires a deep and accurate analysis of all the visual aspects of a movie. This involves interpreting how images are manipulated to create different impressions and how this affects the overall movie. In addition, in the analysis of visual style, it is important to breakdown the movie into several parts.

A movie is usually broken down in terms of chapters, scenes and then specific shots that make up the movie. In analysis, each of these parts of the movie matter because they are divided in this way for a purpose. The director separated the different scenes for a purpose and in analysis; a person must understand this purpose. In visual style analysis, the first description is of the whole film. It is important to give a summary of the movie’s general visual style. One of the most important elements of visual analysis is the camera work. An analysis gives detailed information about how the camera has been used to capture the different images presented in the movie (Pramaggiore & Wallis, 2005). In order to accomplish a complete analysis of an entire movie, a person must explain the different shots in a movie and how they affect the movie as a whole. The scene-to-scene analysis is as important as the analysis of specific shots in the movie. One camera shot can affect the whole movie as it can attach a different meaning to the movie as a whole. Therefore, the importance of analyzing each shot cannot be undermined. Another important aspect of visual style is the sequence of shots. It is important to analyze how the different shots slide over each other to come up with an entire scene. Each shot has a particular purpose in a scene and analysis defines this purpose.

Another important aspect of analysis in visual style is lighting. In film production, a producer must incorporate different uses of light to create the preferred impression. A poorly lit film may sometimes fail to communicate the desired messages to the audience. In the analysis of an entire movie, it is vital to give a correct examination of the types of lighting used. For example, producers use both natural and artificial light to achieve different themes (Nelmes, 2003). In addition, the description of analysis should involve its use on characters. For example, directors use lighting as a means of attracting attention to certain characters. Lighting is also used to give a form of depth in the images. This involves background images and those that are in the foreground. Therefore, it is important for an analyst to explain how lighting is used in every scene and what it achieves. In addition, the relationship between different lighting effects in different scenes should also be analyzed. Another point of visual analysis is movement of characters. In acting, every movement has a specific meaning to the shot, to the scene and to the movie as a whole. When analyzing a movie, it is important to understand why characters make certain movements. In addition, an analysis of the sequence of movement is vital in a correct analysis of a movie. Besides, the camera angles used in different shots is also important. An analyst gives a report as to whether the image seen depicts what the director intended to bring out by a certain shot. In summary, the visual style analysis is an important aspect of film analysis. It should be conducted in an in depth manner such that the report given portrays the true representation of the movie.

Another important aspect of movie analysis is the action itself. Each actor has a specified role, which he must play according to the director’s instructions. Any action taken while on stage can alter the meaning of the whole scene. In addition, the action must be in harmony with the storyline and the words (Chesebro, 1998). In order to bring out the correct mood in a movie, action must flow smoothly. Analysts focus on analyzing how each character performs their part. Analysis also helps to analyze if the characters are believable or not. In addition, an analysis examines whether the characters brought out the emotions as expected. Each actor is analyzed on their own, depending on their character and role in the play. The roles determine what kind of action is expected from each actor. Therefore, in analysis it is important to give a report on the acting techniques of all actors. Additionally, analysis also involves giving an account of how actors interact on stage. In summary, action analysis gives a report of how the action has been presented on camera and how it is perceived in relation to the whole film.

After the action analysis, it is important to analyze other additional elements that make up the movie. One such element is costuming and it encompasses what the actors wear while on set and the props used in each scene. The analysis involves scrutinizing every scene and noticing how the costumes relate to the setting and the message being portrayed. The props also play a major role in supporting the action and should be analyzed in relation to whatever action is going on. Another element that is important in analysis is the setting and the mood (Nelmes, 2003). Each scene in a movie is set in a different place, which enhances the expected mood. In order to analyze a movie effectively, it is important to create a report about setting. This also involves analyzing the background used in the different scenes. Another important aspect that needs to be analyzed in a movie is the music. Most scenes are accompanied by music and therefore the analysis gives an account on whether the music fits the various themes in the movie. Additionally, it is also important to analyze the pace of the movie. In this part, the analysis reports on whether action in the movie is too slow, too fast or accurate. In summary, analysis of a movie is a profound task that requires in depth understanding of a movie and all its elements.

Finding and interpreting meaning from a movie:

            Finding the meaning of a movie means identifying what the message that the movie aims at bringing out. This is an analysis of what the movie says about certain issues (Bordwell, 1994). In order to derive meaning from a movie, a person must watch with the intention of gathering data that supports whatever meaning one gets from the movie. The first element that can be used to find the meaning of a movie is language. The words used by different characters are usually an encrypted message about something. Movies are usually a representation of reality and are used to address certain societal issues. As noted earlier, it is important to understand the context of the movie in order to achieve a realization of the meaning.

In order to extract further meaning from a movie, analysts also need to connect the language to the action. Language and action are related elements and whatever person says is usually supported by their actions. Different themes arise from the language and these are used to analyze the meaning of the movie. This all comes down to an understanding of the plot, which is the storyline on which the movie is based. This is an important aspect as it involves grasping the different concepts that the story brings out. As well as watching the movie, a person can go further into reading the script in order to derive major themes from the text. Another aspect that can be used to give meaning to a movie is body language (Nelmes, 2003). The essence of it is to capture those signs that a person gives, which are non-verbal. Besides, a person can say something while they mean the opposite. It is important to watch out for those cues that depict another meaning as opposed to what is said. The importance of observing non-verbal cues is that they can give a clearer picture of what the movie means.

Additionally, it is also important to look for symbols that are used to depict certain concepts in the society. Symbolism is used in movies to expand the different themes and represent what can be referred to as coded language in the normal society. Sometimes, movies use symbolism to pass a certain message that is controversial in the society. In order to come up with the correct meaning from such symbols, a person must understand the culture on which the movie is based. Culture plays an important role in the messages that are communicated by movies (Davis, 2007). Derivation of meaning also involves an understanding of the movie’s point of view. In every action, there is a certain opinion that the movie aims to support. Analysts are expected to derive such points of view from watching the movie from a critical perspective. This ensures that a person extracts the true meaning as opposed to a biased one. In summary, the derivation of meaning from a movie involves identifying the main concepts that the movie is based upon.

Interpretation of a movie is the analysis of the relationship that exists between the movie and the societal values. People have different viewpoints hence the formation of different opinions on the same movie. In order to interpret a movie correctly, a person needs to understand the director’s intention or purpose of creating the movie. In addition, the scriptwriter has a role to play since the plot depends on them. The action, language, music, costuming, and setting all come together to make up a complete movie (Bordwell, 1994). Without any of these elements, a movie cannot be presented to an audience as a complete work. An interpretation of the movie depends on the accurate examination of all these elements. In addition, the audience’s response matters as they give meaning to the whole movie experience. The cultural context also matters as it helps to analyze the different cues that are different from other cultures. In order to efficiently, derive meaning and interpret a movie, a person must understand the different elements that make up the movie and its cultural context.

Personal criteria for evaluating movies:

In evaluating a movie, a person comes up with a conclusion on whether the movie has served its purpose or not. It is every viewer’s responsibility to rate a movie according to their personal taste. In my own opinion, the evaluation process takes several steps. First, the title itself matters as it serves as the eye catcher. A boring title cannot attract the attention of viewers therefore the movie can be a failure even if the content is excellent. Therefore, the first step in my evaluation is the movie’s title. The second and very important point of evaluation is the plot. A movie must have a succinct story line that is both informative and interesting. The paper back reviews on movies can either do justice to it or make it a failure. I read the summary of the story here and form a first impression from this. The presentation of this summary and the language used always has an influence on what I think about the movie. In fact, some summaries have the power of putting a person off and they end up not watching the movie at all. The starting scene is also important as it gives the viewer a glimpse of what to expect. Some people just watch the first scene and put the movie away. However, if the first scene is interesting, a person is likely to continue watching the movie.

Another aspect that I sue for evaluation of movies is the believability of characters. This depends on their acting capabilities and how each scene is represented. As the movie advances, the characters are used to develop, the different themes that the movie intends explain. Thus, whatever action takes place in a movie is important as it influences the opinion that a person forms about it. Another aspect that I use in the evaluation of movies is the language used. This depends on the genre of the movie. For example in a comedy, I expect to find casual language being used in most scenes. However, in a horror movie, such language is not applicable. Other aspects that I use in the evaluation of movies are the suitability of costumes, setting and music. When all these elements are executed in an exceptional way, the movie can be described as successful in achieving its objectives.

Conclusion:

Several elements make up an entire movie and without one of these elements, a movie cannot be described as complete. These elements are the source of information that can be used in analyzing a movie. In analysis, the examination of the visual style is one of the most important steps. In addition, analysis also involves understanding other elements like setting, background, costumes, music and the action itself. In identifying the meaning of a movie, a person has to understand the different issues that the movie discusses. Moreover, understanding these concepts in relation to the society is referred to as interpretation. In conclusion, all these elements come together to form an analysis of an entire movie.

Reference List:

Bordwell, D. (1994). Making meaning: Inference and rhetoric in the interpretation of cinema. Cambridge, UK: Harvard University Press

Chesebro, J. W. (1998). Analyzing media: Communication technologies and symbolic and cognitive systems. New York, NY: Guilford.

Davis, K. C. (2007). Postmodern texts and emotional audiences. Comparative cultural studies. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.

Nelmes, J. (2003). An introduction to film studies. Hamden, CT: Routledge.

Pramaggiore, M., & Wallis, T. (2005). Film: A critical introduction. London, UK: Laurence King.