Choose a favourite scene from a film. Mention two film elements used in the scene. Why are they used in your opinion? Write a short paragraph and post as a comment to “Favourite Scenes” at the blog. Bring a DVD copy of your film to class next Wednesday. If you have no copy, try to find the scene on YouTube so you can share it with us. Paste your URL (link) into your comment to this post.
See some examples from last year's class.
Film Analysis (Yale University): film vocabulary with short examples to view. *Note: Only use the left side menu and do not try to use the "go to" box (it won't allow you in!)
9 comments:
Film Technique in Michael Radford's film, 1984
The composition of a scene in 1984 where Winston Smith is accused of being a "thought criminal" by his neighbour's son is a personal favourite because it, although only seconds long, communicates a great deal of important information to the viewer. In the shot, the dominant (where our eye goes first) is on Parson’s son, staring at Winston suspiciously. The subsidiary contrasts are Parson’s daughter, who is intently watching the telescreen, which displays a shot of people’s bodies rotating after being hung on multiple gallows. The shot feels claustrophobic and helps show how propaganda techniques influence the young. In this dystopia, even the children are corrupted.—106 words
To see this short clip go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4rBDUJTnNU#t=0m30s (note that the scene is only a second or two. Click "pause" to see what I'm talking about.
If you’d like to link us to YouTube scene (exactly the scene by the minute and second), go to and follow the simple instructions at http://www.youtubetime.com
“Lion of the desert, 1981” movie was lodged in my memory since I saw it when I was in elementary school. This film was directed by Mustafa Akkad. The movie tells the story of Omar Mukhtar (1862-1931), the lion of the desert, he was a Libyan school teacher who led the resistance for twenty years, fighting against the Italian occupation. He was captured and hung on September-16-1931 in front of his supports in the concentration camp at Suluq. Akkad used a close-up shot technique in hanging’s scene at time 0.16 – 0.24 to see clearly the character’s thinking and feelings. Omar’s look was strong and sharp towards the child, who is the symbol for the next generation, it is the message that Omar wanted to give them. At time 1.03 the woman holds on a child to see clearly the event and be a witnessed. At time 2.28 the child took Omar’s class. It is the continuity in everything in knowledge, clear and pure visual for respect and freedom life. Akkad used diegetic sound to disturb the stillness and the quiet, in time 2.28 the music starts then interrupted by Omar’s speech to continue again till the end. Yesterday, I saw the film again but with some ability for analysis. Words:109
To see this short clip go tohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daT0QEdqFlc&feature=related
(note that the scene is 4 minutes approximately. Click "pause" at the specific time I mentioned to see what I'm talking about.
I watched the “Mrs. Doubtfire” movie and my favorite scene is the cooking part. The director shows us all the work that the main actor did in order to cook a nice dinner for his family. In this scene, the director uses the “Mid shot” technique to put the viewer into that specific situation. It lets us follow the character in the process of cooking. He moves, reads the cooking book, uses his hands to add the ingredients and shows us the use of the kitchen tools. The other technique that is used is the “Depth of field.” Here, the shoot was focused on the stove. It shows the over heated burners, the boiling water and the steam. These elements let the viewer know right away that something wrong is going to happen. Knowing that the character will be in trouble creates a feeling of pain, frustration and impotence. These techniques work well because it captures the attention of the viewers; consequently, make us to like the character even more and feel pity for him.
- (175 words)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAp8j4c2LGs
The film “Windstruck” directed by Kwak Jae-Yon, starts off as a bubbly 'boy meets girl' with all the head slapping and sweet sentimentality one would expect. My favourite scene in this movie would be when Gyeong Jin walks into her room filled with spinning origami's with the wind blowing up against her face. The filmmakers used various techniques with special effects, such as wind, music and the close up spinning angles of the camera to show the audience that something drastic is about to happen. The room is quiet and calm and suddenly wind starts to blow. As the wind blows the music becomes louder, which then the camera angle draws the attention of the audiences eyes to focus on the main character. The close up shots shows the actors facial expression, of for example: sadness, pain, confusion etc.. and more importantly, it makes the viewer's feel as if they were her.
~words-153~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II20Kqoo2tk&feature=related
Beginning first 5 minutes.
(Be prepare to shed a few tears, I know i did every time.)
Matrix I was one of my favourite film which used professional technique and computer graphics to make the film exciting, thrilling, and above all to constructed the digital technology in to a diegetic world. The beginning of the film was exciting and thrilling. It shown changing LCD figures matrix in the whole screen adding diegetic sound of two people’s talking over telephone then it used a close-up shot by special computer graphics to show a black hole in the middle of the green lighting strip to make the audience sense that the image is a telephone channel. By a long shot, the black hole become a bright spot, and gradually zoom in, the bright light is a flashlight of a policeman. Some policemen are breaking a door to try to arrest a woman sitting before a bench desk with laptop. This is an empty room except the desk and a chair, the lighting was dim, and the woman wearing a suit of leather fitted jacket and jeans, was calm, and confident raised her hands slowly. – 175 words
The film I have chosen has been recently directed by: Jeff Wadlow-came out 2008 and is titled "Never Back Down".Tyler at his new high school, a rebellious teen is lured into an underground fight club, where he finds a mentor in a mixed martial arts veteran. I have chosen two elements from one of my favourite films, one being backlighting: The light being focused on Baha's body as well as the time being slown down as she enters the frame. I liked this because it shows the camera angle that which Tyler is watching her in a lustful look.
Secondly is the reaction shot between Tyler and Ryan.When Ryan wrongfully brings up Tylers deceased dad you can see how Tylers reaction changes from steady and calm to violent-eager in an instant.
I have the film on dvd and will be bringing to class the scen aprox. 5 mins
Soltana said…
I watched the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” movie directed by Doug Leman. In the movie this scene captured my attention a lot, so the film maker used different technique of shot; very long shot, midshot and medium to get the viewers interest. When the camera took the long shot it showed the actor figures very small in landscapes .The next shot was the mid shot when the Brad Pitt entered his head in the car. Then medium shot in this scene Mr. Smith watched spoils on his boot. In addition, the filmmaker put different verity of sound; playmusic, gunshot, and racket burst to took the viewer’s attention emotionally .In fact, the actor and actress motivation to catch criminal, but they didn’t know about each other’s job. I love this scene because the actor and actress did their job very beautifully. Word 144
To see this short clip go to:
http://www.Youtube.com watches Mr. and Mrs. Smith
This scene really gets me every time! I love the film and I love the actors, but this final scene use to get me angry as a young man. (12 – 13 yrs old) I feel the directors did an amazing job with the camera angles during this scene and to top it off the writers of, “Dumb and Dumber,” gave the actors lines that made a young man want to jump from his living room, into the movie and slap these to guys for missing the golden opportunity.
The music in this scene really sets the tone as well. Jumping from a slow song, then helping introduce the bikini girls with an old hymnal, “halleluiah.”
In the end, this scene always got to me the most, so we have a love/hate relationship. But I still think its simply one of the funniest and most cleverly done scenes out there.
Thank you for watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLB-uMPj27s&feature=related
My favourtie scene in the flim "Blood diamond" would have to be the very first scene. I chose this scene because of the way the scene gives off emotions. Lighting is used very good in the scene with the sun rising up from the water and you see Seirra leone at it's finest. I think they used the lighting as an element to make you see the cities beauty. They also used close-up in another scene close to the opening one. They show the characters sons expression and just shoe his head. I think thay used close-u becasue they wanted use to know or feel what he was thinking. Thats my favourite scene in the flim "Blood Diamond".
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