MEDIA STUDY: How directors tell their stories The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants MEDIA STUDY: How directors tell their stories

Physical Positions of Characters To show how characters relate to one another, directors use blocking: the arrangement of characters in a scene How far apart or close together are the characters standing? What clues does this tell us about their emotions?

Camera Positions A close-up shot A medium shot A detailed view of character or object A medium shot Shows character from waist up. We can see his or her movements/actions What thoughts can I infer from a character’s facial expressions? What does the character’s body language tell me?

Directors Stir Our Emotions This helps us understand what is happening and become emotionally involved How am I reacting to what is happening? What does the director do that makes me care about the characters? What is the mood of the music?