Introduction to Arts 1st Lecture Film and Film Studies

What Is Film? A sequence of images photographed by a camera and projected on a screen, providing the optical illusion of continuous movement. A sequence of images photographed by a camera and projected on a screen, providing the optical illusion of continuous movement. Take 23 (still) photographs per second and run 23 (still) photographs per second in front of projector light. Take 23 (still) photographs per second and run 23 (still) photographs per second in front of projector light.

What Is Film? Film tells stories Film tells stories Moving images telling stories Moving images telling stories FILM AS TOTAL ART Every artistic element is involved in film. Every artistic element is involved in film.

What Is Film? How film compares to other forms of arts. How film compares to other forms of arts. Literature - novel, poem (written media) Literature - novel, poem (written media) Fine art - painting, sculpture, architecture, photography (visual media) Fine art - painting, sculpture, architecture, photography (visual media) Music - vocal, instrumental (sound media) Music - vocal, instrumental (sound media) Others - drama, opera, musical, ballet, dance (mixed media) Others - drama, opera, musical, ballet, dance (mixed media)

What Is Film? Elements of written media in film Elements of literature Elements of literature - Film is based on a script. Some scripts are based on literary works.

What Is Film? Elements of fine art Elements of fine art - Production design - sets, costume, visual effects, special effects

What Is Film? Elements of sound media Elements of sound media - Use of recorded music Elements of mixed media Elements of mixed media - Theatre, opera, musical, ballet, dance

What Is Film? D.W. Griffith’s spectacle, Intolerance, was designed by Griffith himself with help from Walter L. Hall D.W. Griffith’s spectacle, Intolerance, was designed by Griffith himself with help from Walter L. Hall One of the grandest artistic (re)creations in cinema history One of the grandest artistic (re)creations in cinema history

What Is Film? Artistic recreation of four historic pasts: Babylonian Babylonian Biblical Biblical French revolution French revolution American Civil War American Civil War

What Is Film Film is a mechanical and industrial product. Film is a mechanical and industrial product. → Mechanical technologies - camera, lights, film stock, sound-recorder (mixer), laboratory processing, editing machine, CG, projector, film theatre → Industrial - production, distribution, exhibition, marketing, advertising → Industrial - production, distribution, exhibition, marketing, advertising

What Is Film? Film is a collaborative work Film is a collaborative work → producer, director, scriptwriter, photographer, designer, editor, costume designer, music composer, etc.

How is film different from other forms of art LITERATURE AND FILM The crucially important element of both is narrative, but film is also visual. The crucially important element of both is narrative, but film is also visual. FINE ARTS AND FILM Both are visual but film can tell much more complicated stories Both are visual but film can tell much more complicated stories

How is film different from other forms of art The painting can tell stories but not complicated ones.

How is film different from other forms of art MUSIC AND FILM Both have sounds but film has more visual elements. Both have sounds but film has more visual elements. DRAMA/OPERA/MUSICAL AND FILM Film is capable of telling more complicated stories more realistically. Film is capable of telling more complicated stories more realistically. Film does not have to rely on words in telling stories and expressing emotions. Film does not have to rely on words in telling stories and expressing emotions.

How is film different from other forms of art Louis Malle’s Ascenseur pour l’echafaud (1958) Louis Malle’s Ascenseur pour l’echafaud (1958) Thriller about a married woman and her lover, who almost succeed in getting rid of her husband in a ‘perfect’ murder but … Thriller about a married woman and her lover, who almost succeed in getting rid of her husband in a ‘perfect’ murder but …

How is film different from other forms of art Shohei Imamura’s Ballad of Narayama Shohei Imamura’s Ballad of Narayama When both men and women reach a certain old age, they must go into mountains to die in a poor village in the remote part of Japan. When both men and women reach a certain old age, they must go into mountains to die in a poor village in the remote part of Japan.

What Sorts of Films BASIC TYPES Documentary and fiction films Documentary and fiction films - Documentaries - recording or recreation of real events Fictions - based on imaginary stories GENRES Western, musical, action, horror, comedy, romance, melodrama, disaster, gangster, art Western, musical, action, horror, comedy, romance, melodrama, disaster, gangster, art

What Sorts of Films WESTERN A genre of films which are set in Western, or Mid-Western United States during the period between around 1860 and 1890, when ‘Indian Wars’ ended. A genre of films which are set in Western, or Mid-Western United States during the period between around 1860 and 1890, when ‘Indian Wars’ ended.

What Sorts of Films MUSICAL A genre of films in which songs sung by characters are interwoven into the narrative. A genre of films in which songs sung by characters are interwoven into the narrative.

What Sorts of Films ACTION FILM A genre of films in which actions such as fighting, stunts, and car chases take precedents over narrative and characterization. A genre of films in which actions such as fighting, stunts, and car chases take precedents over narrative and characterization.

What Sorts of Films HORROR A genre of films which elicit fright, terror, disgust, and anxiety from the viewer. A genre of films which elicit fright, terror, disgust, and anxiety from the viewer.

What Sorts of Films ROMANCE A genre of films whose main plot revolves around the romantic involvement of main characters. A genre of films whose main plot revolves around the romantic involvement of main characters.

What Sorts of Films MELODRAMA A genre of films which appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience. A genre of films which appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience.

What Sorts of Films GANGSTER (CRIME) FILM A genre of films which deal with crime, criminal justice and the darker side of human nature. A genre of films which deal with crime, criminal justice and the darker side of human nature.

What Sorts of Films Nationalities - national film Nationalities and genres Nationalities and genres Heimatfilm (the tale of small-town life in Germany) Heimatfilm (the tale of small-town life in Germany) ‘Devotionals’ (on the lives of saints and religious figures in India) ‘Devotionals’ (on the lives of saints and religious figures in India) Cabaretera (melodrama centering on prostitutes in Mexico) Cabaretera (melodrama centering on prostitutes in Mexico) Chanbara (sward-play film in Japan) Chanbara (sward-play film in Japan)

What Is Film Studies Description and Analysis Description - Repeat in words what we see in a film Description - Repeat in words what we see in a film 1 Content of the film (what you see) 1 Content of the film (what you see) 2 Form of the film (the way in which what you see is constructed) 2 Form of the film (the way in which what you see is constructed) Analysis - Examining the film’s designs and effects Analysis - Examining the film’s designs and effects

What Is Film Studies For better descriptions and analyses We need broad knowledge of the inner working of film We need broad knowledge of the inner working of film - Various technical, stylistic and narrative options available to a film-maker - Choices he/she makes

What Is Film Studies For description and analysis you need to know: Story-telling (narrative) technique Story-telling (narrative) technique Formal technique - selection of lens, camera movement, camera angle, lighting method, editing, sound recording and mixing, etc. Formal technique - selection of lens, camera movement, camera angle, lighting method, editing, sound recording and mixing, etc.

What Is Film Studies Lighting Methods Three-point lighting Three-point lighting Light from three directions is used. A backlight picks out the subject from its background, a bright key light highlights the object and a fill light from the opposite side ensures that the key light casts only faint shadows. Light from three directions is used. A backlight picks out the subject from its background, a bright key light highlights the object and a fill light from the opposite side ensures that the key light casts only faint shadows.

What Is Film Studies Normal lighting and High-key lighting High-key lighting - the fill light is raised to almost the same level as the key light. This produces images that are usually very bright and that feature few shadows on the principal subjects. High-key lighting - the fill light is raised to almost the same level as the key light. This produces images that are usually very bright and that feature few shadows on the principal subjects.

What Is Film Studies Normal lighting and law-key lighting Law-key lighting employs very little fill light, creating strong contrasts between the brightest and darkest parts of an image and often creating strong shadows that obscure parts of the principal subjects. Law-key lighting employs very little fill light, creating strong contrasts between the brightest and darkest parts of an image and often creating strong shadows that obscure parts of the principal subjects.

What Is Film Studies Focus Shallow focus keeps only one plane in sharp focus. Shallow focus keeps only one plane in sharp focus. Shallow focus suggests psychological introspection, since a character appears as oblivious to the world around her/him. Shallow focus suggests psychological introspection, since a character appears as oblivious to the world around her/him.

What Is Film Studies Acting technique and style Acting technique and style Design - art design, set design, costume design Design - art design, set design, costume design Especially for analysis we also need to know other information

What Is Film Studies Characteristics of film-makers Characteristics of film-makers Biographies, personal visions or concerns of directors, screenwriters, actors, etc. Biographies, personal visions or concerns of directors, screenwriters, actors, etc. Industrial restrictions Industrial restrictions - financial - financial - production purpose - production purpose - audience’s needs - audience’s needs