The Art of Watching Film - Coursework Example

Reflective Paper Introduction Film analysis is a highly complex process wherein scholars and researchers examine a film for its overt and sub-textual meaning. This is an important process, as film analysis can be implemented in examining issues of sociological importance within films, as well as examining a film for its artistic merit, and contribution to the evolution of film. Perhaps most importantly, film analysis allows the scholar, research, or thinker to go through a meditative process wherein the important human elements the filmmaker has deemed worth further exploration can be considered and appreciated in greater depth. While the process of film analysis is arguably as extensive and complex as the extent of the filmmaker’s imagination and the limits of technology allow, there are a number of elements that are foundational in analyzing an entire film. In exploring the means that an entire film can be analyzed this essay considers these foundational elements of fiction and drama, editing, visual design, and also advances a personal evaluative criteria. Fictional and Dramatic Elements In analyzing film one of the most important considerations is the one made to the story or narrative. While the film’s narrative can be understood as its overarching story, film analysis goes even further in distinguishing plot as the continuous action of the events in the film. By first identifying plot, the writer is then able to further deconstruction the film’s narrative elements and consider them for their academic relevance. What constitutes a strong plot is an element for debate, however scholars (Boggs 2006, pg. 46) note that a film’s story elements should consist of, “(1) the objective, external, and observable laws of probability and necessity; (2) the subjective, irrational, and emotional inner truths of human nature; (3) the semblance of truth created by the filmmaker’s convincing art.” Even as academic film analysis doesn’t consider the evaluative qualities of a film like a newspaper film critic would, these dichotomous elements of film narrative are useful in understanding the aggregate components that constitute the film’s message. As these features represent a sort of narrative foundation or dramatic structure, within them there exist a number of subcategories of distinction analysts can use to further examine a film’s meaning. Even as films don’t share with novels the luxury of being able to analyze in their frozen capacity, they do function in great part similar to novels in terms of the application of literary elements within the narrative. These include elements of irony, allegory, and symbolism that are all characteristic of a film’s story. While this is not the place for an in-depth deliberation on what constitutes irony, it is important to note the means by which filmmaker’s achieve these effects as compared to novelists. While the novelist is restricted to the written elements of a text in order to convey meaning the filmmaker has at their disposal the complex interaction of verbal, musical and visual elements to create meaning. Visual Design A film’s visual design is highly important to film analysis for the reasons previously mentioned; namely, its interrelation with plot elements to advance meaning through literary stylistic devices. In addition to the importance of this interrelation, a film’s visual design is capable of creating significant meaning or emotional effect through the director or cinematographer’s clever manipulation of a number of important factors. While some individuals have referred to this segment of film analysis as the film’s mise-en-scène, it seems that this term may encapsulate too broad a characterization of visual design; instead, in analyzing a film’s visual design there are a number of specific and highly important features to consider. One such strikingly obvious visual element that warrants examination is the director’s implementation of either black and white or color film. While there was a period in film history when the choice to implement black and white over color was more closely related to expense, or even audience preference for black and white, today when a director chooses to implement black and white film it is generally for a specific artistic purpose. For instance, consider Peter Bogdanovich’s (as cited in Boggs, pg. 92) explanation for why he used black and white in the Last Picture Show, “I didn’t want the film to look pretty...Color always had a tendency to prettify, and I didn’t want that.” Similarly, Steven Spielberg used black and white in Schindler’s List to achieve a more somber and meditative effect. In these regards, when examining a film’s visual design color vs. black and white is a highly important feature to consider. Another visual concern that should be central to film analysis is that of setting. Setting constitutes a wide variety of factors, including whether the director chooses to film within a studio, or implement on location shooting. Oftentimes, insightful film analysis will reveal the film’s subtle connections between the setting, plot, and character elements. Consider, the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, one of the critically most important films of the 20th century for its implementation of the German Expressionist mise-en-scene (Bordwell & Thompson 2009). The style was greatly influenced by similar movements other visual arts and incorporated by director Robert Wiene to great stylistic aplomb. Later critics identified the film’s visual design as being indicative of the German psyche and authoritarian regime (Elsaesser 2000). The final scene of the film finds the two main characters and the monster (Cesare) grouped together in the asylum with one of the main characters (Francis) warning his friend to not ask Cesare to tell his fortune as it will result in Cesare murdering him. Oblique lines expressionist lines extend throughout the ground. These expressionistic lines seem to represent the fractured psyche of post-war Germany, with different fractions carrying on their own interpretation of events and trying to piece together a sane whole. It’s here that the viewer understands that the film has been the psychological delusion of Francis and that Caligari is actually the director of the asylum (Bordwell & Thompson 2009). While this is supposed to offer closure and vindicate Caligari, the inclusion of the expressionist setting leads the viewer to continue to question the validity of the doctor, and wonder if Francis’ suspicions are somehow justified (Bordwell & Thompson 2009). While the example of this film is an extreme example of the inter-relation of a film’s visual and thematic elements, a thorough film analysis can function to reveal such a connection in nearly every film of artistic merit. Another central element of visual design concerns the director or cinematographer’s implementation of lighting. Indeed, the central importance of lighting in film has long been noted by scholars, with frequent references made to the connection between the names of the inventors of film – Lumiere – which means light in French. In terms of lighting, filmmakers have a number of factors under their control. Consider Todd Rainsberger (as cited in Boggs, 2006, pg. 114) who states, “Just as no two artists use the same brush strokes, no two cameramen control light in exactly the same manner.” Some of the most important factors to consider in film analysis, concern the intensity of the light, with the differentiations referred to as low-key and high-key lighting. The filmmakers’ choice of either low-key or high-key lighting can have significant implications for the mood of the film; it is generally accepted that high-key lighting, with its lack of darkness and shadows, is more suitable for comedic, or light-hearted scenes. Conversely, low-key lighting can be utilized for dark, morally ambiguous films. In fact an entire genre of film referred to as film noir emerged in the 1930s and 1940s that was explicitly characterized by low-key lighting. In analyzing these films, such as Double Indemnity, French and later American film critics were able to identify the films’ thematic emphasis on this stylistic device and link it to specific narrative conventions that were characteristic of these films. Today, film noir influences remain highly prevalent in films such as a Sin City, and even many of Martin Scorsese’s work. While ultimately varying intensities of lighting can be implemented to achieve an equally varying amount of effects, it’s important for in-depth film analysis to consider the relation between the intensity of light and the films thematic intentions. While the intensity of light can greatly alter the mood of a scene, a number of filmmakers choose to forego artificial light, or staged settings, and instead shoot their film in a natural environment. There are a number of diverse reasons filmmakers might choose to film in a natural environment, and it’s important for film analysis that the writer examine and consider the relation between these reasons in regards to the film’s overarching thematic concern or trope. For example, consider Woody Allen’s choice to shoot his Academy Award winning film Annie Hall in the natural setting of New York. As the film was a highly personal exploration of the relationship of the characters played by Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, the natural setting gave the film a more intimate and genuine feel that could be achieved had it be shot in a studio, or with the interference of artificial lighting. The decision to shoot the film in New York was also stylistically effective as the city’s natural splendor is more powerful than almost anything that could be created in a studio environment. In these regards, it’s essential to consider Woody Allen’s utilization of a natural setting in Annie Hall as it constitutes a major portion of the film’s ultimate meaning. Editing Another central element to film interpretation is the examination of editing. Indeed, editing represents the fabric that connects the film and is importance in influencing the film’s overarching meaning can’t be overestimated. When considering editing one of the challenges is that a large part of the process is forever lost analysis. Film editor Evan Lottman (as cited in Boggs 2006, pg. 186) stated, “Editing is invisible...You don’t know whether the material was great and the editor screwed it up, or if it was poor material and the editor made a wonderful movie out of it.” Even with these obvious restrictions film analysts are still able to examine a number of features of editing to better determine the meaning of a film. There are a number of important editing techniques that filmmakers utilize that analysts can considering film meaning. One of the most central is the pace of the film. With quick cuts the editor is able to create a sense of urgency or slow down the action as a means of drawing the viewer’s attention to a specific scene. By examining the connection between the film’s pace of editing along with the onscreen narrative elements, the film analysis is able to gain a more thorough understanding of the sub-textual meaning. In addition to these features, one of the foundational elements is the process of montage. Montage is a complex term with a variety of connotations. It has been defined as, “a series of images and sounds that, without any clear, logical, or sequential pattern, form a visual poem in miniature” (Boggs 2006, pg. 215). While there are a number of various montage methods, beginning with the Soviet montage of Eisenstein or Kuleshov, contemporary editing techniques represent an aggregate of these historic methods, and must be analyzed from a number of thorough and meticulous ways. In considering editing in a film, consider the ways that the Chinese film Farewell My Concubine uses editing to shape the narrative and create film meaning that wouldn’t be possible without this stylistic device. Indeed, Farewell My Concubine makes frequent use of editing juxtaposition to demonstrate the characters’ tragic and splendid lives (Chandler 2009). After the Japanese have began their occupation of China there is a scene where the Chinese soldiers are lined up in the snow and then massacred. This scene is edited directly against the ceremony of Juxiang and Xiaolou’s marriage. The juxtaposition of stark winter and the colorful ceremony is visually appealing and offers a symbolic link between Dieyi’s emotional impoverishment and Xiaolou’s seemingly more satisfied existence (Chandler 2009). Personal Evaluative Criteria In academic film analysis scholars attempt to unravel a film’s subtext or overt meaning to deliberate on a number of significant factors, including its sociological importance and its artistic message. While the academic style of film analysis is highly important in unraveling the film’s meaning, the vast majority of people watch movies to be entertained. As a result, when most people set about determining the elements of a film that make it good, they immediately consider things that entertain them. In considering my personal evaluative criteria, I believe it’s important to consider the entertainment value a film possesses. While encapsulating what makes great entertainment is a near impossible task, this is what Hollywood producers are called upon to do with every film. While films such a film such as Titanic is greatly different than Avatar there are specific elements, such as excitement and imagination that these films share that make them great movies for entertainment. While films such as Titanic are successful because they offer excellent entertainment value, many film critics judge good movies on an entirely different set of criteria. I also believe that is necessary to recognize this perspective. For film critics, historians, and professors, what constitutes a good film is based largely on the film’s artistic merits. Indeed, although Titanic was widely successful at the box office many people interested in film for its art, such as director Robert Altman, believed the film was terrible (Friedman 2002). While there is no set definition of what actually constitutes art, many scholars place a high emphasis on a film’s originality and its stylistic breakthroughs. Furthermore, certain films are considered great because they have a lasting impact on other films and directors. While today most people are unable to find entertainment value in Birth of a Nation and the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, it is possible to appreciate these films for the important influence they had and continue to have on other films; indeed, without examining and appreciating films for these values it would be impossible for film to evolve at its greatest capacity. Conclusion In conclusion, while film analysis can encapsulate as broad an array of categories as the filmmaker’s imagination and the current technology will allow, there are a number of elements that have been identified as foundational to analyzing an entire film. Perhaps the most pervasive element is the film’s literary qualities, namely its consideration of narrative and plot, and the stylistic devices contained therein. The film’s visual design is another central area of importance as its interaction with the narrative and plot, as well as its standalone qualities function to create an emotional effect in the viewer, and advance tropes such as situational irony, further emphasize character traits, and even constitute its own genre, as in the case of film noir. Editing represents the fabric that holds film together and must be interpreted in terms of the film’s on-screen plot or narrative. Finally, a personal evaluative criteria is advanced that considers the films entertainment value as well as it artistic importance in considering appropriate film analysis. References Boggs, J. (2006). The Art of Watching Film. New York: McGraw-Hill. Bordwell, D., Thompson, K. (2009) Film Art: An Introduction. New York: McGraw Hill. Chandler, G. (2009) Film Editing: Great Cuts Every Filmmaker and Movie Lover Must Know. New York: Michael Wiese Productions Friedman, R (2002). "Altman: Titanic Worst Movie Ever". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,47613,00.html. Read More