FILM ANALYSIS
Analyse how film narrative manipulates its audience .
It is always easy to see how a novel or a short story tell their story - through the use of words. The information is conveyed through the use of dialogue, action and setting etc. Film also uses these devices but because it is a visual medium, characters’ body language, the lighting in which they are presented and even the music associated with them are further sources of information. ( Camera angles will often indicate the strength or weakness of a character ).
PATTERNS OF NARRATIVE
A pattern of expectations is built up in film. This is a phrase to describe how the viewer will expect certain actions to occur in a given film. Once we recognise this pattern we understand the story better and can also make predictions. When there is a change to the expectation then suspense is also created.
Patterns of expectations also occur with lighting, camera movement, position of character etc.
SYMBOLISM OF CHARACTERS
Narratives often centre on the conflict between two or more characters. As the narrative proceeds , these characters might begin to symbolise particular ideas or social forces. For example, in STAR WARS , Luke skywalker stands for everything that is good and noble while Darth Vader stands for evil. In a film this can be made obvious not only by the words and actions of a character but also by the way they are clothed , lit, the angle from which they are photographed and the places in which we see them.
ARGUMENT
Our interpretation of film is affected by all the components of the film - the types of characters , the way the film is put together ( editing, camera placement, composition, music etc. ), the way the film is concluded the selection of detail and also its omission. All of these contribute to the film’s argument - the point of view it is trying to convince you to accept.
You need to become critical viewers and discern whether or not the film’s argument or point of view is a valid one.
As you watch the excerpt from the film you are currently watching in class, you should take down some notes under each of the following headings. These notes will help you to analyse how film manipulates its audience.