American Cinema - Course taught by Pawel Frelik, , topics : Principles of film form, Realism and PDF

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American Cinema CHAPTER 2 ​Principles of film form mise-en-scène ​- literally “staging or putting on an action or scene” , composes design elements such as lighting, setting, props, costumes, and makeup within individual shots sound ​- organized into a series of dialogue, music, ambience, and effect...

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American Cinema CHAPTER 2 P  rinciples of film form mise-en-scène - literally “staging or putting on an action or scene” , composes design elements such as lighting, setting, props, costumes, and makeup within individual shots sound - organized into a series of dialogue, music, ambience, and effects tracks narrative - structured into acts that establish, develop, and resolve character conflict editing - pairs individual shots to create sequences, arranges these sequences into scenes and from these scenes builds a movie

Form and content ●

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Content: - the subject of an artwork -p  rovides something to express Form: -the means by which the subject is expressed and experienced - supplies the methods and techniques necessary to present it to the audience - lets us see that content in a particular way -enables the artist to shape our particular experience and interpretation of that

content -its a cinematic language - the tools and techniques that filmmakers use to convey meaning and mood to the viewer, including lighting, mise-en-scène, cinematography, performance, editing, and sound Relation between form and content: It is an underlying concern in all art. An understanding of the two intersecting concepts can help us to distinguish one work of art from another or to compare the styles and visions of different artists approaching the same subject.E  ach thing can be said to express the same subject, for example an apple, but they clearly differ in form (different style, look). Form and content are interrelated, interdependent, and interactive .

Form and Expectations Trzeba przeczytać to w podręczniku ( Looking at movies ), żeby to zrozumieć :) (str. 39-42) You have to read it in the textbook ( Looking at movies ) in order to understand it :) (pp. 39-42)

Patterns -

A AB ABC

Parallel editing- the technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. It’s not the only means of creating and exploiting patterns in movies, of course. Some patterns are made to be broken. Narrative patterns- provide an element of structure, ground us in the familiar, or acquaint us with the unfamiliar; repeating them emphasizes their content.

Shot patterns- can convey character state of mind, create relationships, and communicate narrative meaning

Fundamentals of Film Form ● ● ●

Movies depend on light Movies provide an illusion of movement Movies manipulate space and time in unique ways

Light : - essential ingredient in the creation and consumption of motion pictures - movie images are made when a camera lens focuses light onto either film stock or a video sensor chip - key formal element that film artists and technicians carefully manipulate to create mood, reveal character, and convey meaning - responsible for the image we see on the screen, whether photographed (shot) on film or video, caught on a disc, created with a computer, or, as in animation, drawn on pieces of celluloid - enhances the texture, depth, emotions, and mood of a shot Illusion of movement: movement - separates cinema from all other two-dimensional pictorial art forms The movement we see on the movie screen is an illusion. ● persistence of vision- the process by which the human brain retains an image for a fraction of a second longer than the eye records it. The persistence of vision gives the illusion of succession and the illusion of movement. ● phi phenomenonis the illusion of movement created by events that succeed each other rapidly, as when two adjacent lights flash on and off alternately and we seem to see a single light shifting back and forth critical flicker fusion- (related to phi phenomenon) occurs when a single light flickers on and off with such speed that the individual pulses of light fuse together to give the illusion of continuous light. The movie projector relies on such phenomena to trick us into perceiving separate images as one continuous image; and because each successive image differs only slightly from the one that precedes it, we perceive a  pparent motionrather than a series of jerky movements. Manipulating space and time: Movies can: - move seamlessly from one space to another - make space move - fragment time in many different ways ●

Only movies can record real time in its chronological passing as well as subjective versions of time passing—slow motion, for example, or extreme compression of vast swaths of time.

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On the movie screen, space and time are relative to each other, we can’t separate them or perceive one without the other The movies give time to space and space to time (dynamization of space and spatialization of time) Movies frequently rearrange time by organizing story events in nonchronological order

meditation- the process by which an agent, structure, or other formal element, whether human or technological, transfers something from one place to another freeze-frame- a still image is shown on-screen for a period of time

Realism and Antirealism The Lumières’ realism- an interest in or concern for the actual or real, a tendency to view or represent things as they really are The Méliès’s antirealism- an interest in or concern for the abstract, speculative, or fantastic Realism is a complex concept, in part because it refers to several significant and related ideas. Realistic characters are expected to do things that conform to our experiences and expectations of real people. Realism always involves mediation and interpretation. Antirealismis a completely opposite thing to the realism ;) verisimilitude - convincing appearance of truth in the movie. Movies are verisimilar w  hen they convince you that the things on the screen are “really there”

Cinematic Language cinematic language- accepted systems, methods, or conventions by which the movies communicate with the viewer. It combines and composes a variety of elements—for example, lighting, movement, sound, acting, and a number of camera effects—into single shots Using cinematic conventions, filmmakers transform experiences into viewing experiences that can be understood and appreciated by audiences.

CHAPTER 4 E  lements of narrative What Is Narrative? -

a story. narrative movies are fiction films narrative is a cinematic structure in which the filmmakers have selected and arranged events in a cause-and-effect sequence occurring over time

narration- the act of telling the story narrator- who or what tells the story The narrator delivers the narration that conveys the narrative and narration to shape the viewer’s experience of the narrative. In every movie, the camera is the primary narrator.

first-person narrator- a character in the narrative who typically imparts information in the form of voice-over narration voice-over narration - when we hear a character’s voice over the picture without actually seeing the character speak the words third-person narrator- provides information not accessible to a narrator who is also a participant in the story, knows all and can provide objective context to any situation Narration can be omniscient- it knows all and can tell us whatever it wants us to know. Omniscient narration has unrestricted access to all aspects of the narrative. It can provide any character’s experiences and perceptions, as well as information that no character knows. An omniscient camera shows the audience whatever it needs to in order to best tell the story. restricted narration- limits the information it provides the audience to things known only to a single character

Characters . Every film narrative depends upon two essential elements: a  character pursuing a goal round characters- they may possess numerous subtle, repressed, or even contradictory traits, which can change significantly over the course of the story. We tend to see round characters as more life-like flat characters- uncomplicated, exhibit few distinct traits and do not change significantly as the story progresses protagonist- the primary character who pursues the goal obstacles- essential building block of storytelling antagonist- the person, people, creature, or force responsible for obstructing our protagonis ● ●

Character imperfections and flaws also give characters room to grow Characters are frequently motivated by basic psychological needs that can profoundly influence the narrative

The Screenwriter ● ●

is responsible for coming up with this story, either from scratch or by adapting another source. builds the narrative structure and devises every character, action, line of dialogue, and setting

Story and Plot Story: - consists of all the narrative events that are explicitly presented on-screen - consists of all the events that are implicit or that we infer to have happened but are not explicitly presented - the total world of the story is called itsdiegesis - the elements that make up the diegesis are called d  iegetic elements

Plot: -

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consists of the specific actions and events that the filmmakers select and the order in which they arrange those events so as to effectively convey the narrative to the viewer includes nondiegetic elements - those things that we see and hear on the screen that come from outside the world of the story through plot, screenwriters and directors can provide structure to stories and guide viewers’ emotional responses

The distinction between plot and story- the two concepts overlap and interact with one another.

Order ●

Bringing order to the plot events is one of the most fundamental decisions that filmmakers make about relaying story information through the plot.

Events -

have a logical order have a logical hierarchy

This hierarchy consists of: ● the events that seem crucial to the plot - include major, essential elements of the movie

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the events that play a less crucial or even subordinate role - include those minor plot events that add texture and complexity to characters and actions but are not essential

Duration 3 types of duration - story duration - plot duration - screen duration story duration- the amount of time that the implied story takes to occur plot duration- the elapsed time of the plot screen duration- the movie’s running time on-screen For example: In T  itanic the plot duration is one afternoon (the ‘’life’’ of the ferry), the story duration is more than seventy years (elderly Rose tells us a story about the ring at first) and the screen duration is 3 hours 14 minutes. The relationships among the three types of duration: - summary relationship - screen duration is shorter than plot duration - real time- screen duration corresponds directly to plot duration - stretch relationship - screen duration is longer than plot duration cinematic time- the passage of time within a movie, as conveyed and manipulated by editing

Repetition repetition- number of times, with which a story element recurs in a plot ● ●

something’s/someone’s appearance more than once suggests a pattern and a higher level of importance a signal that a particular event has a meaning or significance

familiar image- any image that a director periodically repeats in a movie to help stabilize its narrative

Setting setting of a movie- the time and place in which the story occurs ● establishes the date, city, or country ● provides the characters’ social, educational, and cultural backgrounds and other identifying factors ● sometimes provides an implicit explanation for actions or traits that we might otherwise consider eccentric ● helps to reveal the characters’ states of mind

Certain genres are associated with specific settings—for example, Westerns with wide-open country, film noirs with dark city streets, and horror movies with creepy houses.

Scope scope - the overall range, in time and place, of the movie’s story Determining the general scope of a movie’s story— understanding its relative expansiveness—can help you piece together and understand other aspects of the movie as a whole.

CHAPTER 5 M  ise-en-scene I strongly recommand reading this one, because there are things which you have to understand, not learn as definitions. design- the process of making the look of the settings, props, lighting, and actors composition- the organization, distribution, balance, and general relationship of actors and objects within the space of each shot ● ●

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The visual elements of mise-en-scène are all crucial to shaping our sympathy for, and understanding of, the characters shaped by them. Although every movie has a mise-en-scène, in some movies the various elements of the mise-enscène are so powerful that they enable the viewer to experience the aura of a place and time. The creation of a movie’s mise-en-scène is nearly always the product of very detailed planning of each shot in the movie You should find the term mise-en-scène useful for explaining how all the formal elements of cinema contribute to your interpretation of a film’s meanings

production designer (art director)- works closely with the director, is both an artist and an executive, responsible for the overall design concept, the look of the movie and for supervising the heads of the many departments that create that look In D. W. Griffith’s Intolerance (1916) was featured the first colossal outdoor sets constructed in Hollywood. soundstage- a windowless, soundproofed, professional shooting environment that is usually several stories high and can cover an acre or more of floor space chiaroscuro- the use of deep gradations and subtle variations of lights and darks within an image

International Styles of Design Two fundamental styles of film design:the realistic and the fantastic.

Composition composition : ● a part of the process of visualizing and planning the design of a movie ● is important because it helps to ensure the aesthetic unity and harmony of the movie as well as to guide our looking

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can produce a flat image, one in which figures and objects are arranged and photographed in the foreground of the screen, or an image that has the illusion of depth

Two aspects of composition: - framing- what we see on the screen - kinesis- what moves on the screen

On-screen and Offscreen Space viewfinder- the little window you look through when taking a picture

Open and Closed Framing ●

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open frame- designed to depict a world where characters move freely within an open, recognizable environment, it is generally employed in realistic (verisimilar) films closed frame- designed to imply that other forces have robbed characters of their ability to move and act freely, it is in antirealistic films

Who or what decides whether a movie is “open” or “closed”? S  ometimes it’s the director; at other times, it’s the narrative; in most movies, it’s both.

Movement of Figures within the Frame blocking- planning the positions and movements of the actors and the cameras for each scene and, in rehearsals, familiarize the cast and camera operators with their plan

CHAPTER 6 C  inematography What Is Cinematography? cinematography: - the process of capturing moving images on film or a digital storage device - is closely related to still photography, but its methods and technologies clearly distinguish it from its static predecessor. - is in fact an intricate language that can contribute to a movie’s overall meaning as much as the story, mise-en-scène, and acting do

The Director of Photography The three key terms used in shooting a movie are: - shot- one uninterrupted run of the camera and the recording on film, video - take- the number of times a particular shot is taken - setup - one camera position and everything associated with it Thec  inematographer’s responsibilitiesfor each shot and setup: 1. cinematographic properties of the shot 2. framing of the shot 3. speed and length of the shot 4. special effects

 ssistant camerapersons . The camera group consists of the camera operatorand the a The group concerned with electricity and lighting consists of the: - gaffer- chief electrician - best boy- first assistant electrician - other electricians - grips - all-around handypersons who work with both the camera crew and the electrical crew to get the camera and lighting ready for shooting

Film stock : The two basic types of film stock 1. to record images in black and white 2. to record them in color gauges - widths measured in millimeters, the wider the gauge, the more expensive the film and, all other factors being equal, the better the quality of the image speedof the stock - the degree to which it is light-sensitive Film stocks that are extremely sensitive to lightand thus useful in low-light situations are called fast; those that require a lot of light are called slow.

Color The first methods of giving a movie color were known as a  dditive color systems- they added color to black-and white film stock subtractive color system - color results from the physical action of different light waves on our eyes and optical nervous system, meaning that we perceive these different ,g  reen , wavelengths of energy as different colors. Of these colors, three are primary - red and b  lue .

Lightning Source - natural - daylight is the most convenient and economical source , which produce, respectively, hard - artificial: focusable spotlightsand floodlights and soft light A focusable spotlightcan produce - a hard, direct spotlight beam - a more indirect beam Afloodlightscan produce: - diffuse, indirect light with very few to no shadows Even when movies are shot outdoors on clear, sunny days, however, filmmakers use reflectors and artificial lights because they cannot count on nature’s cooperation. reflector board - a double-sided board that pivots in a U-shaped holder. One side is a hard, smooth surface that reflects hard light; the other is a soft, textured surface that provides a softer fill light. They are used frequently in interior and in exterior shooting to

reflect sunlight into shadows during outdoor shooting to reflect sunlight into shadows during outdoor shooting. low-key lighting- hard, high-contrast lighting featuring deep shadows, it produces the overall gloomy atmosphere that we see in horrors high-key lighting- soft, little-contrast, is used extensively in dramas, musicals, comedies Quality Refers to whether the light is hard or soft. Direction ● Light can be thrown onto a movie actor or setting from virtually any direction

: The best-known lighting convention in feature filmmaking is the three-point system - key light - the primary source of illumination and therefore is customarily set first - fill light - adjusts the depth of the shadows created by the brighter key light - backlight - used to create highlights along the edges of the subject as a means of separating it from the background and increasing its appearance of three-dimensionality

lighting ratio- the balance between the key and fill lights The primary advantage of three-point lighting is that it permits the cinematographer to adjust the ligtning ratio.

Color - another property of light - its most important technical aspect is color temperature - the movie camera does not see color the way the human eye does and thus sometimes seems to exaggerate colors

Lenses Camera lens: - a piece of curved, polished glass or other transparent material - its primary function is to bring the light that emanates from the subjects in front of the camera into a focused image on the film, tape aperture - usually an adjustable iris that limits the amount of light passing through a lens. The...