Significance of Studying Film
Film, if utilized with purpose, can be an effective way to teach specific content in a classroom. Analyzing films can help students experience the content in a personal and intimate way; appreciating its overall composition even more. Alain Bergala, the author of The Cinema Hypothesis, explains the significance of film education in schools and expresses that film is not just for communication and pure entertainment. He explains that the “artistic qualities of film is in every way comparable to that of painting and music.” (Bergala, 2016, p.121) Through film, educators can share an engaging experience of the creative practice with their class, and unfold the mysteries of a director’s artistic choices. It can also transpire as an eye-opening motive for students to take their own creative approaches in a similar manner. They can become familiar with all of the choices, the risks, and emotions that arise in the process. According to Bergala, experiencing creation is “essential and indispensable.” It is fundamentally valuable in the real world.
Various styles of analyzing film can enrich academic practices within the classroom. There is Semiotic Analysis that is the study of meaning behind signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors, analogies, and symbolism. There is also Narrative structure Analysis, the analysis of the story elements, which include the plot structure, character development, and theme. This is very similar to the dramatic structure of literature (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) which could be ideal for literature connections. Moreover, there is Cultural Context Analysis which is analysis of the film as part of a broader context. This takes into consideration the culture, time, and place of the film’s creation. This blends into historical context. Lastly, there is Mise-en-scène Analysis, the study of the arrangement of compositional elements in film. Essentially, it is the analysis of audiovisual elements that most distinctly separates film analysis from literary analysis. This is meaningful because film incorporates audiovisual elements that must be coordinated; that coordination amounts to a new dimension available for o analysis. Not to say that one form of analysis surpasses the others, but for this particular unit, I will primarily be concentrating on Mise-en-scène.
Mise-en-scène comprises visual elements, which include (but are not limited to): props and costumes, setting, lighting, camera angles, frames, choreography, music, color values, depth, placement of characters, etc. Because this will be most likely their first introduction to film/video analysis in a 10-week timeframe, we will be mainly studying the following elements that theoretically stage mood: music (given), lighting, camera angles, colors values, movements, and pace. We will view a couple of music video in their entirety, and generate screen captures (still images) of certain scenes that can help with detailed analysis of color, light, placement of objects, etc. My objective is for students to look further beyond logic and narrative, and understand the detailed composition that the directors chose to establish mood and imagery. Throughout this unit, I would like to encourage a more conscious approach to analyzing audiovisual texts by breaking down elements into smaller, more digestible pieces. My pedagogy is based on observation and exploration, which enhances students’ thinking and their own creative practice.
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