Film Studies A Level

- Film form - Meaning and response - Contexts - CRITICAL DEBATES - FILMMAKERS THEORIES 20 marks - 1 hour (+ 2.5 mins) - Apply one filmmakers theory of documentary film you have studied to your chosen documentary. How far does this increase your understanding of the film. The sound is the most important element to analyse in the documentary, in terms of how meaning is created. Editing is also important. What is a documentary? - using pictures or interviews to create a factual report on a particular subject Documentary: a dogmatic film without actors, commonly including footage and interviews, of a particular subject that investigates and informs a spectator on an intense and in depth level. -non-fiction -informative -factual -montage -interview -representation Types of documentary Ø Poetic Ø Expository Ø Participatory Ø Observational Ø Reflexive Ø Performative Expository: Speak directly to the viewer with voice-over. These films us...

Blocking, traditional role Ben at the head of the table. Sets him up as the authoritative figure. Everything is encouraging the spectator to align with the cash family due to the shots of the two girls' reactions. Ben is seen as the person with agency within this dynamic. In this sense, there is a tendency towards passive spectatorship. The scene with the video game noises is so oppositional to what the spectator has seen so far. The silent reaction of the Cash family, the spectator is made to question which family they would most align with. It provides a conflict of interest in the spectator's mind, and raises a lot of questions. The spectator is active because they are constantly torn whether or not they want to align with the Cash family or whether they feel isolated from them. A dissodant counter ideology agains the status quo: The christian religion, capitalism / consumerism, / - Character alignment - Active /  passive spectatorship - Link to US ideology

The focus areas: Always-  1) Film form 2) Meaning and response 3) Contexts 8) Critical debates Context: rapid industrialisation and huge cities that had never before existed in human history. taking found elements and combining them to create something new - constructivism. expressionism vs realism: the film has incorporated the real life in the soviet union in a totally expressionistic way. Last scene: -multiple split screens / multiple exposures - modern and expressionist - multiple different things going on in one place. -crosscutting between the audience and the cinema screen Kuleshov effect: Abstract - reaction of the audience to what is on their screen, yet they are not watching the same thing as the spectator. Superimposition, makes the spectator see falsely what into the last 3 mins constructivism is a celebration of the labour that goes into creating something, the idea behind the multiple cuts per second is to demonstrate the craftmanship of filmma...

Sound: - natural sounds of water flowing and birds chirping, create a calming and relaxing atmosphere. The sound of the deer being killed suddenly and greatly increases the volume of the sound for an intense moment before the sound becomes quiet again. -no dialogue, in the introduction of all of the characters, sets up questions as to who they are and makes them seem abnormal to the spectator immediately. The spectator does not feel that they can sympathise with them or associate themselves with their way of life. They seem like strangers. -"Today the boy is dead, and in his place is a man" - this line has connotations with ceremonies of aboriginal and native american cultures. This acts as a confirmation to the spectator that the characters live a secluded way of life. -non-diegetic music immediately after the first line, low key synthesising music using held notes with harmonies and gradually descending sequence of notes. As the music starts to play the characters w...

cinematography: shot so that the spectator can see from Ben's perspective. Handheld camera and shallow depth of field to pick out individual characters. Muted colour palette reflects the staid atmosphere of the scene. Ben sits at the end of the table in a place of authority. He has dominion over the situation. Comparative shots, between the two lifestyles with the cutaways to gage the reactions of the uncle and aunt. Lots of closeups and use of shallow depth of field. We align with the cash family. Costume differences between the families. Setting: characters being anomalous within the suburban setting. Proxemics within the frame At this point in the film we are aligned as a spectator with ben who is against the heart of US ideology. It attacks the education system in america. Dissident film:  a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state. The setting places a complete outsider into a literal representation of US ideology. The han...

-The spectator is not expecting blood and violence from the beginning sequence of the film The spectator is encouraged as Vaz falls off the roof to question the way of life of the whole family I did not approve of the family's decision to steal from the shop as it seemed contrary to the whole ethos of the family The spectator is persuaded to align with Ben's family in the dinner scene at Harper's house. Ben's method of parenting is projected as more sensical whilst they drive past the shopping malls the spectator thinks that capitalism is wrong etc, aligns with ben's family There is a conflict of interest whether the spectator should agree with Ben's method of parenting from the moment when Bo fails to interact with and be able to interact with Claire on a basic level. -Closeup of Ben on his journey away from his children encourages the spectator to completely align with Ben's perspective; and empathise with his feeling of heartbreak being taken a...