Film Narrative

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Thesubjectmatterormeaningofafilm.

Thatwhichisexpressedbyaworkofart.

Theartvisualstorytelling

Themeansbywhichafilmscontentis

Traditions,dominantstyles,andpopular

expressed.Thestyleandtechniquesusedto conveymeaningandtheoverallrelationship ofthecreativeelementsoftheentirefilm.

formsusedbyfilmmakerswhichare generallyacceptedastheprincipalsof filmmaking. g

Thegeneralclassificationoffilmsbyform,

Therole,effect,orpurposeofanyelement

content,orboth.Theuseofparticular conventionsinaparticulargenrehelpsto classifyitbystyleorform. y y y

withinafilmstotalform.Whodoesthat elementfunction?

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FilmAnalysiswhichexamineshowascene

Achainofeventsinacauseeffect

orsequenceusesformalelementstoconvey story,mood,ormeaning.

relationship,occurringintimeandspace.A narrativeisnotarandomstringofevents. Thecinematicstructureinwhichcontentis selectedandarrangedinacauseandeffect sequenceofeventsoccurringintimeand space.

Story Alleventsthatweseeorhearonthe

Diegesis Thetotalworldofthefilmsstory:the

screen,andalleventsthatareimpliedor whichweinfertohaveoccurred,butarenot explicitlyshownorpresented. p y p Plot Thestructureforpresenting everythingthatweseeorhearinafilm.The orderandarrangementofallelements,both diegetic andnondiegetic (creditsand incidentalmusicarealsopartoftheplot).

events,characters,objects,settings,andsounds thatformtheworldinwhichthestoryoccurs. Diegetic Elements Anythingthatexisits within theworldofthestory. h ld f h Nondiegetic Elements Elementswhichcomefrom outsidetheworldofthestory:Text,ThirdPerson Narration,Score(Incidental)Music,Imagesor Nondiegtic Inserts(imagesinsertedtoimplya symbolicmeaning)

Narration Theactoftellingthestory. Narrator Whoorwhatistellingthestory.

The narratordeliversthenarrationwhich

FirstPersonNarrator:Characterwithin

conveysthenarrative. conveysthenarrative
Thecameraistheprimarynarratorofall

films(everyvisualelementandsoundisa productofcameranarration),butmayalso beacharacterinsidethestoryoroutsidethe worldofthefilm.

thenarrativewhichimpartsinformationin theformofavoiceovernarrationorby directlyaddressingthecameraoraudience. y g ThirdPersonNarrator:Voiceofan individualoutsideofthenarrative. Unrestrictedvoiceofgodscenario.

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Unrestricted(Omniscient)Narration:

Usually,theagentsofcauseandeffectare

Providesaviewofallaspectsofafilms charactersandactions(theaudienceknows ) morethanthecharacters). RestrictedNarration:Limitsknowledgeof eventstotheexperiencesandinsightsofa specificcharacter;astheylearnthe information,theaudiencelearnsthe information.

characters.Byreactingtoevents,theycreate causesandreacttothetwistsandturnsin thestory. Charactershaveseveralproperties: Theyusuallyhaveabody. Theypossesstraits:attitudes,skills, psychology,drives,detailsofdressand appearance,habits,etc.

Theviewerseekstoconnecteventsbycausal

Expectations:Anticipationofnarrativeand

motivationofcharacters. Sometimestheplotwillleadviewerstoinfer causesandeffects.Theplotmaywithhold causesandthusarousetheviewerscuriosity y y (SciFi,horror,mystery). Itmayalsowithholdeffectsafterpresenting causes,promptingsuspenseanduncertainty (disruptiveifithappensattheendofthe filmandleavesviewerhanging).

stylisticelementsofafilmbasedon previousknowledge,filmconventions,or therepresentationofeventsinthefilm. Suspense:Uncertaintyandexpectation y p createdbydevelopmentsinthenarrative whichmayormaynotbesatisfiedbyfurther developments. Surprise:Aneventwhichoccurswithout anticipationorexpectation,andoften resultsinamomentofshock.

Causesandeffectstakeplaceintime. Thefilmmaypresenteventsoutof

chronologicalorder. g
Thefilmdoesnotshoweverydetailfrom

starttofinish(weassumeinsignificant details:sleeping,eating,etc).

Temporalorder:maybeinoroutofchronological order,includingflashbacksandflashforwards;it mayalternatebetweenpastandpresent. Temporalduration:Screentimeisthedurationof timeittakestowatchafilm.Storytimeisthe durationoftimecoveredbythestory.Screentime durationoftimecoveredbythestory Screentime isusuallybetween90minutesto3hours;story timemaycoveraday,severalyears,oracentury,for example. Temporalfrequency:includeshowmanytimes thestoryistoldinonefilm.Majorityoffilmstell storyonlyonce;notablerecentexceptionsare Run, Lola,Run,VantagePoint and GroundhogDay.

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Eventsoccurinparticularlocales.Thevisiblespace

betweentheframe(plot)iscalledscreenspace.Story spaceincludesscreenspaceandotherlocalesthatare spokenof,butneverseen.

Afilmbeginsinmediasres,Latinfor

inthemiddleofthings. Theviewer speculateswhatwentonbeforebasedon plotcues.Theportionoftheplotthatsets l h f h l h outstoryeventsandcharactertraitsis called exposition.Thesetupofafilmis generallythefirst30minutestoofthe film.

Themostcommonsystemofnarrationandfilm

Changeinknowledge acharacterdoes

construction.
Individualcharactersascausalagents Characterswithgoalsanddesires Anobstacleorcounterforcetotheprotagonist(the

somethingthatturnstheplot. Goalorientedplot acharactertakes stepstoachieveadesiredgoal/object. SearchorInvestigation thispatternis oftenseenincrimedramasandmysteries. Journey anactualjourney,ora metaphysicalone.

antagonistmaybeaperson,event,object,etc.)
Alinkedchainofcauseandeffectthatbringsabout

changeintheprotagonist.
Often,thoughnotalways,atickingclockdevice Thenarrativeshouldprovidesomedegreeofclosureat

theend.

Mostnarrativeflow(narration)isobjective;that

is,theplotconfinesustoexternalbehaviorofits characters. Attimes,weseethingsfromthecharacters pointofview(POV).Thismentalsubjectivityis pointofview(POV) Thismentalsubjectivityis whenweseeimagesfromthecharactersmind: dreams,fantasies,memories(intheformof flashbacks).Thissubjectivityincreasesa viewersidentificationwiththecharacter,and mayrevealacharactersmotives.

Everythingintheshot Miseenscneiswhatweseeinafilm;

editingiswhatwedonot SettingandDesign g g CostumesandMakeup Lighting Staging,Movement,andPerformance Framing