I. Types of Film
(STYLES)
Realism -- Classicism --- Formalism
-------------------------------------------------Documentaries – Fiction -- Avant-Garde
(TYPES)
A. Objective Camera
•
Camera views scene as a remote
spectator.
•
Viewer forgets the camera is there.
•
Realistic
B. Subjective Camera
•
Camera views a scene from the
visual or emotional point of view of a
character.
•
The camera draws attention to itself.
•
Manipulates meaning
•
Formalistic
Subjective vs. Objective
Camera
Vertigo
D: Alfred Hitchcock, 1958
C. Realism in Film
•
Camera is an unmanipulated,
objective mirror of the real world.
•
•
•
•
Everyday, realistic images
Basic experiences of everyday life
Loosely organized story
Emphasis on authenticity
Realism (cont.)
•
Long, uninterrupted shots
•
Minimal editing
•
Natural lighting
1. “Arrival of a Train” (Realism)
•
•
•
•
Lumieres brothers, 1896
Founders of cinematic realism.
Considered fascinating and terrifying.
A “actualités” (primitive documentary).
Arrival of a Train
2. “The Kiss” (Realism)
•
Directed for Thomas Edison, 1896
•
A 47 second long actuality; one of the
first films made available to the public.
•
Considered scandalous and
“disgusting.”
The Kiss
3. Hearts and Minds (Realism)
•
Davis, 1974
•
•
Primarily TV newsreel footage of Vietnam
Indictment of the US devastation of
•
Vietnam
Turned public opinion against the war.
Hearts and Minds (Prostitution)
D. Classicism
•
•
•
Story-oriented; based on entertainment
value
Avoids extremes
The images chosen for their relevancy to
the story and characters, rather than for
their authenticity (realism) or formal
beauty alone (formalism).
Classicism (cont.)
•
Hollywood stars
•
Controlled lighting and sets
•
Moderate editing
•
Generally visually appealing and highly
romanticized
1. Gone With the Wind
•
Victor Fleming, 1939
•
Epic Romance, Classic Hollywood Film
Gone With the Wind
2. The Royal Tenenbaums
•
•
Wes Anderson, 2001
Manipulation of the camera to better tell a
story - cuts, reaction shots, slow motion,
music, etc.
The Royal Tenenbaums
E. Expressionism/Formalism
•
In-your-face; high degree of
manipulation and editing
•
•
Stylized visuals (special effects)
Emphasis on technique and expression
•
rather than story.
Manipulation of color and lighting
Expressionism/Formalism
(cont.)
•
Filmmakers concerned with spiritual
and psychological truths
•
Characters and events often
extraordinary and symbolic
•
Often artificial genres: musicals, scifi, fantasy,etc.
1. A Trip to the Moon
•
•
•
•
Georges Melies, 1902
First science fiction film (silent)
Innovative use of special effects and
animation
Whimsical fantasy based on purely
imagined events.
A Trip to the Moon (3:00)
Conquest of the North Pole (5:00)
2. Pi
•
•
•
•
•
Pi
Darren Aronofsky, 1998
Psychological, surrealistic
Distorted imagery
High level of manipulation (editing,
sound, lighting)
Emotive, dream-like, paranoid, and
troubling
3. Raging Bull
•
•
•
•
Martin Scorsese, 1980
Subjective camera
Fair level of manipulation
Plays with color, time, and camera angles
to create a visual story
Raging Bull (Start 1:00)
II. Mise en Scene / Intro to
Cinematography
A. Cinematography:
The making of lighting and camera choices
when recording photographic images for
the cinema. Closely related to the art of
still photography.
B. Mise en Scene


How visual elements are staged, framed
and photographed. French for “placing on a
stage.”
Involves:
size,
 color,
 light,
 objects’ relationship to one another

1.The Dominant
Where is our eye attracted first? Why?
The dominant can be created by:
* the size of an object,
* a juxtaposition of lights and darks
(esp. in black and white films),
* using a color that stands out from the
others,
* placing one object in sharper focus
than the rest of the shot.
The dominant in this shot is the character of Enid
(Thora Birch). This is created by color, lighting and
focus.
2. Positioning of Characters &
Objects within a frame


Positioning within a
frame can draw
our attention to an
important
character/object
A film-maker can
use positioning to
indicate
relationships
between people.
IMAGE 1
3. Color
Carries certain
connotations which
may add meaning
(i.e. Red =
Danger/Passion)
 Can give a scene a
particular look, feel
or mood
 Can be used for
dramatic effect

Cool tones (left) are associated with
sadness and strife. Warm tones
(right) are romantic and happier.
How is color affecting the mise en
scene of this shot?
4. Lighting
Lighting can be used to achieve a variety
of effects:
Highlight important characters or objects
within the frame
 Make characters look mysterious by shading
sections of the face & body
 To reflect a character’s mental state/hidden
emotions (i.e. bright = happy, dark =
disturbed, strobe effect = confused

1. Low Key Lighting
•
Produces an overall darker picture.
•
Emphasizes diffused shadows and
atmospheric pools of light.
•
Often used in mysteries and thrillers.
Tends to heighten the sense of alienation
•
felt by the viewer, hence is commonly
used in film noir, horror, mysteries and
thrillers.
Low-Key Film Still: The Shining
Watch:
Raging Bull (Scorsese)
Barton Fink (Coens)
2. Film Noir




Term used to describe stylish, Hollywood
crime dramas, popularized in the 1940-50s.
French for “black film.” Lighting is low key,
very high contrast, and tends to be black and
white.
Settings tend to be urban; swirling cigarette
smoke adds an air of mystery.
Tone is fantastic and paranoid. Focuses on
the dark side of humanity (violence, lust,
greed, etc)
Film Noir Still: High Contrast
Watch:
Double Indemnity (Wilder)
Batman (Burton)
3. High Key Lighting
•
•
Bright, even
illumination, with few
conspicuous
shadows.
Generally used in
upbeat scenes,
hence used mostly in
comedies, musicals
and light
entertainment films.
Watch:
Some Like It Hot (Wilder)
Austin Powers (Roach)
What types of lighting are used in
the following images:
B
A
D
E
C
F