Film Studies: The Essentials of Film Language
The Uses of Film Language
The language of film produces three types of response in the audience - that is, we are
three different ways:
lead to meaning in
1. Film language points the audience to specific meaning. This means film language is used in a denotative or
literal way.
2. Film language may produce an atmospheric or emotional effect. Here the filmmaker uses film language to
covey more complex messages which can be described as connotative. Usually, the filmmaker is trying to direct
the audience to a particular interpretation of the events we see.
3. Film language may trigger a range of more subjective and connotative reactions. The filmmaker’s goal is
to lead the audience to a “preferred reading” of the film text. However, at this level, there is more room for a
subjective (personal) interpretation on the part of individual audience members.
The Components of Film Language
1. Mise en scene: Roughly translated, mise en scene means “put in the scene”. In its broadest sense, mise en
scene communicates essential information to the audience. Its most common purpose is to create realism with
regard to place and time. Essentially, mise en scene includes:
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art direction;
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set design;
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costume;
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casting;
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props.
2. Cinematography: This refers to the process of planning and filming that which the filmmaker wants to
capture. Cinematography includes:
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selection of film stock (7mm through to 70 mm);
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lighting (this involves the 3 point lighting system: the key light, the fill light, the backlight).
Lighting: Essential Questions
When analysing light within a film extract, some key questions to ask are:
•What does the lighting reveal? What does it hide?
•What does the lighting emphasize? What does it downplay?
•Does the lighting create particular contrasts in the mise en scene?
•Does the lighting create mood?
•Does the lighting appear to be ambient or artificial?
•Is the lighting high-key or low-key?
•Does the lighting produce soft, rounded forms or hard, flat forms?
•Is the lighting coloured?
•If artificial, does the light source appear inside or outside the frame?
•Is there strong use of attached or detached shadow?
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framing and composition; these involve:
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pattern;
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weighting;
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space;
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angle;
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aspect ratios;
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focus and depth-of-field;
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camera movement;
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movement.
The main purposes of moving the camera while filming are:
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To reframe the scene;
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To reveal new aspects of mise en scene;
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To create kinetic energy;
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To follow a character or object in motion;
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To show the perspective of a character or object in motion.
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Camera movements can be categorized into five types:
Axis Shots (pans, tilts, rolls);
Dolly Shots;
Vehicle Shots;
Aerial Shots;
Handheld Shots.
3. Editing: While mise en scene and cinematography are concerned with the organization of space, editing is
concerned with the organization of time. The film editor’s job is to make decisions concerning what we look at,
in what order we look at it and how long it is before we look at something else. The basic edits of the
Hollywood film tradition are:
* Master shot
* Cut
* Cut-away
* Cross-fade/dissolve
* Fade
* Graphic match
* Eyeline match
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* Montage editing
* Cut-in
* Cross-cutting
* Reverse
* Wipe
* Match on action
* Shot-reverse-shot
The main functions of editing are as follows:
Present events in correct order;
Create relationships in action;
Identify and maintain spatial relationships;
Sustain continuity;
Identify important lapses in time; conceal unimportant ones;
4. Sound and Sound Editing: The basic types of sound are as follows:
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Diegetic sound;
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Non-diegetic sound;
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Synchronous sound;
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Asynchronous sound.
Sound: Essential Questions
When analysing sound within a film extract, some key questions to ask are:
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Does the music include a recognizable tune or song? What message does this convey in relation
to the images?
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Does the music enhance or contradict the meanings suggested by the images?
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Could you describe the music as having a recognizable style?
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Is the music typical of the film’s genre?
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Can you recognize elements of instrumentation?
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What tonal range dominates the arrangement?
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Are contrasts between sound and silence used?
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How does diegetic sound increase the audience’s sense of realism?
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Is diegetic sound used to increase the effect of any action (emphatic sound)?
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Is there any other asynchronous non-diegetic sound, other than music?
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What are the effects of all of the above?