International Baccalaureate
In order to understand and appreciate a film more fully we need to study the context…. OK…so…what is context then? Historical Contexts These are the historical events which surround a film’s production. The film itself might also be a response to a specific historical event (as in Pan’s Labyrinth). In that sense there may be… Read more Context & Pan’s Labyrinth
Narrative Analysis of Pan’s Labyrinth. Task: Create a presentation (on Google slides) which analyses the narrative features in the Pan’s. Please work in pairs and use no more than four slides, one for each section listed below. 1) Structure The film starts at the end and takes us back to the beginning – why? Also,… Read more Narrative in Pan’s Labyrinth
Non-linear Narratives Films have a big advantage in how they can tell stories. They are not bound by the rules of normal time! Editing can reorder screen time, which is different from reel time (the duration of the film), and this reshaping of the narrative can add to the audience’s pleasure of the film. How?… Read more Narrative in Film (Part 3) Non Linear Narratives
Narrative Function First off, it is important to note that we are not talking about characterisation or representation! We are talking the role the characters have in the narrative. In other words what is their job in the story? This analysis can give us helpful clues to understand the themes and ideas, especially when we… Read more Narrative in Film (Part 2) Character Function
Introduction to Narrative (The study of stories) When we study narrative we are exploring… The structure/shape of the stories The big events that push the story forward, causing the characters to act / react. When and how important story information is revealed. How the audience is positioned in the story & when we learn important narrative information… Read more Narrative in Film (Structure)
Terms to Learn Production Design, Connote, Suggest, Implies… Film is a visual art and a key bit of advice to all screenwriters and directors is… ‘Show, don’t tell!’ MISE-EN-SCENE Mise-en-scene refers to anything that the director chooses to put in the frame and is a key way in which they can ‘show’ the story. Every… Read more Mise-en-Scene
Terms to Learn Representation, Ideology, Character Codes Think: Does film reflect the world we live in or shape the way we view it? Task: Consider the ideas and messages communicated by these two versions of the same character. Use this document to analyse one of the two characters. Key questions to ask… Read more Representation of the Princess
Terms to Learn Corpus, Theme, Iconography, Generic, Stock Characters The Fantasy Genre In this lesson we are going to complete a genre analysis of Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) del Toro Sound easy? Well it is! Genre analysis is done in three steps. 1 Define the corpus. That is, agree on a group of films that you… Read more Genre Analysis of Pan’s Labyrinth
Terms to Learn Genre Cycle, Hybrid… What? Genre, a problem…? You may be thinking that, ‘If films follow the same generic blueprint (repertoire of elements), why aren’t all genre films exactly the same? Genre films tend to change, tend to evolve. In fact some theorists suggest that genre follow cycles: they are born, become popular,… Read more The Problem with Genre
In partnership with the Psychology and Sociology department we are pleased to announce the first in the series of Cinema Stories. We will be screening a notable film and will then hold a 30 minute Q&A discussion with a panel of experts on film and on the issues and topics explored in the movie. The… Read more Cinema Stories