Classic Hollywood Film Language

Alfred Hitchcock: Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Film Language and Technique: Class Aims

Discuss Film as NarrativeReview “Classic Hollywood Style”Intro Vocabulary TermsDiscuss Use and Impact of Film Techniques

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000055Y14.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Class Schedule

Introduce, discuss film as narrative; group discussion/comments: 12 min.How film is set up: 5 min.Building blocks of film 7 min.

Shot, Scene, Sequence

Camera movement and placement: 15 min.

Lighting: 10 min.

Editing: 10 min.

Film techniques telling a story and expressing ideology: 10 min.

Classical Hollywood StyleBelton argues that Hollywood cinema is a _________-centered drama.How does cinema develop characters?Break into Groups: come up with an example of a film you have recently viewed that develops (or fails to develop) a character. How does this work?

Character Narration in Shadow of a Doubt

Perhaps the most obvious narration occurs in Uncle Charlie’s voice-over ________.

How does this element advance the story? What does it tell us?

http://hitchcock.alienor.fr/shadow.html

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units

Frame

_________ of the film’s image on the ______

Mise-en-Scene:

French: “___ on _____”

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units

Shot:Basic unit of _______

One _________ piece of filming

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units

SceneSeveral _____ unified by _____ and ______

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units

SequenceSeveral ______ unified by common time, but _______ by space

Basic units in Shadow of a Doubt

Establishing shots

Long shots of the city

Gradually dissolve into one another and move in on a locale—i.e., a sequence

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement

Focus:Rack: camera changes from ______ to _______Deep: camera _______ fore- and background

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement

Angle: establishes the viewer’s _______ to the ______

High: camera looks ____Low: camera looks ___

How does this affect our perceptions of the characters?

                                                            

http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue02/infocus/shadow.htm

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement

Zoom: lens adjusts so scene appears to move _____________ the viewer

Pan: _______ pivoting of camera

Tilt: when camera looks _________

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement

Crane: the camera is moved _______ by crane

Tracking: camera rolls along a _______

Dolly: camera moves on _________ in ___ direction

Steadicam: device to keep _______ camera _____

Camera Movement in Shadow of a Doubt

In the opening sequence:Crane shot up to Charlie’s room

Camera tracks across room: how does this position the viewer?

Film Technique Terms: Lighting

Lighting Position_______ Lighting

The ____ light is the dominant light source

_______ lighting is bright and less shadowy_______ lighting is darker and more uneven

Lighting in Shadow of a Doubt

How would you characterize the lighting of this shot?

What is the effect on the viewer?

What mood does lower-key lighting create?

                                                            

http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue02/infocus/shadow.htm

Film Technique Terms: Editing

“Classical continuity editing”: a.k.a. _________ editing

Editing between scenes is called _________

Editing within scenes often seek to conceal _________

Film Technique Terms: Editing

Transitions:Cut: 2 shots joined ______ togetherFade: gradual ________ or _______ of onscreen imageDissolve: ________ fade in and outIris: ______ closed or widenedWipe: where one scene appears to wipe the other ______

Film Technique Terms: Editing

Editing within scenes: ________ techniques

Matches: including _______ match

Point-of-view editing: ___ shot process

180-degree rule: ______ convention

Summing upFilm Techniques as a Language in the service of ________Stylistic _________ becomes a goal of Hollywood cinema techniquesFilm style is not “superficially ______” on the narrativeThink about how film technique influences viewing