quiz1

why are stories important?

They are how humans make sense of the world, creating meaning transmits culture and value, builds empathy, engage and entertain, preserve experience

A narrative film is constructed to serve specific ends. What are those ends?

Emotional impact, narrative coherence, meaning or theme, audience engagement, entertain or persuasion

What is the definition of drama as a mode of storytelling?

to do, being acted “actively engaged”

What is “mimesis?

a mimic of human behavior for artistic purposes (imitating) helps individuals engage and emphasize with it, helps connections being made

What is “willing suspension of disbelief?

inherent engagement with art forms —movie vs reality, yet we become involved: cry, laugh, fear - even though we know it’s a movie. we’re playing a wall. W.A.D

What are the two components of narrative film?

The story and cinematic language

What are the levels and types of information contained in a visual image?

-              Literal narrative (time, place, plot info, character details, physical happening)

-              Aesthetic (style, genre, tone, realism, fantasy, satire, musical, etc)

-              Emotional (mood & feeling of a moment, characters’ inner states expressed visually

-              Symbolic/metaphoric (deeper meanings, images representing ideas than themselves, connections to our own experiences and knowledge

 What are the components of cinematic language?

Composition and framing

Photography (cinematography)

Editing

Production design

Sound

What did Jean Luc Godard state about the nature of cinema?

“That cinema is truth 24 frames per second”

What did Brian De Palma’s state about the nature of movies?

“Movies are 24 times a second”

How did Orson Welles describe movies?

Says movies are an illusion and a manipulation of reality, emphasizing that cinema is about control, perspective and storytelling not simple realism

What did Mstyslav Chernov state regarding the relationship of movies to history?

“cinema forms memories, and memories form history.”

What is the phi phenomenon?

An optical illusion where a rapid sequence of still images is perceived as continuous motion

What is persistence of vision?

Phenomenon where the brain holds an image slightly longer than the eye sees it, allowing separate images to blend into motion

What is the number of frames per second above which flicker disappears?

Approximately 46 frames per second, critical flicker fusion rate

What is the standard frame rate for filming movies?

24 frames per second (fps)

Why doesn’t a movie filmed at 24fps flicker when projected?

Each frame is projected more than once using a double- or triple- blade shutter, raising the effective flicker rate above 46fps, where flicker disappears

How much film would a two hour movie use if it was filmed at 48 frames per second?

2hr= 7,200-2x60x120x60=7,200sec —7,200x48=345,600 frames

What new technology led to the movie industry increasing the frame rate from 16fps and
standardizing it at 24fps?

Synchronized sound (late 1920)—Sound requires a consistent and stable frame rate

Why did the movie industry decide to use 24fps instead of 48fps?

cost efficiency (48fps used twice as much film), 24fps was the lowest frame rate that allowed sound and image—Balanced quality, technology, and business needs

what is non-linear structure?

A non-linear structure tells a story out of chronological order, often moving back and forth in time (using flashbacks or parallel timelines).

Is Little Women linear or non-linear?

Little Women (2019) is non-linear. It constantly shifts between the sisters’ childhood (the past) and their adult lives (the present).

Who were the director, the cinematographer, and the screenwriter for Little Women?

• Director: Greta Gerwig

• Screenwriter: Greta Gerwig

• Cinematographer: Yorick Le Saux

What is the opening image of Little Women?

Jo rushing through snowy New York City to deliver her manuscript to Mr. Dashwood at his publishing office.

What is the final image of Little Women?

The physical printing and binding of Jo’s novel Little Women, intercut with Jo watching the book being made—ending on an intentionally ambiguous note about her romantic future.

How are scenes in the past visually differentiated from scenes in the present?

• Past: warm, golden lighting and rich colors

• Present: cooler, bluer, more muted tones

How much is Jo paid for the first story she sells to Mr. Dashwood? Near the end of the movie, how much does Jo get for her novel?

• First short story: $25

• Her novel Little Women: $500

How is Jo’s clothing distinctive from her sisters’? What doesn’t Jo wear?

Jo dresses more practically and “masculinely” than her sisters. She wears loose clothing, vests, and boots—and does not wear corsets.

Why does Jo cut her hair? How much does she receive for her hair?

Jo cuts her hair to raise money so her mother can travel to see their sick father. She receives $25 for it.

In the opening scene, what advice does Mr. Dashwood give Jo regarding stories with a female as the central character?

He tells her that stories about women should end in marriage or death if they’re going to sell.

What gift does Mr. Laurence give Beth?

He gives Beth a piano.