sikov chapter 6

AI-generated flashcards based on chapter 6 of Ed Sikov's film studies, second edition

What is the basic definition of narrative in film studies?

Narrative simply means storytelling.

How does a documentary differ from a narrative film?

Documentaries are nonfiction accounts of real people and events, whereas narrative films tell stories that often follow broad patterns or conventions.

What distinguishes avant-garde or experimental films from narrative films?

Experimental films may be composed of abstract elements like shapes, colors, or shots not assembled into a traditional tale.

In film studies, how is 'story' defined?

Story refers to all the events of the narrative as they occur in chronological order from beginning to end, including both seen and inferred events.

In film studies, how is 'plot' defined?

Plot refers to the structuring and the specific order in which the filmmaker reveals narrative events to the audience.

What is the 'diegesis' of a film?

The diegesis is the world of the story, encompassing all story elements presented by the narrative, whether seen or heard onscreen or not.

What is the difference between diegetic and nondiegetic music?

Diegetic music originates within the story world (characters can hear it), while nondiegetic music does not originate in the story world (only the audience hears it).

What is the 'syuzhet' in film theory?

Syuzhet is the film's plot, or the specific ordering of narrative elements as presented within the film.

What is the 'fabula' in film theory?

Fabula is the story that the audience constructs in their minds as they watch the syuzhet unfold, incorporating individual associations and personal experiences.

Why can one syuzhet spark an infinite number of fabulas?

Because every audience member brings their own unique personal experiences and interpretations to the story being told.

What are the four conventional parts of a standard narrative film structure?

1. Boy meets girl, 2. Boy loses girl, 3. Boy tries to get girl back, 4. Boy and girl get together in the end.

What is the purpose of analyzing mise-en-scene in film shots?

Mise-en-scene elements convey expressive information within each individual shot.

How does the transition between shots affect narrative information?

Transitions compound information by creating relationships between the shots.

If a character turns on a car radio and music plays, is that music diegetic or nondiegetic?

It is diegetic because the music originates within the story world.

Is the theme music of a film usually diegetic or nondiegetic?

It is usually nondiegetic, as it typically does not originate from within the story world.

What does the abbreviation 'INT' stand for in a screenplay?

Interior.

What does the abbreviation 'EXT' stand for in a screenplay?

Exterior.

What is the primary difference between story and plot regarding chronology?

Story is the chronological sequence of events, while plot is the non-chronological or structured presentation of those events.

Can a story exist without being explicitly shown on screen?

Yes, audiences often infer events that are part of the story but not directly depicted.

What is the origin of the terms 'fabula' and 'syuzhet'?

They are drawn from the school of literary criticism known as Russian Formalism.

What is the first item that should appear on the first page of a screenplay?

FADE IN:

How does a screenplay indicate a change in location or setting?

Through a scene heading (e.g., INT. or EXT. followed by the location and time).

Why do film studies analyze narrative patterns?

To understand how stories are constructed, what characters learn, and how they change throughout the narrative.

What is the relationship between a film's plot and its story?

The plot is the specific way a filmmaker chooses to reveal the elements of the story to the audience.

How is a 'scene' defined in film narrative?

A scene is defined by the unity of time, space, and action, representing a unified event in one location during a single time period.

How does a 'sequence' differ from a 'scene'?

A sequence maintains one or more unities (time, space, or action) while introducing a discontinuity, such as a shift in time or location.

What is a 'flashback' in film?

A shot, sequence, or scene that takes place in the past, before the present-day time frame established by the film.

What is a 'flashforward' in film?

A shot, sequence, or scene that takes place in the future, after the present-day time frame established by the film.

What is the most common transition used between scenes in modern film?

A simple cut.

Describe the 'fade-in' transition.

The screen begins as a black or white field, and the image gradually appears until it reaches full clarity.

Describe the 'fade-out' transition.

The image gradually disappears until the screen becomes an entirely black or white field.

What is an 'iris-in' transition?

The image begins as a small circle in the middle of the screen and widens until it covers the entire frame.

What is an 'iris-out' transition?

The full rectangular image shrinks into a circular form until it disappears in the middle of the screen.

Why is a shot-by-shot breakdown considered incomplete as a descriptive analysis?

It often omits crucial elements such as lighting, specific costume details, and camera angles.

What is a 'montage sequence' in classical Hollywood film?

A sequence where the discontinuity occurs temporally, typically by speeding up time.

What is a 'crosscutting sequence'?

A sequence where the discontinuity occurs spatially, often showing different locations simultaneously.

In the provided screenplay example, what distinguishes the two scenes?

They are separated by both location (interior vs. exterior) and time period (2055 vs. 2015).

What does 'EXT' stand for in a screenplay?

Exterior.

What is the primary purpose of a shot-by-shot breakdown?

To analyze exactly what is seen onscreen, including the specific sequence of camera shots and actions.

Are film stories always told in chronological order?

No, film stories can manipulate time through devices like flashbacks and flashforwards.

What defines the 'present day' of a film?

The primary time frame established by the film, regardless of whether it is in our past, present, or future.

Can a single scene include multiple rooms?

Yes, if the camera moves continually from one room to the next, maintaining the unity of time and action.

What is the function of a screenplay's scene heading?

It establishes the location and time period for the action that follows.

What is the role of a 'character cue' in a screenplay?

It identifies which character is speaking or performing an action.

What does a 'personal direction' (parenthetical) provide in a script?

It offers specific instructions on how a line of dialogue should be delivered or how a character should behave.

Are irises used exclusively for scene transitions?

No, they can be used for other purposes within a film beyond just shifting between scenes.

What is the purpose of a 'cut on action'?

To maintain visual continuity by transitioning between shots during a character's movement.

Why is it important to distinguish between scenes and sequences?

It helps in understanding the dramatic structure and the organization of shots within a film's narrative.

How can a filmmaker simulate the effect of looking through a telescope?

By using a fixed, nonmoving iris that masks the rectangular edges of the image into a circular form.

How is the effect of looking through binoculars typically represented in film?

By masking the rectangular image into two circular forms connected at the center.

What is a dissolve in film editing?

A transition where one image fades out while the subsequent image fades in, creating the impression of a multiple exposure.

What is a superimposition in film?

An effect where two separate and distinct images overlap.

What happens at the midway point of a dissolve?

The two images are of equal intensity, creating a superimposition effect.

How is a wipe transition created?

One image appears to push another image off the screen.

What are the possible directions for a wipe transition?

Wipes can occur horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or in the form of a specific shape.

What is a star wipe?

A wipe where the second image appears in the center of the screen in the shape of a star and expands outward to replace the first image.

When were wipes popular as transitional devices in film?

They were popular in the 1930s and 1940s, fell out of favor, and regained popularity in music videos starting in the 1980s.

How is crosscutting defined?

Editing that alternates two or more lines of action occurring in different places or times to connect them.

In film studies, what is a 'B movie'?

A film made to fill the B side of a double feature, typically produced with a lower budget than the A picture.

What is the primary difference between simple cutting and crosscutting?

Simple cutting alternates between characters in the same space, while crosscutting alternates between characters in different spaces or times.

What is the basic convention regarding characters in narrative films?

Narrative films are typically centered on an individual character in pursuit of a specific goal.

How does film studies define the central character's pursuit of a goal?

As 'desire'.

Besides sexual attraction, what are other examples of 'desire' in film narratives?

Desire can manifest as a quest for knowledge or a search for a better life.

Why is conflict essential to a narrative film?

Conflict prevents characters from achieving their goals immediately, which creates tension and prevents the audience from becoming bored.

How does the film 'Citizen Kane' use conflict?

The journalist faces conflicting accounts of Kane's life, and Kane himself faces circumstances that leave his desires unfulfilled.

What role does the Wicked Witch of the West play in 'The Wizard of Oz'?

She acts as an obstacle that blocks Dorothy's progress, providing the necessary conflict to sustain the narrative.

Can a narrative film function without a single protagonist?

Yes, as seen in 'Battleship Potemkin,' where conflict can exist between two opposing collective forces.

What is the purpose of the Kuleshov experiment in the context of film editing?

It demonstrates how the human mind connects separate shots to understand an interconnected story or emotional meaning.

What is the primary function of editing in a crosscutting sequence?

To tell an interconnected story by drawing two or more lines of action together.

What happens to a film if a character achieves their goal too quickly?

The narrative loses its substance, and the film becomes very short and potentially boring.

Where are optical effects like wipes typically created?

They are created in the processing lab.

What does the audience assume when they see a sequence of crosscut shots?

The audience assumes the separate lines of action are related and temporally linked.

What is the process of breaking down a cinematic story into its broadest component parts called?

Segmentation

What are the three broad component parts of the narrative structure in The Wizard of Oz?

Beginning (Kansas), Middle (Oz), and End (Kansas)

How does the narrative structure of The Wizard of Oz demonstrate symmetry?

The film begins and ends in the same location, Kansas.

What is 'doubling' in the context of film character analysis?

The use of characters in different settings who mirror or represent one another, such as Miss Gulch and the Wicked Witch.

What is the primary conflict in the beginning of The Wizard of Oz?

Dorothy vs. Miss Gulch over the possession of Toto.

What is the primary conflict in the middle of The Wizard of Oz?

Dorothy vs. the Wicked Witch over the possession of the ruby slippers.

How does the narrative structure of The Wizard of Oz support the claim that it explores contradictory feelings about home?

By contrasting the ordinary Kansas farm with the fantastic world of Oz, the film highlights both the virtues and limitations of conventional life.

Why is citing evidence from a film's structure important for film criticism?

It moves an argument from a subjective opinion to a claim supported by factual, formal details.

What should you do if your mind wanders while watching a film for analysis?

Rewind to the previous scene to identify the specific transition device used by the director.

What formal elements should a critic consider when analyzing a film's narrative structure?

Time representation (chronology, flashbacks), locations, and how these elements inform the film's meaning.

What is the relationship between a film's narrative structure and its ideological meaning?

The structure provides a firm foundation for making arguments about the film's perspective on society, culture, or life.

How can the symmetrical structure of The Wizard of Oz be used to argue for a conservative reading of the film?

The fact that the narrative returns Dorothy exactly to where she started can be interpreted as a message that one is better off staying at home.

What are the two opposing groups in the narrative conflict of Battleship Potemkin?

Those desiring to preserve the czarist government and those desiring to change it.

In film studies, what are some examples of camera-based descriptions for shots?

Close-up, medium shot, long shot, static framing, or mobile framing (tracking, pan, crane).

What are some examples of techniques used to analyze the relationship between shots?

Cuts, dissolves, and eye-line matches.

Why is it necessary to isolate specific aspects of a film during formal analysis?

It allows the analyst to concentrate on one structural element without being distracted by other components like acting or music.

What is the primary desire of Dorothy at the beginning of The Wizard of Oz?

To leave home.

What is the primary desire of Dorothy in the middle of The Wizard of Oz?

To return home.

What is the secondary character doubling for Professor Marvel in The Wizard of Oz?

The Wizard.

What is the secondary character doubling for the farmhands in The Wizard of Oz?

The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion.

What is a key benefit of identifying structural patterns in a film?

It helps the critic build a factual basis for their interpretation of the film's meaning.

True or False: Narrative films usually support only one possible reading.

False; they often support a variety of readings depending on the viewer's perspective.

What should a critic do if they notice a structural pattern emerging while watching a film?

Write it down for later analysis.

What does the film's return to Kansas suggest about Dorothy's dreams of escaping convention?

It can be interpreted as suggesting those dreams were misguided.

How does the author describe the aesthetic value of symmetry and doubling in film?

They are formal devices that are aesthetically pleasing and convey deeper meaning.