film exam

Week 2: Development of Film, Rise of Studio System, Editing/Montage

  • Key Dates:

    • 1833: sewing machine

    • 1844: telegraph

    • 1859: oil well

    • 1873: typewriter

    • 1876: telephone

    • 1888: Kodak camera

    • 1891: kinetoscope

    • 1895: cinematographe

    • 1903: airplane

    • 1921: television

  • Narrative Confusion:

    • Early storytelling was complex, leading to confusion among viewers due to unclear causal connections.

    • Development of rules emerged to clarify narrative construction.

  • Rules of Narrative:

    • 180 Degree Rule: Keep the camera on one side of an imaginary line during dialogue.

    • Establishing Shot: Provides context to the viewer.

    • Eyeline Match: Ensures that characters appear to look at each other correctly.

  • Editing Types:

    • Continuity Editing: Cuts maintain narrative clarity and continuity.

    • Montage: Contrasts sequences to express conflict.

  • Kuleshov Effect:

    • Demonstrates how viewers derive meaning from the context of visual sequences; emotional response influenced by editing.

  • Russian Avant-garde/Constructivism:

    • A significant modern art movement in Russia (1890-1930), influencing filmmaking.

  • Kino-Pravda (Film-Truth):

    • A newsreel series by Dziga Vertov emphasizing film as a tool for depicting reality.

  • Profilmic:

    • Refers to all elements in front of the camera intended for capture.

  • Self-Reflexivity:

    • Films that acknowledge themselves as films, often through breaking the fourth wall.

Week 3: Censorship, Development of Narrative

  • Alice Guy:

    • Pioneer in narrative film; created early films with plots, most were lost to fire.

  • Nitrate Film:

    • Made of combustible cellulose nitrate, highly volatile and no longer used after 1951.

  • The Jazz Singer:

    • The first sound film, marking a revolution in film narrative and production.

  • Sound Recording Improvement (1930s):

    • Advancement in technology allowed sound to be synced in post-production.

  • Impact of Sound:

    • Led to increased production costs and audience demand for sound films, aiding the film industry during the Great Depression.

  • Censorship and the Production Code:

    • A set of guidelines in the 1920s governing film content including nudity, violence, etc.

    • In Canada, film censorship was managed at the provincial level.

  • Leni Riefenstahl:

    • Renowned filmmaker, noted for "The Triumph of the Will," a propaganda film for Hitler.

  • Slapstick/Comedy:

    • A comedic genre emphasizing exaggerated actions and absurd situations, notably used by the Marx Brothers.

  • Mise en Scene:

    • The arrangement of visual elements in film to convey meaning (settings, costumes, etc.).

Week 4: Hollywood System, Humour

  • Film Criticism:

    • Academic: Detailed analysis using theories from other disciplines.

    • Journalistic: Short, accessible analysis intended for a broader audience.

    • Appreciative: Contextualizing films historically and genre-wise.

    • Analytical and Interpretive: Focused on social significance and aesthetic elements.

  • Humour Types:

    • Groups: Functional, Stimuli, Response.

    • Theories: Superiority, Relief, Incongruity, Existential Laughter.

Week 5: Post War, Experimental

  • First Amendment and Film:

    • Films regarded as artistic expression; legal rulings expanded protections for motion pictures.

  • House American Activities Committee:

    • Promoted anti-communist films, affecting Hollywood productions.

  • Technology in Film:

    • 16mm: Introduced as amateur format; key in educational films.

    • Innovations such as Bolex and Super-8 cameras expanded accessibility.

  • Surrealism and Avant-garde Films:

    • Focused on the subconscious, characterized by absurdity and non-linear narratives.

    • Notable figures: Bunuel and Maya Deren.

Week 6: 1960’s, Censorship

  • Auteur Theory:

    • Analyzes films through the lens of the director's vision and influence.

  • French New Wave:

    • A movement challenging traditional cinematic norms, focused on innovative storytelling methods.

Week 7: Overlapping Genres, Film Criticism

  • Metaphor in Cinema:

    • Different metaphors employed to enhance audience understanding; e.g., cinema as a window, mirror, or ear.

  • Dogme Movement:

    • A manifesto emphasizing simplicity and authenticity in filmmaking.

    • Characteristics include location shooting and unedited sound.

Week 8: New Hollywood

  • Key Transition Points:

    • Shifts from studio domination to independent and exploitation cinema.

    • Audience demand led to moral ambiguity in storytelling.

Week 9: Documentary

  • Documentary Definition:

    • Creative treatment of actual events with a focus on representation vs. reproduction.

  • Types of Documentaries:

    • Expository, Poetic, Observational, Participatory, Reflexive, Performative.

Week 10: Intro to Media, History of Language

  • Media Importance:

    • Shapes community identity and social interactions.

  • Definitions of Media:

    • Medium as an extension of communication technologies.

  • History of Writing:

    • Developed for memory storage, evolving through various materials like papyrus and parchment.

Week 11: Ludonarrativity, Mechanical Image

  • Ludology vs. Narrative:

    • Distinction in storytelling methods between games and traditional narrative forms.

  • Semiotic Signs:

    • Understanding the communication of meaning through signs.

Week 12: Broadcast/Mass Media

  • Historical Outline:

    • Emergence of significant technologies from telegraph to television.

  • Forms of Media Ownership:

    • Exploration of public, private, and community-controlled media.

Week 13: Digital Media

  • Historical Context:

    • Evolution of computing, rise of the internet and social media.

  • New Media Characteristics:

    • Delivery of information through digital means, impacting audience engagement.