RTVF Mid-term

Complex Technology:

-Film is heavily reliant on complex technology. Without machines, moving pictures would not exist.

-Film making is a collaborative process involving many participants working within established routines.

The Socio-economic context of film:

-Film is deeply intertwined with it’s social and economic context. The distribution of films are for audiences are driven by financial considerations at every stage. The business side of cinema significantly shapes and sustains film as an art.

Films impact of viewers:

-Films are offering unique experiences for viewers

-These experiences are carefully designed to evoke specific emotions and responses.

Series of choices:

-Film making is a series of choices. so many decisions to make when filming a movie.

Evolution of film making:

-Movie pictures emerged in the late 19th century as a popular form of entertainment.

Form in film:

-Film is not a random collection of elements, but a carefully constructed pattern designed to engaged the audience.

Deliberate Form:

-Film makers design their works to create a structured experience for the audience.

-This involves establishing patterns, setting up expectations, and using various cinematic techniques to guide the views attention and emotion.

Form Defined:

-The overall sets of relationships among a films parts.

Content VRS Form:

-All elements, including subject matter and abstract ideas function as part of the overall formal pattern.

Expectations:

-Exceptions play a crucial role in how viewers engage with a film.

Prior Experience:

-Viewers draw on their prior experience, including knowledge of conventions, to understand and interpret a film.

Emotional response:

-Form shapes the spectators emotional response. Film makers can appeal to ready-made emotional responses or create new responses by manipulating formal patterns.

Meaning in film:

-1: “Referential meaning” refers to tangible things or places already invested with significance in the real world.

-2: “Explicit Meaning” an openly asserted meaning or point that the film seems to be trying to get across.

-3: “Implicit meaning” a suggested meaning that is not stated directly but can be inferred from the films overall form.

-4: '“Symptomatic meaning” reveals a set of social values or ideology characters of a particular society.

Principles of films form:

-1 “Function” every element in a film fulfills specific purposes within the larger whole.

-2 “Similarity and repetition” the repetition of elements such as motifs, patterns, and satisfies formal expectations.

-3 “Deference and variation” changes variations in elements, creates contrast, and maintains viewers interest.

-4 “development” principles of development play similar and different elements within a patter of change.

-5 “Unity and disunity” unity refers to the coherence and interwoveness of all relationships within a film while disunity refers to elements that seem superfluous or unexplained.

~Mise-en-scene~

-Of all film techniques, mise-en-scene is one that viewers notice most.

-Many of our most vivid memories of movies stem from mise-en-scene.

-It’s those smart artistic elements in a film setting, lighting, costume, make-up, staging, and performance.

-Film makers can use mise-en-scene to achieve realism giving settings an authentic look or letting actors perform as naturally as possible.

-Elements of Mise-en-scene fulfill a purpose.

Some general areas of mise-en-scene:

-Setting

-Costumes

-Make-up

-Lighting

-Staging

-Acting/movement in the shot

-Shadowing

-Highlights

-Costumes

-Color

-Props

note: color is important to setting.

Motifs:

-A specific person, place, or thing that’s a main thing that pops up regularly in a film.

~Three-Point Lighting~

-Classical Hollywood filmmaking developed the custom of using at least three light sources per shot: Key Light, Fill Light, and Back Light.

Highkey Lighting:

-Using Fill light, and Back Light to create relatively low contrast between bright and darker areas. (Natural Day time lighting)

Low key Lighting:

-Creates stronger contrasts and sharper darker shadows. (More shadowy)

Lighting Note:

-Surprisingly often Directors decide to maintain a constant lighting on the actors as they walk, even though that’s not quite realistic.

~Actors are a huge part of Mise-en-scene~

-Because the performance an actor creates is part of the overall mise-en-scene, films contain a wide variety of acting styles.

-In terms of mise-en-scene, the actor’s are always part of the overall visual design.

-Actors have to pay attention to the tiniest things in their acting performances. To eye contact, face twitch, blinking, body posture. Down to every detail of how that character would act.

Size Diminution:

-Figures and objects farther away from us are seen to get proportionally smaller.

Shallow Space Composition:

-The closest and most distant planes seem only slightly separated.

Deep Space Composition:

-Making the foreground plane quite larger and the background plane distant.

Understanding the Impact of Social Media on Political Polarization

Social media platforms have become integral to modern political discourse, but their influence on political polarization is a complex and debated topic. This summary explores the main arguments and key findings regarding this relationship, aiming to provide a balanced educational overview.

### The Role of Echo Chambers and Filter Bubbles

One of the primary concerns is the formation of echo chambers and filter bubbles. These occur when algorithms prioritize content that aligns with a user's existing beliefs, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.

- Echo chambers: Reinforce pre-existing biases by creating environments where individuals primarily encounter information confirming their viewpoints.

- Filter bubbles: Isolate users from opposing viewpoints through algorithmic curation, potentially leading to increased polarization.

This selective exposure can lead to a distorted perception of the political landscape, making individuals believe their views are more widely shared than they actually are, and intensifying their commitment to those beliefs.

### The Spread of Misinformation and Disinformation

Social media's ease of sharing and rapid dissemination also contributes to the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

- Misinformation: Inaccurate information shared unintentionally, often due to a lack of fact-checking.

- Disinformation: Deliberately false or misleading information intended to deceive or manipulate public opinion.

The viral nature of social media allows false narratives to spread quickly and widely, potentially influencing political attitudes and behaviors. This can exacerbate existing divisions and create new sources of conflict.

### The Impact of Online Anonymity and Incivility

The relative anonymity afforded by some social media platforms can lead to increased incivility and aggression in political discussions.

- Anonymity: Reduces accountability for online behavior, leading to more hostile and polarized interactions.

- Incivility: Discourages constructive dialogue and reinforces negative perceptions of opposing viewpoints.

This toxic online environment can further alienate individuals from different political perspectives, contributing to a climate of distrust and animosity.

### Nuances and Counterarguments

It's important to acknowledge that the relationship between social media and polarization is not always straightforward. Some research suggests that social media can also expose individuals to diverse perspectives and facilitate political engagement.

1. Exposure to diverse views: Can challenge pre-existing beliefs and promote a more nuanced understanding of complex issues.

2. Political engagement: Can mobilize individuals to participate in political activities and advocate for their beliefs.

However, the extent to which these positive effects outweigh the negative consequences of echo chambers, misinformation, and incivility remains a subject of ongoing debate.

### Conclusion

While social media offers potential benefits for political discourse, its role in fostering echo chambers, spreading misinformation, and promoting incivility raises serious concerns about its impact on political polarization. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for promoting a more informed and constructive public sphere.

Cinematography: Crafting the Visual Language of Film

Cinematography, literally "writing in movement," is the art and technique of capturing a moving image. It encompasses all the decisions a filmmaker makes about how an event is recorded, from the photographic qualities of the shot to the framing and movement of the camera. These choices are driven by a single concern: how will this creative decision affect the viewer?

### The Photographic Image

Cinematography depends heavily on photography, or "writing in light." Filmmakers control the range of tonalities, manipulate the speed of motion, and transform perspective.

*Tonality:** This refers to how light registers on the film, and is influenced by lighting and contrast.

*Contrast** is the difference between the darkest and lightest areas of the frame. High contrast images are stark and dramatic, while low contrast images are more muted.

*Exposure:** This regulates how much light passes through the camera lens. Images can be underexposed (too dark) or overexposed (too bright).

*Filters:** These alter the range of tonalities by reducing certain light frequencies.

*Color:** Manipulating color, either during filming or in post-production, can dramatically alter the mood and impact of a scene.

### Perspective and Lenses

The choice of lens significantly impacts how perspective is rendered in a film.

*Wide-angle lenses** (short focal length) exaggerate depth and distort straight lines.

*Normal lenses** (medium focal length) aim for a realistic perspective without noticeable distortion.

*Telephoto lenses** (long focal length) flatten space and make objects appear closer together.

*Zoom lenses** offer variable focal lengths, changing perspective during a shot.

*Depth of field** is the range of distances within which objects are in sharp focus. Selective focus isolates one plane, while deep focus keeps multiple planes sharp.

### Framing and Camera Movement

Framing involves defining onscreen and offscreen space, and camera position affects angle, level, height, and distance.

*Camera angles** can be straight-on, high, or low.

*Camera level** can be level or canted (tilted).

*Camera distance** ranges from extreme long shot to extreme close-up.

Camera movement adds dynamism and can reveal new information.

*Panning** swivels the camera horizontally.

*Tilting** swivels the camera vertically.

*Tracking** moves the camera along the ground.

*Crane shots** move the camera above ground level.

*Zooming** changes the focal length without moving the camera.

### Duration and Special Effects

The duration of a shot, or how long it lasts, is another crucial element.

*Long takes** can create suspense, establish geography, and reveal character relationships.

*Special effects,** including superimposition, rear projection, matte work, and CGI, can manipulate perspective and create impossible scenarios.

### Conclusion

Cinematography is a powerful tool for filmmakers, allowing them to shape the viewer's experience through careful control of photographic qualities, framing, camera movement, and duration. By understanding these techniques, viewers can gain a deeper appreciation for the art and craft of filmmaking and how visual storytelling contributes to the overall impact of a film.

### Understanding Film Editing: A Comprehensive Overview

This chapter explores the crucial role of editing in filmmaking, highlighting its power to manipulate time, space, and pictorial qualities to shape the viewer's experience. While some overemphasize editing's importance, it remains a fundamental technique, capable of creating impactful moments and influencing a film's overall form.

### The Essence of Editing

Editing involves selecting and arranging shots, joining them through cuts, fades, dissolves, or wipes. A cut is an instantaneous change, while fades, dissolves, and wipes offer more gradual transitions. Filmmakers meticulously plan the editing phase, utilizing scripts, storyboards, and previsualizations. Documentary filmmakers often gather extra footage for transitions and linking sections.

### Manipulating Time and Space

Editing allows filmmakers to control the order, duration, and frequency of events.

- Order: Filmmakers can manipulate chronology through flashbacks and flashforwards, disrupting the 1-2-3 sequence of events.

- Duration: Elliptical editing condenses time, while overlapping editing expands it.

- Frequency: Actions can be repeated for emphasis, though this is less common.

### Continuity Editing: A Dominant Style

Continuity editing aims to transmit narrative information smoothly and clearly.

- Graphic qualities are kept roughly continuous.

- Rhythm is adjusted to the scale of the shots.

- Space is built around the axis of action, maintaining consistent screen direction and eyelines.

- The 180° system ensures consistent relative positions and screen direction.

- Shot/reverse-shot patterns and eyeline matches are common tactics.

- Match-on-action carries a single movement across a cut.

- Reestablishing shots reaffirm the overall space.

### Fine Points of Continuity Editing

- Characters in a circle: The axis of action shifts based on the characters involved.

- Deleting the establishing shot: The Kuleshov effect can be utilized.

- Cheating with cuts: Slight mismatches are permissible if narrative motivation is strong.

- Crossing the axis: Can be done legitimately with head-on or tail-on shots.

- Point of view (POV) shot: Consistent with continuity editing, creating subjective narration.

### Crosscutting for Omniscience

Crosscutting alternates shots of story events in different places, clarifying conflict and building tension. It can also highlight parallels between characters or situations.

### Intensified Continuity: A Modern Approach

Intensified continuity amplifies classical continuity principles with:

- Faster cutting.

- Closer views.

- Telephoto lenses.

- More frame mobility.

### Alternatives to Continuity Editing

Filmmakers have explored alternative approaches, emphasizing graphic and rhythmic dimensions.

- Graphic and rhythmic possibilities: Abstract or associational forms prioritize graphic and rhythmic qualities.

- Spatial and temporal discontinuity: Violations of the 180° system, jump cuts, and nondiegetic inserts can create ambiguous relations among shots.

### Eisenstein's Discontinuity Editing

Eisenstein sought to go beyond continuity editing, using clashes from shot to shot to engage the spectator actively. Discontinuities of space and time could stir emotions and spur reflection.

In conclusion, editing is a multifaceted technique offering a wide range of creative choices. While continuity editing remains dominant, alternatives exist, each with the power to shape the viewer's experience and convey meaning in unique ways.