FORMAL ELEMENTS of the CINEMA PRIMARY COMPONENTS Camera Composition Mise-en-Scene Editing Sound camera MOTION stationary movement: camera remains in place: tilt or pan movement: camera moves from one place to another: track, dolly, or crane ANGLE high vs low DISTANCE close up, medium, long composition “The composition of a scene through the film image is what distinguishes film from drama.” single image = shot series of shots = scene (unity of time + place) series of scenes = sequence series of sequences = film composition photographic properties of a shot (image) tone: range and texture of color (including b/w) film speed: slow motion, fast motion perspective: spatial relations established between objects and figures a. focus: deep, shallow, rack b. camera position - position (POV) from which something is seen: objective/subjective, psychological, cultural mise-en-scene literally: what is put before the camera (i.e. everything within the frame) all properties of the cinematic image that exist independent of camera position and movement, as well as editing INCLUDES: lighting, costumes, setting and sets, acting styles, arrangement of objects and figures editing the process by which two different shots are linked different ways to join shots: cut, fade in/fade out, dissolve (wipe, iris in/out) pace/rhythm: length of shots (TEMPORAL) in relation to other shots for example, long takes, quick cuts editing continuity (or invisible) editing: Classical Hollywood narrative => establishing shot, shot/reverse shot, establishing shot 2. obtrusive editing: => jarring temporal and spatial shifts: disrupts sense of time and space sound ALIGNMENT WITH IMAGE synchronous: sound and image match direct: sound recorded when image is shot dubbed: dialogue, sounds, noises, dialogue added in postproduction asynchronous: sound and image do not match RELATION TO NARRATIVE diegetic: source of sound is within the world of the film nondiegetic: source of sound is outside world of the film sound continuity: unified atmosphere montage: disjunctions and unexpected relations ambient: background noises, sounds, dialogue around main action overlapping dialogue voice off: voice of character off screen (out of frame) voice over: voice not heard or seen by characters narrative cuing: motif associated with a characters or action Sex and the Cinema Dr. Carolyn Rebecca Chalker Spring 2018 Dr. Beth Carol Roberts LONG ESSAY I: Critical Analysis of a Film Core Texts [select one]: Blow Up (1966, Michelangelo, Antonioni) Teorema (1968, Pier Paolo Pasolini) Born in Flames (1983, Lizzie Borden) She Must Be Seeing Things (Sheila McLaughlin) In the Realm of the Senses (1976, Nagisa Oshima) Crash (1996, David Cronenberg) For this critical essay, you are to analyze ONE of the core texts. In order to do so, you will need to view the film you select ...

1. FORMAL ELEMENTS
of the
CINEMA
PRIMARY COMPONENTS
Camera
Composition
Mise-en-Scene
Editing
Sound
camera
MOTION
stationary
movement: camera remains in place: tilt or pan
movement: camera moves from one place to another: track,
dolly, or crane
ANGLE
high vs low
DISTANCE
close up, medium, long

2. composition
“The composition of a scene through the film image is what
distinguishes
film from drama.”
single image = shot
series of shots = scene (unity of time + place)
series of scenes = sequence
series of sequences = film
composition
photographic properties of a shot (image)
tone: range and texture of color (including b/w)
film speed: slow motion, fast motion
perspective: spatial relations established between objects and
figures
a. focus: deep, shallow, rack
b. camera position - position (POV) from which something is
seen:
objective/subjective, psychological, cultural
mise-en-scene

3. literally: what is put before the camera (i.e. everything within
the frame)
all properties of the cinematic image that exist independent of
camera position and movement, as well as editing
INCLUDES: lighting, costumes, setting and sets, acting styles,
arrangement of objects and figures
editing
the process by which two different shots are linked
different ways to join shots: cut, fade in/fade out, dissolve
(wipe, iris in/out)
pace/rhythm: length of shots (TEMPORAL) in relation to other
shots
for example, long takes, quick cuts
editing
continuity (or invisible) editing: Classical Hollywood narrative
=> establishing shot, shot/reverse shot, establishing shot
2. obtrusive editing:
=> jarring temporal and spatial shifts: disrupts sense of
time and space

4. sound
ALIGNMENT WITH IMAGE
synchronous: sound and image match
direct: sound recorded when image is shot
dubbed: dialogue, sounds, noises, dialogue added in
postproduction
asynchronous: sound and image do not match
RELATION TO NARRATIVE
diegetic: source of sound is within the world of the film
nondiegetic: source of sound is outside world of the film
sound
continuity: unified atmosphere
montage: disjunctions and unexpected relations
ambient: background noises, sounds, dialogue around main
action
overlapping dialogue
voice off: voice of character off screen (out of frame)
voice over: voice not heard or seen by characters
narrative cuing: motif associated with a characters or action
Sex and the Cinema Dr. Carolyn Rebecca Chalker
Spring 2018 Dr. Beth Carol Roberts
LONG ESSAY I: Critical Analysis of a Film

5. Core Texts [select one]:
Blow Up (1966, Michelangelo, Antonioni)
Teorema (1968, Pier Paolo Pasolini)
Born in Flames (1983, Lizzie Borden)
She Must Be Seeing Things (Sheila McLaughlin)
In the Realm of the Senses (1976, Nagisa Oshima)
Crash (1996, David Cronenberg)
For this critical essay, you are to analyze ONE of the core texts.
In order to do so, you will need
to view the film you select multiple times, making a unique set
of viewing notes every time you do.
To demonstrate your ability to think and write about a film as
film, we would like you to take a formalist
approach. Working inductively, you are to use evidence from
the text as the basis for your ideas. In other
words, your thinking should evolve from what you see and how
you make sense of it.
The challenge is to find meaningful patterns, repetitions, and
associations, among the narrative and
formal elements (i.e. cinematic techniques) and, from these, to
develop an insightful reading of the film as a
whole, one that addresses an issue or concern pertinent to our
course.

6. In terms of cinematic techniques, take a look at the powerpoint
presentation [Formal Elements of the
Cinema] and the chapter from Corrigan, both posted on Bb
under RESOURCES. This material explains the
basic elements of film language. While we do not expect you to
“speak” on the level of a film scholar, we
would like you to be able to analyze the film as a film. For
instance, rather than discuss its subject matter
(story, plot, and character), you should focus on patterns,
repetitions, and associations, which work to
structure its narrative.
DO NOT DO ANY OUTSIDE RESEARCH ON THE FILM, ITS
DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION, OR CRITICAL
RECEPTION! If you were to include information from an
outside source without properly citing it you would
be plagiarizing. To avoid doing so inadvertently, do not
investigate any aspect of the core text.
The essay will be evaluated on your ability…
• to identify and utilize formal and narrative elements of the
film;
• to consider how these elements work, independently and
collectively, to express meaning in a film;
• to develop your own ideas about the film’s meaning, based on
your understanding of the evidence.
In terms of writing and thinking skills, this critical analysis
should exhibit those appropriate to an essay, not
a thesis paper. That is, you are not out to “prove” a statement
using a set of examples (thesis). Rather,
working from your observations, you are to set up, explore, and
develop an idea, based on your analysis of

7. the evidence. Your objective here is to persuade your reader
through your presentation of evidence (what
you see) and your powers of persuasion (how and why you think
about this evidence as you do). You will
need to make a claim about the core text, one that is articulated,
explored, and developed through
a beginning, middle, and end.
The essay will be assessed in terms of the logic of your thinking
and the clarity of your prose. The final draft
should be as perfect as possible, free of any typographical,
grammar, and punctuation errors.
In addition to following the instructions in this prompt, your
work must meet these requirements:
• a title does not mention assignment, film, or director
• minimum of 1500 words
• no outside evidence, such as the fieldtrip, readings, or other
cultural artifacts
• Works Cited section, which includes the core text, following
MLA guidelines
• typed, double spaced
First draft due: Friday, March 2, no later than 11:59 PM [upload
to ASSIGNMENTS]
Final draft due: Friday, March 9, no later than 11:59 PM
[upload to ESSAY DRAFTS]