It is about the film making styles of Ingmar Bergman. He needs to be appreciated and credited as an auteur film maker of all times basing on his oeuvre .

1. INGMAR BERGMAN
He was a Swedish director, writer and producer who worked in film, television,
theatre and radio. He is recognized as one of the most accomplished and influential
film maker of all times. Bergman directed over 60 films and documentaries for
cinematic release and for television. He also directed over 170 plays and most of
his films were set in Sweden. His films often deal with death, illness, faith,
betrayal, bleakness and insanity. Philip French referred to Bergman as one of the
greatest artists of the 20th century. He found in literature and the performing arts a
way of both recreating and questioning human conditions.
Bergman dealt with a number of different themes in his films/works subdivided as
below.
From 1944-1952: working class and young lovers
In this period, he focused on young lovers especially from the working class. Often
set in the city and its surrounding. Films in this period include; Torment, Crisis,
Prison, summer interlude and summer with Monika.
1952-1955: Marriage and Woman.
During this period, Bergman focused on marriage often with the woman in the
central role. Settings are often mundane/ boring either in modern cities or
bourgeois environment of past periods. Vital films in this period include; A lesson
in love, waiting woman and smiles of a summer night (his first international
success)
From 1956-1964: Metaphysics and Man
In these years, Bergman focused on the angst/ fear ridden male central characters.
Settings increasingly involve barren land scapes, irrespective of whether in the
modern times or middle ages. He often presents religious problems in this period
and was inspired by film directors; Carl Theodor and Robert Bresson. Most
popular films in this period include; the seventh seal, wild strawberries, silence of
God trilogy, Through a Glass Darkly, winter light, the silence.

2. 1966-1981: The role of the Artist and Woman
The films in this period are set almost exclusively on the barren Baltic sea island of
“Faro” (Bergman`s home place) and the social setting is bourgeois. In this period,
close-ups dominate the imagery in a way unparalleled elsewhere in film history.
Films in this period include; Persona, cries and whispers, Sins from a marriage and
from the life of the Marionettes.
1982-2002: Epilogue and Autobiography
In this period, Bergman`s films concerned with a reflective summing up of his
earlier career.
Films in this period include; Fanney and Alexander, after rehearsal, in presence of
clown, sarabanda, the magic etc.
The Film Making Styles of Ingmar Bergman
Use of close up shots. Constant/ relentless use of close up shots is a useful formal
and thematic key to Bergman`s work. In these frequent close up shots, almost
embarrassingly close and radically elongated moments the viewers can see, think
and feel existential sureties in different states of crisis as we watch subjects
reduced to pure flesh, bones, mouth, nose, hair and eyes. For example in the film
entitled The silence (1963), close up shot of woman`s breasts trying to seduce a
man to have sex is shown for a long time. In fact, the detail of this fine focus
dissection forces viewers to confront both the inscrutable materiality of the face
and its role as the communicative nerve centre of the individual subject`s
investments. The camera moves uncomfortably almost seeking to go inside until a
giant abstract face fills the frame, thus stopping the zoom dead.
Use of tight frames. Bergman also uses tight frames of 1.33:1 which exclude any
clear glimpses of the world beyond a face which finds no space to direct its gaze.
This creates a dual gaze of inquiry whereby the on screen subject`s gaze of self
conscious crisis meets the viewer`s implicated looking up on and participation in
that image. For example, in the Hour of the Wolf (1968), tight frames are used.
Actors are conversing but each is shown in a frame directly facing the camera. This
makes them appear as if they are talking to the viewers from different locations.

3. Narratives techniques. Bergman`s films often use the narrative techniques of
classical cinema with the addition of modern stylistic devices. Bergman
demonstrated that film could be something more than entertainment. It could
indeed be art. Bergman`s films of existential exploration naturally lend themselves
systematic analysis. For example, in the film silence (1963), Bergman mainly uses
camera shots and sounds to tell the film story chronologically. Besides, Bergman`s
stories have beginning, middle and end respectively.
Use of existential themes. Bergman as a film writer deals with themes that exist in
the real world. In his films, he explores themes like; nudity, marriage, love
relationships, illness, betrayal etc. For example, in the film Hour of the wolf
(1968), we see a woman betrays her ex-boy friend and exposes all his hypocrisy to
the public. In the film silence (1963), we see a very sick woman abandoned by her
relatives and this happens in the real world.
Use of long shots. Bergman uses long shots and depends less on editing. For
example, in the film A Glass Darkly(1961), people are shown sailing the boat on
the sea from far till they reach the land surface and continue to walk up to their
house without cutting to another action. These long shots show the audience that
life is a journey in real world and events in our lives don`t occur abruptly.
Use of diegetic and non diegetic sound at the same time. Diegetic sound is the
sound heard when its source is present and visible in the film world. Non diegetic
sound is heard but its source is not present and visible in the film world. Non
diegetic sounds include; voice over, narration and other sound effects added during
post production. For example, in the Hour of the wolf (1968), sound of a wolf is
heard but the source is not present in the film world. It is used to create tension and
fear among characters and viewers thus enhancing the film mood. In the film
silence (1963), we see a woman listening to the radio sound. The radio is visible in
the film world.
Use of opening special sound effects. Bergman uses special sound effects and
sometimes voices of people before the real film story officially plays/ displays.
These opening sounds act as signature tunes for his films. In fact, viewers first
listen to the special sounds before seeing words and other proceeding events in the
film story. For example, Films; Hour of the wolf(1968),opens with the sound of

4. wolf and fades into voices of people, A Glass Darkly (1961) and the silence (1963)
all start with opening sound. This opening sound alerts the viewers and get ready to
watch either a horror or romantic movie.
Focus on the film story than editing. Bergman gives much emphasis on the film
story. He tells the story chronologically. In Bergman`s films we see different
stories developing till the climax. This is one of the reasons that films like; Hour of
the wolf (1968), the silence (1963), Wild strawberries (1957) etc have long shots.
In fact each shot may take around 6 minutes showing one continuous action. Films
use fewer actions and depend much on spoken words.
Lighting techniques. Bergman uses flat lights on characters` faces to create
contrast between the characters/ actors and the back ground. The actors appear
much illuminated/ brighter. This makes them standout and appear visible to the
audience despite the much darkness used in the frame. He uses simple lighting
equipment to light indoor scenes. For example, in the silence (1963), Wild straw
berries (1957), The Hour of the wolf (1968) etc, lighting candles are used. Exterior
scenes, Bergman uses general light from the sun or moon. This implies that
Bergman believes in naturalness or realism. In the film, Hour of the wolf (1968),
Bergman employs shadows and dim light to enhance tension mood in the film
reality
Use of black outs for scene shifting. Watching Bergman`s films, you can clearly
tell a shift to another scene. He achieves this through creating black outs between
scenes. This dramatic style creates suspense among viewers wondering whether the
film has stopped or dangerous event is yet to happen. This style is evident in the
film A Glass Darkly (1961) where constant blackouts of light appear much visible
to the audience.
Use of monologues. Since Bergman depends much on spoken words, he makes
actors to directly face the camera and talk to themselves. In this case, actors seem
to be talking to the audience yet they try to reflect on their past life of existence.
This technique is good because encourages audience involvement and participation
in the film world. For example in the film Hour of the Wolf (1968), we see a
woman talking to herself while facing the camera directly. She tries to remember
her past life.

5. Camera movements. Bergman used pan right and left movements. Besides, zoom
in and out movements are used too in Bergman`s films. For example in film; Hour
or the wolf (1968), a woman is zoomed in as she walks towards the camera.
Further still, in the same film, Bergman uses pan left movement showing people at
the party. Also pan movement is used on veronica when she pretends to be dead
and Johan (husband) tries to examine her body. In fact, the camera movements
employed by Bergman add beauty to his films.
Use of music to accompany film. In Bergman`s films, music is used to enhance
the moods in the film. For example, in the Hour of the wolf (1968), we see a man
singing at the party. Besides, in the same film still, pianist plays the piano to
accompany the film story. This enhances moods in the film.
Dramatic reversal technique/Flash back technique. This technique is used in
Bergman`s film whereby characters face the camera and tell a story about their past
life. This is done through showing visual pictures about the past life of the
character telling the story. Flash backs are much evident in the Hour of the wolf
(1968) and wild strawberries (1957); the old man`s past life is shown to us as he
endlessly regrets his past mistakes.
Use of voice over. This is another technique Bergman employs in his films. This is
evident in the film wild strawberries (1957), the old professor had a night mere/bad
dream of a dead body in the coffin. He wakes up and looks into the camera; a voice
over of what he thinks is heard. From the voice over, the audience gets to know the
character`s inner thoughts thus being a good film making technique.
The use of silence. In Bergman`s films, there is a moment where all actors keep
quite deliberately and stare at each other. This makes viewers to think that
something wrong has happened in their life. This technique is much used in the
films; the Hour of wolf (1968), the silence (1963). Besides, he constantly uses
darkness and shadows to clearly create tension, fear and bring out ghostly feelings
among the viewers. The actors in the silence (1963) and the Hour of the wolf
(1968) are seen getting scared.

6. The film setting. Bergman changes settings of his films. Some films are in modern
times in cities, others are set in bush/villages. However, scenes are well blocked
with detailed back ground. All actors in Bergman`s films are clearly visible to the
audience or viewers. Detailed back ground is much visible in the film Wild
strawberries (1957). Besides, Bergman`s films are shot on the location in the
natural/ realistic style. Sometimes, Bergman use exaggeration in some scenes. For
example in the film Hour of the wolf (1968), exaggerated actions of some actors
are exhibited.
Translating dialogues. Bergman translates dialogues of some films in other
international languages like English and Arabic. For example, in the Hour of wolf
(1968), translated dialogues in English are seen running on the screen. In the
silence (1963), dialogues are translated in Arabic. This film technique is good
because makes the viewers who don`t know the original language in the film also
to understand the meaning of the film story.
In conclusion, Bergman is such a great film maker who managed to tell a story
chronologically using camera shots and sounds. He largely depended much on film
story than editing. Besides, he introduced a style of using tight frames of
uncompromising close up shots in film making. He believed in realism and his
films were shot on location in the realistic style
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IngmarBergman