Film Analysis:

Summary

Film Analysis

Film Title	PLACE YOUR RESPONSES IN THIS COLUMN (DELETE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE YOU WRITE)
Year
Director
Country
Genre
If you could work on this film (change it), what would you change and why?

Film information can be found at imdb.com

As you view films, consider how the cuts, camera angles, shots, and movement work to create particular meanings. Think about how they establish space, privilege certain characters, suggest relationships, and emphasize themes. In addition to shot distances, angles, editing, and camera movement, note details of the narrative, setting, characters, lighting, props, costume, tone, and sound.

Ask yourself the following questions:

TOPIC	YOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?
2. Who is the antagonist?
3. What is the conflict?
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)
5. How is the story told (linear, non-linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage such reactions?
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources. Example: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene. Example: from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00. Explain why you chose this scene.	PLACE THE TIME STAMP FROM THE SCENE HERE… Example: 00:00:00 – 00:05:00
16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below to justify why this scene best represents the film:
a. Screenwriting:
b. Sound Design:	Sound effects were consistent and clear. Every time an actor moved in the area of garbage, you could clearly hear the sounds of bottles, broken glass, paper, garbage cans and garbage can lids.
c. Camera Movements/Angles:	When they were arguing, it showed individual frames to show that they were not on the same side, but when they calmed down and seemed to show respect for each other, it showed them both from the side, representing how they see each other and treat each other as equals.
d. Light Setup:	The lighting was perfect for the setting and time, and there were many different little pockets of smoke coming from the diner showing that it had been successfully put out recently. The lighting in the diner also made it seem more dead and dull. There was a giant shadow over the front of the diner at the very end, while the rest of the town was bright, showing that the diner had no place in the neighborhood anymore.
e. Soundtrack/Score:	The music tone fit the dialogue perfectly and became more cheerful and triumphant as the story took a more uplifting turn
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?

This worksheet was developed with ideas from many IB Film teachers, thus should remain in the Creative Commons

Mr. Le Duc’s Film Analysis Resources

• Diigo.com Film Analysis Links
• YouTube Film Analysis Playlist