Rhetorical Analysis of Media

When viewing a film, pay attention to not only what you see but also how it is being shown and why it is being shown that way…

The different ways the movie camera sees the subject which is taking place before it. Not to be confused with literary points of view (1 st person, 2 nd person, 3 rd person, etc.)

 From what position and through what kind of eyes does the camera see the action?  What effect do the position of the camera and its particular ways of seeing the action have on our response to the action?  How is our response affected by changes in point of view? (We expect the filmmaker to take us from one vantage point to another.)

2010 – Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

 Objective= Observer  Considered to be the window an audience can look through from the outside to watch the events in the film  The audience only watches and doesn’t participate  The audience is an impersonal observer  A static (non-moving) camera is used

 Based on the amount of audience closeness to/ participation in the film’s action High MidLow Objective

 Provides the audience with the visual viewpoint and emotional intensity felt by a character participating in the action  This allows for the audience’s direct involvement, thus literally forcing the audience to become the characters and experience their emotions.  Generally, this viewpoint is created using a moving camera.

 Based on the amount of audience closeness to/ participation in the film’s action High MidLow Objective Subjective

1978 – John Carpenter (Escape from New York, The Thing)

 Doesn’t provide a participant’s point of view, but does bring the audience close to the action so that they feel involved and the visual experience is intense.  The audience knows they aren’t the character, but they feel with the character.  Example: A face contorted in pain makes the audience feel pain.

 Based on the amount of audience closeness to/ participation in the film’s action High MidLow Objective Subjective Indirect- Subjective

 1998 – Steven Spielberg (Jaws, ET, Indiana Jones, Lincoln… and EVERYTHING ELSE!)

 Allows the director to manipulate the audience in subtle (or not-so-subtle) ways  The filmmaker chooses not only what to show but also how the audience will see it by using special angles, lenses, motions, etc.  The audience is aware that the director wants them to see the action in some unusual way.  Forces the audience to see a particular detail

 Based on the amount of audience closeness to/ participation in the film’s action Plus one other: Director’s Interpretative High MidLow ObjectiveSubjectiveIndirect-Subjective

Zach Braff (um, Scrubs?)

2001 – Rob Cohen (xXx, Alex Cross)