EMOTIONAL RESPONSE Section B – Spectatorship Topics FM4 VARIETIES OF FILM EXPERIENCE ISSUES & DEBATES "Powerful sensory and emotional responses and how they're produced in film spectators."

AIMS & OBJECTIVES This study is concerned with the ways in which popular film produces powerful sensory and emotional responses in the spectator To consider the idea that spectators will find that particular films and sequences within films draw out from them ,often strong, emotional responses To develop an understanding of how films create the emotional responses they do and the relationship between the film on screen and the audience in terms of the communication process

PAUL HAGGIS (2004) TONY KAYE (1998)

EXAM QUESTIONS Would you agree that strong emotional effects are achieved in some films by the careful use of film construction techniques and in others by the subject matter itself? After the shock of the initial viewing, do subsequent viewings lessen or intensify the impact of shocking images and/ or subject matter? Creating the opportunity for emotional responses in popular films is simply to do with manipulating the audience: mainstream films don’t attempt to use emotional responses to make any more considered points. From your experience would you agree with this? Explore possible reasons to explain why a second or third viewing of a film can actually increase the emotional response rather than lessen it How far is the emotional response to mainstream films triggered by specific techniques used by the filmmakers? 'One of the greatest pleasures of popular cinema is surrendering to the film experience and allowing ourselves to be emotionally manipulated.' Discuss this statement with reference to the films you have studied for this topic 'Emotional response to popular film is dependent on the ways in which we are made to identify with particular characters.' How far has this been your experience?

Film communication as a process First perspective: Film is a form of communication, transmission of messages (single intended meaning) Second perspective: Film is a form of communication – meaning making is an interactive process (a variety of possible meanings) Film ‘Language’: Film operates as a language; it communicates with the spectator through the use of images and sound Films as ‘constructs’: Films are built by filmmakers from a series of component parts that we can identify, and since they have been constructed we can take them apart and see how they have been put together. Senders encoding and receivers decoding those messages, an attempt by the sender of the message to influence in some way the state of mind of another person. A certain meaning has been placed in the text by the author, the reader has to discover that meaning texts interact with readers (spectators) to provide a variety of possible meanings, in this case the readers becomes a factor in the production of meaning. Meaning is no longer singular and clearly defined by the authorial intention, but is plural and created in the relationship between the individual reader and the text. visual indicators and carefully arranged shots combined with spoken word, sound effects and musical soundtracks we can attempt to suggest reasons why choices have been made, explore possible meanings, this is how we interact

Film communication as a process First perspective: Film is a form of communication, transmission of messages (single intended meaning) Second perspective: Film is a form of communication – meaning making is an interactive process (a variety of possible meanings) Senders encoding and receivers decoding those messages, an attempt by the sender of the message to influence in some way the state of mind of another person. A certain meaning has been placed in the text by the author, the reader has to discover that meaning texts interact with readers (spectators) to provide a variety of possible meanings, in this case the readers becomes a factor in the production of meaning. Meaning is no longer singular and clearly defined by the authorial intention, but is plural and created in the relationship between the individual reader and the text. visual indicators and carefully arranged shots combined with spoken word, sound effects and musical soundtracks we can attempt to suggest reasons why choices have been made, explore possible meanings, this is how we interact

Film communication as a process Film ‘Language’: Film operates as a language; it communicates with the spectator through the use of images and sound Visual indicators and carefully arranged shots combined with spoken word, sound effects and musical soundtracks Films as ‘constructs’: Films are built by filmmakers from a series of component parts that we can identify, and since they have been constructed we can take them apart and see how they have been put together. Senders encoding and receivers decoding those messages, an attempt by the sender of the message to influence in some way the state of mind of another person. A certain meaning has been placed in the text by the author, the reader has to discover that meaning texts interact with readers (spectators) to provide a variety of possible meanings, in this case the readers becomes a factor in the production of meaning. Meaning is no longer singular and clearly defined by the authorial intention, but is plural and created in the relationship between the individual reader and the text. visual indicators and carefully arranged shots combined with spoken word, sound effects and musical soundtracks we can attempt to suggest reasons why choices have been made, explore possible meanings, this is how we interact Let's watch a scene from Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960) to explore this some more What are the building blocks of film? If we treat films as constructs we can attempt to suggest reasons why choices have been made and explore possible meanings

Deconstruction of key scenes Use the idea of films as ‘constructs’ and apply your knowledge of film language as you watch the focus films. Remember to always keep these questions in mind What types of emotions did I experience? How did these emotions shape my responses What are the reasons for my emotions/responses?