1. Viewing Films Actively
Written Responses to Film

3. According to Corrigan “Writing about films can serve one or
several functions. It
can help you:
Understand your own response to a movie better
Convince others why you like or dislike a film
Explain or introduce something about a movie, filmmaker, or a group of movies that your readers may not know
Make comparisons and contrasts between one movie and others, as a way of understanding them better
Make connections between a movie and other areas of culture in order to illuminate both the culture and the movies it produces.”

4. Three ways of looking at a movie
Analyzing Films
Three ways of looking at a movie

5. Literary Aspects of Film
Those aspects that films share with literature:
plot
characters
setting
themes
point of view
recurring images
symbols

6. Questions to ask when viewing on a Literary Level:
Who are the characters?
What is the setting?
What is the plot?
From whose point of view is the story told?
What is the film’s theme?
Are there any symbols or recurring images?

7. Dramatic Aspects of Film
Those elements film shares with live drama:
actors portraying characters through dialogue, costumes, and makeup
sets and/or locations
directors who leave personal stamp on final product

8. Questions to ask when viewing on a dramatic level:
How effective is the acting? Why?
How does the set affect understanding and enjoyment of the story?
How are the costumes and makeup effective in establishing a character?

9. Cinematic Aspects of Film
Camera shots
Camera angles
Transitions between scenes
Requires some knowledge of technical terms
Sound effects and music

10. “…film is one medium which cuts across diversities of ability, student background and communication modes. When film is effectively integrated into the curriculum, it touches upon a wide variety of skill areas.” Resch and Schicker