Three aspects of viewing a film:
Literary
Aspects are those elements share with literaure.
- Plot
- Characters
- Setting
- Theme
- Point of View
- Recurring Images
- Symbols
Questions to ask at the Literary level:
- Who are the characters of the film? How do they develop?
- What is the film’s setting?
- Briefly summarize the plot.
- From whose point of view is the story told?
- What is a theme of the film?
- What is the mood?
- What symbols did you notice in the film?
Dramatic
- Actors are engaged in dialogue wearing costumes and makeup.
- Both movies and plays have sets.
- Both have directors that put their personal stamp on the story.
Aspects are those elements that are shared with live drama.
Questions to ask at the Dramatic level:
- Can you identify a movie you went to see just because a certain actor was in it?
- Which of your favorite movies would you say had excellent acting? Why?
- Can you identify a movie in which the costumes, makeup, or sets were effective or unusual?
- Sometimes we notice dramatic aspects because of a flaw in a film. Can you identify a movie in which the acting, sets, makeup, or costumes attracted your attention because they were flawed in some way?
Cinematic
How are movies different from books and plays?
- Cinematography
- Sound
- Editing
- Special visual effects