film study英语影视赏识

ByYangzhiwenDepartmentofForeignLanguageEnglishMovieAppreciationFilmstudyHistoryoffilmsFilmgenresCharacterandperformanceNarrativeStyleCriticalperspectivesHistoryofMovie:

ThebirthoffilmThefirstfilmstudio:BlackMaria(1893)Exhibitedmoviescommerciallyforthefirsttime:KinetoscopeParlor(1894)Thefirstcinema:builtinParis,Dec.28th1895Featuresoffilms:non-fictional,unedited,short,crudedocumentaryviewsofordinaryslicesoflife.HistoryofMovie:classicalHollywoodCinema1920sSilentfilmswerethepredominantproductofthefilmindustry.Thefirst“talkie”:TheJazzSinger(1927)Sincethensoundmoviesplayedanimportantpartinthefieldofmovie.Severalfilmcompanieswell-knowntodaywerebuiltthattime.HistoryofMovie:classicalHollywoodCinema1930s:ThegoldenageofHollywood:Colorrevolutionsandthefurtherdevelopmentoffilmgenres1940s:Thewarandpostwaryears1950s:Thecoldwarandpost-classicaleraHistoryofMovie:post-classicalHollywood1960s:Majorchangesanderaofindependent1970s:theAmerican“NewWave”andtheadventoftheBlockbusterFilm1980s:moreBlockbustersFrom1990sonwards:theriseofcomputer-generatedfilmsFilmGenresDefinition:FilmGenresarevariousformsoridentifiabletypesoffilmsthathavesimilarorinstantly-recognizablepatterns,filmictechniquesorconventions.GenreDefiningcriteriaDifferentiatingcriteriaSocialDramaSubjectmatterSerioussocialtopicRomanceRomanticrelationshipbetweenloversGangsterGangstersinurbanAmericaWarFilmSpecificmilitaryconflictsScienceFictionFuturistictechnologies/futureworldsFantasyImpossibleworlds/fantasticalcharactersWesternAmericanwestDisasterNaturalorman-madecatastropheCrimeCriminalactivitiesandinvestigationEpicBiblicalorancienthistoryAdventureexcitingstorieswithnewexperiencesCategoriesofGenreGenresDefiningcriteriaDifferentiatingcriteriaActionFormPresenceofactionset-piecesMusicalPresenceofsonganddanceperformancesNewsreel/documentaryFilmednewsstoriesanditemsoftopicalinterestAnimationrapiddisplayofasequenceofimagesinordertocreateanillusionofmovement

BlockbusterFilmNoir/Neo-NoirStyleSpectaculareventsChiaroscurolightinganddarkmise-en-sceneComedyAffectiveresponseIntendedtogeneratelaughterHorrorIntendedtohorrifyThrillerIntendedtothrillItisraretofindafilmthatbelongsexclusivelytoonegenre;thatistosay,almostnofilmwillpossessallofthecharacteristicsofasinglegenreandnoneofthecharacteristicsofanyother.FunctionsofGenresToensureandincreaseprofitability:“pre-sell”thefilmBasicimaginativeformsandstructuresthathelppeopletointerpretthemeaningandunderstandthesignificanceofourlives,andprovideimaginaryresolutionstoparticularconflicts.CharactersandperformanceCharactersandperformanceCharacterizationandperformancearetwooftheessentialaspectsofanycinematicwork.withoutcharacterstherecanbenonarrative,andwithoutperformancecharacterscannotbepresentedtotheaudience.CharacterfunctionsMotivation,conflict,andcharactergrowthCinematicperformanceCharacterfunctionsCharactersinfilmscanbedividedintothreebasic“functions”:Maincharacter:mostimportantcharacterinthefilm.Secondarycharacters:thosewhointeractwiththeprotagonistandhavesignificantimpactonthedevelopmentofthenarrative,including,oppositioncharacter,mirrorcharacter,andromancecharacterMinorcharactersMotivation,conflictandcharactergrowthCharacterdevelopmentoccursgraduallyovertheentirefilm.Itoccursbecausethecharactershasadefinitemotivationorgoal,butmeetswithdefiniteconflictintherealizationofthatgoal.Whenacharactermeetswithconflict,heorsheisforcedtoreconsiderhisorhermotivation–andtheresultischaractergrowth.Motivation,conflictandcharactergrowthTwokindsofmotivations:inner&outerInner:whythecharacterwantstoachievethegoalOuter:whatthecharacterwantstoachieveTwokindsofconflicts:inner&outerInner:conflictagainstpartofoneselfOuter:conflictagainstexternalforcesCharactergrowthDevelopmentofnewabilitiesReconsiderationofgoalReflectionandincreasedknowledgeofselfandworldPerformanceTheperformancestylethatemphasizestherealityofthecharacterhasbeencalledthe“presentationalstyle”,whilethestylethatdownplaystherealityoftheactorhasbeencalledthe“representationalstyle”.Later,therepresentationalandpresentationalstylesareshownintwocinematicphenomena:methodactingandthestarsystem.Characterproducedbyapieceofcinemaisnotproducedbymeansofperformancealone,butalsothroughtheeditingprocess.Whatfactorsdoyouthinkshouldbeconsideredwhencastingdecisionsaremade?PerformancestyleThestarpersonaTypecasting(定型)/offcasting(转型)EthnicityandaccentHowtoanalyzecharactersDefinewhatyoufeelaretheessentialcharacteristicsofthecharacterinthemovie.Discusswhatyoufeeltheactororactressdidtoenhancethosecharacteristics.HowtoanalyzecharactersDialogueThewordsspokenbytheactors.BodyLanguageNon-verbalcommunication

suchasfacialexpression,

eyecontact,andposture.InteractionHowthecharactersworktogetherorconflict.WardrobeorcostumesTheitemsofclothingthattheactorsweartoportraytheircharacters.Narrative

Narrative,storyandplotarethebasictermsusedwhenanalyzingthenarrativestructureofafilm.Narrative(introduction)Accordingto

DavidBordwellandKristinThomasinFilmArt–AnIntroduction:Narrative:Achainofeventsinacause-effectrelationship,occurringintimeandspace.Anarrativeisnotarandomstringofevents.Story–thesetofalleventsinanarrative,bothexplicitandthosetheviewerinfers.Narrative(introduction2)Plot–everythingthatisvisiblyandaudiblypresentedonscreen.Subplot

–additionalstoriesthatarelinkedtothemainplotandhaveaninfluenceuponit.Functionsofsubplot:ComplementaryContradictorySetupComplicating

TheclassicHollywoodnarrativesystem(CHNS)Storyinitselfisoflittlecinematicvalueuntilitisworkedupintoacoherentplot.Hollywoodhasdevelopedovertheyearsasetofwidelyacceptednarrativeprinciplesandconventionsthattogetherformthe“classicHollywoodNarrativeSystem”(CHNS)CHNS:astorybuildaroundanactiveprotagonistwhostrugglesagainstprimarilyexternalforcesofantagonismtopursuehisorherdesire,throughcontinuoustime,withinaconsistentandcausallyconnectedfictionalreality,toaclosedendingofabsolute,irreversiblechange.(RobertMckee)经典好莱坞叙述结构：故事是在一段连续的时间内，在一个逻辑和因果关系协调的虚幻世界里，一个主人公积极地对抗外界的主要反对力量来实现自己的愿望，最后得到一个绝对的无法改变的结局。（罗伯特·麦基）BasicprinciplesoftheCHNS

ThebasicprinciplesoftheCHNSinclude:Thehero(主人公):theagentsofcauseandeffect.CauseandEffect(因果关系):eventsinthefilmarestrictlyrelatedaccording

tothelogicofcauseandeffect.OmniscientNarration(全知叙述):althoughthestorymaybepresentedprimarilyfromtheperspectiveofoneortwocharacters,theoveralleffectisofnarrativeobjectivity.BasicprinciplesoftheCHNS(continue)Motivation(动机):include–compositionalmotivation(结构动机),realisticmotivation(现实动机),intertextualmotivation(相关动机）,artisticmotivation(美学动机).Elision(省略)NarrativeClosure(叙述结尾):thechainofcausesandeffectsendinafinalspectacularclimax.Theclimaxisthehighpointofdrama,whichisfollowedbytheresolution,oratyingupoflooseendsNarrativestructuresThereareallkindsofnarrativestructures:Theclassicthree-actlinearstructureAlternativenarrativestructuresTheclassicThree-ActLinearStructureActI:(0-30’)setupActII:(30’-90’)developmentActIII:(90’-120’)resolutionanddenouement(结局)ActTimeEventFunctionActI0-5’Thehook(引子)Grabsattention2’-5’Thekeyline(主线)Posesquestiontobeexplored15’Incitingincident(引发性事件)Incidentthatdisturbslifeofprotagonist30’Turningpoint1CrisisforprotagonistActII60’PointofnoreturnProtagonistbecomestrulycommittedtogoal90’Turningpoint2CrisisforprotagonistActIII105’ClimaxPeakemotionalmoment,protagonistfacesgreatestchallenge120’ResolutionProtagonistevaluateswhathashappenedOthernarrativestructuresEpisodicstructure:followtheprotagonistthroughaseriesofpotentiallyunrelatedadventures.Hero’sJourneyStructure:(usedinmythsandlegends)CalltoadventureJourneythroughunfamiliarworldSupremeordealRewardReturnandreintegrationintosocietyNarration–theflowofinformation–RangeanddepthTotellastoryistograduallyrevealinformation,andwell-toldstorieswillrevealinformationstrategically.Therangeofstoryinformation–whoknowswhatwhen.DepthofstoryinformationTherangeofstoryinformationUnrestricted–theaudienceknowsmore,seesmore,hears,morethanallthecharacters.Alsocalledomniscientnarration.Restricted–Thecharactersandtheaudiencelearnstoryinformationatthesametime.Thismaybeusefulincreatingsuspenseinahorrorormystery.However,AlfredHitchcock,knownforthesuspensegenre,prefersunrestrictednarration,sothattheaudiencewillfearfortheprotagonist,whodoesn’tknowwhatweknow.Restrictedandunrestrictedareoppositeendsofacontinuum.Mostfilmsareamixture.DepthofstoryinformationMostnarrativeflow(narration)isobjective;thatis,theplotlimitsustoexternalbehaviorofitscharacters.Attimes,weseethingsfromthecharacter’spointofview.Thismentalsubjectivityiswhenweseeimagesfromthecharacter’smind:dreams,fantasies,memories(intheformofflashbacks).Thissubjectivityincreasesaviewer’sidentificationwiththecharacter,andmayrevealacharacter’smotives.StyleStylereferstothemannerinwhichthecontentsofthefilmarepresentedtotheaudience.Cinematicshotandtheeditingprocessaretwomainfactorsoffilmstyle.ShotsComposition(构图)Thegoldensection/goldenmeanFrontality(中分律):charactersarepositionedaccordingtotherelationofthecamera–ofteninsemi-circlesorlinesfacingthecamera.TheT-Zone:objectsofattentionwillbeplacedwithintheT-shapedareaofthescreen.Composition–goldenmeanAnglesHighangleLowangleStraightonCantedangleFocusClose-upExtremeclose-upMediumShotLongshotExtremelongshotColourBlack:elegance,sophistication,evil,darkness,mourningWhite:purity,snow,cold,angelsRed:passion,aggression,fire,blood,strengthBlue:water,life,depressionYellow:cheerfulness,optimism,confidenceCameramovementFraming:whatelementssurroundthe

actorBlocking:howtheactorispositionedfor

theshotTracking:followinganactorPanning:cameramovementhorizontallyBooming:cameramovementupordownScenesSettingTime,place,location,mood,andtimespan.Anarrangementordisplayofscenery,backgroundorlandscape.FramingTo“frame”anactionandtofillitwithaddedsignificance.Costumes&propsTheitemsofclothingthattheactorsweartoportraytheircharacters.Make-upThingsappearedinthefilmSoundMusicBackgroundmusiccancreate

amoodorafeelingintheviewer.SoundtrackRecently,popularmusichasbeenusedextensivelyinfilms.SpecialeffectsSoundandvisualeffects

createdbytechnicalmethods.NaturalArtificialBrightSoftToplightingBacklightingSidelightingUnderlightingLightingSymbolsandMotifsAsymbolissomethingthatstandsfororsuggestssomethingelse,usuallyonaccountofarelationship,association,conventionorresemblance.Amotifisarecurringfeatureoridearelatedtothethemeofthefilm;frequentlyitwillbearecurringsymbol.Editing

Filmeditingispartofthecreativeprocessoffilmmaking.Itinvolvestheselectionandcombiningofshotsintosequences,andultimatelycreatingafinishedmotionpicture.ItisanartofstorytellingContinuityeditingMontageContinuityeditingContinuityeditingiseditingthatcreatesactionthatflowssmoothlyacrossshotsandsceneswithoutjarringvisualinconsistencies.Establishesasenseofstoryfortheviewer.Forinstance,ifinoneshotabeerglassisempty,itshouldnotbefullinthenextshot.MontageAmontagesequenceconsistsofaseriesofshortshotsthatareeditedintoasequencetocondensenarrative.Itisusuallyusedtoadvancethestoryasawhole(oftentosuggestthepassageoftime),ratherthantocreatesymbolicmeaning.SequenceoffilmShot:alltheactionfilmedinonetakewithoutdisruptionCut:theconclusionofashotTake:anattempttoshootasceneinitsentiretyCriticalperspective