Film analysis Film analysis (W. Faulstich)(W. Faulstich)
1. Basic model
1.1. What ? plot1.2. Who ? characters1.3. How ? camera, editing
sound/music, light/colours
1.4. Why ? message
2. Plot analysis
• story: the facts in chronological order plot: how is the story told, causal
connections (E.M. Forster)
• sometimes frame story• narrated time narration time time leaps: flashbacks,
flash-forwards summary: events are summed up stretching of certain events
• Classical five-acts-structure (Aristotle): exposition: basic situation is presented
complication: a problem arises
crisis (peripetie): turning point
retarding elements: slowing down the
solution
solution: - happy ending in comedies
- catastrophy in tragedies
3. Character analysis
a) Questions to be considered:• main character minor character• protagonist ‡ hero• pairing of characters (e.g. Laurel + Hardy)
• constellation of characters, e.g.
husband-wife, boss-employee, teacher-pupil...
• roles in certain film genres, e.g.
Cowboy, Indian, romantic lover, cruel father...
• stars and their types , e.g. S. Stallone = Rambo
b) Different kinds of characterization:
• auto-characterization by the character: implicit: clothes, facial expressions, gestures, way of
talking, behaviour explicit: what a character says about himself
• explicit characterization by other characters
• implicit characterization by the narrator/director:
field sizes, point of view, camera angles, lighting, music...
c) Different kinds of characters:
• one-dimensional / flat / static characters: only one/few characteristics are shown, no development
• multidimensional / round / dynamic characters: the character is shown as a complicated, sometimes even
contradictory human being with qualities and faults,
the character learns and changes
Top Related