How does it connect with the rest of the film and its narrative? What is the importance of the scene and its relation to other scenes? Is it a major turning point? How does the scene support the film’s theme(s)? How are characters presented? What kind of characters are presented and why?
3. Part 1:
a. Write a brief description of the selected scene.
b. Explain what is so important about the succession of shots that comprises the scene? Analyze (don’t just describe) the shots’ mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, acting, and sound. How do these stylistic elements work together to create emotional and intellectual effects?
c. Discuss how the shots work together and separately:
d. How is meaning created and imparted to the viewer?
e. How do the shots convey information and characterization?
f. Why might these particular shots have been used? What gives them impact?
g. How is meaning built up in the scene?
4. Part 2:
a. How does this scene relate to other scenes; think of the form of the film. How does the scene relate to the theme you have selected to focus on?
b. How does the scene relate to the form of the film? Is it part of a repetitive pattern? Part of the development of the film? Explain the scenes relation to the theme created through the form.
c. How does the scene relate to the Narrative? Is there a 3-act structure? How does it relate to the character goals? Does this film follow a Classical Hollywood Narrative? Where does your scene fit into this narrative?
5. Conclusion:
a.And, lastly return to your thesis by broadening your scene analysis to the rest of the film. Explain the significance of analyzing this one scene.
b.Explain why analyzing this one scene is important in the interpretation and analysis of the film as a whole.
Do not:
1. Discuss the plot in detail. Your reader has already seen the film you are writing about;
2. Just list and describe the shots;
3. Use extensive quotations or lines of dialogue for your analysis;
4. Repeat yourself.
Be sure to:
1. Use correct spelling, grammar, and syntax;
2. Describe and analyze the scene in detail;
3. Build analysis through use of detail;
4. Use terms from the textbook so as to show you understand them;
5. Include an original title for your paper, and to number each page;
6. Use the present tense and use characters’ (not actors’) names in your paper;
7. Proofread.
Note: for your analysis, it is crucial that you watch the film in its original aspect ratio (letterbox). Do not watch a film in Full Screen unless that is the aspect ratio the film was distributed as. Some of these films are available at Learning Resource Center. You may select a different film, but you will need to have the film approved.
Shot Breakdown:
In addition to the 7-9 page paper (at least 2,300 words), provide a shot breakdown for the scene you have selected to analyze – in list, column, or table form – that includes the following information. You can create this as a list (look below) or as a table. You should include at least 30 shots in your chart.
SCENE: A complete unit of plot action incorporating one or more shots; the setting of that action. A scene is usually 3-5 minutes long and takes place in one location or setting.
SHOT: Those images which are recorded continuously from the time the camera starts to the time it stops. That is, an unedited, uncut strip of film. Once the there is a cut (an edit), them the next image is the next shot. It refers to a single, constant take made by a motion picture camera uninterrupted by editing, interruptions, or cuts, in which the camera stops to record, and then stops recording.
If the scene you selected includes long-takes (shots that are longer than a few seconds before there is an edit), then the camera is most likely moving and reframing the mise-en-scene. You will then need to split the long-take into separate shots. Each time the camera reframes, then that could be considered a new shot. You will need to identihy these as 1a, 1b, 1c, etc – same shot, but different parts of that same shot.
1. Shot number (you will assign each shot a number).
2. Mise-en-scene: Describe the setting, the props, the lighting, the costumes, etc.
3. Cinematography: camera distance (e.g. LS [long shot], MS [medium shot], CU [closeup]….). Is the camera moving or is it stable? Is the lens wide or long?
4. Editing: describe the editing? Is it following a classical Hollywood structure? Is it fast-paced?
5. Acting and dialogue: is the acting convincing? Does the diagloue provide insight into the themes?
6. Sounds, Music, Narration and/or Titles: Describe the diegetic and non-diegetic elements of the film.
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