Film Study Overview and Narratives

Study Notes

Description is a basic summary of what is seen and heard.
Evaluation is a judgment or review of a film; often inconsistent among viewers, and subjective based on different movie elements.
Interpretation discovers meaning from what is seen and heard; analyzing how different aspects of the film blend to advance the story, convey themes and ideas, and how everything systematically relates to one another.
Implicit interpretations are abstract and implied through cues, while explicit interpretations are concrete and specific.

Narrative is a chain of events in a cause-and-effect relationship, occurring in time and space.
Time is temporal and space is spatial.
A well-constructed plot has a beginning, middle, and end.

Narrative is a universal human experience.
We are constantly surrounded by narratives in daily life, regardless of culture or social structure.
Narratives are even present in disciplines that don't seem narrative-based, like science and religion.
Conversations are in narrative form, through recounting stories, telling jokes, and even describing static images.
Studying narratives can help us become smarter moviegoers, understanding how a film is put together and appreciating the artistry.

Movies transport audiences to different worlds; Gorky calls cinema "The Kingdom of Shadows."
Film encompasses the latest technology, including digital code, to evoke every possible feeling and thought.
Film can be escapist entertainment or an imaginative art form that allows people to realize their dreams and fantasies.
Learning about film boosts understanding and appreciation.
Film analysis can clarify the significance of different styles and examine sound, writing, and other elements.

Cinema is not just the movie theatre experience but also the history, art, and technology behind it.
Film combines creativity, economic opportunities and structures, and technical advancements.
Photography advancements in the nineteenth century paved the way for capturing moving pictures, like "serial photography" which captured horses in motion.