Hollywood films |
independent films |
- Gives entertainment
-High budget -Associated with commercial success - Well known actors which attractes a big audience - Fancy like -Mass audience - - |
- Gives more of a art and cultural expression
-Small budget -Associated with critical success - Low key actors that are just getting into the industry - Realistic - Niche audience - Limited marketing -Limited or selective distribution , usually small cinemas - More of being artistic and making the film than making more of of it -Scripts often improvised - Not much action - Protagonist and Antagonist are often 3 diminutional |
spectatorship
A spectator is an individual member of an audience. Spectatorship is an important concept in film theory. Traditional models of audience response tend to treat viewers as groups, spectatorship study suggests that the film builds a specific relationship with every individual who experiences it. Spectatorship study focuses on understanding the ways films produce PLEASURE in their viewers.
Passive spectatorship suggests that film texts have an EFFECT on the spectator
Active spectatorship suggests that spectators INTERACT with the film to create meaning
Active spectatorship suggests that spectators INTERACT with the film to create meaning
Argues that the spectator is vulnerable to the manipulative qualities of the messages and values of the film when watching the film we go along with the ideas we see on screen and don’t think about or question them. This could lead the spectator to be close minded on the situation which is going on.
•Sometimes the spectator is manipulated because films only present one model about the world (the dominant hegemony). For example, if films only ever show a male character as ‘The Boss’ and female characters as ‘The Secretary’ then the spectator accepts those values and attitudes as ‘normal’.
•Sometimes the spectator is manipulated because films only present one model about the world (the dominant hegemony). For example, if films only ever show a male character as ‘The Boss’ and female characters as ‘The Secretary’ then the spectator accepts those values and attitudes as ‘normal’.
passive spectator
When you watch a film do you surrender to its effects or remain critically alert?
It depends the film is about but I try to remain critically alert and not fall into the way the film want me to think.
Does it depend on the type of film?
Mostly as if its a horror movie I usually find them really funny whereas others would find it scary.
Does it depend on the mood are you in?
Sometimes , if I'm feeling happy i wouldn't let the movie (which might have a sad scene) make me also sad.
Are you effected with the people that are with ?
Not really. If they would feel scared of a horror movie i would still find it funny and try scare them even more or if the are crying at a sad part I would just see it as a normal thing.
Is it possible tone both passive and critically aware ?
Can you waver between active ad passive during the film? Did this happen during the Winters Bone ?
It depends the film is about but I try to remain critically alert and not fall into the way the film want me to think.
Does it depend on the type of film?
Mostly as if its a horror movie I usually find them really funny whereas others would find it scary.
Does it depend on the mood are you in?
Sometimes , if I'm feeling happy i wouldn't let the movie (which might have a sad scene) make me also sad.
Are you effected with the people that are with ?
Not really. If they would feel scared of a horror movie i would still find it funny and try scare them even more or if the are crying at a sad part I would just see it as a normal thing.
Is it possible tone both passive and critically aware ?
Can you waver between active ad passive during the film? Did this happen during the Winters Bone ?
Ideology
The ideas and ideals expressed in the film, especially ones which form the basis of economic, social or political theory.
Identification
Pity and fear, sympathy and empathy, are both forms of identification,
- not so easily separable, because they both involve our putting ourselves in the character’s place. Whether we feel for, or feel with, the character
- In neither case do we feel exactly what the character feels, but what we feel in both cases depends on a significant commonality with the character.
A ‘dominant reading’ of a film is one in which the spectator agrees with the director’s intentions, and the messages and values argued for in the film.
Theroist's
Bandura’s ‘Social Learning Theory’
social learning theory is a general theory of human behavior, but Bandura and people concerned with mass communication have used it specifically to explain media effects. Bandura warned that, "Children and adults acquire attitudes, emotional responses, and new styles of conduct through filmed and televised modelling.” One learnt behaviour being aggression.
social learning theory is a general theory of human behavior, but Bandura and people concerned with mass communication have used it specifically to explain media effects. Bandura warned that, "Children and adults acquire attitudes, emotional responses, and new styles of conduct through filmed and televised modelling.” One learnt behaviour being aggression.
Murray Smith’s ‘Three Stage Model of Empathy’
1 Recognition ->A process we do automatically most of the time
-Easily recognise a character if they are similar
- If a famous strong actor played a certain character we mostly assume they are the hero. This also affects our view of the character
2 Alignment-> Where we look at into one character that we particularly like and follow them through out the story even if we think they are right or wrong or the hero or villain
3 Allegiance -> Where we take the interest in the characters ideas, actions, interests, outlooks and feelings.This could lead to a passive process
1 Recognition ->A process we do automatically most of the time
-Easily recognise a character if they are similar
- If a famous strong actor played a certain character we mostly assume they are the hero. This also affects our view of the character
2 Alignment-> Where we look at into one character that we particularly like and follow them through out the story even if we think they are right or wrong or the hero or villain
3 Allegiance -> Where we take the interest in the characters ideas, actions, interests, outlooks and feelings.This could lead to a passive process
Amy Coplan’s ‘Theory of Emotional Contagion’
When they decide to do a close up of the actors face upon a important scene or situation for a long period of time makes us as the spectators 'physically begin to mimic' the feeling that his being shown.
catch” the emotions on display
When they decide to do a close up of the actors face upon a important scene or situation for a long period of time makes us as the spectators 'physically begin to mimic' the feeling that his being shown.
catch” the emotions on display
Stuart Hall’s - Audience Response Theory
Stuart Hall’s theory sees the audience as being actively engaged in the interpretation of media texts, rather than passive consumers
Hall proposed 4 ways of reading and decoding texts:-
1) Dominant 2) Negotiated 3) Oppositional 4) Aberrant
Hall proposed 4 ways of reading and decoding texts:-
1) Dominant 2) Negotiated 3) Oppositional 4) Aberrant
Todorov “Equilibrium/Disequilibrium"
Todorov discovered that most narratives move forward in a *chronological order with one action following after another (*cause and effect).
most narratives have a clear beginning, middle and end (3-act structure).
1-Narrative starts with ‘equilibrium’ (balance, normality)
2-An event or character disrupts the equilibrium causing ‘disequilibrium’
3-An attempt is made to restore the equilibrium
4-Resolution - equilibrium is restored (usually = happy ending)
5-New equilibrium
most narratives have a clear beginning, middle and end (3-act structure).
1-Narrative starts with ‘equilibrium’ (balance, normality)
2-An event or character disrupts the equilibrium causing ‘disequilibrium’
3-An attempt is made to restore the equilibrium
4-Resolution - equilibrium is restored (usually = happy ending)
5-New equilibrium
Claude Levi-Strauss - “Binary oppositions”
![Picture](/uploads/5/3/9/5/53955425/published/812790511.jpg?1513071437)
In a story, the constant creation of opposition leads to conflict, this provides drama and drives the narrative forwards.
Opposites can be:
Visual (light/dark, young/old)
Conceptual (love/hate, good/evil).
For example in most films the hero is OPPOSED by the villain. These two characters are usually opposite in their appearance (visual), this highlights their opposing beliefs and values (conceptual)
Opposites can be:
Visual (light/dark, young/old)
Conceptual (love/hate, good/evil).
For example in most films the hero is OPPOSED by the villain. These two characters are usually opposite in their appearance (visual), this highlights their opposing beliefs and values (conceptual)
Reception Theory
Private Self - The spectator relates the film to their own experiences and memories.
Social Self - The spectator relates the film to their shared background with others with similar ideas and ideologies, such as age, class, gender and sexuality
Cultural Self - The spectator makes intersexual references based on their own awareness
Desiring Self - The spectator brings their own energy and intensity to the film which has less to do with the content of the film
Social Self - The spectator relates the film to their shared background with others with similar ideas and ideologies, such as age, class, gender and sexuality
Cultural Self - The spectator makes intersexual references based on their own awareness
Desiring Self - The spectator brings their own energy and intensity to the film which has less to do with the content of the film
Geoff King ‘Spectacular Narratives’ Theory
The notion of a SOCIAL, CULTURAL and DESIRING self can be understood through King’s theory.
King argues that the working-classes prefer more mainstream, action filled genre films, due to:-
King argues that the working-classes prefer more mainstream, action filled genre films, due to:-
- Lack of time and luxury to spend on more demanding films, so they prefer films with more direct and immediate pleasures
- Historical forms of entertainment such as fairgrounds and circuses have influenced the working-classes preference for ‘in-your-face’ spectacle and excitement in film
- Action-filled entertainment tends to involve a feeling of involvement and in turn COLLECTIVE participation rather than INDIVIDUAL reflection, the latter being seen as a more middle-class pursuit
Joseph Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’ Theory
The hero's journey involves a character who departs on an adventure, and in
a decisive crisis wins a victory,
and then comes home changed or transformed.
a decisive crisis wins a victory,
and then comes home changed or transformed.
Narrative Structure Definition
Closed -All questions are answered, audience given closure. Winter’s Bone
Multi-stranded -Several stories link and weave into an overall narrative. Pulp Fiction
Single stranded-One main story runs throughout the film. Mad Max Fury Road
Linear-The narrative is told in a simple chronological order. Beginning - Middle - End Toy Story
Open-Questions remain unanswered, e.g a cliffhanger. Inception
Non-linear-The narrative is told out of order, flashbacks/flash-forwards etc Pans Labyrinth
Narrative Device
Foreshadowing -Subtle hinting at events that will happen later in the film.
Chekhov's Gun -Something is introduced early in the story and becomes significant later.
Plot Twist -Unexpected change of events or direction in the narrative.
Flash- Backs -Showing events that happened in the past or previously in the film.
Cliffhanger -Leaving a story open, usually providing an exciting ending.
Narration-A voiceover that helps tell the audience the story.
Flash- Forwarding- Jumping forward in time.
Red Herring -Deliberately misleading your audience.
Binary opposition -A pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning.
Intertextuality -Using another text to parody, pastiche etc.
Repetition-The recurrence of an action or event.
Dramatic Irony -When the audience see/hear things that the characters are unaware of.
Symbolism-The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities