FM1 coursework - Analysis of a film extract

What does the specification say you have to do?
An analysis of a film extract - 1500 words (30 marks).  Candidates are required to explore how one or more of mise-en-scène, performance, cinematography, editing, and sound construct meaning and provoke response in a film extract.

• Candidates are encouraged to support their work with illustrative visual material.
•  Recommended length of extract: approximately 3-5 minutes (depending on the complexity of the extract).

How do I start off? (preliminary analysis)

One way to begin is by using the analysis sheet contained in your film language pack (see below).  This has lots of useful questions that you can ask of your sequence.

You will probably now have a clearer idea of a good micro feature (e.g. editing, sound etc.) to analyse in the sequence.  You can do two micro features if you wish, but I would not advise analysing three.

If you are doing cinematography, you can use this guide to help you:

If you are considering sound, you can get some ideas from this document:

If editing is your focus then this guide will help:

Mise-en-scene is covered here:

Special effects (which could be included in either editing or mise-en-scene) is described in this guide:

I would not advise analysing performance unless you do Performance Studies and then only if you have an advanced understanding of the terms contained in the document below:

You can also find additional information on the key terms within film language here: http://howardschoolfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/film-terms-glossary.html  and here  http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/media-word-bank.html

More help in analysing your sequence is contained in this document which gives further examples: 

Top tips for success:

• Give some basic information about the film at the start of your analysis - title, year of release, director, DVD edition, start and finish timings for your sequence.
• State your focus micro feature(s), e.g. camerawork.  Then make sure that do actually write about the micro feature(s) that you intended to.
• Introduce your sequence with a contextual paragraph.  This could include: location, time (e.g. day/night), characters (in the sequence), key action (including conflict) and what has happened in the film leading up to this sequence.
• It's important to write about your personal response to the sequence.  You should be using the words "I", "the viewer" or the "the spectator", not "the audience".
• A formula for success is to consider three things together: 1. What is the technical (micro) feature used? (e.g. a pan)  2. What meaning is created? (e.g. the illusion of someone's head moving)  3. What is your personal response (e.g. "This shot makes me feel like I am the person turning my head and I am positioned within the scene.").  So, technical feature + meaning + response.
• Use terminology widely and accurately.
• Don't use the word "scene" when you actually mean "shot" or "frame".
• Screenshots from the sequence should be used to illustrate your analysis.  Please note that these are there to assist with assessment; you should not write about your screenshots, you are writing about a moving sequence, not still images.
• Be specific when writing about producers - don't write about "they".  "They" will be the director, editor, cinematographer, actor, set designer, sound editor, composer etc.  Use the correct names.
• The word "it" is also too vague for an analytical essay.  Be specific and state clearly what you are writing about.
• Please note that cameras do not 'cut' or 'fade'.  These are editing techniques and take place post-production.
• Use paragraphs to give your analysis structure.
• Check your spelling, punctuation and grammar before submitting your work.
• Put a word-count at the end of your essay.

TITLE OF FILM (YEAR OF RELEASE)

DIRECTOR

DVD EDITION

START TIME FOR EXTRACT – END TIME FOR EXTRACT

MICRO FEATURE(S) YOU ARE ANALYSING

INTRODUCTION:

Where and when does the action take place?

What happened in the film before your sequence?

Who are the main characters?

What are their motivations?  What are their relationships?  What conflict is there between them?

Why are they acting in the way they are?

How have we got to this point in the plot?

ANALYSIS:

Technical film term + meaning + personal response = Film Language

e.g  “The camera tilts upwards from the orc’s feet to its snarling face.  By doing this, the cinematographer shows the sheer size of the creature compared to the small and vulnerable dwarf.  I felt fearful that the dwarf’s death was imminent.”

Bad example

“The shot goes up so that the orc looks big and scary.  It does this because the audience needs to feel tension and want to watch more.”