Intro to Film (Exam 1)
Narrative - answer-A chain of events linked by cause and effect and occurring in time
and space
-A narrative is what we usually mean by the term story. A narrative begins with one
situation -- a series of changes occurs according to a pattern of cause and effect --> a
new situation arises and brings an end
Film Form - answer-The way parts work together to create an overall effect, the overall
relationships
-As a director or screenwriter, you face choices about form -- as a viewer you're reacting
to it
-Filmmakers give us a structured experience → a pattern
Documentary - answer-Expect that the person, places, and events shown exists or have
existed
-Claims to present factual information about the world
Parallelism - answer-Points out similarity among story elements
-Parallel lines of actions are organized by time, space, and casualty
-Parallelism allows the film to become more complex than if it were to just focus on the
protagonist
Narrative Form/Elements - answer-These are events that involve characters
-The narrative elements form a pattern, a story
Mockumentary - answerImitates documentary conventions, but doesn't pretend to
portray actual people or events
Viewpoint - answerStory decisions about viewpoint involve what we'll be calling
narration
Stylistic Elements - answer-The way the camera moves, the arrangement of color in the
frame, the use of music
-Narrative element development can be linked to the stylistic patterning.
Compilation Film - answer-Produced by assembling images from archival sources
-Newsreel footage, instructional films, interviews
Direct Cinema - answer-Characteristically records an ongoing event as it happens with
minimal interference by the filmmaker
-Known as cinéma vérité: cinema-truth
, Covention - answer-A tradition, a dominant style, a popular form -- these elements are
common to different artworks → convention
-The artwork will relate to other works and aspects to the world
-It's convention of a musical film for there to be song/dance,
-Narrative convention- first few scenes in a film often explains background information
about the characters and the action
-Art separates from life sometimes → the laws of everyday reality don't operate... new
rules in the game
Story - answerChain of events in chronological order
Plot - answer-How filmmakers choose to present the story --> Create a different plot
-Could present it out of order, with flashbacks, with omissions
Genre - answerDepend heavily on convention
Narrative Form - answerWhen documentarist organize their films as narratives like films
do
Inferences - answerViewers make assumptions and inferences about what's going on
based on what's presented
Referential Meaning - answer-Here the meaning depends on the spectator's ability to
identify specific items
-The film refers to things or places already invested with significance in the real world. A
viewer who doesn't recognize the references would miss some meanings in the film
Categorical Form - answerDesigned to convey categorical information
Rhetorical Form - answer-Filmmakers wants to make an argument that will convince the
audience of something
-Non-narrative forms can tell a story and follow principles of chronology and cause and
effects
1. addresses the viewers opening, trying to move them to a new intellectual stance or
emotional attitude/action
2. Subject of the film is usually not an usually of the science truth, but a matter of
opinion -- the filmmaker tries to make a particular position by presenting different types
of arguments/evidence
3. Emphasis on opinion; if the conclusion can't be proved beyond question, the
filmmaker tries to appeal to our emotions
4. Film usually attempts to persuade
Diegesis - answer-Greek word for recounted story
-Things that exist in the world of the film
-Traffic, sky, people would exist in a busy city in a movie --> diegesis
Narrative - answer-A chain of events linked by cause and effect and occurring in time
and space
-A narrative is what we usually mean by the term story. A narrative begins with one
situation -- a series of changes occurs according to a pattern of cause and effect --> a
new situation arises and brings an end
Film Form - answer-The way parts work together to create an overall effect, the overall
relationships
-As a director or screenwriter, you face choices about form -- as a viewer you're reacting
to it
-Filmmakers give us a structured experience → a pattern
Documentary - answer-Expect that the person, places, and events shown exists or have
existed
-Claims to present factual information about the world
Parallelism - answer-Points out similarity among story elements
-Parallel lines of actions are organized by time, space, and casualty
-Parallelism allows the film to become more complex than if it were to just focus on the
protagonist
Narrative Form/Elements - answer-These are events that involve characters
-The narrative elements form a pattern, a story
Mockumentary - answerImitates documentary conventions, but doesn't pretend to
portray actual people or events
Viewpoint - answerStory decisions about viewpoint involve what we'll be calling
narration
Stylistic Elements - answer-The way the camera moves, the arrangement of color in the
frame, the use of music
-Narrative element development can be linked to the stylistic patterning.
Compilation Film - answer-Produced by assembling images from archival sources
-Newsreel footage, instructional films, interviews
Direct Cinema - answer-Characteristically records an ongoing event as it happens with
minimal interference by the filmmaker
-Known as cinéma vérité: cinema-truth
, Covention - answer-A tradition, a dominant style, a popular form -- these elements are
common to different artworks → convention
-The artwork will relate to other works and aspects to the world
-It's convention of a musical film for there to be song/dance,
-Narrative convention- first few scenes in a film often explains background information
about the characters and the action
-Art separates from life sometimes → the laws of everyday reality don't operate... new
rules in the game
Story - answerChain of events in chronological order
Plot - answer-How filmmakers choose to present the story --> Create a different plot
-Could present it out of order, with flashbacks, with omissions
Genre - answerDepend heavily on convention
Narrative Form - answerWhen documentarist organize their films as narratives like films
do
Inferences - answerViewers make assumptions and inferences about what's going on
based on what's presented
Referential Meaning - answer-Here the meaning depends on the spectator's ability to
identify specific items
-The film refers to things or places already invested with significance in the real world. A
viewer who doesn't recognize the references would miss some meanings in the film
Categorical Form - answerDesigned to convey categorical information
Rhetorical Form - answer-Filmmakers wants to make an argument that will convince the
audience of something
-Non-narrative forms can tell a story and follow principles of chronology and cause and
effects
1. addresses the viewers opening, trying to move them to a new intellectual stance or
emotional attitude/action
2. Subject of the film is usually not an usually of the science truth, but a matter of
opinion -- the filmmaker tries to make a particular position by presenting different types
of arguments/evidence
3. Emphasis on opinion; if the conclusion can't be proved beyond question, the
filmmaker tries to appeal to our emotions
4. Film usually attempts to persuade
Diegesis - answer-Greek word for recounted story
-Things that exist in the world of the film
-Traffic, sky, people would exist in a busy city in a movie --> diegesis
