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Classic Hollywood Film Language Alfred Hitchcock: Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Film Language and Technique: Class Aims Discuss Film as Narrative Review “Classic Hollywood Style” Intro Vocabulary Terms Discuss Use and Impact of Film Techniques http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000055Y14. 01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Class Schedule Introduce, discuss film as narrative; group discussion/comments: 12 min. How film is set up: 5 min. Building blocks of film 7 min. Shot, Scene, Sequence

Camera movement and placement: 15 min. Lighting: 10 min. Editing: 10 min. Film techniques telling a story and expressing ideology: 10 min.

Classical Hollywood Style Belton argues that Hollywood cinema is a _________-centered drama. How does cinema develop characters? Break into Groups: come up with an example of a film you have recently viewed that develops (or fails to develop) a character. How does this work?

Character Narration in Shadow of a Doubt Perhaps the most obvious narration occurs in Uncle Charlie’s voice-over ________. How does this element advance the story? What does it tell us?

http://hitchcock.alienor.fr/shadow.html

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Frame _________ of the film’s image on the ______ Mise-en-Scene: French: “___ on _____”

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Shot: Basic unit of _______ One _________ piece of filming

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Scene Several _____ unified by _____ and ______

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Sequence Several ______ unified by common time, but _______ by space

Basic units in Shadow of a Doubt Establishing shots Long shots of the city Gradually dissolve into one another and move in on a locale—i.e., a sequence

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement

Focus: Rack: camera changes from ______ to _______ Deep: camera _______ fore- and background

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Angle: establishes the viewer’s _______ to the ______ High: camera looks ____ Low: camera looks ___ How does this affect our perceptions of the characters?

http://www.imagesjo urnal.com/issue02/inf ocus/shadow.htm

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Zoom: lens adjusts so scene appears to move _____________ the viewer Pan: _______ pivoting of camera Tilt: when camera looks _________

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Crane: the camera is moved _______ by crane Tracking: camera rolls along a _______ Dolly: camera moves on _________ in ___ direction Steadicam: device to keep _______ camera _____

Camera Movement in Shadow of a Doubt In the opening sequence: Crane shot up to Charlie’s room Camera tracks across room: how does this position the viewer?

Film Technique Terms: Lighting Lighting Position _______ Lighting

The ____ light is the dominant light source _______ lighting is bright and less shadowy _______ lighting is darker and more uneven

Lighting in Shadow of a Doubt How would you characterize the lighting of this shot? What is the effect on the viewer? What mood does lower-key lighting create? http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue02/infocus/shadow.htm

Film Technique Terms: Editing “Classical continuity editing”: a.k.a. _________ editing Editing between scenes is called _________ Editing within scenes often seek to conceal _________

Film Technique Terms: Editing Transitions: Cut: 2 shots joined ______ together Fade: gradual ________ or _______ of onscreen image Dissolve: ________ fade in and out Iris: ______ closed or widened Wipe: where one scene appears to wipe the other ______

Film Technique Terms: Editing Editing within scenes: ________ techniques Matches: including _______ match Point-of-view editing: ___ shot process 180-degree rule: ______ convention

Summing up Film Techniques as a Language in the service of ________ Stylistic _________ becomes a goal of Hollywood cinema techniques Film style is not “superficially ______” on the narrative Think about how film technique influences viewing