Choose who the central voice is in the film and you will come to know something about your self and the author and the principal voices of the film and subject because all of your sensibilities determined your list and hierarchy of names.

Reading and Writing About Films: A How To Guide
J467-J567 Documenting War Fall 2015
Professor Daniel Miller

Viewing, Reading and Taking Notes on Films: Viewing a film is what you do when you watch it through, take it in, and think about it. Reading the film is what you do when you watch it and take notes as reminders and indicators of structures, stories, characters, Aboutnesses (see below), voices, historical and material contexts, and language and aesthetics of film arts. Reading films also requires multiple screenings of the films and analysis of specific shots, scenes and sequences of the films.

Facts, Story, Characters, Aboutnesses, Voices, Take-Aways, Structures, Moments, Forms

Story Topic Facts/Exposition: (Surface Level (Denotative) facts–Who, What, Why, Where, When): Documentary and Dramatic films are based on factual in the real world or factual in the fictional world events, characters, places, times, etc. Those factual events provide the roadmap to what the story is and is about. Start with the facts.

Stories (connotative deeper meaning stories–Drama, Character, Struggle, Transformation, Accomplishment, Relationships): Documentary films have stories that contain conflict, change, and dramatic Arcs.

Characters: Documentary films and stories have, and rely upon, strong, representative, empathetic and identifiable characters.

ABOUTNESSES: WHAT IS THE STORY ABOUT FOR YOU? Simply put—The most important question for the viewer is “what is this story about for you?”

Voices: Look for and identify the voices (speakers and presenters of evidence) in the film that tell the most important stories (Aboutnesses) of the films to you. Who speaks? Who tells the story? Who do you trust? Choose who the central voice is in the film and you will come to know something about your self and the author and the principal voices of the film and subject because all of your sensibilities determined your list and hierarchy of names. This is the discursive process in which the author’s presentation through his point of view and your “reading” through your point of view create the meanings of the film.

Aesthetics (Style, Form) Shots, Sound, and Editing:

Image/The Shot: The Visual Expression Of The Story

Sound: The Aural Expression Of The Story
Voice, Nat Sound, Music, Effects (SFX)

Editing: The Selection And Juxtaposition Of The Story (Sound And Image):

Structures (Beginnings, Middles, Ends and Scenes, Sequences, and Chapters): Documentary films have structures with identifiable beginnings, middles and ends and “chapter” sequences.

Key Scenes/ Moments: All films have great moments or key scenes that we react to and that make us think and react and feel.

Takeaway(s): Takeaway is the industry-wide essential story element defined as one thing that a viewer remembers, thinks about, and takes with them long after the film experience is over. If a film or story has two or more takeaways it is often deemed successful.

Forms, Documentary and Dramatic Forms of the Film: There are three basic documentary forms including I. Documentary: IA. Cinéma Vérité Direct (Observational), IB. Cinéma Vérité Catalyst (Participatory), IC. String-of-Interview Compilation Film, ID. Combination of Cinéma Vérité and String-of-Interview Compilation film, and II: Dramatic Forms: Classic Hollywood Continuity Editing Film and Variations. Another variation worth noting especially in the age of Vice is the Investigative form in combination with those above.

* Notes on Writing about Film and Locating Story and Film Facts: The Facts of the Story and Films are available to you in many places thanks to the Internet and the explosion in media availability and media interest. Encyclopedias or Internet Web equivalents are equipped for that. Documentary films are equipped for something deeper, resonant and meaningful. However the factual information of a film or book or any other deeper level media are essential to know, identify and master in your writing and a requirement of writing in this course. The facts are the–who, what, why and where of the films. If you refer, for instance, to a character in the film, especially, in a documentary film, by general description rather than name then you demean the character and the process. If you leave out a date or get a date wrong, then you take the content and meaning out of true context, and risk removing the film or events from their historical contexts. Get the name of a town in Poland wrong and you have likewise demeaned perhaps the entire history of a culture that is intimately tied to that town and its destruction. IMDB and Film Home Pages are great online places to get the facts. thought, experience of the film and story that you carry with you from the experience. It also leaves you sad, puzzled, happy, clear, satisfied, enriched, disappointed, or transformed.

Are you looking for a similar paper or any other quality academic essay? Then look no further. Our research paper writing service is what you require. Our team of experienced writers is on standby to deliver to you an original paper as per your specified instructions with zero plagiarism guaranteed. This is the perfect way you can prepare your own unique academic paper and score the grades you deserve.

Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.

[order_calculator]