英语影视赏识教学ppt课件

1、By YangzhiwenDepartment of Foreign LanguageEnglish Movie Appreciation1Film studyHistory of filmsFilm genresCharacter and performanceNarrativeStyleCritical perspectives2History of Movie: The birth of film3History of Movie: classical Hollywood Cinema1920sSilent films were the predominant product of th

2、e film industry.The first “talkie”: The Jazz Singer (1927)Since then sound movies played an important part in the field of movie.Several film panies well-known today were built that time.45History of Movie: classical Hollywood Cinema1930s: The golden age of Hollywood: Color revolutions and the furth

3、er development of film genres1940s: The war and postwar years1950s: The cold war and post-classical era6History of Movie: post-classical Hollywood1960s: Major changes and era of independent1970s: the American “New Wave” and the advent of the Blockbuster Film1980s: more BlockbustersFrom 1990s onwards

4、: the rise of puter-generated films7Film GenresDefinition:Film Genres are various forms or identifiable types of films that have similar or instantly-recognizable patterns, filmic techniques or conventions. 8GenreDefining criteriaDifferentiating criteriaSocial DramaSubject matterSerious social topic

5、Romance Romantic relationship between loversGangsterGangsters in urban AmericaWar FilmSpecific military conflictsScience FictionFuturistic technologies/ future worldsFantasy Impossible worlds/ fantastical charactersWesternAmerican westDisasterNatural or man-made catastropheCrimeCriminal activities a

6、nd investigationEpic Biblical or ancient historyAdventure exciting stories with new experiencesCategories of Genre9Genres Defining criteriaDifferentiating criteriaActionFormPresence of action set-piecesMusicalPresence of song and dance performancesNewsreel/ documentaryFilmed news stories and items o

7、f topical interestAnimationrapid display of a sequence of images in order to create an illusion of movement BlockbusterFilm Noir/ Neo-NoirStyleSpectacular eventsChiaroscuro lighting and dark mise-en-sceneComedyAffective response Intended to generate laughterHorrorIntended to horrifyThriller Intended

8、 to thrill10It is rare to find a film that belongs exclusively to one genre; that is to say, almost no film will possess all of the characteristics of a single genre and none of the characteristics of any other.11Functions of GenresTo ensure and increase profitability: “pre-sell” the filmBasic imagi

9、native forms and structures that help people to interpret the meaning and understand the significance of our lives, and provide imaginary resolutions to particular conflicts.12Characters and performance13Characters and performanceCharacterization and performance are two of the essential aspects of a

10、ny cinematic work. without characters there can be no narrative, and without performance characters cannot be presented to the audience.Character functionsMotivation, conflict, and character growthCinematic performance14Character functionsCharacters in films can be divided into three basic “function

11、s”:Main character: most important character in the film.Secondary characters: those who interact with the protagonist and have significant impact on the development of the narrative, including, opposition character, mirror character, and romance characterMinor characters15Motivation, conflict and ch

12、aracter growthCharacter development occurs gradually over the entire film.It occurs because the characters has a definite motivation or goal, but meets with definite conflict in the realization of that goal. When a character meets with conflict, he or she is forced to reconsider his or her motivatio

13、n and the result is character growth.16Motivation, conflict and character growthTwo kinds of motivations: inner & outerInner: why the character wants to achieve the goalOuter: what the character wants to achieveTwo kinds of conflicts: inner & outerInner: conflict against part of oneselfOuter: confli

14、ct against external forcesCharacter growthDevelopment of new abilitiesReconsideration of goalReflection and increased knowledge of self and world17Performance The performance style that emphasizes the reality of the character has been called the “presentational style”, while the style that downplays

15、 the reality of the actor has been called the “representational style”.Later, the representational and presentational styles are shown in two cinematic phenomena: method acting and the star system.Character produced by a piece of cinema is not produced by means of performance alone, but also through

16、 the editing process.18What factors do you think should be considered when casting decisions are made?Performance styleThe star personaTypecasting (定型)/ offcasting (转型)Ethnicity and accent19How to analyze charactersDefine what you feel are the essential characteristics of the character in the movie.

17、 Discuss what you feel the actor or actress did to enhance those characteristics. 20How to analyze charactersDialogueThe words spoken by the actors.Body LanguageNon-verbal munication such as facial expression, eye contact, and posture.InteractionHow the characters work together or conflict.Wardrobe

18、or costumes The items of clothing that the actors wear to portray their characters.21Narrative Narrative, story and plot are the basic terms used when analyzing the narrative structure of a film.22Narrative (introduction)According to David Bordwell and Kristin Thomas in Film Art An Introduction:Narr

19、ative: A chain of events in a cause-effect relationship, occurring in time and space. A narrative is not a random string of events.Story the set of all events in a narrative, both explicit and those the viewer infers. 23Narrative (introduction 2)Plot everything that is visibly and audibly presented

20、onscreen. Subplot additional stories that are linked to the main plot and have an influence upon it.Functions of subplot: plementaryContradictorySetupplicating 24The classic Hollywood narrative system (CHNS)Story in itself is of little cinematic value until it is worked up into a coherent plot.Holly

21、wood has developed over the years a set of widely accepted narrative principles and conventions that together form the “classic Hollywood Narrative System” (CHNS)CHNS: a story build around an active protagonist who struggles against primarily external forces of antagonism to pursue his or her desire

22、, through continuous time, within a consistent and causally connected fictional reality, to a closed ending of absolute, irreversible change. (Robert Mckee)经典好莱坞叙述结构：故事是在一段连续的时间内，在一个逻辑和因果关系协调的虚幻世界里，一个主人公积极地对抗外界的主要反对力量来实现自己的愿望，最后得到一个绝对的无法改变的结局。（罗伯特麦基）25Basic principles of the CHNS The basic principle

23、s of the CHNS include:The hero (主人公): the agents of cause and effect. Cause and Effect (因果关系): events in the film are strictly related according to the logic of cause and effect.Omniscient Narration (全知叙述): although the story may be presented primarily from the perspective of one or two characters,

24、the overall effect is of narrative objectivity.26Basic principles of the CHNS (continue)Motivation (动机): include positional motivation (结构动机), realistic motivation (现实动机), intertextual motivation (相关动机）, artistic motivation (美学动机).Elision (省略)Narrative Closure (叙述结尾): the chain of causes and effects

25、 end in a final spectacular climax. The climax is the high point of drama, which is followed by the resolution, or a tying up of loose ends 27Narrative structuresThere are all kinds of narrative structures:The classic three-act linear structureAlternative narrative structures28The classic Three-Act

26、Linear StructureAct I: (0-30) set upAct II: (30-90) development Act III: (90-120) resolution and denouement (结局)2930Other narrative structuresEpisodic structure: follow the protagonist through a series of potentially unrelated adventures.Heros Journey Structure: (used in myths and legends) Call to a

27、dventureJourney through unfamiliar worldSupreme ordealRewardReturn and reintegration into society31Narration the flow of information Range and depthTo l a story is to gradually reveal information, and well-told stories will reveal information strategically.The range of story information who knows wh

28、at when.Depth of story information32The range of story informationUnrestricted the audience knows more, sees more, hears, more than all the characters. Also called omniscient narration.Restricted The characters and the audience learn story information at the same time. This may be useful in creating

29、 suspense in a horror or mystery. However, Alfred Hitchcock, known for the suspense genre, prefers unrestricted narration, so that the audience will fear for the protagonist, who doesnt know what we know.Restricted and unrestricted are opposite ends of a continuum. Most films are a mixture.33Depth o

30、f story informationMost narrative flow (narration) is objective; that is, the plot limits us to external behavior of its characters.At times, we see things from the characters point of view. This mental subjectivity is when we see images from the characters mind: dreams, fantasies, memories (in the

31、form of flashbacks). This subjectivity increases a viewers identification with the character, and may reveal a characters motives.34Style Style refers to the manner in which the contents of the film are presented to the audience. Cinematic shot and the editing process are two main factors of film st

32、yle.35Shots36position (构图)The golden section/ golden meanFrontality (中分律): characters are positioned according to the relation of the camera often in semi-circles or lines facing the camera.The T-Zone: objects of attention will be placed within the T-shaped area of the screen.37position golden mean3

33、8AnglesHigh angleLow angleStraight onCanted angle39FocusClose-upExtreme close-upMedium ShotLong shotExtreme long shot40ColourBlack: elegance, sophistication, evil, darkness, mourningWhite: purity, snow, cold, angelsRed: passion, aggression, fire, blood, strengthBlue: water, life, depressionYellow: c

34、heerfulness, optimism, confidence41Camera movementFraming: what elements surround the actorBlocking: how the actor is positioned forthe shotTracking: following an actor Panning: camera movement horizontallyBooming: camera movement up or down42ScenesSettingTime, place, location, mood, and time span.A

35、n arrangement or display of scenery, background or landscape.Framing To “frame” an action and to fill it with added significance.Costumes & props The items of clothing that the actors wear to portray their characters.Make-upThings appeared in the film43SoundMusicBackground music can create a mood or

36、 a feeling in the viewer. SoundtrackRecently, popular music has been used extensively in films. Special effects Sound and visual effects created by technical methods.44NaturalArtificialBrightSoftTop lightingBack lightingSide lightingUnder lightingLighting45Symbols and MotifsA symbol is something tha

37、t stands for or suggests something else, usually on account of a relationship, association, convention or resemblance.A motif is a recurring feature or idea related to the theme of the film; frequently it will be a recurring symbol.46Editing Film editing is part of the creative process of filmmaking

38、. It involves the selection and bining of shots into sequences, and ultimay creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storyting Continuity editing Montage 47Continuity editingContinuity editing is editing that creates action that flows smoothly across shots and scenes without jarring visua

39、l inconsistencies. Establishes a sense of story for the viewer. For instance, if in one shot a beer glass is empty, it should not be full in the next shot. 48MontageA montage sequence consists of a series of short shots that are edited into a sequence to condense narrative. It is usually used to advance the story as a whole (often to suggest the passage of time), rather than to create symbolic meaning.49Sequence of filmShot: all the action filmed in one take without disruptionCut: the conclusion