Film	Preference	Memorable scene	Film Element Focus
Bladerunner (Scott, 1982)	4/10	one of the opening scenes where you see the set of the world for the first time	Mise-en-scene

Monaco believes that the spectrum of arts is separated into three different categories:

-The performance arts, this element can be viewed in real time and therefore would receive an instant reaction from the audience such as; music, theatre and dance.

-The representational arts, this form of art shares its message through physical objects such as; novels, paintings and sculptures.

-The recording arts, the last section of the spectrum of arts is shown to an audience after going through some kind of post-production such as; music, film and television that have gone through production/editing.

The list tells us that the formula for making a successful film is to be apart of a franchise since 6 of the 10 films are apart of a large franchise. People gravitate to these franchise films because they build hype over time since there are multiple films in the series. They construct a contract with the audience in a way where they know roughly what they are going to watch before they have seen it. Another way to make a film successful is to have a big company produce it, this is because the majority of the films were produced by Disney or Universal. These bigger companies have built a name for themselves past their films and therefore attract more viewers. Including famous actors is another way to have a successful films because their fandoms will watch the film purely because they are in it. Such as with the Avengers family because fans become invested in not only the films themselves but also how the cast interact on and off set. The more successful films also tend to cater towards children making their films “12s” and in more accessible genres like fantasy and Sci-Fi.

Communicators – Film makers communicate messages through their art.

Risk-takers – Not all films will be well-received, so releasing each film will be a risk.

Open-minded – When working in a group (especially in film), its important to consider each person’s opinions.

Knowledgeable – Film makers must have the knowledge of techniques and the different elements.

Reflective – Film makers should reflect on their own work to see how it can be improved and also seek out the feedback of others.

Thinkers – When starting a new project you need to brainstorm you ideas or when faced with challenges you have to find a solution.

Caring – Film makers should ensure that they don’t cause harm when filming.

Inquirers – You should inquire with others for feedback and inquire with your group for ideas etc.

Balanced – Film makers should make sure they have balanced representation in their films and when working in groups everyone has an equal workload.

Principled – Film makers shouldn’t lower their standards.

What makes a film “good”?

As evidence, the film I will be using is “The Green Mile” directed by Frank Darabont and based on the Stephen King novel by the same name. In my opinion, macro elements are the building blocks for what makes a good film because without them the audience would have nothing to relate to. Micro elements such as cinematography and sound make the film visually pleasing and act as decorations further adding to the film. “The Green Mile” perfectly demonstrates how micro elements can build upon macro elements helping the viewer to grasp the message the film is trying to convey better. 

One of the elements that made “The Green Mile” a good film is message and values, I think this is the most important element because, like all forms of art, one film could be interpreted in many different ways. The Green Mile’s message is an incredibly important one which is that life is short and cruel to kind people. The green mile itself, the lime coloured corridor death row inmates walk down before their execution, is an extended metaphor for death. This is brought to the viewer’s attention when the character of Paul Edgecomb said, “And I think about all of us. Walking our own green mile; each in our own time.” The main character of the film, John Coffey, was wrongly accused of the murder of two young girls. Later on in the film, the prison guards discover Coffey has the gift of healing. He is still executed despite his innocence, this conveys the message that life isn’t fair and the legal system is flawed. Messages and values are personal to the viewer and stimulate an emotional connection to the film which is the foundation of what makes a good film. 

The second element that made “The Green Mile” a good film is cinematography especially the use of lighting. Despite the light-hearted dialogue, the overall tone of the film is dark and dingy. This along with the undersaturation of the costumes and setting creates a depressing atmosphere. The lighting throughout the film contrasts this, whenever Coffey uses his gift to heal someone the lighting becomes more intense. I think Darabont did this not only to highlight the physical toll John’s gift has on him but also so that the viewer subconsciously categorises the character of John with warmth and light. Another way cinematography was used to better the film was the setting. The camera crew used perspective and furniture such as John’s bed and the electric chair were made smaller so that the actor who played Coffey appeared larger and more intimidating. This made it more effective when they broke the assumptions the audience had been making about his character and revealed him to fall into the ‘gentle giant’ archetype. 

In conclusion, I think that a focus on narrative and message and values is what will make a film “good”, whilst also using cinematography to emphasise the message of the film.