Moonlight –

Women are treated as independent, working both functionally and unfunctionally with the removal of an either healthy or unhealthy relationship with a man. Such as With Chiron’s mum, who’s dead-beat husband left her, is relying on Chiron for support, whilst Teresa who’s Husband who sticks with her and dies of unknown causes doesn’t effect here mentally.

Joker –

The Rich upper-class are represented as privileged and oppressive. This can be seen with Bruce shown to live in a well suited environment, gated off and naïve to the quality of life of those less unfortunate. In the scene where the rich wall street guys beat up Arthur, they are shown to beat and abuse him for his poor mental state and quality of life.

•Narration/Unreliable Narrator – Narration is a voiceover in the film that explains or shows events. An unreliable Narrator is someone who tells the story but without any credibility and misleads the viewer.

•Backstory – A story/reason previous to the current events on screen in the main story/plot. These can both be shown or not.

•Flashback/Flashforward – An interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time to a previous event which is usually significant to the current plot now.

•Linear/Non-Linear Narrative –  In a linear film, scenes are arranged in or extending along a straight or nearly straight line of a story. In a non-linear film, scenes aren’t arranged in a linear structure but are shown out of order, such as through flashbacks and etc.

•Ellipsis – When a portion of scene is skipped in a portion of an event, but allowed the reader to interpret and fill in the gaps what happens in the narrative.

•Framing Device – A story away from the main story that goes from the beginning to the end and ties into the main story somehow.

•Cliffhanger/Closed Endings – A plot device that leaves the viewer on the edge of their seat in suspense.

•Macguffin – A plot device that is used to establish the character into motion and drive the story that will often lacking intrinsic importance.

•Foreshadowing – A hint as to what’s to come later on in the narrative.

•Alignment/POV – Alignment is the process of a film putting us into relation into the characters to understand what they feel. POV shows what the world looks like from a characters eyes.

•Causality – The cause-and-effect relationship between events in a film.

•In Media Res – The term used for a films beginning to begin in the middle of the narrative rather than the very start.

•Masterplot/Subplot – Masterplot is the ‘Skeletal’ stories that re-occur again and again. Subplot is the portion of events that occur within a film that are not in relation to the main plot, but eventually feed into it.

•Narrative Hook Plot Twist – a narrative tool used in storytelling to create an unexpected change in the direction or outcome of the plot.

• Deus ex machina – meaning “Machine from god” is a plot device for when a characters overwhelming, unsolvable issue is suddenly resolved.

Todorov – Equilibrium

Todorov theorised that all narratives contain equilibrium, disequilibrium, recognition, resolution and new equilibrium. What this meant was that narratives are conditioned around the character and events surrounding them are started due to an equilibrium.

Levi-Strauss – Binary oppositions

His Theory states that the majority of narratives contain opposing main characters, such as with Hero’s and villain’s, the opposition between the 2 thickening the plot and further the narrative.

Propp – Spheres of action (Character types)

Propp’s Theory states that characters within a narrative are driven through their action types and function within a story, such as with Hero’s, damsels, sidekicks, helpers, etc.

Vogler/Campbell – Hero’s Journey

Their Theory states that a hero ventures forth into from a common/ordinary world into one that is estranged or supernatural from their own, with the story ending back home in the ordinary world.

Barthes – Narrative Codes

Barthes theory of narrative codes, identifies 5 different kinds of semiotic elements. These 5 codes are: Hermeneutic, Proairetic, Semantic, Symbolic and cultural.

What does Narrative mean in film?

Narrative – How the plot and story unfolds through a fictional or fictionalized way. It is also made through a structure that is either Linear or Non-Linear.

Linear – Scenes are arranged in or extending along a straight or nearly straight line of a story.

Non-Linear – Scenes aren’t arranged in a linear structure but are shown out of order, such as through flashbacks and etc.

Realism VS Expressionism –

1. What is your understanding of a realist mode of film making? can you think of examples of films that are realist from the ones we have watched?

‘This Is England’ directed by Shane meadows, depicts realism through large shot-camera angles and use of onset locations. Set in a time-period of turmoil as well in England, this creates an element of realism as the topics of racism and war (Falklands war) surrounds the plot and characters. With use of kitchen-sink realism the visual aesthetic further creates that effect of a realist mode and establishes the realism well for a spectator to reflect upon.

2. What is your understanding of an expressive mode of filmmaking? can you think of examples that are expressive?

‘Trainspotting’ Directed by Danny Boyle, shows an expressive mode through scenes where the character Mark Renton goes on a drug trip, with an example of such being when he overdoses, a POV shot of mark sinking into the carpet as it surrounds him shows the surrealism and expressionism of the altering effects made by film making.

3. To what extent does Eisenstein’s work merge the two ideas and how does he do this in strike?

With the use on an intellectual montage, the scene where both a cow is killed by butchers and the workers are shot dead this creates a merge between the 2 ideas of how the workers and really shown to be treated at the time but also the expressionism of comparing it to something regularly seen.

Another in Strike can be seen with the Mise-en-scene of the outfits, with the workers shown to be dressed in tatters and old clothes which was quite realistic at the time, the factory owners and soldiers in the army are dressed quite expressively with over the top hats and 3 piece suits.

Intellectual montage –

An Intellectual Montage is used with scenes cutting between the workers being killed and a cow, this creates a visual comparison of how the workers are being ‘butchered’ by the oppressive government.

Metric Montage –

A metric montage is seen between scenes of a fire in a family home, with similarly timed shots, the fire service is being seen to not put out the fire which has ruined the families heirlooms but rather be put to use to try and disperse the crowd of workers on strike.

Tonal-Editing montage –

Shown through the scene where a young worker struggles to free himself from a door, shadowy lighting and tone is used to show his cramped position.

Rhythmic Montage –

A rhythmic montage is used in the scene where a mother realises her son has gone to play under the army officers horse, trying to get him out of harms way she hurriedly grabs him pushing the horse out the way and as a result is beaten upon by the soldier.

Over-tonal Montage –

An over-tonal montage is used in the scene where the workers attack the soldiers, as a result, scenes change to different tonal areas, such as bright open road to a more condensed shadowy factory sight.

(Cinematography image)

In-Depth study: All elements

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	The narrative structure is shown in a linear timeline of events unfolding due to the plot point.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	The husband being suspected of cheating is revealed by the bribe who figures out a girl he spoke to shares the number of his male guitar teacher, this as a result sends the bride into insanity. With the happy wedding getting thrown into chaos as the deception is revealed and sends the bride into further lunacy with them eventually making up to a slow dance.
Mise-en-scene	All set in a large fancy hotel, with the characters dancing in the centre of it and seats to the side, this makes the events in the film feel as if us as the viewers are amongst the guests in the crowd watching them.
Cinematography	By using rack focuses and close ups, this creates a more intimate sense between the viewer and the bride as we are seeing eye to eye the emotions she feels.
Editing	With long scenes and cross cutting editing is used to make some scenes feel longer to take in more info. With cross cutting it established a bridge between events in the film.
Sound	Trans-diegetic sound is used during the last scene as its left up to the viewers interpretation if that the music is still playing for them dancing despite the chaos caused throughout the film or it is simply non-diegetic for the viewers’ pleasure.

(Cinematography image)

Film 3: Bombita

What did you like about the film? I liked the characters, as they were given a lot of backstories such as with Bombita having marital issues and the employees having a history of scamming	What didn’t you like? It could’ve used more scenes of the man’s family problems as it seemed abit random for them to be together one minute and then separated in the next part.
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I liked the style of large, angled shots, as they were able to establish a location well and added detail to the scene.	What ideas won’t you use? Why? VFX like explosions as they are difficult to edit and most likely wouldn’t fit the short film.

In-Depth study: All elements

Feature	Example
Narrative structure	The narrative structure is well presented with sequence of events being presented through a linear pace. Scenes feel about the same length which allows the viewer to take in more from what is happening in the storyline.
Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme	‘Bombita’ is portrayed as a person of respected authority and composure within life and his workplace, this is until the emotionless and rude employees of the towing company and department of complaints ignore the fact he wasn’t parked illegally. These characters are portrayed as a corrupt government keen on scamming the people. After having this tow company lead to him having a rough patch in his marriage and employment, Bombita takes up the mantel of a robinhood-esk character by striking back against them with a bomb implanted in his car.  It is shown that soon after he regained his place in society for acting against the corrupt figures.
Mise-en-scene	The Mise-en-scene of the film is heavily reliant on the use of composition, props, and locations. This is evident with the use of props like set charges for bomb demolition being used at the start then later. Locations such as the towing centre, city road etc.
Cinematography	The Cinematography in ‘Bombita’ uses Long Shots regularly to establish current events in scenes, this is evident in scenes such as this as (whilst combined with an over the shoulder shot) Bombita is seen to be relaxed in watching his car get towed as it is all a part of his plan.
Editing	Jump cuts are used to establish time separation between scenes, this is clear during scene where bombita is sitting through traffic in a clear day and by the time he reaches home, the sky has turned to dusk.
Sound	Foley sound such as explosions are used in scenes where they are needed such as with the demolition sight or when bombita gets his revenge.

Tonal editing method – Noir films such as T-men (1947, directed by Anthony Mann) include a tonal editing method in their scenes such as this, where one dimly lit room is faded and opened to another. This is edited through scenes to establish a recurrent ‘shady’ location.

Rhythmic montage – Music videos such as Loyle Carner’s ‘Ottolenghi’ contains a rhythmic montage in tune with a piano, with each stroke of the piano changing cutting to a different shot in the edit.

The Intellectual Method – With the film ‘Inglorious Basterds’ (2009, Quentin Taterntino) the intellectual method is used during the restaurant scene where a French cinema owner meets with Joseph Goebbels and a Nazi officer, Hans lander. Being a ‘Jew hunter’ he had previously met her in the establishing scene of the film where her and her family where found hiding under a friends floor. Where the method is used can be seen in the restaurant scene where Hans Lander orders a glass of milk and eats a Crème de la Crème, this is done intentionally to reference to the milk farmer who he had hunted previously, this visually taunts the girl as he knows who she is from the milk farmers house, this is further shown where he puts out a cigarette on it making it look similar to French country house where he found here hiding previously.

Some examples of these films include:

Dura Lex, 1926, directed by Lev Kuleshov.

Zvengiora, 1928, directed by Alexander Dovzhenko.

Alexander Nevsky, 1938, directed by Sergei Eisenstein.

These films all followed the ideas of soviet constructivism and were made often in support of communist ideas such as rights and justice for the worker and support of the soldier.