1 Satyajit Ray by Gasto Roberge Dhruva Kumar, TRF

Metz Large Syntagmatic Category Christian Metz, a French film theorist had written a book named Film Language: Semiotics of the Cinema. He proposes the use of Ferdinand De Saussures idea of Semiology into the films. Mertz had interpreted the structure of categorising into Grand Syntagmatique, a theory of categorising scenes (Syntagmas). Mertz has categorised the scenes into categories and then eight sub cateogries.He had named the image tracking process Syntagmas. These syntagmas are of two types:- Achronological and Chronological . Then, this a-chronological is further divided into parallel and bracket. Chronological is divided into descriptive and narrative, after that descriptive divided into two categories: descriptive syntagmas and syntagmas in the potential mode. Again, Narrative is divided in to two separate categories called as alternative syntagmas and linear. Linear is further divided into th category of scenes and and sequences, in which sequence is further divided into episodic and ordinary sequence. A figure has been shown below about the general distribution of Syntagmas.

Three films of Satyajit Ray has been taken to show the difference in the film making process within a decade by Satyajit Ray himself. These three films are:- the world of Apu(1959), Charulata(1964) and Days and Nights in the Forest(1969). These films are made between years 1959 to 1969 i.e. in a decade. In this time frame, the film making technique and way of presenting different shots and scenes also changed in the films of Satyajit Ray. These three very easily showed the evolution of Satyajit Ray from a director who take long duration shot proposing time and natural scenic beauty of the scene to a compact story tellers taking multiple

2 Satyajit Ray by Gasto Roberge Dhruva Kumar, TRF

short duration shot to encompass a different effect to the viewer.

The world of Apu has 435 shots while shots taken in the Daya and nights in the forestr is almost double about 858 shots. Thats why critics had often said the Apus triology is pity slow in comparison to the other films made by Satyajit Ray. As it had been said, in the earlier period of film making, Satyajit Ray had a fear of losing the natural essence of the scene by taking multiple shots. Therefore he had chosen to take the safe side by taking long duration shots with natural surroundings. Though experiencing different aspects of film making he successfully made film like Days and Nights in tyhe forest which is considered more compact film and one can experience the cinematic effect of this film.

These tthree films also shows how the use of number of large syntagmas and dissolves had decreased in the number reitering the phenomena of learnig the nitty gritty of film making by Satyajit Ray

3 Satyajit Ray by Gasto Roberge

Syntagm as
Chronologic al

Dhruva Kumar, TRF

A-chronological

Parallel

Bracket

Narrative

Descriptiv e Alternativ Descriptive syntagmas e Linear

Sygmantas in the potential mode

Scenes Sequences
Episodic sequence
Ordinary Sequences