Professional Documents
Culture Documents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AVAXe219RQ
This video looks at representation and stereotypes and
explains why both can be dangerous. It refers to Media
Studies but the same is also true for Film Studies.
Representation deals with the way people, places or Look at the images on the next page. For each one, ex-
events are show in the media and in our case, film in plain how the characters are represented and what meth-
particular. Very often these deal with stereotypes ods the producers have used to create that representa-
which often don’t match the reality and can be danger- tion. You can either write paragraphs or annotate the im-
ous or offensive. Producers can construct representa- ages.
tions using a range of techniques.
Analyse:
Read: Watch this clip from Juno:
Read the attached article about representation in film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moEfLmkoG18
Compare the representation of Juno with that of The Lorings (the
Create: couple looking to adopt). Explain the ways that the representa-
tions have been constructed.
Make a mindmap or other revision tool to help you re-
member how film producers construct representations. Quiz:
https://forms.gle/KKnURVgN6eLXSbNL7
REPRESENTATIONS IN FILM
Representation in Film.
by Brett Lamb
Filmmakers can use a number of techniques to establish and develop characters.
Their choice of camera techniques, acting, mise en scene, editing, lighting and
sound all contribute to the representation of a character. When you’re writing
about the representation of a character in film, it is useful to watch the scene a
number of times, noting how the use of these techniques have been used to
develop the character.
CAMERA TECHNIQUES
Think carefully about the director’s use of camera techniques. What does this
help to tell us about the character? The use of a close up might help to accentuate
an actor’s facial expression. Likewise a high angle show might make them appear
weak and powerless.
When writing about the use of camera techniques, think about how the following
techniques have been used:
Camera movement. Crane, dolly, dolly in, dolly out, handheld, pan, pedestal,
point-of-view shot, snorricam, static, steadicam, tilt, tracking, whip pan, zoom.
Shot size. Extreme long shot, long shot, full shot, mid shot, close up, extreme
close up.
Camera angle. Overshot, high angle, eye level, low angle, undershot, canting.
Focus. Deep focus, depth of field, pull focus, shallow depth of field.
ACTING
MISE EN SCENE
Mise en scene refers to everything that’s put in the scene. It includes colour,
costume, make up and the placement of props. What does the selection of
costume tell us about a character? Does the composition of the shot convey
information to the audience about character? How does the use of colour in the
frame contribute to the representation of character?
EDITING
Films are edited. Filmmakers think carefully about how the sequence of shots,
pace of editing and use of editing techniques contribute to the narrative,
development of characters and audience engagement. Every scene has been
painstakingly constructed. There is nothing normal or natural about the way a
scene unfolds. Filmmakers agonize over every cut. Watch the scene that you’re
studying carefully and think about how editing contributes to character
development. Consider the pace of editing and whether it changes. Do the
filmmakers choose to linger on a particular shot instead of cutting away. If so,
why? Are there any particular editing techniques that stand out? What do they
tell the audience about character?
Does the scene you’re analysing use any of the following editing techniques?
Audio match cut, continuity editing, cut away, cut in, dissolve, fade in, fade out,
fast motion, jump cut, match on action, montage, parallel editing, shot reverse
shot, slow motion, speed ramping, superimposition, time-lapse, visual match cut,
wipe, wipe by cut.
LIGHTING
It’s important to remember that in most feature films, although the lighting
might look normal and natural, the filmmakers have gone to great lengths to
achieve a particular lighting effect. Lighting always makes a significant and
meaningful contribution to the narrative. Filmmakers think carefully about how
the quality and placement of lights contributes to the narrative, character
development and audience engagement. When you’re watching a scene, think
carefully about the use of lighting and what it tells the audience about a
character. What type of light is used? Natural, fluorescent, incandescent? Is it
diffuse or hard light? Where is the key light placed in the scene? What sort of
shadows are cast by the key light? What do these choices tell you about the
representation of a character?
SOUND
Just as filmmakers think carefully about the visual editing of the film, what you
hear has also been carefully constructed. In consultation with the director, sound
editors and foley artists work tirelessly to construct the soundtrack. Every
decision they make about the quality and placement of sound effects and music
contributes to narrative, character development and audience engagement.
When you’re watching a scene, think about how sound contributes to character
development. What do the characters say? What type of music has been used
throughout the scene and how does it contribute to the representation of
characters? Are there any prolonged silences? What sort of sound effects and
ambient sounds have been used? Are some sounds more prominent than others?
Are they faded in and out?
Whether you’re writing about how teenagers are represented in films like The
Breakfast Club or how The Joker is established as a villain in The Dark Knight,
your description of this representation will follow the same sort of structure.
It’s a good idea to start off with a topic sentence which identifies how the
character is represented and explains which aspects of the representation you
will be discussing.