A-Level Film Studies - Daniel Kallin

'Maurice in his studio' sequence: - Use of montage shows all the different people who go to Maurice's studios, with them reflecting on his own life - Maurice's clear lack of satisfaction with life - shown through his dull-coloured clothing, lack of facial expression and slow movement - is mirrored by the customers in the studio - These customers get to choose how they appear for the photo and create an idealised version of themselves for the camera, which contrasts with the harsh realism in the rest of the film and in Maurice's life - This reflection of Maurice's insecurities is seen most clearly through the customer who speaks about her 'fertility treatment' as she stands next to her three daughters - this is the main problem in Maurice's family as his wife can't conceive - The fast pace of the montage, rarely lingering on a scene for more than ten seconds, also contrasts the slowness of the scenes before and after it - The camera is at a medium...

  Main theories: - Todorov's stages of narrative based on 'cause' and 'effect'    - There is a distinction between the PLOT and the STORY       Plot: summing up the 'action'/'events'       Story: the plot is fleshed out with characters, emotions and context, and this         same plot can be constructed into a narrative into a number of ways - using          narrative devices     - Story unfolds as 'cause-and-effect' from the first equilibrium to the last                equilibrium, with the final equilibrium being different from the first     - Todorov identifies five key stages:         1. Equilibrium         2. Something happens - sets the narrative in motion         3. A realisation that something has happened       ...

  Fish Tank (Arnold, 2009) - New mood in British film in mid 1990s - Lack of funding for British film during Thatcher's time in office (1971-91) - 1990s brought new initiatives on the financial front contribute to output from different directors - Work varied reflecting social and cultural contexts of Britain - Works of Gurindha Chadha - marks contribution of Asian-British film production - 1990s onwards - continuing to offer what British film and cinema does best in terms of social realism but also new directions cross genres: sci-fi, comedy, horror, urban - e.g. Danny Boyle, Edgar W right, Jonathan Glazer - Social realism continues to respond to new social issues: Loach, Leigh, Arnold, Morley, Gavron, Potter Opening sequence: Use of sound: - All diegetic - Realism - Music contrapuntal to the argument - Mia's behaviour and anger - diegetic Camera work: - Hand-held and shaky  - Camera shows us what Mia sees (POV shot) - Focus on her perspective and also others' perception...

Deer Sequence: - Tracking shots of deer, surrounded by leaves, within its natural habitat - For Native Americans, the deer was an animal of power - When the family kill the deer, they are stealing its territory where they don't belong - They are covered in mud, introduced to the family in an unconventional way (they are an unconventional family) - Family act like they are unamerican but do the very American thing of taking other people's land and making it their home - The deer is shown from a distance, no close-ups, family gets close-ups, even though this is the deer's home, the family are shown in more detail - even a family seemingly in touch with nature are divided from it Shoplifting Sequence: - Shaky hand-held camera, family are out of their element - The concept of faking a heart-attack and teaching your children to steal is very deplorable for the spectator - alignment may shift away from Ben - Even though chain supermarkets are a big sign of consumerism in America,...

​ ‘Captain Fantastic reflects the extent to which contemporary US culture and society is divided.’ Examine this statement with reference to key sequences and in relation to the film’s values and ideologies.​ Throughout Captain Fantastic, the director, Ross, reflects the extent to which contemporary American culture and society is divided through several key sequences. These include; the opening sequence where the Fantastic family hunt and kill a deer; the shoplifting sequence; and the sequence at the dinner table, literally highlighting an American social divide with a table splitting apart the two sides of the extended family. Within these sequences, Ross captures this divide through the full use of all film features: from dialogue to camera angles, exploring the dual nature of America through the perspective of the spectator who is, most likely, on the more conventional side of the divide, with the Fantastic family being on the other. Ross demonstrates that this divide is in ever...

  The Human Condition Part 1.pptx

French New Wave - Rejection of traditional filmmaking - Experimenting - Existential themes - Using portable equipment  - Notable directors include: Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, Agnes Varda, Francois Truffaut, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette  Italian Neo-Realism - Set amongst the poor and working class - Filmed on location - Uses non-professional actors - Explores the moral conditions of post-WWII Italy - Notable directors include: Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, Frederico Fellini  British New Wave - Black and white - Pseudo-documentary - On location - Working classes --> angry young men - Notable directors include: Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson, Richard Lester, Ken Loach, John Schlesinger  Saturday Night & Sunday Morning (Reisz, 1960) Saturday Night & Sunday Morning (SNSM) perfectly captures the perceived disembodiment of the worker by his employer as a machine rather than a human. In a workplace environment wear wages are ...