The Purpose Of A Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay

The Purpose Of A Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay Film analysis is an important part of understanding films although this is overlooked by many people. There are various elements of films which are brought together to give the final outcome and enable the audience grasp the story. Some of these elements are very visible such as actors while others may not be clear such as the theme of the movie. Elements in films include actors, storyline, images, motion, time, background sound, composition, sequence, lighting and others (King, 2002). These elements usually undergo processes such as filming and editing among others. The overall quality of the elements and processing techniques in totality determines the success of a film. It is important to analyze all elements which are brought together in a film in order to assess the effectiveness of the film in achieving the objectives of the producers. This is also important since it helps explain why some films are more successful than others. This paper will discuss how movie analysis is done and how meaning is found in a film and how to interpret it. My personal criteria used in movie evaluation will also be discussed in the paper. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end of the paper. How to analyze an entire movie There are various strategies used when analyzing movies. Different movie analysts use different criteria although there are various elements which form the basis of movie analysis. This section of the paper will discuss how a movie is analyzed and the various aspects which are assessed during movie analysis. Effectiveness of storyline and dialog This is one important aspect of a movie used in analyzing the overall success of a movie. The storyline creates a platform for development of the movie. In a successful storyline, the audience should be able to easily relate with the theme and dialog between characters in the movie (Pollick, 2011). Successful movies use scenarios and dialog which actors are comfortable with. This makes it easier to convey the storyline to the audience. Movies which are considered less successful use scenarios and dialog which constrict the actors and make it difficult to convey the storyline. Less successful movies feature obscene language or poor conveyance of thought in a manner in which thoughts appear to be from the screenwriter as opposed to the character. A movie analyst asks themselves whether the dialog appeared to honest or whether there was a logical progression of scenes. The analyst should further ask themselves whether all scenes necessary to effectively give the storyline were present. Finally, they should assess whether the movie had any dialog or language which made it impossible to effectively understand the movie. These are basic questions which guide movie analysts when assessing whether dialog and the storyline in a movie are effective. Set pieces and background In any movie, the background plays a very important role in presenting the storyline and movie in general to the audience. The role pf photography in a movie is to enhance the characters and make the storyline more realistic to audiences under the circumstances. There is need to develop a proper atmosphere when presenting a movie to an audience. In order to analyze whether the set pieces and background is effective for the movie, one should ignore dialog and the actors for a brief duration. During this time, a movie analyst should assess the costumes used, sets, scenery, colors and shapes which have been used in the film. These elements are used to create the desired ambience or mood. In addition, the use of darkness and light as well as fog and shadow should not be overlooked since these play an important role in producing background effects. However, all these elements should be used sparingly and they should not overwhelm viewers. In general, the analyst should ask themselves whet her the background used distracted his or her to the storyline or whether it complemented the storyline. Performance of actors This is another major aspect which dictates the success or failure of a movie. Performance of actors should be judged both when they are acting in the main action and even when they are part of the background. In successful movies, actors roles push forward the plot of the movie or assist audiences develop particular characters in their minds. They should be judged even when they are part of the background since the audience feels the presence of such actors. Actors chosen should fit into the roles they play and they should complement each other as opposed to competing against each other. They should also portray the emotions which accompany the roles they play in different scenes in order to make the film appear realistic to the audience. When a film analyst is analyzing performance of actors, she or he should ask themselves whether actors fit into the roles they played and whether they complemented the parts played by other actors. They should also ask themselves whether their perf ormance made the movie more realistic to the audience or not. Editing This is one of the most important processes which any film undergoes. In fact, most critics are of the opinion that significant work in any movie begins at the editing stage. There are many movies which have good storylines and actors but they fail to capture the audience due to poor editing. Such movies feature many scenes which do not add to the plot or have those which are important left out. Others have poor editing techniques and audiences are exposed to obvious mistakes every time there is a transition to a new scene. Editing of movies should be done in a professional manner in which the audience is unable to notice any edited parts. When a film analyst is analyzing a movie, he or she should look for confusing parts especially when transiting to new scenes. He or she should also look for the synchronization between actors words and actions in order to judge the success of the editing process. In movies which have action scenes, these scenes should gradually build to climax with out losing the captivation and interest of the audience. Successful movies flow smoothly between scenes which gradually develop the theme or plot of the story. Directors fingerprints Most directors have distinct styles which characterize movies they produce. Directors understand the scriptwriters intentions, actors skills and how the crew operates. Due to this reasons, films usually leave a signature which is unique to directors. After a film is completed, it should have the feel and look of the director who directed the movie. In order to assess the directors signature in a movie, the analyst should research previous movies done by the directors and any distinct styles which she or he uses. The analyst should also analyze the reputation which the director has from the perspective of other directors and filmmakers. Signature elements which are unique to directors include edgy dialog, familiar actors, creative background music or unique camera perspectives and angles. These elements assist a film analyst to analyze a movie and conclude whether it was successful or not. How to find and interpret meaning in movies Finding and interpreting meaning in movies is usually challenging to audiences especially if the film is of low quality. Many people watch a movie and wonder what its theme or meaning was after it is over. However, there are various techniques which may be used to find meaning and some of them will be discussed below; Analyzing how characters react to conflict This is a common approach which should be used by analyst when finding meaning in movies. Many movies have simple concepts at the face level but once someone analyzes how characters react to conflict with other characters or events, it becomes clear the meaning or theme of the movie. Conflict in movies is usually represented as dramatic action or dialog. Dramatic action should be interpreted by watching characters actions in order to expose underlying meaning (Hagener TÃ ¶teberg, 2002). Action is usually interpreted through analyzing the unspoken. When searching for meaning, the changes which characters undergo as a result of experiencing conflict, exposes the underlying meaning in movies. Changes on the main character throughout the movie This is a similar approach to finding meaning in movies. It involves analyzing the character of the main actor at the beginning of the movie and at the end in order to view any changes which they may have experienced. Main characters usually change after experiencing certain events within the movie. They are usually faced with challenges and experiences which require decision making and choices. These decisions and choices change the character of the actor. Understanding the changes which occur to the main character and the factors which influenced these changes will enable a movie analyst to find meaning in film. Personal experiences There is consensus among many directors that movies may have different meaning to different people based on experiences. Some people may have different interpretations of the same movie based on experiences they have. In order to find meaning, the audience may therefore be forced to analyze their personal experiences and relate them to the movie. Many movies feature themes which relate to social norms and experiences and it is therefore easy for a movie analyst to find meaning within his or her experiences in society. Cultural influences Every film is based on a certain culture which may be real or fictional. Particular characters in the film either follow such cultures or rebel against them. This is the basis of creation of a villain and hero within the movie. When the actions of characters in the totality of the film are assessed based on the popular culture in the film, it is possible to derive meaning from the film. The presence of villains and heroes who either follow or rebel against the prevailing culture drives an analyst in finding meaning of the movie. This strategy works both for fictional or real life acts. Analyzing contradictions within the film Finally, another effective way of understanding meaning of film is through analyzing contradictions inherent in the movie. The major elements of a film include sound, editing, cinematography, settings, theme, character and narrative. By studying any contradiction which may be present between these elements, one can derive meaning from film. For instance, contradictions between actors actions and words or between soundtracks and images may present a deeper meaning in film. My personal criteria for evaluating movies When evaluating movies, there are certain steps which I follow and some of them are included in the strategies which have been discussed above. The first step involves watching the movie carefully and patiently in order to understand the storyline. This should be the first objective of any film analyst since the storyline provides the basis for analyzing a movie. Understanding the storyline involves connecting the sub-plots and scenes together in order to develop one overall story. After watching the film, the second step is finding meaning. I believe that any effective film analyst should first understand meaning of a film before he or she gives an opinion of whether it was successful or not. In order to understand meaning in film, I usually use two strategies. The first involves studying the behavioral changes in the main actor as a result of experiences in the movie. The choices and decisions made as a result of experiences which in turn alter their character is an effective way of understanding meaning. The second strategy involves analyzing the cultural influences on characters. The behavior of characters in the context of the dominant culture in the movie has helped me interpret meaning in film. Finally, any experiences which I may have relating to the storyline also help me in finding meaning of a movie. After understanding meaning of a movie, the third step is assessing the effectiveness of the various elements of the film. These include the sound, editing, cinematography, settings, theme, character and narrative. I usually analyze all these elements independently and judge whether they were effectively used or not. I also analyze the connection between various elements in order to make the overall movie. I usually use the guidelines which have been discussed in the paper when analyzing the elements. After this analysis, I consider the elements, storyline and theme of the film in totality, in order to give an opinion on whether a film was successful or not. I consider a film to be successful its storyline is interesting, theme relevant and if all elements have been effectively used in developing the movie. Summary and conclusion Various aspects of film analysis have been discussed in the paper. Film analysis involves analyzing film elements, the storyline and theme in order to develop a conclusion of the success of the movie. In order to effectively analyze a movie, various elements are assessed and these include effectiveness of storyline and dialog, set pieces and background, performance of actors, editing and the directors fingerprints. These elements should all be interlinked and they should flow to give the movie a clear storyline. In order to find meaning in movies, various factors are analyzed and these include analysis of how characters react to conflict, changes on the main character throughout the movie, personal experiences, cultural influences and analysis of contradictions within the film. Meaning and effectiveness of elements used should be taken in totality when determining the success of a movie. However, one should be careful when finding meaning since different people may have different mea nings to the same movie due to different cultural experiences.

The U.S. Constitution and The Patriot Act Essay example -- Government

George Washington once said, â€Å"The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.† The first President of the United States knew that the Constitution was and still is the greatest and most important document in America. He said that he would never abandon it and he would never deny it. He would follow it, like it was a guide. The Constitution is supposed to be a guide, which would never be neglected. However, the current government has deserted and almost discarded the United States Constitution. George Washington and the rest of the founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they knew that The USA Patriot Act was an Act now being followed. As Abraham Lincoln said, â€Å"Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties†. The Constitution should not be hindered, and it should never be disregarded. This country was built on the base of the Constitution and the founding fathers wo rked hard to come up with just the precise way to run a republic. The USA Patriot Act is a controversial Act that was made to prevent and penalize all terrorist acts in the United States of America as well as all around the globe. This act was made in order to improve law enforcement investigations, the tools used in those investigations and more. The USA Patriot Act stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. The USA Patriot Act was passed to create some sort of a huge surveillance superstructure. This act was signed into law in 2001 by President George W. Bush and then extended in 2011 by President Barak Obama (Electronic Privacy Information Center). The Patriot Act was largely passed becaus... ... May 2012. . Drucker, David. "Bipartisanship Forms on Both Sides of PATRIOT Act Extension." Roll Call. An Economist Group Business, 03 23 2011. Web. 13 May 2012. . Electronic Privacy Information Center, . "USA PATRIOT Act." Electronic Privacy Information Center (2010): n.pag. EPIC. Web. 13 May 2012. . Ramasastry, Anita. "Explaining the U.S.A. Patriot Act." CNN. (2002): n. page. Web. 13 May. 2012. . Savage, Charlie. "A Patriot Act Surprise." New York Times. (2011): n. page. Web. 13 May. 2012. .

Preparation Outline for Informative Speech Essay

Introduction As long as I can remember my family has always had food on the table and a family gathering on the fourth November in our home. We have all heard elementary stories of wood cabins and the Pilgrims and Indians celebrating thanksgiving. Though, I never knew the reason they were celebrating. Today as Thanksgiving is closely approaching, I am going to talk to you about the history of Thanksgiving, its traditions, and how our era and personal preferences influence the traditions in our celebrations. First let’s start by learning the origination of the Thanksgiving holiday. I. According to Caleb Johnson’s The Mayflower, â€Å"The pilgrim’s gave thanks in 1621 (the actual date unknown) for the first time.† A. In this article he has a published Plimouth letter. This letter gives us insight as to why they celebrated a day of thanks and with what foods. B. This being that the pilgrims had a scarce crop the years before that had led to sickness and death. The foods they celebrated with was a variety of foods from their crop, many fish, and wildlife animals. So because in the year of 1621 their crops group plentiful, the people of Plimouth decided give thanks to god for their year of blossoming crops. So they celebrated with food and thanks for 3 days. C. This is also the only known account of the Plimouth’s celebration for years to come. The next account was some twenty years later in a published article by William Bradford. So how did a National Holiday come into effect? Why the fourth Thursday? II. The years leading up to a National Holiday A. The Continental Congress proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving in 1777. Yet, Presidents Washington, Adams and Monroe proclaimed national Thanksgivings, but the custom fell out of use by 1815, after which the celebration of the holiday was limited to individual state observances. B. By the 1850s, almost every state and territory celebrated Thanksgiving. C. The plimoth.org site states, â€Å"In 1827, Sarah Josepha Hale began a campaign to reinstate the holiday after the model of the first Presidents. She publicly petitioned several Presidents to make it an annual event. Though her efforts did not succeeded until 1863, when she convinced President Lincoln that a national Thanksgiving might serve to unite a war-torn country.† D. According to History.com it was not until 1941 that the fourth Thursday of November be the permanent date for thanksgiving. Where does a turkey come into play? What are the traditions of this Holiday? III. Thanksgiving traditions and how they came into effect. A. The simplest tradition of Thanksgiving is to come together and give thanks. B. Thanksgiving is also known as Turkey Day. Why? Well according to slate.com, Turkeys just so happened to not have anything to do with the first Thanksgiving. They were fresh, affordable, and big enough to feed a crowd. Among the big birds, turkey was ideal for a fall feast. C. By 1863, when Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, turkeys had taken center stage at Thanksgiving. IV. In this era we have added a few Thanksgiving traditions. A. Alder says, â€Å"Pro football has become as big a tradition at Thanksgiving as the turkey and if your Thanksgiving celebrations are like mine, most of the football fans head right for the television as soon as they hit the door.† B. According to USA today, â€Å"A little more than 60 years after the holiday’s formal recognition, another tradition was born: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Started in 1924, the department store’s first parade included actual animals from the Central Park Zoo.† C. Thanksgiving traditions don’t end on Thanksgiving Day. In the 1950s, the  day after Thanksgiving was called Black Friday by factory managers because so many workers called in sick and the Philadelphia Police Department took to calling the day Black Friday to describe the traffic jams, crowds and shoplifters during the start of the holiday shopping season. Black Friday signals the start of the holiday shopping season, but it may be a tradition that’s continuing to evolve as stores vie to be the earliest to open Thanksgiving Day. In conclusion, the history of Thanksgiving dates back to 1621. It takes many years before it becomes a permanent national holiday for the American society. Throughout the years Americans have in cooperated new traditions as well as maintained the old. As O. Henry says, â€Å"There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.†

Bilbo Baggins Essays - The Hobbit, New Zealand Films, Free Essays

Bilbo Baggins Essays - The Hobbit, New Zealand Films, Free Essays Bilbo Baggins The book begins with Bilbo Baggins enjoying a pipe after breakfast. Th is is one of his favorite pleasures and he feels quite content in doing so. He is middle-aged, and resides in a clean warm burrow in the ground. One morning Gandalf, a wizard stops by to chat with Bilbo. He informs Bilbo that he is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. Although Bilbo is tempted he declines, but not before inviting Gandalf for tea the next morning. The next day Bilbo hears his doorbell and he recalls inviting Gandalf for tea, but instead of the wizard at the door, there is a group of dwarves... thirteen in all. Thorin son of the dwarf king starts to outline a plan on how to regain the tr easure stolen by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo is shocked to realize these plans involve him! He then realizes that Gandalf has tricked him by inscribing on his doo r that he was a burglar seeking a job with lots of excitement. With all this talk of quests and glory Bilbo decides to join the party after all. Gandalf reveals a key and a map of their journey which ends at the Lon ely Mountain. It is there that the treasure of Thorin's ancestors are kept-guar ded by Smaug. The quest begins and the party meets at the Green Dragon Inn. From there they venture into the Lone-lands. As heavy rains begin to fall, Bilbo notice s that Gandalf is missing. When it starts to pour they stop to investigate a light. There Bilbo finds three trolls grumbling about food. Bilbo decides to live up to title of burglar and attempts to pick one of the trolls pocket. However they quickly capture him. The dwarfs see what's going on and try to save poor Bilbo... yet all of them except Thorin is caught. Thorin formulates a plan of freeing them but fails. Gandalf returns and occupies the trolls till dawn, then the turn into stone. They group take the two swords and a knife the trolls were carrying. The travelers come across the Secret Valley. There they stop at Elrond 's Last Homely House. Elrond tells them the only way to use the key that Thorin possesses is to wait where the thrush knocks and the setting sun will shine up on the keyhole. The next morning the group heads toward the Misty Mountains. A storm has caused them to seek shelter in a cave. The cave however turns out to be an entrance to the goblin kingdom. Once again the group is captured. Only Gandalf is free, and he slays the Goblin King, and once again free the party from impend ing doom. During the escape Bilbo is knocked unconscious and is left behind. He awakes to find himself power which makes it's wearer invisible - the ring which Bilbo found. Bilbo slips the ring upon his finger and disappears. He follows Gollum stealthily toward the entrance to the outside world. He then bounds over Gollu m's head to freedom. Outside he is reunited with his dwarf friends. Later they encounter Wargs (large savage wolves). The Wargs chase the party into the trees. High in the branches Gandalf uses a spell to turn the pine cones a fire, in order to drive the wolves away. However the plan backfires and the very trees they took refuge in are now ablaze! Luckily for them the king of the eagles spotted them. He and his eagles swooped out of the sky and whisked our adventures to safety. The eagles dropped them off near Mirkwood Forest. This is where they come across Beorn, a bear like man who can indeed change into a bear. He puts them up for the night and outfits them with supplies for th eir trip into Mirkwood. He also warns them not to stray from the path in the fo rest. When they are ready to enter the forest, Gandalf announces he will not be accompanying them in this part of the journey. The group feels lost without him but yet they press on. They come across a black river. It is here that Bombur, one of the Dwarves falls in and is thrust into a sleep from which he cannot awake. Food is scarce now and the hungry travelers are lured off the path by visions of elves feasting in the forest. To their surprize every time they announce their presence to the elves...they elves vanish! Once again Bilbo finds himself seperated from the group. He stops for a short nap and awakes to find himself

Cortes essays

Cortes essays Cortes: The Life of the Conqueror was written by Cortes assistant, chaplain, and secretary, Francisco Lopez de Gomara. The text, an epic written in a courtly style that tends to simultaneously enumerate and generalize the presented accomplishments, follows the life of Hernan Cortes, briefly touching on his early life and spending the majority of its pages detailing the explorers various conquests in Mexico. The author, since he was a companion, advisor, and secretary to Cortes, and was also a secular priest, can be said to be biased towards the glorification of his subject, with whom he was allied, and against the native inhabitants, in his vehement disavowal of the indigenous populations culture and society. His point of view is one of unrestrained admiration mixed with the sureness that Cortes every action was inspired by the greater good of Christianizing the new land. The sources used by Gomara can be assumed to be a combination of direct reports from Cortes, recollections, reconstructions of events of which he was not a direct observer, and letters and receipts. In my opinion, the book is a formidable historical document that goes into great detail, but is also a presentation of a historical point of view that sees the unitizing force of a Christian God to be its ultimate goal, and thus, though it may list physiological and architectural descriptions of non- Christian cultures, it otherwise serves no other purpose than to disparage them, while assuring the reader that the actions of its heroic protagonist were universally just. Nonetheless, the history is very readable, is at times humorous, and does not shy away from the elaborate presentation of detail often found in epic poetry, of which it reminded Gomara describes Cortes youth very briefly, stating that he was an energetic child who sought wealth and glory by traveling to the ...

Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Violence - Essay Example These are the steps, which I think should be taken by the parents in order to guide the children towards a positive approach: 1. Parents should take care while communicating with their children, and according to child psychology parents should never impose any decision on children. That does not mean that parents should set their children free but they should explain every do's and don'ts to their children. It would be better to have friendly discussions with children and then softly explain your view to them along with the pros and cons of TV and video games. Tell them how video games can affect their personalities, how and in what ways these programs can cause harm to them and what would be the consequences of continuing these activities in near future. 3. Act like you have understood child's opinion, appreciate it and while appreciating gradually draw his attention towards the negative aspects of video games, like "anger" and "violence". ... 4. Draw his attention towards other useful activities and concerns to do like sports, music, picnic etc. This would help in maintaining a warm and friendly attitude. (Remember the most successful children are those whose parents are more like friends to them) 5. In most cases children can be controlled by adopting this attitude but if (in rare cases) they are unable to manage, parents should straight forwardly prohibit them from involving in such activities. Children should not be allowed to watch TV all the time or playing video games. Violent games are not only harmful to children psychologically but they also damage sensitive areas of brain tissues affecting long-term memory of a child. As we can see today video games not only comprise of games alone but also they have small movie clips in it, which often shows violence and aggression thereby inspiring and motivating the child towards such attitude. Now, who is responsible for such games, which portray pain and aggression Who to blame; society, parents or technology. I have seen "Max Payne" the game, which involves all the characteristics mentioned above. Children love to play and indulge in those games, which the technology has gifted us, so the best technique to save a child is to make him aware of the consequences beforehand. I think video games are like drugs, once you get in it becomes very difficult to remain aloof from drugs. In conclusion I would like to suggest that parents whether by hook or by crook should not allow their children in any circumstances to spoil their personalities by getting addicted to these drugs. Might be this is the way we can save our child, save a generation. Name: ____________ Course ID: ________ Student ID: ________ "Do TV and video

Deconstructing Leadership The Prince Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deconstructing Leadership The Prince - Essay Example In 'The Prince' it is clear that Machiavelli is reflecting the form of rule he experiences being exerted by the leadership in Florence whilst also drawing general conclusions on other leaders. Machiavellian principle suggests that a leader must learn to deceive, lie and even act against one's own morality to achieve greatness. His central idea is that a leader who is not wicked should practice wickedness to rule effectively. In modern society we tend to have a great deal of contempt for our leaders and as events in recent history have proved, this has in many cases been justified. It is perhaps because of Machiavelli's provision for acceptable corruption within our political leadership that society now accepts that leaders are not so much humans themselves but an elevated acceptable form of undesirable that is nonetheless essential to our survival (Charles 2000). In the prince Machiavelli states, rulers must "make himself loved and feared by his subjects, followed and respected by his soldiers". (Machiavelli 1984 p27). The ruler, hence, is vindicated in doing whatsoever is essential to preserve the country, even if it is unfair. A Prince's most important duty is the protection of his rule and the protection of his subjects. Machiavelli states, "A prince thus, must comprise of no other object or idea, nor attain proficiency in anything except war, its organizations, as well as its discipline." (Machiavelli 1984 p 47) Another quality of a prince is that it is better to be considered merciful than cruel, but mercy must never be misused. Machiavelli said that the art of war was the subject of most importance to the ruler. A prince can be attacked in two ways: internally, by conspiracies, and externally, by enemies. Machiavelli states in the prince, "A prince ought to not be troubled if he incurs criticism for his unkindness so long as he keeps his subjects united as well as dedicated" (Machiavelli 1984 p 5). He can protect himself from conspiracies by means of avoiding extreme dislike. It is furthermore stated that no prince should neutralize his subjects or else he will have to make use of mercenary troops as alternative. Mercenaries are from foreign countries and are not fighting for their country so they are not loyal and they will not care whether they win or lose. Those leaders who follow a cause for money are not to be trusted. Those who are not after money (Federico 1958). Machiavelli felt that these were essential means in for turning into a successful ruler. He also felt protection had little significance and thought that the best fortress is to be created in the love of the people. He states in the prince that , "Men are unappreciative, indecisive, liars, as well as deceivers, they avoid danger and are gluttonous for profit; even as you treat them in a good way they are yours. (Machiavelli 1984 p 54) 'The Prince' was his key contribution to the theories for leadership in his day. To be a successful leader, Machiavelli believed that you primarily had to be able to deceive. A good leader has to appear to be good, but when necessary they must be