Film is generally studied now as a form of communication, hence it is involved wuith communications theory.

SOME TERMS

Types of Artists

Creative artist: One who creates a work (author, painter, sculptor, composer, choreographer etc)
Interpretive artists: One who presents a created work to an audience (dancer, musician, actor etc.)
 Types of Art
verbal: Written in a language
graphic (2 dimensional) (the audience receives the work directly)
plastic (3 dimensional) (the audience receives the work directly)
performing (creator of the art is separated from the aidience by an interpretive artist)
 Formalism: A form of art in which the work calls attention to what it is doing.
Realism: A form of art in which the artist wants the audiene to believe they are seeing the real world.
Text (plot) - more or less what goes on on the surface. What you would tell someone the story is about
Subtext (theme) - a deeper meaning to the story
Code - techinically a word for word substitution as opposed to a cipher which is a letter by letter substitution.
Variable: an alternate. Something which can substitute for something else so there is a contrast..Different art forms use different variables. Film uses camera placement, lighting, sound design, film stocks, lenses etc.
Symbol: something which stands for something else in an arbritrary way as opposed to an icon which has a non-arbitrary referent. The foot print of a dog is an icon (or sign in some theories); the word "dog" is a symbol
Hermeneutics: The method of discovering the "deeper meaning" of the text - i.e. the subtext
Off screen sounds: sounds heard but the source of which may not be known. Builds tension
Direct address: The person acknowledges the audience's existence by talking directly to them.
Sender: In communications theory, the person who originates the message
Receiver: The person to whom the message is given

In rather simplistic terms, a sender will code a message (say into a language and dialect) which will be send through a medium (say speech or writing) through a channel (say auditory or visual) which will be received and decoded by a receiver.

                                                MESSAGE
SENDER=============================================RECEIVER
   \                                                                                                                        /
    \ coding                                                                                            decoding/
     \ ____________________ MEDIUM____________________________/
                                                CHANNEL

There is much discussion in film studies as to who the sender is since film is such a cooperative venture. At some periods the studio may have been more the creator, in other periods, the director. In any case the audience will see a finished project on the screen which is the subject or interpretation and analysis.

The film makers (whoever they may be) have photographed and edited the film on which are recorded performances by actors, sets designed by artists, costumes designed by costume designers, titles made by artists, music composed by composers or selected for the film from existing music.Each of these will contribute something to the way the film is seen and interpreted.

SUBTEXTS

Subtexts tend to fall into 5 main categories or areas. They provide a look at some kind of question are are not things like "The subext is 'It is better to be honset'" The five general reas in which subtexts may occur are not restrictive. More than one can occur in any work of art. The focus may change depending on the time period in which the art work is created and the time in which the interpretation is occurring. In past times much was seen in terms of religious belief. Currently it is "politics" which is "hot". The five major areas are:

(1) Socio-polittical. This deals with the nature of power - who has it, how is it used and so on. It may look at relationship between ethnic groups, genders, class and so on.

(2) Religious/moral/ethical. These areas are often linked in the West (although not elsewhere) Western morality and ethics are often linked with religion. Religion is sometimes viewed relative to category (3) science and tecnology since these two are often on a collision course in the West.

(3) Science and technology. Fims often look at the way in which science and technology impact on people. The uses of science may be questioned, along with the existence of (or lack of) morals and ethics among scientists. Clearly the idea of role links this often to Catagory (1) and also to category (2) in terms of conflicts between science and religion. (4) Psycho-sexual: Usually Freudian. General interest in ideas of repression, obsession and so on.

(5) Reflexivity: The work raises questions about the nature of art and the relationship between the artist and the work.

 FILM TECHNIQUES IN SWEDNING MESSAGES:

(1) parallel structure or content - concern with hands in Frankenstein: We first see the creature's hand, followed quickly of a shot of Frankenstein's hands and the line "I made it with my own hands". Another is the groups of people to show relationships. In the scene where Elizabeth, Victor and Dr. Waldman come to see Frankenstein in the tower, the three of them are placed on one side, while the creature, Fritz and Frankenstein are on the other. Watch for linkings of this kind.

. (2) build up to high points. The first appearance of the creature.Typical off screen sounds; use of shadow and light, jump cuts,and so on It is important to watch images - reflections in mirrors, bars, frames, angles of shot etc.

Some analysis of the film will follow after the class discussion.