Introduction
Film Culture- the social and historical environment permeated with and defined by certain ideas, values and expectations about movies
It basically consists of everything that happens when we experience a film
The films you like define you personally and the films our culture likes define us socially
Film studies- a deeper, more precise, and analytical way of viewing films
Film attempts to explain life and the world in a style and approach uniquely on its own
The viewing experience- the importance of a film is in how it impacts a viewer or audience and in how actively we respond to that film
Active viewing- engaging with a film in energetic and dynamic ways, from personal/subjective readings to social and public interpretations
Viewer tastes- cultural, social, emotional, and intellectual preferences or interests in movies, they are shaped by:
Experiential circumstances- material conditions that define our identity at a certain time and in a certain place
Experiential histories- personal and social encounters through which we have learned our identities (education, relationships, travels, ect.)
Identification- psychological process through which we empathize with or project onto a character in a particular setting or situation; this is the emotional aspect of viewing a film
Cognition- the aspects of comprehension that makes up our rational reactions and thought processes; this is the intellectual aspect of viewing a film
How films are made
Goal of the film maker- to create an artistic and/ or commercial product that will engage, please, and provoke viewers
Film production- a multi-layered process in which industry, art, technology, and imagination intertwine to contribute to a films construction
The first phase of film production: Preproduction
The phase when a film project is in development and before the cameras begin filming; when a film is conceived, scripts are scouted, props, sets and costumes are constructed
Screenwriting- person who writes a film is called the screenwriter, who presents a treatment (brief description of plot and characters) to film makers or studio executives, who then decide if the writer should expand it into a screenplay
Different writers can be involved on the same film
Various versions of the screenplay will be created, with the final draft called the “final shooting script”
Sometimes a “script doctor” is hired to do re-writes
Producer involvement- people in charge of a films finances (how it spends its money) and who oversee all of the operations of putting a film together are the producer
Their level of involvement differs from film to film, but they’re mainly in charge of everything except the actual shooting of the film
They are in charge of a films budget, from big decisions (aka above the line expenses) to smaller ones (below the line expenses)
If a film is likely to make more money it has spent in order to be profitable, it is considered “bankable”
Casting a film- choosing what actors will play what role in a film; casting directors work with agents to decide what actors would fit best in certain films
Location scouting- determining places that provide the most suitable environments for different movie scenes; must consider the script, costs, authenticity vs. construction
Art direction- production designers, art directors, and set designers are in charge of how a films sets and props are conceived and constructed
Costume designers- plan and prepare how actors will dress for certain parts; they must know historical and contemporary clothing/fashion trends, and they work directly with the art direction department
The second phase of film production: Production
These are the weeks or months of actual shooting either on set or on location
The director- the chief creative presence or primary manager in shooting a film: they have their own styles and approaches today: certain studios select directors based on their stylistic