Media Literacy Topic #2

Reading a Film

Movies are not reality, but filmmakers use all their skills to convince the audience that what’s on screen is genuine. In about two hours of screen time, filmmakers can convey stories that take place over several days, weeks, or years. Dialogue, costumes, makeup, and hairstyles help actors create believable characters. Music lets the audience know how the characters feel. Camera angles call attention to the important relationships or situations in a scene.

Analyze a scene from your favorite movie. When watching the scene, take notes to help you remember plot events, emotions, character details, and information about the movie’s setting and time period.

Answer the questions below:

·         Describe what happened in the scene you watched; How does the scene make you feel? What techniques did the filmmakers use to make you feel that way?

·         How did the pacing of the scene (fast or slow) or the movement of the camera affect your reactions?

·         List all the visual qualities such as framing, camera angles, colors, setting, costumes, décor, and lighting.

·         What was the mood of the scene? How did the colors used in the scene contribute to the mood?

·         What did the costumes tell you about the characters?

·         How did the music contribute to the mood and what did the music tell you about the characters?

·         What did you learn about the characters from the dialogue?

·         What were the values and opinions expressed in this scene?