Today, we left the unit on photography and began our final unit on film. We began the class by discussing a few elements of film:
1. Narrative impulse- tells a story
2. Psychological identification- there is an illusion of reality as there is a manipulation of time. Films are also like dreams (note, we do turn the lights out after all)…film is also connected to myth (meaning, story) as these myths shape us (ex- Snow White/Cinderella/etc)
3. Intensity- film has energy…many films move very fast (especially today) ex- Fast and Furious…it is an illusion of energy
4. Shot- film is based on a shot (a single take)…these shots are edited to created a film
5. Sequences- sequences are several shots in a row…films are put together with numerous sequences
*Classical Hollywood Cinema- a mode of production…economic mode of production designed to make money….it can also be an art, but most think of it as a business
*angles are very important!
*When analyzing film, one must first ask, What does it mean? What is it trying to say? Does it have a particular point of view?
We next watched Madonna's 1989 controversial music video, "Like a Prayer".
The music video has a number of religious references (burning crosses, Jesus icon, etc.). The video is sort of a dream sequence as she falls asleep in the church and reawakens in the end of the video. Although the video is controversial, it shows the physical power of religion to move people and was a good video to begin the film unit!
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