Extra Credit-Writing About Film

Extra Credit: Writing About Film

Taking notes and writing about novels or stories is different from writing about films.  Novels have one author films have many people and elements that determine the final product. A person has to be engaged in the movie, thinking and summarizing as the movie progresses in order to write about a movie. The two most complex elements to movies is directing and editing. The elements that go into film making today are much more involved than the 1900’s.  It can be hard to write about a film because we can get caught up in the entertainment of the film instead of the work that goes into it. 

When we write about a film it is the invisible aspects we should also see.  We might not see the camera work, editing, lighting, sound and understand the different parts seen in a movie which create the whole, but they are important.  To write a good essay about a film analyze in parts which is called formal analysis.  Do the elements function separately or together?   Each scene or shot needs to be understood. Learn about film terms.  Research the film, find out who made it, what other films did they make, what is the production history, what do others have to say about it, what can be learned from the films style or does the film reflect a culture?    

I definitely learned more about “Smoke Signals” through research before I watched the movie and wrote my essay. I found out about the production history and the culture of the film which was very interesting. I did take notes while watching the movie but it was hard because I kept getting caught up in the story and the emotions in the movie instead of thinking about taking notes.  I had to go back and watch it a couple more times.