The Key Elements of Film Form

Film Form: Key Elements

Understanding the key elements of film form will allow you to evaluate and contextualize the British films you study for this course. The following breakdown should prove helpful in your revision process.

Cinematography

Camera work: This includes shot types, camera movements, camera angles, point-of-view shots and depth of field.
Lighting: How a film is lit can greatly affect its tone and atmosphere. Low-key and high-key lighting, for example, can completely change a scene’s aesthetic.
Composition: The arrangement of visual elements in a shot can influence how the audience understands the scene.
Colour: This element does more than make a film visually appealing, it can also be used symbolically.

Mise en scène

Set design: This factor contributes greatly to a film’s realism or artificiality. The location, furnishings and props used can reveal key details about a character or narrative.
Costume and makeup: These can give insights into character and context, or contribute to thematic elements.
Body language and facial expression: These reveal a lot about a character’s emotional state and individual personality.
Blocking: The positioning and movement of characters and elements within the frame can suggest relationships, create tension, or draw our attention.

Editing

Continuity editing: This technique ensures logical coherence from shot to shot, with the aim of making the editing “invisible.”
Montage: A series of shots edited into a sequence to condense time, space or information.
Transitions: Techniques such as fade, dissolve and cut, can establish rhythm, mood, and narrative progression.

Sound

Diegetic and non-diegetic sound: Diegetic sounds are those that exist in the world of the film, non-diegetic sounds do not (like soundtrack or voice-over).
Sound bridges: These can smooth transitions, build continuity, and create mood.
Sound Effects: These can enhance realism, build atmosphere, or emphasise action or emotion.

Narrative structure

Linear or non-linear structure: A linear narrative follows the chronological order of events, while a non-linear narrative may employ flashbacks, flash-forwards or fractured time.
Story and plot: It’s key to understand the difference between these two. Story includes all events that are presented to us, while plot includes all events that are directly shown to us in the film.
Genres: This category of narrative structure includes conventions and common storylines, settings, characters, and themes of a particular type of film.

Remember, these elements are not isolated, but interlinked. As you study each film, consider how they interact to create an overall impact.