The Key Elements of Film Form

The Key Elements of Film Form

Cinematography

  • The visual dimension of a film, which includes aspects like camera angles, framing, and movement
  • The use of lighting and colour to evoke specific themes, emotions, and moods
  • Depth of field, which plays with focus to signify importance or create a certain feeling.
  • The use of special effects, CGI or post-production techniques, and how they contribute to the narrative

Editing

  • The techniques used to assemble the shots into sequences and then into the overall film
  • Continuity editing to maintain a continuous and clear narrative, or the break from it for intentional disorientation
  • The use of transitions like dissolves, cuts, fades, and wipes to influence the pace and mood of a film
  • Parallel editing or cross-cutting to weave together two or more lines of action

Mise en Scène

  • The aspects of film that viewers can see on the screen including setting, props, costumes, and makeup
  • The spacing and positioning of characters and objects within the frame
  • The use of colour and lighting in a scene to create effect

Sound

  • The dialogue, which carries the plot forward and reveals character traits and emotions
  • The diegetic and non-diegetic sound, which respectively include sounds that occur naturally in the world of the film, or sounds that are added for the audience’s perception and mood
  • The use of music, both diegetic and non-diegetic, to establish the setting, mood, and tone of the film

Performance

  • The ability of the actors to portray the characters, and the director’s role in guiding those performances
  • The use of physical movement, facial expressions, and vocal tone in delivering performances
  • The casting choices and how they influence the viewer’s perception of the characters

Narrative Structure

  • The presentation of the plot’s structure which may not necessarily be chronological
  • The use of flashbacks and flash-forwards, or nonlinear storytelling techniques
  • The exploration of themes and moral messages that underlie the plot

Remember that these elements are all interconnected and work together to shape a film’s overall form and impact. You will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of all these elements within the context of European cinema, drawing examples from the specific films you have studied.