Breaking Down a Genre: Westerns
Westerns is a genre that is defined predominantly by its setting — the American West. The vast plains, rugged tablelands and prodigious mountain ranges create the genre’s unique iconography. Usually set in the time period from the 1850s to the late 19th century, westerns often depict the lives of the…
11 mins read
Narratology: How Plots Are Structured in Films
When discussing narration, we always consider who the author is and how he or she chooses to tell the story. As in literature, films have an implied author. However, unlike in literature, the implied author in films is not solely the filmmaker but also the producers, directors, writers and even the actors themselves, as they are also responsible for creating the story in the film as a whole. Some films feature voice-over narration, where an off-screen narrator, who could also be a character in the story provides an interpretation of the events unfolding on the screen. Voice-over narrators are common…
10 mins read
Introducing the Filmmaking Team
Besides the actors, the directors are often the most recognized member of the film-making team. You can often spot their names on the title sequence or the opening credits with the labels “A film by…” or “A …film”, thereby giving them a symbolic ownership over the film. Apart from creative directing, a director’s key skill is collaboration. To ensure that they capture top-quality footage and realise their vision for the film, they have to communicate and work with the other essential creative members of the film-making crew, such as screenwriters, editors, actors to name a few. In fact, all of…
8 mins read
Film Cuts Explained
Film cuts or cinematic cuts are a quintessential part of film editing in the post-production process. They are used in transitioning from one scene to another and is an integral part in the narrative structure of a film. Let’s take a look at the different cuts used in today’s films.
5 mins read
Cinematography: Understanding Lighting in Film
How do filmmakers use different lighting techniques to set the scene? Lighting is a quintessential part of filmmaking in visually setting the mood and atmosphere of a film, which oftentimes define the genre of the film. It’s a powerful tool that can direct the audience’s eye to a part of a scene, a specific actor or prop and even reflect the emotions and personality of a character.
5 mins read