Film Analysis
What this handout is about.
This handout introduces film analysis and and offers strategies and resources for approaching film analysis assignments.
Writing the film analysis essay
Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece. Film analysis goes beyond the analysis of the film as literature to include camera angles, lighting, set design, sound elements, costume choices, editing, etc. in making an argument. The first step to analyzing the film is to watch it with a plan.
Watching the film
First it’s important to watch the film carefully with a critical eye. Consider why you’ve been assigned to watch a film and write an analysis. How does this activity fit into the course? Why have you been assigned this particular film? What are you looking for in connection to the course content? Let’s practice with this clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). Here are some tips on how to watch the clip critically, just as you would an entire film:
- Give the clip your undivided attention at least once. Pay close attention to details and make observations that might start leading to bigger questions.
- Watch the clip a second time. For this viewing, you will want to focus specifically on those elements of film analysis that your class has focused on, so review your course notes. For example, from whose perspective is this clip shot? What choices help convey that perspective? What is the overall tone, theme, or effect of this clip?
- Take notes while you watch for the second time. Notes will help you keep track of what you noticed and when, if you include timestamps in your notes. Timestamps are vital for citing scenes from a film!
For more information on watching a film, check out the Learning Center’s handout on watching film analytically . For more resources on researching film, including glossaries of film terms, see UNC Library’s research guide on film & cinema .
Brainstorming ideas
Once you’ve watched the film twice, it’s time to brainstorm some ideas based on your notes. Brainstorming is a major step that helps develop and explore ideas. As you brainstorm, you may want to cluster your ideas around central topics or themes that emerge as you review your notes. Did you ask several questions about color? Were you curious about repeated images? Perhaps these are directions you can pursue.
If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you can use the connections that you develop while brainstorming to draft a thesis statement . Consider the assignment and prompt when formulating a thesis, as well as what kind of evidence you will present to support your claims. Your evidence could be dialogue, sound edits, cinematography decisions, etc. Much of how you make these decisions will depend on the type of film analysis you are conducting, an important decision covered in the next section.
After brainstorming, you can draft an outline of your film analysis using the same strategies that you would for other writing assignments. Here are a few more tips to keep in mind as you prepare for this stage of the assignment:
- Make sure you understand the prompt and what you are being asked to do. Remember that this is ultimately an assignment, so your thesis should answer what the prompt asks. Check with your professor if you are unsure.
- In most cases, the director’s name is used to talk about the film as a whole, for instance, “Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo .” However, some writers may want to include the names of other persons who helped to create the film, including the actors, the cinematographer, and the sound editor, among others.
- When describing a sequence in a film, use the literary present. An example could be, “In Vertigo , Hitchcock employs techniques of observation to dramatize the act of detection.”
- Finding a screenplay/script of the movie may be helpful and save you time when compiling citations. But keep in mind that there may be differences between the screenplay and the actual product (and these differences might be a topic of discussion!).
- Go beyond describing basic film elements by articulating the significance of these elements in support of your particular position. For example, you may have an interpretation of the striking color green in Vertigo , but you would only mention this if it was relevant to your argument. For more help on using evidence effectively, see the section on “using evidence” in our evidence handout .
Also be sure to avoid confusing the terms shot, scene, and sequence. Remember, a shot ends every time the camera cuts; a scene can be composed of several related shots; and a sequence is a set of related scenes.
Different types of film analysis
As you consider your notes, outline, and general thesis about a film, the majority of your assignment will depend on what type of film analysis you are conducting. This section explores some of the different types of film analyses you may have been assigned to write.
Semiotic analysis
Semiotic analysis is the interpretation of signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors and analogies to both inanimate objects and characters within a film. Because symbols have several meanings, writers often need to determine what a particular symbol means in the film and in a broader cultural or historical context.
For instance, a writer could explore the symbolism of the flowers in Vertigo by connecting the images of them falling apart to the vulnerability of the heroine.
Here are a few other questions to consider for this type of analysis:
- What objects or images are repeated throughout the film?
- How does the director associate a character with small signs, such as certain colors, clothing, food, or language use?
- How does a symbol or object relate to other symbols and objects, that is, what is the relationship between the film’s signs?
Many films are rich with symbolism, and it can be easy to get lost in the details. Remember to bring a semiotic analysis back around to answering the question “So what?” in your thesis.
Narrative analysis
Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. This type of analysis considers the entirety of the film and the story it seeks to tell.
For example, you could take the same object from the previous example—the flowers—which meant one thing in a semiotic analysis, and ask instead about their narrative role. That is, you might analyze how Hitchcock introduces the flowers at the beginning of the film in order to return to them later to draw out the completion of the heroine’s character arc.
To create this type of analysis, you could consider questions like:
- How does the film correspond to the Three-Act Structure: Act One: Setup; Act Two: Confrontation; and Act Three: Resolution?
- What is the plot of the film? How does this plot differ from the narrative, that is, how the story is told? For example, are events presented out of order and to what effect?
- Does the plot revolve around one character? Does the plot revolve around multiple characters? How do these characters develop across the film?
When writing a narrative analysis, take care not to spend too time on summarizing at the expense of your argument. See our handout on summarizing for more tips on making summary serve analysis.
Cultural/historical analysis
One of the most common types of analysis is the examination of a film’s relationship to its broader cultural, historical, or theoretical contexts. Whether films intentionally comment on their context or not, they are always a product of the culture or period in which they were created. By placing the film in a particular context, this type of analysis asks how the film models, challenges, or subverts different types of relations, whether historical, social, or even theoretical.
For example, the clip from Vertigo depicts a man observing a woman without her knowing it. You could examine how this aspect of the film addresses a midcentury social concern about observation, such as the sexual policing of women, or a political one, such as Cold War-era McCarthyism.
A few of the many questions you could ask in this vein include:
- How does the film comment on, reinforce, or even critique social and political issues at the time it was released, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality?
- How might a biographical understanding of the film’s creators and their historical moment affect the way you view the film?
- How might a specific film theory, such as Queer Theory, Structuralist Theory, or Marxist Film Theory, provide a language or set of terms for articulating the attributes of the film?
Take advantage of class resources to explore possible approaches to cultural/historical film analyses, and find out whether you will be expected to do additional research into the film’s context.
Mise-en-scène analysis
A mise-en-scène analysis attends to how the filmmakers have arranged compositional elements in a film and specifically within a scene or even a single shot. This type of analysis organizes the individual elements of a scene to explore how they come together to produce meaning. You may focus on anything that adds meaning to the formal effect produced by a given scene, including: blocking, lighting, design, color, costume, as well as how these attributes work in conjunction with decisions related to sound, cinematography, and editing. For example, in the clip from Vertigo , a mise-en-scène analysis might ask how numerous elements, from lighting to camera angles, work together to present the viewer with the perspective of Jimmy Stewart’s character.
To conduct this type of analysis, you could ask:
- What effects are created in a scene, and what is their purpose?
- How does this scene represent the theme of the movie?
- How does a scene work to express a broader point to the film’s plot?
This detailed approach to analyzing the formal elements of film can help you come up with concrete evidence for more general film analysis assignments.
Reviewing your draft
Once you have a draft, it’s helpful to get feedback on what you’ve written to see if your analysis holds together and you’ve conveyed your point. You may not necessarily need to find someone who has seen the film! Ask a writing coach, roommate, or family member to read over your draft and share key takeaways from what you have written so far.
Works consulted
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
Aumont, Jacques, and Michel Marie. 1988. L’analyse Des Films . Paris: Nathan.
Media & Design Center. n.d. “Film and Cinema Research.” UNC University Libraries. Last updated February 10, 2021. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/filmresearch .
Oxford Royale Academy. n.d. “7 Ways to Watch Film.” Oxford Royale Academy. Accessed April 2021. https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/7-ways-watch-films-critically/ .
University of Pennsylvania. “How to ‘Read’ a Film.” English Department. https://web.english.upenn.edu/~mulready/Handouts/How%20to%20Read%20a%20Film.pdf .
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44 Film Analysis
Film analysis, what this handout is about.
This handout provides a brief definition of film analysis compared to literary analysis, provides an introduction to common types of film analysis, and offers strategies and resources for approaching assignments.
What is film analysis, and how does it differ from literary analysis?
Film analysis is the process in which film is analyzed in terms of semiotics, narrative structure, cultural context, and mise-en-scene, among other approaches. If these terms are new to you, don’t worry—they’ll be explained in the next section.
Analyzing film, like analyzing literature (fiction texts, etc.) , is a form of rhetorical analysis—critically analyzing and evaluating discourse, including words, phrases, and images. Having a clear argument and supporting evidence is every bit as critical to film analysis as to other forms of academic writing.
Unlike literature, film incorporates audiovisual elements and therefore introduces a new dimension to analysis. Ultimately, however, analysis of film is not too different. Think of all the things that make up a scene in a film: the actors, the lighting, the angles, the colors. All of these things may be absent in literature, but they are deliberate choices on the part of the director, producer, or screenwriter—as are the words chosen by the author of a work of literature. Furthermore, literature and film incorporate similar elements. They both have plots, characters, dialogue, settings, symbolism, and, just as the elements of literature can be analyzed for their intent and effect, these elements can be analyzed the same way in film.
Different types of film analysis
Listed here are common approaches to film analysis, but this is by no means an exhaustive list, and you may have discussed other approaches in class. As with any other assignment, make sure you understand your professor’s expectations. This guide is best used to understand prompts or, in the case of more open-ended assignments, consider the different ways to analyze film.
Keep in mind that any of the elements of film can be analyzed, oftentimes in tandem. A single film analysis essay may simultaneously include all of the following approaches and more. As Jacques Aumont and Michel Marie propose in Analysis of Film, there is no correct, universal way to write film analysis.
Semiotic analysis
Semiotic analysis is the analysis of meaning behind signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors, analogies, and symbolism.
This doesn’t necessarily need to be something dramatic; think about how you extrapolate information from the smallest signs in your day to day life. For instance, what characteristics can tell you about someone’s personality? Something as simple as someone’s appearance can reveal information about them. Mismatched shoes and bedhead might be a sign of carelessness (or something crazy happened that morning!), while an immaculate dress shirt and tie would suggest that the person is prim and proper. Continuing in that vein:
- What might you be able to infer about characters from small hints?
- How are these hints (signs) used to construct characters? How do they relate to the relative role of those characters, or the relationships between multiple characters?
Symbols denote concepts (liberty, peace, etc.) and feelings (hate, love, etc.) that they often have nothing to do with. They are used liberally in both literature and film, and finding them uses a similar process. Ask yourself:
- In Frozen Elsa’s gloves appear in multiple scenes.
- Her gloves are first given to her by her father to restrain her magic. She continues to wear them throughout the coronation scene, before finally, in the Let It Go sequence, she throws them away.
Again, the method of semiotic analysis in film is similar to that of literature. Think about the deeper meaning behind objects or actions.
- Elsa’s gloves represent fear of her magic and, by extension, herself. Though she attempts to contain her magic by hiding her hands within gloves and denying part of her identity, she eventually abandons the gloves in a quest for self-acceptance.
Narrative structure analysis
Narrative structure analysis is the analysis of the story elements, including plot structure, character motivations, and theme. Like the dramatic structure of literature (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution), film has what is known as the Three-Act Structure: “Act One: Setup, Act Two: Confrontation, and Act Three: Resolution.” Narrative structure analysis breaks the story of the film into these three elements and might consider questions like:
- How does the story follow or deviate from typical structures?
- What is the effect of following or deviating from this structure?
- What is the theme of the film, and how is that theme constructed?
Consider again the example of Frozen. You can use symbolism and narrative structure in conjunction by placing the symbolic objects/events in the context of the narrative structure. For instance, the first appearance of the gloves is in Act One, while their abandoning takes place in Act Two; thus, the story progresses in such a way that demonstrates Elsa’s personal growth. By the time of Act Three, the Resolution, her aversion to touch (a product of fearing her own magic) is gone, reflecting a theme of self-acceptance.
Contextual analysis
Contextual analysis is analysis of the film as part of a broader context. Think about the culture, time, and place of the film’s creation. What might the film say about the culture that created it? What were/are the social and political concerns of the time period? Or, like researching the author of a novel, you might consider the director, producer, and other people vital to the making of the film. What is the place of this film in the director’s career? Does it align with his usual style of directing, or does it move in a new direction? Other examples of contextual approaches might be analyzing the film in terms of a civil rights or feminist movement.
For example, Frozen is often linked to the LGBTQ social movement. You might agree or disagree with this interpretation, and, using evidence from the film, support your argument.
Some other questions to consider:
- How does the meaning of the film change when seen outside of its culture?
- What characteristics distinguishes the film as being of its particular culture?
Mise-en-scene analysis
Mise-en-scene analysis is analysis of the arrangement of compositional elements in film—essentially, the analysis of audiovisual elements that most distinctly separate film analysis from literary analysis. Remember that the important part of a mise-en-scene analysis is not just identifying the elements of a scene, but explaining the significance behind them.
- What effects are created in a scene, and what is their purpose?
- How does the film attempt to achieve its goal by the way it looks, and does it succeed?
Audiovisual elements that can be analyzed include (but are not limited to): props and costumes, setting, lighting, camera angles, frames, special effects, choreography, music, color values, depth, placement of characters, etc. Mise-en-scene is typically the most foreign part of writing film analysis because the other components discussed are common to literary analysis, while mise-en-scene deals with elements unique to film. Using specific film terminology bolsters credibility, but you should also consider your audience. If your essay is meant to be accessible to non-specialist readers, explain what terms mean. The Resources section of this handout has links to sites that describe mise-en-scene elements in detail.
Rewatching the film and creating screen captures (still images) of certain scenes can help with detailed analysis of colors, positioning of actors, placement of objects, etc. Listening to the soundtrack can also be helpful, especially when placed in the context of particular scenes.
Some example questions:
- How is the lighting used to construct mood? Does the mood shift at any point during the film, and how is that shift in mood created?
- What does the setting say about certain characters? How are props used to reveal aspects of their personality?
- What songs were used, and why were they chosen? Are there any messages in the lyrics that pertain to the theme?
Writing the film analysis essay
Writing film analysis is similar to writing literary analysis or any argumentative essay in other disciplines: Consider the assignment and prompts, formulate a thesis (see the Brainstorming Handout and Thesis Statement Handout for help crafting a nuanced argument), compile evidence to prove your thesis, and lay out your argument in the essay. Your evidence may be different from what you are used to. Whereas in the English essay you use textual evidence and quotes, in a film analysis essay, you might also include audiovisual elements to bolster your argument.
When describing a sequence in a film, use the present tense, like you would write in the literary present when describing events of a novel, i.e. not “Elsa took off her gloves,” but “Elsa takes off her gloves.” When quoting dialogue from a film, if between multiple characters, use block quotes: Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented one inch from the left margin. However, conventions are flexible, so ask your professor if you are unsure. It may also help to follow the formatting of the script, if you can find it. For example:
ELSA: But she won’t remember I have powers? KING: It’s for the best.
You do not need to use quotation marks for blocked-off dialogue, but for shorter quotations in the main text, quotation marks should be double quotes (“…”).
Here are some tips for approaching film analysis:
- Make sure you understand the prompt and what you are being asked to do. Focus your argument by choosing a specific issue to assess.
- Review your materials. Rewatch the film for nuances that you may have missed in the first viewing. With your thesis in mind, take notes as you watch. Finding a screenplay of the movie may be helpful, but keep in mind that there may be differences between the screenplay and the actual product (and these differences might be a topic of discussion!).
- Develop a thesis and an outline, organizing your evidence so that it supports your argument. Remember that this is ultimately an assignment—make sure that your thesis answers what the prompt asks, and check with your professor if you are unsure.
- Move beyond only describing the audiovisual elements of the film by considering the significance of your evidence. Demonstrate understanding of not just what film elements are, but why and to what effect they are being used. For more help on using your evidence effectively, see ‘Using Evidence In An Argument’ in the Evidence Handout .
New York Film Academy Glossary Movie Outline Glossary Movie Script Database Citation Practices: Film and Television
Works Consulted
We consulted these works while writing the original version of this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest publications on this topic. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .
Aumont, Jacques, and Michel Marie. L’analyse Des Films. Paris: Nathan, 1988. Print. Pruter, Robin Franson. “Writing About Film.” Writing About Film. DePaul University, 08 Mar. 2004. Web. 01 May 2016.
Film Analysis by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Hero’s Journey Worksheet Explaining the Monomyth
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Click here to download TWM’s Hero’s Journey Worksheet for movies that are works of fiction . Adapt this movie worksheet for the needs and abilities of the class.
This worksheet will help students trace the stages and identify the archetypes of the Hero’s Journey/Monomyth. It is based on the ideas of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, as developed and applied to film by Chris Vogler. The stages and archetypes of the Hero’s Journey set out below have been adapted from Vogler’s book The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition .
There are several formulations of the stages of the Hero’s Journey. One way to approach teaching the Hero’s Journey is to have students find at least two of the methods on the Internet, one suggested by Campbell and the other by Vogler. Alow students to choose and apply the system of analysis that they prefer. This can be done in groups or individually. TWM has used Vogler’s stages and his description of the archetypes, however, the section on the stages can be easily adapted to Campbell’s configuration.
This worksheet is designed to be used in conjunction with TWM’s Stages and Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey — Introducing the Monomyth. TWM lesson plans on the story of the quest are listed at Literature Subject Index. Each contains notes on responses to the questions set out below and assignments relating to the use of the Journey/Monomyth in the form it takes in the movie. Teachers will observe that TWM focuses on finding the story of the quest in films other than action/adventures to demonstrate that the Monomyth can be found in many different types of stories.
Many of the suggested questions have no single correct answer. For these, an acceptable response will be one which is supported by facts and reveals that the student is thinking about the story.
Modify the worksheet as necessary for the grade and ability level of the class. A form of the worksheet in Microsoft Word suitable to be modified and distributed to students can be found at Word Processing Version of the Worksheet . Depending on the sophistication of the class and its prior exposure to the Hero’s Journey, teachers may want to distribute the worksheet and review it with the class before showing the film. This will allow students to refer to prompts or make notes while watching. Teachers may want to conduct a short class discussion relating to how the Journey applies to the movie before the class watches the film, leaving a full explication for discussion after the movie has been shown. After the movie and the full discussion, allow students, individually or in groups, to respond to the questions in the worksheet. Alternatively, at the end of a unit on the Hero’s Journey, students can be asked to fill out the worksheet before any discussion and the responses can be used as a summative assessment to evaluate students’ understanding of the Hero’s Journey and its archetypes.
HERO’S JOURNEY WORKSHEET
Answer the questions below on a separate sheet of paper. Each answer should consist of one properly constructed paragraph that is free standing and which explains the reasons for the answer. Each response should cite evidence from the story to support its conclusion. For example, a paragraph on the stage of the Ordinary World for the movie “The Wizard of Oz” might be: “In the ‘Wizard of Oz’ the Ordinary World is a farm in Kansas inhabited by a young and untested Dorothy Gale who dreams of an exciting colorful life in the world beyond the gray drudgery of the life she sees around her. Despite the fact that Dorothy loves her guardians, Auntie Em and Uncle Henry, the farm is a world that is unsuitable for Dorothy because it does not match Dorothy’s dreams. The Ordinary World becomes unbearable when Miss Gulch takes Toto, Dorothy’s beloved dog. This is the world to which a changed and self-assured Dorothy returns with the elixir of self-confidence.”
I. Write a short single-paragraph description of the Hero’s Journey described in this story. As you think about the story by responding to the other questions on this worksheet, you should feel free to revise your description of the journey.
II. For each stage of the Hero’s Journey describe the action of the film, if any, which manifests the stage. Specify the attributes of the stage to which these actions relate.
For any skipped stages, simply state that the stage is not contained in the quest shown in the film. Some stories of the Hero’s Journey appear to combine some of the stages. When that happens write one paragraph and indicate the stages to which it applies. The stages of the Hero’s Journey are briefly described below:
SECTION ONE — Introduction to Setting, Characters & Conflict
1. The Ordinary World;
2. The Call to Adventure;
3. Refusing the Call;
4. Meeting with the Mentor: and
5. Crossing the First Threshold.
SECTION TWO — Action, Climax, Triumph
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies;
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave;
8. Ordeal; and
SECTION THREE — Resolution and Denouement
10. The Road Back;
11. Resurrection; and
12. Return with the Elixir.
III. Identify the archetypes of the Hero’s Journey that appear in the movie and, for each, describe the function it performs in telling the film’s story.
The following are the archetypes associated with the story of a quest.
1. The Hero;
2. The Mentor;
3. Threshold Guardians;
4. The Herald;
5. Shapeshifter;
6. The Shadow; and
7. The Trickster.
IV. Describe any other archetypes that appear in the story and the functions they perform.
1. The father;
2. The mother;
3. The Child; and
4. The Maiden.
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How to Analyze a Movie
Last Updated: September 15, 2021 References Approved
This article was co-authored by Lucy V. Hay . Lucy V. Hay is a Professional Writer based in London, England. With over 20 years of industry experience, Lucy is an author, script editor, and award-winning blogger who helps other writers through writing workshops, courses, and her blog Bang2Write. Lucy is the producer of two British thrillers, and Bang2Write has appeared in the Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life and is a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK. She received a B.A. in Scriptwriting for Film & Television from Bournemouth University. There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 91% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 263,917 times.
Movies are a wonderful medium for both entertainment and art, and examining them closely only enhances their magic. If you're writing a review for a newspaper or a paper for class, you’ll have to break down the elements of a film and explain what they mean to you. By watching carefully, probing all the aspects, and focusing on the themes that resonate with you, you will produce a thoughtful and sophisticated analysis.
Watching the Movie
- Some of the basics you will want to know include: the year and place the movie was made; the studio that sponsored it; and its director, main actors, and writers.
- Try to avoid reading reviews or spoilers before the movie; they can bias you. [1] X Research source Even trailers can make you judge a movie before you see it.
- If you feel like you must go with a friend, pick a thoughtful one. Someone who squirms or makes jokes all the time will distract you.
- Major plot points.
- Crucial or repeated lines.
- Particularly notable shots.
- ...the way color was used.
- ...whether the shots flowed together or were jarring.
- ...if particular characters or things were supposed to represent certain things.
Lucy V. Hay
Our Expert Agrees: After you've taken notes on the movie, leave it for a few days, then revisit them. Any strong emotions that you felt right after the movie have probably dissipated, and you might even feel the opposite from how you did right after the movie. Then, look over your notes and think about things like the craft of the film—things like how they brought different concepts, characters, and plots together, for instance. You can also look at the theme, the target audience, and whether the writing is good or bad—and why.
Breaking Down the Movie
- Are there any myths about the movie’s creation? For example, The Wizard of Oz has a ton of urban legends surrounding it. [6] X Research source Even if the legends aren’t true, they may tell you about the movie’s mystique or fan base.
- Did the filmmakers intend for the movie to comment on contemporary politics or culture? For instance, Dr. Strangelove was made in the 1960s and satirized the Cold War that the United States was embroiled in. [7] X Research source
- Was the movie based on a true story, fiction, or a mix of the two? For example, the 1977 TV series Roots explores the family history of writer Alex Haley. Even though real people and events are present, the story is fleshed out with fictionalized characters and side events. [8] X Research source
- If you want to figure out if a movie was well-plotted, write down the major events of the plot as you remember them. If you can remember them in order, that’s a good sign.
- Most movie plots follow the same structure: setup, to new situation, to progress, to higher stakes, to final push, to resolution. [9] X Research source
- Does the dialogue sound believable, like real people talking? Even in movies that take place in the past, you should not be so distracted by old-timey grammar that you can’t follow the story.
- Try to tell where the jokes are, and if they land well. (You can easily tell this in a theatre--if you hear other people laughing, it means the joke worked.)
- Make note of moments of silence. These can say as much as words do.
- Are accents and speech patterns consistent throughout the movie? Do they provide additional information, or are they distracting? [11] X Research source
- How do the actors convey information using their bodies and faces? [12] X Research source
- Horror movies are well-known for their atmospheric soundtracks, which can make a tense environment even scarier. The Shining is a famous example of this: with the music turned off, some of the most terrifying scenes don't seem so bad.
- Some period movies like A Knight’s Tale , or Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette , use contemporary music to help audiences better empathize with historic figures. [15] X Research source
- Look at the costumes. Clothes are an easy way to set a movie in a particular time or place, but if they’re not accurate, they can detract from the film. [16] X Research source Examine the outfits the characters wear carefully, and try to figure out if they do any visual storytelling of their own.
- Sets are powerful too. Many films shoot for hyper-realistic sets, while others have more basic backdrops. Some directors even choose sets that look like theatre stages as a deliberate choice. [17] X Research source
Putting the Analysis Together
- For instance, if you're analyzing the 1995 Disney movie Aladdin, you might think about how Aladdin craves both freedom (from hunger, prison, and poverty) and power throughout the movie, and how other characters' desires for freedom or power shape them as well. You might think about how Aladdin and Jasmine each describe themselves as "trapped" at first, despite their different circumstances, and how the Genie is happy to trade physical strength for a vacation at the end.
- Pick the themes that resonate with you. The best writing comes from enthusiasm, so channel what excites you into your work.
- Remember that directors don’t necessarily put themes in on purpose. For instance, many critics felt that objectification of women was a theme throughout Transformers, but it’s unlikely that the director consciously chose to do this. [18] X Research source
- In your analysis of Aladdin , you would want readers to know that the movie's story is based off of a cycle of legends called the 1001 Nights and that its images are inspired by an earlier, unfinished movie called The Thief and the Cobbler. [20] X Research source
- To summarize Aladdin , you'd want to say that it's the story of a clever young man whose life changes forever when an encounter with a Genie grants him incredible power and privilege--though not without a cost.
- It should go without saying, but if you're writing a review, no spoilers. Don’t describe any major twists or resolutions.
- If you're writing a more formal analysis for class, it's okay to explain the whole plot.
- Don’t get too snarky. A joke or two is fine.
- In the story of Aladdin , you could make the argument that power is a trap. Both Jasmine and the Sultan are royalty, but their lives are ruled by antiquated marriage laws and Jafar, a vizier who towers over both of them. Both Jafar and Aladdin use the Genie to gain great temporary control, but these new powers are capricious. Jafar is defeated by his power: he turns into a genie and is imprisoned in a lamp. By the end, Jasmine has been freed to marry who she wants, and Aladdin has chosen to free the Genie, as he promised. The characters who choose their own freedom--and prioritize others' freedom at the expense of their own power--are rewarded.
- You don’t have to tie all your observations back to a simple thesis, necessarily. However, it’s good to stay on task.
- In the conclusion of your analysis of Aladdin , you might decide that its emphasis on the joys of freedom resonated with you and made the movie a popular hit, but you were troubled about how casual the protagonist was about making weaker or indentured characters (like the monkey, carpet, and Genie) do his work for him.
- Overall, do you think the movie was a success? Can you imagine the filmmakers exploring similar visions later?
- If you’re writing an accessible review for a large audience, feel free to make a recommendation about what types of people might be interested in the movie (costume fans, classical music buffs, people who like watching things blow up…)
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- Keep it interesting, but get the information across. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Be sure to include the good and the bad, or at least try. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
- It is helpful to give time for the movie to sink in while you think about it before jotting everything down immediately. You may realize something you didn't before and that could change your whole view of the movie! ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Don’t try to cram everything about a movie into one essay. It’s unnecessary--just focus on what you find important. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 1 Not Helpful 3
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- ↑ http://www.sdfilmfest.com/how-to-analyze-a-movie-step-by-step-guide-to-reviewing-films-from-a-screeners-point-of-view/
- ↑ http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/04/why-you-should-go-to-the-movies-alone.html
- ↑ http://www.filmsite.org/filmview.html
- ↑ https://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/8-myths-about-the-wizard-of-oz
- ↑ http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/almost-everything-in-dr-strangelove-was-true
- ↑ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1993-03-10/news/9303190620_1_pulitzer-board-philip-nobile-roots
- ↑ http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/the-five-key-turning-points-of-all-successful-movie-scripts.html
- ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tell-good-acting-from-bad-acting-2014-9
- ↑ https://voicebunny.com/blog/how-to-learn-accents-and-dialects-like-a-champ/
- ↑ http://www.brazen.com/blog/archive/smart-hacks/7-body-language-rules-you-can-learn-from-a-legendary-dead-actor/
- ↑ https://www.videomaker.com/article/c10/1384-camera-work-shots-and-scenes
- ↑ Stephen Cardone. Professional Photographer. Expert Interview. 5 May 2020.
- ↑ http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/marie-antoinette-2006
- ↑ http://www.frockflicks.com/snark-week-9-things-movies-get-wrong-16th-century-costume/
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/movies/anna-karenina-from-by-joe-wright-with-keira-knightley.html?_r=0
- ↑ http://www.filminquiry.com/analyse-movies-introduction/
- ↑ http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/17_Writing_Introduction.asp
- ↑ http://mentalfloss.com/article/74031/13-beautiful-facts-about-thief-and-cobbler
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/summary-using-it-wisely/
About This Article
To analyze a movie, start by introducing its background, along with any ideas you had about the film before you saw it. Then, briefly describe the movie’s major conflict, and summarize its plot. Next, talk about the themes you found interesting, and explain how the film supported those themes. You should also speak to what you didn’t like, or what wasn’t well done in the movie. Finally, give your overall assessment, backing up your opinion with the previous analysis, and providing any suggestions to others who might want to watch the film. For tips on how to analyze a movie’s cinematography, soundtrack, or acting, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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What this handout is about. This handout introduces film analysis and and offers strategies and resources for approaching film analysis assignments. Writing the film analysis essay. Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece.
Writing film analysis is similar to writing literary analysis or any argumentative essay in other disciplines: Consider the assignment and prompts, formulate a thesis (see the Brainstorming Handout and Thesis Statement Handout for help crafting a nuanced argument), compile evidence to prove your thesis, and lay out your argument in the essay.
movie worksheets. adaptation of a novel. documentaries. hero's journey. science fiction. work of fiction. work of historical fiction. television worksheets. persuasive documentary. fiction (soaps, dramas, and reality/survival show) historical fiction. informational documentary. news and current events.
a single paper on film, but is a useful resource, featuring a glossary of discipline-specific terms and clearly delineated chapters on different aspects of film analysis. Useful Links Internet Movie Database (IMDb): www.imdb.com For quick information about a film, director, actor, producer, or production company, IMDb can't be beat.
FREE FOR EDUCATIONAL USE - Education Resource- Guide to Film Analysis Page 9 Explain. Mise-en-Scène The way each shot is composed within the frame has an effect on the way we respond to the narrative. Composition relates to the production elements and story elements. Look at how the following aspects of composition are arranged in particular ...
Movie Analysis Worksheets, Printable and Digital. Created by. Julie Faulkner. These 10, no-prep movie analysis and comprehension worksheets in printable and digital format are an excellent modern and engaging activity to have students take ownership of their learning and dig deeper and closely read a film as a text.
Motion Picture Analysis Worksheet B. What do you think you will see in this motion picture? List Three concepts or ideas that you might expect to see based on the title of the film. List some people you might expect to see based on the title of the film. Title of Film: Record Group Source: A. Type of motion picture (check where applicable): Step 1.
Film Analysis Worksheet Name: Date: Title of Film: Release Date: Type of Film (Drama, Comedy, Documentary): Thesis of the Film: Important moments or turning points in the film (use specific examples):: Context (use specific examples):: What does the film tell us about the historical period with which it deals? ...
This guide offers two different approaches to teaching Inside Out: Show a few specific clips along with discussion questions. Show the entire film with a more in-depth lesson plan and handout. Feel free to use either approach, or even combine the two into one lesson (or an entire unit) based around the movie.
Stop feeling guilty about movie days. When paired with creative movie guides, films make excellent teaching tools and help you take a stress-free sub day or get some much-needed grading time. With these editable Movie Guide Templates, you can hit play and bit on your way!You will get 25 editable Movie worksheets that include:⭐Angle Analysis - Helps students consider how camera angles add ...
Adapt this movie worksheet for the needs and abilities of the class. This worksheet will help students trace the stages and identify the archetypes of the Hero's Journey/Monomyth. It is based on the ideas of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, as developed and applied to film by Chris Vogler. The stages and archetypes of the Hero's Journey set ...
FEATURES OF THE FILM. 1.1. Complete the following informative table, in order to precise the main features of the film you have just seen. ... MOTION PICTURE ANALYSIS WORKSHEET Author: Christina Aiello Last modified by: Halla Marbani Created Date: 3/21/2014 3:58:00 AM Other titles:
1. Investigate the movie's background. Any given movie contains at least two stories: the narrative it tells, and the background of its creation. Movies take a lot of time, effort, and money to make. Learning a bit about how the film you're trying to analyze was made will give you a lot of insight into it.
Scaffold literary analysis with film analysis using these student handouts for the 2013 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. These guides are NOT mere comprehension questions; instead, these guides contain analysis questions to prompt students to analyze characterizations, author's choices, purpose, plot devices, and more.I use these film analysis worksheets alongside the ...
Movie Analysis. Displaying all worksheets related to - Movie Analysis. Worksheets are Motion picture analysis work, Film study work, Resource materials on the learning and teaching of film, Student activity, Useful phrases film analysis, Activity, Notes for teachers, Trailer analysis work fi m. *Click on Open button to open and print to worksheet.
Topic: Developmental. Questions for The Squid and the Whale. Discuss the parenting style used by each parent. Discuss the Identity Development Stage for the older son, Walt. Discuss the boundaries between each parent and each of the children. Discuss the self-differentiation of Walt, his father, and his mother.
ID: 1313195 Language: English School subject: English language Grade/level: Grade 6 Age: 10-13 Main content: Elements of the Story Other contents: Add to my workbooks (6) Download file pdf Embed in my website or blog Add to Google Classroom
These 10, no-prep movie analysis and comprehension worksheets in printable and digital format are an excellent modern and engaging activity to have students take ownership of their learning and dig deeper and closely read a film as a text. Make the most out of your movie-viewing experience with these standards-based options for analysis and ...
Prep for teachers. Objective: Students will be able to build active viewing skills and write a movie review. First and foremost, preview any movie before you show it in class. It might sound obvious, but this is such an important step! You'll be able to see if the movie's appropriate, but also whether it's a good fit for your students' learning ...
The following framework has been designed to help you analyze films. After you watch the movie segment, try to answer the following questions: Setting • Is the setting authentic or constructed? Support your answers. • When and where does the scene take place? • How does the director use color in the scene? Are there any colors that stand out?