Classic Hollywood Film Language Alfred Hitchcock Shadow of

Classic Hollywood Film Language Alfred Hitchcock: Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Film Language and Technique: Class Aims Discuss Film as Narrative Review “Classic Hollywood Style” Intro Vocabulary Terms Discuss Use and Impact of Film Techniques http: //images. amazon. com/images/P/B 000055 Y 14. 01. LZZZZZZZ. jpg

Class Schedule Introduce, discuss film as narrative; group discussion/comments: 12 min. How film is set up: 5 min. Building blocks of film 7 min. Shot, Scene, Sequence Camera movement and placement: 15 min. Lighting: 10 min. Editing: 10 min. Film techniques telling a story and expressing ideology: 10 min.

Classical Hollywood Style Belton argues that Hollywood cinema is a _____-centered drama. How does cinema develop characters? Break into Groups: come up with an example of a film you have recently viewed that develops (or fails to develop) a character. How does this work?

Character Narration in Shadow of a Doubt Perhaps the most obvious narration occurs in Uncle Charlie’s voice-over ____. How does this element advance the story? What does it tell us? http: //hitchcock. alienor. fr/shadow. html

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Frame _____ of the film’s image on the ______ Mise-en-Scene: French: “___ on _____”

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Shot: Basic unit of _______ One _____ piece of filming

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Scene Several _____ unified by _____ and ______

Film Technique Terms: Basic Units Sequence Several ______ unified by common time, but _______ by space

Basic units in Shadow of a Doubt Establishing shots Long shots of the city Gradually dissolve into one another and move in on a locale —i. e. , a sequence

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Focus: Rack: camera changes from ______ to _______ Deep: camera _______ fore- and background

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Angle: establishes the viewer’s _______ to the ______ High: camera looks ____ Low: camera looks ___ How does this affect our perceptions of the characters? http: //www. imagesjo urnal. com/issue 02/inf ocus/shadow. htm

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Zoom: lens adjusts so scene appears to move _______ the viewer Pan: _______ pivoting of camera Tilt: when camera looks _____

Film Technique Terms: Movement/Placement Crane: the camera is moved _______ by crane Tracking: camera rolls along a _______ Dolly: camera moves on _____ in ___ direction Steadicam: device to keep _______ camera _____

Camera Movement in Shadow of a Doubt In the opening sequence: Crane shot up to Charlie’s room Camera tracks across room: how does this position the viewer?

Film Technique Terms: Lighting Position _______ Lighting The ____ light is the dominant light source _______ lighting is bright and less shadowy _______ lighting is darker and more uneven

Lighting in Shadow of a Doubt http: //www. imagesjournal. com/issue 02/infocus/shadow. htm How would you characterize the lighting of this shot? What is the effect on the viewer? What mood does lower -key lighting create?

Film Technique Terms: Editing “Classical continuity editing”: a. k. a. _____ editing Editing between scenes is called _____ Editing within scenes often seek to conceal _____

Film Technique Terms: Editing Transitions: Cut: 2 shots joined ______ together Fade: gradual ____ or _______ of onscreen image Dissolve: ____ fade in and out Iris: ______ closed or widened Wipe: where one scene appears to wipe the other ______

Film Technique Terms: Editing within scenes: ____ techniques Matches: including _______ match Point-of-view editing: ___ shot process 180 -degree rule: ______ convention

Summing up Film Techniques as a Language in the service of ____ Stylistic _____ becomes a goal of Hollywood cinema techniques Film style is not “superficially ______” on the narrative Think about how film technique influences viewing