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Film
20A: The Film Experience
Fall 2009 Sequence Analysis
Notes towards
Preparing your Analysis
The first step for a sequence analysis is to take elaborate notes on
the discursive elements of the film (discourse is the way the film presents
material: it refers to the technical aspects of the film and the way
that they are used).
1. CINEMATOGRAPHY
What are the dominant elements of cinematography?
Are camera movements, angles, distances and heights of framing motivated?
If there are few camera movements, what explains this choice? (Discursive
elements can be important because of their absence: for instance, if
it seems significant and noteworthy that a film avoids close-ups this
could be explained. Note: this does not mean that you should consistently
talk about what is not present throughout your sequence! You must make
careful judgments.)
Does this sequence rely on the long take or the short take? Why?
Can you identify the point of view of the camera?
What is the relation between onscreen and offscreen space?
What is the relative depth of field in the shots in your sequence?
2. MISE-EN-SCENE
What are the essential elements of the mise-en-scène?
How are these elements related to the narrative? What are their functions?
Do they advance the story, inform us about the atmosphere of the setting
or sequence, or act as counterpoints to the narrative?
What is the relation between figures and setting?
How does the setting reflect, undermine, or provide distance from the
action?
Does lighting enable us to assess the significance of the situation?
Does the mise-en-scene seem to be naturalistic or theatrical, and which
kinds of naturalistic or theatrical qualities does it demonstrate?
3. EDITING
Does this sequence rely equally on editing and mise-en-scène
or does it privilege one of these over another elements?
Are the shots spatially continuous?
Are the shots temporally continuous?
Is montage or continuity editing used?
Are there any examples of discontinuity within continuity and if so,
what kind?
Is a shot/reverse shot structure used?
4.
CONCLUSIONS
How does the discourse of the sequence construct themes or meanings?
What kinds of values about the world does the sequence suggest?
What kinds of cinematic traditions do the sequence's images inhabit?
What possible interpretations of the film can be constructed from these
observations?
What position does the viewer occupy?
These are
only a few of the questions one might consider. You will get more ideas
from your class notes and our textbook. Remember that a sequence analysis
requires several viewings of the film sequence.
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