Synthesizing key elements of film form

 Synthesizing key elements of film form

 

Aim of the lesson is to bring key elements of film form together.

 

Focus: 

 

-       Lighting, colour, mise-en-scene and editing.

 

Self-selected sequence

 

Rationale for the film choice

 

-       The live action Alice In Wonderland stood out to me as a film to focus on as the whimsical and fantasy genre of the film is incredibly amusing. The cinematography is extremely abstract and key elements of film form are used cleverly to draw out emotions from the spectator to feel related to Alice and her journey. 

 

Contextualising your analysis – considering the key elements of film form, consider where the sequence comes in the narrative.

 

In Alice in Wonderland “the growing and shrinking scene”, key elements of film form are used successfully to portray the typical fantasy genre in which the film falls into by drawing out emotions of suspense and enjoyment. Firstly, this sequence is displayed 20 or so minutes into the film, us as the spectator should already notice Alice’s curiosity and eagerness to explore. As Alice makes decisions in the scene, to drink the shrinking liquid, the music follows parallel to her train of thought by being loud and high pitched at points of tension then quiet, gentler and in a major key at parts of discovery. Additionally, parallel sound is used once again by creating an almost minimizing in pitch sound when shrinking and stretching sound when growing. By including these sounds the visuals viewed by the spectator are emphasised by enhancing the realism of the sequence and what you would hear if you were actually there. To continue, a sky light above the table with a hanging candle-lit chandelier is used as the lighting of the scene. As the lighting of the sequence is from above, Alice is given a glowing aura around the perimeter of her body and flowing dress, this portrays to the spectator that Alice is somewhat out of the ordinary, the whimsical visuals are simply enriched by an ambient glow. Additionally, duck egg blues and baby pinks are colours used throughout the whole of the sequence. Pink creates moods of playfulness and joy while lighter blue’s create moods of innocence and daytime (blue sky). These colours are symbolic of the vibrant and innocent depiction of “wonderland”, the spectator feels further immersed into the fantastical genre of the film with bright and vivacious images.