Prepared for

Film Analysis Studio

Pendukung 2
Lala Palupi
Santyaputri
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 analysed for their intent and effect,
these elements can be analysed 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.
• 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
(Aesthetics of Films, 1992) 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.
• 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.
Be sensitive
Ask yourself:
• What objects or images are repeated in multiple instances?
• In Frozen Elsa’s gloves appear in multiple scenes.
• In what context do they appear?
• 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.

What might Elsa’s gloves

represent?
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, Beauty and the Beast (2017) 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:
• 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.
• 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 (“…”).
• 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 audio visual 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.