10 great setting scenes
10 most popular literary theme examples
How to analyze a movie: A step-by-step guide
Introduction to literature
Plot
Understanding and implementing plot structure for films and screenplays
Understanding point of view in film and video
What is the setting of a story - elements of storytelling
Key Aspects of Film Analysis : Literary Aspect
Overview
First module in the Key Aspects of Film Analysis
Expectation
Lights, Camera, Action!
Welcome students!
In this module, you will learn and understand the first key aspect of film analysis which is the Literary Aspect. Lessons and activities will be provided to give you an idea of what literary aspect that you should consider in analyzing films and the activities will determine your understanding of the lesson in this module.
Learning Outcome:
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
1. Define the literary aspect of the film
2. Understand the importance of learning the literary aspect in analyzing films.
Pre-Test
Direction: Arrange the following jumbled letters to identify the word that is being described.
____________1. It's also about the time in which the scene exists.
| G | I | E | S | T | T | N |
____________2. Refers to a shot that directly represents a character's viewpoint..
| O | V | P |
____________3. The sequence of events or the story
| L | O | P | T |
____________4. It is used to communicate important ideas and messages about issues that face the characters and the setting of a narrative
| H | M | T | E | E |
____________5. Its elements are plot, characters, point of view, setting, theme, and the sub-genre.
| Y | R | A | R | E | T | I | L |
Literary Aspects
Film is a genre that shares some common features of other literary texts (e.g. novels or short stories) and theatrical features of other performing arts (e.g. drama) while having unique cinematic features of its own. The process that is used in analyzing films is quite similar to how you analyze literature; however, films exist in different media. Some literary aspects that can help you in analyzing films are the plot, characters, point of view, setting, theme, and the sub-genre.
PLOT
Plot is the plan, scheme, or main story of literary or dramatic work as a play, novel, or short story in literary terms. On the other hand for film purposes, the plot is the sequence of events where each affects the next one. However, the purpose of screenwriting and filmmaking, the plot represents the structure, while the story stands for the substance. Here are some questions that you should consider in analyzing the plot of a film.
- What are the most important sequences?
- How is the plot structured?
- Is it linear, chronological, or is it presented through flashbacks?
- Are there several plots running parallel?
- How is suspense built up?
- Do any events foreshadow what is to come?
CHARACTERS
Character analysis is a way to use clues from the story to learn more about the characters. It is important because it helps us understand the story and the people in it. It helps make the people in the story real and more interesting. Factors that you must question yourself in analyzing the film characters are:
- How do they speak?
- What are their physical appearances, thoughts and feelings?
- How do they act towards other characters?
- Are they static characters who do not change?
- Do they develop by the end of the story?
- What type of characters are they?
- What qualities stand out?
- Are they stereotypes?
- Are the characters believable?
POINT OF VIEW
Point of View (POV) generally refers to a shot that directly represents a character's viewpoint—we see only what they can see. The point of view, or narrative stance, mostly goes unnoticed by the audience. However, altering the point of view can profoundly affect how the audience interprets any scene and character.
TYPES OF POINT OF VIEW (POV)
- First Person Point of View (Subjective) - usually focuses on the characters that we can see rather than the character who sees them. However, it's tough to connect with a character without seeing their face.
- Third Person Point of View (Objective) - presents the action from the perspective of an ideal observer. It's the style of narrative most common in TV and film.
- Omniscient Point of View (Objective) - reveals what the characters are thinking. This requires some narration, voice-over, or graphics. An omniscient narrator or POV will tell the story without attaching it to a single character or group of characters.
Questions that will guide you in analyzing the Point of View:
- Is there a narrator in the film? Who?
- Throughy whose eyes does the story unfold?
- Is the story told in the first person "I" point of view?
- Is the story told through an off-screen narrator?
SETTING
Setting is the time and place of a story. It is either outwardly articulated to us, or discreetly suggested to us. But the setting isn't just about the place where the scene happens, it's also about the time which it exists as well.
Here are some guides in analyzing a setting of a film:
- Does it take place in the present, the past or the future?
- What aspects of the setting are we made aware of? Georaphy, weather conditions, physical environment, time of day.
- Where are we in the opening scene?
THEME
Theme is the heart and the subject of a story. Themes are used to communicate important ideas and messages about issues that face the characters and the setting of a narrative.
For example,
- Beauty and the Beast
Topic: Vanity
Theme: True beauty is on the inside not on the outside
- Good Will Hunting
Topic: Friendship
Theme: Friends help each other to grow.
Now to give you an idea of how will you analyzie the theme in a film, here are some of the questions that may guide you in analyzing a theme:
- What are the universal ideas that shine through in the film (in other words, what is it about, in general)?
- Was it made to entertain, educate, or bring awareness to an issue?
SUB-GENRE
Sub-genre in a film is a specific style of filmmaking that falls within a broad genre category like comedy, tragedy, science fiction, suspense, horror, romance, or drama.
To analyze the genre of a film here are some guidelines:
- What main genre does the film fall under? - romantic, historical, detective, thriller, adventure, horror and science fiction
- What sub-grouping does the film fall under? - action, comedy, tragedy, war, and westerns.
Activity 1
Lesson learned! Now, let us begin with your activities that will evaluate what you have learned from the lesson.
Direction: determine the key elements of Literary aspect that were portrayed in each picture.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Activity 2
Great! You are now on your second activity. Now, let us test what you have learned from your previous lesson.
Direction: watch the animated film entitled "Let's eat" and answer the following questions based on what you have learned from the lesson.
- Who are the characters in the story? and what are their characteristics?
- In what genre does the story fall?
- What is the main theme of the story?
- How does the setting contribute to the story?
- What was the point of view of the story? Cite an example from the film.
- Are the events of the story in proper order? Why or why not?
Activity 3
I. Direction: Study the given situations and identify the literary elements of the underlined words. Draw the corresponding shapes on the space provided to determine in which literary elements the situation belongs.
_______________1. The movie Titanic shows that love can conquer incredible obstancles, like class divides, disapproving family members, and disaster.
_______________2. Tenenbaums live in a flat, inside is rich in amber hues and candles; a strange environment for children. (From the movie The Royal Tenenbaums)
_______________3. In the movie Gladiators, the first time Maximus and his fellow galdiators enter the Coliseum, ready to fight, the massive size of the crowd overwhelms them.
_______________4. Harold and Maud is the story of a boy that is obsesses with death and dying.
_______________5. He loves to watch romance and action films.
_______________6. Kaitlin wants to buy a puppy. She goes to the pound and begins looking through the cages for her future pet. At the end of the hallway, she sses a small, sweet brown dog with a white spot on its nose. At its instant, she knows she wants to adopt him. After he receives shots and a medical check, she and the dog, Berkley, go home together.
_______________7. The narrator narrates the story very well.
_______________8. The Wizard of Oz is about not having enough courage to do something big or scary because everyone has their fears.
_______________9. Charlie Bucket is a kind-hearted, curious, and wise kid among them who had been given the opportunity to enter the chocolate factory.
_______________10. Amanda brought her expensive bag to the party, while I brought my second-hand bag.
II. Direction: Match column A with the correct answer on the column B. Write only the letter on the space provided.
A.
______ 1. Whose eyes the story is beind told
______ 2. Universal ideas that shine through in the film
______ 3. Time and place of a story
______ 4. How people act in the story
______ 5. The plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work
B.
a. Setting
b. POV
c. Genre
d. Theme
e. Characters
f. Plot
Remember
- Literary Aspect - literary aspects of films are the plot, characters, point of view, setting, theme and the sub-genre.
- Plot - the plan, scheme, or main story of literary or dramatic work as a play, novel, or short story in literary terms. (Whay are the most important sequences? How is the plot structured? How is suspense built up?)
- Characters - refers to how the people in the story act, speak, and their characteristics. (What are their physical appearances? What type of characters are they? How do they speak?)
- Point of View (POV) - generally refers to a shot that directly represents a character's viewpoint. (Is there a narrator in the film? Is the story told in the first, second or third point of view?)
- Theme - use to communicate important ideas and messages about issues that face the characters and the setting of a narrative. (What are the universal ideas that shine through in the film?)
- Sub-genre - specific style of filmmaking that falls within a broad genre category like comedy, tragedy, science fiction, suspense horror, romance, or drama
Check Your Understanding and Post Test
Direction: Recall your favorite film or a film that you have already watched and complete the table below by applying the guide questions in analyzing the literary aspect of the film.
| TITLE OF THE FILM: | |
| Literary Aspect | Description |
| Plot | |
| Characters | |
| Point of View | |
| Theme | |
| Setting | |
| Sub-genre |
Direction: Read the questions carefully and choose the correct letter that corresponds to the correct answer.
1. It is the aspect of the film where plot, characters, theme, POV, setting and genre is being analyzed.
A. Literary B. Setting C. Film D. Characters
2. It is important because it helps us understand the story and the people in the story.
A. Literary B. Setting C. Film D. Characters
3. A genre that shares some common features of their literary texts.
A. Literary B. Setting C. Film D. Characters
4. A specific style of filmmaking falls within a broad genre category.
A. Theme B. Horror C. Sub-genre D. Characters
5. Type of Point of View that presents the action from the perspective of an ideal observer.
A. Omniscient B. First Person C. Third Person D. Second Person
6. Type of Point of View that reveals what the characters are thinking.
A. Omniscient B. First Person C. Third Person D. Second Person
7. The heart and subject of the story.
A. Literary B. Theme C. Film D. Characters
8. All are guide questions for analyzing the setting of films. EXCEPT:
A. Does it take place in the present, the past, or the future?
B. What aspects of the setting are we made aware of?
C. Where are we in the opening scene?
D. Are they believable?
9. It represents the structure of the film.
A. Plot B. Setting C. Theme D. Characters
10. Type of Point of View that usually focuses on the characters that we can see rather than the characters who sees them.
A. Omniscient B. First Person C. Third Person D. Second Person
Reflection
Direction: Answer the following questions based on what you have learned in this module.
1. What new learnings did you get from the lesson?
2. What do you thinki is the importance of learning the literary aspect in analzying a film?
3. How can you share your new learnings with your family or friends?