For example, if you choose to watch the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, you may say the overlying theme is the balance of good and evil or how prejudice can affect a town.
For example, if you want to analyze Jaws, you may choose the opening scene to see how music and cinematography affect the mood. Analyzing scenes that are just conversations between characters can be just as fun as focusing on a big action scene. With quieter scenes, you can discuss how the camera angles and dialog affect how someone interprets the conversations.
Avoid taking any notes the first couple times you watch the scene so you can absorb as much of it as you can. After 2-3 viewings, you can start pausing the scene or writing down things you notice.
For example, the events of the opening scene in Jaws are teenagers partying on a beach, two of the people leaving the group, one of them swimming in the water, and then getting grabbed by the shark.
For example, the opening scene in Jaws introduces the shark to the viewer and shows that it’s a threat to humans in the water. Throughout the film, this sets up conflict since it takes place in a beach town.
For example, in the shark attack scene from Jaws, you may notice the kids in the water having fun, but Chief Brody is tense and worried about everyone’s safety.
For example, in the final scene of Inception, the spinning top is a symbol of uncertainty since the viewer isn’t sure whether the ending is real or a dream. Another example is the letter “X” or an X-shape in a scene of the film The Departed, which represents death. Even characters can be symbols. For example, the Joker in The Dark Knight can be a symbol of chaos or uncertainty. Not every scene will have specific symbols that relate to the rest of the film, so don’t worry about if you can’t find any.
For example, if a character is standing and looking down at another character that’s sitting down, it could mean the standing character is more important or powerful than the other. If you’re watching the film on a computer, take screenshots from the scene so you can analyze the still frames. Look at how the scene’s lit and how the highlights and shadows affect the mood. Shots that are framed dark can make the scene mysterious but well let scenes may seem like a comfortable or exposed location. [9] X Research source
For example, action scenes usually have a lot of movement and have multiple angles to keep the viewer excited. Conversely, horror scenes may have no camera movement and close-up shots to make a viewer feel tense while they’re watching it. Make note of when shots shift focus from an object or character to another.
For example, if you have a shot of a desert followed by a shot of a glass of water, it may make you think about being thirsty. In another example, the editing in the opening scene of Jaws makes the viewer tense since they know the shark is getting closer but the woman in water doesn’t know about the danger.
For example, the music at the beginning of Jaws helps to build tension since it keeps getting faster until the shark attacks. Wear headphones and play the scene if you’re able so you’re able to catch all of the discrete noises you may not have been able to hear otherwise. Make note of silences in the scene as well since they can be just as important as loud sounds.
For example, a thesis for the opening scene in Jaws may be, “The opening shark attack from Jaws uses accelerating music, quick editing, and point of view shots to create tension. ”
Keep your introduction about 3-4 sentences long.
Keep the summary paragraph about 4-5 sentences long before moving on.
For example, if you’re talking about the opening scene in Jaws, your body paragraphs may discuss the music, the editing, and the point of view of the camera angles. Don’t use all of your notes you took from the scene since they won’t all fit with the thesis for your paper.
For example, you may end an analysis on the opening scene of Jaws by discussing how the opening scene of the film influenced the horror genre.
