A new post on Industrial Scripts discusses film analysis, the skill of breaking down movies into their component parts to understand how they work, independently and together. “You need to take into consideration so many aspects that you might not even know where to start,” the article says. “What do you need to look out for and how do you put it all together?”
Invaluable advice for anyone working on a screenplay or script of any kind. Further, understanding the elements of film – pacing, costume, color, props, structure – can help you understand how to analyze prose and improve your writing.
At the outset, you want to start with a movie (or novel) you already know. Having foreknowledge of plot and character developments will help you see where the filmmakers foreshadowed these changes, set up character growth, or used costume, color, and sets to reveal and reinforce what we know and learn about the characters and story. At minimum, go into the experience having some idea of the genre and contents, even if you don’t know the full plot.
The article examines these elements and recommends how to break them apart.
- Mise-en-scène
- Lighting
- Costume
- Décor
- Position of Camera
- Framing
- Color
- Props
- Action
- Sound
- Plot
