EXPERIMENTAL FILM EXAM QUESTION CONTENT

 EXAM QUESTION : TO WHAT EXTENT AND IN WHAT WAYS CAN YOUR CHOSEN FILM BE DESCRIBED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL FILM   ( 20 marks )

Consider the following questions  and  techniques and include at least some of the following content .

You should be discussing  how and why the film uses some experimental or postmodern techniques and 

decide in a personal response how "experimental" the film actually is. 

 

Is Pulp Fiction an experimental film ?  

Is it non-narrative cinema or an art film ( like some purely experimental films ) NO 

Does it feature narratives and more traditional cinematic storytelling with some use of experimental techniques ?  YES / A BIT / TO SOME EXTENT

EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES

FILM FORM AND NARRATIVE 

 Does the film contain any experiments or subversions of the rules of film form or narrative  structure or  enigmas ?  

LIST YOUR EXAMPLES

GENRE

Does the film just follow or does it play with or subvert any audience expectations or conventions of the crime genre ?

Consider ideas of stereotypical or familiar characters in crime movies, familiar stories and iconography  narrative structure and resolutions in crime movies  and how enigmas are usually resolved in the crime genre

POSTMODERNIST TECHNIQUES

Article on postmodernism in film : good summary of the main content

Is Pulp Fiction a postmodernist film ? Which postmodernist techniques does it use ?

What do these techniques add in terms of content or meaning ?

 

Intertextuality : For example, intertextuality.  Pulp Fiction has a huge variety of explicit and more subtle intertextual references. Does it make the film more realistic or change the meaning of the text in any way ? What doe these references add ?

Does it have a classic postmodern dark and ironic mood , with a casual attitude to violence ? Does the film have a single and clear meaning and resolution or a more ambiguous and fractured resolution ?

Eclecticism : Does the film have a range of influences from both high  culture ( e.g literature, European art film ) and low culture ( e.g comic books, American TV , action films ) ?

Are any whole scenes or stories complete pastiches or parodies of other films or genres or does Tarantino just use  intertextual references and occasionally steal plot ideas  ?  For example

Reflexivity : Does the film ( or any scenes ) draw attention to itself as a media text in a self-concsious way  e.g breaking the fourth wall ? I couldn't think of anything apart from some of the more extreme uses of framing and camera movement that feel "self-concsious"

FURTHER HELP

excellent examplar on how experimental the narrative is

A reddit discussion

video on some more "intertextual references" Tarantino makes in his films and general discussion of postmodernist originality

Opening scenes

Let's get into character : talking at work

Jack Rabbit Slims : 

 a place made of intertextual references

Ending ( ?)

EXPERIMENTAL FILM : Introduction

 Summarise  what is meant by " experimental" film , including examples of the experimental techniques  in film form and narrative  that have been used  by previous filmmakers.

Consider ideas such as audience pleasures, the influence of other art forms and art movements, the genre and type of film being made ,  and  the purpose of  using such techniques. Your examples should range from purely experimental " non-narrative" or art  films to techniques used in modern mainstream Hollywood films.

Try to find examples of how the "rules" and audience expectations of each element of film form and narrative can and have been broken. 

Use the information on the Experimental film blog to help

SILENT COMEDY : EXAM QUESTION 1

 

Explore how far your film option can be considered as either a realist or expressive cinema

( 20 marks )  30 minutes  

BLOG : Realist v Expressionist critical debate ( including Bazin )

your film option :  Keaton's 4 short films 1920-22

You should make reference to key sequences from at least 2 of the films

BUSTER KEATON : PAPER 2 : Silent Comedy Analysis part 2

 Summarise the following elements of both The High Sign  and Cops  with specific examples of scenes and moments from the films

Use of Film  Form

 use of cinematography ,lighting and framing : e.g  framing to fit the joke, use of 2d , naturalistic bright lighting

style of editing ( invisible/when necessary ) , use of cuts and special effects, 

use and role of mise-en-scene, e.g props and background used actively as part of narrative and jokes

 performance ( body language, facial expression , size and contrast in physique )

Buster Keaton's film persona

e.g aspirational everyman, romantic suitor or outsider clown , links to performance 



Representations

e.g gender roles , police, class, social institutions/rituals  such as marriage and religion



General Silent comedy  conventions

e.g use of stunts, chase scenes , falls, props, animals , slapstick humour, vaudeville tropes and routines e.g banana peel

Keaton's specific use of conventions and techniques

 "postmodern" techniques such as breaking fourth wall , cartoon gags , layering and building of jokes, subverting classic vaudeville routines and expectations, interest in technology/media 

Cultural  contexts and references 

e.g advertising, art , technologies, vaudeville, political and news events 

BUSTER KEATON : 'One Week' and 'The Scarecrow' analysis

Summarise the following elements of both One Week and The Scarecrow with specific examples of scenes and moments from the films


Use of Film  Form

e.g use of lighting and framing, style of editing , use of cuts and special effects, use and role of mise-en-scene, performance ( body language, facial expression , size and contrast in physique )


Buster Keaton's film persona

e.g aspirational everyman, romantic suitor or outsider clown


Representations

e.g women, marriage,police, class


Silent comedy  techniques

e.g use of stunts,chase scenes , falls, props, animals , slapstick humour, "postmodern" techniques such as breaking fourth wall , 


Cultural  contexts and references

e.g advertising, technologies, vaudeville,technologies

  

For those students who wish to film  their production work rather than just submit a script/storyboard,  make sure you complete an effective storyboard  or simple shot list to help plan effective shots to maximise your marks.  

You should also complete a production plan detailing specific  filming locations , dates , cast , props and costume requirement s to help you plan. 

Students who wish to focus on the script and storyboard please ensure you use the resources below for their final versions and make sure you follow the guidance . You can delete and resubmit earlier versions on moodle if you wish

RESOURCES TO HELP

EDUQAS marked example ( completed screenplay plus complete  storyboard and evaluative analysis) BAND 5/4

SCREENPLAY HELP 

EDUQAS Information about screenplay format plus example from Juno to complete

MORE SCREENPLAY HELP

General guidance and help about screenplay writing from the exam board

LINK to all other exam board resources

50 screenplays in various genres

Download or read examples to help with planning content 

PAN'S LABYRINTH : Pale man and ending analysis

 

Analyse how film form is used to create meaning and generate response in the pale man scene  of Pan's Labyrinth and the final scene:

 Focus on  how the narrative and  ideology and messages of the film  (such as  fascism v rebellion , the importance of disobedience , childhood v adulthood , male v female , the role of fantasy etc. )  are  represented and resolved using specific examples from the scenes. 

You can also analyse how references to art,culture,history etc are used to add meaning to the film.

LINKS

Pale man scene

Ending

Final scenes with some analysis

.

Make sure you include all of the following :

Cinematography ( including lighting and use of camera)

Editing (  invisible or stylised , pace, rhythm , sequencing of scenes and narrative )

Mise-en-scene ( setting , props, iconography , uniform and clothing etc. ) 

Sound ( diegetic /non-diegetic music , sound effects , voiceover etc)  

Performance  ( body language , physical performamce , facial expression ,casting , contrasts in  size and performance between actors/characters ) 

Have a look at the resources on the Pan's Labyrinth page to help