1 Toward Critical Media Literacy: The Basics of Audio-Visual Technical Analysis Hema Ramachandran INTO USF English Language Pathways Program BART 2017 I apologize for designing a very basic ppt—this is a work in progress and there will be at least a couple more iterations of this presentation in the near future Basic elements and ideas presented—time does not allow for more than that

2 To introduce ESL educators to basic elements of Goal: To introduce ESL educators to basic elements of film technical analysis with a view to classroom application Note: “film” is used to refer to both audio-visual media as well as to movies; context will clarify reference

3 What is Media Literacy? :Ability to understand, analyze, evaluate & produce media Need for Media literacy in education: Media, internet  global saturation All disciplines use media Media use in the classroom: high-interest; increases motivation; activates background knowledge Influence of media representations on how we view the world and our place within it Need for media: media help create our images, perspectives, of the world of our own and other cultures, media for a crucial institution in society by means of which social values are disseminated often unconsciously

4 Why technical analysis? Medium specificity: language of filmEach film is made of: particular shots (the basic film unit like a sentence), scenes (a group of shots), and sequences (a group of scenes). Film techniques create meaning especially ideological meaning which works invisibly, insidiously • Techniques, in turn, derive meaning in particular media & social contexts: for instance, a long shot may have different meanings in different national cinemas/social contexts • All audio-visual media are constructed by particular people and perspectives; hence, we should do the same technical analysis for “real-life” films too. Analyze other aspects too: plot, characters, dialogue But don’t just focus on literary aspects

5 BASIC FILM TECHNICAL CATEGORIES & NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE CINEMATOGRAPHYMISE-EN-SCENE EDITING SOUND BASIC FILM TECHNICAL CATEGORIES BASIC EASY TO LEARN Ss HAVE ENORMOUS BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE WITH FILMS AND MEDIA, SO THEY IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTAND HOW BASIC TECHNIQUES WORK—THEY ONLY NEED PRACTICE DELVING DEEPER INTO IDEOLOGICAL MEANINGS EASY FOR ESL EDUCATORS WITH NO BG IN FILM ANALYSIS TO PICK UP What follows is ONLY examples & NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE

6 Cinematography (Camera Work) Camera distance: long shot; close-up;variations of these Camera angles: high angle; low angle; straight-on bird’s eye; wide angle Camera movement: pan; tilt; tracking Black & white; color Bradley Cooper in Limitless (2011) Medium close up Straight on angle; wide angle shot: actor appears to dominate setting By no means exhaustive; a few examples

7 Mise-en-scène (putting on stage): Lighting: 3-point lighting; low-key; high-key costumes & make-up Sets & setting place; interior/exterior Props objects Acting Overall balanced lighting high key from back Color white predominates white shirt contrasts with tanned skin; well-groomed, suave look Empty wine glasses in foreground Star image; allure of star

8 Editing (joining shots): Invisible/continuity straight cuts; match on action eyeline match Fades; wipes; straight cuts Parallel editing Long take (no breaks) Continuity editing: Shot 1: show person 1 talking Shot 2: show person 2 talking

9 diegetic=inside the story nondiegetic=outside story, mood musicSound: Dialogue Music, songs diegetic=inside the story nondiegetic=outside story, mood music Ambient sound surrounding sound Judy Garland Singing Yellow Brick Road Inside the Story of Wizard of Oz Birds chirping Refrigerator humming

10 Independent, alternative film/video:Narrative technique: Mainstream, Hollywood plot=exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, closure Independent, alternative film/video: disturbs continuity editing, open ending, lacks closure Show clip and have participants analyze in small groups Orson Welles, A Touch of Evil (1958) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8MqjoFvy4

11 compare/contrast with other media productionsCritical Media Literacy: Intertextuality compare/contrast with other media productions & texts Social text compare/contrast media production meaning to social-cultural values, institutions, behaviors Production, Distribution, Consumption Who produced it? For what purpose? For whom?

12 Critical Media LiteracyJaguar XKE ad Long lateral shot: car + woman Cool colors blue car + lady in blue verdant green setting balanced lighting Caption/intertitle Message? What is being sold? Status of woman in ad? In society? In other texts?

13 Critical Media LiteracyAn Indian female laborer works at a brick factory in Allahabad (Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images) A female engineer hand-builds engine at the Mercedes factory in Affalterbach, Germany. (Tim Graham/Getty Images) Medium long shot; woman working, not posing for camera Warm colors, realistic setting rust red sari, brown bricks & basket human-environment relationship Muted lighting, shadows; no glamor Compare to previous image Social class How would you analyze this image? Camera work? Mise-en-scene? Lighting? Intertextuality? Social (con)text?

14 Critical Media LiteracyCamera work? Mise-en-scene? Intertextuality? Social (con)text? Message? Purpose? Period. By RUPI KAUR, Canadian Sikh poet, feminist, activist, artist Note: originally posted on Instagram; deleted by Instagram; Went viral on FB; massive protests led Instagram to repost photo

15 References Bordwell, D. & Thompson, K. (2013). Film Art. New York: McGraw Hill. Kellner, D. & Share, J. (2005). Toward Critical Media Literacy: core concepts debates, organizations, policy. Discourse, 26(3), Thank you!