CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College Slumdog Millionaire Analysis

 CHOOSE A CLIP

BREAK DOWN / ANALYSIS OF EACH SHOT IN THE CLIP

OBSERVATIONS ON THE EDITING

YOUR DISCOVERIES

Clips from five different films are posted on Blackboard (see the Assignments tab).Four of the clips are a little over 2 minutes long and one is just under 2 minutes.The films are:

• The Grand Budapest Hotel, Hidden Figures, The Kite Runner, Slumdog Millionaire, Stand and Deliver.
   

Watch the clips and decide which film clip you would like to view many, many times as you break it down shot by shot, into all the individual  elements.

Once you have decided which clip to analyze, if you are unfamiliar with the film, it is recommended you view the entire film in order to better understand the meaning of the clip.

• For the clips that are over 2 minutes, you just need to break down the first 2 minutes.

For the clip that is just under 2 minutes, break down the entire clip.

• For the clip you have chosen, list and analyze all the shots individually for the following elements. (You can write in bullet points; you do not need to write in full sentences.)

Shot # (start with #1;it doesn’t matter what shot it is within the whole film)

Time of beginning to end of each shot –  for example:0:10 – 0:19

• Type of shot – for example:  close up

Camera Angle – for example:eye-level shot

Camera Movement – for example:pan to left

Action in the Shot – for example:Eleanor sits, looks at note

Additional Mise-en-Scene:notes about composition of the shot, setting, props, lighting, costumes, make-up – for example:Eleanor in center of frame, small office with desk with papers strewn on it, motivational posters on wall,harsh high contrast lighting from ceiling, El in jeans, t-shirt & sneakers, hair in pony tail, bright red lipstick

Sound:voice, music, sound effects, ambiance (natural sound), silence – for example:man’s voice off screen, clock ticking, piano music underscore

NOTE:  You do not have to repeat information if it stays the same.For example, if an actor is wearing a top hat in shot #1, and he keeps it on throughout the whole clip, you do not have to repeat that he is wearing a top hat.

If there is a group of people, you do not have to break down the costumes for every individual, you can include a group description.

You can create a table (grid) to organize your information, or use a list format, or use some combination of both.Do not write an essay for this part of the assignment.

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Scene Analysis Paper

Page 2

Parts 3 and 4 are to be written in essay format, double spaced.

Minimum 1 full page (parts 3 and 4 on one page).

Now that you have broken the clip down into all the individual pieces, now go back and view the clip in its entirety again.While you’re watching this time, pay attention to how each shot connects to the next one.In other words, how the scene was edited. 

Describe how the clip was edited.Suggested ideas to think about:

What kinds of transitions are used, such as cuts, dissolves, etc.  

• Was there a variety of transitions or were they all the same?  

Is there a sense of rhythm to the clip (slow, brisk, etc.) 

• How does the flow (or “lack of flow”) of the editing affect the overall emotional feel of the scene?

Why do you think the director chose to make it like this?

• And last, 

What have you discovered about this film in doing this analysis?

What have you discovered about the director and /or the editor?

Has the experience of looking at a clip in such detail affected how you now view films and if so, what has changed?If not, why not.