This post is immensely over due as a series of unexpected events (parties, zoo trip) occurred over the weened. But as they say “Better Late Than Never”, so I might as well get into discussing last weeks seminar for cinema studies now.

Introduction to Cinema Studies is probably my favourite subject, mostly because: a) I get to analyse film, b) No three hour classes just one three hour screening, and c) it’s what mostly reminds me of high school media, which was my most dearly loved class and also the one I was best at.

This week’s Cinema Studies seminar was centred around the term ‘Film Form’ or more specifically the trope that a film conveys certain codes and conventions (patterns) which manipulate the audience’s emotional and mental reaction. Film form encompasses a number of different modifiers, these include function, similarity and repetition (patterns), difference and variation, development, and unity/ disunity. All of these elements act together to deliberately alter the viewers consumption of the film.

The lesson began with the class over viewing a few selected extracts from the beloved film: The Wizard of Oz (1939). We revised the opening scene where Dorothy first finds herself amidst the wonder and mayhem which is Oz, as well as her initial encounter with the Scarecrow. The class was then split up into three groups which were to investigate how the film conveys: Pattern (repetition), meaning, and feeling. I was placed in the feeling group because I’m an emotional wreck (that was a joke it was chosen at random, still true though).

Within the feeling group we discussed how the main characters emotions changed and modified those of the audience, as well as how certain symbols and codes were portrayed to the audience in order to allow them to derive certain feelings. The group agreed on a few core points: As the film is a children’s movie the actors are creating emotion using facial expression as well as highly theatrical gesture to literally tell the audience to feel a certain way. For example Dorothy is portrayed as either immensely sad, scared, or happy; these simple emotions make it easy for kids to understand and follow whats happening during the plot. Another idea which was discussed between my peers and I was the use of score and appearance of characters and sets (mis en scen) which accompanied the film. We considered how the Wicked Witch of the West had a specific unnerving theme, which was played at the beginning of the film to introduce the evil neighbour who tried to take Toto away. The children could use these sound cues to link these two characters and enhance the evil which is The Wicked Witch. The appearance of the characters and sets also played a vital role in how the audience felt. It was noted that the witch of the west had intensely exaggerated features, green skin, a hunched gate, and a wicked laugh, these are all semiotic indicators of evil or something to be feared. Dorothy was also noted to be doll-like in nature, a sweet innocent child which can be trusted.

We are came together as a class to report our findings. It was interesting to hear about how the patterns group discussed the repeating dance and skip action which is prevalent after a new character is introduced and accepted. I also liked how the meaning group discovered the sepia opening was an emblem for The Great Depression, and how Oz was a representation of Dorothy’s childhood.

In conclusion: The seminar was quite interesting and it was once again great discussing one of film’s great classics in depth.