Different Forms

and Conventions
of Film and
Moving Pictures
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Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture
consists of moving pictures that have been recorded
so that they can be shown at the cinema or on
television.

A film tells a story or shows a real situation. The

process of filmmaking is both an art and an
industry.
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There are different forms of film such as:

1. Action 6. Adventure
2. Comedy 7. Crime and gangster
3. Drama 8. Epics/Historical
4. Horror 9. Musical/Dance
5. Science Fiction 10. War
11. Fantasy
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In order to communicate key messages to an

audience, producers of films use certain
conventions and devices such as:
1. Lights 6. Dialog
2. Blocking 7. Setting
3. Direction 8. Set-up
4. Characterization
5. Acting
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Lights
- is a convention of films used to create a specific
atmosphere.
- is a very important aspect for shaping meaning
in films.
- it can manipulate a viewer’s attitude towards a
setting or a character.
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1. Lights
***The way light is used can make objects,
people and environments look beautiful or ugly,
soft or harsh, artificial or real.

- It may be used expressively or realistically. A

dark lighting can bring an ominous feel whereas
bright lighting can bring a cheerful atmosphere.
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Lights
***The way light is used can make objects,
people and environments look beautiful or ugly,
soft or harsh, artificial or real.

- It may be used expressively or realistically. A

dark lighting can bring an ominous feel whereas
bright lighting can bring a cheerful atmosphere.
Let’s Study This
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2. Blocking
- determining where the actors will be on the set and
the first camera position
- a scene is simply “working out the details of
an actor's moves in relation to the camera.”
- all the elements on the set (actors, extras,
vehicles, crew, equipment) should move in
perfect harmony with each other.
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2. Blocking
- the director usually determines blocking during
rehearsal, telling actors where they should move
for the proper dramatic effect, ensure sight lines
for the audience and work with the lighting design
of the scene.
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Here are 5 important blocking tips:

1. Having a shot list will help you during
the blocking process. The shot list is like
a map: it gives you a path to your
destination but you don’t always have to
follow it
2. Let the actors show you what they
want to do first, then, when you make a
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Here are 5 important blocking tips:

3. Where the camera is placed is determined
primarily by what is important in the scene.
4. Blocking is like a puzzle: directors need to
keep working at it until the whole scene
works.
5. In Television and low budget films, speed
is essential, story and block some scenes so
that your action takes place in one direction
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3. DIRECTION
Film direction
- is the process of making sure that every component
of a movie runs smoothly.
- film director is the person who directs the making of
a film.
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The director
- is in charge of the three main phases:
1. pre-production
2. production
3. postproduction.
- he or she does not actually do the work for
post-production, but is in charge of overseeing
it.
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According to Peter D. Marshall, a renowned

film director and film directing instructor, film
directors spend the majority of their time
figuring out how to shoot the film first (cool
visual effects, creative shots and camera
angles etc.) before they understand:
a) what the story is about and
b) what the characters really want.
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THE DIRECTOR AND THE STORY

- There are many facets of a director’s preparation
on any film or TV show, but the first, and most
important part of his job, is to understand every
detail of the story: where it takes place, who the
characters are, and what happens to them.
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PERFORMANCE
- One of the main responsibilities of a film director is
to help actors achieve a realistic performance, and a
good director does this by “listening for the truth” and
by asking:
a. Do I believe them?
b. Do the words make sense?
c. Are the characters believable?
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THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE CAMERA

- “Psychology of the Camera,” according to Marshall, are the
visual meanings of shots and angles. In other words, where the
directors put the camera can either enhance or detract the
audience’s understanding of what the scene is really about,
and what the characters are feeling.

- So, when a director is planning his shots, he has to ask himself:

“What do I want the audience to feel at this particular moment?”
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:

1. The Lens Lenses expand or compress space, so when the

director chooses a lens, he is choosing the “space” a shot
takes place in. So before he chooses a lens for his shot, he has
to ask himself: “How intimate do I want to be with the
character and how do I represent that visually?”
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:
2. Depth The illusion of depth is a part of visual storytelling.
To get this illusion of depth in a two dimensional medium, the
director has to block his scenes with an eye for depth. In other
words, he has to arrange his shots in three layers or planes:
foreground, midground and background.
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:
3. Focus One of the main jobs of a director is to direct the
attention of the audience while telling a visual story. So,
where he places the focus in a shot is determined by what is
important in the frame.
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:
4. Angle The distance from a character’s eyeline affects the
identification of the character with the audience. There are
three angles of view for the camera: a. Objective: The
audience point of view. (Camera is placed outside the action.)
b. Subjective: The camera acts as the viewer’s eyes. (Camera
is placed inside the action.) c. Point of View: What the
character is seeing. (Camera is the action.)
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:
4. Angle The distance from a character’s eyeline affects the
identification of the character with the audience. There are
three angles of view for the camera: a. Objective: The
audience point of view. (Camera is placed outside the action.)
b. Subjective: The camera acts as the viewer’s eyes. (Camera
is placed inside the action.) c. Point of View: What the
character is seeing. (Camera is the action.)
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:
5. Frame Because composition makes an emotional
statement, the framing, emotion and meaning of the
composition comes from detailed script analysis by the
director. In other words, before framing the shot, he needs to
know “What is the shot about?”
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Here are six camera choices a director can use to enhance

viewers’ emotion:
6. Motion can be applied to screen direction. It is also about
camera movement. So, the director should ask himself: “Why
is the camera moving? Is it to follow the action, to reveal
information, or to reposition for a better frame?”
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4. CHARACTERIZATION
- is the process by which the writer reveals the
personality of the character.
- is revealed through direct characterization or
indirect characterization.
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4. CHARACTERIZATION
- Direct characterization tells what the personality of
the character is.
- Indirect characterization shows things that reveal
the personality of the character.
There are five different methods of indirect
characterization:
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5 different methods of indirect characterization:

Speech What does the character say? How does the character speak?

Thoughts What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and

feelings?
Effect on others What is revealed through the character’s effect on other
people? How do the other characters feel or behave in reaction
toward the to the characters?
character
Actions What does the character do? How does the character behave?

Looks What does the character look like? How does the character
look?
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5. Acting
- is an activity in which a story is told by means
of its enactment by an actor or actress who
adopts a character—in theatre, television, film,
radio, or any other medium that makes use of the
mimetic mode. ... Many actors train at length in
specialist programmes or colleges to develop
these skills.
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5. Acting
- is an activity in which a story is told by means
of its enactment by an actor or actress who
adopts a character—in theatre, television, film,
radio, or any other medium that makes use of
the mimetic mode.
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5. Acting
- involves a broad range of skills, including a
well-developed imagination, emotional facility,
physical expressivity, vocal projection, clarity
of speech, and the ability to interpret drama. -
-- also demands an ability to employ dialects,
accents, improvisation, observation and
emulation, mime, and stage combat.
 6. Dialog
- is another element of film or movie.
- are the exact words of a speaker. With the use
of dialogues, stories become livelier and not
pure narration.
- it is essential in films or movies.
Dialogues have significant functions in a film
1. Reveals how other characters see the main character-
In any story, the main character is the most talked about
character. Other characters talk about the main
character. Through dialogues, readers get clues on what
the other characters feel, thinks and plans for the main
character.
Example:
Major: Clover learnt the whole alphabet, but could not put words
together. Boxer could not get beyond the letter D. He would trace
out A, B, C, D, in the dust with his great hoof, and then would stand
staring at the letters with his ears back, sometimes shaking his
forelock, trying with all his might to remember what came next and
never succeeding. On several occasions, indeed, he did learn E, F, G,
H, but by the time he knew them, it was always discovered that he
had forgotten A, B, C, and D. Finally he decided to be content with th
e first four letters, and used to write them out once or twice every day
to refresh his memory.
Dialogues have significant functions in a film
2. Reveals how a character views a situation or the
world- Dialog is an element that expresses how a
character reacts on the events happening in the film.
When a character speaks his/her plans of action to
other characters, he or she is indirectly giving other
characters a glimpse of how he/she sees the world.
Example:
Major : Man is the only creature that
consumes without producing. He does not give
milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull
the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch
rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals.”
Dialogues have significant functions in a film
3. Reveal the traits of the character- The way a
character speaks is dictated by his or her set of
values. For example, when a character says “if you
don’t eat this food, you will end up getting worse.
How will you take the exam next week?”, it reveals
that the character who speaks this is concern.
Example:
Mil : What would you do if you had 1,000.00Php?
Olet : First of all, I’d buy Mother a new pair of
slippers. I noticed her old ones have several
small holes in them. And then I would Father a
new scarf and hat in his favorite color.
7. Setting
- is both the time and geographic location
within a film or within a work of film.
- helps initiate the main backdrop and mood
for a story.
- has been referred to as story world beyond
the immediate surroundings of the story.
7. Setting
- can be used for a number of
purposes. It might be used for:

1. REALISM - it is a time and place of

setting is made known.
7. Setting or Set Design
2. ATMOSPHERE - it reinforce desired mood.
For example: scary movies

3. SYMBOLISM - it can be conveyed through

setting.
For example: a storm can represent inner
turmoil.
 8. Set – Up
- refers to the creation of a scenery that
depicts the “look” or physical appearance of
the set for a film.
- communicate a sense of location and place
- often structured or built in studios.
- can also be outside locations.
 8. Set – Up
- is also called set design, it refers to the
creation of a scenery that depicts the “look”
or physical appearance of the set for a film.
- set designs communicate a sense of
location and place.
- -they are often structured or built in
studios.
- they can also be on locations.