December 12, 2014

Intro to Faust

The story of Faust is a German legend that most of you are probably familiar with in some form or another. The main character makes a "deal with the devil" for personal gain. Based onGoethe's Faust story, the silent film reimagines this tale for a new century, in a new medium.

We will begin by considering the language of film. As you watch the beginning of the film, you will take notes on the following:

Lighting: How are light and shadow used in the film? Do you notice any patterns? For definitions and a discussion of lighting (and key terms) see Brett Lamb's page here.

Camera Angles: Low, high and eye-level angles influence how we feel about what we are watching. How are camera angles used in this sequence? For more terms and definitions, see the Mediaknowall's page here.

Framing/Shot Length: Long shots and close ups have different effects. How is shot length used in the sequence? Medkiaknowall also defines these terms (and more) on the above page.

Editing/Cuts: See more information on Daniel Chandler's page, The Grammar of TV and Film. 

Sound: What role does music play in the film?

Please make sure that your notes are detailed and reference specific moments/scenes in the film.