FMS 200 Introduction to Film Language

This course focuses on increasing the students' awareness of how the camera contributes to the development of film language or visual dramatization. In film, a director and cinematographer collaborate on the use of expressive tools which constitute film language. The main cinematic tools are Movement, Framing, Points of View, Angles, Shot sizes, Axis rules, Depth of Field, Resolution, Color and Compositional factors, including the Golden Ratio. Each tool will be examined separately for its expressive potential, with examples from different screenings used to help the student understand how each tool may contribute to developing a film's language and dramatic potential. Several styles are examined in order to expand the student's awareness of the tools' expressive range. Movement is stressed, since film is above all else, motion pictures.