Essay: Film Synthesis
Assignment Description: A synthesis essay requires connecting multiple chapter ideas,
formulating a systematic and focused thesis, and analyzing concepts through each paragraph.
During the semester, we have analyzed how photography, mise en scene, movement, editing, and
sound have contributed to the theme, mood, meaning, or central message of films. Instead of
focusing on the films assigned in class, you will choose one quality film, preferably one not
assigned in the course, and write a synthesis essay specifically covering at least three key scenes
in the film and analyzing these scenes for meaning and film terminology covered in our chapters.
While you may use any chapters, you must focus on the following: Photography, Mise en
Scene, Movement, Editing, and Sound.
Writing the Film Synthesis: Before beginning the synthesis, I suggest viewing three key scenes
in the film multiple times. Then, find the central message in these scenes. For example, the film
American Beauty explores the alienation of teenagers in suburban America. While there are other
themes in the film, consider focusing on one central message. Next, identify key scenes that
focus heavily on this central message of alienation of teenagers. In the scenes, begin asking
questions. How does photography impact the concept of alienation? Do the characters or camera
move in such a way to depict this theme? How does the editor create the alienation effect? What
sounds and music create this impact? Keep asking questions as they relate to film terminology
you wish to synthesize for the paper.
Film Techniques: When synthesizing terminology with the film’s central message, mood, or
meaning, consider some, but not all, of the following questions according to our chapters:
Photography
What kinds of shots are used or shift during the scene? How do these shots impact the
meaning or central message? (Shots: Extreme long shot, long shot, full shot, medium
shot, close up, or extreme close up)
What kinds of angles are used or shift during the scene? How do these angles impact the
meaning or central message? (Angles: bird’s eye, high angle, eye level, low angle, or
oblique/Dutch angle)
What kinds of lighting are used during the scene? How does lighting impact the meaning
or central message? (Lighting: high key, low key, high contrast, three-point lighting,
painting versus linear styles)
What kinds of colors are depicted in the scene? How do they impact the meaning?
(Colors: warm colors, cool colors, contrasts between colors, shadows and their impact)
Mise en Scene
How do the psychological associations within the frame impact the central message?
Are different areas in the frame emphasized? (Areas: center, right, left, top, or bottom)
How does the composition design of the frame impact the meaning? (Design: balance,
imbalance, and dominant)
How do the characters move within the frame? Are they stationary? Some movement?
Frenetic movement? How does this movement impact the central meaning or message?
Is the frame asymmetrical or symmetrical? What appears in the foreground, midground,
and background? Why?
Consider the fifteen visual principles of of Mise en Scene. (See page 92 in our textbook.)
Movement
How do the movements of the characters or camera impact the central message or
meaning? What are these movements?
Are they literal or concrete? Describe what that means according to the scene.
Are they stylized and lyrical? Describe what that means according to the scene.
Are the movements related to various kinds of shots, such as tightly framed, loosely
framed, higher, or lower shots?
Is movement lateral, left to right, right to left, toward or away from the camera? Why?
How is the camera moving? (Shots: aerial, handheld, zoom, dolly, crane, tilt, or pan
shots) Why?
Do you notice mechanical distortions of movement, such as freeze frame, animation, fast
motion, slow motion, or reverse motion? Why?
Editing
Is the film characterized by fast or slow cutting? To what effect or purpose?
Is continuity editing used? How does continuity editing techniques contribute to the
central message of the film?
What transitions other than basic cuts does the film employ? Is there a reason why the
editor chooses this particular cut?
Are shots joined together for a particular effect? Or, is there a disruption or juxtaposition
in the editing process?
To what effect is parallel editing used?
How would you characterize the pace in particular parts of the scene?
Does the scene use montage editing?
Sound
How do the types of sound impact the theme, mood, or meaning of the film? (Consider
these terms: synchronous, nonsynchronous, diegetic, nondiegetic, silence, natural sound,
and sound montage)
How do sound effects create atmosphere? (Consider these terms: pitch, low frequency,
loud volume, quiet, and tempo)
How does the music in the film establish the mood? (Consider these terms:
mickeymousing, musical score, musical motifs, irony in music, or other moods)
How does dialogue and other spoken language in the film create atmosphere?
Organizational Structure: I foresee two different organizational patterns for this essay, but you,
of course, may take a different approach as long as it is logical and coherent. One approach is to
focus on one scene per paragraph(s) and show how photography, mise en scene, editing, and
sound operate together to promote the theme or mood of the film.
Another approach might be to focus specifically on one technique at a time. Therefore, you could
write about the photography in a particular scene that captures the theme of the film. Then, in a
different section, you might analyze the editing of the same or a different scene. This approach
may be helpful to implement if editing, for example, is more important in one scene than another
scene, for all four techniques do not always operate equally in each scene you might analyze.
Once again, whatever organizational structure you choose, focus on analyzing how the film
techniques reveal the message of the film.
Possible Organizational Pattern Example:
I. Introduction
A. Very Brief Discussion of Film (no more than 1/4 a page)
B. Your thesis (one complex sentence stating the focus of your paper)
II. Scene #1 (relating to the theme, message, or mood of the film)
A. Topic Sentence and a very brief description of the scene (no more than three sentences)
B. Photography
C. Mise en Scene
D. Editing
E. Sound
F. Other Chapter
III. Scene #2 (as related to the theme, character, mood, etc.)
A. Topic Sentence and a very brief description of the scene (no more than three sentences)
B. Photography
C. Mise en Scene
D. Editing
E. Sound
F. Other Chapter
IV. Scene #3 (as related to the theme, character, mood, etc.)
A. Topic Sentence and a very brief description of the scene (no more than three sentences)
B. Photography
C. Mise en Scene
D. Editing
E. Sound
F. Other Chapter
V. Conclusion Suggestions (You do not have to conclude in this manner. These ideas are
suggestions to help you think critically.)
A. Analysis or description of how your chosen scenes operate together successfully to
enhance the mood, meaning, or theme of the film
B. Analyze or describe how the chosen scenes compare, contrast, or conflict with each other
C. Suggest how the director might improve a scene from the film to contribute to its theme
or message
D. Please, do not repeat your introduction, even though some professors have told you to do
so in the past. Your readers are smart, so I expect your conclusion to engage the reader
and lead the paper toward closure and unity.
Note: (You may not want to cover all four techniques in Scene #1, #2, or #3. Some may be more
important than others. The scene itself and your observations will dictate what you will or will
not discuss in, for example, Scene #1. Also, you may need to break up your discussion of Scene
#1 into multiple paragraphs.
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