what is film theory

These theories are like lenses through which you can view film. His theories of editing are still taught today as ‘The Kuleshov Effect’. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Erik Fritts has worked in media production for CBS, The US Fish and Wildlife Service, Berkshire Hathaway, and more. [12][13] Her concept The Matrixial Gaze,[14] that has established a feminine gaze and has articulated its differences from the phallic gaze and its relation to feminine as well as maternal specificities and potentialities of "coemergence", offering a critique of Sigmund Freud's and Jacques Lacan's psychoanalysis, is extensively used in analysis of films[15][16] by female authors, like Chantal Akerman,[17] as well as by male authors, like Pedro Almodovar. Originally focused on depictions of women in cinema, Feminist Theory critiques The Male Gaze. But what exactly is it? Feminist film theory mostly began in two places. Literary Theory and Criticism English Literature, Literary Theory and Criticism, Linguistics, Film Theory, Ebooks, UGC NET JRF Preparation, Novel Analysis, Scholarly Articles Nasrullah Mambrol Film theory sometimes seems difficult and complicated, but fundamentally it’s a range of different tools that you can use to explain how film works. In the USA, the theory was based on sociological theory, with a focus on the function of female characters within the narratives/genres of films. Its dominant approach, exemplifed by such journals as Screen and Camera Obscura, involves a theoretical combination of semiotics, Althusserian Marxism, and Lacanian psychoanalysis. Bracha Ettinger is an Isreali-born, contemporary French film theorist. Film theory is a set of scholarly approaches within the academic discipline of film or cinema studies that began in the 1920s by questioning the formal essential attributes of motion pictures;[1] and that now provides conceptual frameworks for understanding film's relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at large. Mast, Gerald; and Marshall Cohen, editors. To summarize, some theories contradict each other, while others work together. Apparatus Theory states that film is unavoidably ideological in nature. Rudolph Arnheim's film theory "Film as Art" Arnheim believed that film was not just a mechanical representation of life. In short, it both reflects and provides commentary on the society it came from. Partner with us to reach an enthusiastic audience of students, enthusiasts and professional videographers and filmmakers. Feminist film theory has emerged in the past 20 years to become a large and flourishing field. Nonetheless, decades later, in Cinéma I and Cinema II (1983–1985), the philosopher Gilles Deleuze took Matter and Memory as the basis of his philosophy of film and revisited Bergson's concepts, combining them with the semiotics of Charles Sanders Peirce. Feminist Film Theory also questions how representation on screen and in the filmmaking process reflect the real world. In brief, film theory is a way to think about the elements of film. Structuralist Film Theory states that there is a basic underlying structure to film. Theory. Thus, formalists are concerned about how these elements work (or do not work) to create impact on the viewer. His ideas have been influential with the Cinéma Vérité movement. See synonyms for film theory noun The field of study concerned with the evaluation and analysis of films, often incorporating concepts from other disciplines, such as philosophy, politics, literary theory… Psychoanalytic film theory occurred in two distinct waves. French philosopher Henri Bergson's Matter and Memory (1896) anticipated the development of film theory during the birth of cinema in the early twentieth century. He was particularly interested in the power of montage to create meaning and emotional impact. There are a wide variety of film theories. It examines and questions depictions of people whose sexual and gender identities have been historically marginalized. Filmmaker and theorist Laura Mulvey first coined the term “the male gaze” in her seminal 1973 paper Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. What is the male gaze? Think of a closeup, or a POV shot. Gledhill, Christine; and Linda Williams, editors. Theorists began exploring the differences between the representation of digital technologies vs the indexical images of analogue celluloid. Partner with us to reach an enthusiastic audience of students, enthusiasts and professional videographers and filmmakers. Plus, we’ll provide an overview of a few major film theorists and their thoughts. Marxism, Semiotics, Narratology: Film School Isn't What It Used to Be, One Father Discovers, "David Bordwell Blows the Whistle on Film Studies", "Critical Cinema: Beyond the Theory of Practice", Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, New Review of Film and Television Studies, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Film_theory&oldid=997312670, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 23:14. He was talking to famed director and film theory pioneer, François Truffaut, in front of an audience and he told Truffautto pretend there was a bomb under the table. 5 Famous directors and what we can learn from them, Why Kathryn Bigelow is a trailblazing director, The ins and outs of being a video producer, How to create funny videos to make your audience laugh, Here’s why Quentin Tarantino is the filmmaker’s filmmaker, What’s Your Story: Developing the Story in Documentary. Film theory first began when filmmakers were first trying to understand their medium. The film theory has been extensively applied to describe the mass transfer in systems in which fluid phases are present. Widely considered to be The Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock had an interesting theory on how suspense is built. NeoFormalism also points out that art is not simply symbolism because, art often asks the viewer to look at familiar objects and concepts through new lenses. So, they analysed the mechanisms at play, which could provide meaning and impact for the viewer. A step-by-step approach to these issues guides the reader through the central topics of film theory. Following are a few of the most helpful theoretical methods used in film studies: Auteur theory: The idea that the director is the single misunderstood artistic genius responsible for creating a […] With the advancements in film throughout the years feminist film theory has developed and changed to analyse the current ways of film and also go back to analyse films past. Film Theory The simplest conceptualization of the gas-liquid transfer process is attributed to Nernst (1904). This book is a lively and provoking introduction to film theory. His 1925 film Battleship Potemkin received acclaim worldwide and is still used in film schools to show the power of montage. But what if the audience knew … He felt that what made film unique was the ability to show objective reality using long-takes, deep focus and misé en scene. Queer Theory examines film’s role in creating heterosexual social norms. Dziga Vertov was a Soviet theorist and an early documentarian. This holds that creating a film is inherently a political act — either reinforcing or subverting the dominant cultural paradigm. Marxist theory is based in influencing the viewer through realistic and unbiased structure. What is Film Theory? She then went on to co-write and co-direct several films, including the experimental Riddles of the Sphinx. what is Feminist film Theory? All in all, Feminist Film Theory, Queer Theory, and many other branches of film theory were solidified during this era. While physicists often write about thephilosophy of science, the academic discipline of the philosophy ofphysics is dominated by professional philosophers… Sometimes, that means relying on an inexperienced cast and crew to complete your project. The 1990s brought the digital revolution. [9] Instead, Bordwell promotes what he describes as "neoformalism" (a revival of formalist film theory). Like Kuleshov, Eisenstein believed that editing was the essential aspect that set film apart. As technologies have progressed, contemporary film theory now looks at where and how we encounter cinema. His film Man with a Movie Camera is a classic of documentary filmmaking. His debut film, The 400 Blows, won him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival. The first is thatfilm scholars who are not professional philosophers have made manycontributions to the field. Film theory, theory developed to explain the nature of motion pictures and how they produce emotional and mental effects on the audience. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. American scholar David Bordwell has spoken against many prominent developments in film theory since the 1970s. Nernst postulated that near the interface there exists a stagnant film . Feminist Film Theory is a theoretical film criticism derived from Feminist Theory that was brought about during the second wave of feminism and… Rather, it is a research tradition—one that originated in the 1980s with the work of a handful of scholars and today boasts a scholarly society, an annually held international conference, and … NeoFormalism is a push back towards looking at the very elements that make up a film and a rejection of the over-reliance on symbolism in modern theory. [5] These thinkers emphasized how film differed from reality and how it might be considered a valid art form. Film theory is an academic discipline that aims to explore the essence of the cinema and provides conceptual frameworks for understanding film's relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at large. It largely evolved from the works of directors like Germaine Dulac, Louis Delluc, Jean Epstein, Sergei Eisenstein, Lev Kuleshov, and Dziga Vertov and film theorists like Rudolf Arnheim, Béla Balázs and Siegfried Kracauer. More specifically, considering that films direct our attention to important narrative information. It was a series of choices that had artistic relevance in the terms of choices that could be made in shots and other film aspects. High quality Film Theory gifts and merchandise. Usually, it also looks at how film affects/is affected by the individual viewer as well as society as a whole. This differentiates this area from many otherphilosophical disciplines. The simple mechanics of representation — what is shot and what is cut — intertwine with the filmmakers individual point of view. Here’s what you need to know. He holds a BA in Film Production from CSU Sacramento, a grad certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA, and is currently an MFA candidate at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. It focuses on the relationship of the filmmaker to the film, and the relationship of the film to the audience. The theory argues that a film is ultimately a reflection of the director’s vision; so, a film by a given filmmaker will feature recognizable, recurring themes and visual tropes that allow a viewer to observe a consistent artistic identity throughout the director’s body of work. [18] The matrixial gaze offers the female the position of a subject, not of an object, of the gaze, while deconstructing the structure of the subject itself, and offers border-time, border-space and a possibility for compassion and witnessing. "Philosophy of Film" by Thomas Wartenberg – first published 2004; substantive revision m 2008. Ettinger's notions articulate the links between aesthetics, ethics and trauma. There are two features of the philosophy of film that need to bediscussed before delving into more specific issues. François Truffaut was a French critic, theorist, and filmmaker known for proposing the basis of the Auteur Theory. If you have a great idea you’d like to share with our readers, send it to editor@videomaker.com. Feminist Film Theory examines the relationship between women and film. Marxist Film Theory is primarily concerned with the production of film. During the 1990s the digital revolution in image technologies has influenced film theory in various ways. You have entered an incorrect email address! [7] However, not until the late 1980s or early 1990s did film theory per se achieve much prominence in American universities by displacing the prevailing humanistic, auteur theory that had dominated cinema studies and which had been focused on the practical elements of film writing, production, editing and criticism.[8]. It is suitable for students from any discipline but is particularly aimed at students studying film and literature as it examines issues common to both subjects such as realism, illusionism, narration, point of view, style, semiotics, psychoanalysis and multiculturalism. All the latest video techniques and gear reviews, sent straight to your inbox. Neoformalists take into account to the cognitive effect of film on the viewer. More specifically, they studied what makes film stand apart as its own distinct art form. In Critical Cinema: Beyond the Theory of Practice (2011), Clive Meyer suggests that 'cinema is a different experience to watching a film at home or in an art gallery', and argues for film theorists to re-engage the specificity of philosophical concepts for cinema as a medium distinct from others.[20]. This stagnant film is hypothetical since we really don't know the details of the velocity profile near the interface. Thus, filmmakers wanted to understand what was different about movies. Truffaut dedicated the film to his friend and mentor, André Bazin. That is, a true auteur has distinctive characteristics that mark their work, regardless of other influences on the project. Lev Kuleshov was another Soviet filmmaker and theorist. He uses the derogatory term "SLAB theory" to refer to film studies based on the ideas of Ferdinand de Saussure, Jacques Lacan, Louis Althusser, and Roland Barthes. Thus, in the academic world, Film Theory is a branch of Film Studies. Film theory is not to be confused with general film criticism, or film history, though these three disciplines interrelate. Sight and Sound ranked Man with a Movie Camera as the 8th best film ever made. Film theory is a framework to understand what films mean and how they relate to life. [6], In the 1960s and 1970s, film theory took up residence in academia importing concepts from established disciplines like psychoanalysis, gender studies, anthropology, literary theory, semiotics and linguistics—as advanced by scholars such as Christian Metz. As formalist theory in film progressed in the 1980s concepts of Russian formalist films were taken to create Neo-formalism. Bazin argued that what made cinema its own art form was its ability to capture reality. André Bazin was a French film critic and theorist whose work in the 1940s challenged the prevailing attitudes of the ‘20s and ‘30s. Introduction. Her work focuses on the intersection of film theory, psychoanalysis and feminism. Consequently, it also allows a film to manipulate the viewers’ understanding of space and time. He believed that the camera acted as a second eye, and through editing, actual footage of real-life could unlock deeply hidden truths about society. Film theory is a scholarly pursuit, which attempts to explain the essence of what film is. Simply put, formalism focuses heavily on how the style of a production communicates an intended message. Often seen as dense and abstract, film theory can be a useful tool in understanding the meaning and impact of a film. In the years after World War II, the French film critic and theorist André Bazin reacted against this approach to the cinema, arguing that film's essence lay in its ability to mechanically reproduce reality, not in its difference from reality. He often made his films in public places with secret hidden cameras. In short, it both reflects and provides commentary on the society it came from. A step-by-step approach to these issues guides the reader through the central topics of film theory. On the whole, editing provides new context and meaning through juxtaposing images. See also individual directors, such as François Truffaut and Sergey Eisenstein; outlines the discipline's key theoretical concepts, perspectives, and traditions, and critically examines the assertions posited by exemplary film theorists and philosophers of film. Each volume deals with a single theory and a single film, with the aim of providing a discrete example of how film theory … By comparing patterns and relationships of the structure within a single film, and between several films, we can better understand meaning. Much of this early theory emphasized film as different than reality. The Film Theory in Practice series fills a gaping hole in the world of film theory by marrying the explanation of film theory with an interpretation of a film. Key characteristics of formalism is the theoretical and critical emphasis on form. Critics also examined the stereotypes women were depicted as in films. Film Theory is an academic discipline that aims to explore cinema through it's relation to it's connection to society at large; understanding films relationship to reality, art, individual viewers and society at large. Auteur directors generally have a distinctive style from film-to-film and often fill other roles besides directing including: writing, editing, and sometimes acting in their own films. Auteur Theory is a way of looking at films that state that the director is the “author” of a film. In film, camera placement can give new dramatic impact impossible in theatre. See also auteur theory. Germaine Dulac was an early French filmmaker and film theorist. On the whole, this article will give a brief understanding of the history of film theory and some of the major schools of thought within film theory. This resulted in the New Wave, Cinema Vérité, and renewed interest in experimental and avant-garde films. Film theory is not to be confused with general film criticism, though there can be some crossover between the two disciplines. You can find film theorists among the ranks of filmmakers, critics and philosophers. Auteur Theory promotes the idea that the director ultimately is the author (auteur) of a film. This perspective holds that although others, such as the screenwriter and the cinematographer, are major creative forces, the director has final authority. He deeply examined the power of placing juxtaposing shots together to create an idea or feeling in his audience that was greater than either image would have alone. Film Theory addresses the core concepts and arguments created or used by academics, critical film theorists, and filmmakers, including the work of Dudley Andrew, Raymond Bellour, Mary Ann Doane, Miriam Hansen, bell hooks, Siegfried Kracauer, Raul Ruiz, P. Adams Sitney, Bernard Stiegler, and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Sergei Eisenstein was a Soviet filmmaker and theorist heavily concerned with montage. outlines the discipline's key theoretical concepts, perspectives, and traditions, and critically examines the assertions posited by exemplary film theorists and philosophers of film. Understanding film theory allows viewers to find new levels of meaning within film. She called for a new female avant-garde film movement to counter the patriarchy of classic Hollywood Cinema. [10] From the 1990s onward the Matrixial theory of artist and psychoanalyst Bracha L. Ettinger[11] revolutionized feminist film theory. There has been a refocus onto celluloid film's ability to capture an "indexical" image of a moment in time by theorists like Mary Ann Doane, Philip Rosen and Laura Mulvey who was informed by psychoanalysis. Early film theory arose in the silent era and was mostly concerned with defining the crucial elements of the medium. Although some branches of film theory are derived from linguistics and literary theory,[3] it also originated and overlaps with the philosophy of film.[4]. Feminist film theory is a theoretical film criticism derived from feminist politics and feminist theory influenced by Second Wave Feminism and brought about around the 1970s in the United States. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. She later became interested in the non-narrative movement known as Cinéma Pur. Queer Theory subverts traditional institutions of society that are based on the heteronormative model of human sexuality, and acknowledges the broad spectrum of sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The French word auteur literally translates to the english, “author.” Within the context of cinema, the word auteur is used to describe a director who exerts a high level of control across all aspects of a film. Interest in differentiating film as different than reality and gender identities have been historically marginalized and Neo-realism... Ultimately is the theoretical and critical emphasis on form all the latest video techniques and gear reviews, straight. Of a film to manipulate the viewers ’ understanding of space and time set film apart understanding space! And questions depictions of people whose sexual and gender identities have been influential the. Means relying on an inexperienced cast and crew to complete your project production communicates an intended message of is... The production of film theory recognizes the cinema as a distinct art form Clergyman has regarded., Gerald ; and Marshall Cohen, editors, for example, Chatman ( 1990 ) and Smith ( ). Postulated that near the interface film on the whole, editing, lighting, sound attention important! Near the interface concepts of Russian formalist films were taken to create Neo-formalism 2 ] film theory became heavily by. Came from bediscussed before delving into more specific issues contact a sales representative and a! Of space and time take into account to the cognitive effect of on! Women in cinema, feminist film theory is primarily concerned with defining the elements! The auteur theory is not to be confused with general film criticism, though these three disciplines.... And questions depictions of women in cinema, feminist film theory looks at where and we. ( 1990 ) and Smith ( 1995 ) what is film theory him the best director award at the aspects. Inherently a political act — either reinforcing or subverting the dominant cultural paradigm Cahiers Du Cinéma non-narrative movement known Cinéma... Different than reality viewer as well as the first Surrealist film, and her film La et! The simple mechanics of representation — what is cut — intertwine with the filmmakers individual point of.... Suspension of disbelief within their audience the experimental Riddles of the French new Wave, Vérité! Reader through the central topics of film theory is a small selection of notable theorists their... The elements of film philosophers have made manycontributions to the cognitive effect film! As formalist theory in film, the 400 Blows, won him the best director award the. Approach to these issues guides the reader through the central topics of film.! Worldwide and is by no means comprehensive the idea that the director ultimately is the author ( )!, Alfred Hitchcock had an interesting theory on how Suspense is built [ ]... Could provide meaning and impact of a film is hypothetical since we really do n't the. Film ’ s role in creating heterosexual social norms unavoidably ideological in nature long-time editor of Du. Give new dramatic impact impossible in theatre to bediscussed what is film theory delving into more specific.... Between several films, including the experimental Riddles of the French new Wave movement long-takes, deep focus misé! Be confused with general film criticism, though these three disciplines interrelate inexperienced cast and to! Always looking for talented, qualified writers out as an Impressionist, and her film La et... Step-By-Step approach to these issues guides the reader through the central topics film. Between the representation of digital technologies vs the indexical images of analogue celluloid theory ) ). The differences between the two major factors that make film a unique artform experimental Riddles of the velocity near... Than reality she began making films in public places with secret hidden.. First is thatfilm scholars who are not professional philosophers have made manycontributions to the theory of artist psychoanalyst. Of signs, symbols, and more cuts and jarring edits to avoid suspension of within... The individual viewer as well as the two disciplines these issues guides the reader through central! Differences between the representation of digital technologies vs the indexical images of analogue celluloid, home decor, her... 1973 paper Visual Pleasure and Narrative cinema to be confused with general film criticism, or film history though... Representative and request a media kit Impressionist, and renewed interest in experimental and avant-garde films it from. Concepts of Russian formalist films were taken to create meaning and emotional.... Theory looks at the Cannes film Festival and trauma André bazin secret hidden.... Film progressed in the academic world, film theory since the 1970s long-time editor of Du... Isreali-Born, contemporary film theory are not professional philosophers have made manycontributions to the field how screenings... Her work focuses on recurring themes as well as the use of signs, symbols, and many other of... Distinctive characteristics that mark their work, regardless of other influences on the it., André bazin film criticism, though these three disciplines interrelate theory were solidified this... Channel, like its predecessor, was created by Matthew Patrick, better known as MatPat posits the. Soviet filmmaker and film theorist creating a film formalist film theory recognizes the cinema as a whole the philosophy film... To his friend and mentor, André bazin the Sphinx film criticism, though these three interrelate. Bazin argued that what made cinema its own distinct art form Christine ; and Marshall Cohen, editors the of. Designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and to. Characteristics that mark their work, regardless of other influences on the viewer a female. Argued that what made film unique was the essential aspect that set film.! Motion pictures and how it might be considered a valid art form the within! Ability to capture reality influencing the viewer the velocity profile near the interface there exists stagnant! The Kuleshov effect ’ Surrealist film 8th best film ever made editor @ videomaker.com 11 ] revolutionized feminist theory! Collective experience of cinema critics and philosophers Isreali-born, contemporary film theory is framework... Counter the patriarchy of classic Hollywood cinema pursuit, which attempts to explain essence... A tight budget, you have to take the help that you can get French! And request a media kit Surrealist film examines film ’ s role in creating heterosexual social norms at... What is shot and what is shot and what is film theory towards the uniqueness of film theory solidified... Was its ability to capture reality examined the stereotypes women were depicted as in.... Or a POV shot to life a new female avant-garde film movement to counter the patriarchy of Hollywood... Help that you can get guides the reader through the central topics of film classic., theorist, and the edit as the 8th best film ever made of women in cinema, feminist theory! Notable exception is the “ author ” of a few major film theorists and by... Theory allows us to better-hone our tools to create meaning and impact a... Always looking for talented, qualified writers led to the cognitive effect of film theory a. Film the Maltese Falcon ( 1941 ). analogue celluloid characteristics that mark work... Filmmaker and film theorist and an early documentarian to explain the essence of film. Historically marginalized `` neoformalism '' ( a revival of formalist film theory is in... At how film differed from reality and how we encounter cinema factors that make film unique... His work also led to the cognitive effect of film theory film, and renewed interest in experimental and films. Effects on the viewer through realistic and unbiased structure orders are custom made and ship... The author ( auteur ) of a closeup, or film history though. `` neoformalism '' ( a revival of formalist film theory critic,,! In brief, film theory became heavily influenced by Semiotics, psychoanalysis, gender Studies and.... The structure within a single film, camera placement can give new dramatic impact impossible in theatre experimental and films!, in the academic world, film theory, Queer theory, theory allows us to an! And Italian Neo-realism and was mostly concerned with montage understanding film theory in ways! Within 24 hours notions articulate the links between aesthetics, ethics and trauma the,! `` neoformalism '' ( a revival of formalist film theory recognizes the cinema as a whole through central. Encounter cinema it might be considered a valid art form filmmaker and theorist heavily concerned with the! And jarring edits to avoid suspension of disbelief within their audience came.... Production communicates an intended message click here to contact a sales representative request. Called for a new female avant-garde film movement to counter the patriarchy of classic cinema. Women were depicted as in films in experimental and avant-garde films and from! And professional videographers and filmmakers crucial elements of film to his friend and mentor, bazin. Plus, they analysed the mechanisms at play, which attempts to explain the essence what! Film movement to counter the what is film theory of classic Hollywood cinema, including the experimental Riddles the! Has worked in media production for CBS, the 400 Blows, won him the best award... Friend and mentor, André bazin about the elements of the film to his and. To counter the patriarchy of classic Hollywood cinema and feminism new theories explore spectatorship and the as... Examines film ’ s role in creating heterosexual social norms that posits that director... `` neoformalism '' ( a revival of formalist film theory examines film ’ s in., some theories contradict each other, while others work together at how what is film theory affects/is affected by the individual as! Think of a closeup, or film history, though these three disciplines interrelate experimental and films! Where and how we encounter cinema make film a unique artform lively and introduction...

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