By Robert Quist & Mark Hamilton

By Robert Quist & Mark Hamilton

The Manipulation of Standard

Hollywood Film Techniques in Citizen Kane

Edited by: Dr. Kay Picart @ 2002

PurposePurpose

To outline the basic film techniques in comparison with Citizen Kane using John Belton’s “Classical Hollywood Cinema: Style” and “The Studio System.”

Film as a Character-Film as a Character-Centered ArtCentered Art

“ “Classic Hollywood cinema is a _________-________ cinema.”

Both the narrative and the techniques focus on the main characters.

Choose the correct term for the missing word: camera-centered, spectator-centered, character-centered

Film as a Character Film as a Character Centered ArtCentered Art

“ An example of the narrative centering around the main character is given at the beginning of Shadow of a Doubt.

Film and NarrativeFilm and Narrative

“ Until now, we have talked about the narrative of film and how it seeks to involve the viewer, treating him or her not as an audience member, but as a ________ or _______.

Choose the correct term for the missing words: audience member, spectator, character, witness.

Film and NarrativeFilm and Narrative

In other words, the viewer is transported into the action in a more life-like way.

Film TechniquesFilm Techniques“ Now we are going to discuss the

techniques that filmmakers use to focus on the characters and more importantly to get the spectator to adopt the main character’s psyche.

Film TechniquesFilm Techniques

“ During the early Soviet Cinema, a man named Lev Kuleshov developed an editing method that was so influential that filmmakers and film scholars call it the Kuleshov effect.

The Kuleshov EffectThe Kuleshov Effect

“ The Kuleshov effect can be loosely summed up in the fol-lowing formula:

Abstract + Abstract = Concrete “ It is the juxtaposition or the edit-

ing of two non-relating images to create a psychological effect.

The Kuleshov EffectThe Kuleshov Effect

“ Basic examples would be: a shot of a man, followed by: a shot of a snowy landscape.

“ Instead of thinking of these as two unrelated images we fill in the gaps in our minds and put this man in the landscape settings.

The Studio and the The Studio and the Kuleshov EffectKuleshov Effect

“ Since most film were shot in a studio, this was an inexpensive way of making the film ___________.

Choose the correct terms for the missing two words: more / less and realistic / unrealistic.


“ By clever use of Kuleshov effect Wolfgang Peterson, the maker of Das Boot (The Boat) makes us believe that these men are actually in a sub in the ocean.


“ He edits in shots of the ocean and shots of charges exploding in the ocean. Then we put two and two together or fill in the gaps and believe that these men are actually there.

The The Mise-en-SceneMise-en-Scene“ The mise-en-scene is the most

obvious part of film. There are four parts of the mise-en-scene.The costumes and makeup The sets

on location in the studio

figure expression and movement The lighting

The Camera (in 5 Acts)The Camera (in 5 Acts)When discussing camera,

scholars use five areas:AngleDistanceHeightLevelMovement

The Camera (Act 1)The Camera (Act 1)

Angle shots are those in which the camera is either:

“ placed high and looking down“ placed low looking up.

ANGLE


Distance shots can be a(n): extreme long shot (panorama shot) long shot (landscape outside of a house)medium (person from waist up)medium close up (person from chest up)close up (a person’s face) or extreme close up (eyes / nose fill frame)

DISTANCE


“ Height refers to the level at which the camera is positioned.

“ Most Hollywood films are on ________.

HEIGHT

Choose the correct term for the missing words: head level / eye level / chest level / full body in view level.


Most Hollywood films are level rather than canted. Canted refers to the tilt of the camera to either the right or the left side, i.e. One is higher than the other, even though they should be the same level.

LEVEL


Movement terms include: Tracking Tracking

a mobile framing that travels through space in any direction.

PanPan a camera movement which produces a horizontal scanning.

TiltTilt the camera moves up or downward while remaining in a stationary position.

CraneCrane camera is high above the ground, moves through the air in all directions.

MOVEMENT

Three Point LightingThree Point Lighting

» Three point lighting

_____ Lighting_____ Lighting_____ Lighting

All can use either Low or High Key Lighting.

Find the three missing terms from your reading.

Three Point LightingThree Point Lighting

» The Three-Point Lighting favors ________ lighting.

» Most Hollywood films use ________ lighting.

Choose the correct term for the missing words: 1) high-key / low-key 2) high-key / low-key

SoundSound

» Most Hollywood films mix the sound

» This allows the spectator to _______________________ which normally would not stand out, but be a part of the “noise.”

Find the missing phrase from your reading.

SoundSound

» Hollywood films also edit the sound to include effects which would not be heard in a real setting.

» Sound, therefore, is both a part of the Mise-en-Scene and the editing process.

MusicMusic

» The musical score helps to _________________.

» The initial live music in the Silent Era of film was an attempt to ________________ ___________________.

Find the missing terms from your reading.

MusicMusic

» Music in both silent and sound films used and use Leitmotif techniques to aid the narrative.

» The Bride of Frankenstein provides an effective example.

EditingEditing

“ In order to make smooth transitions from edit to edit, filmmakers use:

FadesFades a shot gradually brightens (i.e. Fade-in) or darkens (i.e. Fade-out).

Dissolves Dissolves the first shot gradually disappears as the second shot appears at the same rate.

Wipes Wipes a line appears across the screen, wiping out the first shot as the second follows behind the line (i.e. dragging an image into the picture like a curtain)

EditingEditing

» If the edit exists within the scene, editors will often just join the parts together in a cut.

» Editing is also useful in struc-turing the narrative.

» Citizen Kane, for example relies on flashbacks.

Summary of TechniquesSummary of Techniques

» To make a good film, all the above are part of assuring that the spectator lives vicariously through the main characters.

Citizen KaneCitizen Kane and Standard and Standard Hollywood Film TechniquesHollywood Film Techniques

“ Citizen Kane (abbreviated CK) shows a departure from the Standard Holly-wood style by using:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Find the five missing terms from your reading.

CK’sCK’s Narrative Structure Narrative Structure

» Bordwell and Thompson discuss how the film revolves around the reporter’s (Thompson) search.

» “The very beginning of the film sets up a mystery.”

CKCK as a Mystery? as a Mystery?

Even though the narrative resembles a detective-like mystery, the film is not a Sherlock Holmes “Whodunit.”


The most noticeable difference appears at the end where Thompson gives up his search.

Yet, the mystery is solved for the spectator.


Thompson’s discoveries regarding Kane’s life provided more meaning to the spectator than the reference to Rosebud.

A Psychological A Psychological Point of ViewPoint of View

Bordwell and Thompson note that although we follow Thompson’s search, the camera functions as an _____________________. “the style also suggest the narrations’ ability to plumb the characters’ minds.” (54)

Choose the correct term for the blank: dependent character, omniscient narrator, independent character.

ConclusionConclusion» Reading 6 provides an introduction

to conventional cinematic techni-ques,

» while Reading 7 shows how these technique may be manipulated or even broken.

» Together they facilitate a better understanding of cinema.

The Use of Camera in The Use of Camera in CKCK

» Hollywood is well-known for its “invisible camera” technique where the camera’s presence is meant to be as innocuous as possible.


» The normal spectator hardly notices the camera at all because of relatively less camera movement and shots and scenes inconspicuously edited together.


» How does Citizen Kane break the conventions of the “invisible camera?”

» How is the camera a character in this movie?

QUESTIONS:QUESTIONS:

» For each one of the following scenes I will show, think how the camera works as a character by itself, going where very few humans go.


The Opening SequenceThe Opening Sequence

Establishing Shot

How is the camera a character here?

Match DissolveMatch Dissolve

Match Dissolve

Also called a “Graphic Match”

The Death SequenceThe Death Sequence


Death Sequence

The “El-Rancho” SceneThe “El-Rancho” Scene


El Rancho Scene

The “El-Rancho” SceneThe “El-Rancho” Scene

Question: How does the camera show us the night-club?

How is the camera a character here? Death Sequence

Angle ShotsAngle Shots

High-angle shot and low-angle shot

The camera looks _____ upon or ______ to the character respectively.

Choose the correct term for the missing words: 1) up / down 2) up / down

The Breakfast MontageThe Breakfast Montage


Breakfast Montage

The Mise-en-SceneThe Mise-en-Scene


Mise-en-Scene

The Warehouse SceneThe Warehouse Scene


Warehouse Scene

The Last SceneThe Last Scene

Only a camera can zoom in like that, not a human being. The close up of the words “Rosebud” at the sled’s head make us very well aware of one of Welles’s projects.

This is a movie, not a filmed stage production with a stationary camera.

Parting Shots...Parting Shots...

Make sure to learn the technical terms that experts use when talking about film.

Enjoy your next movie!

THE ENDTHE END!

Documents

By Robert Quist & Mark Hamilton