Secondary Research
- Rachel Eaton
- Mar 17
- 18 min read
Updated: Jun 9
The ideas:
Following on from my idea generation, I have picked 5 different ideas. I will research them more to help me pick which one to do the project on, whilst considering access to the interviewees.
How to become a film nerd/actor or how to make a film
The rise of independent films
The influence of cinema on fashion trends
The importance of physical media
The dynamics of on-screen chemistry: What makes it work?
I will research all of these ideas individually to see which is most relevant and important now, which interests me the most and which I will have access to.
How to become a film nerd/actor or how to make a film
Film nerd:
The term 'film nerd' means someone with a passionate and knowledgeable interest in cinema, also referred to as a cinephile or film buff.
Is the movie industry in decline?
The movie industry isn't exactly dying, but production activity and box office revenue is declining.
The Hollywood Strike of Writers and Actors had an effect on British Film and Tv production aswell as American, "Studios are like ghost towns", "I have never known so many people in the TV and film industry out of work in this country"
US Film and Tv Production down 40% in the second quarter of 2024 from peak TV levels at the same time of year in 2022. Decline in productions has prolonged mass unemployment and a mental health crisis. Globally production was down by 20%. TV production incresead 20% from the second quarter of 2023, however film production decreased by 18%. It was speculated that studios were playing it safe by not moving forward with as many projects, due to fear of a third strike.
UK Cinemas face rapid closure. Box office revenue and annual cinema attendance have increased since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, however have not increased to the values pre-covid in 2019. One in ten cinemas may face closure.
The rise of independent films:
Independent films are made by independent production companies, outside of the studio system, and often have smaller budgets. Indie films often don't have a standardised process and strict rules of production that studios have, instead their process is often based on the people involved.
The influence of cinema on fashion trends
https://medium.com/@gutinstinctmedia/youve-got-the-cinema-fashion-trends-in-tv-and-film-2f9c221ca6fc
The importance of physical media
The dynamics of on-screen chemistry
Finding inspiration:
Performative documentary:
I researched the performative style of documentary as that is what I may do, and I took inspiration from the example of Supersize Me, where he lives only on McDonalds for a month. He wants to investigate the issue of fast food being unhealthy so he tries it himself, this is what I want to do with the 'How to' idea, but to a less extreme extent obviously. I want to try to become an actor to see if it is possible and achievable from having no experience or connections.
Though the topic differs massively, I can take inspiration from this documentary, if I want to do a performative one where I give myself a challenge to try whilst I investigate something. If I did it for film or acting, I think it would be entertaining and engaging for the audience, but also educate them about the industry and will take a unique angle when discussing the topic.
How to become a film nerd:
Characteristics of film nerds:
Appreciation for diverse cinema
Frequent filmgoer
Love film discussions
Often have a large collection of physical media
Follows the film industry
Cinephile communities
May have favourite directors, actors and genres
I read a reddit page to see how people recommend to become a film nerd:
Find a movie you love and watch other movies in that genre, then branch out to other genres, read about actors and directors and movie-making
Criterion collection watch their videos of actors and filmmakers picking out their favourite
films from the collection, take their recommendations
Watch international films and films from different decades, a diverse range of films
One does not become a film buff, they are born into it?
Take the time after a watching a classic movie to understand why its great
Read reviews about the movie
Follow American Film Institute's Top 100 films, or similar lists
Watch DVD commentaries about films
Step 1: Get rid of distractions
Step 2: Get comfortable
Step 3: Don't try too hard to understand the meaning on your first viewing
Step 4: Think about what you've just watched, then watch it again (focus on the technical aspects and messages instead of story for second time)
Step 5: Show off the film to others
Know your directors
Know your cult films
Learn more about your favourite films
Watch movies about the history of movies
Watch documentaries about Hollywood and the film industry
Learning the classics
Have movie marathons
Start with what you know
Don't force it
Experiment
Don't be afraid to go foreign
Don't get a big head
Maybe create a schedule of films to watch day-by-day, maybe based on genre or director
Keep track of films you watch
Find out what goes on behind-the-scenes
Study film theory and history
Engage with film communities
Attend film festivals
Write/create about films
Find films that inspired others and directors that inspired other directors
Find a critic you like
Never hate a movie
Like what you like
Questions that concern film fans:
What is your favourite film genre?
What is your favourite film?
Who is your favourite director?
Who is your favourite actor/actress?
What is the greatest film of all time?
Determining the greatest film of all time is subjective. People have different tastes and defining criteria of what makes a great film.
There is no universal standard of greatness, it can't be measured, its personal opinion of whether a film is good or not (could research more into the psychology behind why someone may like a film whilst someone else dislikes it)
There are technical aspects like cinematography or editing that people may asses but even that is subjective
What is considered great changes over time and across cultures
The personal experience or memories associated with a film may make it great for someone
It may be about the technical aspects for some, or the story or just entertainment value
Film is art, so its subjective, but things like IMDb and Rotten Tomato Scores may try to add a sense of objectivity, aswell reviews seeming more consumer-driven then an artistic preference
There is no true answer, its purely personal but there are films that stand out as some of the best, that many can agree on, but nothing is wrong or right
The objective value may lie in the technical skills involved in making the film
Sources:
List of some films widely considered to be the greatest:
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Godfather
The Shawshank Redemption
Gone with the wind
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
City Lights
The Wizard of Oz
Singin in the rain
Vertigo
Psycho
Apocalypse Now
Goodfellas
Schindler's List
Pulp Fiction
Dr Strangelove
Some Like It Hot
Star Wars
Taxi Driver
The Dark Knight
Spirited Away
City of God
Forrest Gump
Raging Bull
Lost In Translation
12 Angry Men
Scarface
The Matrix
Seven Samurai
Fight Club
The Pursuit of Happyness
Its a Wonderful Life
Saving Private Ryan
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Gladiator
The Silence of The Lambs
Shutter Island
Se7en
Inception
Many commenters agreed that Citizen Kane and The Godfather are widely seen as the greatest by fans and people in the industry.
Official lists:
Most commonly referenced films:
Jaws
Titanic
Pulp Fiction
Gone with the Wind
The Shining
Psycho
The Wizard of Oz
Casablanca
Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back
Most referenced in YouTube videos
Referenced quoted, spoofed in different kinds of media
Inspiration:
Original inspiration was a Tiktok series called 'Becoming a Filmbro' by Amalia Maria.
In this series she uses a filter to give her a film recommendation, which she watches and then after gives her thoughts about it and rates it. This is what I want to do after watching a film, share my thoughts about it, but I will get recommendations for films from lists and experts.
This has a similar name to the project I am doing. This is a Youtube series where they explain what it takes to become a film nerd, and it could be useful to help me during my process, know what I need to watch and what I need to learn about. I can follow it as a guide.
400 blows film
This video has the format that I want to use for my documentary. He talks to experts to give him knowledge and advice and he documents his progress in the challenge he has set himself, trying different things. It is also a 30 day challenge, and it highlights that you may not achieve the ultimate goal but will get close and will learn alot throughout the process.
Film knowledge test:
I want to use film knowledge tests at the start to understand where I am and how I need to improve. Then I could complete the same test(s) at the end to see how much I have improved, I will document this in my film. I can do multiple film knowledge tests but must do the same ones at the end of the process.
Things I want to research:
cahiers du cinema
Films
I've also been researching different films to watch on google by directors, and scrolling the IMDB top 250 list, picking out some that look interesting and reading their summary. I have specifically been researching Alfred Hitchcock because from my film history research he is highly recommended.
Film analysis
This is all of the research I did into how to analyse a film, to help me learn about it and put it into practice for my documentary.
Types of film analysis:
Formalist- focus on technical aspects and how they create meaning
Narrative- examines the story, characters and themes
Ideological- how a film reflects or challenges social, political or cultural ideas
Psychoanalytic- unconscious desires or symbolism in film
Cultural/historical- investigates a film within its historic, social and cultural context
How to analyse a film: the complete beginners guide
How does a film communicate its major themes and ideas using the five key elements of film?
Notice the style choices of the filmmaker and question how it contributes to meaning
Five key elements:
Cinematography
Editing
Mise-en-scene
Performance
Sound
Mise en scene- the arrangement of physical elements within a scene
Say what you see
Setting
Characters
Props
Costumes
Weather
Realistic or expressive
Performance- the delivery verbal and non verbal by actors
Subtle or over the top
Open and closed
Cinematography- the technical process of capturing moving images
Shots and camera movement, and framing of mise en scene
Format of film used
Lighting
Why it is captured in the way it is
Editing- the assembly of film footage to create a coherent sequence
The order in which shots and scenes are presented has the ability to change how we interpret them
Cause and effect established when we go from one shot to another
Pacing
Sound- the use of audio elements within film
Diegetic or non-diegetic
Ambient sound
Vocal quality
Sound effects
Everything you hear is making meaning
How to analyse these:Step 1: Research, previewing research, into the meaning and context of the film, to help you analyse how these elements are used to create meaning, watch Q+As with the director, reviews
Step 2: Screening, avoid taking notes the first time you watch, give the film your full attention. Then anlayse after
Step 3: Holistic analysis, realistic and objective, slow and unintrusive editing, applying five key areas to analyse the film as a whole
Step 4: Scene analysis, can use the five elements more specifically
How to analyse movies- Film Studies 101 Patrick (H) Willems
Describe what you see and ask why
Everything is an choice by the artist, some may be happy mistakes but still warrant analysis
Art is subjective
Every movies has a core idea it is expressing
Movies don't always just have one theme
Look at the movie on a macro-level; what are the main conflicts, how were they resolved, how do the characters change
This can help you figure out the theme and what the movie is trying to say
Visual language:
Cinema is a visual medium, it is about how a story is told
Meaning and subtext found in the small visual details
Mise-en-scene, what is in the frame, everything
A movie teaches us how to watch it
Early scenes give us clue to the tone and visual language of the movie
Part of analysing film is treating every aspect as deliberate, it was a choice made by the filmmakers
Figure out why they chose what they did
Most important thing in the middle of the screen
Realism vs formalism
Classicism, in the middle of realism and formalism
A shift towards formalism may be to show the character's perspective, how the character is feeling and perceiving things
Subjective vs objective perspective
This can change from scene to scene
Lenses:
Lenses control how the camera sees an image
Having a basic knowledge of filmmaking will help you analyse
Every lenses has a focal length in mm, e.g 35mm. Lower number means wider lens, higher number longer lens
Longer lenses have a narrower field of view, compress image, background looks closer, shallower depth of field (part in focus), focuses on a person, everything behind them is blurry, long lenses used for close ups, isolate subject, more flattering
With really wide lenses there is a slight warping to the image, the world can look exaggerated through a wide lens, often used for comedy, close-ups with a wide-angle lens can look crazy. Wide lens emphasise motion, it makes movement look faster and more intense
Wide angle lenses can make one person seem like they are towering over another
Longer lenses can make people seem more natural close up
Colour:
Colour of sets, costume, manipulation in post-production
Depending on the film, colour can mean anything, there is no one set meaning
How and why to use colours
Warm colours, appealing and comforting, sunsets, autumn, fireplaces
Comedies and uplifting movies tend to use warm colour palettes
But warm colours can be turned up to feel hot and oppressive
Generalisations not science
Cold colour palette
Colour palette of character and setting clashing, show that a character doesn't belong there
All of those aspects have been mise-en scene.
Aspect ratio:
The ratio of the frame's width to its height
Use a wider frame for the typical cinema scope with black bars at the top and bottom
E.g 1.85:1 often used for comedies, shot in wide-angle, but also used in The Godfather
Aspect ratio taller can make things seem big or small
Lighting:
Creates reality, mood atmosphere, tells us where to look, cohesive reality that doesn't distract us from the story
High-key lighting, very well lit, key light, back light, fill lights, more appealing reality, little shadows
Low-key lighting, often only a single light source, heavy shadows and contrast, more dramatic and suspenseful
Blocking and camera movement:
There are films entirely made of static shots, but most include camera movement
Pan- when the camera turns on the x-axis, right or left
Tilt- when the camera moves on the y-axis, up or down
Zoom- done within the lens, camera fixed to one point, but focal length is increasing or decreasing
Tracking- camera moves through space, Steadicam, gimble or dolly
Crane- camera moves through space vertically
Helicopter or drone shot
Handheld- a person is holding the camera, looser degree of movement
Example: pan shot to show danger to character, that they are unaware of, the audience know first
Doing this in one shot shows where the characters are in relation to one another
Camera movement is happening to follow the action
By having the camera move with the character it is making it subjective, capturing how they are feeling
If the camera gets closer it is telling is that something is important, as if the camera is interested in it
The cowboy shot- medium shot, framing character from hips up, usually to make them seem heroic, often used in westerns
Point of view shot
Editing:
Invisible, tell the story clearly with good pace
Continuity editing, establishes clear sense of spacial geography and time
Editing is about when one shot cuts to another, we subconsciously understand the connection between them
Movies teach us how to watch them
Cut to a shot that doesn't connect with what is happening in the reality of the movie, is often to represent a character's thoughts, memory or imagination
Cross-cutting- when a film cuts back and fourth between two or more scenes, which we understand to be happening simultaneously, storylines happening at the same time
Lingering on shots can create a jarring effect and show distance forming and growing between characters when using the cross-cutting with hard abrupt cuts between scenes
Cross-fade- when one shot blends into the next, most commonly used to show time passing or dream-like feeling, creates a visual link, bringing things closer together
Sound:
Invisible, often not paid attention to
Sound effects, dialogue, score
Cut from silence with small sounds standing out, to loud sound, creates distance between characters just through audio, totally different sonic landscapes
Foley- sound effects created in post-production, to add more impact
Telling a story through sound
Sound design can create comedic tone, whilst keeping it believable
Music can create subtext, underline mood of a scene, express a character's feelings
Intro music can signal danger ahead, the themes of the movie
Music can draw connection to other work
Breaking the 4th wall, jarring, the audience feel exposed, the safety of being an invisible observer is gone, uncomfortable
How do we put all we learned together to analyse a film:
Auteur theory- assigning a primary author to a film, generally a director, and looking at a film in the context of their body of work, the 'auteur' injects their personality, world view and style into their work
Cahiers du cinema, Truffaut
Auteur theory is so built into how people talk about film, it can't be ignored
The auteur doesn't need to be a director, and can be applied to multiple people within a film, like an actor or producer
Its not about thinking of the director as a God and attributing every creative decision made to them, but it is about creating a context to examine the film, find recurring ideas and themes and stylistic decisions within an auteur's work, their distinct perspective
Keep the studio in mind, they may override the director in regard to choices
Film is a collaborative medium, even though its their vision that everyone is trying to realise, everyone involved makes choices and bring their own perspective to the production
Cinema history:
Every movie is influenced by other movies, no matter how original
This is about trying to understand the thought process of the filmmakers, their inspiration and how they used it
Films are in conversation with one another, its not about saying one film is ripping off another
Comparing how different movies explore the same ideas
Watch a lot of movies, the deeper your knowledge the more patterns, trends and influences become apparent and helps you understand it better when you know where it came from
Genre:
System for categorising movies based on elements and tropes
Drama is a pretty broad term
Genre is mostly about audience expectations
Genre helps with filmmaking as we associate a genre with certain images or settings ect.
Filmmakers can use the language of different genres to quickly communicate certain feelings
Visual language and sound deign in genres
Other lenses:
Infinite ways of how you can interpret film
Anything can be a valid interpretation of a movie if you can find enough evidence within the film to argue persuasively
Observing what you see, breaking it down in simple terms and asking why?
We are all going to interpret things differently. We are bringing not only personal taste and knowledge of all the films we have watched, but also our own experiences and culture
The only wrong way to interpret a movie is to insist your way is the only way
Any movie is worth analysing and finding meaning in it
The meaning is always there is you want to look for it
Rating and reviewing
There are many ways to rate movies and apply the star system. The different number of stars may mean different things to different people. You could just briefly desribe what each star means to, decresing in value and quality, or you could apply a system where you rate different aspects of a film and then do an equation to result in your final rating.
I have rated a lot of the movies I've watched 5 stars on Letterboxd, and have used the heart to symbolise my favourites that I would watch again. I could try to be more critical and rate a bit harsher to differentiate ones I enjoyed and see the greatness in from the ones that are my absolute favourites.
This is a system that would require you to rate the film on different aspects. It would be more precise and require me to be more critical. I will try both of these methods, to see which works best for me.
"The art of a critic is to transmit his knowledge of and enthusiasm for art to others"- Pauline Kael
A critic's work is to help people see what is in the film, what is in it that shouldn't be and what could be in it that already isn't. Help people see more than what they already do.
The Cinema Scale is a reliable, objective way to measure the artistic value of a movie. It has ten essential elements each with 2 categories worth 0.5 points, all summing up to a maximum of 10 points (which I can halve to give a rating out of 5 stars). The Cinema scale is constructive criticism based on the fundamentals of film-making.
10 elements:
Plot (Story Arc and Plausibility) Story Arc: A 3 Act (setup, confrontation and resolution) arc is often used to organise a story to keep it easy to follow, a strong story arc arranges the plot in a way that keeps us interested and is compelling. Plausibility: Coleridge's "suspension of disbelief", if a write could create "human interest and a semblance of truth" in a work of fiction, the audience could suspend judgement of implausibility. The plot has to be plausible within the film's universe, but it doesn't need to be rational or logical. The plot is plausible when it remains consistent with the expectations and perceptions of the character and the universe.
Attraction (Premise and Entertainment Value) Premise: The premise is the sales pitch, the movie trailer, the originality. A strong premise attracts viewers to watch with an original, intriguing idea, that motivates them to find out more. Entertainment Value: A delicate balance between tension, action and anticipation. Different genres have different methods to keep us entertained. If the movie keeps us engaged the whole way through it has entertainment value.
Theme (Identity and Depth) Identity: What message or truth is the movie trying to convey? Are the themes easy to identify, hidden or nonexistent? Strong themes are identifiable even if its not right away. Depth: Themes give the story its own character. In order to have depth a theme should achive at least one of these: 1) teach us something new 2)make us think introspectively (examine our own thoughgts and feelings) 3)form an emotional connection. An excpetion theme will do all three.
Acting (Characters and Performance) Characters: Weak characters mean weak acting. Strong characters are multidimensional, relatable and have the opportunity to develop during the film. Performance: The actor should be the character, we shouldn't get the impression that they are acting. Performance is convincing when we feel that we are watching the character, not the actor.
Dialogue (Storytelling and Context) Storytelling: Dialogue should be calculated in the way it tells the story and reveals the characters. Constructive dialogue furthers the story and reveals the characters in a memorable way. Context: The dialogue should also work to suspend disbelief, pulling is into the world, without taking us out of its context. Dialogue is in a believable context if it accurately reflects the situations, setting and characters in each scene.
Cinematography (Visual Language and Lighting, Setting and Wardrobe) Visual Language: Shot selection and camera angle create an enjoyable visual language and continuity its vital. Great cinematography uses creative camera works that helps tell the story, with consistent visual language that is easy to follow. Lighting, setting and wardrobe: Mise-en-scene, the lighting tells us how to feel, the setting tells us where we are and wardrobe tells us who the characters are.
Editing (Pace and Effects) Pace: The main goal of editing is to set the tone, heavily influenced by the pace and choice of edits. Great editing uses the right pace, with not one shot out of place, to convey each scene's tone. Effects: Visual effects (VFX) and special effects (SFX) should blend seamlessly, we shouldn't be blown out of our suspended disbelief. Effects should enhance visuals, not discredit the movie and jolt the audience out of the experience.
Soundtrack (Sound Design and Film Score) Sound Design: An authentic sound design, that transports the audience to the setting, which is accurate and of good quality, can make or break the believability of a movie. Film Score: The music should be in harmony with the story. Musical motifs coincide with each character, setting or plot point and evoke the film's sentiment.
Directing (Vision and Execution) Vision: The directing lacks vision if the story, characters and events are missing a sense of unity and direction. If a film doesn't have a uniform vision it can seem aimless and missing purpose. Execution: Zero flaws, not a single weak line of dialogue or a loose end in the plot. If a movie is executed flawlessly you feel that it should never be remade.
The 'It' Factor (One-of-a-kind and Transcendent) One-of-a-kind: Original, innovative and pioneering. Something about the movies elevates it and earns a special place in our hearts. Transcendent: 1) beyond comprehension, you can't explain why you love it you just do 2) beyond the limits of ordinary experience, after watching it you have heightened emotions 3) universally applicable or significant, it makes you feel more connected to your existence and the existence of others
When a movie becomes transcendent it is more than just a movie, it becomes part of our lives and can have a long-lasting effect.
Watch the film at least once and a second time take notes
Express your opinions and support your criticism backing up your opinions with specifics, express why and how you came to your criticism
Consider your audience, who's reading/watching and what are their interests, which will help you decide what elements to highlight
Talk about the acting, feedback about how well the actor handled the script, the dynamics in the ensemble, chemistry
Call out directors, cinematographers, and special effects. What worked, what surprised you and what fell short with examples, goes deeper than whether or not you liked it. Use a knowledge of filmmaking to help you write a detailed analysis of different elements
No spoilers! For reviewers who want to dissect the film, give visual warnings of spoilers, to not ruin it for those who haven't watched a film yet and break things down for those who have. The point of a movie review is to get people interested to watch it, so don't spoil it for them
Study the professionals. First determine what kind of reviewer you want to be and what medium you want to work on. Then read reviews for some of your favourite films, determine which style of reviews you like and why
Reread, rewrite and edit. No matter how good the writing is it won't be taken seriously if the director's name is spelled wrong
Find your voice, it doesn't happen overnight, take every opprotunity to write as a chance to develop your voice
Know you taste, specific preferences, strengths and biases. Explore genres, directors and themes
Film critics
Barry Norman:
Barry Norman was a film critic and host of BBC's 'Film...' review programme.
Mark Kermode:
Mark Kermode is a film critic and podcaster. He co-hosts the podcast 'Kermode and Mayo's Take' alongside Simon Mayo.
Filmmakers/Directors
Alfred Hitchcock:
My past research into film history guided me to research more into Alfred Hitchcock and watch his films as he was recommended as the filmmaker to follow if you can only choose one and want to study film
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