| How to Analyze a Scene in a Film Posted: 16 Dec 2017 04:00 PM PST Analyzing just one scene in a film can be both fun and enlightening! Since you'll focus on just a short part of a movie, you'll be able to take a deep dive into the details and get a great understanding of the filmmaker's decisions. Before you pick your scene, watch the entire film to make sure you understand it. Then watch the single scene several times and take notes to break it down. Finally, you can turn your notes into a formal written scene analysis for a class or your own use. EditChoosing and Watching the Scene - Watch the entire movie before you pick your scene. A single scene in a film is just one part of a whole story. To fully understand the purpose of that part, it's important to think about the movie as a whole. Ask yourself what the major themes of the film are, take note of the main characters, and think about the general mood or tone of the film.[1]
- For example, if you're going to analyze a scene in On the Waterfront (1954), you'd want to know that an overriding theme of the movie is a brotherly love that's undermined by shady political alliances.[2]
- Choose a scene that has a clear theme or purpose. The scene should be between 2 and 5 minutes long. To pick a scene that's important enough for your analysis, consider what the film would be like without it. Would the movie make sense? Would a theme be left unexplored? Go for a scene that makes the viewer more clearly understand the purpose of the movie or the conflict between the main characters.[3]
- If the scene could be easily deleted from the film, it's probably not a good pick for your analysis.
- For example, imagine Jaws (1975) without the opening sequence! This scene introduces us to the film's mysterious deep-water villain (one so scary it has its own musical theme).[4]
- Watch the scene several times without taking notes. Empty your mind and focus only on what's on the screen in front of you. This will let you absorb the scene without looking away from it or pausing the sequence to write something down. It'll also allow you to better experience the scene's mood.
EditBreaking down the Scene - Re-watch the scene several times while taking notes. Grab a notebook and write down all of your big-picture observations (like the theme), as well as the small details (like the lighting). If you plan to do a written scene analysis, these detailed notes will help you write an organized and well-supported essay.[5]
- While you write, pause the film to ensure you don't miss anything. You can also rewind if you feel like you need to rewatch a small piece of the scene.
- Take note of every decision the director made to create the scene. Nothing that's going on in the scene is by accident! Every little detail counts. Put yourself in the director's shoes to think about how those details contribute to the overall purpose and message of the scene (and the movie as a whole). Write down your impressions so you don't forget them.[6]
- Think about each character's motivations, costume, and lines. Start by taking note of which characters are present in the scene. Since you've watched the whole movie, you should have a good idea of those characters' desires, personalities, and strengths and weaknesses. Narrow in on what's going on with the characters in this single scene. How does this scene contribute to their overall development?[7]
- For example, are any of the characters undergoing a major transformation? Are they realizing something they hadn't thought of before?
- Pay close attention to what the characters are wearing. Perhaps their dark clothing mirrors their sinister deeds. Or maybe a character who's just stopping being a wallflower is all of a sudden decked out in bright colors and a huge hat.
- Decide why the director cast certain actors for different roles. Directors generally choose to cast a particular actor because their characteristics match those of the character the director wants to put on screen. Notice how the actors bring the film's characters to life. Take note of the actors' unique mannerisms and physical traits and see how those elements affect the scene.[8]
- Consider how the setting affects the scene. Where the director choose to have the scene play out matters. If the scene is taking place in a car, for example, the characters might be looking ahead instead of at each other. If the scene is in a graveyard, the viewer might automatically feel like something bad is about to happen.[9]
- Notice the way each shot is framed. Framing is an important part of the mise-en-scène, or the physical arrangement and composition of parts on screen. Pause the scene on a single shot. What's centered and what's off screen? Is the light bright or shadowy? Is it a closeup shot? How does the framing affect the full scene?[10]
- Analyze each frame by asking yourself these questions.
- The mise-en-scène also includes the props, sets, character position(s) on the screen, and costumes. This term encompasses all of the visual components of the film.[11]
- For example, consider the absolute terror communicated by Janet Leigh's shower scene in Psycho (1960), which includes several frames that only show the main character's wide-open screaming mouth.
- Take note of the effects of various camera angles or shots. Camera work is a huge part of filmmaking. Different techniques can completely change the mise-en-scène and overall mood of a film. Consider whose point of view the camera represents and how the camera is set up.[12] Some of the most common shots and angles include:[13]
- An extreme close-up shot, in which the subject is larger than the frame.
- A close-up, in which the subject fills the frame.
- A medium shot, in which the subject can be seen either from waist up or in their entirety.
- A long shot, in which the subject is small in comparison to their surroundings.
- A wide shot that displays the setting and establishes where the film takes place.
- A low angle, which places the camera below the subject to make them appear large and important.
- A high angle, which places the camera above the subject to make them appear small and insignificant.
- Watch how the camera moves. In addition to choosing particular shots and angles, directors also make decisions about which movements to use to make their camera capture the scene. Some common camera movements include:[14]
- A tilt, which involves moving the camera's lens up and down without moving the camera itself.
- A pan, which involves moving the camera from left to right on a fixed tripod.
- A zoom, which makes the camera's lens focus in or out on a subject.
- A pedestal, which involves moving the whole camera up or down.
- A dolly, which involves moving the whole camera (not just the zooming the lens) towards or away from a subject.
- A truck, which involves following a subject from left to right on a moving track (rather than a fixed tripod).
- Listen for music, a narrator, or other sound effects. Replay the scene once more, this time keeping your eyes closed. Focus on the music the director chose. Ask yourself how it adds to the scene. Then, pay attention to any other effects, like a voiceover, off-screen noises, or even deafening silence.[15]
- The musical score and sound effects are especially important to a scene's mood. Triumphant music, for example, can communicate to the viewer that something positive is about to happen -- maybe even a happy ending!
- Do outside research to understand the historical and cultural context. Find out in which year the film was made. Go online or use your local library to see what was happening in the world in or around that year. Consider whether there's any connection between this outside context and what's going on in the scene you're analyzing.[16]
- You can also look up details about the filmmaker to see if something in their personal life affected their filmmaking.
- For example, Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) is a satirical anti-war film that tells the story of a nuclear holocaust that occurs by mistake. This dark humor makes much more sense if you know about the intense nuclear standoff between the United States and Russia that happened in October 1962.[17]
EditWriting a Scene Analysis - Start by formulating an argument about the scene. This argument is also known as your "hypothesis." It should be a simple, declarative statement that you'll need to support with evidence from the scene.[18]
- For example, let's say you decide to analyze the post-murder scene from Rear Window (1954), in which Jimmy Stewart's character witnesses the aftermath of a murder while he's looking out his back window. Your hypothesis could be something like: "The director, Alfred Hitchcock, used a combination of simplistic closeup and point-of-view camera shots to make the viewer witness the mystery through Jimmy Stewart's eyes."[19]
- Write an introductory paragraph to state your argument. Your introductory paragraph should also state the title of the movie, the director, and when it was released. This paragraph will prepare your reader to jump into the main content of your scene analysis.[20]
- Include at least 3 supportive paragraphs. Your written analysis doesn't need to include every little detail you noted down while you were breaking down the scene. In fact, it shouldn't! Those notes could probably fill 20 pages. Instead, choose a few key pieces of evidence that "prove" your argument.[21]
- For example, in your analysis of the post-murder scene in Rear Window, you might have a supporting paragraph on how Hitchcock placed a black circle on the outer edge of several frames to represent the camera lens Jimmy Stewart used to spy on the murderer.[22]
- Tie together your points in a concluding paragraph. Don't directly restate anything from the introduction or your body paragraphs in your conclusion. Instead, briefly demonstrate again how the points you made support your argument.[23] Then, end by answering the "so what?" question. Why does your argument matter, and why should the reader care?[24]
- For example, you might conclude by stating that Hitchcock's choices in the post-murder scene in Rear Window demonstrated that seemingly simple camera shots could provide a foundation for an entire film's storyline.
- Edit your piece for errors, length, and flow. Your analysis should be between 2 and 5 typewritten pages. Read the paper aloud to ensure that everything makes sense. If any sentences are confusing or too long, break them down. Run the analysis through spellcheck.
- Spellcheck won't catch every spelling and grammar mistake! The best way to prevent these errors is to read the paper aloud at least once, if not twice. This will also help you avoid missing and/or misplaced commas.
- If this is for a class, your teacher has probably given you a recommended length. Be sure to stick to their recommendation! If your paper is too short, they may consider it an incomplete assignment. If it's too long, they'll feel like you didn't spend enough time editing.
- If you're writing your scene analysis for a class, don't forget to correctly cite the film! Ask your teacher what style they prefer (such as MLA or Chicago).
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Block Promoted Tweets on Twitter on PC or Mac Posted: 16 Dec 2017 08:00 AM PST This wikiHow teaches you how to install the Hide Twitter Guff extension to Google Chrome in order to block all promoted tweets on Twitter, using Mac or Windows. Edit10 Second Summary 1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Go to the Chrome web store.
3. Find or search the Hide Twitter Guff extension.
4. Click + ADD TO CHROME.
5. Click Add extension.
- Open Google Chrome on your computer. The Chrome icon looks like a colored ball with a blue dot at the center. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or on the Start menu on Windows.
- Go to the Chrome web store. Type chrome.google.com/webstore in your browser's address bar, and hit on your keyboard. The Chrome Web store will open up to the Extensions category.
- Find the Hide Twitter Guff extension on the web store. You can use the search bar in the top-left corner, or browse the extensions library and manually find this extension on the store.
- If you prefer Firefox over Chrome, Hide Twitter Guff is also available as a Mozilla add-on.
- Click the blue button. You will have to confirm your action in a new pop-up window.
- Click in the pop-up. This will install the Hide Twitter Guff extension, and add it to your browser. A bird icon will appear in the upper-right corner of your browser.
- Hide My Guff automatically blocks all ads and promoted Tweets whenever you're viewing your Twitter feed on Chrome.
- If you switch to a different browser, you will see promoted Tweets on your feed again.
- Right-click the bird icon. This button is located next to the address bar in the upper-right corner of your screen. It will open a drop-down menu.
- If you currently have Twitter open in your browser, clicking this button will automatically open Hide My Guff's settings page in a new tab.
- Click on the drop-down menu. It will open Hide My Guff's settings page in a new tab.
- Select if you want to or the Who To Follow section. In addition to promoted tweets, Hide My Guff also allows you to prevent Twitter from suggesting you accounts to follow. Click the selector next to Who To Follow, and select whether you want to Show or Hide it.
- Hiding it will remove the Who To Follow box from the top-right corner of your feed.
- Select if you want to or the Trends section. The Trends box shows you a list of popular topics in Tweets around you. Click the selector next to Trends, and select whether you want to Show or Hide it.
- Hiding it will remove the Trends box from the left-hand side of your feed.
- Click . It will save your settings, and apply them to your Twitter Home feed.
- You may have to refresh Twitter after saving your settings to see the changes.
|
| How to Get Whites White Posted: 16 Dec 2017 12:00 AM PST White clothes can be hard to maintain, especially since stains are often impossible to hide on white fabric. As whites become soiled and worn, you might consider throwing them away. But think twice before you do! There are several effective ways to get your stained whites clean and whiter, in addition to strategies to keep them bright in the long term. Try pre-soaking techniques with natural ingredients, add in additional products to your regular wash, separate your whites from colored clothes, and air-dry for best results! EditApplying Pre-Wash Treatments on Stained Whites - Apply liquid enzyme detergent to stains prior to washing. If you spilled soup over your white t-shirt or noticed the armpit sweat stains after wearing it, attack those spots immediately without letting them set. Rub some liquid enzyme detergent on the stained area, and let your t-shirt wait for 15 minutes or more before washing it with your laundry.[1]
- Read the description on the detergent bottle to ensure that it includes different enzymes designed to fight dirt.
- Presoak your discolored whites with washing soda in hot water. If your white shirts lost their brightness or got discolored, put them in a bucket full of hot water and ½ cup of washing soda. Let them sit up to a day, and throw them in the washer.[2]
- Remove tough stains with a presoak of lemon juice, salt, and washing powder. Prepare a hot water soak with 1 tablespoon of salt, the juice of 3 lemons, and ¼ cup of washing powder. Have your clothes in the presoak for 45 minutes, and then rinse them a few times.[3]
- Rub sweat marks with baking soda and lemon. To counter the yellowing of whites due to perspiration, pour 1 tablespoon of baking soda onto the sweat area. Cut a lemon in half, and rub its cut side onto the same spot. Let it sit for 15 minutes, and wash as normal.[4]
- This method works for rust stains as well, though you should let the cloth sit overnight. The next day, rinse it with cold water, since hot water might let the rust set instead. Repeat if the stain persists.[5]
- Remove a red wine spill with salt and club soda. Red wine stains on a nice white shirt can look especially alarming, but if you handle the stain immediately, you might have a shot at salvaging your shirt! Pour salt onto the spot so it absorbs the moisture. Wait for 10 minutes, then scrape the salt off. Wet the stain with club soda before washing the shirt as usual.[6]
- Drench grass and ink stains in vodka. If you have green grass marks or ink spill on your whites, pour some cheap vodka onto the dirty parts, and let the alcohol do its magic. Then wash your clothes in the laundry.[7]
- Vodka works for tree sap or lipstick stains as well.
- Experiment with lemon juice, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide rubs for other stains. All of these products are natural stain removers, and can be effective depending on the nature of the stain. Try rubbing them onto the dirty spot and letting the cloth sit for a while. Rinse afterwards, and see if there are any improvements.
EditAdding Ingredients to Your Regular Wash - Check the clothing label to see if the garment is bleachable. Before applying any chemical products like bleach on your clothes, pay attention to the label instructions often sealed to the inner side of the fabric. Look for a triangle, which is a sign for using bleach.[8]
- If there are two lines inside the triangle, that stands for using only non-chlorine bleach. If there is a cross over the triangle, then do not bleach this garment, as it's likely going to harm its fabric or color.
- See if it suggests machine washing, hand washing, or dry-cleaning.
- Start your wash with only detergent before putting your clothes in. Wait for 5 minutes or until the water gets soapy. Waiting is important, since many detergents take several minutes to activate their enzymes, and bleach will cease this reaction.
- For an enhanced clean, add a 1/2 cup of baking soda in with the detergent.[9]
- Add bleach to the water after 5 minutes. In general, add 1/2 cup (118.3 mL) of bleach to the water. Give the bleach a few minutes to settle before adding your clothing to the water.[10]
- Too much bleach can actually damage or yellow your whites, so measure the bleach and water carefully.
- Never add bleach on top of clothing.
- If you used baking soda with detergent, reduce the amount of bleach by half.
- After the cycle ends, check for any color changes in your clothes. If there is any, immediately rinse by hand.
- Add distilled white vinegar to your regular wash for a more natural solution. White vinegar helps remove dirt while softening fabrics naturally, eliminating the need for a chemical fabric softener. Simply use ½ to 1 cup of distilled white vinegar along with the detergent in your washer.[11]
- The vinegar scent will be present when the clothes are wet, but it will fade and dissipate as they dry.
- Do not use bleach along with vinegar, as their reaction will cause toxic chlorine gas.
- Use ½ cup of baking soda if you don't have white vinegar for a similar effect.
- Use hydrogen peroxide in your regular wash for non-bleach whitening. Since it doesn't contain bleach, which might be harmful for some fabrics, hydrogen peroxide is a great alternative for whitening garments. Add ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide along with detergent in the washer.[12]
- Use 3% solution hydrogen peroxide, which is readily available at many grocery stores or drug stores.
- Add dishwashing detergent to the washer as an alternative whitener. Use detergent as normal, and include ¼ cup of dishwashing detergent in addition. For an environmental friendly option, go for a dishwashing product that doesn't contain phosphate or chlorine.[13]
- Use lemon juice along with detergent in the washer for an organic solution. Lemon juice is great for brightening clothes as well as refreshing fabrics. Use ¼ to ½ cup of lemon juice in addition to detergent in your regular wash for whiter whites.[14]
EditKeeping Whites White - Wash your whites regularly and separately. The less time stains have to set, the less stubborn they will be to remove. This especially applies to yellow stains under the armpits from perspiration and deodorants. Make sure to wash your white clothes after one or two wears to keep them clean and white.[15]
- Never wash white clothes with colored ones, as it might cause discoloration.[16]
- Omit the fabric softener. Chemical-based fabric softeners often do more harm than good on your white clothes, as the residue left from the softener makes the dirt stick on the fabric more. You can use white vinegar instead as a natural softener.[17]
- Air-dry your clothes in the sun. The sun rays acts as a natural whitener, and the air leaves the clothes smelling fresh and clean. If possible, set a clothes rack or rope in your garden or balcony for air-drying your whites.[18]
- If you won't use bleach that often, buy a small bottle. Bleach is only effective until its expiration date, which is often 6 months after opening. It won't be a good stain remover beyond that time.
- If the clothing label is torn and you don't know whether to use bleach, test it on a small part of the cloth, like the inside of a sleeve. See if there is any color change, which would be a sign for not using bleach further. Note that bleach often harms silk or wool material.
- Many whitening agents (e.g. baking soda or lemon juice) can be used as pre-treatment spot removers or as general whiteners in the wash cycle.
- Chlorine bleach can whiten whites in either hot or cold water, but for the best results, use hot water in conjunction with your laundry detergent.
- Baking soda, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and other whitening agents should not be combined together. Combine a single one of them with normal detergent for maximum effect.
- Be careful not to combine ammonia and bleach. The combination of these two results in strong, toxic fumes. Same goes for vinegar and bleach. As a general rule, whenever cleaning with chemicals, make sure it's in a well ventilated area.
EditThings You'll Need - Detergent
- Bleach
- Water
- Baking soda
- Lemon juice
- Distilled white vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
- Dishwashing detergent
- Outdoor clothes rack
EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
No comments:
Post a Comment