How To Analyse A Scene

When it comes to analysing film there are quite a few topics to be covered, given you don't have to use them all in order to be effective in your critique. The following standpoints are good places to start when effectively analysing a film scene;

Aesthetics

A films aesthetics covers the majority of visual displays, this includes; the colour palette of the film, the objects present, clothing, places etc. All of the aesthetic choices are made precisely to convey certain moods and/or messages throughout the movie.

For example, the colour palette for Mad Max: Fury Road has very warm, yellowish colours. This conveys the message of the lands being a fiery and harsh place with constant aggression all around.

Space And Composition

A directors use of the space within a scene can really impact a viewers experience negatively or positively, depending on how well it is done. This is all about the position of the objects and characters within the scene. This can involve using the Rule Of Thirds, symmetry or product placement etc. but ultimately the correct use of positioning within a scene can greatly enhance the experience of the viewer.

Acting

Almost everyone's favourite critique when it comes to film is the actors performance, this is usually because it is the thing people remember most about a film, after all they are the main focus of the film. If an actor can cry on queue, or deliver that joke really well then the film is already heading in the right direction, as the ability to make the viewer feel what the character is feeling really does come down to how connected they are with the actor.

Technical Aspects

This is all about the use of equipment when filming, not necessarily what equipment is used per se, but the implementation of said equipment. Such as; camera angle, lighting choice, camera pans etc. This can often be overlooked as most of the messages sent by proper equipment use is subliminal and so the audience don't realise what message is being sent until they think about it. For example, a low angle shot may be used to convey the power and strength of a character throughout the film, but when they are defeated the camera angle is now high, making them look weak and vulnerable.

Sound

Sound, in my opinion, is one of the most overlooked and underrated part of a movie. Sound can make or break a scene in a movie as each sound can convey different emotion if done right. Maybe the reason the quality of sound goes unnoticed is because it is extremely to get right. For example, creating a scene that will sync up with the music requires precision and well timed events, and so creates a lot of pressure on the entire crew to get it right. So potentially directors neglect those sort of aspects in movies, but that doesn't mean sound is only important if the music is synced up well. There are many different sounds involved in movies such as; Foley, ambience, narration, dialogue, sound effects etc. and with a good combination of those, you can really immerse your viewers into the world you create.

Editing

The way the footage of a movie is put together is important for story telling and how comprehendible a movie is, if a movie has clips from all over the place, the viewer can easily become disorientated and confused as to what is happening. This can be used to a directors advantage depending on the plot of the film but for the most part you want to be able to read what is happening with cohesive clips. The editing style can also change the mood of a movie for example, quick fire clips from one shot to another can create energy and action within your movie.

Narrative

The way the story is told can impact the viewing experience, for example, a really predictable plot can cause most viewers to dislike the film. Although, leading your viewers to believe one thing and then finding cunning ways to reveal another makes for a really good plot twist in your movies and can leave the audience stunned. Clichés are a common problem nowadays due to how many movies have plot twists within them, and so you really have to be creative to mislead your viewers. Furthermore, is there structure to the movie? Beginning, middle and end? Or does it have flashbacks? There are many ways to tell a story, and it doesn't always have to follow the norm. 

Representation

Representation in the media can cause big controversy when it comes to making movies about stereotypes, races, genders, communities etc. All movies have their own approach to representing different groups of people but it is the message behind it that can cause disruption as no one wants to be ridiculed because of how a movie represented them. Some movies take a satire approach to stereotypes in order to make people realise how ignorant they can be, whereas some take a serious approach to social issues in order to expose and highlight how important they are.