Movie Log 1

og: Analysis of Cinematography in Pan’s Labyrinth 

Preparing for the Journal:  Read and review the “CH 06 Screening Checklist” (provided at the bottom of this unit), and go through the required tutorials to help you focus your eye and analytic tools on cinematography.  Be sure to go through these resources before viewing Pan’s Labyrinth.

The Journal Prompt:  As you watch Pan’s Labyrinth… be aware of a stand-out moment (one shot or short sequence) – consider a moment when the images are conveying information that is not reflected in characters’ action or dialogue.  These moments are often crucial to the development of a movie’s themes, narrative, and meaning.  Analyze that moment focused on the cinematography.  Use the “CH 06 Screening Checklist” to help guide and focus your analysis – you don’t need to answer all of the checklist questions or incorporate every aspect of cinematography in your analysis.  You can focus your analysis on any one or more of the “CH 06 Screening Checklist” questions (e.g. you can focus specifically on the shot choice, or the use of lighting, or camera movement, or…). Keep your analysis focused on cinematography, and edit/focus your analysis within the targeted word count.

(target 250 words)

CH 06 SCREENING CHECKLIST (valuable guidance for developing your analytic eye)

1. Determine whether the cinematographic aspects of the film—the qualities of the film stock, lighting, lenses, framing, angles, camera movement, and use of long takes—add up to an overall look. If so, try to describe its qualities.
2. Take note of moments in the film when the images are conveying information that is not reflected in characters’ action and dialogue. These moments are often crucial to the development of a movie’s themes, narrative, and meaning.
3. Are special effects used in the film? To what extent? Are they appropriate to, and effective in, telling the story? Are they effective in making something look real when it isn’t?
4. Also keep track of camera angles other than eye-level shots. If there are high- or low-angle shots, determine whether they are POV shots. That is, is the high or low angle meant to represent another character’s point of view? If so, what does the angle convey about that character’s state of mind? If not, what does it convey about the person or thing in the frame?
5. As you evaluate crucial scenes, pay attention to the composition of shots within the scene. Are the compositions balanced in a way that conforms to the rule of thirds, or are the elements within the frame arranged in a less “painterly” composition? In either case, try to describe how the composition contributes to the scene overall.
6. Can you determine whether the colors of a shot or scene have been artificially manipulated through the use of color filters, different film stocks, or chemical or digital manipulation to create a mood or indicate a state of mind?
7. Pay attention to camera movement in the film. Sometimes camera movement is used solely to produce visual excitement or to demonstrate the filmmaker’s technological virtuosity. At other times it is playing an important functional role in the film’s narrative. Be alert to these differences, and take note of meaningful uses of camera movement.
8. Note when the cinematography calls attention to itself. Is this a mistake or misjudgment by the filmmaker, or is it intentional? If intentional, what purpose is served by making the cinematography so noticeable?

movie link:

https://www1.123movieshit.com/movie/pan-s-labyrinth/watching.html?ep=1&sv=1