Film Studies

Course summary

A level Film Studies is really about studying and understanding that process, from tiny details to broad vistas of social and historical context. At the micro-level, for example, the director’s choice of lighting and camera angles in a scene can manipulate our perception of a character as hero or villain. In the film as a whole, we interpret characters’ motivations and actions based on our knowledge of other films in the same genre. Finally, our study of the cultural, institutional and political context of the film can help us to understand a film’s target audience, messages and values.