How to Read a Film

Master film studies as you learn how films create meaning

When you watch a film there are many elements working together to produce what you see and hear. The different elements, known as devices, have been carefully constructed so that your attention is drawn to certain things at certain times, forming the way in which a film communicates its story.

On this five-week course, you’ll unpack these elements to discover how they work, what they are called, and how they work together.

You’ll watch a range of short extracts from films and hear from filmmakers to understand why different devices have been chosen and the ways in which film creates meaning.

Understand how a filmmaker uses mise-en-scène to create a narrative

To help you gain practical skills in reading a film, you’ll start by exploring the story world.

You’ll unpack elements of mise-en-scène as well as shot choices to understand how a filmmaker creates a narrative.

Explore the importance of continuity editing

Next, you’ll delve into editing devices to understand how films create sequences. Exploring techniques such as continuity editing, you’ll learn how a film ensures consistency in its narrative.

Through different examples, you’ll see how these devices are used in practice to ensure you gain skills you can take outside of this course.

Delve into different film genres

Finally, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how plots are created in film as you explore different genres. You’ll also understand film from an audiences’ perspective as you uncover theories of spectatorship.

Guided by the experts at The Film Distributors’ Association, you’ll finish the course with the knowledge and skills to read a film and its devices.

This course is designed for anyone interested in films.

It may be particularly useful if you are studying film either at A level or degree level.

• SCENE
• Welcome and Introduction
• “Reading” and “film”
• Asking questions/Making sense
• The development of a filmic language
• Elements of mise-en-scène
• Conclusion
• SHOTS
• Welcome to Week Two
• Framing the shot
• Film Focus
• Conclusion
• SEQUENCES
• Welcome to Week Three
• Editing
• Film Focus
• Styles of editing
• Sound
• Conclusion
• STORY
• Welcome to Week Four
• Stories and Plots
• Genre and narratives
• Characters and conflicts
• Filmic Space and Time
• Filmic Moments
• Narrative Image
• Conclusion
• SPECTATORSHIP
• Welcome to Week Five
• Film/filmmakers/audiences
• Spectatorship theory
• Different “gazes”
• Audience/viewer/spectator
• Conclusion