Why learn how to read Film?

Emotional experience, for entertainment, to learn the story (historical events), to visually connect with character/s, perspective - human connection & condition.

Story, characters, setting, sound, image.

Is cinema a film or text? Does it tell a story? How?

Cinema is a visual art form. Cinema is not literature. A film is not a novel (however it can be taken from a novel...)

-However, a film is a text, just as a play, poem or novel is a text.

-Although the storyline is essential, when reading a film you must be able to examine interpret and analyse the visual elements and style.

Elements of film:

(all the things that need to be considered when creating a film).

Shot type (angle), props (items of interaction), setting, color scheme, lighting, dialogue, sound.

Using metaphors in film:

Movies themselves are metaphors for how humans experience life on a deeper, and more dramatic, level. Symbolic images help us to understand things that can't always be translated into words, for instance, abstract concepts. I'm very interested in incorporating some metaphors into my short film.