Intro To Film Dialogue - Paper

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Titus Brandsma Center – Media Program Carmelite Media Ministry Lecture-Workshop Introduction to Film Dialogue St. Paul Seminary, Cavite February 27, 2004 8:30-4:30 PM

PART ONE Lecture

FILMS


Films tell stories and drama of all kinds. When we view films, we engage, participate, identify, reject, classify, enjoy evaluate, digest and criticize. Mostly in a spontaneous way, jumping without order. We speak of many things about the film informally with one another during or after viewing: often casually. In short, we engage in interpersonal communication about the film. We are doing film dialogue, informally.

FILM DIALOGUE


Systematic and goal-oriented group activity. It is a process of sharing our discoveries of religious/spiritual dimensions in the film; an exchange of experiences and interpretations; clarifying central symbols, scenes, dramaturgical forms and messages about the film. It is an activity done in the light of the gospel. How do we differentiate Film Dialogue from other concepts? Film Reading - read the film according to the message it is trying to convey, promote and advocate. Trying to at least closely capture what the director is trying to say. Read the film according to the directors’ perspectives and the viewers’ Film Critique/Analysis – criticize/analyze the film according to the merits or demerits of the film. Mostly according to the aesthetical aspect (technical) and the how the story is written, presented and developed through the film. Usually, questions are if the film is near to the realities of life, true to its adaptation. Not more in the application of film to life. Also how characters compliment or become a barrier to the development of the story, how it relates to us.

2 Film Appreciation – appreciating the film out of its goodness, aesthetics and visuallygood and stunning camera shots; appreciate the film for its diversity, appreciate cultural diversity. Film Dialogue – being in contact with the film; what given focus is your inner self; as you watch, you discover yourself, you make your journey to your innermost being, you talk yourself through the film and get attached with your senses, your logic, your emotions and what the film for you is. “Mining the gold in films.” More or less, film dialogue has a considerable amount of all these concepts in its existence and application but more focused on life’s experiences that has been called by the film to surface after watching and give weight to sharing it to others and as well as to listen what others has to say and learn from it. “Inner Dialogue.”

Remember: All films have values. But they depend so much to the viewers’ viewpoints and perspectives. Films are reflective of realities. Films should be treated in the light of spirituality and meanings.

SENSIBILITIES – ATTITUDES TOWARDS FILM MEDIUM A. Postmodern film theory: audience’s perspective






What the audience gets or what impact it makes on the viewers? How an audience receives message? What triggers their pattern of interpreting the message? Why such impact which differ from one receiver to the other? What is the connection between the audience background and their way of reading the film?

B. Modern Film Theory: director’s perspective




What the director tries to communicate? How symbols are used to get across his/her message? Why such techniques are used in terms of shots, transition, editing, lighting, sound effects, musical scoring, location, props, casting or portrayal of characters?

Both theories compliment each other:



Technique and content Director’s message and meaning on the audience

3 What is sensibility? Sensibilities – attitudes towards the film medium is audience perspective.



Human capacity to feel, an openness to the emotions. Refers to: Interests Tastes Style of individuals, groups of cultures

Sensibility a key idea for helping us to appreciate our differences in responding to media and arts. KEY FOCAL POINTS OF SENSITIVITY (Carl Jung, 1921 published Personality Types):





Our energy-source: our inner world or the outer world Our pace: either decisive or preferring a more measured manner of gathering data Our preferred way of observing: through the five senses or through hunches, a sixth sense Our criteria for making decisions: either objective or more personally subjective.

A. Energy-source 1. ‘Extraversion’



Energized by the world out there, of people, nature and situations. Left to ourselves for too long, feel drained and need to seek company or be out and about.

2. ‘Introversion



Drained by having to be ‘out there’ too long and regain energy by being ourselves Getting our energy from our inner world of ideas, feelings, imagination

It is not better to be extravert or introvert. They are two ways of being energized. As regards to media –



Extravert sensibility responds to what is out there and depictions of people and people in actions. Introvert often responds to media not overwhelming with action but gives opportunity to respond from within, to reflect on what the media is communicating.

4 Response to comedy –



Extraverts are more likely to respond well to slapstick and knockabout comedy and comedians. Introverts might prefer the more quiet and subtle humor of suggestion.

Watching a horror movie –



Extraverts’ laughter is infectious, likely to scream out loud. Introverts are all laughing on the inside.

B. Pace Apply sensibility of pace to media ---



Deciders prefer that the movie gets going and doesn’t delay. They want a rapid pace. (commercial TV, music videos MTV, government supported TV channels) Data gatherers do not have that sense of urgency and can relish what is on screen while it is there.

C. Preferred Way of Observing – Impact on the Senses












Two ways of perceiving reality. One of the great differences of people. Differences in the context of viewing a movie. Factors crucial in appreciating different sensibilities.

‘Sensate’ Type of Viewers Observe the detail of time and place, the
particular features shown and the sound effects and music will be important to them. Focus on the present, the here and now,
and build up a picture from the details. Sensate types cannot quite appreciate how
the intuitive has not noticed some crucial detail right before their eyes. Sensate will respond fully to color,
movement, forms. Will notice so much what is in the frame because it is there. The more complex a screenplay is, the
more difficult it may be for the sensate to follow and they may want to give up while the intuitive is enthralled.

‘Intuitive’ Type of Viewers Not so precise with details but describe a mood or feeling or, perhaps, a general theme they have notices. Notice the here and now but get an overall impression and then notice detail when they are relevant. Intuitive types don’t feel the need to notice the detail and can be amazed at just how much the sensate perceives. And the more intuitive they are, the less detail they may notice until they are alerted to it. A film which relies on sense detail or action may not appeal to intuitive.

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D. Making Decisions – Our Criteria






Objective “thinking” Approach Want the truth and go over it with clear principles and logic. Detached view of what is true or false, of what we judge to be right or wrong. Confident in the fairness of the decisions we make.






Subjective “feeling” Approach Prefer to be more emotionally involved in the issue. Not so much a question of true or false, black or white; they might be grey area. Looking towards goodness and harmony, taking account of values and circumstances that might alter the decision.

Both ways of coming to decision are rational. There can be quite emotional “thinkers” and quite restrained ‘feelers’. How advertisers are appealing to different aspects of our personality types – How they might be trying to exploit sensibilities? Check what is praised, what is criticized and how, and, especially, the vocabulary and phrases that the critic uses. Our sensibilities are varied, but one is not necessarily better than the other. The more we reflect on their sensibilities and how they are like or different from others, the better we will be able to allow others to view what it is to their liking and taste.

FILM AND SPIRITUALITY The Three Key Questions Are:




How do we understand spirituality? Characteristics of film language to express spirituality? The spiritual dialogue concerning spirituality in film

I. Search-Model Spirituality a. SPIRITUS: spirit, breath, inspiration, aspiration, motivation: which spirit drives or motivates us? b. EXPERIENCE: ordering, integrating the many different life experiences and unifying them are more or less conscious activities of the human spirit. These experiences can also concern the deeper dimensions of life: transcendence, boundaries, liminality, the holy, the sacred, mystery, saints, Jesus Christ, God.

6 c. SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT: Humans exist at a certain historical period, in the context of a particular society, within cultural, political organizations, all interacting among themselves. d. CONSCIOUS PROCESS: Life is a process of change and growth: the human person is more or less consciously and actively living his life, directing ones own evolution, cultivating the life of the spirit (meditating, reflecting, praying, communicating, criticizing, etc.) e. VIEWPOINT/PERSPECTIVE: From which one sees, interprets, orders, integrates life experiences, this means one’s worldview, religion, Christian faith; this is the guiding, orienting vision on life, humankind, world, society. f. TRANSFORMATION: Spirituality is changing and transforming life in the direction of integration, unity, fulfillment, solidarity. g. MYSTICISM: It is insight through experience that all phenomena of life are connected, that they all are united in origin. h. WORKING DEFINITION: Spirituality is a conscious and dynamic process of the cultivation of one’s own life of the spirit from a Christian perspective. II. Characteristics of the Medium Film to Express Spirituality










Spirituality takes a form of a story or drama, of dramatized-life stories. Thus Spirituality in film is mainly on the narrative rather than the argumentative level. Spirituality is always expressed in the form of a concentration/condensation of crucial life events. Spirituality is always situated in concrete socio-cultural contexts, showing confrontation – conflict with the existing culture/spirit of times and criticism and/or protest against existing dominant culture. Spirituality has its roots in religious or secular events or developments like socioreligious context. Spirituality is always individualized and incarnated in living persons. It is a living or lived and experienced spirituality. Spirituality quite often takes the form of an audiovisualized life journey. Spirituality implies visions/appreciation of life, human nature, world and being – often very different and conflicting interpretations and evaluations of them. The audiovisual language of film has at its disposal its own facilities to express spirituality and spiritual values and to experience the same. Spirituality in the context of the film dialogue is a dialogical spirituality: it concerns spirituality and spiritual values implied in the film story and explored/discovered through the dialogue in the group about the film’s spirituality.

III. The Film Dialogue in a Nutshell a. The spiritual film dialogue:




A systematic goal-oriented group dialogue about film/TV stories; Organized and guided viewing of films/TV-stories; Sharing experiences and interpretations;

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From a Christian perspective, in the light of the gospel; Clarification of central symbols, scenes, dramatic forms; Discovery of religious/spiritual dimensions in the story; Broadening experiences and interpretations; Evaluation and integration of experiences; Process going from reception to perception of media stories; Biography/reference systems of the viewers; Group animator facilitates the dialogue;

b. Characteristics of the spiritual dialogue:






The group members describe what they have seen in the light of their own background, their Christian life experiences, worldview, faith, spirituality; With the help of guiding questions, the interpersonal communication on the film initiates the spiritual dialogue; Communication within the group about these questions continues and stimulates this dialogue about spirituality embodied in the film story and in the spirituality of the group members. This dialogue is a spiritual dialogue. The spirituality developed during the dialogue is a dialogical spirituality involving the film, the individual and each member of the group. This spiritual dialogue can be practiced in all kinds of events.

c. Main objectives of the film dialogue






A better Christian understanding of media stories; A process of dialogue, confrontation and clarification; Ordering and integration of experiences; Growth in religious and spiritual meaning; Cultivation of the life of the spirit from a Christian viewpoint.

d. Guiding rules for spiritual dialogue




Initial reflection: brief sharing of first impressions, experiences, emotions, questions. Analysis of the audiovisual language, the story, the message, key moments in the story, important images, symbols, scenes, music, verbal texts, camera, editing. Analysis of spiritual dimensions: the “spirit” of the film, the inspiration, motivations of the main characters, the ways they order and integrate their experiences; the more or less implicit worldview, value system, images of religion or faith, processes of transformation, mystical experiences.

IV. Film and TV-Productions for Spiritual Group Dialogue



Strong inspiration, aspirations and motivations; Clear conversion, transformation, reorganization of life;

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Demythologizing and revealing character; Openness to the mystery of life; Liminal experiences, crises, ruptures, points of no return; Critical attitudes vis-a-vis the dominant culture, religion; Stories or dramas told in the form of a journey, a way, a road; Mystical experiences of enlightenment, unity, transparency.

After morning lecture, FILM DIALOGUE SESSION (Focus Group)

After the afternoon workshop, CONCLUSION (from the audience)


Share about what pelikula@titusbrandsma and invite.

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PART TWO Workshop (2 hrs and 30 minute)

THE FILM DIALOGUE EXPERIENCE Film Dialogue is a team work. Thus, the group has to decide who will be the animator, operator of the equipment and facilitators in the group discussion and sharing. The group has to view the film, reflect on their experiences and impressions of the film and dialogue them to the group. of “peak moments” in the film focusing in religious/spiritual phenomena in and between the film. They have to dialogue the film’s ideological content and dramaturgical structure. Then unite on what the film is trying to say. When this is done, the group will have to decide the timetable for viewing and dialogue proper. PROCEDURE In your group, assign one/two facilitators to throw questions and facilitate you sharing. Everyone should participate in the activity. Formulate your own questions; use the questions below as your guide. After 15 minutes sharing within the group, the evaluator (somebody from the group will evaluate the film dialogue session that transpired in your group) will share the experience of the group, the excitement and difficulties of conducting the group sharing. TASKS OF THE ANIMATOR/FACILITATOR/MODERATOR


An animator facilitates, steers and regulates the dialogue in broadening and deepening the experiences and interpretations of the group. He also takes care of evaluation, organization and integration of experiences and interpretations.

1. Opening the film-dialogue activity 2. Clarification of the goals 3. Regulations of the dialogue concerning content and relations 4. Attention for contribution of each group member. 5. Care for the “read thread” in the exchange. 6. Thematizing conflicts and differences so as to clarify. 7. Attention for religious and spiritual phenomena. 8. Formulation of summaries in between. 9. Care for the time-table. 10. Rounding-up of main points at the end of the dialogue 11. Short concluding evaluation 12. Recommendation and suggestions.

10 STEPS IN FILM DIALOGUE A. The facilitator gives the over-all background of the film. B. Film Viewing C. Group Sharing








Who are the characters? What happened to the characters? What is the story all about? What is the context of the story? What are the symbols in the film? Do you know some of the songs? Who is the character you like most? Do not like most? Why? What is the film trying to tell to you now? Can you do something? Do you have any similar experience/ or you know of someone who has a similar experience just like in the film? If you will be asked to end the story, how would you like it to be? Do you experience the presence of God in the film? Would you like to say more?

Please feel free to add some more.