Audience engagement and film analysis

Audiences will often have two different modes of engagement with film content

Identification
-something reminding us of out own experiences or a character and the situations they face.
or
Idealisation
- Something that resonates with the viewers dreams and aspirations.

Form
The visual and aural aspects of a film. This can include the narrative, mis-en-scene, sound, camera work and editing. The form embraces these aspects within the construction of the film and how these aspects interact.

The Style of a film is referential to the use of elements or themes of a form. This is often associated with a time period and a place geographically. Genre and the director can also be considered under style of a film, and may be unique to the film or director. Style usually falls into the two categories of realistic or highly stylised

Back to the Future Opening Scene
-What does the scene tell us about the narrative?
-What does mise-en-scene inform about the characters?
-How does the camera work, editing and sound support the story?


The mise en scene of the opening tells us a lot about the characters, particularly doc, who we don't even get officially introduced to. His large collection of clocks and Rube Goldberg machine to feed his dog may make the audience think of this character as eccentric and an inventor. There are also many references to science such as his dogs bowl labelled "Einstein" as well as the stolen plutonium from the news report being in Docs house.

Martys focus on the giant amp and guitar implies he is part of the younger generation, fascinated in the gadgets that doc has in his house instead of something more sinister like the dangerous plutonium. The opening sequence is quite comedic, with the overly complicated dog feeding machine being contrasted with stolen hazardous material, and the fact that Doc is the one personally responsible for both these events.

 The long continuous shot helps to keep the audiences attention, as the camera crops out things like faces or shots with people fully in it. By withdrawing information people are likely going to be more interested in whats about to happen so they can piece things together for themselves.

 The opening scene tells us that the story will be based somewhat around science, time and inventions, as well as having a somewhat comedic and light-hearted nature.

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Blog Task
Provide examples of scenes from Films or Animations that have evoked a sad or weepy emotional response for you personally.
Give two examples from early memory. Describe and compare your response to them then and now
Also provide two examples from recent memory.

Zapuni // Blossom

I feel like this animation uses music quite effectively to reach peoples emotions, as well as the realism it portrays by being about a real life event that heavily affected a lot of people. I also really love the visuals and art style of this animation, where the colours are bright and vibrant despite the subject matter being quite grim. While it ends up being a mostly positive scene It still made me feel sad, and it really touches into something identifiable to an audience, especially everyone who remembers the tsunami and all of the damage it caused and people it affected. Watching it again I still felt those same feelings, and I feel like its because its subject matter was such a disaster, and you can really identify with the characters.

Violet Evergarden // Episode 10 Ending

The ending of this episode was really touching, as the main character isn't very expressive, but dealing with grief really affects her. I feel like this scene works with the identification aspect of audience engagement, especially if anyone viewing has had to deal with terminal illness or death in their family / friend groups. As someone who has been through something like that, this scene was something I could somewhat identify with, which helps you  to put yourself in the characters shoes. I felt pretty similarly to how I did when I first watched the scene, which I think shows that identification can be a really strong factor in emotionally connecting with an audience.