Ib film 1: W24. 1 Film Research Techniques

Compare your list to mine

I make a list of all the aspects of the film I like or even simply notice, with no censorship or judgment at this point.

If you have seen the film, see how your list compares to mine:

• 
  Black and white cinematography
  
• 
  Film Noir genre conventions
  
• 
  Voice-over narration
  
• 
  Flashback structure
  
• 
  Reversed time structure (starts at end and goes backwards)
  
• 
  Portrayal of mental disorder
  
• 
  Use of tattoos
  
• 
  Use of mirrors
  
• 
  Two actors who are both also in The Matrix
  
• 
  Amazing performance by Guy Pearce
  
• 
  Importance of memory, fake memory, planted memory, like in Inception
  
• 
  Obsession with revenge, like in The Dark Knight
  
• 
  Fine line between good and evil, like in The Dark Knight
  

I also need to keep a couple very important things in mind before I open an Internet browser and start looking around.

I have to explore a topic cinematically

Questions that explore the story of a film or a film's themes (like the last three bullet points on my list) are not usually going to work, unless I explore how those themes are explored in Film language.

If the points you are making could just as easily be said about a novel, or a short story, then it is usually best to steer clear of them.

This does not mean my last three points get crossed off the list, but I do need to tread carefully.