Starting to think about research in terms of practical work as part of my investigation into composition and contributing factors to an overall tone/narrative, I wanted to study particular genres of film. When looking at silent film, a title that kept coming up was 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928, France). The fact that the film has no spoken dialogue was a bonus for me, as the story-telling is completely reliant on the aesthetics of the film and the way it is made.
There were many dynamic camera angles (compositions) that I quickly recorded in my sketchbook. The most obvious camera angle used throughout was close ups. For me, this portrayed an element of intimacy between Joan of Arc and the audience member. Particularly in scenes dealing with emotion, this was very effective. Another thing I picked up on was the characterisation of the men in the film compared to Joan (who was the only woman for the majority). They are all very unlikeable, unapproachable (often sniggering). I think this adds to the sympathy felt for the protagonist, and keeps her very separate from the other characters - adding to the intended depiction of Joan's martyrdom.
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