Film Discussion: Where to Start

So by now you probably know that I like to discuss films. You probably know how important I think it is. Maybe you even know I think films are too important, and too powerful, to be dismissed as mere entertainment, relegated to the part of our lives we don’t give thought to.

But you may not know how to carry that out. That’s where this blog series is going to come in. I’m working on starting a film discussion group  with some people, so we will be exploring how to best do this with groups of people in the coming months, but that will only be with a small group of people who live nearby. You need these tools and abilities now, wherever you are at, and so I am going to attempt to give them to you.

I am by no means an expert. Though I’m really passionate about it, there are plenty of people who are probably more gifted than me at this. But I have been given the amazing experience of film school, and now I want to give back. I want to help you better watch and enjoy films, to learn from and engage with them. Hopefully my passion will rub off on you, and you will have your own thoughts to share. Hopefully.

Here is a list of the topics I will be covering. This list will continue to grow and change, so keep looking here to see what will be coming up and what I’ve already covered:

1. Plot/Story
2. Characters
3. Genre/Context of Other Films
4. Hero’s Journey
5. Script
6. Directing
7. Cinematography
8. Lighting
9. Color
10. Acting
11. Editing
12. Sound Design
13. Music
14. Viewing Experience
15. Next Steps

Don’t see something you want? Comment below and let me know! This is ultimately for you, not for me, so tell me how I can help you. And please comment with your own opinion if you feel like I’ve left anything out on any post. Looking forward to the discussions this should prompt!

Each post will contain a quick assignment to try it out yourself, so let me know what you find.

(Image thanks to m4tik)