How to Write a Scene Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide
While most people watch films for entertainment, those who study film focus on the elements of a film that combine to create the ultimate product. Behind the scenes production editing that occurs before, during, and after filming contribute to the images that people see on screen. A formal analysis of a film asks you to break a film down into its different components and discuss how those pieces work together to create an overall experience. Here is a checklist to help you write a film analysis.
While you can analyze an entire film, you can also choose a scene from the movie and break it down even further. Before you choose a scene you want to analyze, watch the entire film first so you can understand what’s happening. Go over the scene you want to analyze multiple times so you can pick out the details and take notes on it.
Choosing a Scene
Pick a film that interests you to watch for your analysis. The first time you watch it, pay full attention so you can understand the story and what’s happening in the scenes. Put your phone on silent or vibrate and set it aside while you’re watching the movie so you don’t get distracted by it during the film.
Scan through the film for a scene that’s about 2-5 minutes in length for your analysis. Find a scene that’s important to the rest of the story rather than a moment that doesn’t add to it. Analyzing scenes that are just conversations between characters can be just as fun as focusing on a big action scene.
Set aside any distractions and rewatch the scene you chose at least 2-3 times. Avoid taking any notes the first couple times you watch the scene so you can absorb as much of it as you can. Write down the events that occur in the scene in the order they happen so you have a general understanding of what’s happening. Include what the characters are talking about while you list the main actions of the scene.
Key Elements to Analyze
What are the main elements of a scene? Gavin Anstey, a video producer, tells us: "Lighting is always an important element. Is it natural lighting, or artificial? Lighting sets the mood of the scene. Next is the talent if they are in the scene. How good is the talent? The majority of communication isn't verbal language, it's body language. How does the talent evoke a feeling or emotion without saying anything? Finally, does the talent sound real and authentic?
Look at your scene from a wider perspective so you can understand how it influences the rest of the film. Pay attention to the scenes that come before and after the one you chose. For example, the opening scene in Jaws introduces the shark to the viewer and shows that it’s a threat to humans in the water.
Watch the characters for their body language, dialogue, and motivations. Start by taking note of which characters are present in the scene, and list what you know about them based on the rest of the film, such as their goals and personalities. Watch the actors perform and pay attention to how they move and interact with one another.
Pay attention to the characters’ costumes since they could give hints about the character’s intentions. Symbols in a film can be and audio or visual cue that you relate to an emotion, mood, or action. Watch the scene again and pay attention to any important props or recurring images. Even characters can be symbols.
The framing, or mise-en-scène, of a film refers to how the elements of the shot are arranged on screen. Pause the scene often and look and how the actors and set decoration are positioned on screen. Look at how the scene’s lit and how the highlights and shadows affect the mood.
The camera angle refers to how much you can see in the frame and what the viewer should focus on. Write down if the camera moves around often or if it stays in one place since this can add to the overall feeling and tension of the scene. For example, action scenes usually have a lot of movement and have multiple angles to keep the viewer excited.
The editing refers to the changes between shots during your scene and how they affect how a viewer experiences it. Make note of how the transition between shots affect one another and how fast they occur. Close your eyes and listen to the scene so you can focus on the music and sound effects. Then watch the scene again with your eyes open to see how the sound lines up with the editing and the character actions.
Structuring Your Analysis
Look at the notes you took on the scene and compare them to the overall theme of the film. Pick a topic for your analysis that you can support with multiple elements from the scene so you can expand and defend your argument.
Open your analysis with an attention-grabbing sentence that relates to the film or the theme of the scene. Mention the name of the film, the director, and the year it was released in the next sentence. Use the next paragraph to describe the actions that happen in the scene in chronological order so the reader knows you’re talking about.
Aim to have about 2-3 paragraphs that each discuss a separate element from the scene that defends your thesis statement. Use examples from the scene to support the claims you’re making in your body paragraphs.
Reword your thesis statement to restate the main idea of your paper for the first sentence in your conclusion. Then use the next 2-3 sentences to summarize the ideas that you mentioned in your body paragraphs.
Sections of a Film Analysis with Tips
The Introduction to the Paper
Begin by briefly summarizing the film. You should not rehash the entire plot, but instead give the most critical information about the film to the reader. Then, introduce the formal elements that you will be discussing. Finally, your thesis should connect the elements you will discuss to their importance to the film as a whole.
The Body Paragraphs
The body paragraphs of a film analysis are similar to those found in other analytical essays. Each paragraph should discuss a different small component of the film and how the component serves the entire film. In these paragraphs, you should give concrete examples to support your claims. These examples can include scenes or quotes from the film itself, but you can also include different editing techniques or other behind the scenes work.
Connect your examples to the overall film and try to answer the question, “Why does this element ultimately matter for the viewing audience?”
Additional Tips
- Understand the vocabulary of filmmaking.
- Try to watch the film more than one, if possible.
- A film analysis is not the same of a film review.
- Avoid making pedestrian judgments about the film’s entertainment factor.
- Unless the assignment asks you, do not try to cover every single element the film uses.
- If you are referring to the actions of a person in the film, refer to the scene using the character’s name.
Close Analysis Exercise
To try this exercise at home, put your favorite piece of cinematic mastery on loop and let it run a few times. As it is playing, write down everything that you see. Start with the superficial aspects of the scene: What’s happening in the plot? What do the character(s) say or do? How is the story moving forward?
When you feel you’ve got the major pieces in place, start going deeper. When do cuts occur and what motivates them? What kind music and sound effects are included? Are the coming from with the story (diegetic) or from outside of it (non-diegetic)? How is the set dressed and what camera angles are used?
Once you have everything written down, start filtering out the most important bits and try to determine how they are working. A film might have a particularly interesting use of color or unique sound design. “Birdman” (Iñárritu, 2014), for instance, eliminates visible cuts for the majority of the film. Why? How does this editing style, or lack there of, influence your interpretation of the story?
Try thinking about how the film actually functions, while temporarily ignoring the existence of the director. Don’t focus on what the film seems to want to achieve, but what is actually happening on screen and how it makes you, the viewer, feel and respond. How does it trick you into looking at a certain area of the frame or direct your interpretation of a particular line of dialogue?
You may never want to watch that favorite scene again, or you may have renewed your love for it in the complexity you found. Either way, you by now certainly recognize the details that go into storytelling and film production. Think about how you can replicate the techniques from the scenes you’ve deconstructed to projects of your own. Can you use a long take to convey a sense of ambiguity? Could quick cuts help add tension to a heated dialogue? Seeing how these elements work in existing films can guide you in their use in your future projects.
Example Sentence for Analysis
When writing a film analysis, many students have to fight the urge to incorporate the components of a film review into their essays.
Consider these sentences:
- (a.) The lack of shadows in V for Vendetta gives the viewer the impression that the editors forgot to add in some special effects.
- (b.) The lack of shadows in V for Vendetta gives the viewer the impression that the scenes are occurring in a futuristic world.
The second sentence (b) is more appropriate for a film analysis.
Citing a Movie Scene
How do I cite a movie scene in-text if I am quoting a line? You would use the line, the character's name, and the movie title.