Films are so brilliant at telling stories it's easy to miss how rich and complex film language is. This section provides a wealth of material to help you and your students understand the beauty of film - and help to develop 21st century literacy.
'Analysing' is about actively watching and decoding the moving images in our society - developing the idea that we can learn to read films - in the same way as young people learn to read a book or poem. Critical skills.
Many budding movie makers find that time spent analysing other peoples films has a huge impact on the quality of their own creative work
Never used film in class? This page can show you how to get started.
Moving image texts tell us a story. Where do you find or create them? Here are some helpful tips.
The visual world helps establish the situation or mood for a scene.
The soundtrack can contribute hugely to the story. Here is how you can approach it.
The camera acts as the narrator. Want to understand the different shots? Step right this way.
Choice of colour can be big contributor to the overall look of your film.
What does a character's appearance tell us about them? Find out what techniques are used to create their look.
Take a step further into the analytical side of film - from the weird and wacky to the scary.