√ Structure of Films and Plot Devices | Construction of Meaning | iitutor

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• published: 08 Jan 2016
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https://www.iitutor.com Like plays, films are often divided into ‘Acts’. Usually there are three acts in a film. However, unlike a play, these acts aren’t formal – you won’t normally notice the jump from one act to the next. You do not need to write about acts as such, but they do form a structure. In TV shows, they are used for ads. The basic guide for a film is ‘Set up’, ‘Confrontation’ and ‘Resolution’. However, like any narrative this is a structure that is not followed by every film. There are many other structures and devices used in films to tell a story. Film structure is important for plot more than anything, just like a storyline is needed for a narrative to make sense. Even plot has some key techniques you should look for. These are techniques which often drive a story or alter it. Flashback: When they go back in time and look at something in the past. ‘Dream Sequence’: Set in either daydream or dream, event really isn’t happening. Narration (Voice Over): Voice only, describes an event. Jump Cuts/Montage: Scenes quickly jump from one to the next. Climax: Where everything in the film comes to a dramatic conclusion. Misdirection: When the story appears to be going one way, and suddenly twists another. Meaning of Plot Devices and Techniques: It is up to you to decide which of the many techniques used in a film are relevant to your analysis. A simple way to do this is pick some ‘important or climatic scenes’. These scenes will often be the ones most worthy of discussion anyway. Naming scenes is an easy way to refer to a particular scene in a film. Using the title of DVD chapters may give you an idea, but any old name will do fine. Make sure it is something a marker can understand though!