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Spectatorship Exam Prep

Captain Fantastic (Ross 2016) is an American independent film that appeals to a niche audience. It encourages both passive and active spectatorship. Some scenes invite a passive acceptance of the director's intended meaning through techniques like diegetic sound, while others encourage active analysis through more ambiguous editing that allows for negotiated readings. The film's construction of scenes through aspects of film form like cinematography, mise-en-scene, and sound work to shape both passive consumption and active interpretation by spectators.

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56 views10 pages

Spectatorship Exam Prep

Captain Fantastic (Ross 2016) is an American independent film that appeals to a niche audience. It encourages both passive and active spectatorship. Some scenes invite a passive acceptance of the director's intended meaning through techniques like diegetic sound, while others encourage active analysis through more ambiguous editing that allows for negotiated readings. The film's construction of scenes through aspects of film form like cinematography, mise-en-scene, and sound work to shape both passive consumption and active interpretation by spectators.

Uploaded by

gftu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AMERICAN

INDEPENDENT FILM –
EXAM PREP
EDUQAS AS Level Film Studies - Component 1: Varieties of Film and Film Making
Section B: American Independent Film Case Study: Captain Fantastic (Ross 2016)
Component 1 exam
Sample Materials
The three areas to consider are:
 Film Form
 Meaning and Response
 Spectatorship
Film Form & Meaning and
Response
Spectatorship (revision)
When we watch a film, there are different ways we can consume and interpret it. An audience member can watch from
either an active or passive standpoint. This position is fluid, however, and is often heavily influenced by the way key
elements of film form are constructed.

Passive Spectatorship

A passive spectator is someone who, when watching a film, reacts in the same way that a mass audience would. They
accept the director's intended meaning and don’t question the messages presented to them. They enjoy the immersive
experience and don’t seek to engage beyond a superficial level.

Active Spectatorship

On the other hand, some films (often independent films targeting more niche and highbrow audiences) encourage
spectators to become more active producers of meaning by having to think about how to feel and respond to the film. When
an active spectator watches a film, they watch it as an individual, and can take their own meaning from it. Active spectators
generally analyse films and their meanings.

ACTIVE AUDIENCE THEORY = STUART HALL RECEPTION ANALYSIS – DOMINANT/PREFERRED,


NEGOTIATE or OPPOSITIONAL READINGS
Spectatorship – questions to consider
Examine how sound OR editing is used in used in one sequence from your chosen film? [10]
In the exam you will only have 10 mins to respond to this question.

Key scene Film Form Meaning and response Spectatorship


(editing or sound) (Representation and (Encourages a
aesthetics) passive or active
response?)
1. Campfire Editing /sound
Diege
2. So They Know
We’re Coming
3. Cremation
4. D
Explore how spectators respond both passively and actively to film [20]
You will have 20 mins to respond to this question in the exam.
Your response must • What you understand by passive and active spectatorship responses.
address the • How aspects of film form invite both passive and active responses.
subheadings from the • To what extent spectators respond both actively or passively to the way filmmakers
exam paper: encourage them to respond.
• Task – delete the prompts below and write your intro, main body and conclusion. Aim
for 600 words.
Intro Introduction to Captain Fantastic (Ross 2016) (demonstrate context).
As an independent American film, it appeals to a certain niche audience.
Films are received in different ways depending on the spectators ‘reading’ and the filmmakers
construction or choice of film form.
Some films lend themselves to a passive/active reading. What do you understand by this?

Main body Key scene 1: Choose a scene which is encouraging a passive reading. Remember to analyse with
reference to all areas of Film Form and Meaning and Response. What do you believe the meaning
Film Form: of the scene is? (Passive is not the same as dominant/preferred reading as this is Stuart Halls
Cinematography (Camera &
Lighting)
active audience theory.)
Mise en scene
Editing Key scene 2: A scene which is encouraging an active reading. Remember to analyse with
Sound reference to all areas of Film Form and Meaning and Response. You might like to consider a
Meaning and response:
negotiated reading. Comment on who the audience is and how this will change the meaning they
Representation ‘decode’. What is the dominant reading of the scene and how could an audience receive or
(age/gender/class) interpret a different meaning?
Aesthetics (mood & look)
Stuart Hall (1973) encoding and decoding & reception analysis
(Preferred/negotiated/oppositional)
Conclusion Link back to the question and demonstrate wider knowledge.
Exam board mark scheme (A, B or C)

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