Proposal modification

Date: 16-11-2012
Tutor: Carla Grimley
Content: one to one discussion with proposal writing

Today Carla and I discussed my research topic and checked the grammar of proposal writing. She also gave me some adivises about writing words and quatation. Hereby is the proposal modification with tips from Carla.

Name: Xiaoyu Liu (N0463029)

 

Course: MA Film Practice

 

Date:10-11-2012

 

What is your subject of study?

 

A study of micro-film language, dialogue and cultural environment

 

What is your research question?

 

The feasibility of non-dialogue film in the micro-film format

 

Research aim(s):

What are the overall aims of the project?

 

The aim of this research is to study the impact of dialogue and other non-linguistic components in micro-films delivered via different new media platforms. During this research experimental micro-films will be produced.

 

Research objectives(s):

What are the specific tangible project objectives?

Note: these are separate to what you personally need to learn in terms of skills and knowledge, see learning objectives below.

 

1.    Research films in different languages and cultural environments, analyse the features of the films.

2.    Review existing researches, books, articles, film appreciation and reflect journal writing.

3.    Work on 2-3 experimental works during the study.

4.    Produce non-dialogue micro-films with a final piece of about 10 minutes in length.

 

Rationale

·         What is the wider context of your project?

 

‘Now that we can photograph our loved ones, not only in stillness, but as they move, as they act, as they making familiar gestures, as they speak… Death cease to be absolute.’ --- La Poste de Paris[1]

As the French movie pioneer stated, movies are a revolutionary form of art which affect everyone’s life since 1889. In the year 1910, Thomas Alva Edison put a sound track on the right side of the traditional 16mm film, which was the end of a silent world in this industry. Nowadays, as the pace of cultural collision and fusion is getting faster and faster, we are being getting more exposed to films from other countries in a variety of different languages and cultural environment. The role dialogues play in films has come to our attention, is it possible to let our audiences be saturated in a complete story without dialogues? This is the question I need to work on during this research stage.

 

·         How does the project relate to your previous experience/practice?

 

My major on previous degree study stage was broadcast and media production, that helped me lay a solid foundation on both sound and vision producing. In this case I would like to change my research direction on the MA stage to the narrative field. With a wider range of knowledge on all aspects of film research I will be more confident in the future.

 

·         How does it relate to relevant current practices, debates and theory?

 

     At present, many scholars have done researches work in terms of the relation between film and dialogue. Sarah Kozloff devoted her opinions on the function of dialogues in the book ‘Overhearing Film Dialogue’ (2000) as: anchorage of the diegesis and characters; communication of narrative causality; enactment of narrative events; character revelation; adherence to the code of realism and control of viewer evaluation and emotions. Based on the previous research, my research lays particular emphasis on non-linguistic components in micro-films which relatively rare in this area.

 

 

·         Why is the intended research significant? (So what?)

 

There is no doubt that dialogue, as one of the crucial components, serves important functions within a film's story. However, it also becomes a main reason for a restriction in understanding. Non-dialogue films provide an alternative way for audiences, especially those who use different languages, to understand and be infected with film’s the unique atmosphere.  By way of illustration ‘Mr. Bean’ is one of the most famous English comedy brands not only within the UK, but also worldwide.  With exaggerated body language this character grew to be the iconic character in the media history of this country. Faced with this realm of possibility that filmmakers are able to transfer their ideas towards a wider range of viewers with different cultural backgrounds, I think this research topic worth its own value. Meanwhile, dialogues sometimes dragged too much attention from viewers than the other elements such as the subtext of the story, the tactile appeal of pictures, music, special effects and so on. A non-dialogue film is more engaged on the essence of film itself.

 

·         How does this project relate to your plans for the future?

 

Microfilm, as a newborn medium of art, has a prodigious potential. 

This research provides me with a superior opportunity to get involved in this industry, as well as to accumulate experience and to become ready to work as a producer in a film company.

 

Reference

 

David Cheshire (2005) ‘The Book of Movie Photography—the complete guide to better moviemaking’

 

Sarah Kozloff (2000) ‘Overhearing Film Dialogue’

 

Bibliography

 

Cite essential background or contextual material using the Harvard System of referencing

 

Peter Greasley (2011) ‘ Doing Essays & Assignments—Essential Tips for students’

 

Paul Wheeler (2007) ‘High definition cinematography’ Second Edition

 

Professor Bert Cardullo (2011) ‘World Directors in Dialogue: Conversations on Cinema’

 

 

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