ELEC 111 FINALS REVIEWER

Drama
- a type of narrative writing that is meant to be performed in front of an audience. It is most notably
performed as plays in a theatre though many dramas have been recreated and adapted for film, TV,
or radio.

-drama is commonly used to describe a genre of storytelling in film and television like The
Godfather or The Expanse. Despite what the name implies, dramas are not always serious.

HISTORY OF DRAMA

Ancient Rome and Greece

-Dramas can be traced back to the 5th century in Ancient Rome and Greece. Playwrights made
productions that started with just one actor and a chorus that sang to help tell the story

-most dramas were usually religious in nature and only written and performed by adult men, with
the exception of younger boys who would perform women’s roles until after the renaissance. There
were only three prominent genres at that time: comedy, tragedy, and satire.

The Middle Ages

-dramas reemerged through the church as a new method to teach the people about the Bible since
services were in Latin and most people couldn’t speak Latin and were illiterate. These dramas were
known as mystery plays.

-Around 16th and 17th centuries, Renaissance period caused a renewed interest in art—plays were
becoming popular in England as a means of entertainment, socializing, and social critique.

Othello-popular around this time performed by acting companies that traveled all over the country.

Playwrights like William Shakespeare began to make a name for themselves and permanent public
theatres were being built. Thus, theatre began to take root and become the classic English drama we
know today.

William Shakespeare
-father of modern English Literature.
-used more than 20,000 words in his plays and poems, and his works provide the first recorded use of
over 1,700 words in the English language.

English drama plays during this time were originally performed in or around local inns or open courts
until permanent theaters were constructed. The most popular, The Globe Theatre, where
Shakespeare plays were performed was built in 1599.

Theatres were 3 stories tall and were typically polygonal. the theatre and seating were angled to
basically surround the stage so that onlookers could see the performance from three sides – front,
left, and right.

Dramas also took place during the day because artificial light hadn’t been created yet; at best
candles were lit in the evening and the scenery was virtually nonexistent. The settings were mostly
described by the characters’ dialogue, leaving the audience’s imagination to do the rest.
TYPES OF DRAMAS

1. Comedies- are narratives with the intent of making the audience laugh.

(A Midsummer Night’s Dream- turbulent marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta and the hi-jinx that

ensues with them and 4 young actors.)

2. Tragedies- The subjects they dealt with were dark, like war and death, and protagonists were

always burdened with a tragic flaw that kept them from their happy ending.

(Romeo and Juliet-romance between two Italian youths from feuding families.)

3. Farce- similar to a comedy but aims at entertaining through highly exaggerated and improbable

situations.

(The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer- made up of dozens of characters with their own unique

and sometimes extravagant stories, leaving the “plot” to be lost to some readers and audiences.)

Geoffrey Chaucer- a father of English language and literature.

4. Melodrama- meant to appeal to the audience’s emotions meant to be passionate and sensational,

with characters portrayed using stereotypes and one-dimensional personalities.

(Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo- the protagonist is wrongly accused and imprisoned.

Once he is released, a determination of revenge fills him and leads to many dramatic situations.)

5. Musical Drama- form of drama where music, especially singing or dancing, is used along with

dialogue and acting to tell the story.

(My Fair Lady (1956), The Fantasticks (1960), Hair (1967), A Chorus Line (1975), Les Misérables

(1985), The Phantom of the Opera (1986), Rent (1996), Wicked (2003) and Hamilton (2015

DANCE- movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given space, for the

purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement

itself. -Britannica

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

-basic building blocks of dance that help us identify and describe movement, assisting in the ability to

analyze, interpret and speak/write about dance as an artistic practice.

-Body can be in constant motion and even arrive at points of stillness.

B. E. S. T., which stands for BODY, ENERGY, SPACE, and TIME. Dance can be seen as the use of the

BODY with different kinds of ENERGY moving through SPACE and unfolding in TIME.
Body

-the dancer’s instrument of expression. When an audience looks at dance, they see the dancer’s body

and what is moving. The dance could be made up of a variety of actions and still poses.

-It could use the whole body or emphasize one part of the body

A. Body Shapes- choose shapes for the dancers to make with their bodies. These can be curved,

straight, angular, twisted, wide, narrow, symmetrical, or asymmetrical.

B. Body Moves/Actions- Dance movements or actions fall into two main categories:

Locomotor: (traveling moves) walk, run, jump, hop, skip, leap, gallop, crawl, roll, etc.

Nonlocomotor: (moves that stay in place) melt, stretch, bend, twist, swing, turn, shake, stomp, etc.

C. Body Parts- Each part of the body (head, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, feet, eyes, etc.) can move

alone (isolated) or in combination.

Bharatanatyam-dancers stomp their feet in a percussive rhythm.

Mudras-the dancer performs hand gestures codified hand gestures that are important in the

storytelling aspect of Bharatnatyam to communicate words, concepts, or feelings.

Energy- exploration of “how” a movement is done rather than “what” it is, gives us a richer sense of

dance as an expressive art.

Example- anger could be shown with a loud quick walk, a sharp reach, and a strong twisting turn.

Happiness could be depicted by using a delicate gliding walk, a gentle reach out, and a smooth light

turn.

-Energy is what brings the dancer’s intent or emotion to the audience. The element of Energy is

sometimes called efforts or Movement Qualities.

-Dancer and movement analyst Rudolf Laban broke it down into four efforts, each of which is a pair of

opposites:

Space (direct or indirect use of space)

Weight or force (strong or light use of weight)

Time (sudden or sustained use of time)

Flow (bound or free use of the flow of movement)

Movement Qualities-are energy released during various time spans to portray distinct qualities.

There are six dynamic Movement Qualities.

1. Sustained (slow, smooth, continuous)

2. Percussive (sharp, choppy, jagged)

3. Swinging (swaying, to and fro, pendulum-like)

4. Suspended (a moment of stillness, the high point, a balance)

5. Collapsed (fall, release, relax)

6. Vibratory (shake, wiggle, tremble)

Space- An exploration of space increases our awareness of the visual design aspects of movement.

Time- movement develops and reveals itself in Time. Adding a rhythmic sense to movement helps

transform ordinary movement into dance and informs when the dancer moves.

CHANGES IN ATTITUDE TOWARD DANCE

-Critics have argued the question of abstraction and expression largely in relation to theatre dance

and also on the assumption that dance is a serious art form.

-Attitudes to dance both as an art form and as a social activity have, in fact, varied dramatically

throughout history.

-The ancient Greeks also took dance very seriously, both as an integral part of their drama—which

had strong political and social significance—and as part of education.

-Plato wrote in the Laws that “to sing well and to dance well is to be well educated.

-Aristotle believed that dance was useful for “purging the young soul of unseemly emotions and

preparing for the worthy enjoyment of leisure.”

-The Romans generally looked down on dance as effeminate and decadent.

-The early Christian leaders took a similar view and tried to repress pagan dance customs wherever

they could.

-At the time of the Renaissance, it became an essential part of every courtier’s education .

-In England dancing was so popular among all classes that foreign ambassadors spoke of the people

as the “dancing English.”

-During the 17th century the Puritans were more effective at stamping out the most exuberant and

pagan of English dance customs.

-While prospering in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries, developed choreographed

dances as part of its worship service.

-Gradually, dance as a means of physical education and entertainment became more popular in the

United States.

-Folk dancing and social dancing were encouraged

-By the 20th century theatre dance, too, began to lose its disreputable taint.

TYPES OF DANCE

- dancing being found dating back to 30,000 years ago

1. Ballet- form of a ballet, in which the dance is choreographed with classical music.

2. Ballroom dance- is a type of partner dance originating at the end of the sixteenth century in

France.

3. Contemporary-Drawing on classical, modern and jazz dance styles, contemporary dance has

evolved to incorporate many characteristics of a broader range of dance forms.(US and Europe)

4. Hip-Hop- Hip-hop dancing refers to a range of street dances that developed in relation to hip hop

music and culture (Newyork and California)

5. Jazz- known for its improvisational and dramatic body movements (African traditions)

6. Tap Dancing- is a type of percussive dance characterised by the “tap” of shoes hitting the floor as

the person dances.

7. Folk Dance- Folk dancing is celebrated worldwide with people of different cultures and religions

using various forms of folk dance to portray emotions, stories, historical events or even aspects of

daily life.

8. Irish Dance- known for its fabulous display of footwork and dance formations. (Ireland)

9. Modern Dance- to rely on the dancer’s interpretation of the music and feeling to guide

movements. (USA and Germany)

10. Swing-the likes of swing music encouraging faster, more rigorous movements. (America)
CINEMA

derives from the ancient Greek, kinema, meaning movement. Historically, it’s a shortened version of

the French cinematographe, an invention of two brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumiere, that

combined kinema with another Greek root, graphien, meaning to write or record.

- a form of literature because it combines words, images and sounds and also shares the language

of literature.

- generally a branch of art that uses dialogue, editing, the scene's layout, light, sound, and decor by

the film made. It has the opportunity to explain everything human in depth.

-is a place where people go to watch films for entertainment.

HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA

-Cinema was first introduced in Manila on January 1, 1897 – only two days after the national hero Dr.

Jose P. Rizal was executed at the Luneta

-first six movies billed as the Espectaculo Cientifico de Pertierre

-30 films was imported to Manila in August 1897 by the Spanish army officer Antonio Ramos.

-Ramos produced his first film coverage of Manila among which was Ecsenas Callejeras (1898)

Burton Holmes- “father of travelogs” who made documentaries in the Philippines in 1899, 1913 and

1919, producing such titles as The Battle of Baliuag, T. Kimwood Peters of Haley’s Tours who trekked

up to Banaue in 1905 to film the famous rice terraces

Raymond Ackerman of the American Biograph & Mutoscope Company who in 1899 filmed such

documentaries as The Battle of Mt. Arayat and A Filipino Cockfight.

-The Second World War interrupted all these.

GENRES OF CINEMA

Film genres are various forms or identifiable types, categories, classifications or groups of films.

(Genre comes from the French word meaning "kind," "category," or "type").

-Genres provide a convenient way for scriptwriters and film-makers to produce, cast and structure

their narratives

-Genres also offer the studios an easily 'marketable' product, and give audiences satisfying, expected

and predictable choices.

Horror: Dark and isolated foreboding places and unexplained things, located in forests or woods, out-

of-the-way camp grounds or areas (off the beaten path), graveyards or cemeteries, basements, attics,

spooky castles, haunted houses, abandoned buildings or structures, locked doors to remote rooms

Sci-Fi: Outer space, in a planetary system or on a planet, or in the future or parallel universe or

dimension, or in a virtual world, or during time travel, with laser blasters and spaceships, aliens, etc.

Sports: Sports arenas or other venues (track, football baseball or soccer field, boxing ring, race track,

basketball or tennis courts, etc.), with teams, athletes, referees, judges, coaches and competition or

combat displaying physical skill or endurance, crowds and audiences and fans

War: battlefields or war zones, with bomber planes and tanks, involved in naval, air, or land battles;

spy activities, also includes scenes with soldiers either at war or on the homefront, or in basic training

(preparation for fightin

Westerns: on the frontier, small towns, ranches, during cattle-drives, in Native-American villages, with

stagecoaches, saloons, horses, six-shooters or revolvers, rifles, Stetson hats, bandannas, spurs, and

buckskins, and ten-gallon hats

Comedy: the nerd, the wise-cracker, the jock, geek, or token minority, buddies, gay best friend

Crime: the hard-boiled detective or private eye, police officer, gangsters, hoodlums, criminals,

robbers, murderers, a mob boss, inmates, fugitives, a gun-for-hire, jewel robbers, arms or drug

dealers, car thieves, con artists, unforgettable villain(s)

Melodramas: the self-sacrificial maternal figure, family crises, suffering, emotional conflict, terminal

illness or death, loss, broken or failed relationships, overwrought emotions, tragedy, unrequited love,

toxic friendships

Musicals: singing (solos, duets, choruses, ensembles) and dancing, 'putting on a show', spectacular

stage productions with beautiful costuming, orchestra or band accompaniment, often with a romantic

subplot

Epics take an historical or imagined event, mythic, legendary, or heroic figure, and add an extravagant

setting or period, lavish costumes, and accompany everything with grandeur and spectacle, dramatic

scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score.

BASIC FILMING CONCEPTS

Composition- deals with the arrangements of things in the frame

- to achieve a balanced, aesthetically pleasing, unified, harmonious whole.

-Don’t put your subject in the middle.

-It is actually more pleasing to put the subject off to one side.

-The previous shots follow a guideline called the rule of thirds.

Shot types

Extreme long shot (XLS), we know where the people are, but nothing about them.

Long shot (LS) provides context. We know this is a dancer and where she is; in the studio. We can also

still see some details about her.

Close ups (CU) are for emphasis:help the viewer feel the emotion of a subject and shoot that in a

close up.

Camera Angle – it influences how we interpret the material we see.

- taken from eye level. This helps create empathy, since it is as though we are there, seeing what

someone would see if they were in the scene.

A high camera angle means that the camera itself is low but it is looking up

• This makes subjects look dangerous, powerful, or imposing

A low camera angle means that the camera itself is high, but looking down

• This makes subjects look weak, powerless, unimportant, or diminutive.

Establishing shots

• It is a good idea to make sure you let your audience know where the action is taking place.

Ex. the action is taking place during the day at a coffee shop.

Lighting

Lighting is one of—if not the most—important factor in film.

• There are two factors to consider when dealing with light: Practical and aesthetic

Underexposed- not enough light

Overexposed - too much light

Tripod - Use one. It is very uncommon to see an entire film shot handheld
Camera movement - is generally better to leave the camera still

Pan-moves the camera left and right.

Zooms- It is extremely uncommon in film.

Audio- is just as important as your video. If your audience can’t hear, they will likely lose interest

faster than if the video isn’t great.

Shooting tip- When you start a shot, let the camera run for a few seconds (5-10) before you start the

action, and then a few seconds after the action is finished. This will make your editing a lot easier.

Legal Issues- If you are going to interview anyone, you need to have them sign a video release form

for legal purposes.

FILM ANALYSIS- is to explore how these formal features contribute to a film’s meaning.

Consider when you are conducting film analysis:

1. Aim to persuade- a film analysis paper is a form of persuasive writing, and as such, it advances an

argument that is backed up by evidence.

-Your evidence must include specific examples drawn from the film(s) you are studying.

2. Avoid Film Review-.Analysis means breaking something down into its constituent parts and showing

how these parts function and relate to one another to make up a unified whole.

-Film analysis reveals something about how the film works that you may not have noticed the first

time you watched it.

3. Avoid excessive plot summary- Summary states what happened; analysis explains how or why it

happened.

4. Consider the narrative-Don’t take the film’s plot—or any of its narrative aspects—for granted.

Consider the themes -Themes are what you might say a film is “about.”

5. Consider the film’s genre, place in film history, and filmmaker

6. Consider the film’s ideological stance