In a classic adaptation, what does a film-maker use instead of an opening paragraph?

How can we tell which interviewee we should trust, and what interpretation we should put on ‘neutral’ footage, in a factual documentary?

How can a TV advert tell a complete story, and engage our emotions, in 60 seconds?

In a TV drama, how do we know when characters are angry, upset or frightened?

How does a title sequence let us know what a programme’s about and whether it’s aimed at us?

This one-day course is designed to give Secondary English teachers an insight into film language and how they can teach it. Using short extracts, we’ll explore the role of camera, framing, lighting, sound and editing in documentary, advertising, popular TV drama and classic adaptations.

We’ll introduce a number of practical, tried-and-tested techniques for giving pupils a clear understanding of film language, and relating it to genre, audience, narrative and persuasion.  Handouts will include a summary of these techniques and a glossary of suitable terminology.