Language of Cinema -- a Powerful Means of Communication
The Matter of Expression
In his book, "Film Theory: An Introduction," Robert Stam describes his perspective of narrative film. Quoting film theorist Christian Metz, Stam states "that the cinema was not a language system but that it was a language" (Stam, 112). In doing so, he compares the matter of expression between literary language and filmic language.
Language of Cinema
Filmic (i.e., cinematic) language is the "set of messages whose matter of expression consists of five tracks or channels." (Stam, 112). Thus, Stam argues that the language of cinema in the broadest sense of the word is the sum of messages rooted in a grouped matter of expression. These messages include the "moving photographic image, recorded phonetic sound, recorded noises, recorded musical sound, and writing." (Stam, 112). Cinema has a deferred absence of the performer which "makes film spectators more likely to believe in the image" (Stam, 122). Stam states that the reason for this is that the "imaginary nature of film" (Stam, 122). From a narrative point of view, this is what makes cinema such a powerful medium.
Application of the Language of Cinema to Novel Writing
Literary language is a "set of messages whose matter of expression is writing."(Stam, 112). Therefore, an author should incorporate descriptions of the moving images in their story as well as develop believable dialogue between the characters. However, a question arises on, "How does a writer incorporate the language of cinema's recorded musical sound?" The answer to this question is to target the emotions and feelings of the reader. Just as a person's emotions and other senses are affected by the recorded musical sound in a film, writers can integrate the language of cinema into their fiction novel by stirring the emotions and inciting an emotional response within the reader. In the same manner that movies use soundtracks to goad the film viewing audience into feeling a certain emotion during dramatic scenes, authors can achieve the same affect upon their readers. Music is very capable of stirring up the emotions in people. The written words in a fiction novel can incite the same type of reaction in readers. Music as well as the written narrative in a novel can propel people into an emotional state of sadness, solemnness, cheerfulness, or even optimism.
An Example of the Power of Music
For an example on how music can stir a person's emotions, click on the soundtrack link below to stream a recorded musical song from YouTube. The song is entitled "Black Blade". It was composed by Mr. Thomas Bergersen and appears in his album "Invincible." When you listen to Mr. Bergersen's song, the musical soundtrack is cinematic, powerful, orchestral, aggressive, dramatic, driving, determined, dark, and percussive. As you listen to the recorded music, the song will rouse emotions of fear, terror, apprehension, trepidation, uneasiness, as well as anger, rage, fury, frenzy, and wrath within you. After listening to this song, you will appreciate the great power that music has on a listener's emotions.
The above video "Black Blade (Invincible)" was uploaded by Two Steps from Hell to YouTube. This video is not associated with the author of the article contained in this post nor does it imply any endorsement of the video's content by the article's author. No copyright infringement is intended; it is being provided here as "fair use" as part of this social commentary, historical reference, fair use blog. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use." Application of the Cinematic Language of Music to Novel Writing
I replicated the cinematic language of music in my epic medieval fantasy, The Wolves of Trisidian. I did this by stirring the emotions of fear and anger in a dramatic scene where the evil Army of Trisidian was launching a surprise attack upon the unwalled City of Granador. As you read the narrative below, the words are the personal words of the protagonist in the story, Sir Geoffrey Talbot, at the time a Squire from Castle Stonehaven. As Squire Talbot describes first-hand what he sees on the Plain of Granador, my goal was to incite the emotions of the readers by causing them to be stirred into fear and rage as if they were observing the action scene first-hand in person. My hope is that your emotions will be roused, as well, so that you can appreciate the great power that music and the written word have upon the feelings of people.
The Army of Trisidian was moving in mass upon the open plain. The invading force was like a large migration of wasps carrying their stingers of death to the unsuspecting souls living in the unwalled City of Granador. The impious militia continued to advance forward in a highly coordinated manner. The sight of such disciplined, organized behavior emerging from the wilderness of the north chilled me to the bone. Each step the ill-famed Army of Trisidian made towards the north entry point of the City of Granador revealed their merciless determination to take control of the city and everyone in it. The dark, swarming intelligence of the Dark Riders and their Black Wolves was like a bitter blanket of evil strewn over the entire Land of Granador. Their presence was chilling. My blood ran cold.
The Army of Trisidian like a witch’s cauldron seethed forward at four-beat gait gallop speed. The Riders with their Black Wolves were as locusts gathering to a stream before a fire. The thundering sound of the onrushing army blanketed the plain. The rumbling tremor of the stampeding Army of Trisidian was so great that I could actually sense the vibrations sweeping across the hard soil of the flat grassland. Bloodthirsty cries of Black Wolves broke through the air. Their angry, low-pitched growls, snarls, and roars echoed off the walls of the mountains surrounding the City of Granador. Like blasts of trumpets blown in wars, the raging voices and intonations of Trisidian’s Dark Riders saturated our ears. The legs of the stallions and wolves stretched forward in rapid, repetitive motion. Dust flew into the air as the feet of the stampeding stallions and wolves pounded the clay-baked, earthen plain.
REFERENCE
Stam, Robert. (2004). Film Theory: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford.
Note: For a more detailed discussion of the principles of filmmaking and how they apply to famous film directors, read Techniques of the Film Masters (ISBN 978-1435743472). The book is available in paperback print as well as digital download in Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iBook formats.
In his book, "Film Theory: An Introduction," Robert Stam describes his perspective of narrative film. Quoting film theorist Christian Metz, Stam states "that the cinema was not a language system but that it was a language" (Stam, 112). In doing so, he compares the matter of expression between literary language and filmic language.
Language of Cinema
Filmic (i.e., cinematic) language is the "set of messages whose matter of expression consists of five tracks or channels." (Stam, 112). Thus, Stam argues that the language of cinema in the broadest sense of the word is the sum of messages rooted in a grouped matter of expression. These messages include the "moving photographic image, recorded phonetic sound, recorded noises, recorded musical sound, and writing." (Stam, 112). Cinema has a deferred absence of the performer which "makes film spectators more likely to believe in the image" (Stam, 122). Stam states that the reason for this is that the "imaginary nature of film" (Stam, 122). From a narrative point of view, this is what makes cinema such a powerful medium.
Application of the Language of Cinema to Novel Writing
Literary language is a "set of messages whose matter of expression is writing."(Stam, 112). Therefore, an author should incorporate descriptions of the moving images in their story as well as develop believable dialogue between the characters. However, a question arises on, "How does a writer incorporate the language of cinema's recorded musical sound?" The answer to this question is to target the emotions and feelings of the reader. Just as a person's emotions and other senses are affected by the recorded musical sound in a film, writers can integrate the language of cinema into their fiction novel by stirring the emotions and inciting an emotional response within the reader. In the same manner that movies use soundtracks to goad the film viewing audience into feeling a certain emotion during dramatic scenes, authors can achieve the same affect upon their readers. Music is very capable of stirring up the emotions in people. The written words in a fiction novel can incite the same type of reaction in readers. Music as well as the written narrative in a novel can propel people into an emotional state of sadness, solemnness, cheerfulness, or even optimism.
An Example of the Power of Music
For an example on how music can stir a person's emotions, click on the soundtrack link below to stream a recorded musical song from YouTube. The song is entitled "Black Blade". It was composed by Mr. Thomas Bergersen and appears in his album "Invincible." When you listen to Mr. Bergersen's song, the musical soundtrack is cinematic, powerful, orchestral, aggressive, dramatic, driving, determined, dark, and percussive. As you listen to the recorded music, the song will rouse emotions of fear, terror, apprehension, trepidation, uneasiness, as well as anger, rage, fury, frenzy, and wrath within you. After listening to this song, you will appreciate the great power that music has on a listener's emotions.
The above video "Black Blade (Invincible)" was uploaded by Two Steps from Hell to YouTube. This video is not associated with the author of the article contained in this post nor does it imply any endorsement of the video's content by the article's author. No copyright infringement is intended; it is being provided here as "fair use" as part of this social commentary, historical reference, fair use blog. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use." Application of the Cinematic Language of Music to Novel Writing
I replicated the cinematic language of music in my epic medieval fantasy, The Wolves of Trisidian. I did this by stirring the emotions of fear and anger in a dramatic scene where the evil Army of Trisidian was launching a surprise attack upon the unwalled City of Granador. As you read the narrative below, the words are the personal words of the protagonist in the story, Sir Geoffrey Talbot, at the time a Squire from Castle Stonehaven. As Squire Talbot describes first-hand what he sees on the Plain of Granador, my goal was to incite the emotions of the readers by causing them to be stirred into fear and rage as if they were observing the action scene first-hand in person. My hope is that your emotions will be roused, as well, so that you can appreciate the great power that music and the written word have upon the feelings of people.
The Army of Trisidian was moving in mass upon the open plain. The invading force was like a large migration of wasps carrying their stingers of death to the unsuspecting souls living in the unwalled City of Granador. The impious militia continued to advance forward in a highly coordinated manner. The sight of such disciplined, organized behavior emerging from the wilderness of the north chilled me to the bone. Each step the ill-famed Army of Trisidian made towards the north entry point of the City of Granador revealed their merciless determination to take control of the city and everyone in it. The dark, swarming intelligence of the Dark Riders and their Black Wolves was like a bitter blanket of evil strewn over the entire Land of Granador. Their presence was chilling. My blood ran cold.
The Army of Trisidian like a witch’s cauldron seethed forward at four-beat gait gallop speed. The Riders with their Black Wolves were as locusts gathering to a stream before a fire. The thundering sound of the onrushing army blanketed the plain. The rumbling tremor of the stampeding Army of Trisidian was so great that I could actually sense the vibrations sweeping across the hard soil of the flat grassland. Bloodthirsty cries of Black Wolves broke through the air. Their angry, low-pitched growls, snarls, and roars echoed off the walls of the mountains surrounding the City of Granador. Like blasts of trumpets blown in wars, the raging voices and intonations of Trisidian’s Dark Riders saturated our ears. The legs of the stallions and wolves stretched forward in rapid, repetitive motion. Dust flew into the air as the feet of the stampeding stallions and wolves pounded the clay-baked, earthen plain.
REFERENCE
Stam, Robert. (2004). Film Theory: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford.
Note: For a more detailed discussion of the principles of filmmaking and how they apply to famous film directors, read Techniques of the Film Masters (ISBN 978-1435743472). The book is available in paperback print as well as digital download in Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Apple iBook formats.
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