Films are a separate and unique branch of art that combines several other fields – music, painting, and theater. Films are built on a story through which the viewer feels connected to the characters and tries to understand why they choose a particular decision. One of the essential features of a film is the context of the setting. The situation allows the film to be endowed with feelings. The context plays a role in allowing the viewer to become a part of the film and be imbued with it.
The context is a set of scenery, images, and moments that concretize the idea of the film and give it meaning. For example, a documentary about the world’s oceans should show the ocean, not deserts; a film about historical figures should show their portraits, not modern figures; a film about outer space should show the stars and universes, not botany. Context allows us to ascertain whether the authors’ thoughts are consistent with what they are presenting and how they are doing it. It provides the location of the action and determines how and for what reasons it will take place (Jacobus & Martin, 2018). The mood and emotional connection to the film are created through authenticity and the presence of the features the viewer expects to see.
Context is necessary for the characters in the films to fit into and be a part of the environment and for the viewer to understand how all the elements are connected. The setting enhances the characters’ character traits, reveals them, and gives them uniqueness in a particular film. The geographical setting is one of the most critical aspects of context because it allows the viewer to travel with the characters and experience similar emotions. Lack of context for a film will be critical because the viewer will not be able to visually enjoy it, understand the intent, and subsequently associate the film with something specific.
Context clues help the viewer establish the main idea of the film. Details and passages allow the viewer to immerse themselves in the film, become a part of it, and have an emotional experience from watching it. For example, The Lovely Bones often uses shots of scorched earth, sad music, and the camera moving very slowly while showing the characters. It allows the viewer to feel the emotions of Susie, who has to watch her family with longing until she can finally pass into the world of the dead. Sometimes, the context of the films allows us to understand who their director is. For example, Christopher Nolan’s films are recognizable: the viewer has learned to notice the films’ constant connection to memory, the improbability of the storylines, the great music, and the connection to the ethical components of reality. The viewer does not wonder why Inception and The Cause leave a similar impression, but it is precise because of the director’s ability to create a mood through music and visuals.
Thus, context is the totality of the setting, the combination of sounds and pictures that allow the film to be made whole. Context is meant to create an emotional response, to form an idea of the universe within the film, and to take it as a given. Credibility, fulfillment of expectations, and connection between place and character form the context, making it meaningful to the viewer. Music will create a mood only if the picture fits the meaning, and the film will impress only if the plot is logical.
Reference
Jacobus, L. A., & Martin, F. D. (2018). The humanities through the arts (10th ed.). McGraw Hill Education.