A comparative statistical film style analysis of four selected contemporary American movies within the drama genre in terms of their average shot length and scale

Table of Contents

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Definitions of Key Terms
  • Continuity System
  • Intensified Continuity System
  • Linear/ Nonlinear Editing
  • Statistical Style Analysis
  • Mise en scène
  • The Shot
  • Edit Decision List (EDL)
  • Average Shot Length (ASL)
  • Confidence Level
  • Shot Scale
    • Big Close Up (BCU)
    • Close Up (CU)
    • Medium Close Up (MCU)
    • Medium Shot (MS)
    • Medium Long Shot (MLS)
    • Long Shot (LS)
    • Very Long Shot (VLS)
• Scope and Limitations
• Background Information
  • Invention of the Cinema
  • The beginnings of film continuity – Edwin S. Porter.
  • Dramatic Construction - D.W. Griffith
  • Constructive Editing – V. I. Pudovkin
  • The Theory of Montage – Sergei Eisenstein
  • The Silent Period – Conclusion
  • The Sound Film
  • International Advances
  • Technical Evolution of Editing Systems
• Literature Review
  • Intensified continuity: visual style in contemporary American film
  • The Shape of 1999
  • Studying contemporary American Film
  • The Technique of Film Editing
  • The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice
  • Digital Filmmaking: The Changing Art & Craft of Making Motion Pictures
  • Traditional Film Editing vs. Electronic Nonlinear Editing
  • Implication of Literature Review
• Research Plan and Analysis of Methodologies
  • Research Approach
  • Research Strategy
  • Research Design
    • Multiple vs. Single Case Studies
    • Selection of Cases
  • Methodological Approach
    • Data Collection
  • Ethical Considerations
• Research Implementation
  • The EDL PAL Design
  • The EDL Design
  • The Observation Sheet Design
  • The Shot Length Sheet Design
  • Key Challenges and Problems
• Presentation and Analysis of the Data
  • Case 1: Goodfellas (1990)
  • Case 2: Gangs of New York (2002)
  • Case 3: No Way Out (1987)
  • Case 4: The Sum of All Fears (2002)
  • Cross Analysis: Thelma Schoonmaker
  • Cross Analysis: Neil Travis
  • Cross Analysis of all cases
• Comment and Critique of the Findings
  • Decrease of ASL
  • Shot Length Trends
  • Trend towards tighter Shot Scales
  • Effect of tighter Shot Scales
• Summary and Conclusion
  • Suggestions for further research

Objectives and Key Themes

This research investigates the average shot length and scale in contemporary American drama movies by using a comparative statistical film style analysis. It focuses on determining if the use of digital non-linear editing systems has had a significant impact on shot length and framing in these films over the past fifteen years.

• The impact of digital non-linear editing systems on shot length and framing in contemporary American drama films.
• A comparative analysis of average shot length and scale in four selected contemporary American drama films.
• The evolution of editing systems and their influence on film style.
• The relationship between editing techniques and the overall aesthetic of a film.
• The use of statistical analysis to study film style.

Chapter Summaries

• Introduction: This chapter introduces the research topic, the hypothesis, and the structure of the report.
• Definitions of Key Terms: This chapter provides definitions of key terms relevant to the research, including continuity system, intensified continuity system, linear and non-linear editing, statistical style analysis, mise en scène, the shot, edit decision list (EDL), average shot length (ASL), confidence level, and shot scale.
• Scope and Limitations: This chapter defines the scope of the research and outlines its limitations, emphasizing the focus on descriptive statistics and the exclusion of correlations between movie content.
• Background Information: This chapter explores the historical development of film editing, covering the invention of cinema, the beginnings of film continuity, dramatic construction, constructive editing, the theory of montage, the silent period, the sound film, international advances, and the technical evolution of editing systems.
• Literature Review: This chapter summarizes existing literature related to the research, focusing on intensified continuity in contemporary American film, the study of contemporary American film, the technique of film editing, and the impact of digital filmmaking on the art and craft of making motion pictures.
• Research Plan and Analysis of Methodologies: This chapter outlines the research approach, strategy, and design, including the rationale for selecting multiple case studies and the specific cases chosen for analysis. It also describes the methodological approach, including data collection methods and ethical considerations.
• Research Implementation: This chapter discusses the implementation of the research, detailing the design of the EDL, observation sheets, and shot length sheets. It also addresses key challenges and problems encountered during the research process.
• Presentation and Analysis of the Data: This chapter presents and analyzes the data collected from the four selected films, providing individual case studies and cross-analysis of the data to draw comparative insights. It covers the four case studies: Goodfellas (1990), Gangs of New York (2002), No Way Out (1987), and The Sum of All Fears (2002), followed by separate cross-analyses of the work of Thelma Schoonmaker and Neil Travis, concluding with an overall cross-analysis of all cases.
• Comment and Critique of the Findings: This chapter provides a detailed analysis and critique of the research findings, focusing on the observed decrease in average shot length, trends in shot length, the trend towards tighter shot scales, and the effects of these tighter shot scales on the overall aesthetic of the films.

Keywords

This research focuses on the intersection of film style analysis, editing techniques, and digital filmmaking, specifically investigating the impact of digital non-linear editing systems on shot length and framing in contemporary American drama films. Key concepts include average shot length, shot scale, intensified continuity, mise en scène, and the evolution of editing systems. The research draws on statistical analysis to study film style and utilizes primary, secondary, and tertiary data sources including interviews with industry professionals.