Studying Film? Deep Focus Film Studies is rapidly becoming a primary resource for academic information for film students, movie buffs and all readers of cinema
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What does a film mean to YOU?
Needless to say, he didn't tip the guys who installed his new HD Flat-screen TV.
Welcome to Deep Focus Film Studies, the dwelling-place of movie geeks, media students, film buffs, cinephiles and other nerds. Deep Focus Film Studies is a commitment to exploring film beyond the surface. What does a film mean to YOU? What are your favourite films and why? How do they communicate? What is it they are saying? Here at DFFS (Deep Focus Film Studies) we want to know the various interpretations of a film, no matter how numerous or wacky - as long as you can make a justifiable argument for it.
The ultimate mission of the site is to explore the impact of movies upon society. How is film interpreted? No two people see things in the exact same way, so we want to see things from your point of view.
The ultimate mission of the site is to explore the impact of movies upon society. How is film interpreted? No two people see things in the exact same way, so we want to see things from your point of view.
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Reading Films
Multistable Figure: Is it a duck or a rabbit?
At Deep Focus Film Studies we are dedicated to understanding films. But surely that’s unnecessary? Can’t we all ‘read’ films already? Clearly, almost everyone can read a film. Most of us have no difficulty in grasping the basic content of mainstream movies and television. A toddler can do it. Even your dog can do it (to an extent). But how much of what we are viewing do we truly comprehend rather than merely ‘recognise’? While film and other media have created a paradigm-shift in how we perceive ourselves and the world around us over the last century, we have become passive in accepting how such huge quantities of information are conveyed to us on a daily basis.
We don’t have to gain an intellectual understanding of film to appreciate it, however developing a sophisticated comprehension of the medium can magnify our appreciation tenfold. An educated palette allows us to see and hear much more than the casual viewer. Barring some sort of impairment, all human beings can perceive and identify visual images. These images however, are interpreted very differently by different cultures. For example, some people looking at the Multistable Figure image will see a duck, while others will recognise a rabbit. This suggests that our ability to fully understand images, both still and moving, depends on learning (by now you should be able to perceive both a duck and rabbit, albeit not at the exact same time). So while everyone can see a film, only those who view it physiologically, ethnographically and psychologically can truly comprehend what they are viewing.
Unlike many other art forms, film makes statements rather than suggestions, which gives it power over the viewer. It can result in us being lazy, almost passive, participants in the film-viewing experience. This is why learning to increase our abilities to read images helps us understand film better and empower us. By addressing the equilibrium between the medium and viewer, film is elevated to a resonant and vital work of art, rather than a narrow conduit where signifier and signified are almost identical.
Deep Focus Film Studies tries to explain how film operates on us psychologically and how it affects us politically. These two queries are colossal in their scope, and require multiple approaches even to begin answering them…
We are an ever-expanding site, with new content being added all the time. Check in with us as often as possible to get the best from it. Or go one further and contribute! We welcome your thoughts on films, so get writing those articles and reviews for a chance of being published.
We don’t have to gain an intellectual understanding of film to appreciate it, however developing a sophisticated comprehension of the medium can magnify our appreciation tenfold. An educated palette allows us to see and hear much more than the casual viewer. Barring some sort of impairment, all human beings can perceive and identify visual images. These images however, are interpreted very differently by different cultures. For example, some people looking at the Multistable Figure image will see a duck, while others will recognise a rabbit. This suggests that our ability to fully understand images, both still and moving, depends on learning (by now you should be able to perceive both a duck and rabbit, albeit not at the exact same time). So while everyone can see a film, only those who view it physiologically, ethnographically and psychologically can truly comprehend what they are viewing.
Unlike many other art forms, film makes statements rather than suggestions, which gives it power over the viewer. It can result in us being lazy, almost passive, participants in the film-viewing experience. This is why learning to increase our abilities to read images helps us understand film better and empower us. By addressing the equilibrium between the medium and viewer, film is elevated to a resonant and vital work of art, rather than a narrow conduit where signifier and signified are almost identical.
Deep Focus Film Studies tries to explain how film operates on us psychologically and how it affects us politically. These two queries are colossal in their scope, and require multiple approaches even to begin answering them…
We are an ever-expanding site, with new content being added all the time. Check in with us as often as possible to get the best from it. Or go one further and contribute! We welcome your thoughts on films, so get writing those articles and reviews for a chance of being published.
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SITE GUIDE
About Us
This is the page you are currently on. It explains what Deep Focus Film Studies is all about.
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News
The latest film news from around the world. We mainly focus on film analysis and industry news, as well as the odd article that's just down-right interesting!
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IN FOCUS: Reviews
A critical examination of film. We encourage you to write your own and submit it to us for publishing.
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Podcasts & Videos
Look up our Podcasts and Videos tabs to find links to some interesting insights of film.
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IN DEEP: Articles
Well articulated and intelligent articles about film written by both academics and other pure lovers of cinema. If you want more from a film-viewing experience then dive in to this section.
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Editorial
Follow our adventures in film-viewing with site editor Bryn V. Young-Roberts as he recounts his recent cinematic and editing experiences.
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SHOPPING: Further Reading
Hungry for more? Read further with our selection of books.
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Competitions
Check out the competitions page for the latest offerings.
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Staff Credits
Editor / Head Writer Bryn V. Young-Roberts Office Manager Jane Smith Online Support David Rusenko IT Manager Dan Veltri Chief Technology Officer Chris Fanini |
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