The overarching creative tension of film is that between the characters and scenery in front of the camera and the technology in the camera (and behind it). This isn’t quite the dichotomy we described in Lesson 1 between Artist and Work. More precisely, it is the tension between the limits of the artist’s tools and the splendor of the artist’s subject.

The purpose of Lesson 3 is to describe how the basic sciences of optics, mechanics, and chemistry combine to create an artistic palette for filmmakers.

It should take 4 hours to complete this lesson’s material.

After successfully completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Explain how the focal length of a lens changes our perception of the scene.
• Understand the significance of lighting and camera technology.
• Describe how film technology limits (or extends) our perception of the subjects of a film.
• Understand the role genre plays in the art of film.

During this lesson, you will complete the following activities:

• At the Movies: The Silent Era: We’ll watch The Great Train Robbery (1903) and other early silent films (including those of Lumière, Méliès, and Sennett). These films will give us a great chance to study the techniques and technology that filmmakers used in the early days of motion pictures.
• Outside the Theater: Writing a Dramatic Scene: In this activity, you will try your hand at writing a short dialogue between two people.