Split in two
Sep 01, 2026
⋮⋮ Program
- 12.05 Warm up
- 12.25 Analysing fiction (continued)
- Overview of cinematic techniques
- 12.35 Severance
- 13.10 Break
- 13.25 Discuss plot
- 13.50 Break
- 14.05 Analyse cinematic technique
- 14.35 Written discussion
Warm-up
- Read the article The Fly Nobody Programmed
- Discuss
- How does the fly “choose” to do what it does?
- What’s the difference between this and LLM’s?
- Does the fly have an identity? On what is it based?
- Would a human digitised brain be conscious? Would it have an identity? Would it be the same as the original organic brain?
Analysing fiction (continued)
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Plot/structure
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Characterisation
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Setting
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Narrator / point of view
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Language
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Theme/message
- How does language support the story?
- How does cinematic technique support the story?
- How does game mechanics support the story?
- How do graphics support the story?
Overview of cinematic techniques
| Cinematic technique | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Framing | Close-up: The character(s) are framed very closely. Long shot: Focus is on setting. Medium shot: Focus is on more than one character. |
| Angles | Low angle: The character in question seems powerful and big. High angle: The character in question seems small and maybe weak. Eye level: Audience at the same level as characters. |
| Composition | Foreground. Middle ground. Background. |
| Sound | Diegetic sound: Sound which is part of the film. Non-diegetic sound: Sound which is not part of the film. Contrapuntal sound: Sound in direct contrast to the images of the film. |
| Lighting | Low key: Difficult to see everything in the image. High key: Able to see everything in the image. |
| Colour | Each colour has both a positive and negative symbolism. |
Discuss plot
- In your own words, explain the severance procedure.
- Who is Holly? Is there a difference between her work self and her private self?
- Is it fair to say that Holly chooses to come back to work?
- Do we sometimes subject ourselves to similar things? Do you?
Analyse cinematic technique
- Describe - in bullets - three examples of cinematic techniques in the excerpt and explain for each why you think they are used.
Written discussion
Discuss briefly the issue presented in your assignment. Remember to take into account opposing views and end with a short conclusion where you may add your own opinion.
- Taking your starting point in the excerpt of the Severance episode, and the article, discuss the role of memory in identity.
Use at least two phrases from the box below in your discussion.
Box
firstly, therefore, in some ways, although, in particular, nevertheless, secondly, to sum up