At the heart of film form is mise-en-scène, encompassing all of the elements within the frame of a film. In this lesson, you will immerse yourself within the elements of mise-en-scène, and apply them to your creative expression. This 'language of film' is critical for interpreting and creating films , in order for you to be an engaged viewer and filmmaker. Being able to identify, analyze, and discuss these elements and their relationship to film meaning and form will prepare you to better engage with the temporal and spatial relationships in filmmaking.

Film form is rooted in artistic expression through the visual language and the use of physical, imagined, and captured spaces. By utilizing the visual language through cinematography and placement of figures in space, you can convey meaning and context. In this module, you will engage with the spatial relationships in the visual language of film to expand your creative vision

Part of gaining mastery in the visual language of filmmaking is being able to express your creative vision through an active, observational gaze. This applies to both staged events in narrative and experimental film, as well as captured events in non-fiction filmmaking. Movements in film history, such as the Cinema Verité movement in documentary filmmaking, have further influenced how filmmakers develop and express an observational perspective in all forms for filmmaking. In this lesson, you will look at the impacts of these movements and develop skills and strategies for an observational approach to your filmmaking.

From the foundation of motion pictures, the film form is expressed in temporal relationships. This includes the conveying and manipulation of time through the elements of the form, including: cinematography, editing, narrative structure (or abstraction of a structure), and mise-en-scène. In this lesson, students will learn about different forms of temporal relationships, and how the use of the craft can transform viewer's perception and relationship to time. In addition, students will synthesize the knowledge learned during the course and apply it through analysis and creation of an optional final project.