A Filmmaker's Guide to: Abstract Concepts
Film Studies (Pt.35)
In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.
Abstract Concepts
What are they?
Abstract concepts are things that don't have a physical form. It's quite difficult to talk about them because they can be in the form of emotions, life and death attributes etc. they are therefore often difficult to describe and beyond human comprehension. Some examples of this are:
...civilisation, society, traditions and culture, mathematics, innovation, recognition, identity, hypotheses, analytics, thinking, creation, harmony, spacial awareness, influence, status, futurism, opinion, reason, logic, salience and idealism...
Literature deals with abstract concepts nearly all of the time. If you would like to read a book that I recently reviewed that deals with abstract concepts in detail then may I suggest "Terra Amata" by JMG Clézio. But possibly my favourite book that deals with abstract concepts in masses and masses of tiny details, including time theories and the mechanics of existence is "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell. This is quite probably the best book to read if you want to relate key concepts of the abstract and undefinable to literature. I would also heavily suggest reading the book before you watch the 2012 film because it will make a lot more sense.
What about in film?
Many directors like to address abstract concepts with many of them also concentrating on specific ones throughout their careers. Examples in the modern day include but are not limited too:
- Quentin Tarantino's harsh look at the abstract concept of violence upon our societies (see: "Pulp Fiction" (1994))
- Derek Jarman's analysis of the historic forms of homosexuality through the lens of interpretation of art (see: "Caravaggio" (1986))
- Darren Aronofsky's analysis of identity through the use of multiple character personalities, debate and the reduction to nothingness (see: "Black Swan" (2010))
- Aaron Sorkin's debate of what is real and what is not through his analysis of hyper-realism vs. melodramatics (see: "The Social Network" (2010))
- Guy Ritchie's harsh look at how violence gains influence, how violence begets violence and chaos theory in real situations where life and death hang in the balance (see: "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998))
Many international films have also succeeded with this, the most famous being the German Expressionist films of the 1920s and 30s which critiqued their society's requirement for another tyrannical overlord (which, in the end, they unfortunately got) after the death of the Kaiser and various political showdowns.
Another example is the films of modern day Korea. Korean cinema gives a hyper-analytical look at some of the misfortunes that have plagued the society and its history including the brilliance of the recent cinema outputs of "The Handmaiden" (2016) and "Parasite" (2020).
All in all, abstract concepts are easier than you think.
Just think of a concept which cannot be physically attributed (i.e: death, happiness, faith etc.) and see how it has been woven into the fabric of meaning in cinema.
Further Reading
- Ho, B.J (2020). Parasite: A Graphic Novel in Storyboards. 2nd ed. USA: Hachette USA Publishing
- Nathan, I (2019). Quentin Tarantino: The iconic filmmaker and his work. USA : White Lion Publishing
- Nayman, A (2020). Paul Thomas Anderson: Masterworks. 2nd ed. USA: Abrams.
- Shone, T (2014). Scorsese: A Retrospective. UK: Thames and Hudson
- Zoller Seitz, M (2013). The Wes Anderson Collection. USA: Abrams.
About the Creator
Annie Kapur
190K+ Reads on Vocal.
English Lecturer
🎓Literature & Writing (B.A)
🎓Film & Writing (M.A)
🎓Secondary English Education (PgDipEd)
📍Birmingham, UK
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