Analyzing moving images

What kind of moving image is it? Is it a feature-length film, a brief home-shot video clip, an animated sequence in a video game?

What is the viewer’s perspective? How are the elements of the images arranged? Do the images change quickly or slowly? Are any special effects used? How are the moving images combined with sound or words?

What is the purpose of the moving image? What did the composer hope to achieve with it?

Who is the intended audience? A viewer watching alone on a computer monitor? A large audience in a theater? Consumers? Students?

How do genre, features, purpose, and audience work together to convey a message?

How do you interpret the use of elements in the moving image? (Keep in mind that your interpretation—your take on the meaning—may differ from the composer’s intended message.)