Chapter 3: Film-making

Answer. Autobiographical accounts make exciting reading when the author selects episodes connected to the pursuit of excellence. Bergman’s detail of filmmaking is highlighted through the various incidents that he shares with his readers throughout the story. It is an autobiographical account that helps him connect with the readers personally and humanely. With references to his own past experiences, he portrays his hunger for perfection in the process of filmmaking. He describes the split-second impressions, which, when appropriately organised, can make a good movie. To visualise a proper screenplay, Bergman highlights and portrays the importance of giving attention to his past and works at the root level to ensure perfection. He talks about how the novel differs considerably from the film and the difference between film and literature. Finally, he acknowledges his childhood experiences which paved the way to turn him into a courageous filmmaker. Therefore, the various incidents from the narrator’s life induce life to the narration and portray the author’s feelings distinctly, and thus this autobiographical account makes for an exciting read.

Answer. A conversational tone of writing is essentially a powerful way of writing. With the author’s writing tone, the reader gets a feeling of being directly involved in the text. The author tricks them with his writing skill and creates an illusion of being directly involved in the text. Thus, a conversational tone is essentially more effective in getting a message to the readers. They can connect with the narration personally, picking out the incidents and relating them to their own lives.

On the other hand, the style adopted by Umberto Eco in the interview has a close resemblance to reading a documentary or reading answers. It contrasts with Bergman’s conversational tone, and the reader remains detached from the writer in this style. Thus, the Umberto Eco-style is an efficient method while addressing large masses.

Language Work

A. Vocabulary

Find out and write down the definitions of the following terms used in the film industry.

Script- the written text of a complete film, including instructions for the actors and directions for filming the entire film.

Project – an assignment of a complete film

Montage – the technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of the film to form a continuous whole

Flashback – showing a past event in a moment at present. It is the recalling of a past event at present.

Stage – a raised platform for performances

Prop – things used to make visualisation prominent in a film.

Footlights – a row of spotlights along the front of a stage at the level of the actors’ feet.

Things to do

Think of a particular episode that could be enacted. Now imagine that you are a scriptwriter and write the screenplay for the first ten minutes of the episode in the following format.

The column ‘Dialogue’ would contain the words to be actually spoken by the characters. ‘Description’ would include instructions regarding stage props, the position of lights, movement of actors and so on.

The enactment of the “Mother’s Day” by J.B. Priestly-