Understanding film art: Moments of impact and patterns of reactions

Abstract

While there is a wide consensus that in the core of fictional stories is the generation of emotions, little is known about how this happens. The aim of our contribution is to better understand the nature of reception processes that occur while people are watching movies. We analyze patterns of physiological and facial reactions to a movie by using THEME. We refer to data gathered in a study conducted to investigate cognitive and emotional reactions to the animated short film Father and Daughter (2000). The narrative structure of the movie and the most important formal features were determined on the basis of dramaturgical models. In the study, heart rate and skin conductance of the participants were measured, and the facial reactions of the consenting participants were videotaped. In summary, the analyses enlighten the dynamic nature of movie reception: Important scenes of a movie are prepared with virtuosity, creating “lines“or repetitions of motives combined with each other; the film maker plays with the expectations and emotions of the viewers.