Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

20 minutes

Part A: Visual techniques

30 minutes

Part B: Analysing film stills

20 minutes

Part C: Moving images

5 minutes

Reflection

Part A: Visual Techniques

Step 1

Present the Powerpoint presentation: Fire Inside: Visual Language to the class to help facilitate the delivery of the activities or follow the steps below.

Step 2

Start the lessons by presenting an image from A Fire Inside and asking your class:

What is visual language and why is it essential?

A Fire Inside 2021 English lesson_visual language

Facilitate a brief discussion about the meaning and some examples of visual language. Ensure your students understand that visual language is a system of communication using visual elements. Explain to your class that visual language is something we all ‘read’ and ‘interpret’ even if we don’t realise this.

Step 3.

Present the following information about the film and how cinematographers explore visual language:

Writers use words, sentences and paragraphs to communicate an idea, create a narrative, and convey a tone. Cinematographers influence the audience through a selection of visuals that are carefully and instinctively captured (through the use of angles, lighting, framing etc.).

Then, placed in a specific sequence to do the same thing - set a tone or mood which impacts the audience, communicates an idea, or narrative through the structured sequence.

Step 4.

Ask students to match the following terms and definitions:

Background	The area that appears closest to the viewer
Foreground	A mark or sign that represents something else - usually something abstract
Framing	How large or small something is
Salience	The area that appears furthest from the viewer
Size	What is and isn’t included in a shot and where each part is included
Symbolism	How noticeable something is

Correct answers are:

Background: The area that appears furthest from the viewer
Foreground: The area that appears closest to the viewer
Framing: What is and isn’t included in a shot and where each part is included
Salience: How noticeable something is
Size: How large or small something is
Symbolism: A mark or sign that represents something else - usually something abstract.

Step 5.

Ask students to take 5 minutes to brainstorm some associations/connotations with the below words. This will act as a warm-up before you reflect using visual language and refer to specific techniques.

Word
Bushfire
Firefighter
Community
Sacrifice

Step 6.

Invite students to share their answers to Step 2 - what were some common images, symbols or colours that students came up with?

Step 7.

Ask students to discuss on their tables: How influential are visuals, capturing or creating the right image to portray a point or evoke specific emotions?

Part B: Analysing Film Stills

Step 1.

Show students the below image and reflect on what they can see:

A Fire Inside2021Analysing Imagery_Enlgish lesson

Discuss and explain that this is known as mise en scene (French: setting the scene). It means everything that is captured in the shot, as well as the specific way the shot has been chosen to frame those objects, sets a scene.

Ask students to consider:

Why is the truck on the left and not the middle?

Probably to put it in opposition to the fire they are fighting which takes up the other half of the screen.
Mise en scene is an important idea because nothing in a shot is ever random, the filmmakers have put everything in that shot deliberately (actors, props, the setting itself, the lighting) to have a specific meaning and impact on the audience - in this case, to provoke a certain emotion.

Step 3.

Prompt students to share their answers and complete the table below as a class:

Technique	Evidence from the image	Effect
Background
Foreground
Colours
Salience
Size
Symbolism
Other

Step 4.

Divide students into pairs or small groups and show them an additional image so that they can complete the table in groups.

A Fire Inside2021English lesson_analysing imagery

Step 5.

Invite students to share their responses and add information to their tables accordingly.

Step 6.

Now that students have acquired the relevant knowledge and skills to write about images and refer to visual language techniques. Invite students to free-write for 3-5 minutes in response to the question:

What emotional impact does this image create and why?

OR

How has the cinematographer used framing, size, salience, colour, framing, foreground middle ground or background to evoke emotion and create intrigue?

A Fire Inside2021StillAnalysing imageryenglish_year 9

Part C: Moving Images

Step 1.

Explain to your class that they will be watching brief snippets from a feature documentary A Fire Inside. Ask your class to consider the various techniques and effects the images may potentially have on the audience. Encourage your class to think like a producer, director, cinematographer, writer and dissect what their intentions might have been.

Extract from the producer:

The images captured are all camera original material that Finch shot for the project A Fire Inside. The approach is cinematic realism, a heightened visual style that remains true to the characters and events. This rich cinematic material stands out from the bodycam, news archive, and iPhone video that was captured during the Black Summer.

For this filming, Finch has paired Panavision vintage primes with Arri Alexa digital cinema cameras. These classic Panavision lenses have been rehoused to work with the most modern digital cameras and provide a timeless film look. These lenses provide a softness that lends itself to filming intimate character portraits and capturing rural Australia in an elevated, yet authentic way.

The footage was cropped in a 2:1 aspect ratio, an elegant format appropriate for cinema distribution and streaming television formats.

In capturing these different communities and the characters within them, Finch makes use of a stabilised car rig, Steadicam, and aerial photography to put scenes into motion. Whether it be someone driving a quad bike to herd up their cattle, or simply painting a picture of each of these towns, capturing this movement elevates the material and is a visual motif throughout. As the film progresses the audience is invited to engage with the rebuilding and regrowth process, the colour palette shifts and becomes brighter and more vibrant. The charcoal hues turn to bright greens and yellows as the land and communities heal.

-Justin Krook, Director

Step 2.

Present the opening clip to ‘A Fire Inside’

A Fire Inside: Opening Clip (https://vimeo.com/651789310)

Step 3.

Then invite students to complete the table below:

Something I saw (include technique)	Effect: How does this portray fire?	Effect: What emotions does it evoke?

Step 4.

Ask students to write an analytical paragraph in response to the question:

How does the imagery used in the opening clips from ‘A Fire Inside’ portray bushfires?

Types of texts:

Narrative
Non-fiction
Descriptive
Poetry.

Visual Response:

Artwork (Painting, illustration that captures the essence of a bushfire)
Design (poster, billboard that aims to create a dialogue about bushfires).

Step 5.

Present simple criteria that students can discuss or refer to before, during or after completing their response:

Text Response

Criterion	Yes/No	Improvements
The points make clear references to bushfires and how they are portrayed.
The points links to A Fire Inside and visual language techniques.
The points are clear and easy to read.
The writing is well punctuated and grammatically correct.
The writing is interesting and shows emotion.

Visual Response

Criterion	Yes/No	Improvements
The art makes references to bushfires and how they are portrayed.
The art links to A Fire Inside and visual language techniques.
The art is interesting and shows emotion.

Reflection

Connect: How do the ideas and information about visual language connect to what you already know about the importance of visuals?

Extend: How does the feature documentary - A Fire Inside extend or broaden your thinking about visual language and techniques?

Challenge: Does this lesson challenge or complicate your understanding of visual language? What new questions does it raise for you?

Differentiated Learning

Extension - Students could pick a scene and specific film technique to describe and show various other ways the cinematographer could depict scenes to evoke a specific emotion.

Provisions for Learning Support - You may like to invite students to work in groups to complete writing tasks and students could write a descriptive paragraph for Part C, rather than an analytical one.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

A Fire Inside - Visual Language

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