Doing research in film studies
As in any field of study, film research is guided by questions. The nature of the sources will vary, depending on the type of question being asked. If we want to know how a film was shaped by a particular director's characteristic style, we might start by watching the director's other films. If we want to analyze a film as a reaction to a political or cultural development (such as the events of May 1968 in France, or even a very broad phenomenon like globalization), we might start by learning more about the relevant sociocultural context.
It can be useful to divide film research into seven general categories:
1. Watching movies. If your paper is an analysis of a single film, you will probably want to watch the film several times. If your paper has a more historical focus, you might need to watch several films, in order to get a better sense of a certain filmmaking context. In any case, it is important that you budget ample time for film study.
For more information on the resources available for watching films, click HERE.
2. Basic production information. As a first step in researching a film, you might need to learn more about some basic production information: who directed the film, what studio produced it, when it was released, and so on. If this information is not obvious from the film's credits, there are various databases and catalogs that can be consulted.
For more information on finding out basic production information, click HERE.
3. Film reviews. For almost a century, the film review has been a standard feature of many popular magazines and newspapers. In some cases, these reviews can be useful, offering fresh interpretations of particular works, or providing helpful information about how a film was initially received. However, note that most film reviews do not always qualify as appropriate sources for a research paper, since they are primarily concerned with describing and evaluating the film for people who have not yet seen the film.
For more information on finding film reviews, click HERE.
4. Scholarly writings on film. In contrast to the everyday film review, the scholarly work spends less time describing the film, and more time on other critical tasks, such as analysis, interpretation, history, and theory. In addition, most scholarly books and articles adhere to more rigorous standards of citation and research. If you are writing a scholarly research paper, you will probably consult these sources more than you will consult film reviews.
For more information on scholarly writings, including a list of scholarly film journals, click HERE.
5. Trade journals. A trade journal is a publication that is designed for consumption by the members of the film industry, among other potential audiences. For instance, working cinematographers make up a large part of American Cinematographer's target audience. Trade journals can provide valuable information about the film industry. If you are writing a paper about technological change, or censorship practices, or studio business strategies, then you should consider consulting a trade journal as a primary source.
For more information on trade journals, click HERE.
6. Archival documents. Scholars who are particularly interested in the details of filmmaking will often look at documents produced during the process of creating the film – such as screenplays, camera reports, contracts, and studio correspondence. Although many of these documents are lost, a surprising amount of material relating to classical Hollywood films can be found in archives.
For more information on archival research, click HERE.
7. Non-film research. A film is always the product of a larger culture. Sometimes, the best film research does not involve film-related material at all. If a film was produced during the 1920s, you might try reading some history books about the politics and culture of the period. If you are studying Italian Neorealism, you could read some works of Italian literature that were written at the time. As always, the nature of the research will vary depending on the question you are asking.
For other research tools, visit the Coates Library website, HERE.