The (Not So) Obvious Code

       After viewing The Big Sleep and analyzing "The Obvious Code," the frame designing used in each shot added a new dimension to my understanding of film language. In another class I am taking, we just learned about storyboarding, the act of sketching each scene before it is filmed. The act of doing this stylizes a film. It also directs our attention to specific aspects on the screen to guide the plot/storyline. For example, when Bellour unpacks the Vivian and Marlowe scene into twelve shots he showed how the narrative unfolds in terms of framing, camera angle, speech, repetition, and balance. Essentially, he is explaining how film techniques contribute to our understanding, like storyboarding in reverse. Then he breaks down his shot further into six codes depending on their film technique. However, the article takes an interesting turn when he discuss how the average moviegoer would not appreciate these details. Bellour calls this "poverty."  One of Bellour's overall thesis is that audiences need to recognize and analyze these film details to understanding the meaning behind a film, but there is a major disconnect between what directors include and what people can actually understand. We must ask ourselves how many people are watching incredible films but taking away a completely different meaning. But can any meaning be wrong?