Appreciating the 3 s’s of cinema – story, skill sets and sensitivity
[vc_row enable_arrows_animation=”no” css=”.vc_custom_1489420866538{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row enable_arrows_animation=”no” css=”.vc_custom_1474291084926{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whether you call it motion picture, feature film, cinema or movie – it is the cheapest and the also, the most popular form of entertainment. No wonder, it’s also the most discussed!
Whether you are in college, at work place or are commuting, you must have been very often involved in animated and also heated discussions, voicing your opinion whether a movie is good, bad, average or dirty! Today, such discussions and arguments are also taking a substantial online / digital space!
This blog is an unpretentious attempt to dissect the reasons for what makes a movie being slotted as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ by movie buffs. Let me confess here that I am not a movie buff, though I love the medium. I believe there is no other art form that remarkably incorporates so many other arts forms – ranging from the good old dance, drama and music to the modern-day graphics animation – and everything in between.
Coming back to the topic, what makes a person believe a movie is ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Simple. If I like a movie, it’s ‘good’; and if I don’t like it, it’s ‘bad’. If you dissect a movie further, I believe, there are 3 facets in every film that can be independently slotted as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Which means there are chances that any person can feel that 1 of these facets in a particular movie is ‘good’, while the other 2 are ‘bad’.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row enable_arrows_animation=”no” css=”.vc_custom_1474355814165{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 3 Facets or S’s of Every Movie
Well, here are the 3 facets, integral to every feature film, which I prefer to call the 3 S’s – Story, Skill Set and Sensitivity.
Story or S1:
The theme or the basic topic. This is the most apparent or striking facet. Most people have the tendency to slot a film as ‘good’ if they like this ‘S’ or facet; and as ‘bad’ if they don’t like this ‘S’ or facet. For example, if the theme of the film is adultery, and I detest adultery, then I reject the movie outright, and call it ‘bad’. And I will not watch a ‘bad’ film!
Skill Sets or S2:
The talent or skills of the people involved. The level, scale or quality of skills displayed by all on board, starting with the director. The actors, musicians, editors, software personnel, sound mixing specialists – this is a very long list. Well, most movie watchers will only come to the S2 level only if they like S1. After all, why should one spend one’s time in evaluating the goodness or badness of skills of the people who have made a film on ‘adultery’ – a theme I hate?
However, it’s very rare that the quality of the skills is consistent throughout every frame of the film.
Sensitivity or S3:
The ability to provoke the feelings or touch the heart of the movie watcher. This is the least apparent or striking facet. This is what brings out the real caliber of those involved in producing the film, starting with the director.
The ‘good’ S3 quotient, in all probability, is even more rare than a good ‘S2’ quotient. It can be a fleeting moment – an actor’s glance or hug, a musical note or verse, an emotional talk or outburst, or even the lights and shades of a particular scene.
We have to admit here that getting a ‘good’ S3 moment also depends a lot on the cinema fan’s cerebral character, emotional tendency or to what extent she allows herself to be carried away by a feature film. Also, it also depends on her mood at that moment.
The objective if any worthy film maker should be to try to bring in as many ‘good’ S3 moments as possible in a film. That is what differentiates an average, a good and an exceptional film maker.
And most importantly, a regular movie enthusiast will only sit in judgement of the quality of ‘S3’, if she has passed both S1 and S2 as ‘good’.
A majority of movie fans miss out the ‘good’ S2s and S3s of any given film, because they have already rejected that film as being ‘bad’ because they did not like its S1.
Conclusion
If somebody declares a movie to be ‘bad’, in all probability she did not like its S1 (Theme or Story Line). The same formula applies, if she feels it’s ‘good’.
The next time you see a film, try to evaluate all its 3 S’s (Story, Skills Sets and Sensitivity).
A movie is a movie, nothing more. Take it seriously only if it can help you in self-improvement.
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