5 Ways Studying Film and Theater Will Change Your Perspective

When you study the theory of cinema and theater, you train your mind to study people. “Why did this character do this?” “Why did they react so?” You don’t only study the technical side of film-making (i.e. how technical choices illustrate the emotions of the characters); you study the characters themselves. When you teach yourself to pay more attention to people, from their physical gestures to their words, which reveal more or less about a character, you may begin to do the same in your own life, getting better at understanding people and their actions.

The history behind artistic creations is just as important as the creation itself. Once you begin to study the history and politics behind films and plays during the time of their making, you start to make connections. How does the history of our world impact this story? How are these characters affected by these events? You can begin to understand the importance of certain cultural and historical events, and how they changed our world. It opens your eyes to how events have changed people, changed our perspectives, and how life is shaped by such occurrences. Furthermore, you will begin to see the ways in which our life is influenced by art: whether it be stock characters, social activities or even fashion.

Studying films has its pros and cons. It allows you to see things the average movie-goer or theater fan wouldn’t pay attention to: symbolism, metaphors, parallels between the characters... The downside is that you notice little mistakes, which you can’t un-see. You begin to notice errors that could ruin the show for you: continuity problems, the quality of a script, good directing… The list goes on. However, it will make you appreciate a good film or theater production even more, as you will be aware of how much hard work is involved, and how the absence of such mistakes highlights the quality of a well-made production.

When you study theory of cinema/theater, your perspective on social issues and culture is changed forever. It opens your eyes to certain troubling truths, such as the strong presence of sexism, racism and homophobia, among other things, in mainstream cinema. Once you begin to study these themes, you automatically begin to see them in other media: images, commercials, television, music videos. You become aware of how cultural productions can be used to indirectly support such mindsets. More importantly, how people can be manipulated into believing what is ‘real’ or what is and isn’t ‘socially acceptable’. On the plus side, it will motivate you to be different, to try and break such patterns, bringing more broad-minded content into the industry.

So there you have it! Studying film and theater has its perks: you will appreciate movies and plays even more, and you will undoubtedly see more than ever before: the visual details, and the social and political themes, which are vital when it comes to understanding the world around us.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.