So you've got Walter White. Main character of breaking bad. Your first thought is likely "how can anyone side themselves with and promote the escapades of a terminally ill insane man who creates super high quality crystal meth and then runs a super tight business to sell and distribute it?" Well, maybe not with as many big words, but then your second thought may be something like "oh wait, terminally ill? Maybe there's more to this guy than my first uneducated assumption led me to conclude." Once again, probably not as many big words. But that's how they get you! Sympathy through logical and visual means! But how do the bad boys at AMC get it done?
-Point of view in film was pioneered by this Russian film maker and then mastered by Alfred Hitchcock. That's not necessarily important info, but here is some: It gets you into the character's head. Show the character, their face better yet, and show what they're interacting with or examining in that environment. Now cut back to their face and see what their ultimate expression is. That's where it hits. Through a visual reaction you can understand that character's logical thoughts.
Hold on though, we're already in pretty deep. Let's backtrack to a more surfaced reason.
-Initial sympathy. How do you make people feel bad for you, or conversely? Now this question of course has many answers, but pretty much all of them are correct, and that's what's used in film. You've got Walter White, normal guy, chemistry teacher, has a wife, a kid, and another one coming. Typical american household. Nothing special. Hold on, let's have it so he's diagnosed with terminal cancer. Well, that's pretty awful isn't it? Feeling bad for him yet? Let's have his child suffer from cerebral palsy. And now you get it. Backing. A starting point to understand a character's position. Good shows and movies use this all the time.
And to dive into the deep end again-
-Expression. You need good old acting. Lets face it; you can't get anywhere in terms of emotion if the main character can't convey it themselves. Really, how far did you think fancy camera work would get you?
But now for opinions:
I think everything has the hardest impact when it's subtle. If something horrible happens and the character has a predictably acted reaction you've lost all connection. But what if you go deeper? What if you give a more complex reaction? One where they aren't processing all the information, or are just awestruck. Something to study if you ask me.
Along with this, I do think narration of thought doesn't belong a whole lot in drama and more complex film genres. Now that's not to say it's not needed in any. Comedy is an excellent genre to use it in because of the trope status thought narration has gained.
So what about acting? I only touched lightly on that subject, but what does an actor need to specifically do to compliment these techniques? Well, maybe we'll find out if I start studying theater sometime.
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