Psychoanalytic theories

Psychoanalytic theories in film consist of using psychology practices and theories to analyse a film in detail. We can analyse the characters, storyline, colours, actions, dialogue and even the smallest details such that can be in the set or what is supposedly 'unimportant' props. 

We started by learning who Sigmund Freud was. He was the founding father of psychoanalysis. He believed that the human mind is made of 3 parts. These 3 parts are The ego, super-ego and id. The Ego is the 'self' - the organised part of the mind. This deals with demands coming from the other 2 parts. The super-ego is the controlling part of the mind that gives orders to the ego and limits what the ego can and can't do. Last is the id. This is the subconscious. All desires and needs come out of here to the ego and the ego decides whether it is a good idea or not. We looked at an episode of Trap Door and were told a theory that an ordinary person had come up with. Burk is the ego, the self. Him upstairs is the Super-ego, giving Burk demands. The trap door is the id. Ideas come out of the trap door. In this episode 2 monsters came out. The orange one saw itself in the mirror and ran back to the trap door - like it was being shown that it was a bad idea. The yellow was was used to Burk's advantage to solve his demand. This shows the ego selects ideas from the subconscious that are either good or bad. 

We looked at another of Freud's theories 'The Uncanny'. This is where something that could remind us of childhood or past that comes back now unfamiliar. This could be represented by such films as; Child's play and IT. We have the child's doll coming alive and killing and in IT we have a happy, bright clown being evil. Freud also said that there are moments of familiarity that also feels foreign making an audience feel uncomfortable. An example of this could be used with a mirror, as they look at themselves but there is something foreign about them. This is shown in Black Swan when she looks in mirrors and sees the changes happening to her. There are a lot of horror films that could back up this theory but there are other films that use the unfamiliar in a different genre. For example we have Big and Teen Wolf. Both about a person changing and being scared and unfamiliar with themselves. - Becoming older overnight and becoming a werewolf. 

We then looked at Jacques Lacan who was a philosopher. Lacan talked about the 'Mirror Phase'. This is where a child realises that they are not one with their mother. They are not connected with the universe, they are one on their own. Lacan says we seek the 'objet petit a' which is a person or thing that will complete us. He said that we search for this thing to that we can reconnect with out real self and find that sense of wholeness - but it doesn't actually exist. 

We all pick a word out of an envelope and were asked to find and image - if we could, of an object to represent the word and a location to represent the word. 

The word I picked out was Gratitude. 

My object was a bunch of flowers because I think it is a common sign of gratitude. It is a common gift for those being thanked. 

The location I chose was a cosy home. It's something that a lot of people have but may not be grateful for but should be. 

We then made a quick synopsis or scene breakdown to symbolise our word using the object and location we chose. -

A character who realises that their family mean a great deal to them and that they are very lucky to have what they do. They want more but then realise gratitude is something they never consider. - Giving flowers and gifts to family with thanks for still being there. And spending time in their nice, cosy home that makes them feel content and grateful to have.