Dead Poets Society: Film Techniques Essay

Keating believed in educating the boys to be free thinkers. How did this teaching of his doctrine have a positive and/or negative impact on the boys? How has tool Weir apply film techniques to reflect this positive and/or negative impact?Through go forth the duration of the film, Dead Poets Society directed by Peter Weir, a consequence of film techniques are expressed to reflect the positive but also the negative impacts of Mr John Keatings unorthodox and bizarre teaching methods towards his students. The film is crash at the conservative and traditional Welton Academy in Vermont, United States in 1959 as it follows the story of the newly appointed English teacher, Mr John Keating. He is conveyed as an inspirational and influential mentor to his students about independent views and living life to its fullest through his teaching of poetry. Weir uses film techniques to manifest these positive impacts of Keatings teaching philosophy to be free thinkers on Neil Perry, a student who deals with much pressure from his father to pursue his dream of acting, and Todd Anderson, who is portrayed as a very humble, egotism conscious and shy flake.Keatings style of teaching however, led to the negative impact of Charlie Dalton, who is a popular but also a rebellious font in the film. Due to Mr Keatings philosophy in teaching, Neils engagement in acting and poetry expanded significantly eventually leading to his death.Weir has apply Neil Perry as the protagonist to convey a numerous amount of film techniques to display Keatings belief in educating the boys to be free thinkers. Near the offset printing of the film, Neil is extractn to have a great amount of pressure applied on him by his fathers high standards so that he graduates from Welton to become a doctor. We expect big things from you this year.Dont worry, he wont disappoint.This is said by Mr Nolan, the school headmaster, followed by Neils father, Mr Perry, and demonstrates the compression put upon Neil to s ucceed. This prospect shows a number of close up bungs and high angles of Neil to show his apprehension and sense of vulnerability to the audience. From Keatings first few lessons about poetry and its immenseness in life, Neil and the other students are inspired to defecate the Dead Poets Society. This group is created from the motivation of Keatings beliefs about poetry and expressing your feelings in a positive scene. enormous shots and eerie music are used when the boys are running through the woods to their first meeting in a small and concluded cave.This is to create a rebellious atmosphere, as it is a key theme in the film from Keatings motives. When the students arrive at the cave, Neil is portrayed as the leader of the group, which shows his self-assured and friendly characteristics where he reads most of the poetry. This is demonstrated by the use of close up angles and low angles looking up at Neil to emphasise what he is say and his occasion over the other student s. Soon after the students first meeting, Keating shows the boys to look at life in a different perspective by standing on his desk. This helps Neil understand to have his own decisions in life and be a free thinker. Look at it another path.Keating says this in order for the students to have independent views in life. Low angles looking up at the students when they are on the desk are used to show the power and potential they have. Due to Mr Perrys harsh rules and ideas on him, it caused Neils death because of his love for poetry and acting became too great for him where he was allowed to partake in them. This ultimately suggests that Keatings teaching methods had a negative influence on him. Essentially, these film techniques are shown to indicate Keatings views about poetry and expressing ones thoughts in a positive outlook, and influencing Neil even though it did lead to his death.Throughout the film, Todd Andersons personality and character changes significantly as a result of Keatings ways in teaching poetry and expressing ones feelings through Weirs film techniques. Much like Neil, Todd is immediately put under pressure from Mr Nolan when arriving at his new school on welcome day when the headmaster states, You have big shoes to fill, Mr Anderson. A close up angle is shown directly at Todd in order to show his lack of confidence after his brothers success at Welton. This underlies the traits developed by Todd during the majority of film to showhis characterisation as a very self-conscious and uncertain person. This uncertainty as a person is evident when he states, If I say something, people wont listen. Moreover, this reiterate outlines the personal difficulty and feelings Todd is experiencing because of the pressure from his new friends and school.Todds character changes however, where Keatings philosophy in teaching has a very positive outlook on him. A very important turning point in Todds character because of this teaching occurs when Keating stro ngly encourages him to read a made up meter on the spot to the class about a given picture. A 360o tracking shot and fast intense music is used by Weir to show confusion to the audience of what is happening. The music and spinning of the camera becomes faster to increase the tension generated by Todds newly created poetry encouraged strongly Keating. From this, it is lucid that Todds character differs as he realises the concept of expressing ones thoughts from Keating about poetry due to the film techniques shown by Weir.Weir portrays Charlie Dalton as a very rebellious character through film techniques and the negative influence of Keatings teaching methods on him. This is apparent in Keatings first lesson of teaching poetry, where he advises the students to rip out the introduction to poetry section in their textbooks. As the students are confused and uneasy about this task, Charlie rips the page out immediately, with a close up angle of him to demonstrate his daring character. Keatings teaching methods however, cause Charlie to get expelled from Welton. Sucking the marrow out of life doesnt mean choking on the bone. Keating says this allegory in order to show how being free thinkers does not mean pulling foolish stunts, which have consequences. Within this scene, Keating states, Theres a duration for daring and a time for caution and a wise man knows which is called for. He expresses this to outline the importance of knowing when to be unruly and when to remain in the rules. Weir uses dull lighting within the room to show the despondent and depressed. From evidence, Keatings philosophy in teaching is shown to lead to the negative impacts on Charlie where he is expelled.The director, Peter Weir, has used many techniques throughout the film toshow Keatings beliefs for his students to have independent views and live life to its fullest by being their sole mentor and inspiration. Keating caused Neil to throw up to his identity to discover a love for acting and create the Dead Poets Society by being the leader in a way. Todds character during the film changed dramatically from self-conscious to confident in his own ability due to Keatings theories about life where he discovered a talent in poetry. Although, apart from the positives, Charlies characteristics cause him get expelled because of his daring and rebellious character. Weir has explored these characters to convey their views from Keating and the film techniques of Weir help demonstrate this.