The creators of this resource recognize that different individuals accessing the site will have different goals and purposes, and will therefore put the material to differing uses. The suggestions noted below are aimed primarily at students of film studies and/or first time or relatively novice web users. Nevertheless, we welcome input from anyone who has suggestions for improvements, changes, additions, what have you. Email is the most efficient way to communicate with us.

As you will see, there are a number of clips from a representative list of films and other relevant visual and textual materials which are available on this site. The principal site for access to the clips is the hypertextual glossary page, though hypertext links to both other locations on the site and to outside locations have been incorporated into its architecture.

These brief clips, however, are not intended to be a substitute for a proper screening of an entire film. The purpose of these clips is to provide an immediate reference to the segment in question in a format both more representative and thus more satisfactory than either written notes or still images. Think of this and the other clips as rough notes from the object of study, not as the real thing. The clips are identified both as to their source and their (digital) size. Your attention is called to the material on Fair Use Guidelines published (and linked) on the home page.

As you watch the clips, take notes which will establish you what you are seeing (and hearing) as well as how you are seeing (or hearing) the action in the scene. In order to do this well, you will certainly need to review the clip several times. Of course you will be reviewing a digitzed clip which will open in a small window with poor resolution and (probably) uneven movement. Furthermore, your patience will be tried, because, in the present state of the technology, download times will in some cases be extensive if you are accessing the site via modem. Use the wait to go over your notes, or do your reading.

If your browser software allows you to do this--and most do--slow down the motion as you watch. Pay attention to things such as the distance which is between the camera and the action in each of the shots in the scene; how one shot is replaced by another, in other words, by what transitional device the succession of shots unfolds; the placement of the actors vis-a-vis one another and the camera; the angle from which the camera observes (and of course films) the action; whether the camera is moving (and if so how, and in what direction) or still; what the actors are wearing and how they are made up; what other scenic elements are to be seen within the frame and their relationship to both the camera and the characters; what is heard on the sound track; the general rhythm of the scene, and more.

If this sounds daunting, don't worry. By isolating a single instance such as are to be found on the site, having it available to you as a clip, and approaching the task systematically, you will begin to get a feel for the process. You won't get everything on the first try. This doesn't matter. Start on it as best you can, referring to the Glossary on the Hypertext Glossary page as needed to understand and use the appropriate terminology for the various film terms to which you will be introduced in your reading of the sequences. If you have any comments, suggestions, complaints, or problems, please contact the webmasters: ml26@umail.umd.edu.