Children's comprehension of video effects : understanding meaning, mood & message

Abstract

Children's comprehension of special effects was examined in a series of digital video workshops designed for 9-14 year olds. Children assessed illusions in film, TV and video. They made observations about a mood or message conveyed through these magical "tricks" and effects, and generated hypotheses about techniques underlying their production. Children then tested their preconceptions, building action-based stories with effects in the workshop. Children's explanations and videos were compared. Film elements conveying narrative meaning and mood are described. Mechanisms driving change in understanding are discussed. Initially, children described features or instances of effects, but not their context or purpose. Responses after the workshop reflected a shift in understanding. Kids did not describe how effects appear within a story (e.g. what they look like to us). Instead, they described how effects operate on the audience (e.g. what they evoke in us). The mean use of special effects between story conception and production increased significantly. Across and within group analysis of effect type, revealed interactions between emotional intent, camera-motion effects, and sound effects. The findings reveal preconceptions these young novices had about cinematic techniques. The workshop interventions aimed to introduce children to an increasingly sophisticated knowledge of cinematic techniques, and to a range of tools and formats for storytelling. The research has implications for children's learning, and activities that support critical comprehension of motion picture stories - such as those seen on TV, film, and video. The research is directed towards development of activities that support imagination, comprehension and expression in storytelling.