Silent film

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/silent-film

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the period of dominance?Approximately 1894 to 1929, preceding the widespread adoption of synchronized sound
2. What is the primary narrative techniques?Visual storytelling, exaggerated acting, intertitles, and expressive cinematography
3. What were silent films and why did they not have spoken words?Silent films were movies made before sound technology, so they used only moving pictures and visual storytelling to tell a story.
4. How did actors communicate emotions in silent movies?Actors used exaggerated gestures, mime, and facial expressions to show feelings and intentions without speaking.

Intertitles: Text cards embedded within silent films to convey dialogue, exposition, or commentary.
Mime and Physicality: Acting techniques relying on exaggerated gestures, facial expressions, and body language to communicate emotion and narrative.
Cinematic Language: The techniques and conventions used in filmmaking, such as editing, camera angles, and lighting, to convey meaning and emotion.
Synchronized Sound: Audio recorded and played back in perfect synchronization with the moving images on screen, leading to 'talkies'.