Film is another visual medium which employs the use of composition and framing to convey its message.

Here is a useful summary:

Example:

Plot summary by IMDB: A group of reporters are trying to decipher the last word ever spoken by Charles Foster Kane, the millionaire newspaper tycoon: "Rosebud." The film begins with a news reel detailing Kane's life for the masses, and then from there, we are shown flashbacks from Kane's life.

In this excerpt, young Kane is about to be sold to the bank by his mother. This excerpt is composed and framed effectively to exemplify the power structure within the house.


As can be seen by these shots, Kane is portrayed to be small and powerless, whereas his mother possesses the most power and thereby makes the decisions in this household. Kane's father is always pushed to the corners of the shot, signifying his lack of authority.

Furthermore, unlike still photography, there are more components to film which allows the director to capture the intentions of the film effectively. One example is the length of shots. In this scene, a single long take is used to show how Kane, from being a free subject, becomes an object managed by the bank. The long take enables audiences to view the traumatic transition in Kane's childhood which shaped Kane to become who he is in adulthood.