FILM AND EMOTION

The Scene of Empathy and the Human Face on Film

In his essay on the scenes of empathy and the human face, Carl Plantinga argues that facial expressions in film not only communicate emotion, but also elicit, clarify, and strengthen affective response — especially empathetic response. This is possible because viewing the human face can elicit emotional contagion.

Second, he discusses and defines empathy to show better how the representation of the face contributes to empathy for film characters. Third, he shows how filmmakers use the human face in the »scene of empathy«, and describes strategies designed to maximize the affective potential of the human face on film.

ANALYTIC CONTENTS OF THE PAPER:
Facial expression and emotional contagion; Spectator empathy; The face in the scene of empathy; Attention; Duration; Allegiance; Narrative Context; Affective Congruence; Conclusion.

Carl Plantiga