| Title | A Basic Model for Analysis |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | The Character Clock |
| Contributor | Jens Eder(author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0283.04 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0283/chapters/10.11647/obp.0283.04 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Jens Eder; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-07-29 |
| Long abstract | Part II of the book (Chapter 4) summarises the previously developed theoretical foundations and, on this basis, presents the Character Clock model, a practical heuristic that helps to analyse characters in films and other non-interactive media. The Character Clock brings together the four dimensions of the character as represented being, artefact, symbol, and symptom, connecting each dimension to suitable analytical categories. It also points to specific types of characters, contexts, and affective reactions in each dimension. Two interpretations of different films and characters illustrate how the model can be used. In Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s auteur film The Marriage of Maria Braun, the enigmatic, stylistically striking character of Maria embodies crucial themes such as the interplay of material success and emotional repression in post-war Germany. In Ng'endo Mukii's animated short film Yellow Fever, autobiographically based, highly stylised characters reveal to viewers the effects of racist beauty ideals on women of colour. The case studies show how the Character Clock can guide the investigation and help to discover essential features of characters. In conclusion, the chapter offers a series of general questions as starting points for analysis. |
| Page range | pp. 117–148 |
| Print length | 32 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Jens Eder is Professor of Dramaturgy and Aesthetics at Film University Babelsberg in Potsdam, Germany. His research focuses on the intersections of audiovisual media, narrative, and society. He has published books and articles on narrative theory, characters, emotions, political documentaries, video activism on social media, and image operations in societal conflicts. Currently he is heading the research group ‘Film as a Catalyst of Social Transformation’, which investigates the impact of engaged films.