Area and Screen Forces

Screen forces: The men are always
on the left of the screen, serving as
a motion vector toward the female
at the right.

Screen forces refer to specific field forces that operate within a frame. There are many different screen forces at work within our commercial:

• Direction - Subjects in a frame with a vertical direction generate energy and excitement. We see vertical elements repeated throughout the commercial--for example, the position of the two figures in the opening shot, framed by the vertical walls--to signify sexual arousal. But throughout the PSA, there seems to be a balance in the use of horizontal and vertical elements; this idea along with complete visibility in the frame creates inviting and comfortable screen forces.
• Tilting - The canted angle mentioned in the previous post, beyond lining up with the bodies in the shot, can suggest energy or activity, and perhaps in this case, awkwardness.
• Asymmetry - People's eyes see movement as going from the left to the right. In each shot, the male is placed on the right side of the frame, the female on the left. The energy is felt in the male movement toward the female, acting as a motion vector and creating a narrative motif through the commercial. The right side of the screen holds the dominant elements--in this case, the female. This may be considered a communicative technique in relation to the PSA’s ideology that a woman plays an active role in prevention of unplanned pregnancy.