Friday, December 20, 2013
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Location as Character
Location
San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden
Director's Commentary Shot Script
Shot 1: Depth/Perspective - Establishing my location with a revealing shot
Shot 2: Depth/Perspective - Perspective in shot by having a use of foreground which is the stone pathway, mid ground which are the koi fish and background which is the water and trees
Shot 3: Focal Point - Continuation of previous shot due to how it goes to an extreme close-up of koi fish
Shot 4: Lighting for Effect - Lighting affects trees in a way that contrasts them to give the shot more emphasis and a heavenly tone and mood
Shot 5: Balance, Unity and Proportion - All related nature elements create one harmonious and serene feeling
Shot 6: Focal Point - Focus is on water and ripple as the peace is interrupted but attention is still maintained throughout shot
Shot 7: Depth/Perspective/Rule of Thirds - Branch is in the foreground, the trees are in the mid ground and the pagoda is in the background. Rule of thirds, since the attention is mainly on the pagoda as well as the branch
Shot 8: Lighting for Effect - Sun reflecting through trees gives off heavenly tone
Shot 9: Framing/Lines/Angle - Position and framing of camera gives off feeling of focus as well as dominance
Shot 10/11: Selective Focus/Object Match - Framing of two objects as one shot shifts focus and moves to the next
Shot 12/13: Rhythm/Lighting for Effect/Graphic Match - As shot pops up, music's beat matches.Sun shining through trees gives off another heavenly and serene tone. Dip to white transition matches with sun in next shot
Shot 14: Depth/Perspective/Texture - Camera tracks across leaves that are out of focus while other elements in background are in focus
San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden
Director's Commentary Shot Script
Shot 1: Depth/Perspective - Establishing my location with a revealing shot
Shot 2: Depth/Perspective - Perspective in shot by having a use of foreground which is the stone pathway, mid ground which are the koi fish and background which is the water and trees
Shot 3: Focal Point - Continuation of previous shot due to how it goes to an extreme close-up of koi fish
Shot 4: Lighting for Effect - Lighting affects trees in a way that contrasts them to give the shot more emphasis and a heavenly tone and mood
Shot 5: Balance, Unity and Proportion - All related nature elements create one harmonious and serene feeling
Shot 6: Focal Point - Focus is on water and ripple as the peace is interrupted but attention is still maintained throughout shot
Shot 7: Depth/Perspective/Rule of Thirds - Branch is in the foreground, the trees are in the mid ground and the pagoda is in the background. Rule of thirds, since the attention is mainly on the pagoda as well as the branch
Shot 8: Lighting for Effect - Sun reflecting through trees gives off heavenly tone
Shot 9: Framing/Lines/Angle - Position and framing of camera gives off feeling of focus as well as dominance
Shot 10/11: Selective Focus/Object Match - Framing of two objects as one shot shifts focus and moves to the next
Shot 12/13: Rhythm/Lighting for Effect/Graphic Match - As shot pops up, music's beat matches.Sun shining through trees gives off another heavenly and serene tone. Dip to white transition matches with sun in next shot
Shot 14: Depth/Perspective/Texture - Camera tracks across leaves that are out of focus while other elements in background are in focus
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Realism/Classicism/Formalism
Realism
The film style known as realism is mainly utilized to convey a meaning of truth. This is usually done in a way that preserves and establishes reality in terms of showing viewers' a sequence that is not manipulated and altered in the edit. A shot is usually held for a long period of time and is not cut in post production, therefore creating one long, continuous take. This form of film making derived from times as early as 1895 when the Lumiere Brothers, Auguste and Louis, created their 50 second short film known as Arrival of the Train. This short film can basically be described as one continuous shot of a train arriving as passengers scramble to gather their belongings and board. As we discussed in film class, early film critics have claimed that viewers of the short film apparently attempted to dodge the locomotive "coming" at them due to how the picture looked so real. This can demonstrate the aspects of realism and how it can truly affect audience members, furthering the idea of how many can be afraid of the concept of reality and the familiar.
A good example of how realism is used in movies can be seen through this scene from the 1985 film The Breakfast Club specifically within the time frame of 0:28 - 2:46. In this scene the five students in the school library are giving confessions as to why they received a Saturday detention. This long, continuous tracking shot of Andrew Clark, played by Emilio Estevez, conveys realism due to how there is not cuts within the sequence. Having watched the film and knowing the traits of his character adds to the strength of the dialogue he delivers, making the scene even more powerful. Not only does Andrew say why he is in detention but gives insight as to how his actions affected him as a person as well as establish the relationship he shares with his father. The emotions and mood of the scene feel real because of how the camera is mainly focused on the character that is deliver his monologue; nothing takes you away from the character and no cut-aways are used within this tracking shot which contributes to and enhances the idea of realism. Notice how the shot is not just stationary, but how it is tracking around Andrew Clark. Doing this creates more of a dramatic mood and feeling to the seen which adds to the power and strength of the scene, showing how this arrogant and masculine character really portrays his empathetic side for others.
Classicism
Classicism is a style of film that demonstrates the fluidity of a scene due to how it condenses all the action without omitting any significant pieces of information out. All the cutting and editing seem invisible to the viewers due to how it is concise and to the point. Given that this style of editing is the most common in Hollywood film making, its focus is mainly centered on the characters as well as the roles they play within the storyline of the scene. Classicism conveys the idea that every cut and shot is crucial and would make the scene incomplete without it.
A great example of classicism is when the audience is so engaged in a scene to the point where the cuts and edits seem as if it is not there during the actions. This scene from the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan is a great example to exemplify classicism due to how the current action is mainly being focused on within the scene. With this scene in particular to the film, the action creates more of a suspenseful mood not only because another character unfortunately dies but how he is being killed. The idea of classicism is heightened through the use of many quick and concise cuts which each revealing a new idea and raising the tension. As the editing style states, every cut seems invisible due to how the actions to the audience are so enthralling because of the power the scene maintains. Additionally it creates more dramatic intent because of how, prior to the scene, audience members have grown to know this character throughout the film as it progresses up until this point in the plot. During the fight between Mellish and the enemy soldier there are many quick cuts between them to demonstrate each of their perspectives. Each shot can convey meaning in terms of showing two shots that portray dominance and superiority to give audience members more context on what the result of the fight will be. In between these cuts we see the knife slowing making its way to Mellish's chest hoping that he will break free and survive. This is where classicism is also emphasized. Everything is so fast paced that the action of the scene becomes even more evident. In the small time frame of 0:49 - 0:53 there is a short cut from a close-up of Mellish's expression as he dies to a medium shot of the two fighting soldiers which finally the final outcome. As the cut seems almost non-existent, the first thing the audience sees is the intended focus which is the enemy on top of Mellish with his own knife lodged in his chest. Additionally the cuts between Mellish fighting and Upham making his way up the stairs with a terrified look on his face establish a sense of parallel action that also heightens the dramatic intent of the scene. Viewers want Upham to make it in time to rescue Mellish but as the cuts and edit moves on between the two actions, it becomes obvious that this sense of poetic justice unfortunately will not be fulfilled.
Formalism
The film style of formalism is a director's way of manipulating time and space in a way that seems nonlinear to the movie's narrative. When taking a formalist approach to a film, reality is not something that wants to be preserved unlike realism or classicism. Director's want to portray a certain scene or sequence so it is perceived through their own eyes and vision. For the most part, this editing style may come off in a way that doesn't seem familiar or even unusual to audience members, which creates a very abstract emotion and tone for the films storyline.
Formalism can really be shown through the director's vision within the scene that it is manifested in. In this bar scene from the 2010 film The Other Guys, Detective Allen Gamble (Will Ferrel) and Detective Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) go to a bar grab a couple of drinks after failing to complete a case without any mishaps. However this scene can convey that their night was something more than what was expected. This scene can exemplify the film style of formalism due to how it differs from all of the other aspects of the plot's linear narrative. Time and space is manipulated through the use of one continuous freeze frame that takes the audience through the bar as we see Hoitz and Gamble making their way as the night goes one and doing something different each time in each different place within the bar. Although this scene only lasts 45 seconds, the use of this editing technique makes it seem as if the night is moving along over a longer period of time due to how many various events are occurring. This is how formalism shows its significance. Although, at first glance to the audience this scene may be a bit unusual, the viewers are able to gain context in this instance of time. This editing technique can also be referred to as "bullet time" which allows the audience to see and take in all the different aspects and pieces of information that is relevant to the current scene. Within this formalist sequence, one passage of time connects to the effect of their failure, consisting of a night of going crazy, which can also be used to humor the audience. Even if it is not completely pertinent to the entire storyline, the usage of this film style can be utilized for the enjoyment of viewers.
The film style known as realism is mainly utilized to convey a meaning of truth. This is usually done in a way that preserves and establishes reality in terms of showing viewers' a sequence that is not manipulated and altered in the edit. A shot is usually held for a long period of time and is not cut in post production, therefore creating one long, continuous take. This form of film making derived from times as early as 1895 when the Lumiere Brothers, Auguste and Louis, created their 50 second short film known as Arrival of the Train. This short film can basically be described as one continuous shot of a train arriving as passengers scramble to gather their belongings and board. As we discussed in film class, early film critics have claimed that viewers of the short film apparently attempted to dodge the locomotive "coming" at them due to how the picture looked so real. This can demonstrate the aspects of realism and how it can truly affect audience members, furthering the idea of how many can be afraid of the concept of reality and the familiar.
A good example of how realism is used in movies can be seen through this scene from the 1985 film The Breakfast Club specifically within the time frame of 0:28 - 2:46. In this scene the five students in the school library are giving confessions as to why they received a Saturday detention. This long, continuous tracking shot of Andrew Clark, played by Emilio Estevez, conveys realism due to how there is not cuts within the sequence. Having watched the film and knowing the traits of his character adds to the strength of the dialogue he delivers, making the scene even more powerful. Not only does Andrew say why he is in detention but gives insight as to how his actions affected him as a person as well as establish the relationship he shares with his father. The emotions and mood of the scene feel real because of how the camera is mainly focused on the character that is deliver his monologue; nothing takes you away from the character and no cut-aways are used within this tracking shot which contributes to and enhances the idea of realism. Notice how the shot is not just stationary, but how it is tracking around Andrew Clark. Doing this creates more of a dramatic mood and feeling to the seen which adds to the power and strength of the scene, showing how this arrogant and masculine character really portrays his empathetic side for others.
Classicism
Classicism is a style of film that demonstrates the fluidity of a scene due to how it condenses all the action without omitting any significant pieces of information out. All the cutting and editing seem invisible to the viewers due to how it is concise and to the point. Given that this style of editing is the most common in Hollywood film making, its focus is mainly centered on the characters as well as the roles they play within the storyline of the scene. Classicism conveys the idea that every cut and shot is crucial and would make the scene incomplete without it.
A great example of classicism is when the audience is so engaged in a scene to the point where the cuts and edits seem as if it is not there during the actions. This scene from the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan is a great example to exemplify classicism due to how the current action is mainly being focused on within the scene. With this scene in particular to the film, the action creates more of a suspenseful mood not only because another character unfortunately dies but how he is being killed. The idea of classicism is heightened through the use of many quick and concise cuts which each revealing a new idea and raising the tension. As the editing style states, every cut seems invisible due to how the actions to the audience are so enthralling because of the power the scene maintains. Additionally it creates more dramatic intent because of how, prior to the scene, audience members have grown to know this character throughout the film as it progresses up until this point in the plot. During the fight between Mellish and the enemy soldier there are many quick cuts between them to demonstrate each of their perspectives. Each shot can convey meaning in terms of showing two shots that portray dominance and superiority to give audience members more context on what the result of the fight will be. In between these cuts we see the knife slowing making its way to Mellish's chest hoping that he will break free and survive. This is where classicism is also emphasized. Everything is so fast paced that the action of the scene becomes even more evident. In the small time frame of 0:49 - 0:53 there is a short cut from a close-up of Mellish's expression as he dies to a medium shot of the two fighting soldiers which finally the final outcome. As the cut seems almost non-existent, the first thing the audience sees is the intended focus which is the enemy on top of Mellish with his own knife lodged in his chest. Additionally the cuts between Mellish fighting and Upham making his way up the stairs with a terrified look on his face establish a sense of parallel action that also heightens the dramatic intent of the scene. Viewers want Upham to make it in time to rescue Mellish but as the cuts and edit moves on between the two actions, it becomes obvious that this sense of poetic justice unfortunately will not be fulfilled.
Formalism
The film style of formalism is a director's way of manipulating time and space in a way that seems nonlinear to the movie's narrative. When taking a formalist approach to a film, reality is not something that wants to be preserved unlike realism or classicism. Director's want to portray a certain scene or sequence so it is perceived through their own eyes and vision. For the most part, this editing style may come off in a way that doesn't seem familiar or even unusual to audience members, which creates a very abstract emotion and tone for the films storyline.
Formalism can really be shown through the director's vision within the scene that it is manifested in. In this bar scene from the 2010 film The Other Guys, Detective Allen Gamble (Will Ferrel) and Detective Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) go to a bar grab a couple of drinks after failing to complete a case without any mishaps. However this scene can convey that their night was something more than what was expected. This scene can exemplify the film style of formalism due to how it differs from all of the other aspects of the plot's linear narrative. Time and space is manipulated through the use of one continuous freeze frame that takes the audience through the bar as we see Hoitz and Gamble making their way as the night goes one and doing something different each time in each different place within the bar. Although this scene only lasts 45 seconds, the use of this editing technique makes it seem as if the night is moving along over a longer period of time due to how many various events are occurring. This is how formalism shows its significance. Although, at first glance to the audience this scene may be a bit unusual, the viewers are able to gain context in this instance of time. This editing technique can also be referred to as "bullet time" which allows the audience to see and take in all the different aspects and pieces of information that is relevant to the current scene. Within this formalist sequence, one passage of time connects to the effect of their failure, consisting of a night of going crazy, which can also be used to humor the audience. Even if it is not completely pertinent to the entire storyline, the usage of this film style can be utilized for the enjoyment of viewers.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Contemporary Media Analysis
1. What does media say about the world we live in?
Over the years, media has evolved in many ways which mainly changed the way we view films as a society. However, one glaring aspect that has altered our perspectives in terms of looking at the media as a whole, is violence. From the times of the early 1960s until today, the media has taken this idea of violence in films and t.v. shows and overtime transformed it in terms of making it much more visual and glorified. Even in kids' shows today, violence is manifested in a way that seems questionable as to if they can actually be characterized as children programs or not. Considering audience perspective, the majority of viewers enjoy seeing gore, blood, explosions and physical fighting, therefore the media is portraying our society in a way that we are seen as almost obsessed with this concept on and even off screen. For example, the top 100 grossing movies of 2012 - 2013 primarily consist of films that are associated with violence, which further exemplifies the idea that our society feeds off this type of entertainment and just can't get enough of it.
2. Do you notice any one trend that keeps resurfacing through multiple media forms?
Aside from Breaking Bad, I think one trend that kept resurfacing through multiple media forms was the concept of "blurred lines". Throughout the presentations, many groups mentioned this idea and explained how the simplicity of the media has vastly changed in terms of incorporating more complex protagonists and antagonists in the plot of a film. Nowadays, movies no longer dwell on the idea of having a "straight-up" bad guy or good guy, whereas the bad guy if flat out evil or an enemy and the good guy is a perfect human being who seems to always prevail in the end. It it much different now in today's films. The protagonist of movies or t.v. shows seem more complex now in terms of the qualities they carry as an individual. By that, meaning they are flawed. These characters do not lead lives of perfection, however filmakers are developing them in a way that emphasizes or brings out their dilemmas in life. Doing this would make audience members more relateable. For example, Peter Parker in the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man isn't a perfect teenager with the perfect life. The creator wanted to make his character so he has social as well as academic issues making him a more relateable character to viewers, further showing that he is in fact a normal teenager behind this superhero quality he maintains.
3. What do you see as the best and worst of what media portrays?
One of the best things mediea has started to portray is the acceptance of all different kinds of people, specifically LGBT. Recently various movies and t.v. shows are starting to show how society is beginning to reach out to the gay community through the use of film making. Shows such as Glee truly exemplify this idea due to the interactions as well as relationships between different characters of different genders. Additionally the animated film known as Paranorman added a part in the end of the movie where one of the characters say "You know, you're gonna love my boyfriend. He's a total chick-flick nut!". This is interesting because the character who says this in the movie is initially depicted as this masculine jock. Knowing this, creates the idea that society is able to look past stereotypical views.
On the other hand the media does portray a more ignorant side of society. In certain reality shows media highly exaggerates the idea of it being real, therefore giving it a false representation putting a bad influence on society. These "reality shows" for the majority of the time show fake actors/actresses, doing fake actions, giving fake dialogue. 99% of the time these shows are acted out just to provide entertainment to viewers when all this is doing is giving off a false idea of how these situations are played out in real life. For example, a show called The Bad Girls Club basically depicts the lives of 7 borderline ghetto women living in one house, seeing how each and everyone of them "interact" with each other.
4. Where do you see yourself contributing to the conversation?
In my group's presentation we discussed the acceptance of violence over sexuality. Our society feels that it is rather unacceptable to show a nude shot, however it is okay to show a person getting ripped apart limb from limb. More specifically on my part i talked about how violence is manifested within children's shows. Shows such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Pokemon can exemplify this concept. Yes, these are both animated series and aired on networks that are primarily aimed at an audience of mainly children. However, there is a matter of whether it exposes violence to today's youth or not. This could possibly affecting the minds of children due to how the media deems this sense of violence to be acceptable in shows like this.
2. Do you notice any one trend that keeps resurfacing through multiple media forms?
3. What do you see as the best and worst of what media portrays?
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| "Can I get a script? I forgot what I'm supposed to say when I tell her off"... |
4. Where do you see yourself contributing to the conversation?
In my group's presentation we discussed the acceptance of violence over sexuality. Our society feels that it is rather unacceptable to show a nude shot, however it is okay to show a person getting ripped apart limb from limb. More specifically on my part i talked about how violence is manifested within children's shows. Shows such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Pokemon can exemplify this concept. Yes, these are both animated series and aired on networks that are primarily aimed at an audience of mainly children. However, there is a matter of whether it exposes violence to today's youth or not. This could possibly affecting the minds of children due to how the media deems this sense of violence to be acceptable in shows like this. Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Top 5 Films of All Time
5 out of many in no particular order
As I put some thought into the films I would select to be in my top five, the first one that automatically came to mind was John Hughes's The Breakfast Club (1985). The Breakfast Club, in my opinion this film does an excellent job in expressing issues that universally exist, making it easy to relate to. From beginning to end, the characters and plot develop eventually leading up to a moral message that no matter who you are or where you come from, something as simple as reaching out can help you see past people and how others stereotypically view them. Although this may seem a bit cliche, it is true and by choosing this cast supports it due to how they are characterized. What I enjoyed most about this film are the characters and how the storyline overall develops. The diversity of this group gives viewers an opportunity to see things from each of their perspectives and demonstrates how their actions are what motivate the plot.
Normally I don't fully consider a movie to fall under the genre of action if there are a couple of fighting scenes and the majority is dialogue, unless those scenes are unforgettable. For me to enjoy and action film, there should be back to back action incorporating the usual elements; fighting, punching, blood, explosions, you know, manly stuff. The film Olympus Has Fallen was a great action film that, once reaches the central conflict, involves back to back action scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat. Not only does this film have lots of punching, fighting, shooting and explosions but also incorporates a suspense and unexpected plot twists. The protagonist is a highly intelligent man who is constantly thinking on the spot and strategizing different ways to save the president. Additionally this film, focuses on the political aspects of today's world and economy, which involve the ongoing feuding with different countries, giving the movie a more socio-cultural perspective.
As a big Marvel series fan, I without a doubt had to choose a film that involves my all time favorite superhero which is The Amazing Spider-Man also known as Peter Parker. Although I can go on and on about Spider-Man I'll break down the essential parts on why I specifically enjoyed this film more than the trilogy that came out prior to this film. Aside from all the action and web slinging, I admired how this film was created and based on the actual comic series, rather than doing a slight spinoff of it. Don't get me wrong I did in fact enjoy the trilogy but just happen to enjoy the more recent one. This is so because of the different aspects such as the original storyline and especially the characters. Peter Parker is someone many people can relate to as a normal teenager and a school student. He undergoes many emotional and life dilemmas which, reminds audience members that Peter Parker is in fact a real human being with real life problems. This is something I highly admire because he isn't characterized as this invincible, manly superhero figure who has very little emotions.
What I enjoy about Alexander Payne's The Descendants (2011) is that the genre, which is comedy drama, is noticeable and is highly manifested within the film. Although the plot is mainly focused on a family tragedy, there are various instances and pieces of dialogues that reminds us it is a comedy and make us laugh. Also, the protagonist, Matt King, narrates throughout the film to give the viewers some context on different scenes of the plot to place the setting. The movie's storyline is mainly focused on Matt King's internal and external conflict making him the central focus. By doing this the the story is mainly coming from his perspective and take on the whole situation that revolves around the plot.
Personally, if there is a trending piece of news that is mainly focused on one specific individual, I really enjoy learning about that person, their success and the story of how they became to be who they are today. Let's look at David Fincher's The Social Network (2010). The aspect of learning about a person's story and what it took for them to get where they are today highly intrigues me. As we may all know, Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, did whatever it took to become what he is today, the youngest billionaire. However, he didn't do all this by just creating a simple website that is designed to communicate with others on. Throughout the story, I admired how the film takes place in different locations and times. This way audience members are able to see his transformation throughout the years and what he went through whether good or bad. Casting an individual to play one specific person is probably the most significant detail in creating a film like this. However the casting crew did a phenomenal job in selecting Jesse Eisenberg to play the role of Mark Zuckerberg.
As I put some thought into the films I would select to be in my top five, the first one that automatically came to mind was John Hughes's The Breakfast Club (1985). The Breakfast Club, in my opinion this film does an excellent job in expressing issues that universally exist, making it easy to relate to. From beginning to end, the characters and plot develop eventually leading up to a moral message that no matter who you are or where you come from, something as simple as reaching out can help you see past people and how others stereotypically view them. Although this may seem a bit cliche, it is true and by choosing this cast supports it due to how they are characterized. What I enjoyed most about this film are the characters and how the storyline overall develops. The diversity of this group gives viewers an opportunity to see things from each of their perspectives and demonstrates how their actions are what motivate the plot.
Normally I don't fully consider a movie to fall under the genre of action if there are a couple of fighting scenes and the majority is dialogue, unless those scenes are unforgettable. For me to enjoy and action film, there should be back to back action incorporating the usual elements; fighting, punching, blood, explosions, you know, manly stuff. The film Olympus Has Fallen was a great action film that, once reaches the central conflict, involves back to back action scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat. Not only does this film have lots of punching, fighting, shooting and explosions but also incorporates a suspense and unexpected plot twists. The protagonist is a highly intelligent man who is constantly thinking on the spot and strategizing different ways to save the president. Additionally this film, focuses on the political aspects of today's world and economy, which involve the ongoing feuding with different countries, giving the movie a more socio-cultural perspective.
As a big Marvel series fan, I without a doubt had to choose a film that involves my all time favorite superhero which is The Amazing Spider-Man also known as Peter Parker. Although I can go on and on about Spider-Man I'll break down the essential parts on why I specifically enjoyed this film more than the trilogy that came out prior to this film. Aside from all the action and web slinging, I admired how this film was created and based on the actual comic series, rather than doing a slight spinoff of it. Don't get me wrong I did in fact enjoy the trilogy but just happen to enjoy the more recent one. This is so because of the different aspects such as the original storyline and especially the characters. Peter Parker is someone many people can relate to as a normal teenager and a school student. He undergoes many emotional and life dilemmas which, reminds audience members that Peter Parker is in fact a real human being with real life problems. This is something I highly admire because he isn't characterized as this invincible, manly superhero figure who has very little emotions. 
What I enjoy about Alexander Payne's The Descendants (2011) is that the genre, which is comedy drama, is noticeable and is highly manifested within the film. Although the plot is mainly focused on a family tragedy, there are various instances and pieces of dialogues that reminds us it is a comedy and make us laugh. Also, the protagonist, Matt King, narrates throughout the film to give the viewers some context on different scenes of the plot to place the setting. The movie's storyline is mainly focused on Matt King's internal and external conflict making him the central focus. By doing this the the story is mainly coming from his perspective and take on the whole situation that revolves around the plot.
Friday, August 16, 2013
What Makes a Great Film?
Blog posts..... Let's get it.
Although there are uncountable ideas on what makes a great film, there are three that stand out to me.
In my opinion it seems to me that the number one thing audience members look for in a movie is an engaging storyline, the one and most important element that connects and holds the entire film together. Although at times the storyline of a film seems jumpy and confusing, if well made, there is always that one aspect or moment within the movie that creates a compelling plot. This essential attribute in a film is what keeps viewers interested in wanting to always know more like what will be the protagonist's or even the antagonist's next move, who will succeed or who will fail or if there will there be a plot twist. One example of a film with an engaging storyline would be Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (2008). As if he already didn't have enough to deal with, having his family constantly trying to drive him away for their benefit, Korean war veteran Walt Kowalski is living in a crime-ridden Detroit neighborhood forced to confront his own sense of prejudice when a troubled Hmong teenager who lives just one house down attempts to steal his most prized possession. Knowing the main character, Walt Kowalski, the storyline becomes even more interesting as the plot progresses, due to his shocking change of heart. However, the film does come with a rather sad yet satisfying conclusion.
Another significant component is making a great film would be the characters. Of course characters are physically the most important element you need in a film, who they are and their personalities, traits and qualities are what makes them so crucial to the general idea and concept of a film. As a movie gradually moves along in the story, we are able to interpret by a character's actions and words who they are and weather we choose to either like them, dislike them, empathize with or just flat out ignore them no matter how trivial or major they are. Characters are a way of setting the tone for a film and are what the plot mainly revolves around. For example in Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund's Cidade de Dues aka City of God (2002), there are many characters that have different backgrounds and come from different worlds but are all completely essential to the entire plot and how it develops. Theire past, present and future can highly influence the films direction.
Lastly the third attribute in making a great film is production value/mis en scene. A high production value can help set the tone, emotion and meaning of a shot or scene. Although not many audience members pay full attention to the production value of different scenes, it is very crucial to a film. Different elements, major or trivial, that make up the production of a scene or sequence are extremely important depending on what type of scene is taking place. The detail that goes into creating production value is what makes these films so worthy of appreciation, that is to those who notice it. For example in Michael Bay's Transformers (2007), the production value is extremely high, due to the obvious fact of numerous back to back explosions of buildings, cars you name it. These type of elements are what makes a films production value skyrocket.
Although there are uncountable ideas on what makes a great film, there are three that stand out to me.
In my opinion it seems to me that the number one thing audience members look for in a movie is an engaging storyline, the one and most important element that connects and holds the entire film together. Although at times the storyline of a film seems jumpy and confusing, if well made, there is always that one aspect or moment within the movie that creates a compelling plot. This essential attribute in a film is what keeps viewers interested in wanting to always know more like what will be the protagonist's or even the antagonist's next move, who will succeed or who will fail or if there will there be a plot twist. One example of a film with an engaging storyline would be Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (2008). As if he already didn't have enough to deal with, having his family constantly trying to drive him away for their benefit, Korean war veteran Walt Kowalski is living in a crime-ridden Detroit neighborhood forced to confront his own sense of prejudice when a troubled Hmong teenager who lives just one house down attempts to steal his most prized possession. Knowing the main character, Walt Kowalski, the storyline becomes even more interesting as the plot progresses, due to his shocking change of heart. However, the film does come with a rather sad yet satisfying conclusion.
Lastly the third attribute in making a great film is production value/mis en scene. A high production value can help set the tone, emotion and meaning of a shot or scene. Although not many audience members pay full attention to the production value of different scenes, it is very crucial to a film. Different elements, major or trivial, that make up the production of a scene or sequence are extremely important depending on what type of scene is taking place. The detail that goes into creating production value is what makes these films so worthy of appreciation, that is to those who notice it. For example in Michael Bay's Transformers (2007), the production value is extremely high, due to the obvious fact of numerous back to back explosions of buildings, cars you name it. These type of elements are what makes a films production value skyrocket.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Independent Research Script Reflection
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH SCRIPT
• Clear references to film history, theory or genre topic
Reflecting back on my independent research script, I noticed that it sufficiently acknowledges film history and how it makes remarks as to what effect it has on the film's setting and environment. The film City of God has a rich history pertaining to the favelas in 1960s, and the script gives insight on how this Brazilian city has developed overtime and how it is manifested within the movie as well as represented through a modern day film known as Gang Tapes. However, there is a lack of knowledge on film theory and how the genre is expressed in each film. The script does not go in depth on why genre choices were made in order to achieve certain effects in the films. There is vague knowledge on how the two films are linked together through the specific genre, which was intended to be shown as falling under the category of crime fiction.
• Clear engagement with the target audience, scope and depth of argument
The research script is unclear of its target audience, although I imagine it aiming at a focus of those interested in learning about how the overall setting of a gang affiliated environment is portrayed through different film techniques. At some times within the audio aspect of my script the it was also confusing on who the narrator was. There was an adequate mount of detail in terms of how menaing is created through the two films. Some analyses on certain film aspects were more clear than others due to the amount of thought put into it. My argument did not always follow back to my research question therefore making it rather confusing on how it is expressed in the script. I could have focused more on my question and answering it thoroughly to provide clear insight on how it is manifested in each of the films.
• Clear use of sources and structure of the script
Sources in the research script were effectively used, variated throughout different ideas and clearly stated in the text. Sources such as articles and reviews were utilized as though to make reference as well as elaborate on certain ideas to give deeper insight considering the research question. Knowledge of film history and ideologies was well represented through the different sources used, however some ideas were more developed than others. As for the structure of the research script, the organization was not done sufficiently. This was so due to the confusing sections that readers may come across while reading. Ideas were at times all over the place, therefore gradually losing focus on the main idea.
• Video and audio elements are detailed clearly and coherently described and linked
In my research script I attempted to make both the video and audio elements equally significant. However this was not done very sufficiently due to the organization of my script, as stated in criteria 3. Both elements were not coherently linked due to how my ideas were scattered and my focus gradually drifted. Given this, the transitions were also unclear in terms of when they happen and why. I also attempted to juxtapose certain shots between each film to point out their similarities, but did not do so adequately on account of the glaring flaws within the audio aspect. To improve this it would be crucial to stay on topic and focus on my main research question.
• All films referred to clearly relate to the topic and insightful comparisons are made with precision
The comparisons made in the research script between the two films are fairly strong and insightful. I was able to provide knowledge on elements that pertain to topics such as historical context and film techniques, however I did not build up my analysis enough to relate it back to my research question. I made very few comparisons, which inevitably resulted in a poor script in terms of connections between genres, setting and artisitc style. This can be so on account of my poor research in the preliminary stages of creating my script. My analyses that answer the film question could have been more focused on in order to convey the points and ideas that are presented throughout the script. Although, I did made knowledgeable points on how setting was portrayed within each film and how these types of gang environements developed overtime in society as well as in the film industry.
• Clear references to film history, theory or genre topic
Reflecting back on my independent research script, I noticed that it sufficiently acknowledges film history and how it makes remarks as to what effect it has on the film's setting and environment. The film City of God has a rich history pertaining to the favelas in 1960s, and the script gives insight on how this Brazilian city has developed overtime and how it is manifested within the movie as well as represented through a modern day film known as Gang Tapes. However, there is a lack of knowledge on film theory and how the genre is expressed in each film. The script does not go in depth on why genre choices were made in order to achieve certain effects in the films. There is vague knowledge on how the two films are linked together through the specific genre, which was intended to be shown as falling under the category of crime fiction.
• Clear engagement with the target audience, scope and depth of argument
The research script is unclear of its target audience, although I imagine it aiming at a focus of those interested in learning about how the overall setting of a gang affiliated environment is portrayed through different film techniques. At some times within the audio aspect of my script the it was also confusing on who the narrator was. There was an adequate mount of detail in terms of how menaing is created through the two films. Some analyses on certain film aspects were more clear than others due to the amount of thought put into it. My argument did not always follow back to my research question therefore making it rather confusing on how it is expressed in the script. I could have focused more on my question and answering it thoroughly to provide clear insight on how it is manifested in each of the films.
• Clear use of sources and structure of the script
Sources in the research script were effectively used, variated throughout different ideas and clearly stated in the text. Sources such as articles and reviews were utilized as though to make reference as well as elaborate on certain ideas to give deeper insight considering the research question. Knowledge of film history and ideologies was well represented through the different sources used, however some ideas were more developed than others. As for the structure of the research script, the organization was not done sufficiently. This was so due to the confusing sections that readers may come across while reading. Ideas were at times all over the place, therefore gradually losing focus on the main idea.
• Video and audio elements are detailed clearly and coherently described and linked
In my research script I attempted to make both the video and audio elements equally significant. However this was not done very sufficiently due to the organization of my script, as stated in criteria 3. Both elements were not coherently linked due to how my ideas were scattered and my focus gradually drifted. Given this, the transitions were also unclear in terms of when they happen and why. I also attempted to juxtapose certain shots between each film to point out their similarities, but did not do so adequately on account of the glaring flaws within the audio aspect. To improve this it would be crucial to stay on topic and focus on my main research question.
• All films referred to clearly relate to the topic and insightful comparisons are made with precision
The comparisons made in the research script between the two films are fairly strong and insightful. I was able to provide knowledge on elements that pertain to topics such as historical context and film techniques, however I did not build up my analysis enough to relate it back to my research question. I made very few comparisons, which inevitably resulted in a poor script in terms of connections between genres, setting and artisitc style. This can be so on account of my poor research in the preliminary stages of creating my script. My analyses that answer the film question could have been more focused on in order to convey the points and ideas that are presented throughout the script. Although, I did made knowledgeable points on how setting was portrayed within each film and how these types of gang environements developed overtime in society as well as in the film industry.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
End of Year Reflection
Independent Film Research
When it comes to the research aspect of class, my strengths are my interest in overall production value. I really enjoy learning about and gaining insight on all the elements and components, whether trivial or extremely significant, that make up a film's entire set up. Knowing how directors apply their specific artistic styles to the production value of each scene allows me to carry that out into making my own films. Elements such as a setting's environment, surroundings, props, wardrobe, equipment, editing style and overall look are what seem to be the essential factors in creating a film in its entirety. I feel that my area of improvement would be in going into more depth within my research in terms of taking a more analytical look at a film's history, background and meaning. This can be on account of my lack of outside research such as looking at reviews, books, articles etc. To improve this I should look at the development of a film in terms of researching more about historical context as well as background knowledge of a set time period.
Oral Presentation Experience
For this years oral presentation I feel that my strengths would be providing a solid and thorough explanation on the overall creation of the film and its influences within its set time period. The elements that drove the director (Alfred Hitchcock) into creating the film Psycho, such as historical context, significant current events at the time and socio-cultural influences were well stated within my oral presentation. For next time, I would have to improve in giving more recognition to other significant contributors to the film such as screen writers, sound designers and actors. I would also need to spend more of my analyses and make references to critic's reactions and awards given to the film during the time period. To improve on this for the next oral presentation, I should look into more in depth reviews on the film in terms of the reactions it had received considering the time period which was still new and getting used to the slasher aspect in film. As for a suggestion, assigning less blog posts during preparation for the oral presentation would be reasonable. It's really hard to manage balancing these posts with other schoolwork, especially when we simultaneously have to be ready for the upcoming oral presentation. A better alternative would be more verbal in class discussions about articles rather than writing about them.
Production Experience
This year I was provided with the opportunity of experiencing and taking on the roles of both cinematographer and editor. I particularly enjoy the majority of the aspects in film whether it is brainstorming ideas or finishing up the final product in post production. Reflecting back on this year I feel that I not so much failed but rather lacked a big sense of skill when it came to contributing to our short film that I was cinematographer for. This was so due to how I was just starting out and quite new to the cinematographer aspect of films. I wasn't a complete novice because I have done some camerawork prior to this, however, I was getting used to and starting to familiarize myself with new pieces of camera equipment such as the DSLR and all its idiosyncracies, steady cam apparatus and how it is used in different environments. However, I did adapt well when it came to transitioning to the position of editor due to how I have done lots of editing before producing Rusty. I have had experience editing with Final Cut Pro in the past many types with various types of projects. As for a suggestion I feel that the skill that should be addressed more and taught in class would be scriptwriting. With our group that is the are we had most difficulty with. Our dialogue scenes were quite difficult to execute due to our lack of experience with scriptwriting.
When it comes to the research aspect of class, my strengths are my interest in overall production value. I really enjoy learning about and gaining insight on all the elements and components, whether trivial or extremely significant, that make up a film's entire set up. Knowing how directors apply their specific artistic styles to the production value of each scene allows me to carry that out into making my own films. Elements such as a setting's environment, surroundings, props, wardrobe, equipment, editing style and overall look are what seem to be the essential factors in creating a film in its entirety. I feel that my area of improvement would be in going into more depth within my research in terms of taking a more analytical look at a film's history, background and meaning. This can be on account of my lack of outside research such as looking at reviews, books, articles etc. To improve this I should look at the development of a film in terms of researching more about historical context as well as background knowledge of a set time period.
Oral Presentation Experience
For this years oral presentation I feel that my strengths would be providing a solid and thorough explanation on the overall creation of the film and its influences within its set time period. The elements that drove the director (Alfred Hitchcock) into creating the film Psycho, such as historical context, significant current events at the time and socio-cultural influences were well stated within my oral presentation. For next time, I would have to improve in giving more recognition to other significant contributors to the film such as screen writers, sound designers and actors. I would also need to spend more of my analyses and make references to critic's reactions and awards given to the film during the time period. To improve on this for the next oral presentation, I should look into more in depth reviews on the film in terms of the reactions it had received considering the time period which was still new and getting used to the slasher aspect in film. As for a suggestion, assigning less blog posts during preparation for the oral presentation would be reasonable. It's really hard to manage balancing these posts with other schoolwork, especially when we simultaneously have to be ready for the upcoming oral presentation. A better alternative would be more verbal in class discussions about articles rather than writing about them.
Production Experience
This year I was provided with the opportunity of experiencing and taking on the roles of both cinematographer and editor. I particularly enjoy the majority of the aspects in film whether it is brainstorming ideas or finishing up the final product in post production. Reflecting back on this year I feel that I not so much failed but rather lacked a big sense of skill when it came to contributing to our short film that I was cinematographer for. This was so due to how I was just starting out and quite new to the cinematographer aspect of films. I wasn't a complete novice because I have done some camerawork prior to this, however, I was getting used to and starting to familiarize myself with new pieces of camera equipment such as the DSLR and all its idiosyncracies, steady cam apparatus and how it is used in different environments. However, I did adapt well when it came to transitioning to the position of editor due to how I have done lots of editing before producing Rusty. I have had experience editing with Final Cut Pro in the past many types with various types of projects. As for a suggestion I feel that the skill that should be addressed more and taught in class would be scriptwriting. With our group that is the are we had most difficulty with. Our dialogue scenes were quite difficult to execute due to our lack of experience with scriptwriting.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Brazilian Cinema and City of God
Todorov's theory of eqilibrium can be easily seen reflected in City of God. According to this theory, disequilibrium arrives after equilibrium which then paves the way for new equilibrium. As the movie begins, there is peace. However, it is soon disrupted soon after the massacre by Lil Dice that occurs within the brothel. There is soon an eventual downfall of the members of the "Tender Trio" as they are all killed off within the preliminary stages of the film. The sense of equilibrium appears again once the transformation of Lil Dice to Lil Ze occurrs. Although he used years of violence to get to where he his, he has achieve peace in the City of God. Finally at the end of the movie, everything is restored, but the director shows little children walking away from the camera talking about killing someone they dislike because they are the ones in power now due to the recent death of Lil Ze. The static shot is visible in the frame due to the deep focus, which allows the audience to take in all the action they just witnessed only to see the cycle is repeating itself all over again.
Diegetic narrative devices include newspapers, photographs, music, and T.V.
interviews. The incorporation of newspapers and photographs show the
blend of the world's vioence in the rest of society. Rather, it shows the
desire to be separate from this world of violence. Rocket, in a way, is
dependent of the society's crave for this knowledge of the less known
violent society due to how he gets a job as a photojournalist as well as lose his virginity. Additionally, the film has a blend of 70s music with almost no music at all. The music playing at
Benny's farewell party brings all the different groups in the city
together, which can signify the significance of culture in modern
society. Wednesday, May 1, 2013
City of God: Cinematic Portrayal of Violence
"By showing all the stories of the favela to be interconnected, Meirelles conveys a self-enclosed community isolated from the outside world"
Each character that is essential within the film's plot is introduced and explained through the stories about who they are, where they came from and their present being. Although the movie is created with a non-linear narrative structure, these stories of the favela gives background insight for viewers in terms of the different origins, which reflects the community in the City of God. The City of God is populated with many different types of people, however the plot centrally focuses on and is mainly surrounded by the groups that are gang affiliated. Fernando Meirelles, director of City of God, intentionally creates these gangs as well as outside sources like the protagonist Rocket, to portray this community as a separate being that is considered to be conveyed as unique and contrasted from others that stand aside. In
doing so, Meirelles gives of a conspicuous feeling for the stories of the favela due to the actions that pertain to each significant member within the City of God. With all these stories being connected to one another, this creates a storyline and plot that can relate back to certain incidents and crucial occurrences, which ties all elements of the film together in the end.
"Meanwhile, the erratic handheld camera reminds the audience of the presence of yet another photographer..."
Throughout the film the camera movements are executed in a way that conveys the feeling and connotation of the favela. Many of the shots are handheld and consist of bouncing back and forth between objects of focus with zooming. Doing so with the cinematography gives off a disorientating feeling for viewers, which portrays what the favela is like. With the additional handhelp camera movement, audience members are reminded of the protagonist Rocket who throughout the movie ventures at pursuing a careere in photography
journalism. Through this "erratic handheld camera" movement, Rocket's intentions are manifested due to the extents he goes through to cover the incidents that occur within the City of God. The cinematography does great job in seeing life of the favela through Rocket's eyes and how the cinematic portrayal of violence is shown through him.
"Throughout most of the film, they are treated with alternating casualness and calculation. The audience sees bodies falling, or lying on the ground, but the editing is rapid and generally cuts immediately away"
What truly puts the overall artisitic value in a film is how much a message is conveyed or interpreted, without the direct correlation through the utilization of shots and camera movements. The population of the favela is essentially surrounded by the aspect of violence and gang affiliated actions that of which reflect what life is like in the City of God. The cinematic techniques are manifested within the movie based on the fast paced cuts. Through this the artistic style that Meircelle was potentially aiming at was a sense of classicism on account of the timing and tempo of each shot and length of cuts within each scene that pertains to violence. A scene from the film that can best exemplify this would be the scene when Lil Ze attacks Knockout Ned and rapes his girlfriend. The cuts in this scene barely last a second each. A frame flashes then cuts to black, but maintains the audio of screaming and laughing.
"In chase sequences, for example, camera angles are repeatedly reversed, confusing direction and space. The constantly moving handheld camera is combined with rapid editing to create a sense of disorientation"
On account of the fast paced cuts and rapid movement, not only does this create a sense of disorientation but it gives off a feeling of suspense for the audience due to how everything cannot be seen during the chase because of the short duration of each frame. Two artistic style can be brought out when it comes to the editing of scenes like this. Both formalism and classicism are demonstrated because of the fast and rapid cuts as well as confusion for viewers on account of how direction and space is being distorted.
“Brazil's contemporary national cinema frequently deals with an "…urban reality that is centered in the concept of the 'taken for granted' violence that comes out of a predatory capitalism and so becomes a spectacle."
This quote talks about the themes of violence and loss of innocence through the different aspects and developments in capitalism. The time deals with the beautiful country of Brazil paved in success, but within it are these villages with hovels and a large majority live here, which can be seen as an ironic society. Given this, the genre of this film manifests itself through the aspects of gang affiliation and drug dealing. The conventions of the 1960 Brazilian lifestyle is depicted through this society and the occurrences that create the central conflicts within the plot.
Each character that is essential within the film's plot is introduced and explained through the stories about who they are, where they came from and their present being. Although the movie is created with a non-linear narrative structure, these stories of the favela gives background insight for viewers in terms of the different origins, which reflects the community in the City of God. The City of God is populated with many different types of people, however the plot centrally focuses on and is mainly surrounded by the groups that are gang affiliated. Fernando Meirelles, director of City of God, intentionally creates these gangs as well as outside sources like the protagonist Rocket, to portray this community as a separate being that is considered to be conveyed as unique and contrasted from others that stand aside. In 
"Meanwhile, the erratic handheld camera reminds the audience of the presence of yet another photographer..."
"Throughout most of the film, they are treated with alternating casualness and calculation. The audience sees bodies falling, or lying on the ground, but the editing is rapid and generally cuts immediately away"
What truly puts the overall artisitic value in a film is how much a message is conveyed or interpreted, without the direct correlation through the utilization of shots and camera movements. The population of the favela is essentially surrounded by the aspect of violence and gang affiliated actions that of which reflect what life is like in the City of God. The cinematic techniques are manifested within the movie based on the fast paced cuts. Through this the artistic style that Meircelle was potentially aiming at was a sense of classicism on account of the timing and tempo of each shot and length of cuts within each scene that pertains to violence. A scene from the film that can best exemplify this would be the scene when Lil Ze attacks Knockout Ned and rapes his girlfriend. The cuts in this scene barely last a second each. A frame flashes then cuts to black, but maintains the audio of screaming and laughing."In chase sequences, for example, camera angles are repeatedly reversed, confusing direction and space. The constantly moving handheld camera is combined with rapid editing to create a sense of disorientation"
On account of the fast paced cuts and rapid movement, not only does this create a sense of disorientation but it gives off a feeling of suspense for the audience due to how everything cannot be seen during the chase because of the short duration of each frame. Two artistic style can be brought out when it comes to the editing of scenes like this. Both formalism and classicism are demonstrated because of the fast and rapid cuts as well as confusion for viewers on account of how direction and space is being distorted.
“Brazil's contemporary national cinema frequently deals with an "…urban reality that is centered in the concept of the 'taken for granted' violence that comes out of a predatory capitalism and so becomes a spectacle."
This quote talks about the themes of violence and loss of innocence through the different aspects and developments in capitalism. The time deals with the beautiful country of Brazil paved in success, but within it are these villages with hovels and a large majority live here, which can be seen as an ironic society. Given this, the genre of this film manifests itself through the aspects of gang affiliation and drug dealing. The conventions of the 1960 Brazilian lifestyle is depicted through this society and the occurrences that create the central conflicts within the plot.
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