Reading the Screen
26/9/23
Unsure of how exactly to lay out this blog, I am hoping just to do it the same as I did throughout college. Documenting my process with projects and everything around that, so the same shall be done here... Only somewhat differently of course.
Being the first day today, excluding the introduction week last week, we briefly ran back over BREO and where to find our assignments. Them of which I will be putting on this blog keeping everything in place for my portfolio.
Reading the Screen, that is one of the two units of focus.
The aims of this include:
- Helping to understand the main aspects in film. (cinematography, mis-en-scene, narrative, sound, editing).
- Grasping each important role. (Actors, studio, genres, and auteurs).
- Familiarising with film theory and contemporising developments.
To help us with this course as a whole, two books based around the making of films were suggested to us. 'Film Art: Introduction', by D and K Thompson and 'The Cinema Book', by Pan Cook. Both of which can be accessed from the library, but due to preference, they have now been added to my amazon basket to be purchased soon enough.
And before getting onto the task of that session, we were also given a taste of what our first assignment is going to be as well as being presented with a task to fulfil for Thursday's session. But they can be shared in their own blogs.
Watching the full 2009 feature, 'Fish Tank' directed by Andrew Arnold, notes were taken throughout to pick out the uses and gratifications whilst really working on our critical thinking.
Jotting down anything that seemed relevant from what was going on on screen to the camera movements, in no particular order, this is what I got:
In the opening scene, we are introduced to the main character Mia. A young teenage girl, placed in front of a blue wall who is clearly out of breath with something going on. Jumping straight into it.
As the character was moving around, the director clearly wanted the audience to feel with Mia having the camera be hand held shaking as it follows the character. Then when focusing on someone or something else, although still possibly hand held the movements were a lot smoother clearly stating something is wrong with this one character.
Colour theory wise, there was a lot of blue going on. Even in her room, although not blue the purple was quite close. Only I believe the purple gave off more of a comfort scenery whereas the blue radiated the clear distress going on.
Another colour that was resembled plenty, orange. Highlighted when the character was in her home, you could only sense the danger she was in. Living with her abusive mother, the relationship between Mia and her younger sister, and whatever it was that was going on with the mothers creepy lover.
What was good, we even got the popular orange and blue clashing as the mother and step-dad not step-dad were coming up the stairs in an orange atmosphere whilst Mia hid in her room, watching them with the blue surrounding her.
Going back now, although being that typical BBC feature never really relying on music to set the tone, there was one instance where Mia returned to the horse in attempt of freeing it and there was a slight drumming simulating a heartbeat raising the intensity for what could go wrong.
I would like to believe that with the amount of dancing that did go on throughout the feature, freedom is represented the same as it was right at the end with the balloon floating away as the character who we have been on this journey with, leaves to start a new chapter.
Midway, I did make an assumption on what was going to happen between Mia and the mother's lover that when discussing with my classmates at the end, turned out we all had different ideas. All of which that were wrong.
My initial thought was that the guy was going to be really creepy, and sexually abuse Mia and once the mother finds out it's Mia that gets the blame and is shun out. But no that wasn't the case... and although what did happen was still wrong, it's still better than what I thought.
Getting to the car ride scene, the choice of song was a question I wanted to look at. 'California Dreaming'. I tried just listening to the lyrics but couldn't come to any conclusion with that. Although, based off the title of the songs and thinking about it now, that could link again with the idea of freedom? Is the repeated use of this song to foreshadow the new chapter Mia will be embarking on by the end of this movie?
There was also a thing about tigers. Conner (the mother's lover) asked a question, what animal would they all be in another life. Mia answered with a white tiger and it was also shown she had a tiger on her bedroom door. Finding a list of what this could symbolise, the one that seemed to link the most was 'unleashing potential'.
"No matter how difficult our journey may be, we should never give up on ourselves." https://symbolismandmetaphor.com/white-tiger-spiritual-meaning-symbolism/
Although that may sound cliché, when thinking about the journey Mia went on, everything began going downhill. There was a series of unfortunate events following the main character copulating with the mother's lover. He left, it was discovered he had a whole other family, she attempted some weird kidnapping on the kid and nearly drowned her. The dancing thing she was auditioning for turned out to be a stripper placement, then when she returned home it was found the horse had passed away.
But come that, Mia packed her bags and left for Wales to start fresh.
Another note on the subject of animals, Conner's answer was an eagle and the immediate thought I had was that it was to resemble him being a predator. He did state it was because of them being able to fly, so that could again highlight the freedom theme going on here. I have also just learned that eagles are the most faithful amongst the animal kingdom so that does not suit this guy very well.
Going back again to the very illegal scene between Mia and Conner, there was an uncomfortable build-up to that. And although that could just be the human decency in me knowing how very wrong that was, I am thinking more about the camera frames. As Mia presented her audition dance to Conners favourite song, for every shot the actress was in the frame was a close-up. In fact, it may have well been in insert shot to frame the sweat dripping from her forehead.
But about the framing, it reduced room, it was tight, it felt like there was pressure it became intense and quite uncomfortable. Hitting a nerve, you could only feel anxious and claustrophobic being so close tot he character.
Something about the weather I had noticed, on that first car ride where they were acting like a real family, it was sunny it was bright. They couldn't have chosen a better day to go out and spend quality time together. Then by the second one, Conner was driving Mia to the train station just as everything was crumbling for the fifteen year old. And to set the scene, the weather hadn't been any worse compared to that scene with the rain crashing down the windscreen wipers had to be on full blast due to how bad it was.
By the downhill sequence, that is when I got thinking about the title. 'Fish Tank'. Why? What does fish tank mean? And before looking online to find ideas, maybe Mia represents a fish, in a fish tank? or is it an empty fish tank? Mia is as lost as a fish in a fish tank? Or maybe just plainly, Mia is a fish out of water. Whatever the answer is, the words I could think of to symbolise this was familiarity, confused, alone and mindless.
With a few slow motion sequences, I believe they were nice timed when representing the main character's issues and her vulnerability as she was confused, and clearly not in the right head space. The dancing, Mia smelling Conner's aftershave then finally as Mia had discovered Conner's family right as she was watching the little girl, Keira, scoot back and forth on the front street of their home.
Another note on the dancing, near the final sequence it was used again to bring Mia closer with her mother. No need for anything serious, only a light, heart warming family moment. The shot on the dog was quite good as well. Going from seeing how rough of a relationship this family clearly had to having a nice final moment before Mia leaves the dog watching just clearly states how unlikely of a moment this is to even happen.
With that being all I have to show for this stereotypical teenager falling for an older, married guy and getting herself confused feature, I did enjoy it for what it is. The messages are quite interesting, the ending makes me think of my dads favourite saying of looking on the bright side of life which is nice. But to be real, this isn't something I would put on myself to purposely watch a second time. Will definitely be a memorable one though so there is that.
3/10/23
Becoming a regular thing now in our 'reading the screen' unit, after watching and analysing 'Fish tank' last week, on the following Thursday that was our session to talk about the movie. So today, the movie we watched was 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'. The 2004 feature starring Bill Murray and many more brilliant actors, directed by Wes Anderson.
Linking it to the presentation we are all working on, each week now we will be looking at the four different elements that are the main focuses of our assessment. Doing it one by one, this week we looked into mise-en-scene to:
- Explore the different elements of MES.
- Understand how to determine the meaning.
- Identify why the different elements of MES are created and how they work well together.
Meaning "putting into the scene" in French, an interesting quote made by Andre Bazin, a French film critic, perfectly presents the purpose of the element.
"One way of understanding what a film is trying to say is to know how it is saying it."
With mise-en-scene, we are looking at everything, on screen, that brings together the scene we as the audience, are watching. The actors, setting, props and decorations, costumes, lighting and the colour.
When thinking about the setting, is the scene interior or exterior and why? is it realistic or fantastical? how does the set design set up the themes? (historical, sexuality, gender). How does the lighting set the atmosphere? How is the space used?
With the costumes, hair and make-up telling us about the character, the acting also interprets how we see and understand the character.
Think about:
- Film as film overall
- Social context
- What can be seen in the frame?
- How does the film create meaning?
Combing the four features of MES, sound, cinematography and editing, this creates:
- A visual reading
- Atmosphere
- A response from the spectator
- Emphasised key themes
- Provided information
Lighting, think about:
- How does this create mood/atmosphere
- What is the source of light? How is it used? Is it natural lighting?
- Exposure
- Low-key lighting effects.
Additional tips:
- Intensity, direction and quality
- Three-point lighting
- "What the script doesn't tell us."
With this subject-focus, when watching the film it is the mise-en-scene we have been asked to look out for. Most of what I have written down I couldn't even say what the meaning behind it could be mostly they're just noted observations.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
A note that was agreed with me on, the Wes Anderson style. He has a very unique aesthetic that lets you know who directed the film, with that that kind of makes this a little more difficult when thinking about the camera positions, music and colours.
Starting off, the painting. In the opening sequence a character walks onto the stage in front of a huge painting filled with a range of people doing their own thing. I would assume and believe that the painting foreshadows or tells the same story that is about to be shared with us. Only looking at it I am unsure of what that could be exactly.
The yellow and red combinations, Wes Anderson is painted all over that.
Back to the theatre setting, we learn Steve Zissou is pretty much an entertainer, presenting exaggerated episodes made with his crewmates to crowds of very fancy people.
"Crazy eye" is referred back to for two traumatising events. At the start when his friend is eaten right in front of him, then again when the pirates have held all of Zissou's friends hostage causing him to rampage.
Thinking about the costumes as such, we meet a variety of people at the showcase event with the first woman who congratulates Murray's character being British. Not sure if this was done purposely but she represents the stereotypical British person that the Americans lay us out to be with the big nose and teeth. Again, possibly just an observation if that.
During the questionnaire about the product showcased to the product, a man places a jar of water onto the desk where Murray sits. Yes that is a common think for events like that one, but why mid interview? Why wasn't it there as they were sitting down rather than during the Q&A?
Willem Dafoe introduces his nephew who gifts Zissou with a colourful "crayon" seahorse I believe they called it. Then at the end of the title, Zissou gifts the nephew passing down the ring his son wore before the tragedy.
For the costumes, everyone a part of the "Zissou Team" would be wearing the red beanie that is typically worn by fishermen. That and for every clothing below the hat, it would be blue (besides the suits for professional get togethers of course). Not just that, it wouldn't be any blue piece of clothing but a Zissou branded piece of clothing. All from the pyjamas to the trainers.
Going back to Wes Anderson having his specific colour palette, there were many instances of the simple setting with yellow props popping out of the screen. One that caught my attention, the yellow submarine. Yes that is a common thing and I could just be thinking too much about this again, but the Beatles song 'Yellow Submarine' comes to mind seeing this.
Another thing that was repeated, David Bowies 'Life on Mars' hit. Playing first as Steve discovers he may possibly have a biological son, the second time as they are sailing only played in another language by an onscreen character. Looking into the meaning behind the lyrics, David Bowie claimed it had to do with this character being disappointed with reality.
Back to the news being revealed, the music starts to tune in on a quieter note whilst Ned, the son, confesses to his possible dad with the music then blasting as Zissou walks away.
As he returns, the two are having a conversation with a guy in the background now singing 'Changes'. Another David Bowie classic. Considering the situation going on, the purpose there speaks for itself really.
We see Owen Wilson's character is a mailman by his outfit alone. And when you think about it, a mailman delivers messages. Wilson delivered to Murray the news of possibly being his son. Then later on in the film, letters are exchanged as the two bond on reaching out years beforehand.
A green pin can be found on Zissou's clothing.
Eleanor breaks the news to her husband that one of their pet cats have died. Ned questions the breed of cat in which Zissou responds "a tabby cat, probably." A possible poke at Bill Murray voicing the orange tabby cat Garfield only a few month prior to the release date of the Wes Anderson feature.
On the boat, Ned walks in on Jane, the reporter, who is sat reading out load to her fetus. With his mother passing only recently, Ned asks to sit in with her as she reads. Maybe in a way, she made him think of his mother and was as if listening to his mother tell him a story.
Zissou sat eating an apple whilst the reporter questioned him on his lifestyle and career.
In the same scene, Zissou's pet orca snook up behind the pair watching them through the window staying there as if it were asking for its owners attention.
"Everyone gets a glock." That of which, comes to the crews rescue during the pirate scenes.
For what is repeated, they always seem to happen twice if I have noted correctly. Another instance is the woman on the crew who can be seen shirtless. No idea why she is shirtless, with the context surely it isn't just for the sake of exploiting her but she just is.
Used in multiple instances, the elevator scene with the main character, Zissou talking to his son in private (the staircase frame), Zissou intruding on Janes personal items, there is a tight space in every shot presenting Zissou's habit of invading others.
Ned gifts Jane a shell with a starfish shape in the middle which he then takes back to turn into a necklace, gifting back to her again.
Ned claims he is "not a strong swimmer" and proceeds to pass out during the training proving his point.
As Eleanor is leaving, the pair find three sugar crabs on the sand in a dispute. Questioning if they were mating, the red proceeds to steal one of the blue crabs legs, with the smaller green just watching. Representing someone, but who?
We see more of Zissou's bad nature as he is always forcing himself onto woman followed by repeatedly being rejected. Even whilst married.
Unlike everyone else's beanie, Ned has a traffic light symbol stitched onto his.
A prop to define Jane, chewing gum. In every scene she is either chewing, blowing bubbles, or on removing it from her mouth.
With Zissou trying to be in control with everything that goes on, the recording studio is even on the boat as the crew are producing the next chapter of their show as they go. Adding to the exaggerating, it is all scripted.
One repeated instance that happened more than twice, the power cuts. Explained at the start when they talk through a model replica of the boat, they engine is broken due to not having the funds to fix it "this year." But during every serious moment is where the power would seem to cut out and go dark.
'Arctic nightlights' revealed themselves after the justice of the pirates.
A sad note made, the pirates left their three legged dog behind on Zissou's boat with the action being repeated when the crew go to the pirates' base to save Jeff Goldblum's character.
For Janes character, thinking about her outfit she is dressed like the stereotypical woman explorer. Evelyn in 'The Mummy'. Karen Gillan's character in the 2017 'Jumanji'. Etc etc.
The crew held a feast together, laid out somewhat like the last supper as they discuss their opinions against their ships captain.
An interesting decision is made for one scene where Zissou learns of his sons and the reporter's liking for each other. As they follow on another, they use the boat model to follow the characters going from room to room, even showing the character's that aren't in the same room enter the frame, opening a door to enter the same room like a sitcom stage, fresh prince where Will Smith pokes fun at having half a house. That comedic choice. With that, we see the impact and attitude the range of characters in different settings and how they are affected by what is going on.
The truth of Zissou unravels more and more as the story is told. Finding another of his bad habits to be a compulsive liar. But as the film moves forward, he is changing he is opening up, letting people in and being honest.
"Eleanor has always had the brains behind team Zissou." Coming to terms with the truth finally, sharing the spot light.
Another example, he is a metaphorically called out to be a leech with being the only character to be covered following his crew who none have even one on them.
Although now as the audience, we know it isn't possible for Zissou to be the father of Ned but that arc is still played out. Zissou becomes more accepting. After not even wanting to be a father, the term dad is finally accepted near the end.
A daft poke, Jeff Goldblum is wearing a lost and found shirt with the text 'I'm a pepper.' Completely unrelated, "Would you like to be a pepper, too?" is a pop culture reference that comes to mind with that.
With the motive at the start being to get revenge on the Jaguar shark, as that didn't happen they still proceeded with getting revenge back on the pirates so wasn't a complete flop there.
In the helicopter now, there is a crash where white and red flashes pop up on the screen going dead silent. Having a near death experience, moments from earlier on in the film would also pop up creating a 'life flashing before our eyes' sequence.
Finding each other easily, the camera is placed in the water bobbing with the two characters as water and blood drops down the lens allowing the audience to immerse into the situation.
As the camera is bobbing, catching shots from below the water it is pure red. Telling us something is going to go wrong. Which it does, with the death of Ned occurring once they reach shore. Also providing that on both missions now, someone close to Zissou has died.
During the funeral, a song is played with the lyrics "If I could be certain then, I would say the things I want to say tonight" referring back to the who case of Zissou being closed off and lying, but now he is a new man making changes for the best.
As the remaining crew are squashed on the submarine to locate the jaguar shark, we see a range of sea creatures. and for one shot, a black fish swimming amongst a school of red ones. Black sheep reference maybe?
Finding the shark with a fish hooked on the back of the submarine, the shark swims over the transport giving the audience a better idea of the creature and its size.
Then to end, with Zissou sitting alone of the red carpet with a trophy beside him whilst everyone watches the premier of part two. Finishing, everyone comes and finds him to celebrate where he gets up to join them leaving the trophy prop behind. Symbolism for how he has changed, that trophy is the old him and he has left what he was behind.
As for the song used to help end the title, the lyric is played: "I can do better than that." Speaking for itself once again.
With nothing else to add now, overall I am glad I can now say I have seen this Wes Anderson flick, but like the last it isn't something I would put on for myself. A very positive product though considering the challenges faced.
10/10/23
Picking back up, this week we are focusing on cinematography.
Cinematography is the art of photography and camera work in filmmaking. It is used to communicate the significance of a shot.
We went over;
- Range of tonalities.
- Motion speed.
- Focal length and depth of field.
- Framing.
- Camera angles and distance/scale of the image.
- Mobile frame
By range of tonalities, this covers the film stock, exposure, filters, tinting and toning.
Motion speed can range between fast motion, slow motion, freeze-framing, time lapsing and shutter speed. What effect does this create?
Diegetic sound: The sound within the frame, dialogue, music the characters are playing, etc.
Non-diegetic sound: Off screen, everything added in post.
- Depth of field is the measure that can be applied to an area within the frame that is in focus.
- Deep focus requires a small aperture and plenty of light to have the whole frame in focus.
Framing, on screen and offscreen space. What is the frame showing us and what doesn't it let us see?
Aspect Ratios:
- Academy aperture.
- Early widescreen.
- European widescreen.
- Widescreen television.
- American widescreen.
- 70mm frame.
- Anamorphic projection.
- Cinerama.
The different between film and a shot, is the movement. The movement creates the film.
Getting that out the way now, for this weeks film of topic we watched the 2003, Quentin Tarantino classic,
'Kill Bill, Vol 1'
The opening sequence is in black and white, letting us know as the audience that this is a flashback followed by all the upcoming black and white sequences.
The camera frame is pointing down on Uma Thurman's character as she is completely overpowered, only giving us the voice and hand of who had done this to her. Putting emphasis on his power and intimidation.
Every time we find someone who has wronged Uma, the camera zooms in on her eyes for an extreme close-up with an overlapping flashback, high-pitched siren and a red flash letting us understand what is going on inside of our protagonist's head.
All sound affects have been exaggerated for dramatic effect, creating comical humour.
As Uma and her first, on screen, victim fight in the living room, they find themselves at either side of the front window creating impact and wonder as the school bus rolls up outside.
The character going against Uma in the first fight scene reaches for a box of cereal with 'kaboom' written across it where we find she is hiding a hand gun in attempt of killing Uma. Again with the comical humour.
Inspired by Bruce Willis in 'Lethal Weapon', there is a lot of yellow and red helping our main character to stand out from the rest of the world.
As we come back to the church chaos, we are given a gods eye view shot to look over the impact of the attack. For the shot name and the setting this was an interesting note.
Uma's character name is kept a secret from the audience with the only identification being the name on her wedding certificate that is immediately said to be a fake name.
The famous whistle is first played as one of Bills' people enter the hospital on their way to kill Uma during her four-year-long coma. And in that same sequence, we are given a slice shot giving us view on the new character getting into her nurse disguise with view on Uma on bedrest in the same frame.
Freeze frames are used quite a lot, especially when we are introduced to someone new on screen.
For the following hospital sequence, as Uma attacks the necrophiliac doctor, the camera tilts downwards to where we find Uma at his ankles just as she goes in to slash him.
As she is on escaping, we get close-up shots emphasising on her struggles.
The story altogether has more of a non-continuity sequence to it with the jumping back and forth. Not just that but the opening is a flashback, we jump forward to Uma murdering her second victim, fall back to the end of the flashback and the story unfolds naturally from there with flashbacks here and there.
With more comical sequences, the animated scene giving us a history on Uma's first victim. Being of an Asian heritage, it makes for the animation style to be anime allowing the creators to go all the way with the gore and fighting as portrayed. No limitations.
As we meet O-Ren Ishii, she is sat at a table with those she is in power of. Entering a dispute over her half American half Chinese heritage with the guy at the bottom of the table, the camera enters the discussion framing for O-Ren's end looking down at him and vise-versa looking up at her.
As Uma is on a plane to make a start on her kill list, we see the sky is full of yellow and orange. Danger colours.
With the side views as O-Ren and Uma are in each other's sights, next to each other in the car and bike, a peripheral vision is masked as O-Ren pretends not to notice the biker.
As O-Ren Ishii and her guards are walking onto the scene, there position is like a flock of birds. The v shape with the leader at the front, the two most important to the leader following behind with the rest of the body guards further behind them.
As Uma is going against the masked guards, we are given a restricted frame watching the fight through the staircase at one point.
Worm-Eye view is also used as the guards fall to the ground.
Meeting Go-go as she walks up to Uma winding her weapon, we get a knee-level shot highlighting the weapon that is then swapped to foot-level as the melee weapon is dropped on the ground providing impact on how heavy the item is.
Where the camera placement is underneath the glass, looking up at the laid down, full-sized katana as it is being picked up, an opposition is given in the next shot as we see O-Ren's much smaller melee weapon.
An interesting transition, is where we get an over head shot of Uma surrounded by masked assassins that swings down as Uma makes the first move on one bringing us into the fight with alongside her.
Getting backed up into a corner now, the camera follows as if we were the ones backing her up. Following that, the colours then change creating a blue atmosphere where we can only see the black silhouettes of people fighting. Letting us not care at all about who was being killed.
Adding on to that, as the lights are switched back on, we see a maskless school boy who Uma was about to swing on but showed mercy seeing he was just a child. Showing she hasn't let her rage take over her completely as well as also highlighting her motherly instincts.
A little metaphorical statement, an assassin literally falls into a pool of blood.
Where Uma and O-Ren are now standing opposite each other, Uma is knocked down and as she gets back up the camera follows her in a close-up with a blotchy and rough slow motion effect highlighting her pain and tiredness.
Going back to the yellow, as there fight was in a white, snowy setting, Uma stands out completely compared to O-Ren who was dressed in a white cloak and had fell down blending in with the environment.
And for the final note made, rather than playing the sequence of Sophie being interrogated by Uma and then Bill, the scene overlaps itself as they have the very same motive.
Overall, I have seen this movie before and have enjoyed getting to watch it again. And had even took it upon myself to finally get volume two watched after this weeks seminar. I do look forward to next weeks, not being told what we will be watching yet but the subject will be on editing. The subject I will be focusing on for the presentation.
17/10/23
Doing things a little differently this week, unfortunately there will be no attending classes due to our lecturer testing positive for covid. So instead, slides have been uploaded for us to take notes from on editing with a film suggested for us to get watched using them notes to analyse.
Editing
Editing is the relationship between the shots and the process by which they are combined.
- Shot interaction to create meaning.
- Transitional affects on the viewer.
- Transition speed.
The four dimensions of editing:
Graphic relations:
Optical relations between shot A and shot B. The similarities can be anything from the mes-en-scene to the colour.
Rhythmic relations:
Controlling pace. Pace affects the tension of a scene, with faster editing being used more for dramatic sequences such as arguments, car chases and violence. With slowed down editing and longer shots, this resembles more of a calm atmosphere. Romance, tenderness and/or sad moments.
Spatial relations:
Controlling space having identical spaces between shot A and shot B. For example, shot A is an establishing shot of the area with shot B being the same image, only closer up on a particular area.
Temporal relations:
When two shots function to control time in the storyline, not with flashbacks nor flashforwards but dissolves, wipes and/or fade transitions.
Continuity editing
Continuity editing aids the development of the plot and emotional tone. Contributing without interference.
The 180 system:
Two characters in a scene must always have the same left/right relationship to each other otherwise it can disrupt the scene disorientating the audience from the story.
The shot reverse shot:
A continuity editing technique used mostly in dialogue scenes cutting between the characters speaking to each other clearly showing their focus on on another. Important for maintaining an organised sense of spatial, linear and chronological action.
The eyeline match:
Shot A and B reveal the character, and a POV of that character at the same eyeline.
Cross-cutting:
Cutting from one location straight to another, cross-cutting explores the contrast between situations as we are now aware there are two different things happening at the same time.
Think about the freeze frames, voice-overs, flashes, slow motions and accelerations. What works for the purpose of calling the audiences' attentions, signposting important moments capturing emotion.
- Events can be placed out of order.
- Eyeline matches can deceive us.
- The 180 rule can be broken to confuse the audience.
With the film now, I will be focusing on the use of shots as talked about keeping in mind the optical relations, pace, space, time, continuity mostly whilst looking out for the 180 dialogue, shot reverse shot dialogue, eyelines and cross-cutting.
'Bonnie and Clyde'
First thing I can comment on, the continuity. This story has full continuity with no flash backs, jumps, nor anything along the lines of that. We meet the two criminals and see them progress in their newly found love and career from start to finish.
For the opening title sequence, we are provided with a flash of printed photography highlighting that what we are about to watch is based on a true story. The real Bonnie and Clyde.
Whilst looking into a confirmation as to what the images represent, I found on the website linked below, someone had pointed out how the credits at the start of the opening for the main two actors as well as the movie title all fade to red. Possibly foreshadowing the events to come.
Due to this weeks topic being editing, I did make a note of 'Dede Allen', the credited 'film editor'.
The first editing technique on the story itself is in the very first scene. Rhythmic relations. As we meet Bonnie, everything is smooth, calm and slow. Long shots even. Until she looks out of the window to find Clyde, from there the camera is cutting to every angle as Bonnie rushes to get ready and meet this stranger.
I did get a little confused between the 180 system and the shot reverse shot technique, and for what I noted down as shot reverse shot will have actually been the 180 system. So if there was any SRS used I will have missed it only paying attention to the characters standing across from each other. As for that, a lot of this technique was used throughout the film for close to every interaction.
Another technique used quite a lot, temporal relations. First noticed when Bonnie and Clyde made their way to town, in shot A they are at the house with Bonnie walking out of the frame (if I am remembering correctly there that is). Followed by shot be the two are already in town. Used again straight after, one minute there are standing next to a barbers chatting, then immediately in the next shot they are sat drinking Coca-Cola from a glass bottle.
Blending in tension editing and spatial relations here... at least I believe, I could have the wrong idea here for spatial relations as I am unsure if cutting between the interior and exterior of a car counts but I noted it for encase. But as I was saying, the two take part in their first crime together and during the escape, these techniques are used to build that tension.
Another temporal, after the whole car chase scene, the two have a little dispute and after making back up they drive away with the camera then fading out. Fading back in where the characters have already found comfort in an empty household, waking up in a new day. Everything between that the audience misses out on.
Speaking to the old house owners, they begin to mess with the gun shooting at a sign and then the house windows. As for the editing, with each gunshot and smash the camera cuts between the gun handler and the target on beat giving rhythmic relations.
For our first sight of cross-cutting, again if this counts, but as the pair begin to rob a butchers, we get to see inside where Clyde is in a fight with the workers at the same time of seeing Bonnie sitting outside being a prepared getaway driver.
With that fight, we get another example of tension editing.
Straight away again, we don't get much between the ending of that scene as we transition to the next where our antagonists are in a completely different location and car all of a sudden where we are introduced to C.W. Morris. The new member to the Burrow Gang.
In a shot where they are all seen sleeping, a J-cut transition is used as a car horn is going off but is resulted to be from the very next shot.
Another example of cross cutting could also be a graphic relation maybe. For the first time we see Bonnie involved getting her hands dirty inside the next bank with Clyde, we cut between the criminal activity and C.W. Morris waiting being the new getaway driver.
To hide, the gang are in the cinema where a song is playing that, in the next shot, Bonnie is then singing to herself having it stuck in her head? Yes temporal, and I know its not exactly a graphical transition, but that element is somewhat there.
For an eyeline match, Bonnie is handed her groceries and heads back in where the delivery boy begins to walk off, turns around and looks up to the window where the audience is given a POV shot.
More tension editing where the cops surround the house and another gun war is set off as the gang escapes.
As for the escape, there is another temporal time jump to where everything has calmed back down. Around here is when I had realised the film as whole tends to do more of a destination focus than the journey bringing to mind the "Think about the journey, not the destination" used in Brooklyn nine-nine.
Another cross-cutting, everyone is resting in the car. But outside that car, only the audience are aware of the sheriff who is sneaking up on the gang. Bringing back in the tension as Clyde soon tackles the lawman.
From there really, the techniques are reused for the similar scenes of robbing banks, car chases and gun wars.
The last note I have to share is the poem sequence. Using graphic relations and temporal, in shot A, Bonnie is reading her poem out loud to her partner, shot B she is continuing to read it as visually we see an officer reading the poem in his head, finishing the poem in shot C where Bonnie is this time reading the poem from a printed newspaper.
Never seeing this one before, it has been on my watchlist for a while so this week was a very interesting one. Especially with editing being my subject focus for the upcoming presentation allowing me to understand terms clearer and get a better idea of what I will be talking about. Even find things I would never have noticed without this weeks seminars.
24/10/23
For our final week before the presentation, we had covered sound.
Diegetic: Sound on screen that the characters can also hear.
Non diegetic: Sound added in post.
Internal diegetic sound: Inner sounds portraying a characters thoughts or inner monologue.
Active off-screen: Sounds we can hear, but aren't portrayed on screen like a conversation being overheard from another room.
Soundtrack is just as important for a filmmaking element. Music is how we relate to a character.
How can music create meaning?
Matches the mood of the scene and helps create a character.
Music tells the audience how to feel for an emotional response.
Drives narrative, enhancing plot development.
Builds a characters representation.
Sets location, time period and is a background filler.
Key types of cinematic sound
- Speech, dialogue used to get plot information across.
- Music, subordinate to dialogue when entering between pauses in a conversation whilst central to dance sequences, high tension and/or emotion.
- Sound effects, provides an overall sense of a realistic environment. Unless added for dramatic, comic-y sequences.
Terminology
Sound bridges: sound that continues from shot A to shot B for smooth continuity.
Parallel sound: sound that complements the image track.
Contrapuntal sound: sound that doesn't complement the image.
Music can be used to set up future events, foreshadowing.
'A Quiet Place'
The opening sequence is silent, with only sound effects of people's feet hitting the ground, throwing us straight into the situation.
There is non diegetic tension as the boy almost drops a toy on the floor, goes silent once the toy is put away with a heart-warming sentiment playing as the sister hands he brother the toy back.
Sound effects are louder on close-up shots.
Due to the silence, once noise is made it overbears the silence feeling much louder than how it would be if the scene wasn't so quiet.
We get a POV of how the girl hears being deaf.
Music rises for tension.
Internal form meaning - they can't vocally tell us what is going on, so the mis-en-scene does with the newspaper headings and news articles.
Sound effects are the jump scares, even the natural ones.
With Emily Blunt being pregnant, that foreshadows the danger the characters will be in later on.
Dancing in silence turns diegetic as the music in the earphones are shared with us, the viewers.
Active off-screen, we can hear the monster but don't get to see it building suspense.
The arguing in sign language adds to the pressure of being silent.
Smash cuts, shot A would be the needed silent scene, with shot B being really loud due to the natural sounds depending on the environment.
The needle scene is foreshadowed as we see it break off.
Loud noises can signify safety when used to distract the monster, quiet is the danger. Opposite to the typical horror storytelling.
Cross-cutting for interior and exterior tension.
Synced, audio relation as Emily screams in pain with the fireworks immediately going off to distract the monster.
Where the baby screams, a heartbeat effect gradually grows louder as John begins to run. Rhythmic.
Cross-cutting between dangers as the monster is distracted through sounds.
Jurassic Park parallel sequence as metal piece falls on the kids with the monster trying to get at them.
We get a POV of the frequency affecting both the kid and monster.
Emotional music as John Krasinski sacrifices himself, works in affecting the audience.
Ends on beat to the sound effects of gun shots.
7/11/23
Working towards our second assignment for this unit, todays topic was stardom.
Stardom, more of a thing in the 40's and 50's, is basically what you would call the "it" actor at a current time.
With this session, we are to understand the common practices of management over Hollywood actors, the key theories, consider the short-lived careers and the medias demand on stars. Also defining the acting styles, cinematic and natural.
Reel person: what is portrayed in film.
Star persona: a person sculpted by the film industry.
We as the fans are what can create and destroy a star.
Konstantin Stanislavski vs Bertolt Brecht in media performances.
Method acting
Where an actor merges the personalities and tropes of a character they are playing into their daily lives.
Founded in 1947 in Ney York, by Elias Kazan, Cheryl Crawford and Robert Lewis.
Types of stars
Commodity star: Economic context, used for marketing and production.
Star as text: An actor constructed by their on screen appearance. Plethora.
Persona: How they are presented to and perceived by others.
Object by desire: Sexualising, an eroticized fulfilment of someone for others.
Suggested book to read: 'Stars', published by Richard Dyer.
'Stardom', Christine Gledhell
The three elements of stardom:
Construction, a fake persona built for a specific purpose.
Commodity, people used to make a profit and attract the stars' audiences.
Ideology, the social groups and views of a person. How the audience connects tot he actors.
'Paradox of the Star'
There is a need for the star to be both ordinary and extraordinary. Present, but absent.
By being ordinary, the audience can see the actor as a person allowing them to relate and connect with them. As for extraordinary, someone who we can admire and even aspire to.
Focusing on how the characters are presented and actors or used, this weeks film was a Marilyn Monroe flick.
'Gentlemen prefer blondes'
Straight away, in the opening sequence, our two main characters are dressed in skin tight, Jessica Rabbit red dresses. Already flushing with sex symbolism. Not just the dresses, but head to toe the ladies are drenched in red. The lips, nails, heels and jewellery.
Back on the Jessica Rabbit comment, there is a leg slip in the dress, and although we don't really see the cleavage of either of them, there is a skin pigmented strip right there.
For Marilyn's character, she acts on sexualising herself through the way she speaks. The speaking through whispers providing a soft, weak and easy to manipulate persona. Until the end that is. In the courtroom, Lorelei needs to stand up for herself and suddenly strengthens her vocals and knows what she is talking about. Something she even admits to acting on, "I am smart when it is important but most men don't like it." An act she is aware of and uses to manipulate men into getting what she wants.
Whereas with her best friend Dorothy, she is quite the opposite. Brown haired so she is smart, strong and clear in her speaking.
When Marilyn is in frame, we get a smudged frame highlighting her beauty.
Every woman character appears to have red lipstick on. Not just that, but in every shot there is a hint of red used, whether it is as noticeable as a red background to being as hidden as a skinny red belt.
Another cartoony reference is the sound of birds tweeting around Lorelei's fiancés head after they kiss showing how in love he is with her.
The fourth wall is broken during song and dance sequences with the characters sometimes singing to the camera.
I am not sure if it was in every scene as I had only picked it up with a few, but sometimes the characters would be dressed in colours responding to the setting. On the boat, Dorothy is in a yellow dress where yellow is almost everywhere in that shot. Later on Lorelei is speaking to one of the workers in a purple dress that matches the wall behind her. Then last note, Dorothy is in a brown dress where she meets Piggy, who is in a brown suit next to a man who is also in a brown suit standing out from the extras behind them who are all in more pastel colours. Of course with a girl in red in the window.
Where Lorelei is introduced to a tiara, the action she does attempting to put it around her neck reminds me of another sequence that was clearly inspired by this. Tinkerbell came to mind but I'm not a hundred percent there. What I am a hundred percent on though, is the window sequence that is mirrored in 'Peter Pan'. Just looking it up now, both the films had released in 1953 with 'Peter Pan' coming out in April as this film released December that year. I always thought Tink was inspired by Marilyn but I suppose that was the other way around.
In the dance sequences, the girls do begin shaking there bosoms repeatedly adding to the sexualising element.
14/11/23
Genre
Originally a French word for 'type' or 'kind', the genre allows a film to be identified with a larger body of films with similar themes, values and styles.
To the audience, genre is the fulfilment of frustration and/or excitement.
For filmmakers, genre is a base structure where production decisions are made.
Then for scholars, genre is great way for identifying patterns. Considering socially, politically and economically.
Genre can be defined by, and isn't limited to, the setting, form, characters and effects on the viewers.
But, how do we define genre? For this, we think about Rick Altman's semantic vs syntactic paradigm. A hybrid of two ideas, with semantics we have the individual elements and characteristics of a genre including iconography, individual narrative incidents and the visual style. Combining that with syntactic/syntax, the arrangement of elements coming together into a recognisable and meaningful structure.
Uses and Gratifications:
- Recognition of features.
- Recognition of significance.
- Empathy and escapism.
A task we have been set with is to watch over the three clips in the PowerPoint, and to review the semantics and syntactics within.
- Which genre is the film in.
- Why?
- List the semantic and syntactics for the genre the film belongs.
The Shining
Not just a horror, but 'The Shining' is a psychological horror, inspired by Stephen Kings stay at the Stanley Hotel with paranormal activities taking place. Staying in a haunted hotel, Jack Torrance becomes obsessive growing more and more insane getting to where he completely flips and attacks his wife and son.
- Opening with eerie music as Danny speaks with a creepy tone, only repeating the word "redrum".
- Playing with the knife next to his sleeping mother, what could his intentions be?
- The music strings in anticipation, preparing for something dramatic.
- After writing 'redrum' on the door, Danny becomes more frantic shouting the word at his mother whilst still holding the knife.
- Once Wendy sees the message, 'murder', Jack begins hacking his way into the room.
- Tension and frustration builds as Wendy struggles to both open the window and climb out. Continuing to grow as the shots cut between her trying to escape and Jack walking towards the bathroom door.
- Jack reveals a twisted sense of humour, seeing the situation as a game.
- Wendy first reacts with the first blow to the door, heightening the realisation and fear of her husbands intentions. Even more powerful as the actress was truly terrified due to the exhaustion and paranoia caused by the production.
The Matrix
- Eerie setting, dark and mysterious.
- As Keanu digests the pill, the character opposite him begins to smirk with lightening striking symbolising something has happened that will cause an effect.
- The mysterious character is in black, and is covering if hiding his face with the glasses. secrecy.
- The glass in the mirror fixing itself and turning to a goo if that; supernatural.
- Entering a dream like sequence, all becomes abnormal with Neo even appearing to wake up in some kind of alien egg.
Differentiating from horror, 'The Matrix' is a sci fi based on is abnormality, and confusing supernatural sequences. Not there to scare us but to instead explore a new world.
Alien
A blend of both horror and sci fi, we get the outer-world experience discovering these new-to-us life forms, but with a sense of fear and tension building up as even in our seats safe at home, we want to get off that mothership.
- Beginning to choke, we drop silent with the crew tending with them to see what is wrong with him.
- Shock hits as blood spurts from his guts catching everyone off guard.
- Inside, is the baby xenomorph merging. Never seeing the creature before, no one knows what to do. Until it runs off and hides on the ship giving us that sense that it could appear out of nowhere.
- As the crew are searching for the creature in the dark, we are all on edge only expecting it to jump out at any given moment.
- Finding the shredded skin, we know now the alien species is already growing but we don't know at what rate.
- Jump scares as the cat jumps out of the silence expecting the alien.
- The cat's hesitation prepares us for what's coming.
With that being all for the tasks set, here are my notes from todays film;
Alien
Eerie establishing shots as we are introduced to the Mother ship. Dark, gloomy and mostly blue, otherwise green throughout.
The typical horror trope of off yelling at the characters to not make stupid decisions is solved as the crew are commanded by their company to explore the unknown when the ship identifies the species. Only later we learn why.
"I can't see a goddam thing." The setting is really dark to the point we can't see either. The shadows are very heavy allowing us to see as much as the characters do.
Handheld as the characters are walking through the alien ship, we are there exploring with them.
POV of the cameras signal cutting out, raising tension. Anything could happen and those back on the Mother ship wouldn't know. Almost putting them in that dangerous situation as proven where Sigourney stands to go find the group.
Mostly silent with eerie music fading in and out here and there, with mostly emphasised sound effects of heavy breathing.
"There's something here, I don't know what it is." As the characters are looking around and find something important, we are only given a close-up of their faces for a reaction shot having the audience curious, on the edge of our seats as we want to see what the crew are looking at.
As the crew look into this strange object, we catch an eye peering at them as they are completely unaware. Giving us, the audience more intel than the characters raising frustrating tension.
The setting is unfamiliar, strange and non-human affecting the audience greatly.
Smash cut as creature screeches and latches onto the crew member, transitioning to shot B being an establishing shot, exterior of the ship that is completely silent. Bringing fear into how small and alone these people are.
Being made of acid, any cut on these creatures can only cause problems. If the ship is destroyed then so are the crew.
With the creature missing on board of the ship, there is no music, causing dramatic jump scares just by a nudge of sound.
Tension builds between the characters. Distrust and disagreements turning into arguments, and eventually a fight.
False sense of hope and comfort believing the creature it dead and the guy is awake as healthy as before creating an uncomfortable sequence as the xenomorph emerges. Leaving us with discomfort as it is now hiding on the ship, ready to appear at any given moment.
A few of the soundtracks signify a heartbeat in risky moments.
The vent framing is very tight and limited, just as the captain is as he risks going in.
Having the creature on a tracker, the signal is lost where the captain is found in a vulnerable situation. Creating suspense in the silence. with tension racing as soon as the tracker is alive again and we see it coming towards the ships captain.
Rhythmic, the shot ends as the captain screams with the screech of the alien. Shot B starting with the signal being lost again on the computer sounding really high pitched.
Ash's characteristics only become more and more suspicious on the build up to the reveal with strange goo falling from no where.
Close-ups on the xeno as it attacks, ignoring the human factor of it, this emphasises how dangerous the creature is and the fear building in the crewmates as they are about to die.
Flash tension between the alien and Ripley as she races to save her crew.
Trying to get away, the music is dramatically loud, sirens are going wild as are the lights constantly flashing. Having us tense as it goes dark repeatedly. The alien could be anywhere.
More false hope is given as we are almost relieved. The ship is destroyed and so is the alien, so we thought.
Talking to the intercom to end the title, we feel with Sigourney's character as she safe from the alien, but the realisation hits of her being stuck on her own with no real guarantee of getting home.
21/22/23
With our lecturer unfortunately being ill, again this weeks topic has been done online.
Auteur
The idea of a director being the author to one of their own films.
The "great Directors" approach to authorship is an extension on the theory, being what each director brings to the make of their film distinguishing them from other filmmakers. A film where you can tell by the style and elements alone who worked on it.
The key aspects of this approach include:
Body of work: The patterns, themes, and stylistic elements that persist through a creators career. The Directors fingerprint on a movie.
Artistic consistency: Recognizable styles, thematic preoccupations and storytelling techniques that distinguish a director from others. A mark of authorship and artistic vision.
Influence on Cinema: Those who impact the evolution of filmmaking, inspiring other creators and influencing film movement.
Innovation and Mastery: Innovative contributions: visual styles, narrative techniques, technical advancements.
Recognition of Mastery: The critical and scholarly recognition from awards, retrospectives, academic studies and being a part of cinema history discussions.
Cultural impact: Films that resonate with audiences across time and cultures by addressing universal themes, and transcending the limitations of their original context.
The auteur theory is a way of looking at films and understanding them through core meanings, themes and motifs. As well as the elements of style and mise-en-scene.
An auteur is someone who marks their individuality through a stories construct, recognisable and consistent visual styles, and the use of particular themes through a body of work.
Created in 1948, French film critic and maker Alexandre Astruc wrote an essay introducing the concept of 'la camera-stylo'. With this, Astruc states about film being a form of expression.
The three criteria to identifying an auteur:
- Technical competence.
- Recurring characteristics of style.
- Interior meaning.
The positive effects of this theory:
- Encourages a serious study in film.
- Encourages a careful analysis of mise-en-scene.
- Provides additional meaning when understanding and appreciating a film.
Negatives:
- Affects the industrial nature of film production.
- The product can change.
- "Belittles" the contribution of others.
Watching a Pedro Almodovar movie, we have been provided with some information on him and his signature style so we know what to look out for.
Spain's most successful filmmaker who had no formal training, but does, or did, own his own production company titled 'El Deseo'.
Known for working on alternative style movies, Pedro would write his own stories and work with regular collaborators from previous projects.
Signature style:
- Use of music.
- Striking imagery.
- Modern/postmodern iconography.
- Interest in design.
- Rich colour schemes.
- Dialogue.
Recurring features and themes:
- Interest in women.
- Intertextuality: multitude of cultural references.
- Interest in sexuality and sexual identity.
- Interest in marginal figures.
- Recycling and transforming Spanish cliches.
Films include:
- Dark Habits (1983)
- Matador (1985)
- Law of desire (1986)
- Tie me up Tie me down (1989)
And the film we will be watching...
'All about my mother'
Think about the themes, motherhood, identity and gender, theatricality and style.
Going to find this one a little difficult to make notes on due to only knowing what I have learnt today about the creator with this being the first film I have seen from him, straight away the prostitution conversation between the mother and son felt unnecessary.
They have a very close relationship the son and mother.
The music has a continuous style to it. Playing as if the character is working towards something, like a challenge but not too serious of a challenge. And in some scenes it doesn't really fit as well, like where the mother is writing the consent form the music sounds a little too positive for the boy being in hospital.
Could be just the case of watching a film in another language, but the characters are very dramatic in their expressions and how they use dialogue.
Speaking of prostitution, as the mother is on her way home the taxi drives through a hook up spot pretty much with woman half naked if that. Only to get involved when she gets out of the taxi to help prevent one of the woman from getting raped, who then discovers it is an old friend whom she hasn't spoken to in "eighteen years" as said.
There is a lot of talk about nuns, transvestites and prostitutes.
Son just seems to be completely forgot about?
She got back into acting for her son who wanted to be a writer and grew an interest in seeing her act?
Sexual imagery in the backgrounds.
People come onto the transvestite a lot, always talking about sex.
"You are more authentic the more you resemble what you've dreamed of being." I like that.
Dramatic twist, the transvestite friend is the dad of the son in which he never knew.
The weird rich guy likes to know women's ages and heights?
Where the transvestite is apologising to the baby for the inheritance, and the mother, I think, says "there is no reason for him to develop the disease." Is that her calling the trans thing a disease? This film isn't the easiest to keep up with.
The son wanted to write a film about his mother, and the film ends with the scene of the death being played out in a theatrical manner.
The message at the end was sweet, dedicating to not just woman and mothers but "people who want to be mothers" and "men who want to be women".
Leaving this week with lesser notes than usual, like I said it was made difficult by never really following the director and knowing not enough about him, but I can say his style is very interesting. A film was well put together, but is also something I would have to watch again to understand it properly.
28/11/23
Male Gaze: The feminist film theory
The issues of how gender are portrayed on screen.
Ideology: Constructing a particular view of the world; watching through the eyes of someone else, experiencing their pleasure.
Psychoanalysis: The unconscious source of pleasure and anxiety, desires and fears.
Male gaze in film suggests the female audience must experience the second hand narrative of the males perspective. Suggesting that women are only there, as characters, for the men on screen.
The Oedipus complex. (Elektra complex for the females version).
Castration anxiety
Men want women to be dependent on them also making them less of a threat. Asserting male control and dominance whilst him themselves can't stand the idea of being objectified the way they do women.
Key concepts:
- Scopophilia - The pleasure of looking with the desire to control.
- Narcissism - Self-absorption.
- Voyeurism - The pleasure of looking at someone who is unaware. Stalking.
Subjective and objective; the man is the subject looking at the female object.
Thinking about gender structure;
Pretty Woman
Opening scene, our powerful, billionaire, male protagonist is on the phone to his wife mid-divorce, without a care, whilst currently standing at a window, high above, looking down at a group of chatty women.
Introduction to Julia Roberts, close-up of her rear end, rolling over in bed wearing thongs. Followed by close-up shots of her character, Vivienne, getting ready for work as a prostitute.
Disrespect as even in an attempt for a none sexual interaction, men continue to stare and offer money in return for pleasure.
Sexual power, Vivienne is refused so uses her body to manipulate Edward for his money.
Broken stereotype, Edward is clueless on how to drive alone whilst Vivienne is getting excited talking of the vehicle inside and out.
Although Edward doesn't hide his admiration for Vivienne, she still goes on to believe she has to be seductive with him to get what she wants.
More silhouette close-ups of Vivienne getting changed as she becomes someone new and fresh. Even still, where she is dressed more as a lady men are still staring at her.
Respect is lost where Vivienne's old profession to light. Immediately she is degraded and objectified again.
Where Edwards work partner comes onto Vivienne, she tries to defend herself hitting the man but is immediately looked at with disgust and is knocked down. Women are wrong for sticking up for themselves where it is needed most.
That being the last note, todays session is and was the last for this unit. A great unit where I have learned and enjoyed a lot, I look forward to diving in to what comes next.
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