How does a film tell a story?
Story can be split in two ways: Story and Plot
Story = everything that happens
Plot = what filmmaker chooses to show you
e.g. in BOTSW, it could start at Hushpuppy's birth
Basic storytelling tools:
7 Story Types
Monster attacks, hero steps forward with a side kick + helper
A hero is doubtful of abilities and rejects destiny, then embraces goal and becomes hero
Flawed character meets woman of dreams, overcomes flaw and becomes a better person, fall out and separate before reuniting at end
etc.
Conventional Narrative
Narrative has cause and effect with an overall trajectory of enigma resolution
NCFOM doesn't have linearity - Anton taken out by accident etc.
The trajectory is what the plot is aimed for
Enigma resolution is fixing a problem
Most narratives focus on a goal driven main character
Character has goal they need to complete - a quest
Usually a time limit to complete the goal
This narrative is based on a series of cause and effect events
Syd Field's 3 Act Structure
Act 1: Set up - usually first 1/4, learn about world, incident that disrupts normality
Plot point one - an event takes the plot in a new direction and ends Act 1 Anton killing two associates
Act 2: Confrontation - usually next 2 1/4s, hero undergoes development, improves skills or awareness
Plot point two - ends with another major plot point, sets up Ac 3, Llewellyn dying
Act 3: Resolution - usually last 1/4 films climax
When in Active spectatorship, narrative isn't clear, so the plot points can vary depending on perspective i.e. BOTSW a plot point 1 could be Wink in hospital gown or the flood
Claude Levi-Strauss - Binary Opposites
All narratives about binary opposites
Good vs. Evil, Man vs. Machine, Man vs. Nature, Civilization vs. Wild, Loyalty vs. Betrayal
Useful for identifying themes, which effects audience therefore spectatorship
The type of spectator you are governs with binary oppositions + themes you see
Blade Runner: Slavery vs. Freedom, Man vs. Machine, Duty vs. Morality, Man vs. God/Father vs. Son
Vertigo: Perception vs. Reality, Money vs. Morality, Man vs. Himself, Loyalty vs. Betrayal
No Country for Old Men: Rich vs. Poor, Individual vs. Corporation, Old vs. New
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Civilization vs. Wild, Utopia vs. Dystopia, Nature vs. Artifice, Childhood vs. Adulthood, Imagination vs. Reality, Freedom vs. Responsibility
Todorov's Theory of Narrative
Most conventional films follow the structure
Equilibrium - Normality in the world
Disruption of Equilibrium - Something changes the status quo
Recognition of Disruption - Characters recognize the disruption
Attempt to Repair the Disruption - Making it right
Equilibrium - Doesn't have to be the same as before, but disruption ended
Alternative Narratives
Jean Luc Godard - 'I agree that a film should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order'
Some narratives do not follow this basic structure. Called 'Alternative Narratives'
Some narratives are out of the sequence or disjointed. Tell the stories in the wrong order or use flashbacks
Can go further by not having logical order to story
Some narratives are made up of little short stories - called 'Episodic Narratives'
Omniscient or Restricted Narratives
Omniscient - Audience knows more than the characters, great for tension + suspense (i.e. coin toss in NCFOM, we know more than the petrol station employee)
Restricted - Only know as much as the characters (usually protagonist)
Linear or Non-Linear Narrative
Linear - Show events in chronological order)
Non-Linear - Not chronological, via flashbacks, montages etc.
Open or Closed Narrative
How the narrative ends
Open - Audience is left wondering what will happen next at end of film. E.g. a cliffhanger
Closed - Narrative ends with a definite ending where everything is resolved 'happily ever after'
Single or Multi-Strand Narrative
Single strand - Only one story in film, follows protagonist
Multi-strand - When the film has more than one story, involving several characters of equal importance
Enigma
A riddle or puzzle to be solved
Most narrative driven by an enigma that drives film. Introduced when equilibrium is disrupted.
Keeps viewer guessing interested story. Not answered until end.
Monday, 14 May 2018
Sunday, 13 May 2018
Trainspotting
Main focus of British film is ideology (nihilism and a bit on addiction) and narrative
Controversial
Released in 1996
Directed by Danny Boyle, considered his and Ewan McGregor's breakout film
Nominated for Best Picture Oscar, won Oscar for Best Adopted Screenplay from Irvin Welsh - Trainspotting
Kick started 'Cool Britannia' along with other British films which inspired pride in British culture
Inspired heroin chic
Both surreal and realism
Cinematography to nihilism
Which comes first, nihilism or heroin? Is there any ideology in nihilism at all? Or is it just addiction
Controversial
Released in 1996
Directed by Danny Boyle, considered his and Ewan McGregor's breakout film
Nominated for Best Picture Oscar, won Oscar for Best Adopted Screenplay from Irvin Welsh - Trainspotting
Kick started 'Cool Britannia' along with other British films which inspired pride in British culture
Inspired heroin chic
Both surreal and realism
Cinematography to nihilism
Which comes first, nihilism or heroin? Is there any ideology in nihilism at all? Or is it just addiction
Ideology in Trainspotting
Everyone's morally reprehensible - taxi driver ditching Rent Boy, Diane blackmailing Renton into a relationship
Sticks to the dominant ideology that 'addicts are bad' but shows that its to do with their addiction not them as people
Anti London-Centric media representations:
First time since 1960s we've had representation of working class British people - before that it was Richard Curtis films - middle class London was the worlds view of Britain, shown by Renton describing the British as 'effete'
Challenges notion that London is the centre of the world, high vs pop culture - linked to Cool Britannia
Colour palette - dark but high contrast colours - red=danger, green=healing
Called Trainspotting because it's a hobby that no one else understands why you'd do it, you're ashamed to admit it etc. + you get 'track marks' on your veins when you inject heroin
Honest representation of heroin - challenges the view that junkies are passive victims
See loads of addicts - Begby alcohol/fighting, Renton's mum's Valium, Tommy exercising. In society there's power, attention, wealth, shopping, work addictions
Binary oppositions:
Addiction vs sobriety
Passivity vs choice
Culture vs depravity
Civilisation vs wild
Scenes showing addiction:
Toilet Scene - pills glow pure white while everything else is brown, even though they wouldn't realistically be clean
Bar Scene - Begby putting knife down, needs a quick fix of violence, but doesn't need the knife but is willing to use it
Knife Scene - Spud gets cut, repercussions of addiction harming others, last straw for Renton
Working Out Scene - Tommy's addiction to fitness
Anti-British scenes:
Renton's Rant - Why being Scottish is 'shite' (down to the English) and why the English are worse
Describing his London real estate job (the epitome of what life in London is/represents) as 'cheating, scamming, fragmenting, breaking... there was no such thing as society and if there was I had nothing to do with it' - directly comparable to the lifestyle of a heroin addict
Judge was English - us vs them, English in position of power
Nihilism - apathetic about situation, life, goals, drugs
Can't discuss the significance of Trainspotting without discussing Cool Brittania
Postmodern - style over substance ie sinking into the carpet, James Bond intertextuality especially with Sean Connery who's very pro Scottish, toilet scene. This gives us ideological views of drug addiction
WE ATTACH ONE IDEOLOGY TO EACH FILM
Sticks to the dominant ideology that 'addicts are bad' but shows that its to do with their addiction not them as people
Anti London-Centric media representations:
First time since 1960s we've had representation of working class British people - before that it was Richard Curtis films - middle class London was the worlds view of Britain, shown by Renton describing the British as 'effete'
Challenges notion that London is the centre of the world, high vs pop culture - linked to Cool Britannia
Colour palette - dark but high contrast colours - red=danger, green=healing
Called Trainspotting because it's a hobby that no one else understands why you'd do it, you're ashamed to admit it etc. + you get 'track marks' on your veins when you inject heroin
Honest representation of heroin - challenges the view that junkies are passive victims
See loads of addicts - Begby alcohol/fighting, Renton's mum's Valium, Tommy exercising. In society there's power, attention, wealth, shopping, work addictions
Binary oppositions:
Addiction vs sobriety
Passivity vs choice
Culture vs depravity
Civilisation vs wild
Scenes showing addiction:
Toilet Scene - pills glow pure white while everything else is brown, even though they wouldn't realistically be clean
Bar Scene - Begby putting knife down, needs a quick fix of violence, but doesn't need the knife but is willing to use it
Knife Scene - Spud gets cut, repercussions of addiction harming others, last straw for Renton
Working Out Scene - Tommy's addiction to fitness
Anti-British scenes:
Renton's Rant - Why being Scottish is 'shite' (down to the English) and why the English are worse
Describing his London real estate job (the epitome of what life in London is/represents) as 'cheating, scamming, fragmenting, breaking... there was no such thing as society and if there was I had nothing to do with it' - directly comparable to the lifestyle of a heroin addict
Judge was English - us vs them, English in position of power
Nihilism - apathetic about situation, life, goals, drugs
Can't discuss the significance of Trainspotting without discussing Cool Brittania
Postmodern - style over substance ie sinking into the carpet, James Bond intertextuality especially with Sean Connery who's very pro Scottish, toilet scene. This gives us ideological views of drug addiction
WE ATTACH ONE IDEOLOGY TO EACH FILM
Spectatorship
A spectator is an individual member of the audience
Two types of spectatorship:
Active - Requires thought, effort, resolve enigmas myself, not everything obvious
Passive - everyone walks away with the same reading, little effort, general good/bad
Blade Runner is Active - not sure what it's really about, character roles are mysterious
No Country for Old Men is Active - does things you don't expect, changes protagonist
A good way of telling if it's active or passive is what you take away from it
Stuart Hall - can get one of three readings from a film:
Preferred - Reading film maker intended you to get, passive is usually this
Oppositional - reading opposite to whats intended
Negotiated - accepts some but not all of the film, active usually this
Different readings:
Experience, film persuasion, age, culture, own interests, societal opinions, conventions used to
Positioning
Where foes the narrative position me? (ie if Tarantino directed NCFOM we'd like Anton), who?
Achieved through story, POV shots
Ie westerns
Metaphor for American foreign policy - ride in, kill someone, leave
In About a Girl - spectatorship as we're a friend
What drives the story in Beasts of the Southern Wild?
Hushpuppy/ Goes looking for mum and dad, sets fire to house etc
What drives the story in No Country for Old Men?
Anton. Llewelyn up to when he picks up the money. Bell never. Event driven narrative
Two types of spectatorship:
Active - Requires thought, effort, resolve enigmas myself, not everything obvious
Passive - everyone walks away with the same reading, little effort, general good/bad
Blade Runner is Active - not sure what it's really about, character roles are mysterious
No Country for Old Men is Active - does things you don't expect, changes protagonist
A good way of telling if it's active or passive is what you take away from it
Stuart Hall - can get one of three readings from a film:
Preferred - Reading film maker intended you to get, passive is usually this
Oppositional - reading opposite to whats intended
Negotiated - accepts some but not all of the film, active usually this
Different readings:
Experience, film persuasion, age, culture, own interests, societal opinions, conventions used to
Positioning
Where foes the narrative position me? (ie if Tarantino directed NCFOM we'd like Anton), who?
Achieved through story, POV shots
Ie westerns
Metaphor for American foreign policy - ride in, kill someone, leave
In About a Girl - spectatorship as we're a friend
What drives the story in Beasts of the Southern Wild?
Hushpuppy/ Goes looking for mum and dad, sets fire to house etc
What drives the story in No Country for Old Men?
Anton. Llewelyn up to when he picks up the money. Bell never. Event driven narrative
Friday, 11 May 2018
Ideology in No Country for Old Men
Llewellyn (protagonist) is a Vietnam war veteran, but is flawed, while usually they're undefeatable (ie Predator, Commando)
Typically one man can win and make a difference, but he dies
Good always wins, evil loses, but Llewellyn dies, Ed-Tom gives up and Anton walks away with the money
Realism vs myth - reality is brutal
CHANGE AND CHANCE - Capitalist change, society going towards it, and poor people not having a chance - Marxist ideology
Money is the front of all evil
What it means to be a man - violence solves nothing
Context of Setting
America in the 1980s
Went from liberal 1970s to a new climate of reactionary attitudes
Reagan got into power, brought with him an era of 'New Right'
Anti government ideology
Cold war at it's height, arms race
Reagan: Aggressively capitalist government, relatively militaristic for the first time since the Vietnam War, a growth in a new form of conservatism, right wing ideologies become stronger and more mainstream - imagery of businessman changed
Serious rise in drug culture. In 1980's armed robbers were still at the top of the criminal food chain, and as the prison time was only 4-5 years for most offences there was a code of silence.
Society
Fragmented society - young and old, left and right
Cut backs in government spending coinciding with factory closures, many communities in economic collapse
Older industries cutting down
Rise of Corporate America, more personable companies exert a strong influence on everyday life, reward effort, strong hierarchies, seen to be morally dubious/borderline criminal
Greater stress on individuals rather than community, selfishness and greed admirable, self improving qualities
Cinema
Blockbuster risen in significance, large scale event films with simplistic plot lines dominate the cinematic landscape (Stallone, Schwarzenegger)
Era of action heroes, solve all problems with violence, seen as morally correct, ends justify the means, individualistic and uncompromising
No Country for Old Men explores and critiques these dominant ideologies, using each of the three main characters to confront the changing face of America
Anton being the corporations of America is summed up his last scene. Even freak accidents like a a car crash (or a market crash) don’t stop them. They will even take the shirt off someone else’s back to rebuild, their inhuman ability to grit their teeth and walk through the pain keeping them going. They suffer no retribution from the law, as they have already escaped, covering their own backs, possibly through the manipulation of those below them.
Llewelyn Moss
Blockbuster character - cinema section. Also represents the people on the fringes of society, the underclass. bourgeoisies
Anton Chigurh
Corporate America - aggressive - New Society section
Sheriff Bell
Communities dead - old society section. Police were still blue collar in the 1980s and so represents proletariat - gets things done by talking to people.
The man in the coin toss sequence is the people (family owned business, family minded), Anton is capitalism threatening to destroy it, the coin, ie money, is how its done
Typically one man can win and make a difference, but he dies
Good always wins, evil loses, but Llewellyn dies, Ed-Tom gives up and Anton walks away with the money
Realism vs myth - reality is brutal
CHANGE AND CHANCE - Capitalist change, society going towards it, and poor people not having a chance - Marxist ideology
Money is the front of all evil
What it means to be a man - violence solves nothing
Context of Setting
America in the 1980s
Went from liberal 1970s to a new climate of reactionary attitudes
Reagan got into power, brought with him an era of 'New Right'
Anti government ideology
Cold war at it's height, arms race
Reagan: Aggressively capitalist government, relatively militaristic for the first time since the Vietnam War, a growth in a new form of conservatism, right wing ideologies become stronger and more mainstream - imagery of businessman changed
Serious rise in drug culture. In 1980's armed robbers were still at the top of the criminal food chain, and as the prison time was only 4-5 years for most offences there was a code of silence.
Society
Fragmented society - young and old, left and right
Cut backs in government spending coinciding with factory closures, many communities in economic collapse
Older industries cutting down
Rise of Corporate America, more personable companies exert a strong influence on everyday life, reward effort, strong hierarchies, seen to be morally dubious/borderline criminal
Greater stress on individuals rather than community, selfishness and greed admirable, self improving qualities
Cinema
Blockbuster risen in significance, large scale event films with simplistic plot lines dominate the cinematic landscape (Stallone, Schwarzenegger)
Era of action heroes, solve all problems with violence, seen as morally correct, ends justify the means, individualistic and uncompromising
No Country for Old Men explores and critiques these dominant ideologies, using each of the three main characters to confront the changing face of America
Anton being the corporations of America is summed up his last scene. Even freak accidents like a a car crash (or a market crash) don’t stop them. They will even take the shirt off someone else’s back to rebuild, their inhuman ability to grit their teeth and walk through the pain keeping them going. They suffer no retribution from the law, as they have already escaped, covering their own backs, possibly through the manipulation of those below them.
Llewelyn Moss
Blockbuster character - cinema section. Also represents the people on the fringes of society, the underclass. bourgeoisies
Anton Chigurh
Corporate America - aggressive - New Society section
Sheriff Bell
Communities dead - old society section. Police were still blue collar in the 1980s and so represents proletariat - gets things done by talking to people.
The man in the coin toss sequence is the people (family owned business, family minded), Anton is capitalism threatening to destroy it, the coin, ie money, is how its done
Ideology in Blade Runner
Explicit
Pro-humanity
Future gets worse - dystopian
Fear of Asian/Japanese culture
Freedom
Man vs Machine
Isolation
Dystopian future, negative ideology, plays on fear of time about nuclear holocaust
Implicit
Humanity can be achieved by things other than human beings
Pro-humanity
Future gets worse - dystopian
Fear of Asian/Japanese culture
Freedom
Man vs Machine
Isolation
Dystopian future, negative ideology, plays on fear of time about nuclear holocaust
Implicit
Humanity can be achieved by things other than human beings
Ideology
A set of views and ideas and values that are held by a society or a group within society
Societies have dominant ideologies - lying is bad
Karl Marx - the problem with society is that we changed from the ideological to the material
Not all ideologies are true
Different groups have different ideologies
Ideology falls in to two different categories in film:
Explicit
Films like superhero, war, westerns - violence solves problems
Good vs Evil
Love will conquer all - Rom Coms
Golden era Hollywood reenforces dominant ideology
Implicit
Harry Poter films - equality, chosen one isn't nice, shouldn't judge on impressions etc.
Some films appear to be neutral in terms of ideology but always will have implicit ideology
Echo Chamber
Surrounded by own views and doesn't listen to others
Things that contribute to a film's ideology:
Genre
Context of production (time, place it was made)
Target audience
Diegesis (setting)
Perspective of audience
Dialogue
Ending/resolution
Ideologies and views of crew
Characterisations (think about film behind a different character)
Pace
Narrative
Binary oppositions for set up in the narrative will set up the ideology
Societies have dominant ideologies - lying is bad
Karl Marx - the problem with society is that we changed from the ideological to the material
Not all ideologies are true
Different groups have different ideologies
Ideology falls in to two different categories in film:
Explicit
Films like superhero, war, westerns - violence solves problems
Good vs Evil
Love will conquer all - Rom Coms
Golden era Hollywood reenforces dominant ideology
Implicit
Harry Poter films - equality, chosen one isn't nice, shouldn't judge on impressions etc.
Some films appear to be neutral in terms of ideology but always will have implicit ideology
Echo Chamber
Surrounded by own views and doesn't listen to others
Things that contribute to a film's ideology:
Genre
Context of production (time, place it was made)
Target audience
Diegesis (setting)
Perspective of audience
Dialogue
Ending/resolution
Ideologies and views of crew
Characterisations (think about film behind a different character)
Pace
Narrative
Binary oppositions for set up in the narrative will set up the ideology
No Country for Old Men - Overview
Directed by Coen Brothers
Released in 2007, won the Academy Award for Best Picture
Not a western in the traditional sense, but uses themes and comments on the typical depiction of westerns
Coen Brothers very well known for subverting audience. Assumed he'd get away with the money but didn't, changed protagonist to Ed-Tom Bell
Quite anti-violent, more real
Themes of:
Change
Chance
Morality
Gives us ins to the following areas (within spectatorship):
Requires spectators to be active - not giving emotional queues via music, no clear cut protagonist etc. Pushes us to talk about readings. Beauty of the film is that it has no preferred reading (even Anton has a code he sticks to - chance and promises)
Editing - narrative, spectatorship - auteur trait of the Coen's - they have the ability to make a normal scene extraordinary and the extraordinary scenes ordinary
In terms of being about sheriff Bell, there's a real collision between what he's used to and what he's not. For example, he rejects working with the DEA agent, he doesn't want the vehicle checks on the Mexican vehicles and he doesn't have radio when he finds Llewellyn. He goes back to the room to see if he can because he's scared, when he's about to go inside they show Anton to show what he's scared off, even though he's not actually there.
Released in 2007, won the Academy Award for Best Picture
Not a western in the traditional sense, but uses themes and comments on the typical depiction of westerns
Coen Brothers very well known for subverting audience. Assumed he'd get away with the money but didn't, changed protagonist to Ed-Tom Bell
Quite anti-violent, more real
Themes of:
Change
Chance
Morality
Gives us ins to the following areas (within spectatorship):
Requires spectators to be active - not giving emotional queues via music, no clear cut protagonist etc. Pushes us to talk about readings. Beauty of the film is that it has no preferred reading (even Anton has a code he sticks to - chance and promises)
Editing - narrative, spectatorship - auteur trait of the Coen's - they have the ability to make a normal scene extraordinary and the extraordinary scenes ordinary
In terms of being about sheriff Bell, there's a real collision between what he's used to and what he's not. For example, he rejects working with the DEA agent, he doesn't want the vehicle checks on the Mexican vehicles and he doesn't have radio when he finds Llewellyn. He goes back to the room to see if he can because he's scared, when he's about to go inside they show Anton to show what he's scared off, even though he's not actually there.
Beasts of the Southern Wilds
Behind the child - high colours, low perspective/POV, doesn't really explain much, like what the character experiences. Only effects change at end. Everything colourful and vibrant - fast cuts show this
Active spectatorship
Question the dominant ideology
Dislike the people over the levy, who are us
Don't value modern medicine 'plugged in the wall'
Once with nature, dank, uncivlised but happy - makes us think about the way we treat children and childhood
Positioning
Camera always at a low angle
Narration - Hushpuppy's POV. Almost replaces dialogue. Doesn't tell her whats happening but how she feels - her emotions. Not expository. Rationalising/talking to herself, not audience. Doesn't actually know whats going on, sets up childish narration by talking about animals 'pooping'. Ie brother - is she her mum + when Wink comes out of hospital she assumes he's wearing a dress + bracelet
A lot of enigmas aren't resolved. Is it her mum, are the Aurochs real?
One flashback with Wink's perspective. Went from thinking that he's possibly an abusive father to being a depserate figure, knows he won't be around for much longer.
Spectator response
Non-professional actors make us see characters not actors
Spectatorship can make you think about loads of different things - slightly different negotiated reading
Specatorship - write about active and passive, and find sequences that switch between them. Talk about identification and alignment of narrative positioning, audience expectations and how it plays on spectatorship, spectatorship is ideological and so depends on the individual on what they'd get (ie what they've watched and where they're from), spectatorship issues in terms of what is real and what isn't, is the setting good or not
Active spectatorship
Question the dominant ideology
Dislike the people over the levy, who are us
Don't value modern medicine 'plugged in the wall'
Once with nature, dank, uncivlised but happy - makes us think about the way we treat children and childhood
Positioning
Camera always at a low angle
Narration - Hushpuppy's POV. Almost replaces dialogue. Doesn't tell her whats happening but how she feels - her emotions. Not expository. Rationalising/talking to herself, not audience. Doesn't actually know whats going on, sets up childish narration by talking about animals 'pooping'. Ie brother - is she her mum + when Wink comes out of hospital she assumes he's wearing a dress + bracelet
A lot of enigmas aren't resolved. Is it her mum, are the Aurochs real?
One flashback with Wink's perspective. Went from thinking that he's possibly an abusive father to being a depserate figure, knows he won't be around for much longer.
Spectator response
Non-professional actors make us see characters not actors
Spectatorship can make you think about loads of different things - slightly different negotiated reading
Specatorship - write about active and passive, and find sequences that switch between them. Talk about identification and alignment of narrative positioning, audience expectations and how it plays on spectatorship, spectatorship is ideological and so depends on the individual on what they'd get (ie what they've watched and where they're from), spectatorship issues in terms of what is real and what isn't, is the setting good or not
No Country for Old Men - Opening Scene
Sheriff rambling about the past (as old people do, sets up his age)
Talked about how old sheriffs didn't need t have guns, but he has to now - dangerous
All static shots until Anton walks onto screen. Sheriff doesn't want things to change, but it's out of his control
Anton killing policeman - gets pleasure from killing
Invitation to compare Llewellyn and Anton as they both say same line soon after each other
Talked about how old sheriffs didn't need t have guns, but he has to now - dangerous
All static shots until Anton walks onto screen. Sheriff doesn't want things to change, but it's out of his control
Anton killing policeman - gets pleasure from killing
Invitation to compare Llewellyn and Anton as they both say same line soon after each other
Performance
Things I expect from a good performance:
Change in characters, and to be able to tell when they change
Something relatable I can find meaning out of
Needs to be believable - help in suspension of disbelief
Can convey emotion, hopefully without them stating it
Need to see character not actor
Physical Expression
Movement - Rachel's movement like a doll, Priss dying, Roy moves slowly
Individual body language - Norman always eating in tense moments
Use of props and scenery - Deckard holding gun
Vocal Delivery
Tone - changes how a line is shown (emotion) - Roy's speech from forlorn to angry
Speed/Pace - a slow delivery shows calm, power
Emotion - how a character feels
Accent - Relatability - This in England
Contrast delivery with content of whats being delivered - juxtaposition
Interaction
How the actors 'connect' with each other - Grease Travolta - Zuko
How do they react to/around each other - Batman + Robin
What do you learn from their interactions - Rachel forced scene
Staging and Choreography
How have the characters been positioned in the shot?
How much freedom of movement do they have?
How naturalistic is thei style of movement?
What do you learn from their movements?
Change in characters, and to be able to tell when they change
Something relatable I can find meaning out of
Needs to be believable - help in suspension of disbelief
Can convey emotion, hopefully without them stating it
Need to see character not actor
Physical Expression
Movement - Rachel's movement like a doll, Priss dying, Roy moves slowly
Individual body language - Norman always eating in tense moments
Use of props and scenery - Deckard holding gun
Vocal Delivery
Tone - changes how a line is shown (emotion) - Roy's speech from forlorn to angry
Speed/Pace - a slow delivery shows calm, power
Emotion - how a character feels
Accent - Relatability - This in England
Contrast delivery with content of whats being delivered - juxtaposition
Interaction
How the actors 'connect' with each other - Grease Travolta - Zuko
How do they react to/around each other - Batman + Robin
What do you learn from their interactions - Rachel forced scene
Staging and Choreography
How have the characters been positioned in the shot?
How much freedom of movement do they have?
How naturalistic is thei style of movement?
What do you learn from their movements?
Monday, 7 May 2018
Western Genre Research
Films of Note:
The Great Train Robbery )1903) - first western
Fistful of Dollars (1964) - made Clint Eastwood famous
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966) - Clint Eastwood
Tropes:
Protecting land
Conflicting with Native Americans
Showdown at high noon
Demsel in distress
Building an 'empire'
Themes:
Revenge/retribution]Redemption
Nomadic lifestyle
Lawlessness
Honour
Justice - personal
Influences:
Medieval knights
Samurai
Film noir
Influenced:
Star Wars
Mad Max
Eastern Bloc - Red Western
Film noir
Actors:
John Wayne
Clint Eastwood
James Stewart
Gary Cooper
Charles Branson
Lee van Cleef
James Coburn
Costume:
Stetson
Revolver/6 Gun
Winchester Rifle
Bandana
Buckskins
Poncho
Spurs
Moden Revisionist Subgenre
Typically made post WW2 - 60s/60s
Had a more morally ambiguous protagonist ie bank robbers
Right/wrong is less clear
Often made to criticise American values, capitalism etc
Clint Eastwood known for using this to criticise the classic western
Ie The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) women and Native Americans are shown positively
Westerns as a whole become more gritty and realistic as time went on
1930s Film Research
Many classics made. 1039 specifically considered one of the greatest fears in film because of releases such as Gone with the Wind at the Wizard of Oz
Classic monster films were made: Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Hyde
Stars of the era included Charlie Chaplain, Shirley Temple etc
Remakes to the previously silent fils included Alice in Wonderland, Cleopatra and The Prisoners of Zenda
Although films could have sound since the mid 1920s, the 1930s were still influential time due to the recent creation
The 1930s marked the start of the Golden Age of Hollywood, that continued into the 1940s
This was also the time where the studio system (where a small number of major studios controlled Hollywood and released the vast majority of films)
Hays Code
Due to the number of scandals in the 1920s, Will H. Hays (Head of Motion Pictures Producers and Distributors Association) created the Hays Code. This was a list of topics, compiled by Hays, that he believed Hollywood should avoid. It was created in the 1930s, but only enforced in1934 due to the Production Code Administration
Classic monster films were made: Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Hyde
Stars of the era included Charlie Chaplain, Shirley Temple etc
Remakes to the previously silent fils included Alice in Wonderland, Cleopatra and The Prisoners of Zenda
Although films could have sound since the mid 1920s, the 1930s were still influential time due to the recent creation
The 1930s marked the start of the Golden Age of Hollywood, that continued into the 1940s
This was also the time where the studio system (where a small number of major studios controlled Hollywood and released the vast majority of films)
Hays Code
Due to the number of scandals in the 1920s, Will H. Hays (Head of Motion Pictures Producers and Distributors Association) created the Hays Code. This was a list of topics, compiled by Hays, that he believed Hollywood should avoid. It was created in the 1930s, but only enforced in1934 due to the Production Code Administration
Silent Film Era Research
No synchronised sound, especially dialogue
Would use gestures/mime (often borrowing from theatre), title cards and announcers to provide context
Orchestras would also play
70% of silent films are lost due to degradation of being destroyed
Era lasted mid 1890s - late 1920s
Were actually high quality, but the copies we see were damaged ones make it look bad
Were referred to at the time as talkies, sound film or taking pictures
First talkie was The Jazz Singer (1927)
Influential people in this era include Charlie Chaplian and Buster Keaton, who performed slapstick comedy. More serious performers include Lillian Gish and Rudolph Valentine
The director D.W. Griffith is also acclaimed as being one of the most influential creators of the time, with films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915), Intolerance (1916) and Broken Blossoms (1919)
Top Grossing Silent Films US:
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Big Parade (1925)
Ben-Hur (1925)
Way Down East (1920)
The Gold Rush (1925)
Would use gestures/mime (often borrowing from theatre), title cards and announcers to provide context
Orchestras would also play
70% of silent films are lost due to degradation of being destroyed
Era lasted mid 1890s - late 1920s
Were actually high quality, but the copies we see were damaged ones make it look bad
Were referred to at the time as talkies, sound film or taking pictures
First talkie was The Jazz Singer (1927)
Influential people in this era include Charlie Chaplian and Buster Keaton, who performed slapstick comedy. More serious performers include Lillian Gish and Rudolph Valentine
The director D.W. Griffith is also acclaimed as being one of the most influential creators of the time, with films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915), Intolerance (1916) and Broken Blossoms (1919)
Top Grossing Silent Films US:
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Big Parade (1925)
Ben-Hur (1925)
Way Down East (1920)
The Gold Rush (1925)
Mystery in the films we've studied
Vertigo
Supernatural element
What's happening at start
Is Judy going to tell the truth
Relationship between Midge - Scotty
Blade Runner
Who Deckard is
What Replicants are
Why they need to be hunted
Why is the world X
Rachel - Deckard, love dynamic
I like films like Blade Runner because of mystery, to not have some questions answered
Ie Vertigo sets up a supernatural 'mystery box' with another box inside it
Good films invest in characters
Supernatural element
What's happening at start
Is Judy going to tell the truth
Relationship between Midge - Scotty
Blade Runner
Who Deckard is
What Replicants are
Why they need to be hunted
Why is the world X
Rachel - Deckard, love dynamic
I like films like Blade Runner because of mystery, to not have some questions answered
Ie Vertigo sets up a supernatural 'mystery box' with another box inside it
Good films invest in characters
Krampus: The Christmas Devil - Critique
Cinematography
Camera shakes too much - looks homemade
OTS too blocked
Way too many close ups - blocks out characters
Out of focus
3 way conversation blocking is ineffective
No wide shots
Mise-en-scene
Two policemen costumes look nothing like police
Poor lighting all the time
Editing
Weird, unnecessary effects
Loads of dips to black
Jarring cuts to colour
Very fast paced editing
Flashback should be from his perspective
Phone conversation doesn't cross cut, no cutting in general
Sound
Music doesn't fit scene
Music changes in scenes
Dialogue at different levels
Lack of music
Sound levels wrong, cuts out jarringly
Camera shakes too much - looks homemade
OTS too blocked
Way too many close ups - blocks out characters
Out of focus
3 way conversation blocking is ineffective
No wide shots
Mise-en-scene
Two policemen costumes look nothing like police
Poor lighting all the time
Editing
Weird, unnecessary effects
Loads of dips to black
Jarring cuts to colour
Very fast paced editing
Flashback should be from his perspective
Phone conversation doesn't cross cut, no cutting in general
Sound
Music doesn't fit scene
Music changes in scenes
Dialogue at different levels
Lack of music
Sound levels wrong, cuts out jarringly
Sunday, 6 May 2018
Characters with no name
Increases sense of mystery
Events of the plot could happen to anyone - adds a sense of relatability
Events of the plot could happen to anyone - adds a sense of relatability
Psycho
Similarities between Psycho and Vertigo:
Extended opening sequence
Blonde female protagonist
Orchestra mask stunts - incidental
Norman's face half in darkness
Focus on eye in the shower scene
Mental illness
Norman emascualted
Strange things about it:
Black and white even though colour was around - thought it looked creepier and more effective in terms of shadows
The protagonist dies half way through, massive twist, similar to Vertigo with Madeline's death half way through - both films have fake protagonists
Breaks conventions
Technical elements:
Loads of shot-reverse-shots
In Norman - Marion (protagonist) conversation, she's in centre with Norman on the right, with out matching in her shot - predator
Extended opening sequence
Blonde female protagonist
Orchestra mask stunts - incidental
Norman's face half in darkness
Focus on eye in the shower scene
Mental illness
Norman emascualted
Strange things about it:
Black and white even though colour was around - thought it looked creepier and more effective in terms of shadows
The protagonist dies half way through, massive twist, similar to Vertigo with Madeline's death half way through - both films have fake protagonists
Breaks conventions
Technical elements:
Loads of shot-reverse-shots
In Norman - Marion (protagonist) conversation, she's in centre with Norman on the right, with out matching in her shot - predator
Auteur
French word that means author
Concept that a filmmaker has such a distinctive style that they can be regarded as the 'author' of the film - it's down to them. And hat their style is so recognisable you can tell who made it without being told. In order to do this, the auteur must be someone which has direct control over the production, and has ouvre - a substantial body of work. They will have certain characteristics in their films that are consistent, e.g:
Aesthetics
Repeated themes
Crew (performers + crew)
Motif cinematography
Any film form features (mise en scene, cinematography, sound, editing)
Christopher Nolan
Favours non-linear narratives
Reuses actors
Wes Anderson
Reuses actors
High colour contrast
Symmetry
Steady cam
Unusual framing
Similar themes, settings
Quentin Tarantino
Use of music - late 60s-70s pop music
Excessive violence
Non-linear narrative
Expletives
Reuses actors
Ridley Scott
Strong female characters
Cutting away from violence - Often to 'seeing' - Woman on billboard, searchlights from blimp after Priss' death
Sci Fi
Realistic acting in unrealistic setting - Dialogue, attitude
Low key lighting, high contrast colour - Neon, umbrellas, woman looking billboard
Themes of humanity and identity
Isolated protagonist - Deckard (but only the Replicants aren't isolated in BR)
Long takes
Title card
Voyeurism - But to a more limited extent than Hitchcock - ie shots before entering eye shop
Alfred Hitchcock
Eccentric characterisations
Mystery and suspense via omniscient narrative - Finding out Judy/Madeline's true identity
Plays with audience nerves
Slow paced
Use of music
MacGuffin - Paranormal in Vertigo
Voyeurism - Scotty's stalking of Judy
Black comedy
Purposeful
Placement of objects - everything intentional
Cameo
Emasculated males - Scotty submissive to Midge, weak due to acrophobia
Themes of undeserved punishment (stems form childhood)
Plot line of films often relate to characters having psychological issues - Scotty's paranoia/delusion
Two types of Auteur - Thematically and Cinematically
Comparison of auteur trits between Scott and Hitchcock
Rachel a passively strong character, Priss and Zhora combatants, in comparison to debateably no strong characters in Vertigo
Vertigo Mise-en-scene - shot in studio vast majority of time, costume main focus of the last section but say nothing personal about them. Differs massively to Blade Runner, as each costume is unique
Both films have very active spectatorship - opinions on actions and motives of characters and over all themes
Concept that a filmmaker has such a distinctive style that they can be regarded as the 'author' of the film - it's down to them. And hat their style is so recognisable you can tell who made it without being told. In order to do this, the auteur must be someone which has direct control over the production, and has ouvre - a substantial body of work. They will have certain characteristics in their films that are consistent, e.g:
Aesthetics
Repeated themes
Crew (performers + crew)
Motif cinematography
Any film form features (mise en scene, cinematography, sound, editing)
Christopher Nolan
Favours non-linear narratives
Reuses actors
Wes Anderson
Reuses actors
High colour contrast
Symmetry
Steady cam
Unusual framing
Similar themes, settings
Quentin Tarantino
Use of music - late 60s-70s pop music
Excessive violence
Non-linear narrative
Expletives
Reuses actors
Ridley Scott
Strong female characters
Cutting away from violence - Often to 'seeing' - Woman on billboard, searchlights from blimp after Priss' death
Sci Fi
Realistic acting in unrealistic setting - Dialogue, attitude
Low key lighting, high contrast colour - Neon, umbrellas, woman looking billboard
Themes of humanity and identity
Isolated protagonist - Deckard (but only the Replicants aren't isolated in BR)
Long takes
Title card
Voyeurism - But to a more limited extent than Hitchcock - ie shots before entering eye shop
Alfred Hitchcock
Eccentric characterisations
Mystery and suspense via omniscient narrative - Finding out Judy/Madeline's true identity
Plays with audience nerves
Slow paced
Use of music
MacGuffin - Paranormal in Vertigo
Voyeurism - Scotty's stalking of Judy
Black comedy
Purposeful
Placement of objects - everything intentional
Cameo
Emasculated males - Scotty submissive to Midge, weak due to acrophobia
Themes of undeserved punishment (stems form childhood)
Plot line of films often relate to characters having psychological issues - Scotty's paranoia/delusion
Two types of Auteur - Thematically and Cinematically
Comparison of auteur trits between Scott and Hitchcock
Rachel a passively strong character, Priss and Zhora combatants, in comparison to debateably no strong characters in Vertigo
Vertigo Mise-en-scene - shot in studio vast majority of time, costume main focus of the last section but say nothing personal about them. Differs massively to Blade Runner, as each costume is unique
Both films have very active spectatorship - opinions on actions and motives of characters and over all themes
Friday, 4 May 2018
Vertigo Themes
Identity
Fake person, Scotty obsessed with them etc.
Psychological Orders
Scotty not sure what is real, vertigo all prisoners of own psychology
Sets up acrophobia as the theme
Appearances
Scotty seemed to be recovering, but was revealed he was always unstable since the opening scene. Supposed supernatural theme that turns out to be fake - things never what they seem, Scotty's opinion on the supernatural at the start.
Death
Seen as attractive and frightening, brushed over, not treated seriously
The death at end - holds no consequence
Supernatural
Fake theme - red herring. Still prevalent.
Ethereal glow when Judy dresses up as Madeline
Romance
Differs to normal, shows its a bad idea and only ends badly
Every relationship fails. We assume Scotty + Midge get together (close up shows she's interested)
Reality
Lots of Scotty's motivations based on a lie
Masculinity + Femininity
Flawed genders. Man has the weakness
Madge looks after Scotty not other way round. Women who aren't 'fallen' seen positively - Midge.
Guilt
Shown in all characters and develops plot
Scotty develops vertigo due to guilt and he says his problems come when remembers. Madeline confesses because of it
Obsession + Control
Everyone has control of someone else in a pyramid shape. None of it ends well. Once someone becomes obsessed they become the protagonist
Elster's control of Scotty and Judy, Judy's control of Scotty as Madeline, Scotty's control of Judy. In restaurant camera work hints that Madeline knows Scotty's watching. Scotty gradually becomes obsessed - line blurs between doing his job and stalking.
Music constant and dramatic/atmospheric
Performance overdramatic
Editing - loads of cross fades - all scene transitions are fades, loads of long takes
Fake person, Scotty obsessed with them etc.
Psychological Orders
Scotty not sure what is real, vertigo all prisoners of own psychology
Sets up acrophobia as the theme
Appearances
Scotty seemed to be recovering, but was revealed he was always unstable since the opening scene. Supposed supernatural theme that turns out to be fake - things never what they seem, Scotty's opinion on the supernatural at the start.
Death
Seen as attractive and frightening, brushed over, not treated seriously
The death at end - holds no consequence
Supernatural
Fake theme - red herring. Still prevalent.
Ethereal glow when Judy dresses up as Madeline
Romance
Differs to normal, shows its a bad idea and only ends badly
Every relationship fails. We assume Scotty + Midge get together (close up shows she's interested)
Reality
Lots of Scotty's motivations based on a lie
Masculinity + Femininity
Flawed genders. Man has the weakness
Madge looks after Scotty not other way round. Women who aren't 'fallen' seen positively - Midge.
Guilt
Shown in all characters and develops plot
Scotty develops vertigo due to guilt and he says his problems come when remembers. Madeline confesses because of it
Obsession + Control
Everyone has control of someone else in a pyramid shape. None of it ends well. Once someone becomes obsessed they become the protagonist
Elster's control of Scotty and Judy, Judy's control of Scotty as Madeline, Scotty's control of Judy. In restaurant camera work hints that Madeline knows Scotty's watching. Scotty gradually becomes obsessed - line blurs between doing his job and stalking.
Music constant and dramatic/atmospheric
Performance overdramatic
High
key colour, strange for the
genre
Mise-en-scene - shot in studio vast majority of time,
costume main focus of the last section but say nothing personal about
them (differs massively to Blade Runner)Editing - loads of cross fades - all scene transitions are fades, loads of long takes
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