Alright! Let's do some Shots! NO, not those kinds of shots, Films shots! (It's not the weekend yet kids!)
Today, in class we spoke about the importance of shots and frame. Ever since we discussed this in fiction field 1, a year ago (time flies), I've payed closer attention to the films I watch and I note the placement of the characters. Sometimes, it helps me understand a little better of what's going on in the film. Have you ever watched a film where you were completely lost? Most people at that point shut it off and never return. I try harder to understand, I like to give em' a chance! They could explain everything later! Anyways, I found sometimes I'll try to interoperate the choice of the camera position, movement or even the placement of props, or the placement of the character's themselves.
In the shot above, The camera frame shows you exactly what the character is looking at, it also shows through camera angle how much bigger this creature is in comparison to the character, possibly imposing a threat. The fact that it's raining makes it harder for the character to run and hide, it gives us a symbolic sense of nature's wrath, unfortunate events etc.
This shot is much less distressing! I would interpret this shot to mean that these character's are getting closer either as friends or as lovers. Judging by the closeness of their bodies and given other cliche shots like this, I would bet that their next action is that they look at each other intimately.
For this shot I suppose you could say the same. Again it's very close and intimate. There's a feeling of safety even in a dangerous position. The expressions of the characters are a combination of amazement and admiration.
Another concept we were touching upon when talking about the way people used to watch film and the way we progressed from where we came from, is the concept that Hitchcock called the Kuleshov effect!
There is also an importance to not letting anything foreign be in the photograph. Set decorating is VERY important. Last year on the Market our art department team made a character who was a religious freak and very uptight person with very intense secrets. We transformed a girl's room from a girly bed room in to a dark, organized, bedroom with a ton of religious symbols everywhere. It looked like an ENTIRELY different place when we got through with it and if you pick the right people to do it, it really doesn't take too long. Here's an example of a set that was designed in the french film OSS 117: Lost in Rio:
The film takes place in the 60's and as you can see, nothing here is out of place or misrepresenting even though the movie was made in 2009! Not one thing in this frame is out of context nor is it distracting. You want things (props, set dec., etc.) to be appropriate but not distracting. I think this room sets up a mood of the scene as well as being absorbing/ believable.
I have more to talk about but I'll save it for next week! Hope you all enjoy the rest of the week!
I think the one of the most important aspects in a film is sound, especially music. Music can either destroy your project or help enhance. It can also add certain feelings and emotions to a scene. One of the biggest mistakes that we as filmmakers often make is adding music just to add music on our projects. If the score you choose does not fit your idea or concept, the final result may look cheesy and weird. That's why I think that the director and the music director have to work together to combine film and music together to create a master piece. I think that one of the greatest movie's composer of this era is Michael Giacchino. The man is a genius. He can literally make you feel happiness and sadness with just one song. He has composed for TV shows like Lost and Alias. He also made the scoring for movies like Ratatouille, Up, Star Trek and Super 8. I just love that all the music that he composes tell a story along with the movie. It is absolutely amazing. One of the greatest example in how music and film sync in perfection is in this montage from the movie Up, where Giacchino literally brings the audience from one extreme to another in terms of emotions.
Bur my favorite Giacchino's song is actually the "Main theme" of movie Ratatouille. I feel that this song depicts the main message of Ratatouille. it just fits perfectly with the movie. Also the instruments used by Giacchino remind me of Paris, and French culture.
Giacchino also composed one of my favorite TV shows of all time, Lost. With its music he added suspense and drama to the show. Every fan of the show would recognize this next song used composed for Lost.
Finally I think that everyone should keep this post in mind, and really think the kind of feelings you want to transmit to your audience when choosing the score for your short film.
My all time favorite television show is Lost and I am currently re watching it from the beginning. For anyone that hasn't watched it, every season is available on Netflix instant watch so you have no excuse. I can remember back to 2004-2005 when the show had just begun and having to download episodes off of Itunes for the brand new Ipod Video. We've come a long way. For the Lost haters out there I'd like to let you know that as I see the episodes for a second or third time it just reconfirms to me how powerful the show actually is, so go watch Glee or something and leave me alone.
Anyway I recently watched episode 7 of Lost season 1, it is titled "The Moth". The whole episode deals with two of my favorite characters in the series; John Locke, a once wannabe adventurer and an armchair general restricted by a spinal injury who has all his dreams fulfilled on the island, and Charlie, a church boy turned rock star who has always been in the shadow of his older brother and turned to heroin as a crutch.
The characters of Lost have just found freshwater and a series of caves on the island, two resources they needed dearly, shelter and freshwater. Also in the cave is a small chunk of the survivors downed plane with more supplies they may need. Locke and Charlie both volunteer to stay and survey the caves for two very different reasons. Charlie wants to be able to use the very little heroin he has left in peace, and Locke wants to "get to know Charlie better". But the wise Locke knows Charlie uses drugs and wants to break him of his addiction.
Every time Charlie goes to use his heroin Locke interrupts him warning that the jungle is dangerous and he shouldn't venture off. Eventually Locke confronts Charlie and convinces him to hand over his drugs in exchange for Locke to search for Charlie's guitar, which he misses being a rocker. Being an addict Charlie starts going through terrible withdrawal and asks for his drugs back. Locke tells Charlie to have faith and that if he wants his guitar back from the island Charlie is going to have to give the island something. So he agrees and Locke points up to the sky, where you see a guitar case trapped in a tree. Locke also tells Charlie that if he asks him three times for his drugs back he will return them.
The second time Charlie asks for his drugs is what is in this video I have added.
I found these quotes very powerful and inspirational. The moth metaphor is very clever. I thought it must have been said before, or at least a reference to something. But after scouring the internet I could not find a quote just like the one in this clip. Good job Lost writers. But what I did find that I believe is more powerful and intelligent than remixing scenes from other television shows or movies, is the similarities between the philosopher John Locke and the character in Lost of the same name. We owe John Locke respect because many crucial decisions in the Declaration of Independence were based on the 17th century philosopher. He has several quotes that I believe the writers of Lost used to come up with this piece of dialogue.
"It is one thing to show a man that his in an error, and another to put him possession of the truth."
A drug addict does not believe he is in the wrong, especially someone addicted to heroin. Even if he knows he is wrong he still needs his fix. But to show him the truth by explaining how giving up drugs will make him a stronger individual, a strong moth, could fix the issue.
"To prejudge other men's notions before we have looked into them is not to show their darkness but to put out our own eyes."
You learn later the extent of Locke's own pain before he was on the island, but I won't spoil that for you. I will just assure you it is way more intense than a drug addiction.
"What worries you, masters you."
As all the other survivors are panicking, demanding drugs, starving, dehydrated, wounded, consumed by fear, Locke is chilling there cutting up his fresh kill, the happiest he's ever been. He has faith, no worries, he is his own master.
I admit I need to watch a lot more old television and movies to get the references that are brought up in class that influence all modern day media. But I find it refreshing that Lost goes very big with its references. It draws from philosophers, scientists, multiple religions, as well as classic tales.
