What our aim was: Our aim was to plan and produce a successful 3-5 minute film clip which could take any form whether in be a scene from a film or a film opening. We chose to do a film opening as we believe they are the easiest way in which to show off our skills as we our able to incorporate titles and music to make the clip a lot more successful and just simply more professional looking. We chose to do a chase sequence in our clip, as these are often very dramatic and provide tension but we also believed that this idea would allow us to showcase our skills. The chase would be on foot, with two people, and so once we had decided this we began to do or research. We watched several chase sequences on YouTube from all different genres of film and television series. For example James Bod movies and (tv prog one), however, in my opinion the most helpful clip that we watched was one which a past student had created himself from his homemade novice titled 'Oscar'. This allowed us to see what we were actually capable of as it was a small scale production, not a Hollywood film with millions of pounds behind it.
Cohesive conventions that we picked from all the chase sequences that we watched.
On comp at school.
My main focus in the production: Camera shots.
Relate to our research and the shots used in these such as tracking shots, POV shots and running towards the chase as they run the other way which creates a dramatic effect and more speed. Say why these shots were used and what effect they had for the audience and their emotional response.
Spectator theory
Framing of shots to create a variation when watching, not all the same with the action in the centre. Also focused on shot framing as we wanted to be able to add titles on once in the editing stage so has to leave room for this in the shot.
Mention Ethan's role which was editing. Say how I also pitched in on this role, often dictating my ideas to which then Ethan would successfully carry out, such as the freeze frames plus titles shots for a burst of tension for the audience.
What was successful and unsuccessful. Talk about how the snow delayed out filming.
ROSIE JONES A2 FILM STUDIES BLOG
Monday 15 April 2013
Wednesday 7 November 2012
SPIRALS IN VERTIGO
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake. " Alfred Hitchcock
Throughout Vertigo there is a reoccuring motif of Spirals, starting from spirals in the opening credits, to even having spirals on the movie posters. The spiral is the structuring motiff of the film, the key, is the spiral. Like I previouslt said, we see it in the titles, the way the policeman falls, the twist of hair, the tower, the steps, the journey in the car, even the repeated music. The music is endless and consists of cords that are never resolved or melodic.
Why the spiral? The spiral is an unstable alternative to the circle, as if the centre won't hold, suggesting that the film has no centre.
Throughout Vertigo there is a reoccuring motif of Spirals, starting from spirals in the opening credits, to even having spirals on the movie posters. The spiral is the structuring motiff of the film, the key, is the spiral. Like I previouslt said, we see it in the titles, the way the policeman falls, the twist of hair, the tower, the steps, the journey in the car, even the repeated music. The music is endless and consists of cords that are never resolved or melodic.
Why the spiral? The spiral is an unstable alternative to the circle, as if the centre won't hold, suggesting that the film has no centre.
VERTIGO
RELEASED: 1958
DIRECTOR: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
DIRECTOR: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
LEAD ROLES: James Stewart and Kim Novak
TYPE OF WORK: Full-length film
GENRE: Mystery/Suspense
LANGUAGE: English
PRODCUTION TIME & PLACE ·
1957; Los Angeles
RELAEASE DATE: 1958
SETTING: San Francisco
PROTAGONIST: Scottie Ferguson
MAJOR CONFLICT: Scottie cannot accept the death of Madeleine and struggles
to re-create her in another woman who, unbeknownst to him, was behind
Madeleine’s death.
RISING ACTION: Scottie gradually descends into madness as he falls
in love with Madeleine, loses her to an apparent suicide, and then
attempts to recreate her in Judy.
climax · The world of illusion Scottie has created for himself
is permanently shattered when he discovers that Judy had duped him
by playing the role of Madeleine and faking a suicide as part of
a plot to murder the real Madeleine Elster.
falling action · In an effort to free himself from the acrophobia and
romantic delusions that led him to this point, Scottie drags Judy/Madeleine to
the scene of the crime at the top of the bell tower; Judy confesses
to the crime and falls to her death when she is startled by the
shadowy figure of a nun.
THEMES: Death as both attractive and frightening; the impenetrable nature
of appearances; the folly of romantic delusion
MOTIFS: Power and freedom; tunnels and corridors; bouquets
of flowers, spirals
SYMBOLS: Sequoia trees; the color green
Tuesday 18 September 2012
RASHOMON
How does Rashomon represent National Identity?
The events in Rashomon are set in the 12th century, but
used to showcase some very contemporary questions
about the basic nature of humans. I believe that Rashomon has a lot of links and similarities to Japan at the time of production and represents Japanese nation identity in plenty of ways.
Firstly, it
could be argued that the opening scenes of wreckage and damage of the Shinto temple due to the
storm are representative of the devastation which followed World War
II. Furthermore, the dialogue of the characters could be intended to
reflect the mood in the country after the defeat. For example; the
repetition of phrases like "I don't understand" might have
connotations of the shock of surrendering and being invaded, when
surrender was recognised as repulsive and abhorrent in Japanese culture.
A further
influence the occupation had on Japan was an emerging youth culture
which embraced American ideas, but also exaggerated parts of the
culture and behaved in ways thought to be hedonistic. The Bandit could
be intended to represent the youth movement because he acts only on
hedonism and does not consider consequences: for instance, "I knew
I had to have her…" is the reason he gives for raping vulnerable The Wife. He has no social restraints and in
his narrative in particular the film language has connotations of him
being an adventurer, for example the scenes of him running through
the forest are accompanied by music which could be associated with
dramatic moments in action films. Therefore he may be intended to
represent the ideals taken up by the youth culture during the
occupation. Furthermore, the rape could represent the exploitation and corruption brought about
after the War during the American occupation, with reports of rape by
occupying American soldiers on Japanese women still fresh in the memory of the national audience.
Regardless of his actions, in the Bandits version of events (especially in comparison to the Wifes' story) he is portrayed as more likeable character, almost to the point of becoming the protagonist. For example during the dramatic sword fight with the husband the audience find themselves supporting the Bandit.
The husband could be intended to represent the older and
more traditional culture, which could suggest that the young are
represented as destroying the old values and ideologies.
Furthermore, the bandit is self-destructive himself; he does not try to avoid
being hanged in the scene in the prison courtyard, and although he
acts only on what he wants, he is unsatisfied. In the woodcutter's
second narrative he admits to the Wife, "I took you, but now I want
you all the more." This may suggest that the youth movement is also
being represented as self destructive. This idea is re-enforced in the final scene when a baby is discovered in the Temple, which could be seen to represent new life, new beginnings and new Japan. One man is willing to steal from
it and leave it to die and another is willing to nurture it and look
after it as he heads away from the Shinto gate that represents the old
traditional values of Japan and heads in a new direction.
The narrative structure leaves no solid conclusion, only relative truth as there is no real protagonist which leaves doubt as to who the good guys/bad guys are.Which is a similar idea to the relationship between Japan and America, where it is open to interpretation who the 'enemy' is - especially in regards to Hiroshima where Japan had almost completely lost the war but were still attacked with the Atom Bomb and devastated the entire country for many years to come.
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