Themes In Conceptual Film

The thematic ideas that are most interesting to me are the concept of beauty and race, clan, and class in art. To begin with the first of the two listed, I believe this concept is interesting due to its prominence in our society. Even outside of conventional art (paintings, drawings, etc.) the ideal standard of beauty is drilled into those within modern society. This is done through the media and due to the importance of mass communication in current times, most are aware of what is to be expected of one's physical appearance within society. This applies to what facial structures are deemed appealing, ideal body types, hair styles, and even clothing types all contribute to defining what is “beautiful”. As the article states, some ideas come and go which affects this concept. Beauty itself is interesting because the accentuation of what is currently attractive to society comes with mental, physical and emotional tolls on those who do not have such attributes. In fact, even those who fit within the “ideal” still struggle with insecurities. This is a concept I feel many would be able identify with and relate to, especially when told from various perspectives (different races, genders, etc). 

Furthermore, the concept of how race, clan, and class are depicted in art prove to be topics worthy of attention. Just like the overall standard of how one should present themselves, the portrayal of the latter has shifted throughout time. Some representations resonate with viewers due to accuracy, while some are merely offensive and poorly executed. Accurate and truly meaningful portrayals of these various groups seem to be sparse or simply difficult to find. This is a shame given that we live in a world where knowledge and higher level understanding can be discovered at the click of a button or the flip of a page.  It is largely important that stereotypes of these groups are shown to primarily be myth and, if not such,  historical explanations be provided for why this not so. Granted, while more positive ideas should be planted in the minds of society, this does not mean the struggles faced by those that fit into those categories must be sugar coated. Both of the themes I have chosen allow for many different ways they could be worked with to result in creating powerful, timeless messages.

Still Reflection

             

The still above from the film Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock is a visual representation of the many conclusions viewers can draw from the aforementioned film. Viewers are provided with the story of L.B. Jeffries, a man doomed to an unfortunate fate of being trapped in a wheelchair. The only activity he is now able to find pleasure in is observing the lives of his neighbors through his rear window. This scenario allows for an abundance of point of view shots. In turn, this makes those watching the film feel as if they are not only witnessing the main character indulge in this forbidden activity, but as if they are doing so as well. This still has much meaning as it largely represents the majority of Rear Window. Just by glancing at the image, different people can be seen within their homes engaging in various activities. While most would deem such a thing to be private, Rear Window seems to suggest that voyeurism can be used for good (if gone about in the right way, that is).

During L.B.'s adventures in people watching, in each of his neighbors there is something to be learned and, most likely, related to by the viewer. Will they see themselves in the newly-weds, madly in love and still in their honeymoon stage? Perhaps the dancer who seeks to find love with man after man, only to discover she’d had a lover had simply been away all along? Maybe Miss Lonely Heart, all by herself with no one to love and respect her – that is, until she takes the initiative to find someone by herself. The dynamic that each of these characters has with one another as neighbors is noteworthy. It says something about humans and human interaction: it is both peculiar all while entertaining, explaining why Jeffries is so intrigued. Each of these lives would carry on whether he was there to witness it or not: life is bigger than him and does not revolve around him. With that said, his interfering with the lives he observes affects each of his neighbors in a different manner. So, in that regard, that suggests that while life may not be all about Jeffries nor his companions Lisa and Stella, his actions do affect others. In this sense his intentions are good and justice is rightfully served. 

While this is so, it is horrifying to think what the outcome would have been had Jeffries been incorrect about Thorwald. Instinct is largely present within the film, although logic and reasoning are also used by characters in order to draw seemingly reasonable conclusions. This film raises the moral dilemma of witnessing something one shouldn't have and knowing it is not right, but not knowing whether or not to say something due to feeling it is "none of their business". The main characters struggle with this initially, but then proceed to take the time to do ample amounts of people watching to be certain. They improve the lives of others in the process and all is well by the end of the film, showing that Jeffries' indulging in such an act was used purely for good and not to ruin the many different lives shown within the still.

Avant Garde Critique Reflection

Design: Many principles of design were utilized within the film. For example, vertical lines, horizontal lines, unity, formal balance and leading lines. The use of a walkthrough made the ending scene seem more important in terms of the meaning of the film. Rack focus on the feet during the funeral scene also made the departure of the other guests more pleasing to the eye. Perhaps more movement of the camera on a tripod could have been used.

Technical: White balance does not seem to be an issue in this film and is thorough during the duration of the film. The overexposure at the end changes the lighting in a way that fits the film creating numerous conclusions for the viewer to draw. The use of the gray filter over the scenes that are memories allow them to be easily distinguished from other clips. If anything, the transitions could have been white to further support the idea of heaven and the afterlife present in the film. I am not sure at this point how I would do this exactly, but the overlay of Landon exiting his body could have been lined up better. I did so to the best of my ability, but this misaligned scene could suggest he was floating above his body. Even so, I would have prefer to at least have a preview of said editing.

Performance: The performance in this film made the overall theme more prevalent and perhaps unforgettable. Landon's acting in particular allows the movie to have a comedic element which is realistic considering my character was focusing on the happy memories. Even so, this makes the film more serious because it allows the viewer to come to understand why her friend had meant so much to her. For the crying scenes, more of a closeup could have been used so as to be more personal. Furthermore, a scene could have been included that hints or suggests how Landon could have died.

Avant Garde Film

With this film, there were many things that went well. Firstly, while our outline got changed a few times here and there, each of the things we decided to tweak turned out better than our original ideas. As a result of this, this film's camera movements and style in general appears much smoother and even perhaps professional than previous films. Each of the assigned shot types were utilized and incorporated to the best of our abilities. In terms of acting, the different range of emotions the actors had to portray went over successfully and, at times (namely during the memories), appear genuine. Even so, there were a few things that could have been improved. To name one of a few: I think more than one bokeh shot could have been used, preferably in color. In terms of editing, some of the transitions could have been smoother and the scene in which Landon has an out of body experience could have had better layering. Along with this, aspect ratio ( the proportional relationship between its width and its height ) was used so as to make sure that the recording used fit properly upon the screen. Fortunately, I did not experience any issues with this throughout the filming or editing process.

Film Analysis Reading Summary

         In the chapter assigned the ability to interpret meaning through film analysis is discussed. Firstly, film analysis is the act of breaking a film down into component parts to see how it is put together. There are three different types of statements regarding the varying types of meaning that can be discovered when analyzing a film. Descriptive claims are the first type and are the easiest to find. This type of statement entails detailing plot events in order - by doing this, a summary of a film can be formed. They can also include how the audio contributes to the meaning of the film and identify allusions and references to other works. Interpretive claims are more complex than the first type, for they allow the analyzer to form an argument regarding why and how the film hows the meaning discovered. Even so, evidence and details within the film must be provided for a claim of this sort to be deemed suitable. Any claims of this type must also analyze all aspects of the film such as: abstract ideas, themes, and motifs. To put it simply, interpretive claims are arguments that include all elements in order to solidify the statement. Evaluative claims seek to determine the author's feelings regarding a film. As with the latter claim, evidence within the film must be provided to support this but must be much more careful since opinion is to be included.

Short History of Silent Film

 Star Wars(1977 - 2015 ) & Metropolis (1927)

Visual

Audio

Clip of sets within both movies, namely the buildings Comparison of C3PO and the robotic Hel Creation scene of Hel Clip of C3PO explaining how Anakin created him  Metropolis clip followed by Star Wars clip

Narration: It is no surprise any films of today pay homage to a number of works belonging to older eras. A film that does just this (in regards to the silent era in particular) is Star Wars, as director George Lucas has included many (deliberate) connections that can be made to the 1927 movie entitled Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang. Comparisons between the two works can be made right down to the sets – high rise buildings are present in both the city of Metropolis and the city-planet of Coruscant in Star Wars. Furthermore, between these structures are mazes of buildings with space lanes full of flying cars, each traveling in neat rows. Aside from the choice of such a design, even the color palette for the black-and-white silent film is similar to Coruscant’s, with the exception of the flourish of colored lights. Another prominent connection to be made is the importance Rotwang’s right hand. Rotwang, the inventor of the Maria’s clone (the Robot similar to C3PO), has a mechanical right hand that is constantly covered by a black glove. The similarity to be made is the history of C3PO and Anakin Skywalker, especially considering, the motif of the black glove is present throughout the entirety of the Star Wars saga. The thematic thesis of Metropolis is also utilized throughout Star Wars. The people and machines are the hands of society, and the upper-class serves as the mind in the equation. Unless there is a mediator of both worlds to provide the heart, tyranny ensues.

Works Cited: 

" Star Wars Connections/Flashback with C3PO and R2D." YouTube. Web. 5 March. 2016.

 "The Cinema Behind Star Wars: Metropolis | StarWars.com." StarWars.com. 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.

Montage Summary.

       Montage is a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. The term has been used in various contexts. It was introduced to cinema primarily by and early Soviet directors used it as a synonym for creative editing. In France the word "montage" means cutting. The term "montage sequence" has been used primarily by British and American studios.

       The montage sequence is usually used to suggest the passage of time, rather than to create symbolic meaning as it does in Soviet montage theory.