I, Robot trailer 2004
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL6RRIOZyCM
Something about when a character looks right into the lens, makes you as a viewer feel the emotion and the intimidation of what the film is trying to portray to you. Not only does it make you as the viewer feel like something is about to happen, but it also makes you feel as if the character is going to reach out and grab you. An example of this is within the film 'I, Robot'. The human characters within this film do not particularly look down the lens, but the robots in this does. I feel like what the film illustrates by having the robots look right down the lens, is a sense of having no emotion and being non-human. When watching TV shows, there is often a pattern that is seen with characters that are not human, and that is when they look right down the lens. It feels as if they are coming to get you as the viewer. And filmmakers obviously make that choice to do exactly that. They want a specific reaction from the audience depending on the genre of the film. There is also a feeling of chaos when the robots look into the camera. It is like when something comes up to you and they are angry and look you right in the eyes. There is something that isn't right and you feel unsafe in that particular situation. Even within the trailer of this film, the eyes say it all. The anger and the emotion that the robots have to destroy humans is very strong, ironic considering they are not supposed to feel anything. The difference is that these robots have the capacity to feel, and you can see that in the changing of colour that each robot has when going through the film. Of course the ones who do look into the lens that are human are usually psychopathic. This again is used by filmmakers to ensure that the audience know what the person/thing is thinking and the path that they go on reflects within their eyes. It is a great trick that everyone filmmaker uses to portray that psychotic side of the story, because of course it is all in the eyes.
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Thresholds - Being intimate
My Sister's Keeper trailer 2009
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiOWevDj1mw
There is something about watching a film in the cinemas that allows you to feel every single emotion of each and every character. Watching films in a theater is one of the most greatest experiences. The film almost moves through you. It is like you are in the film with the characters. But nowadays watching films in the cinema is slowly dying. It is not completely dying, and I believe that it will never go away but it is quite sad how people do not go to the cinema as much as they use to. An experience that I have encountered is watching the film 'My sister's keeper' in cinemas when it came out. When I watched it for the first time it was something that just hit me. The film itself was so beautiful that I could not let it go. I watched the film again in cinemas and it was exactly as it was the first time I watched it. When the film became available on DVD I had to purchase it. But the experience of watching the film at home was so different compared to in the cinemas. It wasn't because I had watched it again, but because the experience felt different I did not react the same way as I did when I watched it in cinemas. Watching films in the cinema feels as if there is a particular relationship you have with the film. Because the screen is large, and the sounds are surrounding you, you feel as if the film is speaking to you and you alone. When watching it on DVD on the television, there is a certain amount of distance, and the experience isn't as intimate as it was in the cinema, but when watching something from your laptop and having the headphones in can be a totally different experience to the cinema and the television. When you have the laptop, your headphones, and you are tucked up in bed, there is a completely different sense of intimacy because this is much more intimate. Everything is closer, you are more comfortable, you can hear everything so much clearer and there are no interruptions. Depending on what you are watching the film can be taken in a completely different way. I tried watching 'My sister's keeper' on the laptop and I cried just as much as I did in the cinema. It is the sense of a 'close encounter' with the film that affects how to react to certain aspects on the film. Watching films in an environment that you are use too is something that connects to everyone because of the fact you are comfortable with who you are with, where you are and what film you are watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiOWevDj1mw
There is something about watching a film in the cinemas that allows you to feel every single emotion of each and every character. Watching films in a theater is one of the most greatest experiences. The film almost moves through you. It is like you are in the film with the characters. But nowadays watching films in the cinema is slowly dying. It is not completely dying, and I believe that it will never go away but it is quite sad how people do not go to the cinema as much as they use to. An experience that I have encountered is watching the film 'My sister's keeper' in cinemas when it came out. When I watched it for the first time it was something that just hit me. The film itself was so beautiful that I could not let it go. I watched the film again in cinemas and it was exactly as it was the first time I watched it. When the film became available on DVD I had to purchase it. But the experience of watching the film at home was so different compared to in the cinemas. It wasn't because I had watched it again, but because the experience felt different I did not react the same way as I did when I watched it in cinemas. Watching films in the cinema feels as if there is a particular relationship you have with the film. Because the screen is large, and the sounds are surrounding you, you feel as if the film is speaking to you and you alone. When watching it on DVD on the television, there is a certain amount of distance, and the experience isn't as intimate as it was in the cinema, but when watching something from your laptop and having the headphones in can be a totally different experience to the cinema and the television. When you have the laptop, your headphones, and you are tucked up in bed, there is a completely different sense of intimacy because this is much more intimate. Everything is closer, you are more comfortable, you can hear everything so much clearer and there are no interruptions. Depending on what you are watching the film can be taken in a completely different way. I tried watching 'My sister's keeper' on the laptop and I cried just as much as I did in the cinema. It is the sense of a 'close encounter' with the film that affects how to react to certain aspects on the film. Watching films in an environment that you are use too is something that connects to everyone because of the fact you are comfortable with who you are with, where you are and what film you are watching.
Framing - The Lake House
The Lake House Trailer 2006
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V02lqEpbk2Y
The way a film is framed is extremely important to how the story progresses and what the story illustrates. Within the film 'The Lake House' the framing is obviously surrounded by a house on a lake. The most fascinating thing about the way the lake house is framed is that it is empty for most of the film, and has windows surrounding the entire house, making it almost see through. Between the two main characters, they use the lake house to communicate to each other from different ends of time. The house itself is like another character. The house has life, it has been loved, it is lonely, it has suffered loss, and it is empty. These emotions from the house itself reflect onto its owners which bind the two together. Both characters played by Keanu Reevs and Saundra Bullock, are the same as the house. The two both are alone but the house provides that love that they both need. Like the house you can always see the characters emotions and how they are feeling because it is always out there in the open. Within the film there are shots of each character with the house by themselves. The house is providing them with comfort but also allowing them to feel the emotions of being alone in the world. The placement of the house reflects how isolated each character feels, because it is in the middle of the country with no other houses around it. The house is framed as something that both character cannot let go because it connects them to something bigger than themselves. At the end of the film when the two finally unite, there is a single shot of the lake house using a mid shot. What this is portraying is the two characters moving on from what they thought they needed and wanting it to be real, into finally something that is real that they can both continue on with. The framing of the filming goes beyond the house itself, and moves into life away from the lake house. This is where the characters begin to feel lost because they do not have that sense of security from when they were both connected to each other. There are multiple shots within the film that show both characters doing the same thing in different times on the same day. This illustrates the sameness that the characters have, and when doing certain actions it reminds them both of each other and the lake house. The framing of this film is extremely well done, and connects to the audience by pulling the heart strings and showing how everyone can be alone, but there is always something that you can go back to in order to feel something again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V02lqEpbk2Y
The way a film is framed is extremely important to how the story progresses and what the story illustrates. Within the film 'The Lake House' the framing is obviously surrounded by a house on a lake. The most fascinating thing about the way the lake house is framed is that it is empty for most of the film, and has windows surrounding the entire house, making it almost see through. Between the two main characters, they use the lake house to communicate to each other from different ends of time. The house itself is like another character. The house has life, it has been loved, it is lonely, it has suffered loss, and it is empty. These emotions from the house itself reflect onto its owners which bind the two together. Both characters played by Keanu Reevs and Saundra Bullock, are the same as the house. The two both are alone but the house provides that love that they both need. Like the house you can always see the characters emotions and how they are feeling because it is always out there in the open. Within the film there are shots of each character with the house by themselves. The house is providing them with comfort but also allowing them to feel the emotions of being alone in the world. The placement of the house reflects how isolated each character feels, because it is in the middle of the country with no other houses around it. The house is framed as something that both character cannot let go because it connects them to something bigger than themselves. At the end of the film when the two finally unite, there is a single shot of the lake house using a mid shot. What this is portraying is the two characters moving on from what they thought they needed and wanting it to be real, into finally something that is real that they can both continue on with. The framing of the filming goes beyond the house itself, and moves into life away from the lake house. This is where the characters begin to feel lost because they do not have that sense of security from when they were both connected to each other. There are multiple shots within the film that show both characters doing the same thing in different times on the same day. This illustrates the sameness that the characters have, and when doing certain actions it reminds them both of each other and the lake house. The framing of this film is extremely well done, and connects to the audience by pulling the heart strings and showing how everyone can be alone, but there is always something that you can go back to in order to feel something again.
Stimulating Visuals
DI-RECT - Still Life Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4beFopPC1NU
When you come across something that is hard to look away, something that is technically appealing and emotionally engaging nothing is as satisfying as continuing on with the journey of the film or video. The video Still Life by DI-RECT is a stop motion music video that follows the emotions and journey of one character. What is most appealing about this video is that it is stop motion. Something about the frame work and the different look that stop motion has compare to normal video stimulates our brains into becoming so much more interested within the piece. Not only when looking upon this video that you think 'wow there must be so many images gone through this', but the amount of effort and detail that is surrounding this one characters journey. The only character within the video is a young female, and she is positioned in the center representing the importance of her development throughout the music video. The emotions of the character are illustrated not only within the facial expressions but the change of pace of the background. The colours and the pace of the music video give a certain edge to stop motion because it allows the viewer to see the life that comes along with photos made into video. The journey of the character creates an emotion stimulation, allowing the audience to connect with her. The visuals of a film or a music video are essential to grab the audience, especially the style of the work because it determines if the audience want to continue watching, or not bother. One of the special things about stop motion is that you get to see every single frame within the one video. Watching every single frame makes it so much more appealing to the eyes, because it is something different from watching films in cinema that aren't in every frame. There is a consistency with the style of stop motion, no matter what you watch. Depending on the content it can be something that blows your mind, or something that is basic but still fun to watch because of the techniques used.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4beFopPC1NU
When you come across something that is hard to look away, something that is technically appealing and emotionally engaging nothing is as satisfying as continuing on with the journey of the film or video. The video Still Life by DI-RECT is a stop motion music video that follows the emotions and journey of one character. What is most appealing about this video is that it is stop motion. Something about the frame work and the different look that stop motion has compare to normal video stimulates our brains into becoming so much more interested within the piece. Not only when looking upon this video that you think 'wow there must be so many images gone through this', but the amount of effort and detail that is surrounding this one characters journey. The only character within the video is a young female, and she is positioned in the center representing the importance of her development throughout the music video. The emotions of the character are illustrated not only within the facial expressions but the change of pace of the background. The colours and the pace of the music video give a certain edge to stop motion because it allows the viewer to see the life that comes along with photos made into video. The journey of the character creates an emotion stimulation, allowing the audience to connect with her. The visuals of a film or a music video are essential to grab the audience, especially the style of the work because it determines if the audience want to continue watching, or not bother. One of the special things about stop motion is that you get to see every single frame within the one video. Watching every single frame makes it so much more appealing to the eyes, because it is something different from watching films in cinema that aren't in every frame. There is a consistency with the style of stop motion, no matter what you watch. Depending on the content it can be something that blows your mind, or something that is basic but still fun to watch because of the techniques used.
Tuesday, 10 May 2016
Body and Senses Refigured
Waltz Duet:
Animation and the digital age of film is such a huge part of
the evolution of life, and the creation of something that hasn’t been seen
before to people of the era of black and white, silent films etc. Animation is
something that is fairly new to the world of film, but it is also not so new at
the same time. Animation brings the little characters we play in our minds as
children or even as adults and gives a whole new life to what we think, or even
how we think. Animation is such a powerful medium because it can be shown to
all audiences and can impact them in a way where other film mediums or styles
cannot. This short animated film ‘Waltz Duet’ is not only cinematically
beautiful, but the meaning and message behind it is bigger than the animation
itself. That is what I think animation does best, is that it allows that
emotion to crawl within to your thoughts, and sink in. For some reason no
matter how good a film maybe or powerful it is, sometimes it never stands up to
the emotion that an animation can give. With animation it can tell a story in
such a small amount of time. Not only that but it has such detail and can tell
a story without anything but visuals and sound, no dialogue necessary. This
animation in particular gives the message that no matter who you are you should
accept yourself for what you are, and not care about what other think of you.
It also gives the message that you should not judge people on their appearance,
but on who they are as people. Animations such as these from The CGBROS are
what I love about this medium. It takes something so simple, and turns it into
something beautiful and has a deep meaning behind it, which can connect to
children and adults alike. Everything in the background, to the facial features
to the look of the characters are in such a wonderful detail, that grabs you
more into the story of these sisters. Whilst watching this, my body began to
crouch down a little bit when one of the sisters is feeling sad because she
feels insecure. Because I know what it feels like to be insecure about my
appearance my body reacted the same way the character did, and how I may react
myself in real life to certain people if they were to look at me the same way.
It has such a huge sense of humanity to it because it is coming from such a raw
emotional bank that is tucked away and is expressed through animation.
Mind and Body
Until Dawn (Game) play through playlist:
Mind game films are always something that allow us to think
about certain things in life, but we mostly just leave thinking "What the
heck did I just watched?" Watching a mind game film is so much less
intense than actually playing a video game that is meant to leave you puzzled.
The difference is with video games you can go back and replay things until you
figure everything out. An amazing example of graphics, story and a sense of
'mind fuck' (excuse the language) is the game Until Dawn. Not only is the
acting amazing in this, the story provides gamer's with something that leaves
them wondering how everything came about. The story of the game is nine friends
who go up to their friend’s cabin up in the woods. The gang play a trick on one
of the twins, and she runs out as her twin sister follows her and they are
never to be seen again. A year later their brother Josh invites the gang back
to the cabin to commemorate his sisters disappearance, but when they go up
there the second time, things become extremely strange and their lives are in
danger. Within the game you have to choose what to do, and you have to tell the
truth in certain part of the game when it comes to your fears. This is where
the game becomes terrifyingly interesting, because whatever choice you pick in
the different times of the game, it affects the game completely, like a
butterfly affect. You have to find different pieces to find the truth but the
more you find the more complicated the game becomes. Most of the time you have
to choose to save your friends or keep yourself alive, but you don’t know,
especially when playing for the first time what is the right choice to make.
The game allows you to really get into a deeper part of yourself that you may
have never known. The game continues to be more of a mind fuck as it gets to
the middle of the game where the choices get harder. There is also a
psychiatrist, who is extremely creepy, and every time the game revisits him
something is different about his office. Like with mind game films, it allows
you to think outside the box, or think about your own mortality or humanity. As
the story becomes more complicated your mind begins to wonder and feel much
more uneasy. This game feels very much like a film in the way you are carried
along within the story line and you get to see the different perceptions of the
different characters.
Acoustics and Space
Scott Pilgrim vs The World Soundtrack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmH4JFlUaEM&list=PL5C9DEBC406C2EF26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmH4JFlUaEM&list=PL5C9DEBC406C2EF26
Film soundtracks, if done well are one of the main reasons
why I go back to watch a film. If the soundtrack itself has caught my attention
then it is definitely a film that will stay in my mind until I watch it again.
When I revisit a film and hear those particular songs, it gives me more joy
watching and listening to the film, then when I did the first time. It is that
sense of nostalgia. A soundtrack that always come to mind when we talk about
ones that we will never forget is Scott Pilgrim vs The World. When I first
watched Scott Pilgrim vs The World it was in Screen and Sound 1 and I was
extremely excited to watch it because it was something I always wanted to see,
but I never got to see it. I sat in the front row of the theatre and when the
opening titles came in when the band was playing I instantly felt a sense of
excitement. I felt my body move up in my seat and my eyes were wide open. Not
only did the visuals tell the story within this film, but the soundtrack is
obviously the biggest part. Never within a film had that I have not yet
seen have I been so excited to watch it from beginning to end. Sometimes when I
watch a film there are parts where it gets slow and I begin to get
disinterested, but with Scott Pilgrim vs The World the soundtrack kept me on
the edge of my feet, in terms of wanting to watch and hear more songs. When I
watched the behind the scenes to Scott Pilgrim, I found out it was very
carefully crafted, and each of the actors had to learn their part, if they did
not already know how to sing or play and instrument. Because I am a huge rock
fan, the songs in this really connected with me, and how it played out
throughout the film, not only that but when I watched/listened to some of the
songs play out within the film, it actually began to give me chills, because it
was so good. It was definitely an experience that allowed me to be engulfed by
the film itself. The image on the screen and the sound were so perfect together
that it just took me to the world of Scott Pilgrim. There wasn’t a moment were
I got taken out of the film and back into my own thoughts. Not only did the
soundtrack make a huge impact, but the sound effects when it came to the battle
scenes were incredible as well. Whenever the battle scenes came up, I knew that
it was going to be awesome because of how it played out with the visual and
sound effects. Watching it in the theatre definitely made a huge impact on how
I watched the film, because I got to experience the film instead of just
watching it. It felt as if I was a part of the film.
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