Class Notes for Wednesday January 17, 2001

To begin class questions about last class were called for:

Q:  Do we need specific examples in essays or just use general knowledge to answer the questions?

A:  Because you are allowed to bring notes any other outside material to an essay you need to use specific examples.

 *Notes are condensed from what the book says

 Today’s Topic: 

How films communicate to us.

·        Visually

·        Audibly

 Visual Aspect of Communication

·        Camera

o       Movement

o       Angle

Example:  Sesame Street: When Elmo runs near and far from the camera.

 In the early stage of cinema two uses of camera:

·        Turn on the camera and shoot

·        Move around and capture angles

          Examples: Dancer in the Dark

                                     Blairwitch Project

                                      Dogma 95

 What is in front of the camera is Mise en scene. This also describes how things are placed and position.

Example: Showing marital problems by never showing the two in the same frame or always keeping the two characters far apart from each other.

Movement:  Position enhances importance.

Example: Movement of people in front of the camera and in and out of scenes.

Framing: Very Important!

·       Answer the question “How is visual being given to us?”

·       Closed frame: Only what is on the camera exists

 Depth:

·       Important because film is two dimentional

·       Sometimes utilize a flat space

·       Bring us into a feeling of depth

 Lighting: Necessary

·     Through examples we have found out that lighting is necessary to make the film understandable and enjoyable.

·     Types: From front, from back, create shadows, have key light (clean and crisp)

    Example:  Blairwitch Project

 Sound:

·       Comes in two forms: music and dialogue

·       Can be off screen or on screen

·       Necessary         

·       Off Screen Types: background, mood, people in the movie world do not hear it.

·       On Screen Music: We do not have to see the source of music but the people in the movie can hear it.

·       Bleeding Music: It is made part of the set.  The audience hears it first then the source becomes part of the set.

·       In someone’s head: The audience hears it and that one person hears it but no one else can hear it.  This type of music is not on or off stage music.

Sound effects

·       Sometimes exaggerated

·       The expectations of the audience drive the director to create powerful sound effects.

Example: Making a gun shot louder to meet the expectations of the viewers.

Voice:

·       Monologue

·       Dialogue

·       Narrator may be used to throw the audience off track.

·       Someone in the scene may be the narrator.

CONTENT

What can the camera see?

·       Common objects: faces

·       Violence: part of the movie industry; visually exciting

·       Clothes: Can tell about the period of the movie

o       Can also give evidence to poor, rich, evil, pure, etc.

Example: NYPD Blue

Other content topics:

·       Emotion

·       History

·       Icons

·       Language

·       Nudity

·       Objects

·       Music

·       Cultural References

·       Tone

Class Question

Q:  Was music produced like it is now for the older movies?

A:  Songs were composed specifically for that specific movie.  Famous artist were used to bring publicity to the movie.

Start watching film clips:

1.     The Untouchables 1987

Intentional reference to the Odessa Step scene.  Makes extreme reference to the baby in the carriage.

2.     Brazil

Another reference back to the Odessa Step scene.  More of a look at people verses power and government.

3.     The Eclipse Michelangelo Antonioni 1962

Start with a breakup:  use of silence, looks, expressions, and movement.  Framing indicates separation.

4.     Diva Beineix late 1980’s

Took French film industries and gave a renewed face.  Differences between European and Hollywood film industries disappear in Diva.  Even without dialogue we can t ell something is not right due to the men in the theatre with sunglasses on.  The film tells us something will probably develop between the Opera singer and the young man in the audience.