Meshes in the Afternoon Analysis

A strong theme in Meshes of the Afternoon is the interplay between shadow and light. In numerous instances, shadows are utilized along with bright light to form a stark minimalist picture of the events occurring in the scene. This is utilized in numerous instances to both portray and add mystery to the events occurring in the shot, in the early film we do not actually see the woman full on, only portraying her shadow and the shadows of the objects she interacts with. This could be seen as symbolic of an internal emptiness, as well as potentially a dark personality or a symbol of the later appearing "grim reaper".

In the later film, much focus is put a mysterious, hooded figure who the main actress pursues throughout the film. She mostly only catches glimpses of him, however the obvious symbolism of a figure in a dark cloak is that of the grim reaper. His presence in the early and mid parts of the film also foreshadows the main actress’s death at the end of the film. There is also a notable segment where the “reaper’s” face appears to be a mirror; this further foreshadows her death by cutting herself with a glass fragment.

Film Reflection 26th April 2013

Today in film, we spent some time actually studying experimental films. We looked at such films as "Firework" and "Meshes of the Afternoon". I found these to be quite revealing into the nature of the genre, as they portrayed a very Dali-esque and unrestricted style that seemed to accurately summarize the nature of the genre. I also felt that the experimental film serves as somewhat of a visual poem, where things on screen can contain much symbolism. However, it also carries over previously mentioned Dali-esque qualities, in that there is a bizarre randomness to the content of the shot. The lack of linearity in the film could open up to many possibilities, however I foresee a problem with our own upcoming film will be attempting to capture the random qualities whilst embodying sufficient meaning in our shot content. I am looking forward to this unit.

Film Reflection April 10th 2013

Today in film, we continued editing our montage. Having previously found gaping holes in the continuity of the montage, we decided to implement several modified forms of unused footage to fill gaps. We also decided that additional symbolism would aid the audience in drawing conclusions, so we added such footage as a rocket taking off, veins dilating, and of a cup overflowing. I feel that these modifications will make the film more understandable, and easier for the audience to interpret.

Film Reflection 8th April 2013

Today in class, we (having finished shooting) continued editing our final film. Though we have now come up with a structure with the film, and have edited about half of it, we are noting that there are instances where the flow is not so obvious. Though such elements are common in some types of montage editing, we have began looking for sound and stock footage to complement the footage we took, as well as trying to make the film more linear and understandable. I believe we should be able to achieve this by the end of this week.

Montage Editing Notes

What is Montage Editing?

• The production of a rapid succession of images in a motion picture too illustrate an association of ideas.
• E.g. : Rocky training montage
• Helps to establish characteristics and themes
• [Montage is] "the nerve of cinema...to determine the nature of montage is to solve the specific problem of cinema."

Soviet Montage Theory

• Lev Kuleshov
• Russian filmmaker and theorist
• Idea that the juxtaposition of different images can lead the viewer to reach different conclusions about the action in a film.

Kuleshov Effect

• Not just the acting or content of the scene that can elicit an emotional response
• The viewer brings their own emotional response

Sergei Eisenstein

• Believed that editing could be used for more than just showing a scene
• Felt the "collision" of shots could be used to manipulate the emotions of the audience and create film metaphors
• Differed from Kuleshov in believing that "each sequential element is perceived not next to each other, but on top of each other.

Eisenstein's Movement Theory

• Discontinuity editing
• Violations of continuity rules including the 180 degree rule
• Transitions between shots are deliberately obvious, less fluid, and non-seamless
• Argued that montage is inherently dialectical (new ideas emerging from conflict)

Eisenstein's Montage Theory

• Eisenstein developed what he called the methods of montage
• Metric
• From "October"(1927)
• Editing follows a specific number of frames regardless of what happens to the image
• Simple relationships between images work best
• Suitable for simple marge-time montages
• Can overcomplicate emotionally (DANGER)
• Rhythmic
• From "Batlteship Potemkin" (1925)
• Focuses not on the time between shot changes but key movements in the frame (eye movements.
• Tonal
• From "Battleship Potemkin" (1925)
• Focuses on the emotional meaning of the shots, not just manipulating the temporal length of the cuts or its rhythmical characteristics.
• Overtonal
• From "Strike" (1926)
• The interplay of the metric rhythmic and tonal characteristics
• Intellectual
• From "Strike" 1925
• The introduction of ideas and associations into the edit
• Conflict juxtaposition of intellectual effects

Film Reflection 14th March

Today in film, we continued planning our movie.  After consideration, we decided to change the theme of the movie slightly from "The Consequences of Experimenting with Drugs" to a more twisting concept that the drug would at first enhance the person in question, before gradually injuring him and eventually killing him. We refined many of the details we had discussed, and began finalizing a list of recurring shots we would want to include in our movie:

• Apple being cut, first calmly into quarters with a knife, and later violently into random pieces with a cleaver
• Heart rate monitor, gradually slowing and stopping
• Chess game, which at first the Person wins, but he is gradually beaten by an unseen character who in the final shot of the film is revealed to not exist at all.
• Person working on math problems. At first he has trouble, but after taking the drug the problems are solved faster and faster. However, after the side-effects of the drug begin to appear, the film begins to reverse, showing him erasing his progress, until the page is empty again.
• Person reading a book. He reads faster and faster, eventually finishing it and putting it down. However, he opens it later, only to find that the pages of the book are blank.
• After about halfway through the film, the side-effects of the drug begin to kick in. This is shown by gritted teeth, spasming fingers, etc. This will be interspersed with the "bad" incarnation of each of the previous shots.

We have begun refining this into a shot list, and anticipate finishing our shooting by the end of this week.

22nd February Reflection

Today in film, we reviewed all the work that we had done and watched the products of everyone. Here is the feedback I had for each film:

An Unreliable Narrator:

- Good Opening (nice cuts, good variety)

- Good relationship.comparison between main character and "narrator

- Good score (matches modern feel of the film)

- Good variety of locations/portals

- Plot very similar to Stranger than Fiction

Operation Personatus

- Good Score

- Transitions a little shaky

- Awkward sound cut at the beginning

- Overall good sound quality for most of the footage

- Good transitions

- Bad resolution for a couple of scenes

- Nicely bizarre ending

Reversal

- Good score

- Inconsistent sound

- Good sound effects

- Good portal ideas, some felt rushed

- Nice POV shots

Tea Time

- Not Rod Sterling (guy credited in the beginning was in fact Rod Serling)

- Appropriately creepy

- Good costumes

- Very Alice in Wonderland

- Good portals (not exactly portals, more planned cuts but still effective)

- Good actual portals

- "Yakkety Sax" device employed a little too much

- Weird audio transitions

- Good twist at the end.

       

5th February 2013 Reflection

Today in film, we continued editing. We were able to more succinctly integrate the music and sound effects, as well as improving the cutting between clips and synching visual effects. I feel that the movie is fine, but will require additional fine tuning before it is screenable. We are planning to film additional footage tomorrow, which should finish off the movie.

Tuesday 29th January 2013 Reflection

Today in film, we continued filming our project. We continued where we had left off, with the chase continuing from the school, and continued up to the point where filming outside of school became necessary. Though we were able to obtain all the footage needed, much of it was disrupted by passing traffic, which we may need to reshoot. In addition, the group entered discussions with our director as to how the rest of the shoot would go. Though some of us felt that the film did not include enough portals, the director thought it was more important to stay true to the Twilight Zone nature of the film. We briefly consulted the teacher, who informed us that while both were important, the portals aspect was more necessary. This prompted an impromptu rewrite of the script, involving chases through various other locations in Hong Kong and improving our film.

10th December 2012 Reflection

Today in film, we spent most of the class finishing off a task from the previous lesson focussed on overhead diagrams. I used a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail to begin, before creating a shotlist and then creating an overhead diagram. I feel that this task has given me a great idea of overhead diagrams, which will be very useful for the upcoming assignment.

For homework, we were supposed to analyse an episode of the twilight zone for metaphoric value. The episode I chose was the episode "I Shot an Arrow in the Air", in which the launch of an experimental spacecraft goes wrong, leaving the survivors of the crash stranded on an asteroid. The survivors argue amongst themselves, before they seperate to scout out the area. After one of the three survivors does not return, the leader of the mission is suspicious when the final member returns with more water than he had left with. They go out looking for the missing member, only for the final member to turn on the leader, killing him so that hey may survive for longer. However, in a major plot-twist, it is revealed that they merely crashed in a desert on earth.

I believe that it conveyed its message well, that humans turn on each other easily. It also conveyed the futility of this, through the final plot twist. Another note of interest was that it managed to contain a somewhat meta attitude, having the "alien" landscape (clearly filmed on earth) eventually revealed to actually be earth.

20th November 2012

Today in film, we continued working on our Books to Blockbusters film, part of a school festival intended to highlight the complications and joys of converting books into films. However, having already collected and edited most of our footage, only one group member edited, while the rest conducted additional research into the Twilight Zone.

Also, here's our completed film noir: http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0cw8BC4Iog

2nd November 2012 Reflection

Today in film, having finished our film, we spent most of the period watching our work in front of the class, taking several minutes afterwards to reflect on it. I feel this helped us come to grips with our film, as well as compare it to the work of our peers in various ways. I look forward to seeing the few remaining ones on Tuesday.

Film Reflection 31st October 2012

Today in film, we had to finish shooting the last few scenes of our film. Having shot and edited the majority outside of class, we were able to do this with relative ease. I feel that we worked well together when filming this piece, and together made the film much better than I think it would have with other group members. I also think that parts of the unit were rushed, and this detracts slightly from the final piece; However, the somewhat rushed completion of our film has not detracted from it being an admirable piece of filmography.

3rd October 2012 Reflection

Today in film, we were redirected from film class to attend a workshop by the actor Nigel Miles-Thomas. Though acting in films instead of live drama, many of the activities he suggested could also be applied to film-based acting. Through several activities, we were taught the importance of making dialogue sound fluid, as well as the importance of saying dialogue exactly and correctly.
Though many of the concepts did not apply as much to us, I feel that this workshop was greatly helpful in regards to improving on the quality of our acting, as well as in reiterating the importance of saying dialogue correctly and of using body language to support dialogue.

Film Reflection 17th September 2012

Today in film, we began making final preparations before beginning to shoot. Not final final preparations of course, just final preparations. We spent some time observing scenes from Double Indemnity, Heat (1995) and Internal Affairs (2002) and speculating on what film noir traits they used. This helped cement many of the techniques we had learned of last class, as well as giving us an idea of how they could be employed. I feel prepared to begin shooting, though several planning lessons remain ahead of us.

Review:Dogma

Before I begin this review, can you promise not to tell my mother. I have been sworn to secrecy by my father concerning Jay and Silent Bob, due to her disapproval of the pair in general. We good? Ok.

Dogma's an interesting movie. It comes of as distinctly childish, despite its subject matter, and carries a somewhat hopeful tone with it, even in the face of the destruction of humanity and representatives of Mooby (basically Disney) being slaughtered by a vengeful Matt Damon. It also conveys an attitude to Catholicism and religion in general that will probably offend many (ironically true to some of the metaphors it gives).

The film opens with an abortionist (legal), who is a Christian despite her profession, and goes slightly into how she lost her faith (couldn't get pregnant, husband left her). Soon after this she is educated by Metatron (played by none other than Alan Rickman/Snape) of two banished angels attempting to reenter heaven. Though seemingly innocent, by doing so they will reverse a decree of god and thus end existence. Joined by two stoners (Jay and Silent Bob), she sets out to stop this from happening.

I won't spoil the ending. Its a good movie, if awkward at parts. And despite being predominantly a comedy and a work of fiction, parts of it seem to make sense within Christian doctrine. But again no spoilers. I give it a 7-8/10.

Film Reflection 13th September 2012

Today in film we spent some time going over some scenes from Double Indemnity we had attempted to redo. Though mine ended up looking little like the original scene, it gave me concepts of what kind of angles and dynamics would be necessary in our film. We also spent time going over the core concepts of the genre, such as the characteristics of a protagonist, antagonist, love interest, and various other plot points. I have discussed with my potential group, and we have come up with various ideas to go with the concept: Murder in the Glasgow Police Force. I feel I now have a greater understanding of the genre, and can now utilise those skills to my group's advantage.

Review:They Live

Saw a reference to They Live (in Futurama I believe), and curious as to what kind of storyline could involve grotesque skull-faced aliens and a lens of some variety. And the experience was...well interesting I guess.

First off, I just want to point out that the film wasn't designed totally as a horror/sci-fi, though there are elements of these involved much of the movie has comedic elements, such as the main character repeatedly and untactfully insulting the aliens appearances, despite having no back-up plan.

The movie opens with a homeless drifter walking around, looking for a job. He is able to secure a temporary job at a construction site, and later travels to a nearby shantytown with his co-worker Frank. Due to a turn of events, the shantytown is attacked with bulldozers and destroyed for unknown reasons.

The drifter enters a nearby empty church, where he discovers a box full of mysterious sunglasses. Thinking them to be normal, he puts a pair on and leaves the building, only to discover that these glasses allow him to see subliminal messages on every form of media, encouraging shallow and meaningless behavior. He also discovers the existence of the aforementioned skull-faced aliens, disguised as human beings. After proceeding to kill two alien police officers and take their weapons, he proceeds to attack a bank full of the aliens (at the same time coining the popular phrase:"I'm here to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of bubblegum).

Through a convoluted turn of events he is able to recruit Frank (his former co-worker), and together they join up with a resistance cell. However, no sooner have they done this than the organization is attacked by the police, resulting in many casualties. However, the drifter and Frank are able to steal an alien teleportation wristwatch, teleporting to a banquet saluting the aliens and their knowing supporters.

After proceeding to make their way through the banquet, again massacring security, they end up on the roof. Frank is promptly killed by a double agent, who had developed a relationship with the drifter. Though she attempts to convince the drifter to give up, he uses a hidden pistol to kill her and destroy the beacon broadcasting the signal hiding the subliminal messages, allowing everyone to see the world for what it truly is.

The film concludes with a montage of shocked people discovering aliens in their midst, including a horrified woman who discovers her current lover is in fact an alien.

Though not groundbreaking in anyway, the film greatly embodies the paranoia at the lack of information concerning the  many issues affecting the world during the time it is set (the 80s I think), as well as putting a somewhat dark comedic tone to already dark subject matter. In short: it's no Star Wars, but pretty good. Go see it anyway.

Film Reflection 7th September 2012

Today in film, we spent the entire lesson examining specific editing techniques that could be employed to various ends. Because I have just published another post illustrating each technique and examples, I will not go into detail concerning the techniques. However, it is needless to say that many of these will be useful not only in our upcoming film noir assignment, as well as whatever films we may need to make in the future. I do feel that this lesson was not entirely well spent however, as this took a disproportionate amount of time to complete, as much of it could have been better completed as homework.

Notes on Continuity Editing

Notes on Continuity Editing
Cuts
A quick transition between two scenes, advanced examples of which are shown below.

Cheat Cut: A cut that actually rearranges the set to make parts of the set seem disproportionate. Often used cuts impossible given the constructed set (i.e. cutting to film from behind a where a wall supposedly was)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7H83f9uxYc&feature=player_embedded

Crosscutting/Parallel Editing: Cutting between two or more separate lines of action usually occurring at the same time. Gives a sense that the two occurrences are connected in some way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wbjylCEJLw

Cut In/Cut Away: Cuts that zoom in nor zoom out into a portion of the same space instantaneously.


Dissolve: A transition where the first shot gradually disappears and the second shot gradually appears.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJq1auJq_gc&feature=relmfu 1:26-1:28

Iris: A transition effect that can begin/end a scene, or be used to cancel out the rest of a shot and focus on one detail. Gradually blacks out the rest of the scene except for one circle of  focus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuYIq-J5l9I 0:08-0:11

Jump Cut: A cut where either the characters change against a constant background instantaneously or the background changes instantaneously against characters still in the same position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tDRBb0apDg&list=UUSAUGyc_xA8uYzaIVG6MESQ&index=2&feature=plcp 1:25-1:26

Establishing Shot/Reestablishing shot: Quick cuts between shots to either establish the set of a scene or to reestablish and emphasize details not shown prior in the scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I16_8l0yS-g

Shot-Reverse Shot: A type of cutting that quickly cuts between two characters at more or less the same distance, often when they are having a conversation or doing some act together (i.e. playing ping pong).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKdcYnlkhx8

Superimposition: Exposure of more than one shot at the same time, causing them both to appear simultaneously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-1uU_QSIWw

Wipe: Transition that causes one scene to be quickly "wiped" (fade along a line), with the other scene appearing at the same time over that line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usXca7W_jvM
Matches
Techniques that join two shots by making a connection between them in some way.

Eye-line Match: Quick cuts between a shot of a person looking in some direction, and the object they are looking at, gradually zooming in on both the object of focus and the person's eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VPMEKCITvs

Graphic Match: Take advantage of the similarity between two objects by making quick cuts to show a connection between them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4rHeGqaDBk

Match on Action: A quick cut between two views of the same scene, making it appear uninterrupted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHh12_JHjTg

Duration
The decision to or not to edit has become important with not editing becoming an impossibility.

Long Take: Taking an abnormally long time to cut. Since these are difficult to set up to be exactly the same set for an extended period of time, they are often shot from the same angle for the whole scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJEEVtqXdK8

Overlapping Editing:Cuts that repeat the action, expanding on it each time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJEEVtqXdK8 0:48-0:55

Rhythm: Hard to encompass entirely, altering aspects of the music, lighting and various other aspects of the film can dramatically alter the mood.