Monday, November 1, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
How is dramatic meaning created in the opening scene of The Day After Tomorrow
The movie that I will be talking about is called “The Day After Tomorrow”.
What makes a good movie? Although a movie has a number of different camera technique, it doesn't always necessarily mean that it would be a good film. What makes a good movie doesn't just come from filming one person and giving them lines to say-that will bore the audience. Neither does it come from the famous people starring in it-Just because the actors are famous, and he/she has been in great movies in the past, it won't always mean that the rest of his/her movies will be as successful. For example, Blake Lively plays one of the main characters called "Serena van der Woodsen" in a very popular TV show called "Gossip Girl". I think that TV show is amazing, but she also stared in a movie called "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", and I really don't enjoy that film. There has to be the right music playing, good props, the right scene settings (Dark? Bright? In a garden? In a graveyard?), and so on. There is one thing that makes a movie original and unique though- Creativity. A movie isn't just about the camera movements, or the angles of it. However, without all the camera technique, the film would look very messy, and no one will watch it. So its a matter of balance between the two.
What makes a good movie? Although a movie has a number of different camera technique, it doesn't always necessarily mean that it would be a good film. What makes a good movie doesn't just come from filming one person and giving them lines to say-that will bore the audience. Neither does it come from the famous people starring in it-Just because the actors are famous, and he/she has been in great movies in the past, it won't always mean that the rest of his/her movies will be as successful. For example, Blake Lively plays one of the main characters called "Serena van der Woodsen" in a very popular TV show called "Gossip Girl". I think that TV show is amazing, but she also stared in a movie called "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", and I really don't enjoy that film. There has to be the right music playing, good props, the right scene settings (Dark? Bright? In a garden? In a graveyard?), and so on. There is one thing that makes a movie original and unique though- Creativity. A movie isn't just about the camera movements, or the angles of it. However, without all the camera technique, the film would look very messy, and no one will watch it. So its a matter of balance between the two.
It all starts off with a high angle shot, but its also moving, showing the water and the ice melting. At the same time, I know that its not a happy scene or maybe even movie judging by the music- Mysterious creepy lady singing sharp different tones, at that point I can tell that it wouldn't be the most happy, cheerful movie, but it gives off a feeling more like “oh no! Something bad is going to happen soon...” . It gives the feeling that we are flying with them, as if they are trying to bring us some place, to lead to the next scene. The start of a movie, as well as the music, gives off a specific impression of what the movie is going to be about, and catches the audiences attention. The signifier here is the cold sea water with broken up ice floating around-melting.
When watching, I realized that what's in the background of the scene does really help to describe what's going on. Around our first few classes of film, I remember watching a small clip of a girl and her brother singing about love. In the background, it wasn't dark and gloomy. No, it was bright with love pictures in frames hanging on the wall. In this movie, one of the guys opens the door and walks into their trailer (as the camera uses the camera movement: pan) and we see another guy. He is looking into a microscope, and behind him I can see all these tubes, and other tools, while outside, there is a big drill. Judging from that, it gives me some sort of idea that these people might be a kind of scientists, that they were working on an experiment. Since they showed us that, it gives me an idea of how old these men are, what they do for a living, and a little bit of their personality.
The next part is where the guy is drilling into the ice, and then using the camera movement: tilt, shows us the ice slowly breaking and splitting, to create suspense. By this time, the film has a suspenseful music playing in the background that gradually gets louder, and the sound effect of ice cracking does too. It then turns to a high angle shot, as the person stops to drill and looks all around him to see what's going on. I think the reason why they used a high angle shot here was so that it can show the audience more clearly on what is going too- the ice is about to fall.
Given the fact that at the beginning of the movie, it shows the audience melting ice caps, it already signifies that the movie has something to do with that, and i was right- Later when the guy is hanging over the cliff of ice, the camera angle turns into a birds-eyed-view, to show all the ice blocks falling into the deep freezing water below. I think they did this because they wanted to scare the audience, and show them how instead of the ice, it could have been the man falling down into that icy water. When the guy jumps over the gap of ice to save their experiment, the camera turns again to a wide angle, to show how he jumped over. At this point the suspenseful music is loud and clear, and so are the sound effects of falling ice. The guy holding their experiments is looking for a way to jump back, but sees his friends (with a point-of-view angle), and then shows a close up of his expression (afraid to jump back).
Although i've only watched around five minutes of this film, I could already tell that this movie's genre is somewhat action. Maybe if I continue to watch, the genre might expand, but for now I can see action. I also learnt that when you film, everything you do/ have must be balanced in order to make a good film. If you are filming a scary thriller scene, then the background must be dark, the angles have to be in a certain way... etc. But no matter what genre you are filming or what topic you are filming about, you have to stick with it or else it will look very messy.
Although i've only watched around five minutes of this film, I could already tell that this movie's genre is somewhat action. Maybe if I continue to watch, the genre might expand, but for now I can see action. I also learnt that when you film, everything you do/ have must be balanced in order to make a good film. If you are filming a scary thriller scene, then the background must be dark, the angles have to be in a certain way... etc. But no matter what genre you are filming or what topic you are filming about, you have to stick with it or else it will look very messy.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Day 5... :D OUR SUPER STORY! :D
DAY 5!!!
Last class, we had to get into groups of fours. In my group there was Angela, Adrian, and JT. We were told to create a teenage character, with a certain super power. After a while of discussing, we ended up deciding that the super power for the teenager would be: She is able to sense peoples emotions when she touches them, and she gets flashes of different images that relate to their feelings. We decided that I would be the person playing the super teenager, Angela playing the average-cool-girl-turned-into-nerd person, Adrian playing the jock, and JT playing the creepy emo loner.
Our story starts off with a flashbacks to a year ago, of all four of us just as normal teenager in a party hanging out together. Then a year later we have all changed.
At the start of the scene, it shows me waking up from my alarm, and then getting ready (walking to the mirror, putting on make up) to go to school.
I am walking past my neighborhood, and bump into Angela- The super smart nerd. I sense her emotions- Happy, and thinking all about academic subjects such as math. I continue to walk, and bump into Adrian- The jock. Once again I sense his emotion, nothing strange, and continue to walk.
After that, I have to go through a dark road, where nearly anyone goes to, because it's so dark and spooky. But i've got no choice but to cross there because it takes me to my destination. There I bump into JT- The creepy emo loner. When I do, I sense his emotion- Depressed, Angry. I accidentally break his photo frame (with a picture of his mom) and he gets angry. He chokes me, and that's when Adrian comes in. Adrian was holding a ball walking home, and he saw this happen he aimed the ball at JT's head. Unfortunately, JT dodges the ball and hit Angela behind him (she was walking somewhere as well). Angela thinks it's someone trying to bully her (and she has had enough of it), so she turns into this raging teenager, not so nerdy anymore, and try to take down JT too.
By this time, I'm already on the floor, unconscious and bleeding from the broken glass (from the picture frame).
Unfortunately JT is too strong for the both of them, and knocks them out too (but not too deeply). Then out of the smokey mist, JT is carrying me with an evil grin.......
Last class, we had to get into groups of fours. In my group there was Angela, Adrian, and JT. We were told to create a teenage character, with a certain super power. After a while of discussing, we ended up deciding that the super power for the teenager would be: She is able to sense peoples emotions when she touches them, and she gets flashes of different images that relate to their feelings. We decided that I would be the person playing the super teenager, Angela playing the average-cool-girl-turned-into-nerd person, Adrian playing the jock, and JT playing the creepy emo loner.
Our story starts off with a flashbacks to a year ago, of all four of us just as normal teenager in a party hanging out together. Then a year later we have all changed.
At the start of the scene, it shows me waking up from my alarm, and then getting ready (walking to the mirror, putting on make up) to go to school.
I am walking past my neighborhood, and bump into Angela- The super smart nerd. I sense her emotions- Happy, and thinking all about academic subjects such as math. I continue to walk, and bump into Adrian- The jock. Once again I sense his emotion, nothing strange, and continue to walk.
After that, I have to go through a dark road, where nearly anyone goes to, because it's so dark and spooky. But i've got no choice but to cross there because it takes me to my destination. There I bump into JT- The creepy emo loner. When I do, I sense his emotion- Depressed, Angry. I accidentally break his photo frame (with a picture of his mom) and he gets angry. He chokes me, and that's when Adrian comes in. Adrian was holding a ball walking home, and he saw this happen he aimed the ball at JT's head. Unfortunately, JT dodges the ball and hit Angela behind him (she was walking somewhere as well). Angela thinks it's someone trying to bully her (and she has had enough of it), so she turns into this raging teenager, not so nerdy anymore, and try to take down JT too.
By this time, I'm already on the floor, unconscious and bleeding from the broken glass (from the picture frame).
Unfortunately JT is too strong for the both of them, and knocks them out too (but not too deeply). Then out of the smokey mist, JT is carrying me with an evil grin.......
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Day 4
Last class, discussed all about cinematography. We learnt all about how different lighting, angles, and lenses could effect how a picture could look like.
For example, if you use the extreme long shot, it could make a person look so tiny in their environment, or what environment they are surrounded by. Like the example I used below. It's a ballerina in the middle of the street, surrounded by the city, making her look tiny amongst her environment. But there's also a completely different angle- The extreme close up. The extreme close-up angle could allow us to have a hint of what the person is feeling. The example I used below is a person looking to her right. She doesn't look suspicious, but she doesn't look extremely happy either. She sort of looks a little bit worried.
We can also take a hint of emotions and feelings by looking at the colors or lighting or music in a film. Judging by the colors in a background full of fire and blasting metal music, that might be someone very angry, and getting revenge. If it were red with pop/jumpy music with bright lights everywhere, it could be someone very happy celebrating a birthday, or an anniversary. And if there was a man with a trench coat on, walking all alone on the streets at night, with smoke filling the air, and lighting in the background, it could be about a mysterious/ suspicious person going on a mission, or about to kill someone.
So I guess even the smallest things in a film, like what's in the background, what lays on the streets, or even what the actor is holding, matters as much as the bigger things.
For example, if you use the extreme long shot, it could make a person look so tiny in their environment, or what environment they are surrounded by. Like the example I used below. It's a ballerina in the middle of the street, surrounded by the city, making her look tiny amongst her environment. But there's also a completely different angle- The extreme close up. The extreme close-up angle could allow us to have a hint of what the person is feeling. The example I used below is a person looking to her right. She doesn't look suspicious, but she doesn't look extremely happy either. She sort of looks a little bit worried.
We can also take a hint of emotions and feelings by looking at the colors or lighting or music in a film. Judging by the colors in a background full of fire and blasting metal music, that might be someone very angry, and getting revenge. If it were red with pop/jumpy music with bright lights everywhere, it could be someone very happy celebrating a birthday, or an anniversary. And if there was a man with a trench coat on, walking all alone on the streets at night, with smoke filling the air, and lighting in the background, it could be about a mysterious/ suspicious person going on a mission, or about to kill someone.
So I guess even the smallest things in a film, like what's in the background, what lays on the streets, or even what the actor is holding, matters as much as the bigger things.
Camera Shots
Camera Distance
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| Extreme Long Shot. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=935666&id=22455674948&ref=fbx_album |
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| Long Shot/Wide Shot http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=566779&id=22455674948&ref=fbx_album&fbid=49059369948 |
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| Medium Shot http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1489507&id=1018665702&ref=fbx_album |
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| Close-up http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-2850301/stock-photo-a-close-up-shot-of-american-eagle.html |
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| Extreme Close-up http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1493102&id=1018665702&ref=fbx_album |
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| Deep Focus shot/ Wide angle shot http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/tag/coral/ Camera Angles |
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| Birds eye view http://www.chesapeakeclimate.org/blog/?p=1594 |
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| High angle http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1044933&id=22455674948&ref=fbx_album |
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| Eye level shot http://www.saltlakedailyphoto.com/2009/11/eye-level.html |
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| Low-Angle http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1489598&id=1018665702&ref=fbx_album |
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| Dutch Angle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_angle |
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| Point-of-view Angle http://www.pov.me/ |
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| Pan http://www.chartherct.com/2008/06/13/movement/ |
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| Tilt http://amodelsdiary.blogspot.com/ |
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| Track http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robbie_McEwen_2007_Bay_Cycling_Classic_3.jpg |
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| Zoom http://home.howstuffworks.com/define-bleeding-heart.htm |
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| Arc http://thereticule.com/2009/06/the-sims-3-the-verdict/ |
Monday, September 6, 2010
Reflection day 3
The film I have chosen is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMPm7iZZBuQ
This film's genre is a musical. You can tell that this scene is part of a musical because at first they talk a little bit, and then break into a song. You can tell that this musical was in the very olden days, by just looking at what they are wearing. Some men are wearing a sort of top hat, suspenders, and the main character is holding a very large suitcase. And for the women, some are wearing big round hats with big flowers or feathers on them, very elegant dress and jewelry, and elegant white gloves. You can also tell that it's in the very olden days because of everything in the background: There are VERY old cars, or horses attached onto the car behind. But it's not a very busy crowded place either. There are lots of trees, spread out people who slowly join in.
In the middle the mayor comes out, and they talk again for a little bit, and then he joins into the song too.
I could tell that this is a very happy and jumpy scene because when they are singing, it's more upbeat and it isn't just one person singing by him/herself. It's a whole bunch of people slowly butting into the song. Overall, it's a very lively scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMPm7iZZBuQ
This film's genre is a musical. You can tell that this scene is part of a musical because at first they talk a little bit, and then break into a song. You can tell that this musical was in the very olden days, by just looking at what they are wearing. Some men are wearing a sort of top hat, suspenders, and the main character is holding a very large suitcase. And for the women, some are wearing big round hats with big flowers or feathers on them, very elegant dress and jewelry, and elegant white gloves. You can also tell that it's in the very olden days because of everything in the background: There are VERY old cars, or horses attached onto the car behind. But it's not a very busy crowded place either. There are lots of trees, spread out people who slowly join in.
In the middle the mayor comes out, and they talk again for a little bit, and then he joins into the song too.
I could tell that this is a very happy and jumpy scene because when they are singing, it's more upbeat and it isn't just one person singing by him/herself. It's a whole bunch of people slowly butting into the song. Overall, it's a very lively scene.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Reflection for.. last class
Last class we cut out more pieces of furniture/ animals/ other objects out of other magazines and finally, stuck it onto the pieces of paper and finished it off. After that, Ms. Wong split us up into different groups, and from there, we showed each other our "Rooms" and talked about the lighting, props... etc.
We talked about why we were doing the things that we were doing there (e.g. sitting on a couch), and why those other things were there. Such as a disco ball, a swing, or even Lea michele (Rachel Berry from Glee) is sitting in my living room. There had to be a reason why we cut out and pasted these things into the room we wanted. I put a disco ball in mines, because I love dancing, and I stuck a swing into my living room because for some reason i've always wanted a swing in one of the rooms in my house.
So after talking about all of our rooms, we now have to make a script on Celtx about our rooms, and what's going on in that moment.
We talked about why we were doing the things that we were doing there (e.g. sitting on a couch), and why those other things were there. Such as a disco ball, a swing, or even Lea michele (Rachel Berry from Glee) is sitting in my living room. There had to be a reason why we cut out and pasted these things into the room we wanted. I put a disco ball in mines, because I love dancing, and I stuck a swing into my living room because for some reason i've always wanted a swing in one of the rooms in my house.
So after talking about all of our rooms, we now have to make a script on Celtx about our rooms, and what's going on in that moment.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
IB learner profile
Inquirers:
Film can help us become better inquirers because as we learn more about film, the more we would need to research about everything we need to know about film.
Knowledge:
In film, we learn about so many things in life, such as history, old tales... etc. For example. when we direct a film, or write a script for it, there must be a story line to it. If we would want to direct a film about World War II, we would have to do all the research, and learn about it.
The most famous classic fairy tale story people often use, and change little details of, is Cinderella. Today, if you went onto Google and searched "Cinderella movie" you would find different movie titles. I've watched three different styles of the story Cinderella.
1. The original cartoon film "Cinderella"
2. "A Cinderella Story" A story about a girl wanting to go to Princeton, but doesn't have enough money, so she has to obey her step-mother.
3. "Another Cinderella Story" A story about a girl wanting to get into a famous dance school, so again, she has to work for her step-mother.
Thinkers:
We become better thinkers as we learn more in film, so that it allows us to think more independently and help us solve more complex problems.
Communicators:
We can be better communicators when learning film, because we would have to work in groups or pairs, and learn how to communicate with each other, so that we can all compromise on something.
Principled:
We would learn to be more principled as we take more action for our own mistakes, instead of pointing our fingers at other people. If we made a mistake (eg. we did something wrong on the computer), we would learn to accept the consequences, and move on.
Open-minded:
After learning all about film, we would learn to be more open-minded because every single person has their own ideas, their own thoughts, and their own style. If we were to come up with a story line of perhaps a fairy tale, everyone would have their own ideas. There-fore people would start spitting out their own thoughts, whilst you have your own. So we must be open minded, and invite their ideas in, so that maybe you can combine them in the end.
Caring:
We have to care for other peoples feelings, and not just our own. If we had to film a short video, and we were talking about the angles and everything, and someone decided he/she didn't like it, and wanted to change it, we have to at least discuss it with them, and then later on compromise.
Risk-Takers:
After this elective, we learn to become better risk-takers. For example: If we were afraid of the teacher, and we had a question, we would just raise our hands and ask. Or if we normally wouldn't do something, and just do it the usual way everyone else does, we should pick a different path and try it.
Balanced:
For film, I can be more balanced by understanding that film is not just all about written work, and long essays, it could be something a lot more fun later on, and I can tell it would be.
Reflective:
We must reflect everyday after film on what we did that class, and what we enjoyed about it, or what could we have done better. That way, the next time we do it again, we could improve on it.
Film can help us become better inquirers because as we learn more about film, the more we would need to research about everything we need to know about film.
Knowledge:
In film, we learn about so many things in life, such as history, old tales... etc. For example. when we direct a film, or write a script for it, there must be a story line to it. If we would want to direct a film about World War II, we would have to do all the research, and learn about it.
The most famous classic fairy tale story people often use, and change little details of, is Cinderella. Today, if you went onto Google and searched "Cinderella movie" you would find different movie titles. I've watched three different styles of the story Cinderella.
1. The original cartoon film "Cinderella"
2. "A Cinderella Story" A story about a girl wanting to go to Princeton, but doesn't have enough money, so she has to obey her step-mother.
3. "Another Cinderella Story" A story about a girl wanting to get into a famous dance school, so again, she has to work for her step-mother.
Thinkers:
We become better thinkers as we learn more in film, so that it allows us to think more independently and help us solve more complex problems.
Communicators:
We can be better communicators when learning film, because we would have to work in groups or pairs, and learn how to communicate with each other, so that we can all compromise on something.
Principled:
We would learn to be more principled as we take more action for our own mistakes, instead of pointing our fingers at other people. If we made a mistake (eg. we did something wrong on the computer), we would learn to accept the consequences, and move on.
Open-minded:
After learning all about film, we would learn to be more open-minded because every single person has their own ideas, their own thoughts, and their own style. If we were to come up with a story line of perhaps a fairy tale, everyone would have their own ideas. There-fore people would start spitting out their own thoughts, whilst you have your own. So we must be open minded, and invite their ideas in, so that maybe you can combine them in the end.
Caring:
We have to care for other peoples feelings, and not just our own. If we had to film a short video, and we were talking about the angles and everything, and someone decided he/she didn't like it, and wanted to change it, we have to at least discuss it with them, and then later on compromise.
Risk-Takers:
After this elective, we learn to become better risk-takers. For example: If we were afraid of the teacher, and we had a question, we would just raise our hands and ask. Or if we normally wouldn't do something, and just do it the usual way everyone else does, we should pick a different path and try it.
Balanced:
For film, I can be more balanced by understanding that film is not just all about written work, and long essays, it could be something a lot more fun later on, and I can tell it would be.
Reflective:
We must reflect everyday after film on what we did that class, and what we enjoyed about it, or what could we have done better. That way, the next time we do it again, we could improve on it.
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