For one thing Flash animation it is very labor and time intensive. Unlike shooting our videos for instance, which was more of a set up and go type of process. Animation takes a new attension to detail and some coaching as well to get from one step to the next. It made me think more about making some nesseary changes to improve workflow so I get from one step the next. That included the dreaded learning from trail and error, tral and errore process.
Which takes me to the learning curve which I think is the most intresting to me because Flash animation seems to take from every mediuam to create it's own world that can be as fexible as you need it to be. For instance with the video you are limited time and space to where can place the camera. Sometime limiting your shot choose. But with animation your camera can be anywhere, I mean literally anywhere. From the top of a building to the tip of someones finger or inside someones mind even. This can create dramatic effects to the animation. Opening up the possibilites to what you can do with the camera creatively. The ablitily to included interaction takes it to whole other level to me. Come on how many of us wanted to jump in to a cartoon when we were little kids? Able to be apart of that cartoon world where you an do anything that you imagation can dream up! Adding the interacation is almost like doing that! But overall thank god for Flash because I could not imagation sitting down and having to hand draw every picture for every little movemen. Flash it make the process that much easier.
My reflection on the our past video project are that each stage of production Pre-production, Production and Post-Production all must work in balance with each other to make a successful project. This was evident even before we started any of these stages. Our idea and how it is developed into something tangible had to show that we are paying attention to the devil and the details that could possibly affect our project. This effect can be both in negative fashion and a positive fashion. Once our idea was secure and brought up speed our Pre-Production definitely set the mood for how we were going to set up shoots and shot. Most helpful was our shoot sheet and storyboard. With each shoot planned on the shoot sheet and drawn out on the story board it made moving from shoot to shoot that much easier. It think we would not have finished in the given class time without our shoot sheet. It was useful to us in the post-production stage aswell because we were able to see what shoost we need to use to put the clips together. Pulling a list of usable takes and pull them into the Final Cut Express timeline. Making smooth transition in the Post- Production stage were the biggest challenge was trimming clips so they fit just right not to much and not to little.A few second here and there can really make a big difference between clips working against or for your project. In the end working this project gave us first hand expericance of how all the stages take the theory of each aspect Pro-Production, Production and Post-Production together likethey are the puzzle pieces of video making.
Skunk Anasie’s music video for their new song My Ugly Boy is the focus of my editing Analysis. The video starts with a tracking close up shot of the singer feet she is wearing a pair of high heeled red shoes and she is walking in a dark parking garage. You can hear the light guitar riffs start with as soon as soon as her left foot hits the ground. This shoot last about 4 seconds and is followed by a series of very quick shots of her holding a set of car keys (medium wide shoot), walking up the a car (wide shoot), opening the car door, her in the car closing the door (medium shoot), her in the car (close up) starting the engine (medium shoot), stepping on the pedals (close up) and shifting the gears (close up). A shot of the speedometer clocking around the dial shows the change of intensity and tempo of the music as the heavy guitar riffs kick in. Cut to shoots of the singer driving around the garage at high speed alone. At about he 34 seconds in we see that she checks the rear view mirror to revel that she is not alone but has passenger in the backseat. A slim, sweaty, disheveled man with messed up greasy hair. The songs subject "Ugly Boy".This shoot is the beginning of shoots that coincides with the lyrics of the song. A sign that some shots the shoots are being organized in term of content. For example when she sings the line “Where ever he likes to go the dirtest girls will show.” coincides with shoots of the man from the backseat of car standing in the garage with two questionable females.
This theme continues thru the course of the video.
Since it is a music video there is a lot of freedom in compsotion, color, movement, etc. But there is clear decision in the production to make everything dark and siddy. As if you see someplace you shouldn’t be and seeing things that you are not supposed to see. Everything from the car being the only one left in the garage to the band mate coming out the darkness near the end the video all done to create an underground feel to the video. From an editing standpoint they follow the rule of music videos that the shoots can be random and linear at the same time. Cut being seamless and obvious. What the editor does not do is follow the rule of most music videos, which is to have a cut every 3 to 5 seconds. “ My Ugly Boy " has a cut every 2 to 3 second. Most cut shoot are not longer than 2 or 3 seconds long. Which goes along with the fast pace of music. The editing does help give us some insight the story “My Ugly Boy” but keeps us entertained and excited about the song. Which is the job of a music video.
The sounds of New York are numerous are as and reflect the environment and people that live in it. A reverberation of the boroughscape of this extraordinary city we live. Starting the day with the ear fullness of the morning commute. Rushing of passengers boarding transportation for school, work, etc. Metrocard being dipped in the bus fare boxes with a “slurp” then popping up a with a “beep” for the transfer of fare to confirm payment or “buzz” for lack of funds. The rider adds the emotional soundtrack of “oh damn”, “I think I have another card” or “ Can I please ride I have to get to work and I forgot to get a new card”. Being spoken in the various languages and accents to match the keep my neighborhood growing English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and latest Hindi. Traveling down the street hit bump and potholes the bus echoes each greeting between rubbers tire and blacktop down it route. Once at the Subway station we focus on the token booth it’s clerk providing a combination of farecards, change and directions all accompanied by the beautiful sound of the static filled loudspeaker. That metrocard from the bus comes back into play again being swiped in the turnstile with hard thrust. A machine gun like sound of“thwacks” “thwacks” “thwacks” “thwacks” of plastic meeting metal. Still with satisfying “beep” or painful “buzz” same as the bus fare box. You can fill-in the emotional soundtrack from bus as well. We hear the train coming with the all-knowing notification system. “The next downtown train is approaching the station”.
As people run for the train you can hear their footwear striking the staircase to get the oncoming train. You can almost tell where someone is going based on the sound of their shoes. Thumbing heavy boots of construction workers, the click, click, click of the women’s high heel shoe probably works in an office, the quick rubber sole of sneakers probably a student in their way to morning classes. As we board the train it fills with brush of people on people on people. Both the bus and train have a combination of the following silence, chit-chat, the guy who has his earphones way to load so everyone can hear the latest thing on his mp3 player ,“Why you stepping on my foot.” , Turning pages of books and newspapers, babies of many ages, The preacher that wants to save your soul, (Fill in your own spiritual words please.) Etc. Each stop picking up more passengers with a chorus of “dume” “dume” watch the closing and the next stop will be. Until you get to your stop.
Semester Reflections Finish line in sight a semester has almost. So now is a time for reflection. Reflection on how I started, reflection on how I continued, reflections on how it on the end process and looking towards the future. Lets start from the reflection on how I started. Converagance everything is coming together the traditional with new media film,print,video,online ofline,tv,radio,games,photography. They are all coming together in a converagance in some sort or another. Next the historyeach part of what we are doing. History of film, history of print, history of video, history of lighting, history of Internet. Looking into the past you cam learnso much can learn us. An grasp the ideas that time to be refined and refined and still refined even more until this day.You can not have innovations withoutOrigins. Origins of how each element of the convergage work they way the do. Jump to the now end of the adedmic year. Trying applythe knowledge into aviewing of new learned skills. Now how does this work again, try trail and error, brainstorming until the application of learning is displayed in a visual forum. Of a eletronic canvous. My own converagance so to speak. More work to be done.
Touch of Evil is a film noir film directed (Welles also star in the film) by the late great Orson Welles was originally released1957. Film noir translates into dark film and was influenced by the German Expressionist of the 1920’s. The film is in black and white and uses chiaroscuro lighting to create interplay with light and shadow adding to the dark artist style of the films genre. Russell Metty who was uncredited special consultant on Citizen Kane worked with Welles as Touch of Evil’s Cinematographer. A short history of the film, the original theatrical release has many changes that that Universal put in the film including reediting and shooting extra scenes. With a great inked protest Welles did not approve of the changes. After viewing a screening of the film Welles penned a 58-page memo to the studio requesting that they keep his creation intact. He request to Universal fell on deaf ears and was released with the studio’s changes despite Welles protest. A 1980 re-release of the film has restored the film back to the original Welles vision based on the deep felt memo. Some changes included removing the credits from the opening of the film and place in them at the end of the film as Welles intended. Also the original score composed by Henry Mancini has also been removed from the film-opening scene. The removal both of music and opening credit make the opening tense fully more suspenseful as you are not distracted by the outside elements like reading the opening credit or music that would cover up the ambient sound of the street with traffic and people.
The film cover much covers much of what have learned in class over the course of the semester. Take the opening scene for instance, which is a very long masterful tracking shot. Starting with fade up to an extreme close (e.c.u.) up of a man holding a bomb and setting the time device without cutting the camera pans left to a zooms out to a long shot (l.s.) of a man and women walking down a corridor showing deep dept of field. This is also almost a point of view (POV) shot as if we are the man with bomb looking to see if the man women are coming. This is where we see the use of deep focus were the entire scene is focus. The depth of field foreground, middle, and background all can be seen clearly and in sharp focus. The films director Orson Wells and cinematographer Gregg Toland popularized the technique making the movie Citizen Kane.
The camera then pans right to follow the man with bomb as he runs of out of frame and we see his shadow (chiaroscuro lighting) darting across the outside of a building providing the right amount of lead so can see where he is going. We pick up with the man in the flesh entering the frame as he plants the bomb in the trunk of a car and makes his escape in the night. The camera moves into a high angle crane shot tilting down at the man and women get into the waiting car. Continuing the high angle shot the camera begins panning left over the roof tops as we see the car driving thru the streets with it’s deadly bundle in it’s tail piece moving going back and forth between wide shots (w.s.) and long shots. (w.s.)
During this time the Mise-en-Scene changes from a dark street backstreet to a busy main street scene with lots of with traffic and people going to and fro at random. Sound also plays an important part in the scene as the shoot continues we hear noise of the street. The vehicle continues is on its guided mission of going thru street traffic as the scene becomes busier with people, other vehicles, pushcarts, live stock, etc. You can hear all the activity of the street. This adds to the level of suspense of the bomb in the trunk because we don’t know when the bomb is going to go off. As the car comes in and out of the scene you hear the music from the car radio Henry Mancini’s Son of Raunchy. Which lets veiwer know that car is back and the danger is still near. It’s at this point the setting of the film Los Robles a border-town between Mexico and the Untied States is reveled. Which is emphasized by the border guard soldiers and guardhouse as the car and its deadly cargo arrive at the border crossing? It is at also this point that the protagonist Miguel “Mike” Varges a Mexican Drug Enforcement Officer played by Charlton Heston in dark make-up and his new wife Susan “Susie” Vargas played by Janet Leigh who is an American are introduced in the film. Both dressed the fashion to fit the fashion of the period. Heston’s character is wearing a suite and tie to show that he is man of importance which is confirmed by dialogue between Heston and the border guards. Leigh is dress in pencil skirt and fitted sweater with buttons down the back a gentile string of pearls around her neck completed with lovely white jacket. Other people in the scene are dress in variety of styles. Some dress up as if going out on night on the town, military people in uniform or people in regular street clothes. Note even thou Heston’s make up is dark to make him appear to be Mexican his hands are white which can seen in the driving scene between Heston and Leigh later in the film and other scenes where you can see Hesston’s hands.
The Varghese’s and the car arrive at the border almost simultaneously as the camera still panning left. The camera moving away from the car but not before we are reminded one last time of the impended danger from the bomb in the cargo hold by the female passenger telling the border guard that see “ no really ….I got this ticking noise in my head.” Little does she know that the ticking is not in her head but a terminating back seat driver. The camera moves with the Vargeses as they exchange a few words and move into a sweet embrace. Not a second after their lips meet that we hear the bomb explode killing the two passengers. This when see the films first cut a shoot of the car exploding with coming down in flames accompanied by quick zoom in for emphasis. The films second cut comes back to the Vargeses looking at the explosion and running in the direction of the burning car.
Note you will notice that when the camera cut to the Vargeses that the background is different they are in the middle of town while before they were are at the border crossing. This is made obvious by the arcing neon Paradise sign in background just above their heads. When just be before. Also the oil wells that are in the background that show up at the end of the film. Another item to note that is that the femme fatal is not central to the story. The only hint of what might be a femme fatale is the character of MArcia Linnekar daugter of Rudy Linnekar one of the deceased passengers from the car explosion.
The opening scene of Touch of Evil is perfect example of what can be done when vision is applied to technique in vessel of sight and sound that is making motion pictures. But learning history of Touch of Evil I can also see how that vessel can be changed, causing ripples on the filmmakers Celluloid canvas. Which bring me back to the memo that Orson Welles wrote to Universal. Welles’s closes verse the memo reads as follows “I close this memo with a very earnest plea that you consent to the brief visual pattern to which I gave so many long hard days work.” Well said Mr. Welles well said.
One of the designs that I like is album cover art. Which has become a changing art form since the advance of new technology. One example is Jane's Addiction’s cover art for their 1988 album Nothing’s Shocking. The album cover has a black and white photo of a pair of nude Siamese twins sitting in giant floating sideways rocking chair with their heads on fire. But that is the obvious part of the cover to say the least. Other elements include the black and white animal print, pink lines that run along side of the photo, Jane's Addiction written in what appears to be hand written script in green letters above the nude photo, and the album title Nothing’s Shocking in what I would like to say is Helvetia. (But I can’t be completely sure.) Needles to the title Nothing Shocking was not reflective of the album cover, which was very shocking. So shocking in fact that nine out of eleven retail outlet refused to carry the album. Cause the label Warner Brother to release the album in brown paper wrapping. The cover was the brain child of the bands led singer Farrell. Stating “the image, like much of his artwork, came to him in a dream.”
What I like about the Jane's cover is that is not just a shocking cover, which is very rock and roll. But how the different elements combine to make the cover what it is. It might not have the impact if you change one of the elements. The all seem the work together to create a total concept. Take for instance the how the bands name is written in hand written script instead of a font. This separates the bands name from that album title with is written in the font Helvetia at the bottom of the album. The script writing is used to identify the band; it’s their logo so to speak. Anytime Jane’s Addiction’s is doing anything promotional you say their name written in this script. Even from the early days of the band till now. Thou it has taken on few different incarnations. The color of the script is something we have takes into account as well. It ‘s light green and stands out just enough. It not competing with the photo of the twins instead its complements and adds to the album cover concept. Another design element of the album cover is the pink lines that run vertical along the sides of the photo. Thou they are very slight they help to separate the photo from the black and white animal back ground which serves as another juxtaposing element that fits the over all album concept. The black and white animal skin background is another element that helps bring the album cover to life. The album title written in a might be a version of Helvetia. Is so different from the script writing at the top of the album cover creating contrast between the two. And last but not of the black and white photo if the nude Siamese twins sitting in giant floating sideways rocking chair with their heads on fire. Which is working with album title to create a opposite meaning between words and picture. Nothing’s Shockingis not a easy concept to put together. You have many different elements that have to play in a balanceing. According to Ferrell, it’s harder to get big flames burning on plaster twins than one might think.
Touch Of Evil is a film noir film directed by Orson Welles in1957. A film noir mean dark film and was influenced by the German Expressionist of the 1920’s. The film is in black and white and uses chiaroscuro lighting to create interplay with light and shadow adding to the dark artist style of the films genre. The film cover much covers much of what have learned in class. Take the opening scene for instance, which is a very long masterful tracking shot. Starting with fade up to an extreme close (e.c.u.) up a man holding a bomb and setting the time device. Without cutting the camera pans left to a zooms out to a long shot (l.s.) of a man and women walking down a corridor showing deep dept of field. This is also almost a point of view (POV) shot as if we are the man with bomb looking to see if the man women are coming. The camera then pans right to follow the man with bomb as he runs of out of frame and we see his shadow (chiaroscuro lighting) darting across the outside of a building providing the right amount of lead so can see where he is going. We pick up with the man in the flesh entering the frame as he plants the bomb in the trunk of a car and makes his escape in the night. The camera moves into a high angle crane shot tilting down at the man and women get into the waiting car. Continuing the high angle shot the camera begins panning left over the roof tops as we see the car driving thru the streets with it’s deadly bundle in it’s tail piece moving going back and forth between wide shots (w.s.) and long shots (w.s.). During this time the Mise-en-Scene changes from dark street to a busy street scene with lots of with traffic and people going by at random. The vehicle continues is on its guided mission of exciting the traffic as the scene becomes busier with people, other vehicles, pushcarts, live stock, etc. This adds to the level of suspense of the bomb in the trunk. Because we don’t know when the bomb is going to go off.
At this point the setting of the film is reveled a border-town between Mexico and the Untied States. Which is emphasized by the by the border guard officers and guard post as the car and protagonist arrive at the border crossing. At about the three minutes and thirty seconds mark the protagonist Miguel “Mike” Varges a Mexican diplomat played by Charleton Heston in dark make-up and his wife Susan Varges played by Janet Leigh are introduced in the film. Both dressed the fashion to fit the their position and period. Heston’s character is wearing a suite and tie to show that he is man of importance. Which is confirmed by dialogue between Heston and the border guards. Leigh is dress in pencil skirt and fitted sweater with buttons down the back and gentile string of pearl around her neck. Other people in the scene are dress in varying styles. Some dress up as if going out on night on the town, military people uniform or just regular street clothes. The Vargeses and the car arrive at the border simultaneously as the camera still panning left. The camera moving away from the car goes back the Vargeses in sweet embrace. Not soon after their lips met that the bomb explodes killing the two passengers and fulfilling it’s duties as the MacGuffin of the film.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Museum of Moving Image
The begin of Motion: The Moment of Rest
Our journey began with the introduction of the Thaumatrope, which is a round piece disk that has an illustration on both sides. The two different illustrations seem to be one when the Thaumatrope is spun between two pieces of string. What creates the perception is the moment of rest? Taking the concept of a moment of rest further. The zoetrope which is a series of slides on a cylinder with vertical slits that when spun creates the perception of motion. An early version of the zoetrope was made in China about 180 AD by Ting Huan. The modern zoetrope invented William George Horner called his zoetrope Daedalum. When it was debuted in American it was renamed the 'zoetrope', which means 'wheel of life. This was followed by the Mutoscope, which had a series of mutoscope cards pictures/ cards on a housed wheel. When cranked the mutoscope cards would flip creating the perception is the moment. The Mutoscope runs on the same principle as a flipbook. The Mutoscope was procurer to stop and go animation. Which was our next on the tour we created a short stop and go animation using cut of different images.
Jumping forward we movie cameras and how that came to be used in the moving image.
Sound is very important element of the movies it helps to create the mood that film has and send a message. Making the scence more complete. From voice to music to folly sound can make or break a film at any point. We learned the human voice can create a very
