Stop Motion Animation

 As part of our studies of Jan Svankmajer  we created our own  stop motion animation film. Initially struggling with ideas we went back to basics and decided pen and paper would suffice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYNxDP7HufU


When we started shooting, it immediately became clear how much time and skill was required in order to create a successful piece of stop motion animation. For a highly amateur  29 second  film of nonsense,  it took us over 2 hours of work!

Although we experimented with the depth of focus we did not try to get any other angle shots, this was partly due to fear of moving the camera and then not being able to achieve the same shot again. This is something that I would like to try if I ever  did this again as I feel it would enhance the viewing experience greatly.

Taken from the sound track of the film Hanna I am fond of the song used in this film as I feel the fast tempo is fitting with the speed of the film. I also made the last minute decision to add a scribbling pencil sound effect  whilst the pen is moving. I did this to mirror one of Svankmajer techniques of adding exaggerated sound. I think in order for this to be more  successful the sound would have to be slower and editing more precise . 

Overall I am happy with this not so seamless film as I now have a better understanding of how to create a stop motion animation.It is a process that I have enjoyed and might consider using this technique in my creative project coursework. 

Section A - How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?

La Haine

The key identity of the  film is its focus on raw reality. Film techniques help to establish the reality and within that  the underlying themes and effect on the characters creating an overall impact of the film. You could argue that the extent to which the film has an impact  does not rely purely on  film techniques used but also on the dialogue and narrative of La Haine.

The most dominating film technique used for the entirity of the film is the use of black and white. Kassovitz makes this decision to emphasise the key theme of  a multi race culture present in the 'projects.' Another interpretation for this black and white is to show how not everything is not black and white  forcing  the audience to look for the colour beneath the black and white.

Throughout the film Kassovitz never gives and illusion of a happy ending and this becomes more apparent towards the end when the three lads are spending their last hours in Paris in a shopping centre. A reacurring issue in the film is the lack of oppurtunity and wanting to get out of the negative impact that the 'Projects' has on the three boys. In this shot Said and Hurbert are waiting either side of a descending escalator . Descending is a stylistic choice used to show that a character is about to go somewhere negative. Said and Hubert waiting at the bottom of the descent  could show how  they wish to 'move up' from their situation, however  the escalator is coming towards them creating a friction  and almost pushing them back down . This shows how if anyone from the projects tries to better themselves something is just going to push them back down.
                                     Said and Hubert are intimidating a man that is riding the escalator ,whilst doing so Hubert says  'People are like sheep they follow the system' I think this is ironic  as the man is doing exactly as Hubert says, he is being carried by the escalator which can been seen as a metaphor for the society that forces people towards a certain path. We know that the man does not want to come down the escalator towards what looks like two stereotypical thugs , yet he knows he has to. This scene is key to show the power held between the two societies , Said and hubert are in full control of their lower level and therefore have power. However I think an element of power is only showed by this  2  mid shot of Said and Hubert  being either side of the escalator united together against the other form of society.  This shows how it is vital for the boys to stick together  in order to remain in power , this can be used as an explanation as to why gangs are ever-present in the 'projects' society.

Steven Spielberg 

Spielberg films are often regarded as over sentimental. Can this be regarded as an signature style?


Item 1
ET(1982):

I have chosen this as my focus film it is the closest to an autobiographical film on Spielberg therefore proving Spielbergs tendency to be sentimental. The central family are already in a state of separation and struggling with the fallout which directly relates to Spielberg's own  parents marriage break-up. His understanding of the social situation and it's thematic use in his other works makes this a distinctive trait.   


Item 2
Catch me if you can (2002):

This  film focuses on an ordinary character that has become extraordinary. Once again there is a central situation of a marriage break-up which is the catalyst to the plot. Spielberg treats this issue  with great care and sentimentality, making it an ideal film to discuss in relation to my study.

Item 3 
Saving Private Ryan (1998):

This film displays the development of a ordinary man through extraordinary and challenging circumstances. We see men go through regular emotions such as fear and loss to then overcome or succome to these emotions in extraordinary ways that create a gripping view.The action is spectacular through great special effects and camera work, creating a sense of reality, which emphasises the emotions making them easier for the audience to be immersed. This focus on emotions creates a sense on sentimentality in brutal circumstances. Another trait that this tackles is Spielbergs tendency to re create a historical event.  


Item 4 
Channel 4 Documentary:

This documentary is  useful as it provides a visual timeline of Spielberg's work. A short analysis of each film is provided, with a small amount of background information on the process of the film making providing reasons for certain elements and choices of the film. This documentary is particularly useful as it provides an interview with Spielberg allowing a personal response and meaning as to why he chose to input certain things into each film he makes. It becomes evident that sentimentality and emotion is a key reason. I will use some quotes from this  for my presentation.

Item 5 
Slide Share: 
http://www.slideshare.net/rebeccawarboys/auteur-project-second-draft

Similar to me this  slide show uses ET as its focus film .It has good grasp on the theme of childhood which is a great contribution to Spielbergs sentimentality.  There is exploration of the miss en scene and cinematography for ET speaking about the use of low angles to potray a childs point of view.  I cant necessarily take any quotes from this presentation but i could use it as a template for a good and effective presentation. There isnt much that I could                         


Item 6 
Pocket Essentials,Steven Spielberg - Jame Clarke:

This was the first piece of information I read on Spileberg. It was useful as it provided the basics that i needed to know in order to develop into further and deeper reasearch.Another good trait of this book was that it had a lot of information on my focus film ET, it made comparisons to Spielbergs life and the film. As it provides information on each film Spielberg has created , I will use this to determine whether each film is sentimental or not, in order to see if it is a recurring theme which Spielberg uses which will then make him an autuer. 


Item 7 
Inside the Actors Studio Interview :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZJdjxYlhKU

This is an in depth and personal interview.Full of Spielbergs  childhood stories and talking openly about how his parents split  effected him. This is useful as  by knowing his past i can begin to find reason for Spielbergs tendency for sentimentality. Throughout the interview James Lipton keeps referring back to the split of Spielbergs parents.As this interview is so long (1:31) it helps me to find out what Spielberg is like as a person , to see if he is  a sentimental person or if it just something he puts into his films in order to please an audience. 

Item 8 
http://www.slashfilm.com/steven§-spielberg-discusses-career-inspiration-and-criticism-in-1990-video-interview/

This interview is useful in answering my question because just  7 minutes in Spielberg acknowledges he use of sentimentality. I need to explore whether his acknowledgement is valid and if his want to apply sentimentality actually makes him an autuer.  He  gives  his own personal response to how each film he creates has an element of sentiment. We also get a background to how his own company "Amblin" is ran. I intend to use quotes from this item to strengthen my argument and prove his auteur status.

Item 9 
http://vimeo.com/47105733

This video asks the question , "What accounts for his unparalleled success?" This video is very much focused on the  shots and camera movement that Spielberg uses. It explains how he is a great story teller with  the use of a gallery of techniques that all draw up emotions.  The video also mentions  directors that Spielberg has been influenced by such as John Ford. This video will help me to show how Spielberg technically stirs emotions  such as  focusing on the zooming in and out shot, talking about how Spielberg focuses on the face for emotions. 

Item 10 
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc45.2002/robnik/index.html

This is an extremely in depth essay on the film Artificial Intelligence as  redemptive memory of things. Also this Focuses on the film A.I there is mention to Saving Private Ryan which is one of my focus films. This article compares Spielberg and Kubricks work , saying that Spielbergs work can be seen as simple minded and Kubricks work is very much intelligent. This could be seen as an unfair comparison and maybe even insult, however I believe that is why Spielberg is so successful as a blockbuster director  he creates 'simple' films packed with emotions that your everyday audience can relate to. This provides me with another reason to see Spielberg as an auter.

Item 11 
http://sensesofcinema.com/2006/great-directors/spielberg/

This is a very detailed article  that speaks about every film Spielberg has created up to  War of the Worlds. This one of the few articles I have looked at that  includes some of his recent films such as Catch Me If You Can.  A substantial amount of information is provided all of my Films that I am studying. This is particularly useful for ET as it speaks of the choice of location as a 'superficially bleak suburbia" this could reflect Spielberg's past. Technical aspects and choices made by Spielberg in Saving Private Ryan  are explored for the opening scene. I will use this mostly to discuss Saving Private Ryan and how Spielberg created such a gripping opening for the film. 


Item 12 
Movie Makers, Iconic Directors - Ian Freer:

This book will help me answer my question because  it provides information on most of the films that he has made.Referance is made to Spielbergs good friend and composer John Williams. I could use this to explore his use of music in his films and maybe even lack of it, in order to stir emotions. This is useful as an auter is a 'Creator of a film' and in order to create a whole film Spielberg will have had to had great input into the choice of music. This book seems to think so .                                                 

Item 13 
A cinema of Loneliness- Robert Kolker: 

With a large chapter on Spielberg I decided to focus on a particular section that discusses how Spileberg manipulates the viewer with all aspects of the film , the narrative, the mis en scene and how his places the audience through the camera shots. The book talks about how his success in all these elements guarantee the audience to surrender themselves to the narrative emotionally,thus creating sentiment. 
      
Item 14 
Adventures in the Screen Trade - William Golberg:

This is a useful book to provide a contradiction to the Auter theory.The writer discusses how it takes many different people to create a film and to say that the director is the 'author' is wrong as they can't of had that much power over how the other people work. Golberg seems to be bitter about the auteur theory saying it is 'deaming to the rest of us.' My response is that it is true that not every director deserves to be called an 'auteur' but occasionally  there is that one  genius director that deserves to have a status and be respected as an auteur. Whether Spielberg is that special director is what I intend to find out through my research.

Item 15
Teach Yourself Film Studies- Warren Buckland 





Rejected Items

Schindler's List 


I feel that this film  is too focused on recreating history in a respectable manner giving it a documentary feel, because the narrative is so shocking and emotional anyway, it could be said that Spielberg does not need to apply too many of his techniques and choices as the satiation itself is so sentimental. 


Steven Spielbergs Wikepedia Page 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Spielberg

This page is too focused on the information on Spielberg and not on his film making.I feel this page is dedicated to Spielberg as a celebrity speaking of all of his awards ect and not focusing on his directing style.



Steven Spielberg IMBD Page 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000229/

 This page provides a biography of Spielberg's work, it is more of a professional biography and hardly mentions the personal life of Spielberg or his choices for each film. This means that I cannot explore his sentimentality due to the lack of personal information. 

Keith Lemon The Film - Marketing

Uk: Keith Lemon The Film 

Director: Paul Agnunawela 

Running time: 85 minutes

Release date: August 24, 2012 (initial release)

Genre: Comedy film

Uk Weekend BoxOffice Figure: £1173305

Release date: 
The release date is  in bright yellow and stands out from the blue background the text is separate  from the title making it stand out even more even though it is in a smaller text.. Being on the 24th of august   it is towards the end of the summer   meaning less competition from  any other blockbusters yet it is still in the summer holidays  so the target audience  of teenagers still have a chance  to view it.

Genre: 
Comedy - we can tell it is a comedy  due to the  bright colours of yellow and blue  , these are not conventional colours for a serious film therefore we know   it is a comedy, they also help to make the poster standout. Another element that foreshadows the genre of  comedy is  the tagline , "BIGGERER, LONGERER, FUNNIERER" this tag line  is obviously a joke  that people who are aware of Keith Lemon can relate to , or even people that are not aware will still find it funny .

Stars: 
There is an obvious use of stars, Keith Lemon being the main one. He is recognised from TV and his name is what is selling the film.   Keith Lemon being the star means the target audience is  teenagers  to 25 years olds that   know Keith Lemon form watching TV.  Another key star shown in the poster is Kelly Brooks , she is a well know star yet is not know for staring in films; the fact that she is on the poster and plays a key role could intrigue  her fan base to see  her in the film. Names of stars are also shown above    the large title.

Marketing :
Other uses of marketing   are   the Facebook and Twitter pages. These create another way for the fan base to access  the film . Also the fan base being  teenagers this use of marketing is relevant to them as social networking plays a huge part into  their lives.

The Trailer:



 The trailer   is fast paced, humorous and informative. It includes the funniest bits of the film to entice and audience in . The use of  font  tell the plot of the   the film. There is use of stars including  david Hasslehoff , and Kelly Brook these are international stars that will help to expand the range of audience viewing the film.  Also as Keith Lemon already appears on Tv and is familiar  to the target audience , the trailer  uses his  catchphrases  to entice his target audience into familiar territory.  

Alien Analysis...

This science fiction horror film  directed by  Ridley Scott  was released in 1979. Following a crew on on ship which is quickly being destroyed by the agonist a mysterious evil Alien creature. 

The first scene that I am analysing,is the ever famous , chest burster scene,having  received an Academy Award for best Visual Effects,this scene has a lot to live up to. 

The scene begins with a wide shot of the whole crew having a meal . We can see that the structure of the room  is mainly white , following the  sci-fi convention of having a futuristic look  , however  we can see the culture of objects on the table,  this could represent the  human side of the crew, they are  human and therefore make a mess like any of us. We can see that their uniform is not  matching, they each have their own individual look  which could show that they are not fully a team. The mis en scene of a messy table and un co-ordinated uniform ,could foreshadow that  chaos is to come and clearly the team are not  prepared  showing that they are venerable, this makes me feel frustrated as  being in the audience we know something is coming.   This also follows a horror convention as  something disastrous  always comes when the characters least expect it. Also the use  of the spotlight in the center could show that  this is the  central place of happenings.  

 

Throughout the whole of the scene we see  shallow focus  when  in a shot of a character   they are  in focus yet     the back ground is not.  i think this is used to   emphasize the characters emotion. The  un focus in the background could also show that  they  are unclear as to what is happening. Also particularly in the shot, the background  showing a door is out of focus , this could reflect their isolation  and the fact that anything beyond those four walls is unknown.  This is using a horror convention , the theme of  isolation and seclusion is used. 

 John Hurt provides an excellent performance  of convulsions  and pure agony.Non- diegetic sounds of screeching ,gasping and shouting,kept me more involved in the scene ,with no music to   enhance the scene,we purely focus on every breath ,gasp and shout that is made making us feel as if we are there,it is a raw scene that is brutal and honest with no music to mask any unwanted noises, ironically  to the situation,only non- diegetic sounds  make the scene seem more natural and realistic. 

Whilst Kane is on the table a high angle shot is used, this could show that Kane is overpowered by the disease and is extremely vulnerable to the situation .Through mis en scene a bright light, hanging above the table is used over Kane,to direct view to him , it could also show that the pain is harsh and overwhelming.In this shot we can see that a white T shirt is used,this  emphasizes the blood, if a black T- Shirt were to be used it would not be visible and therefore not have the same effect. 

Towards the end of the scene we see the Alien run across the table, this is meant to have an effect of shock,yet as a modern viewer i felt that the effects were old fashioned,which therefore  took away the shock factor and added a element of humor as i was laughing at the effects which made it look unrealistic and therefore unbelievable.

Here we see a  mid close up shot of  Ash at eye level contemplating the event. Placed on  the right of the shot  and although being out of focus the  blood stained white door is still imminent within the shot.This could show that  now the ship is blood stained,it will continue to be. Also it shows by focusing on Ash that he is somehow responsible for the bloodstain caused on the ship,which is foreshadowing what will come. 

This next scene is the Here Kitty scene.Foolish Brett is going  to find the ships cat. 

In this scene low key lighting is used ,to distort visibility , immediately making it a dangerous place to be.This wide shot is taken at a low angle to show the large dark mysterious room ,   we can see that Brett is a lot smaller in comparison to the room which makes it more imposing and makes Brett seem more vulnerable.  

Mis en scene is used to create water drops and chains chinking from the celling ,creating non - diegetic sounds. Although indoors the water drops can be seen as pathetic fallacy ,which is another convention of horror ,when the weather is bad , something is bound to go wrong. Water dripping on board a ship is unusual, i think that this is a sign of a faulty ship which makes me feel even more uneasy about the situation.

The cutting of shots is fairly quick throughout this scene, they almost take on the pace of breathing,which can show the significance of life, we can tell a life is about to be killed  by a new life that is breathing somewhere near. When Brett turns to be confronted by the Alien , he is attacked and the shots are cut  very quickly to show the chaos and  panic!It leads to a sudden end  and left me shell shocked. Shock is a theme used in  thrillers and horrors. 

 Black Swan Scene Analysis...

  The scene that i am analysing within this drama, thriller and horror film, is the key moment  having just performed her career defining performance  as the black swan, Nina Sayers is isolated in her  dressing room and  realises that  she has stabbed herself. In the confusion she continues to perform her finale 
dance which then ends in the tragedy of   her death.

  Immediately we see a key element of mise en scene, the grey rough bricks  create the setting.  With no paint or plastering  the bricks are raw  and their grey colour imposes the scene,   this combination  creates and unwelcome sense. This is important , as although  not a generic horror this film still carries the convention of dull cold colours to contrast any other colour of significance , such as blood,  to create  a even  greater effect.

 A colour contrast we see is  between Ninas   black  attire and the  others white attire. This obvious contrast  of mise en scene costumes  can reflect the  clear divide   between  Ninas state of mind  in comparison to a  regular state of mind. Another element that contributes to this is the  action of Portman   walking down steps  past other that are going up the stairs , this is a literal contrast ,  going the opposite way to anyone else implies that she  is going some where isolated.

This action also follows another horror convention , as the  movement of descending   down  suggests that  the   character  is going  somewhere   negative, thus creating a sense of suspense. The use of a hand held  camera  with bumpy shots create a sense of rush and also a  sense of unease as the  slight knocks  are not obvious  but their  presence can    show that something is not quite right with Ninas focus.

Here we can see the  crown of the Black Swan  placed  onto a mannequin  in the left hand side of the shot, this could represent  the thought that the  darkness is  ever-present in the Swans eyes, she is applying the  white makeup  representing innocence yet  the crown is still  there taking pride of place. The lighting from the mirror creates a white light : covered and dressed in all  white  provides a further contrast to the  harsh colour of the black crown. 

 At the moment of realisation   that  she has stabbed herself ,  intense music  is used  with  a medium close up shot  to obtain all facial expressions and  emotion.  Then  tilting downwards to  reveal the bloody wound.  The Mise en scene is the use of the white  costume  contrasting with  the   deep red blood, the use of this  gives a greater effect  of shock as the blood is more obvious.  We see deep red blood seeping through  a white costume who's fabric seems to apear as a bandage material. This may represent that  having  hidden and wrapped up her troubles the truth is finally seeping through. Also the use of bandages reflect a feeling of  being unwell and broken.

During her final performance having been  wounded  there is a fantastic moment  when Nina  rises up the stairs   as a final moment before collapsing. This is a pinnacle point  where all feelings  are concluded and   we can realise that this is the end.Nina has risen up  from previously having gone down to a dark place,  this opposite effect shows rejoice  ,returning to a place where  the swan  wants to be .  Lighting also contributes to this moment as   they    increase brightness in accordance with Ninas  rising up the stairs, being  the brightest gold at the end. Nina has reached the end of a performance in dance and also life, lit in  a circle of gold is she finally a winner? 

 500 days of summer…

This is the best film. I   am pretty fussy when it comes to choosing my favourite.Yes there are plenty of fish in the sea, but I am looking for a specific fish ; it has to be  charming , unique,  and   most of all have a great look.  I sat down in that   cinema , my purse  traumatised by the sheer amount it has lost , prepared  to tackle a mountain of adverts and as soon as my ears heard that deep husky voice belonging to the narrator  I knew it was love.

This cunning, witty and self-proclaimed indie film first came onto the big screen in   2009. This film was not thrust at the screens with the mighty force of adverts and promotional tours, it was more of a silent strut, you didn’t hear it coming, but when you saw it … damn it was good! 500 days of summer was a Sleeper Hit, earning a tasty $60 million.

500 days of summer tell the story   of  Tom Hansen falling in love with  a girl far out of his league Summer Finn. The non – linear narrative   takes a memory driven look at their failed relationship. However as brilliant minded people,   we know it was down to one slight clue,the line “ I don’t believe in love”  delectably delivered by doll eyed,  plumped lipped Zooey Deschanel. (Can someone get this girl an Oscar?)

Still as polite people, we   share their special moments, initially bonding over  a shared passion for  British band the “ Smiths “ , which then developed into  Karaoke  nights, drunken fights and romantic  city walks.   We watch the architect  turned   card writer  fall in love  with the  hot  office assistant   and cringe long with his two  less than supportive mates to Toms pure blindness of the inevitable ending of the relationship.

 There are so many things that are right about this film.The colour  pallet throughout the whole film  is bright, yet  slightly pale to keep that old school feel. The range of shot techniques  is incredible, with close up shots of Summers beautiful features, to a wide shot displaying the unique side of an urban area. However one gem that stood out was Toms venture to Summers party, the screen was split displaying  reality and  Toms expectations. This never seen before technique provides a beautiful climax to the film when Tom realises it is in fact Summers engagement party.(Oh how we hate reality. )

 It must take a genius to encapsulate 500 days of a dysfunctional relationship into 2 hours of bliss entertainment… or just a damn good director. Low and behold Mark Webb … this being his first  huge film  he has certainly rose up to the challenge in creating a  very successful  rom- com . We can now see that 500 days has become a platform for him to move on to greater things and has continued to make many fans  very happy when he was hired   by Columbia Pictures  to direct  “The amazing spider man.”

I truly admire  the writers’   ability to  create such a brilliant recipe for the  perfect  comedy drama . Scott Nevstadter  and  Michael  H Weber  have gone beyond  your generic rom com and created a film  with such a brilliant concept.  As an audience we are not spoon fed   on what emotions we should feel, but we are left to our own devises to depict   your own    feelings and emotions throughout the film .Near the end  when we see Summer display her engagement to a heart broken Tom , some may think BITCH, but I think WOW what a film.

Rebecca Painter