I don't know why it's taken me so long to watch this film. I think I kept confusing it with Lars and the Real Girl and therefore assumed I'd already caught part of it on TV once and felt bored. Or because no one has explicitly recommended it to me. Regardless, I regret the past 15 months I let this breath of fresh film air breeze right by me.
I'm not going to talk about the plot because it's going to sound off-puttingly like that of The Fault in Our Stars. Yes, it's about a girl dying of cancer, but the beauty lies in the visual storytelling. The film features claymation, 90 degree camera rotation, and a whole bunch of fake mini movies within the movie (e.g. Jurassic Skate Park, Rosemary Baby Carrots, A Sockwork Orange) to illuminate Greg's quirks. Here is one of those cheesy YouTube film analyses about the cinematography:
I found it funny and sad, beautiful both in visual and aural composition. It is rooted in classic filmmaking (i.e. fully aware of and in homage to "the greats") but marked by unconventional--or at least rarely utilized, especially in teen coming-of-age films--techniques. I recommend it to all, after this hell week of Thesis is done.
As per recommendation by Walker, I watched the film 'Tangerine' to see a fresh narrative with transgender characters. From a plot line standpoint alone, I was amazed at seeing the film not only having central, rich transgender characters, but also seeing these characters played by transgender actors. We are quickly seeing more and more trans characters displayed on film (Transparent's Maura played by Jeffrey Tambor; The Danish Girl's Einar played by Eddie Redmayne) but the bigger question is: why aren't many of these productions employing transgender talent? Yes, there is Laverne Cox, who is currently at the forefront of popular culture, but as 'Tangerine' actress Mya Taylor said in her Spirit Awards acceptance speech (for which she was the first transgender actor to win a major film award) “There is transgender talent. There’s very beautiful transgender talent,” the 24-year-old actress said. “So you better get out there and put it in your next movie.".
So that leads me to one of the bigger questions I aim to answer in my documentary: what problems arise when cisgender actors are hired over transgender ones? If there is so much talent out there, why is Hollywood not employing them? On a further note: what are the benefits to being more inclusive in media? I'm not saying that Eddie Redmayne and Jeffrey Tambor aren't talented actors who have put their all into depicting their characters, but I do think that the lack of representation in film, tv, media, etc does have a negative impact on both social perceptions of transgender people and impacts on individuals who are trans or gender questioning viewing this media.
On an interesting production note, not only did Tangerine have talent that both worked in front of the camera and behind the scenes, but it was also completely shot on an iPhone. It just goes to show that you do not necessarily need fancy equipment to make a meaningful, amazing, and visually appealing production. The filmmakers go into greater depth at how they achieved a visually interesting film in the video below:
I've been looking for examples of documentaries about refugees to get a better idea of how to structure a story for ours. I came across "God Grew Tired of Us," a 2006 documentary produced by Christopher Quinn that won Sundance's Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. The film follows three of Sudan's "lost boys," a group of displaced young men who fled the wars in Sudan in the 1980s and have been living as refugees in bordering countries ever since, as they move from Kenya to the United States. One of the most interesting parts of this film is the beginning. The filmmakers actually filmed them in their refugee camp and got scenes of the boys getting assigned to their new areas (two are going to Pittsburgh, one is going to Syracuse). It even shows them as they take their first plane ride (a highlight is when they're served airplane food and can't figure out what everything is).
The "lost boys" boarding a plane from Kenya to the United States.
The film continues, and shows them getting acclimated to their new home. The lost boys learn about their new apartment and get introduced to amenities they've never seen before (flush toilets, showers, electricity). They are also shown around a grocery store and learn about common American foods (broccoli, hoagie buns, donuts). These scenes are comical but also very interesting. It's difficult for most people to imagine the conditions these people have lived in for most of their lives, and it's hard to illustrate that. However, in seeing their amazed reactions to things that have become so commonplace to us in America, the audience gets a better sense of where they come from and what things they've been deprived of in their life.
In their first trip to a grocery store, the "lost boys" are offered to sample a donut.
Without including direct interviews, it's also apparent through dirty glances on the street that many Americans aren't comfortable with the "lost boys" living in their community. This is more subtle and, in my opinion, more powerful than having a talking head interview with someone rattling off their xenophobic beliefs. The film is mostly talking heads, which I think is one of the main detractions. It does include a lot of footage of the main characters going about their daily lives — Working, shopping, eating, etc. It just combines these scenes with talking head interviews, which is effective but at times gets a bit boring to look at. If they had just asked them the interview questions while they were working, shopping, eating, etc, then I think the visuals would have been slightly more interesting.
A typical (and poorly lit) talking head interview from "God Grew Tired of Us."
Another detraction is that the camerawork looks slightly amateur at times. As you can see in the screenshot above, interviews are often very badly lit. It was likely a challenge because the main characters are very dark skinned, but in a seated talking head interview with one subject, I don't think there's much of an excuse for poor lighting. The camerawork in other parts is smooth but uninteresting. You do get the sense that you're given a privileged view, being shown something you otherwise never would have, but the cinematography borders on almost home-video style with little composition.
Overall, though, this film is a success due to the storyline it crafts. There's a clear beginning, middle, and end. It follows its main characters as they prepare to leave their refugee camp, take their first plane ride over, adjust to their new home, and build a life here. Dani and I would love to have similar scenes in our film, but I know much of that will be unattainable. For one thing, as of right now we can't travel to a refugee camp to film a group of people preparing to come to the United States. We'd love to, but budgets and time obviously wont allow it. We are also doing our best to try to meet refugees who are brand new in the country, as we'd like scenes of people adjusting to their new culture. However, the refugee organizations we're working with are understandably hesitant to introduce us to people who are brand new in the country. They have enough to worry about without having a camera shoved in their faces. It's possibly too lofty a goal for this semester, but Dani and I are both interested in continuing to work on the film after the semester is over. So, given enough time, perhaps the organizations we're working with will feel comfortable enough to introduce us to refugees who have just arrived in Buffalo.
This film has given me ideas for things we can do in ours. To begin with, I'm thinking more about specific main characters we can follow. At the moment, Dani and I have a good problem: there are so many organizations and refugees in Buffalo that we have almost too many people to talk to. Though we don't have access to anyone who just got here, we do have access to people who have become leaders in the refugee community. I think we should pick two of them and follow them as they work with newcomers and discuss the issues new refugees face. Toward the end of "God Grew Tired of Us," one of the "lost boys" becomes a community leader and works to bring more refugees to Syracuse. I think we have characters who are similar, and I think this could be an interesting storyline that highlights the issues we'd like to address in our film.
John Bul Dau, one of the main characters in "God Grew Tired of Us," discusses the conflict in Sudan and his life as a refugee. Bul Dau has become a community leader in Syracuse and is working to help bring more refugees over to the United States.
Though we can't follow many of the storylines "God Grew Tired of Us" does (though maybe one day!), I think this film sets an example for how to show issues facing newcomers to this country. Even though it's a bit heavy on talking heads, there are many issues that are shown rather than told to us, and I think that's the standard we should try to achieve moving forward.
On the way to school is a feature length documentary that chronicles the journey to school for children from four very different countries. I decided to watch this film as a suggestion from a friend who knew I was interested in documentaries. Before I knew it I found myself completely absorbed into the story of these various children. The film was shot and edited in the style of cinema verite, where the camera floats around as if it wasn't even there.
In my opinion this is the truest form of documentary filmmaking. Interviews make people conscious of the fact that they are being filmed and in many cases takes away from the "reality" of the situation. Cinema verite truly captures life at its essence, with no planned lines or designed lighting. Everything happens as is and it is up to the filmmaker to operate on his own two feet to decide what to do. Editing becomes the driving force in telling the story. On the way to school weaves the narratives between the children together and although they are thousands of miles apart, it seems as though they are traveling as one collective.
This is one of the most important films I believe I have watched in a long time. Education is something that many of us in the United States and other first world countries take for granted. The idea of even struggling to get to school is rarely a thought in any of our minds. We grew up with the big yellow school bus picking us up on street corners or some, even more privileged, were taken right from their own driveways. To see the literal struggle that many go through everyday, just to get an education is inspiring and humbling.
This is what I hope to one day do with film. As we wrapped our first weekend of shooting down in Virginia my partner Eric and I are more driven more than ever to help others with film. I don't know where life will take me but all I can hope to do is inspire and hopefully improve the lives of others with film. On the Way to School is currently streaming on Netflix I encourage everyone to watch and try and put themselves in the shoes of these children, if only for the hour the film runs.
This week Edlekrone revealed their latest essential innovation for the cinematographer's toolbelt - a universal quick disconnect attachment for any cameras use on any piece of equipment. Essentially this would allow a camera operator to seamlessly move from, say, a tripod to a jib to a crane and then back without ever screwing in a new plate. Although it is a seemingly painless process, anyone who has been on set before knows how it can suck up an unwanted amount of time.
This tool continues Edelkrone's streak of simplifying things that I thought couldn't be made easier. Nowadays the film process has been fairly standardized, and we don't expect creations such as this to comoe along and improve the process. It's boarderline annoying how innovative they are, making such elegant, simple pieces that make one think "Dang, I should have thought of that." The one big downside for me has to be the price - coming in at around $140 for what essentially is three screws and a plastic handle puts it out of the budgets for many young film makers. I think the best course of action for a piece like this is to wait until a third party (in the style of Samyang, Rokinon, ect. bringing down prices for comparable lenses) makes a knock off. Until then, we can only keep switching plates.
Hott Fuzz is a British Comedy that came out in 2007. This film follows Nicolas Angel, played by Simon Pegg, who is an exceptional Police Officer (Not Policeman) that gets transferred from the city to a quiet little town in the country. On the surface this town is a perfect little slice of heaven, however after awhile Angel starts to realize that something strange is going on. I won't go any further with the plot because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who haven't seen the film.
The cinematography of this film is quit original however. On almost every transition from scene to scene it feels like you are watching people gear up for war even though most times its just a glass being filled with cranberry juice or someone buying something from a store. It is strange and doesn't make a lot of sense however its a comedy and its intentional. I have to say I love it. It is a huge change of pace from what I am used to watching.
I originally saw this film way back in 2007 when it came out however it was just added to Netflix and I would recommend it to friends if they haven't scene it. Its a great watch and fun to see with friends. Also the film Shaun of the dead is another comedy by the same people and that is another film worth a watch in my opinion.
Southcliffe is a Netflix mini series that came out in 2013 and stars Rory Kinnear, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson. This series is very strange in my opinion and after watching the pilot episode I am still not sure how I feel about the show. It leaves the viewer rather clueless to what is going on and ends rather abruptly. That being said it is common of TV shows to do this to keep the viewer coming back for more however this was a little different. the first episode ends with a very long shot on a field with only natural sound, and it was very confusing.
I personally liked the cinematography in the show. The shots were abstract and long but there was something beautiful about it. my issue with the show so for is just the lack of information given to the viewer. Also the lighting in Southcliffe seems to rely very heavily on the cool side. almost every shot was lit at around 5600k (that I noticed). While this is not necessarily how I would choose to light something, I found it very intriguing.
The show only has four episodes which are around 45minutes long and if you are looking for something twisted and strange I would recommend this, however if you are someone who likes conventional methods of filming I don't think this would be for you.
While watching Season 1 Episode 3 of The Wire this week, I noticed a camera movement that made me feel slightly uneasy. The scene shows a group of drug dealers sitting around in the projects, and one of them is telling a story.
In order to capture the perspective of each person listening to the story, the camera was trucked right while panning left to make the audience feel like they are rotating around the scene’s main character. However, as the story progressed and the situation he was describing got worse, a slow dolly zoom was introduced. This camera movement stood out to me for two reasons: first, it stood out to me because I can appreciate how difficult it must have been to accomplish this. Trucking right and panning left while dollying out and zooming in is not something that just anyone can pick up a camera and do. I was really impressed with the shot and the work of cinematographer Uta Briesewitz. As impressive as the shot was though, I felt it stood out to me because it wasn’t really necessary. The dolly zoom is a very dramatic effect, and can be great for communicating disorder or chaos when used correctly. But while simply telling a story like this scene in The Wire, it struck me as odd and out of place.
With my interests regarding dolly zooms piqued, I took to the internet to find more examples of times that dolly zooms were used effectively. I ended up finding this video on Vimeo that takes a look at the history of dolly zooms in movies, starting with Vertigo in 1958 and continuing to a couple films from 2005. Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo was one of the first times, if not the first time, that a dolly zoom was used in a widely popular movie. Because of this, the combination of dollying in/out and zooming the opposite way was was given the nickname “The Vertigo Effect”. The dolly zoom’s second most famous appearance come in 1975 with Jaws, giving it another nickname: “The Jaws Effect”.
After seeing all these cool examples of dolly zooms, I decided to take out my camera and try it for myself. Seven takes later, I came to a conclusion: a dolly zoom is tough to pull off (without tracks to smoothly dolly on). And although it might not have fit very well in the scene I first saw it in on The Wire, it made me appreciate the experimental camera work that past cinematographers have done to get the dolly zoom to where it is today.
My favorite comedy show by far is the sitcom, "Parks and Recreation" starring Amy Poehler and many other hilarious actors. The style that is used in Parks and Rec is "mockumentary" and the cinematographer, Michael Trim, conducts it in such a way that is so entertaining and flows beautifully. Many people compare the style of the show to "The Office," but I believe that "Parks and Recreation" exceeds the cinematography of "The Office" and makes it smoother and funnier.
The shots are sometimes rough and shaky, but that is an aspect of the mockumentary style that really makes it come to life. Throughout every episode there are several times where characters break the fourth wall and stare straight at the camera. The actress who stands out the most when doing this is Aubrey Plaza who plays the character of April Ludgate. In many scenes she makes hilarious faces and reacts to things that other characters say by breaking the fourth wall and it adds to the humor of the show perfectly.
The excellent zooms, pans, and various other camera movements follow the characters in a way that is intriguing and entertaining. There is never a dull moment because the camera is basically always moving. "Parks and Rec" has come a long way since its pilot episode, which was not the strongest, to their seventh and final season where I'm going to bawl my eyes out because this show became a television phenomenon. The mockumentary style was a perfect way to go about filming this series, and it really makes it easier not only to connect with characters but to be involved with the various different plots. The writing for this show is absolutely hysterical and the style of it keeps viewers entertained for hours on end. I highly recommend that everyone take some time out of their days and watch this show.
I recently went to the movies to see American Sniper, and I have to say I was not disappointed.
American Sniper is a film directed by Clint Eastwood, staring Bradley Cooper. It is based around the life of Chris Kyle, the Sniper with the most confirmed kills in America.
While this film is a very enjoyable high action movie, there are both strong points and weak points in this piece.
The Weak:
I personally thought that the plot line wasn't very strong. The film was divided into the "3 Tours" and it seemed to be fragmented with out very much emphasis on the current setting of each tour.
Another weak point was the stylistic color selection. The film had a very sepia tone style that I did not find appealing.
The Strong:
This was a very powerful movie. With out giving away any spoilers, I can say that this was the first film I have ever been too that left the audience speechless. Everyone left the theatre in silence. I have heard from multiple people that this was the same experience for them.
Another strong point was the cinematography. There where multiple shots through out this film that I was impressed with. Very nicely executed.
Over All Rating: 7.9/10
Great film to see in theaters, but lacking in some ascetics and felt rushed.
Over break, I decided to watch a few movies that were going to be nominated for Oscars. When I first heard of "The Theory of Everything," I thought it was going to be a bland documentary on the life of the well renowned scientist, Stephen Hawking. However, I was drawn in immediately by the beautiful opening sequence. Contrary to the seriousness of the subject of the film, the opening was filled with sunlight and radiant unfocused shots that brought in the audience and made you feel a sense of lightheartedness and beauty. Just from these shots, it was obvious to predict that the movie was going to be shot beautifully. Benoît Delhomme put an amazing amount of effort into the cinematography of this film.
The colors and bright lights that are brought into the film are exaggerated and push the boundaries of what these places and scenes would look like in real life. Colors can bring out so many different emotions, and Delhomme definitely took advantage of that fact. The different scenes were enhanced with colors and effects that made the audience feel like they were inside a story.
Eddie Redmayne's portrayal of Stephen Hawking was breathtaking. In addition to his acting, the way that Delhomme continuously lit his face with bright lights made me feel more connected to the character than I thought I would be. Delhomme used tons of natural light with windows, and I especially remember the shot of Hawking looking outside the window of a train. In an interview, Delhomme states that, "I wanted to see the power of the light everywhere in the film. I thought it was a way to express that Stephen needs the universe around him. Many times I have strong light on him, maybe strong sunlight on his face, because that's the energy he needs."
Overall, the shots in the film were all very rich and bright. In addition to the cinematography, this movie was a beautiful story that I recommend everyone to watch. The acting is tremendous, and there is never a dull moment throughout it. The director, James Marsh, in collaboration with the brilliant Benoît Delhomme created a film that is definitely one for the books.
Hoyte Van Hoytema is a cinematographer from Sweden, who went to the National film school in Lodz. Now working in the United States, his work is seen in big hollywood movies such as Her, Interstellar, and The Fighter. In some of his work he discusses using a real earthy color palette such as in Interstellar, he plays off of the natural green of the crops when in the farmland setting. His approach is also clearly seen the opposite when he creates the futuristic world of Her, utilizing LED lights to make the look and color of the film - a soft and intimate, near-future setting. His work is stands from Digital on the alexa in Her, to film in the Imax camera with custom made lenses for Interstellar. In each, there is significant camerawork and several handheld sequences.
This is an interesting video which is worth checking out, selling a little of Imax, but it is important to see some of the huge Imax reels, and the handheld work of Hoytema with the Imax camera.
Steadicam shots are used in several major motion pictures today, as several of these directors and cinematographers are reaching for the limitless possibilities of camera movement. Essentially, the steadicam stabilizes the camera from jitter due to the camera operator, giving a smoother image. Its use goes back to 1975 when it was first implemented in the film "Bound for Glory," shot by Haskell Wexler, which can be seen in this shot here:
Of coarse the running sequence from "Rocky" is another early use of the steadicam that was shot only one year later. Garrett Brown, the original inventor of the steadicam, was the operator for each of these notable sequences. Then in 1980, the invention was pushed even further when Stanley Kubrick and cinematographer John Alcott asked for the camera to be lower to the ground, for certain famous sequences in his film "The Shining".
A show with a truly captivating story and cinematic style, True Detective, which aired in 2014 for HBO, blew me out of the water. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson give an extraordinary performance in which they play dark mysterious detectives trying to discover a serial killer in Louisiana. The show is just as much about the relationship of the two detectives as it is wrapped around the case. The philosophical narration of Chole's character gives an interesting dialogue in this thought provoking series.
True detective contains some of the most elaborate cinematography for a television show, which is able to creatively portray the setting of Louisiana. This is one of the first times such a long take might have even been considered for TV. At over 6 minutes, this intense long take is one you should check out:
Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut A.S.C. has worked on some films such as Need for Speed, Act of Valor, and Semi-Pro. In which he uses a lighting technique that he describes on his blog as a "Book Light." This configuration and purpose is definitely interesting way to light a scene. Essentially, a book light is any light source which is first bounced creating a soft effect, and then diffused even more through diffusion material such as bleached or unbleached muslin. When positioned the bounce and diff will look like that of a book. Also, now the bounce has become the source of light, making it so that moving the diffusion closer or further away from your subject can change the softness of this light. One last thing to mention is that in most locations this bounce source will probably have light spill everywhere, leading to light bouncing off the walls in many directions. To combat this, having a few flags or draping a large piece of duvetyne fabric in order to block off this light will be extremely useful in order to make the scene have an even look.
The first time watching Children of Men, I was so struck by the visual language that you can get from the camera movements in this film. Unaware at the time, what really goes into filmmaking, I found the action happening onscreen extremely unique. Taking a look at the process of how some of the imagery was created in this science fiction adventure, can surely inspire. Emmanuel Lubezki, the cinematographer of the film, collaborated with Alfonso Cuaron, the director, in order to accomplish some of the many choreographed, long takes in this film. There are more than three different long takes which are more than three minutes a piece, the longest of which is six whole minutes. During production, what has caused many problems, eventually paid out into a creative landmark. During an ambush sequence there was a special car rig for the camera, so that the camera could turn 360 degrees, and by allowing seats and actors to move, there was a floating-documentary style of capturing the story. Of coarse there are some instances with CGI aided effects to make seamless transition for the effect, but nevertheless Lubezki help create some really beautiful sequences.
One of my favorite directors is Ingmar Bergman. His films
are haunting and enchanting. Fewmovies
can say so much with so little. When I first became interested in his work I
kept seeing the name Sven Nyqvist come up. I was probably 14 and didn’t even
know what a cinematographer was let alone what impact they could have on a
film. As I learned more about film and watched more Bergman films, I realized
the similarities between all of his film’s cinematography.
Characterized by simple, natural compositions, Nyqvist
creates sparse, almost empty shots in which the negative space dominates the screen. These compositions echo the actions of the film and set the usually dark mood of the film. The shot below is from the film The Virgin Spring in which a young girl is raped and murdered by a group of men who then seek refuge in her family's house. In this scene her father wrestles a tree to the ground. Although nothing important really happens in this scene the composition and action reveal the frustration and pain the father is experiencing.
Another big part of Nykvist's work is his emphasis on the Swedish landscape, particularly in coastal areas.
Ingmar Bergman's film Persona is a perfect example of Nykvist's unique close-ups which serve as the main shot in the film. These close-ups tell most of the story as one of the two main characters is mute. This technique brings you deeper and deeper within the minds of the two women in a way that dialogue couldn't. This film changed the way close-ups were shot and used in film.
Overall the simplicity of each shot in an Ingmar Bergman film creates the eerie mood which hangs over every scene. Ingmar Bergman's films would not be Ingmar Bergman films without Sven Nykvist.
I will begin this post by saying that if you have not yet experienced the awesomeness that is BBC's modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books, then stop what you are doing and go watch it. I will wait. No, I'm serious go check it out, it's on Netflix.
Now, I could sit here all day and talk to you about how amazing this mini-series is. I could tell you how incredible the acting is, or how I could even tell you that the last installment just won seven Emmys. But I think the quality of this series speaks for itself. One of the most impressive things about this series is the way the cinematography and editing is utilized.
If you don't know anything about Sherlock Holmes (which would be weird, because he's the most famous fictional character of all time), then you know that he is a genius detective who solves cases by picking up on things that no one else can. In past portrayals Sherlock would look around a crime scene before suddenly declaring what it was that everyone else was missing. In BBC's adaptation they actually show you Sherlock's thoughts as he is solving the case in his head, and they do it through clever editing and cinematography
As Sherlock thinks or makes deductions, we as viewers can see his thoughts through carefully placed text. This way the audience can feel as though they are solving the case along with him, instead of just watching him do it. This is also more interesting visually then just having the actor do a voice over. Not only that, but it makes Sherlock's genius more believable. The audience is more willing to believe that Sherlock can come to these conclusions if they can physically see him work them out.
It was also even used for comic relief when Sherlock tried to solve a case while drunk. This made for some pretty amusing deductions.
They also use a similar technique to show Sherlock's "Mind Palace".
This is a memory technique where one visualizes a location (in Sherlock's case a palace), with different rooms and stores different information in those rooms. Then when they need to remember something, they simply have to visualize the place where it was stored. Sherlock uses his Mind Palace to store all sorts of important information he might need to solve crimes.
The creators of the show used the cinematography and editing to show the way Sherlock interacts with his Mind Palace, much they way they did to show how he thinks.
There are even entire sequences that take place inside Sherlock's Mind Palace. In these scenes, lighting is used dramatically to show Sherlock's state of mind. One particular scene, when Sherlock was injured and unconscious, the lighting is bright and blindingly white as his body goes into shock. In the same is sequence clever camera angles were used, the camera pointed downward at the top of a long spiraling staircase as Sherlock struggles to climb up them and back to consciousness.
Basically, everything about the way this show is constructed is extremely clever, much like it's hero. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Scandal is in its third season on ABC, but I only started watching this show this week. I have seen friends post on social media about the show, particularly about the main character, Olivia Pope, and their posts and the commercials I've seem have grabbed my interest.
I can't decide if it's the characters, the quick, witty dialogue, or the editing that draws me into the show most. The characters each have very intriguing personalities, and when they come together it makes for a very interesting character dynamic. Their relationships can be both professional and personal at the same time, and you're drawn into both stories without missing a beat of either one. The dialogue can be incredibly quick and witty, which is a characteristic I appreciate in television and film. I love the fast pace. It keeps my attention the whole way through.
The types of shots and editing also fascinate be because editing is what interests me most about this field of work. There are a lot of really quick cuts and really mind-blowing shots. The directors, cinematographers, and editors get very creative with how they show you things, rather than just blatantly showing you the obvious. Instead of getting a shot of a security camera to let you know that a character is being watched, they show you a shot through the security camera. When a character is looking at something on a computer screen, the shot appears to be taken from behind or inside the computer, showing you what's on the screen as well as the character's face. This is not only a fascinating method, but it also allows you to see the character's reaction to what they're seeing on the screen.
In just one episode, the show has grabbed by interest and made me want to watch more. Shonda Rhimes has definitely created a successful show. I cannot wait to see more.
Calling all art directors!! I have stumbled onto a really incredible resource. It is a blog called http://moviesincolor.com. Essentially it takes the color palettes of films and breaks them down to their color spectrums, which it shows underneath a still of the image. You can view a complete list of the films by clicking the Films link at the top of the page. Some of them are no longer available, but there are still some great posts available. I found it particularly inspiring for my film. You can also sort the posts by Cinematographer. The blog was originally created because the writer loved the cinematography of Skyfall, in particular the color palette. I am a big fan of Roger Deakins' work and his stills are particularly captivating.
Here is the still from the establishing shot of Scotland in "Skyfall", Deakins used a lot of tans, off yellows and grays to establish this. We see this throughout the setting.
In "No Country for Old Men", Deakins used a great range of yellows and reds to convey the bloodiness of the film.
Overall this blog does a great job of showing how the colors of major motion pictures contribute to their overall tone and message. I like the "Skyfall" image above for our film as well. We are going to be doing a lot of exploring with blues and grays. This will really hold well with the messages and themes that our film is going to be showing. When we introduce our love interest, she will most likely be in red, which will be a great way to pull emphasis and give the moment weight. We are really excited to finalize how the art is going to come together! I hope this helps others with their color palettes for their films!
