CM Film Analysis PDF

CM Film analysis The basic grammar of film // Cinema of Attraction and Narrative Film 9 Septembre Tom Guning, Attraction of Film provoked shock, people fainting in the audience. Edward Mary : thinking about motion and how cameras can capture motion, photographs of horse running. These shots lead t...

CM Film analysis The basic grammar of film // Cinema of Attraction and Narrative Film 9 Septembre Tom Guning, Attraction of Film provoked shock, people fainting in the audience. Edward Mary : thinking about motion and how cameras can capture motion, photographs of horse running. These shots lead to thinking about moving images. The FRAME : the smallest coherent unit of a film One of the successive individual images that comprise a motion picture, or the space such as an image occupies. Like a still photograph, a frame may contain all elements of a shot composition. Early silent film : 1900-1927 The SHOT : basic grammatical unit of a film. A still continuous take, filmed ina single session from one camera. Taken from a fixed position to a setup. -​ Cecil HEPWORTH : HOW it feels to be Run Over 1900. 1 shot, fixed camera position. “Oh mother will be pleased” after being runned over by a horse. -​ Camera frontality, it is set up left in center, there is a slight angle, flat lighting, not really any story, no characters. Visual pleasure in this quote. -​ The Great Train Robbery 1903 Edwin S.Porter : breakthrough in Film Editing, Cinematic Grammar : 14 shots. -​ 12 minutes long, which is amazing for the time -​ It is one of the first western -​ Special Effects : Matte Shot, double exposurre, color tinted, painted overlays, a lot of choking violence. Spectacular close up which is non-diegetic (doesnt fit in the film) -​ Editing : match-cut, continuity between shots (and continuity errors), cross-cutting, parallel editing (allows moving images to tell a story), camera pans. Lexic : -​ Matte Shot : a double exposure that does not need two images on top of each other. (StarWars) -​ Match-Cut : a CUT in which two shots or scenes are linked by the repetition or continuation of an action, a movement or a form. (A Space Odyssey)  -​ Continuity Editing : preserving eye line, line of action or directions of movement between shots (the bandits run off frame right but come in screen left) -​ Camera Movement : Pan or tilt to follow action. (When the bandits run off the camera moves and follows the action) -​ Cross-cutting : parallel editing, meaning showing action happening meanwhile other action is happening and showing it. Two things happening at the same time. Intercutting two independent SEQUENCES so that a relationship is established between the parallel actions. It is key to rhythm, building tension. -​ Special effect : color tint on black and white (little girl’s red coat) -​ Spectacle, one of the most famous close-ups in the history of film. For the spectators they feel implicated, attracted (Good Fellas, The Matrix) Every Top Gun film includes the famous shot at the end or beginning. -​ Visual pleasure : thrill, excitement, shock. Films today have about 400 shots for documentary to 1800 for an action film 16 Septembre The Birth of Hollywood Cinema -​ DW Griffith The birth of a Nation 1915 -​ credited for the Hollywood style, by the technique and structure 1544 shots : modern adventure sci fi and action film. Powerful story that had a massive effect on cinema Advertised by a poster Editing and graphic techniques : iris shot, fade in, fade out Pans, tilt, tracking cross-cut, match-cut, movement match, direction match, eyeline match, point-of-view shots (pov), reaction shot Mise en scène characterisation, action story Profilmic Enframing : shot composition for drama; characterisation (Griffic compose his shot for atmosphere, every shot has another meaning that communicates by images) Pacing : cross-cutting to creative narrative excitement (anticipation, anxiety, slow down, creates a new kind of excitement) Spike Lee : film director who was responsible for the growth of black cinema, he went to nyu and studied this film in detail (video of his interview) -​ politics and ethics of the movie (kkk) Film was banned from cities, still today, those places are still more likely to have racist violence. This film is referred to as a racist masterpiece, it had a powerful effect. Realistic three dimensional set, compared to the great train robbery there is middle ground background differentiation, there is a depth of field on a two dimensional surface, characters are in the foreground, realistic props, creating a space inviting the spectators in. Realistic battle field, he has real civil war costumes, the red film He will also move from the long shots of the battle to close ups to the hero of the movie. Griffith's great innovation is putting these shots together, there is a break between each scene to numerous shots and can be re-combined. Hollywood feature film : historical epic, families divided by war, romance story at the centre (very problematic one that has to do with racism) GUS, ex slave and northern army soldier that wants to marry FLORA (21+ shots) “You see, I’m a captain now-and I want to marry-” that romance there is not only problematic but something horrible and shocking about it. How does Grifiith manage to show in 21 shots that this proposal is horrible and shocking ? -​ Shot 1 : fade-in to long-shot of Flora (far away from border of the house) light & shadow : angel lighting (halo effect), with pink tint (innocence) flora is small surrounding a very big setting, a little girl alone in the forest, she is stepping into the shadow (symbolises danger). -​ Shot 2 : Cross-Cut to Gus, to show he is far away, she is being followed, association that danger and Gus are associated -​ Shots 3-5 : cross-cuts Gus and Flora Looks like he isn’t going to follow her. She is in a medium shot, movement match with the bucket in the water + her hands. Why film this action ? Why not stay at a medium shot ? It builds the tension, it creates suspense, but it also does the same effect as realistic novels, a close-up with details. -​ Shot 6 : Close-Up Flora’s bucket at the well -​ Shot 7 : Movement match. -​ Shot 3// 8 Cross-Cut from Flora to Gus, Location Match, Gus is following Flora ! -​ Shots 11-15 : Flora and the squirrel : eye-line match (uses matt to create an eye-like view on the shot), iris shot (pov), reaction shots. -​ Flora, squirrel and then get cut off by Gus. Why get so many shots of flora and the squirrel ? Shows innocence of a young girl playing with a squirrel, then Gus coming out of the darkness, shadow which contrasts with the scene before, branches surround him, it gives a vision of Gus like a hunter, a villain, composition of the shot itself shows it as it associates him with darkness. -​ Shot 16 : Cross-Cut to Gus emerging from the shadow. -​ Shot 17 : Camera frames Flora in medium shot with an Iris Shot : pov shot, Gus is watching flora -​ Shot 18/19 : Pov of the squirrel and reaction shot of Flora  -​ Putting this series of shots together : creates tension, we know Gus is coming, she doesn’t know, he is watching her blow kisses to the squirrel, watching him watch her blow innocent kisses makes a sexual implication. -​ Shot 20 : Close-up of Gus (ENFRAMING by shadows, branches) it shows the danger and evil. Even before his proposal he is stalking Flora, an innocent girl. Corruption of innocence. Viewers want to stop the scene. -​ Shot 21 : Flora Medium Shot (Gus pov) -​ The Finale : The Last Minute Rescue : Cross-Cutting, Close-ups. -​ KKK coming ect, it is a very problematic scene, the actors in the movie arn’t b It had such an incredible impact on racism. Lack but white people with a black face. Response : Oscar Michaux, Within Our Gates, 1919 Realistic setting, cross-cutting, reaction shots, exterior location, fade-in. Romance involved. DJ Spooky Rebirth of a Nation (2007) -​ Remix every aspect to create an hour long (three hours the real movie) -​ Sampling, story arrangement -​ Cinema : racial politics — Where America is now and where is it going. 23 Septembre Image, Sounds, Musicals ! The Golden Age of Hollywood 1927-1950s The Cinema of Attractions The Hollywood Musical Real features with synchronised sound. Early Silent Cinema was never really meant to be silent, there was always music like an orchestra in the theatre which would accompany the movie. Non-Diegetic sound : source of the music comes from outside the movie's place and it would create some kind of mood. It would come from a source outside the story place. Used to fulfil narrative. Recent film : Babylon 2020 (homage to Hollywood transition from early-silent film). This scene is supposed to show the freedom and beauty of early silent cinema. Scene takes us back to the silent days. What happens when you move to synchronised sound ? Babylon 2020 Problems : The Restriction of the Camera (foreground, restricted space, lack of depth field) Image vs Sound. With sound, everything outside of stage had to be quiet, the actress has to keep her marc so the microphone can pick her up, no movement between foreground and background, even if the camera catches the movement, but in order to do so the camera had to be fixed in the cabine as the camera was very noisy and it would ruin the sound. At the end the camera man dies as he was stuck in a soundproof sound. At the beginning of sound it restricted movement as if movement would be done, it would limit the microphones purpose. One of the first very successful hits with synchronised sound and talkies was The Jazz Singer in 1927. Cinema’s weren’t sure of adding synchronised sound as silent movies worked really well. But what happened is that the actor interacted with the spectators and it created a huge hit that changed the producers mind. So Jazz singer : a son who decides not to follow his dad in his job to become a jazz singer. Camera movement : Any panels, tilts ? No, the camera is focused on the scene, there is a cut where the camera moves to show the audience and then a cut back to the actor. The audience really loved this, as it addressed the audience. Very quickly, a lot of technical advances in synchronised sound, the camera out of the box, damping sounds so the camera doesn't make any noise, post-editing to add sound afterwards. This gives birth to a new genre: Hollywood Musical with stories and narratives. Profilmic Spectacular Attractions Broadway Stage ? Hollywood was saying they could do way more with a camera. Footlight Parade 1933 : The trailer is advertising, spectacular attraction, you get a trailer of the story but it shows the technical advances. Famous scenes : choreography after a man falls in love with a woman and then makes a dream that his loved one becomes a water nymph. This scene created a liberty of space where anything can happen : The Human Waterfall Dream Sequence. The sound is simple, musical accompaniment, but the movement and choreography matches the music. Major attraction, spectacular movement : lots of interesting shots, the most famous one : zooming out (zoom lens + dolly) and the Top Shot or Overhead Shot. The effect that those shots produce : want to join the water nymphs. Spectacular moments inspired by Footlight Parade in Contemporary Musicals In the Heights, 2021 by Lin-Manuel Miranda. In this musical adaptation they do the famous overhead shot, in the swimming pool is a reference to Footlight Parade, magical forms. These are references to musicals as a genre. The Wizard of Oz, 1939 Girl that dreams going far away from her farm to somewhere “over the rainbow” -​ Song that talks about her dream to go to another world. Diegetic song → non-diegetic overlap. Later in the film is the most amazing transition, the diegetic song with a non-diegetic overlap (score) during the storm. The film opens up to the dream world with colour. When she first emerges in this dream world there is silence and then the score comes in. Creating an overlap with the diegetic song with non-diegetic music. Singing in the Rain 1952 A look back at synchronised sound. First scene that reminds you that shows the difficulties of the sound arrival. Second Scene : Gene Kelly choreography (with the famous song singing in the rain)→ Non-diegetic score and diegetic sound in the story (this is an overlap) The score that only the audience could here, and then Gene Kelly so moved of his love for his girlfriend will start singing and then the score and the actors singing goes together. Lalaland, 2016 Diegetic Sound-effect Interrupts Musical Love Scene. Golden Age of Hollywood musicals. We get a signal that something is going to disrupt this love by the sound choice. Transdiegetic Overlap The Extension of sound from one scene to the next (establish a contrast in between the scenes) The Director, with the use of sound, from one scene the battle, and the king eating food, is connecting to a completely different location is showing that both events are happening at the same time, a the sound going from the dinner to the battlefield is doing for us, the audience, change the way we analyse what is happening as tragedy, it highlights both the incredible corruption and unthinking of the king that doesn’t care about people dying sacrificing their life. We are both judging the battlefield and the king who is just eating. That sound connection changes how we perceive this. Extra Diegetic Sound as Leitmotif : good guys vs bad guys The Western John Ford Stagecoach 1939 Amazing landscape shots Because of music we know who are the good guys and bad guys because of the musical switch and tension choice when showing a shot of both armies (on horse) If we hadn’t had the music, then we would just see the Indians as if they were just watching. Extra Diegetic Sound as Leitmotif Thriller/Horror- Presence of unseen threat Jaws, 1975 Sound in the sequence : builds up the tension, opening sequence, the beach, manipulative trick, someone in the water that screams, then you go on with dialogue, music. And then the famous 4 chord that we now associate with sharks. Then the music gets louder, the music itself carries the threat and tension until the attack, the blood. 30 Septembre Image and Sound Spatio-Temporal Complexity. Responsible for radio missions in the war of the worlds. Non-diegetic sound which has a interesting effect on the film. Between image and non-diegetic sound : Interior View : Castle. He is on his death bed, something only we see, no one else in the movie sees it. That is abrought view for the time. We don’t know anything about the character at that time. The atmosphere and sounds shows the mystery. Last words : What do they mean? News on the March - Kane’s Life in Newsreel. Headline with Voice-Over. That was a common shot for the time. Voice-Over, what was the plot of the king’s life. Sound and Image work together. Mrs Susan Alexander Kane Lap dissolve to still photo MRS Kane Overhead Tracking Zoom dissolve through glass. Very mysterious, the scene is black with shadows we can’t see who is talking. Depth of Focus + Layered Sound Dialogue, Diegetic Music, Sound effect (thunder) Sound, Space, Time Investigative Interlude: The Vault -Thatcher's papers Slight forward track into vault, fixed camera + spatialization by sound Inside vault: Non diegetic music, high angle zoom to manuscript > Lap dissolve Space-Time (Manuscript 1871 > Young Kane) The mother is the only one listening Listening and Looking Closer Prologue: Interior establishing sequence to Extreme Close-Up Extreme Close-Up Proximity or Distance? Where does this shot position us as spectators? Physical proximity of camera does not necessarily imply emotional closeness Extreme Close-Up Alfred Hitchcock, Rear Window (1954) Intimacy – Spectator as Voyeur Extreme Close-up Pacing – Rhythm (quick cuts and long close-ups) Hitchcock, Psycho (1960) Spectator as Witness: Shock and Pathos Extreme Close-Up – Cowboy Close-up Sergio Leone, The Good, the Bad, The Ugly Suspense & Ambiguity Extreme Close-Up Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill 1 Threat Spectator under Attack 1. Guide the audience’s attention / viewer’s perception 2. Emphasize Detail – Symbolic Meaning 3. Isolate the Subject 4. Disorientation / Fragmentation 5. Intensify perception : effects of intimacy or distance, alienation, threat Listening Closer Sound transitions (audio leads, J-cuts, L-cuts) J- cut or audio lead the sound of the following scene appears before or leads into image of next scene Citizen Kane Close-Up + sound transition (Audio lead) The L-cut or audio overlay Sound from preceding scene overlaps next scene The Jazz Singer, 1927 Jane Campion, The Piano (1993) 7 Octobre Listening and Looking Closer // Extreme Close-Up Proximity or Distance? -​ Where does this shot position us as spectators? : Physical proximity of camera does not necessarily imply emotional closeness Extreme Close-Up Alfred Hitchcock, Rear Window (1954) Intimacy – Spectator as Voyeur Pacing – Rhythm (cuts and long close-ups) Hitchcockquick, Psycho (1960) Spectator as Witness: Shock and Pathos Extreme Close-Up – Cowboy Close-up Sergio Leone, The Good, the Bad, The Ugly Suspense & Ambiguity Extreme Close-Up Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill 1 Threat Spectator under Attack Extreme Close-Up : 1. Guide the audience’s attention / viewer’s perception 2. Emphasize Detail – Symbolic Meaning 3. Isolate the Subject 4. Disorientation / Fragmentation 5. Intensify perception : effects of intimacy or distance, alienation, threat  Listening Closer Sound transitions (audio leads, J-cuts, L-cuts) J- cut or audio lead the sound of the following scene appears before or leads into image of next scene Citizen Kane. Close-Up + sound transition (Audio lead) : The L-cut or audio overlay Sound from preceding scene overlaps next scene The Jazz Singer, 1927