Tag Archives: Scene

Methodologies: 3

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to be first assistant director on a film shoot. Previously I did not know much about the role aside from the fact that it is a pretty challenging role with some heavy multitasking. Through this experience, I have learnt that a First A.D’s responsibilities are:

  • Keeping track of time and the duration of each shot
  • Keeping track of the shot list & organizing the order they are covered
  • Managing and organizing all actors & crew on set. Making sure everyone is where they should be.
  • General assistant to Director
  • First aid and Safety person

It was a very rewarding experience. Not only did I meet a lot of like-minded people but I was also able to observe how they approached the different roles in a production such as: director, cinematographer, sound mixer, etc. While watching a group work together in a real situation, I saw evidence of focus, teamwork and commitment that had not been as prominent in the short term collaborations we have been exploring so far due to time constraints. However, since the exercises we have been doing are aimed for personal insight, experiences and improvement, they provide learning opportunities that are different but equally as important.

Methodologies: 2

In the coming weeks I plan to explore:

  • The difference between the industrial model and postindustrial independent film-making practices.
  • Look at each role involved in a film production.
  • Find out about them through practice.
  • Reflect on the development of my method of practice.
Note: This list is subject to change during the process of research and reflection.

Methodologies: 1

Since the last exercise, I have discovered that I am more comfortable with directing actors and integrating the performances as a direct response to the space or location. My weaker areas as a director are paying attention and maintaining control of what the camera actually captures or frames and monitoring sound as well.

In my practice so far, I am slowly getting use to thinking about scene coverage in general. Initially it was very difficult as scene coverage has always been something in the subconscious for me, even when i am analysing the works of others. Only through the exercises and discussions in the course did I start to notice its significance and effects. With that said, I am currently at a point where I notice it in the films I watch and write about, but I am still getting carried away with reinterpreting the scenario and motivations of the characters and events more than anything. I suppose when I try to create something I am constantly trying to generate meaning rather than play around with what is presented.

Maybe my trouble is trying to fit into an industrial film making practice, where each individual have their own positions or roles within the collaboration, whilst being in a post industrial environment, where collaboration is becoming a less systematic process and distinction between roles and contributions are becoming less prominent.

Week Four: Reflection/Epiphany

In this week’s exercise we had more time and actually got time to plan and discuss ideas before the day of the shoot. This was quite helpful. During the shoot I discovered that as a director, I was more focussed on curating and making sense of the performances and it wasn’t until production that I realised I had paid less attention to the framing captured and the sound quality than I should have. I realised I should have taken the time to check the shots and look through the camera more. Another thing I realised was that we had a lot of problems with the reflections of the crew being in the last shot. This would have been avoided if we all bobbed down below the frame.

At the end of the shoot we were told that we are doing individual edits of the scene, this was a surprise to many of us in our group, as we assumed it was going to be a group edit hence we only covered the scene to be edited in one particular way. So my biggest epiphany for this week is: no matter what, always cover each shot from alternative angles to allow options in post production.

Found Scene Analysis – M (1931)

M (1931) – Trial Scene (1:34:23 – 1:48:06)

The trial scene in M (1931) by Fritz Lang demonstrates many visual elements and relationships in the film. This is the only scene where the main character, a psychopathic serial killer who preys on children, expresses his perspective in the story. The scene features his only monologue in the film and is the end point in which all three character groups (murderer, criminals, police) intersect.

The scene coverage in this 15 minute sequence explicitly portrays the murderer as small, child-like, fragile and victimised. Influenced by the disproportionate forms of expressionism, Lang intercuts between the close up narrow view of the lone murderer and the wide view of the large community of accusers. The murderer was also carried into the scene by a group of men who later was also able to hold him back from escaping. In another shot, the murderer is overshadowed by the balloon in the air that represents one of his child victims, Elsie.

It also depicts his madness and alienation. Throughout the sequence, the murderer is framed narrowly in a close up. By using the technique of shot reverse shot, he is isolated from the opposing crowd who accuses him. The murderer’s isolation is further emphasised by revealing how detached he is from his surrounding reality when he is tapped on the shoulder several times by the hand of a blind witness, his legal defender and the police.

When the murderer is framed with his legal defender, he confesses to the murders and that he was forced to kill by a voice or a shadow chasing behind him. This sparked a debate between the accusers and the legal defendere about whether the murderer is liable for his crimes. The mise en scene in the shot where the murderer is kneeling on the floor below the lawyer, can be seen as a religious reference of guilt and repention as well as referring to the philosophical debate between free will and a God determined world.

All of the above expresses the disempowerment of the main character in comparison to the rest of the film where he is only represented on screen by his shadow and whistle; unseen and hidden from the community while he had power over their fate.

The film is dated during the end of the German Expressionist movement and the beginning of the New Objectivity, where art and literature became concerned about a more practical engagement with the world and the reflection of society. For most parts of the film, the characters such as the police and the criminals are using evidence and practical methods in their attempts to solve the crimes and find the serial killer. The set design was also more realistic and is expressive of the state the society was in rather than representation of emotional or psychological experiences. However, M can be viewed symbolically of the conflict between the two aesthetic movements. The isolated psychopathic killer in the trial scene perhaps can be seen as the last struggles of the outdated expressionist style in a film dominated by social and economic concerns.

 

Week Three: Reflection/Epiphany

On Friday, we didn’t have enough time to film everyone’s scene for our scene coverage exercise. We only managed to do four set ups. While enjoying the fresh approach of this new course, I feel like the lack of structure and routine within class times are preventing us from using our time efficiently for research and practical purposes.

It is now week 4 and we have not discussed the major assignments throughout the next few weeks. We need more information to begin planning whether we will choose to write an essay or research by practice.

And getting 40 minutes of practical exercise time out of a 3 hour class is not exactly efficient. Maybe we could have the 2 hour class time dedicated for reviews/lectures/theory/research tasks and the 3 hour classes mainly for practical group exercises. Or even setting group exercises outside of class times so that we actually have time to plan out something more sophisticated. I think if we just had a little more consistency and routine to the course, everyone will begin to find a good rhythm.

I mean it was very interesting and fascinating to see what we could achieve in 40 mins with 6 different scenes or shots, but we have been doing slightly different variations of the same exercise for 3 weeks now. And I feel like 5 mins each per exercise is just not enough time with the equipment or getting to know the roles properly. Those were excellent introductory exercises, but I am hoping for some more in depth explorations where we can actually investigate into the nature of the production roles and have enough opportunity to engage with them in practice as well as research, which seems to have not yet begun.

Epiphany:

The use of a black screen needs legitimate justifications. When we watch something, we tend to expect something visual to be happening every millisecond. As an audience, we are all very much conditioned by popular media to be constantly entertained, taken through an experience that we hardly do that work ourselves.

P.S. – I still do not know whether we are suppose to write 2 weekly reflections/epiphanies or 1 fortnightly one about both weeks…

 

Week Two: Reflection/Epiphany

Week 1

Wednesday 1: script, Tony’s office, group of 4

In the setups, we had a director, camera operator and two actors. The director decides on a camera position, gave directions to the camera operator and directed the actors. We each took turns to construct our own versions of the scene. Eventually building up a more complex coverage by combining the ideas we liked from each attempt. After trying out a few different layouts that we individually had in mind, we made our decisions based on the majority of the group.

The script provided very little context and visual details. On one hand, it allowed us to interpret the spatial dynamics of the scene freely (in fact, we all had very different ideas about the layout of the office). On the other hand, there was no real context for the characters and the scenario, no meaning or message to convey through the scene. Towards the end of the exercise, we all discussed how we should interpret the meaning behind the last few lines of the script, especially the line: “do you still want me?”

Week 2

Wednesday 2: script, girls at restaurant, group of 6

This script was more straightforward than the first one. Our individual interpretations were quite similar. That led to very swift decisions when it came to scene composition and coverage.

Friday: scenario, two strangers on train, group of 7

After having gotten scripts for the last two exercises, I was glad to be able to work on something different. Paul suggested that we each own a shot in the scene, which meant that we disregarded the consistency of actors to focus on the rotation of rolls. Although this affected the storytelling of our end product, it was a more efficient system during the exercise. Not only did we save time as we were only filming each shot once or twice, but we also saw diversity within the scene when it was put together.

Epiphany:

After working off a script for first two times, the scenario format was less restricting in comparison. There are less details such as dialogue, but it provided meaning and context to the characters and their situation. We feel more encouraged to interpret the story and really get creative with it. For instance, throwing in comical twists and create alternatives to the setting of the scene. I felt like there was more creative freedom, control and authorship in the production.

Though there is still a sense of vagueness in the script and room to play around, it tends to take away the authorship of the work, as if we are adapting someone else’s vision. Hence, not generating as much creativity. A lot of team members have to struggle to get into the picture that is painted by the script.

Week One: Reflection/Epiphany

Initially, I was quite confused and could not understand how the investigation of scene construction can be studied with a theoretical approach. But since doing the group exercises, I discovered that there is no one way of film making or constructing a scene. We were reminded of the difference between the industrial model of filmmaking and the current post industrial methodologies that allow more organic approaches to be explored. And that these organic processes may not necessarily involve scripts or script writing, one of the areas I am least familiar with.

Paul mentioned that this studio is an attempt to bring cinema theory and practice together. This is something very similar to the practice I have been trained in previously in Fine Arts. Knowing this, I am now more excited and comfortable about the course. Also the idea of doing individual research and perhaps making individual work by the end of the course seems to be an interesting approach where we can all figure out our own styles and see what we are purely capable of.

My goals:

  • to become technically comfortable with the variety of film making processes such as shooting with cinema camera, sound and post production
  • to explore and develop my own approach and methodology to film making
  • to apply  research of existing films to my own practical experiments.

Found Scene Analysis – Django Unchained (2012)

Django Unchained (2012)  – The Reunion of Django and Broomhilda

The use of doors in this scene plays a significant role in symbolising freedom and establishing hidden qualities of the narrative. The first shot, where Lara leading Broomhilda across the house, ends with a shift of focus through the front door and into the external fields. The end of this panning shot highlights Django and King’s plans to help Broomhilda escape to freedom whilst also juxtaposing the framed view of freedom from within the imprisonment of the house. The message of freedom is further embedded, at the end of the scene, by the glorifying shot of Django (the hero) revealing himself to Broomhilda as the door between them swings open.

Whilst being used to reveal the hero, the filmmaker also used the door as a hiding mechanism. As King opens the door to greet Lara and Broomhilda, we first see Lara behind a narrow opening of the door, surrounded by the darkened interior of King’s room. It later on opens up to reveal Broomhilda. This perspective portrays a sense of secrecy that Lara is unaware of. It also seems to be peeking through from behind King, perhaps implying there is another presence in the room.

The coverage of the interior space of King’s room also help establishing Django’s hidden presence. The camera is initially set up in front of the hiding character, panning back and forth between Broomhilda and King before finally centering the two participating characters. At this point, Broomhilda moves from standing side on to facing away from the camera, indicating her lack of attention of what is behind her. This is followed by a wide shot of Broomhilda in the corner of the room from where King is standing. This shot reveals the door behind Broomhilda and is followed by a close up of Django waiting behind the door.