Category: Film 3

Here is a reading log I wrote about David Desser’s <Eros Plus Massacre: An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave Cinema>, which analyzes the Japanese New Waves films made during 1960s and compare them with the French New Waves films. After reading the introduction of this book and watching a film called Tokyo Drifter made by a Japanese New Waves director Seijun Suzuki, I wrote this log.

 

This part of the book illustrates the necessity of discussing Japanese new wave as an independent phenomenon in film history. As the author has pointed out, indeed there are some western film scholars who did research on Japanese new wave, but their studies and understandings are somehow biased: some of them usually compare it to the French new wave, and simply describe the Japanese as an imitation of the French, or criticize its lack of originality. This is because of their lack of understanding on Japanese politics and traditional culture. I strongly agree with the author’s opinion that if you don’t have sufficient knowledge on Japanese cultural and post-war political background in 1960s, or just simply use the Hollywood standard to value Japanese new wave films, you probably will not get a clear understanding on it.

 

However, I do see some common points between the French and Japanese new wave film: both made by the young and rebellious directors who like to challenge the authority of old generation directors, and their themes of films are usually relevant to the constant conflicts between ideologies and political point of views. But the Japanese seems focus on rethinking their culture and tradition, and as a result this rethinking brings a confusion to the young generation in Japan.

 

‘Introduction’ in Eros Plus Massacre: An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave Cinema. Indiana University Press. Indiana University Press. Bloomington and Indianåpolis. 1988. pp. 1-12

In this post I want to focus on one of the most important techniques used in filmmaking, continuity editing. This common technique is widely used in both narrative dramas and documentaries, and to explore it, I will use the content and examples in the chapter 6 of <Film Art: An Introduction> written by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson as a reference. This book is extremely helpful for beginners to understand how the filmmakers make films and basics terms and concepts in filmmaking.

 

As its name suggests, the continuity editing means to deliver the information of narrative smoothly, to make the shots logical and easy for audience to understand. In order to do that, filmmakers created The 180° system, which is also called axis of action. As shown below, to include the two characters’ actions, we just need three cameras on each side. For example, if a conversation happens here, we can switch between the three cameras and have all their expressions and actions.

 

 

This is the system how the continuity editing works. And many specific techniques are derived from this system. For example, as explained in the book, tactics like reverse-shot, eyeline match and match on action. These are the frequently used techniques even in modern cinema. Reverse- shot means cut from an end point of the central line to another, usually used when a person is waiting for another. Eyeline match is used when the character is looking at something off the screen, and next shot is a close up of the thing he or she is looking at. Match on action is also a common and powerful one, it means carrying a single movement across a cut, like the action of the person in this shot will continue, but from a different perspective in the next shot. This makes the transition really smooth that we often just follow the action and ignore the cut itself.

 

There are so many devices based on 180° system, however, not all of them strictly follow the rule. The system can be refined in various ways. For example, if there are more than two characters in the scene, the action of axis will become a circle around them, and cut between the most important characters. The less important characters may also be included in the shots of important characters, but usually to make audience focus on the important, the camera position, focus and close-up settings become significant here. Besides, there are some exceptions in continuity editing that not following the 180° system. For example, sometime, especially in the chasing scene in action films, the director may have to cross the 180° line. But to do this, it requires the physical layout of the scene must be well defined and not make audience confused. Like being analyzed in the book, John Ford’s Stagecoach gives us a good example of using this technique.

 

After all, directors also can make their own creative decisions while using this system. In our short film project this semester, I think I will practice some of the techniques introduced above, to further my understanding of continuity editing.

According to my current understanding on the Film 3, this is a course which focus on our practical skills of shooting and manipulating our own footage, rather than talking about so many readings and theories. We are allowed and encouraged to create our own work with creativity and passion, and out tutors will give feedback on it, point out the thing we shall notice and improve next time. This is exactly the model I want, and I feel after studying so many kinds of theories of film making, I finally can do something by myself.

 

So basically, what I want from this course is the same thing that the course wants to offer us. I am doing my second year now, and at the end of next year, I will graduate from school. Now it should be the time I start to practice myself and gain some experience from it. In this semester, my goal is to create a short documentary or drama project by myself by the end of this course, as one of my show reel. Then I will use this as an example of my work to find a relevant internship in film and TV industry, to gain some real experience which will be extremely helpful for my future career.

 

Besides, I read the course guide and find the short film project will be made by group, and the idea of film will be proposed by each student. This is a good idea, but I am a little bit curious that is there going to be a procedure of selecting the ideas which will be used? After all we cannot do all, so we have to choose the most practical ideas. And after the ideas are decided, are we able to choose the one which we like the most and form groups according to that?