Compelling Characters and Conflict

This week Phil teach us how to make a good characters and conflict. a good character need a conflicted character. Firstly we need to create need for character no matter how small.Because all strong dramatic characters have need of something. Phil introduce some type of conflict and let us give some example about man VS man, natural, machine,society and himself. Man vs man is Spiderman, Batman. Man VS natural is All is lost, Gravity and Cast away. Man VS machine is Terminator, i Robot, Transformers. Man VS society is God bless American. Man VS himself is TED. To create a compelling characters and conflict need to create a story about protagonist and antagonist wants something badly. Getting the protagonist have trouble. Finally, protagonist is clear his goal in his mind. Phil let us separate three group to create a story basic upon. We need to find some pictures in the magazine. Our group find a man rescue a baby gorilla. The man feed the gorilla to grow up. However, when the gorilla grow up, its find out people use others gorilla doing experiments. The gorilla union his ethic group fight with human-being. Finally, gorilla kill the people and its human parents. If a film have antagonism, it will catch the audience's eyes.In addition, the story should be specific and produce a turning point,  that make the storyline more interesting.

The Visual Story Chapter 3: Space 3.1 Deep Space

Last week I got a book, name is The Visual Story written by Bruce Block. I read the part of space. There are four subcomponents of space: deep, flat, limited and ambiguous. This week I just read one of them. I will finish read it before next week. The part is talk about how 2D screen surface display picture that appear to have 3D? It is not 3D movie, it is make a 3D picture in 2D screen surfaces.                                                                                         

When we take a picture, a different angles can create a deep space. The building near the camera is bigger than long distant building. It is a principle, size different. That can make a depth of cue.In addition, we can find vanishing point in the picture. If we extent the road, it will become a point. The point is vanishing point. 

Object Movement

The two objects in front of camera, one object in the foreground another in the background. Two objects use same speed in the same starting line, the background object slower than the foreground object. Actually, they move same distance but audience can feel background object appear slower and shorter movement. This is illusory depth. 

Camera Movement

The camera dollies in, the foreground object will get bigger than background object. The background object just has a slight changes.The relative movement between the foreground and background is the depth cue.
Additionally, the textural diffusion, aerial diffusion and shape change that all of help us to make the deep space in the 2D screen. And deep space can highlight the subject in the complex environment. The lens language of space can make the documentary more tension and engage audience emotionally.

Reference:

BLOCK, B., (2008) The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media. 2rd edition. Oxford: Elsevier Inc.

Storyboard：Clowning Around

script break down

The Great Beauty

The film directed by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino in 2013. Jep Gambardella(Toni Servillo) is journalist for a literature publication. He wanted to be a man living in the upper class. When he was young, he published a novella and got a prize. Moreover, he do not publish any book.

Plot

Jep  live in Roma, he just have his 65 birthday party. His life is very simple, sleep during the day , in the night he go to parties. Sometimes, he as a life's observer to watch surrounding his life, friends and things. Although, the film have not a clear storyline, but the content has structure to some extent. The film is shot two years that is a long term. 

I have to say it is a beautiful movie, I ever seen it in the before. No matter from the scenes, mise-en-scine and soundtrack, it is a fabulous movie, I really love it. Firstly, we seen a series of beautiful scenery. To some extent, Paolo want audience to follow Jep's life, audience taste local conditions and customs of Roma. Giving me deeply impression is birthday party scene. A scream rapidly improve the atmosphere. Via techno crane to shoot the high angle shot and close-up to catch characters' emotion, the atmosphere reach a climax by music. Via the protagonist look at the sky, a bold inversion shot gives me breathtaking moment. In addition, the two shots are linked up cleverly. When Jep appear to middle of people, he slowly light a cigarette. The light makes the party spectacular visual effect, according to Luca Bigazzi(Cinematographer), shot over two days on a seventh-floor terrace over Roma, the place was not hang lights, but had to chase the characters with moving lights very quick to achieve continuity(Ariston, 2014). The film use multiple-shot and every shot afford for thought.

About the film storyline is not very clear, but I want to make my documentary more storytelling. Every sequence need to management more logical. I do not have too much opinions about the film editing. The scenery of Roma, I was impressed by the landscapes of Roma, e.g. using techno crane to express the spectacular visual effects. Film editing can make the film more storytelling, whether using flashback or narration, a good structure need to be designed by screenplay.

Reference:

Ariston A. (2014). Sorrentino Cinematographer Calls Film School "Absurd," Touts Digital. Available: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sorrentino-cinematographer-calls-film-school-725220. Last accessed 21st Oct 2015.

All is lost

We watched almost no dialogue film yesterday.  The film directed by J.C. Chandor in 2013. A man, we do not know his name, his background and his voyage proposes and so on. When he wake up, his boat is crashed by a container. However, he no panic just step by step to solve the emergency situation. He looks like too old but he is tough man. No matter the sailing boat roll over in the sea, the man still keep calm down to deal with all the trouble things. He keeps his faith to survive. Unfortunately, his sailing damage badly, he have to give it up. He continue his adventure in the middle of ocean. His lifeboat is damaged by violent storm and roaring waves. Many times SOS, no one reply. When audience think he will be certain to die, he also sink into the sea. Moreover, the man is saved by rescue team, the miracle is occur. 

The film has 100 minutes, dialogue only a few words. However, body language express more tension than dialogue. All the performance it show his face eyes and his action. 

Cinematography 

When the reporter interview the cinematographer, he said:' I don't want to shoot the same movie or the same style all over again. I want to shoot every movie in a completely different style'(Frank G. D, 2013). The camera photographer shoot In the narrow place that is really hard. To keep the camera stable and make a imperfection style, Frank G. Demarco  spent lots time to learn how to shoot in the ocean. In my project, I also need to learn different movie footage and visual design can make the documentary more tension and realistic. 

Editing

There are more jump cuts in ‘All is Lost'. When I watch it, I have not notice that, the film editing makes audience very fluency. Because the editor put the footage and jump cut it all together and the editing smooth and story flow. I want to try jump cut in my film.

Reference:

SILAS LESNICK. (2013). Camerimage Interview: All is Lost Cinematographer Frank G. DeMarco. Available: http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/111640-camerimage-interview-all-is-lost-cinematographer-frank-g-demarco. Last accessed 17th Oct 2015

About my research project

What is your subject of study?

My subject of study is how to use lens language to express documentary storytelling more attractive, (visual design and editing technique) is two aspect of lens language that can sympathize with audience and making the documentary more tension.

What your research question?

How can the storytelling in the three parts (mise-en-scene, cinematography and postproduction) influence lens language（visual design and editing technique）to engage audience emotionally visual effect with frame in documentary films.

Research aim(s):

The primary research aim is to learn and definition lens language to express documentary storytelling. Mainly, how to influence lens language（visual design and editing technique）to advance audience’s visual effect with frame in documentary films. The secondary research aim is why the lens language is able to express documentary storytelling via lens language (visual design and editing technique) could engage audience emotionally. In addition, another research aim is to understand how to use cinematography and cutting materials to make documentary storytelling. The final research aim is how to test lens language（visual design and editing technique）, as to experiment with the theory hypothesis and to sustain conclusion of investigation.

Sicario

Yesterday we watched a film in Broadway cinema. The film directed by Denis Villeneuve. The story like the slogan of poster: The deeper you go, the darker it gets. Kate is a FBI agent with a strong sense of justice. But when she take part in a team for strike border crime, Kate are used by the member of the team. Kate have a mental struggle from act and speak, principle. Not matter she met a man in the pub  or she's group members change her mind. In the end, the women, a FBI agent, do know how to do it. Just let her life-saver go. she do not know whether to catch the man.

Sound track 

In some big scenes， the sound track can motivate emotion in audience. Catching heart and eyes of audience, it is looks like waiting something big will happen. Making a  good atmosphere. e.g. In the start of the film, everyone armed waiting for a big battle. 

References:

IMDb. (2015). Sicario. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1. Last accessed 4th Dec 2015.

The Act Of Killing

I prepare a long time to watch the film. Because Jools told me to make a good mood  with the film. I have to say that is a significant film in my watched documentaries.  The rhythm of the film I really enjoy, many long shots give audience some time to  think about.

The film directed by Joshua Oppenheimer in 2012. The film is about the characters who took part in Indonesian killing from 1965 to 1966. The  government is overturned by the military government. Almost of protesters are killed by the military government.  Protester who against military dictatorship, the government call them ' communist'. Million people die in these slaughter include workers and local ethnic Chinese. The protagonist Anwar Congo participated the  slaughter activity. He is revered as the right wing of paramilitary organization Pemuda Pancasila grew out of the death squads. 

The act of killing is a documentary of cinema verite. The director do not use any historical data. The camera aim to murders in those years and fellow their step to reappear their life and killing experience. Via  the protagonist make the film to record history , the director shoot the second hand videos.  However, Anwar go to television station to propaganda his film, Comment of broadcasting room make a massive influence. The film successful point that is the camera as a media, the creator of film take part in this transformative events. In the end of film even appear Anwar has vomit and confession.  The film as a proton changes Anwar's attitude  and thought to some extend. In addition, the title and end of the film had a significant gorgeous posing that made striking contrast.

Reference:

IMDb. (2003). Touching the Void. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379557/?ref_=nv_sr_1. Last accessed 7th Dec 2015.

Yan K (2014) '‘Reality’ and ‘directness’ in documentary making：a case of study The Act Of Killing and Madness Hotel ', JOURNAL OF GUIZHOU UNIVERSITY-Art Edition,28(No.6), pp. 20-24.