Stop Motion Experimental Film

To create this short stop motion sequence I worked with another student in my Film Studies class. The film is based on surrealism and deconstructing 'ordinary' things and putting them back together in an odd way. For our short sequence we deconstructed the human face/ head- using play-doh we sculpted facial features.

'Experimental Film requires a different kind of spectatorship.' Has this been your experience?

'Experimental Film requires a different kind of spectatorship.' Has this been your experience? [35]

Experimental films are full of strange mixtures of images, situations, words and expressions that may not tell a cohesive story but, in the end, don't have to in order to achieve an emotional goal. This type of film therefore requires the spectator to shift their conventional cinematic expectations to accommodate more radical narrative techniques, themes and meaning construction.

Un Chien Andalou, the infamous 1929 surrealist short film from Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, attests to this. I found this film difficult to understand the first time viewing it, as there was no narrative. The title when translated is 'Andalusian Dog' which shows that this film is going to be surreal and strange. The surreal and strange title matches the dream logic narrative that runs throughout the film, this opens it up for interpretation. During the film there were parts which were strange and uncomfortable to watch. For example the scene where a woman's eye is slit open. A close-up of a young woman's head is captured with a man holding her face as she stares into the camera. Then an extreme close-up was used to capture the man slitting the eye. This slicing of the eye could imply that this experience will be eye opening for the audience. Many themes feature in this film these can be seen through the connotations. For example a close up is used to capture the mans hand with a hole in the middle, you can also see ants emerging from the hole. This is a reference to religion and Jesus when the nails were hammered through his hands whilst on the cross. The film also makes you question and challenge things for example gender and sexuality- the woman dressed as a man, you see her as she's looking at a hand in the street. The music and the style of the film creates a dream effect (dream logic). The non-diegetic music is the only thing you hear- the movie itself is a silent movie. The music at the beginning is similar to that of music from a tango, fast paced and dramatic. The music throughout the film varies but describes the actions of the characters within the film. The way Salvador Dali and Luis Bunnel created this film was very interesting and also matches with the surreal style. To create the story/ stories they both went to bed and when they woke in the morning the two would write down their dreams and tell each other about it. This is how they completed a film with no narrative structure to it only dream logic. Compared to others this film is the most disturbing and confusing to watch because of the different shots and themes that feature within, however after the second viewing I found the film easier to understand.

Chris Marker became known internationally for the short film La Jetée (1962). It tells of a post-nuclear war experiment in time travel by using a series of filmed photographs developed as a photo-montage of varying pace, with limited narration and sound effects.This experimental film is different from others that I have seen because of the photo-montage techniques and because of the narrative that features in the film. Compared to others this film has a narrative that I found easy to follow, this was because of the voice over narrative that was played whilst viewing the film. Conventions of the sci-fi genre can be seen in this film as it deals with time travel. The narrative and genre of this film are conventional aspects to film that you see however the techniques and style make the film experimental and non-conventional. The film is considered an experimental film as it is made up of still photographs that match the voice over narrative. There is only one point within the film where you see the film move- this is where you see the young woman the male is talking about winking at the camera, because the film was captured in still photographs this also (like the previous film) question whether it actually moved. The editing too makes the film experimental as it uses fade in's/ out's, jump cuts and cross dissolves. The sound that features in the film can be argued whether it is non-diegetic or diegetic. You can hear whispering during the film, because the film is made up of still photographs it leaves you questioning how can there be diegetic sound? because they're photographs. However, the sounds are relevant to whats happening in the photographs which could lead to them being diegetic. The themes that feature in this film are memories, this is shown through the photographs that have been used as photographs are used to capture memories. The whole film deals with death, the film starts with someone being shot at an airport and at the end the man travels back in time and is killed at the airport which leaves you questioning if they're alive or dead in the first place. This film is different from the others I've viewed as there is more of a narrative and a structure to follow.

Maya Deren’s Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) is a work that maintains all of the mystery, tranquility, unpredictability, and personal attachment that is ever present within the world of dreams. I found this film interesting to watch however a bit confusing in parts. The main theme of this film is to show the female's perception of how male's view them. The black cloaked figure with a mirror for a face represents the male in the situation. The film director is female and shows feminism within the film suggesting that these are her thoughts portrayed in the film showing personal aspects about her. After re-watching this film I understood the dream-logic a little bit more. The non-diegetic sound that features in the film is an aspect I found difficult to watch as it kept repeating itself (like the dream/ what was happening in the dream) which by the end of viewing the film was annoying. Compared to the previous two films this was difficult to watch and out of them I found this a little difficult to understand. However, after re-watching the film I started to get a grasp on what the film was based around- which for me was that it was based on feminism and the female representation in the eyes of the male.
This experimental film went on to influence Fiona Sigismondi's video of MUSE performing 'Supermassive Black Hole'. In this video it contained mirrors for faces, faces of the members of MUSE were distorted and blown out of proportion and also they were wearing black. All which were taken/ influenced from Maya Deren's film.

Exam Question Response: City of God

 Discuss some of the techniques used in your chosen films to provoke audiences into taking a particular point of view towards characters and key events.

In the opening sequence there is a close up of someone sharpening a knife, this could be a metaphor for the whole film, establishing that the film shows people living on a knife-edge, which suggests they’re all going to end up being involved or being a victim of crime. This would give the impression that every character the audience see’s/ meet’s within the film is either involved in crime or will be. The point of views that’ll be taken by audience will represent the characters negatively.
In the film as it progresses it introduces you to different characters and each character you’re introduced to has a story/ chapter.

In the first story you are introduced to the main character Rocket. You see him talking to his friend about a job. A tracking shot is used to follow him and his friend as they walk through the slums. This shot cuts back and forth from Rocket and his friend to a group of people chasing after a chicken, who has tried to escape to avoid being killed and eaten.

In the opening scene you see shots of the chicken, accompanied with straight cuts have been used to reveal people preparing food. There’s a close up of the chicken looking at the people. The fast paced shot suggests the chicken is frantic as he looks for a means of escape, this links with future scenes showing other characters trying to escape the slums. However the result ends up with them either wandering back into the slums or being killed in them. This also links with the perception that everyone is linked in with crime one way or another.

In this opening scene you see confrontation when the chicken comes to a stand still in front of Rocket and his friend and behind the gang of people who were chasing it. The gang of people are all holding guns up at the chicken and towards Rocket and friend, they tell them to get the chicken and a long shot is used to show Rocket edging toward it. Rocket doesn’t have a gun but a camera. Similar to a gun the camera shoots at people but to create photographs not to create a killing. The camera and the guns suggests that things are limited in the slums, you either pick up a gun or you pick up a camera- Rocket chooses a gun.

Behind Rocket and his friend you see a police car pull up. You see the police men get out of the car and walk towards them all. A straight cut is used to show Rocket’s reaction to seeing the police. Then a 180° pan/ turn is used to show the police. The camera then tilts into a dutch angle, suggesting a distorted world and uncertainty. The camera then turns 360 ° and goes around and around to show the conflict between the police and the gang. This shot then goes into another of Rocket in a similar situation but back in the 60s. The dutch angle that has been used to capture the police creates an uncertainty on whether to trust them or not, which is the impression this angle gives to the audience about the police.

You see the police later on in the film taking Rockets money when he was younger and telling him to leave what he was selling and get in the car. By seeing the police taking the money from Rocket shows them as corrupt, also agreeing with the dutch angle before which was used to show them as untrustworthy.

[Talk about: genre, urban stories, how they live etc]

Scoop.it

I have created a 'Scoop.it' page to store and keep all of my internet articles and videos that I will use for my annotated catalogue.
The link is:

http://www.scoop.it/t/a2-film-studies-by-tayler

Exam Question Response

"How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?" [35] 

An impact I got from the film was how many cultures there are in Paris; 60 different nationalities live in the one area. In the opening scene where we are introduced to the main three characters, Saïd, Vinz and Hubert, you are not only introduced to the three characters but you're shown their cultures.

The first main character you are introduced to is Saïd. There is a zoom used to capture Saïd, the shot started at a mid-shot and zoomed into a close up of his face revealing him opening his eyes. This shot suggests to me, that the film is trying to open the audiences eyes to the cultures/ issues in Paris. He is in the centre of the frame. The shot then changes to a shot to the back of his head, another zoom is used here to get closer to Saïd's head but then the camera tilts upwards and over his head to capture the line and group of Police men. A pan is then used to capture the line of police whilst they stand guarding the van's. This is shot in a mid-shot. The camera pans to the back of the last van to see a mid-shot of Saïd writing on the back. This is where you are shown Saïd's culture because he has written his name and 'Fuck the Police' in Arabic.

The writing on the back of the Police van.

Also in this clip you are introduced to another main character's culture. There is a long shot of main character Vinz dancing underground. The low key lighting and the location suggests that not many people are aware of his culture. The style of dancing and the diegetic music that is used shows Vinz's culture- he's Jewish. A low angle and a close up of Vinz is used to show him sleeping. In the background non-diegetic music is played which is also Jewish emphasising his culture. A close up is used to show Vinz's identity because of the big gold ring on his finger reads his name 'Vinz'. The camera pans around his room, there is no sense of his culture captured in the mis-en-scene and it seems very Westernised because of the posters of people like Marilyn Monroe and a WWF wrestler. The to me that the posters and the westernised style room suggests that being Jewish isn't Vinz's only culture and that he looks up at and admires the more Westernised culture.

WWF Wrestler and Marilyn Monroe posters: Westernised Culture.

The shot then cuts to the dining room where you are shot Vinz and Saïd having breakfast with Vinz's family. You can see the families culture through the mis-en-scene used. Behind Vinz on a cupboard you can see well-known Jewish candle- menorah. You can also hear Vinz's grandmother talk about synagogue.

You can see the Jewish items on the cupboard behind Vinz. 

You can also tell that Vinz is influenced and looks up at Western culture because of the shot of him in the bathroom. He is reenacting a scene from the film 'Taxi Driver' which is an American film.

'Taxi Driver' film Vinz is reenacting

 The third character that you are introduced to in this scene is Hubert. You see him punching a punch bag in his gym that has been destroyed during the riots. To capture him punching the bag, he has been shot in a long shot. The mise-en-scene used shows Hubert wearing a cross necklace. I think that this could suggest that he is of a Christian culture. However, unlike Saïd and Vinz you aren't shown as much information on Hubert in this particular clip, you see his background and his story later on in the film. 

Coursework Questions

Tarantino plays around with the structure of his films to create a non-linear narratives, do these types of films allow the audience to grasp the concept as easy as a linear film would?

Tarantino's films include things such as redemption and parallel action throughout them, is this, as well as his non-linear narratives, what make him a well known director and writer?

Does incorporating his unique style of story telling as well as his personal signature throughout his films make Tarantino an auteur?

Section A: Producers and Audiences

 

Section A: Producers and Audiences

Case Study: John Carter 2012

 

Director: Andrew Stanton

*also directed Toy Story

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton

 

Budget: $250million

Opening Weekend: $30million (USA)

Estimated Loss in the First Weekend: -$165 million

 

 

The biggest flop ever?

 

The director- Andrew Stanton- had never made a live action movie before. The executive's marketing the film had little experience and the film had to switch to a different team halfway through the production. The setting of the film is Mars, which contemporary audiences know is inhabitable and barren. The audiences were left confused by the marketing techniques. The posters were 'head-scratchers' with just a shirtless male running from monkeys. There were no major stars to entice the audience into watching the movie. 

 

"Long term consequences to the box office failure of Disney/ Pixar's sci-fi film John Carter... staggering $200 million operating loss. A massive $250 million was spent on its production, as well as close to $100 million on marketing." - This quote was taken from the Telegraph.

 

 

 



Section A: Case Study

Section A: Producers and Audiences

Case Study: Skyfall

 

Director:

Sam Mendes

[Oscar Winning director for American Beauty 1999]

Stars:

Daniel Craig, Judi Dench [Oscar winning actress for Shakespeare in love 1998]

 

Estimated Budget: $200 million

Opening Weekend: £20.1 million in the UK and was exhibited on 587 screens

Gross Profit: by December 16th in the UK 97.8 million was made

Gross Profit: by March 10th World Wide 1108.3 million was made

 

Release Date: 26th October 2012

Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime

 

Production Company: EON Productions

Distributors: MGM and Sony Pictures.

 

 

Why was it such a huge hit?

 

Characters: the characters in the film are well known and the audience has seen them before in previous Bond movies. Although as an audience we can see that the franchise made the stars, not the stars made the franchise. Skyfall has shown Daniel Craig's high popularity through playing the iconic role.

Book: Skyfall was based on a novel written by Ian Flemming who was well known for writing the James Bond Spy Novels. This brings an alternative fan base to watch the film- fans of the novel and the novelists work(s).

Marketing: the film was highly marketed using lots of advertisements. Promoting the film on the back of cereal boxes, on buses and on the television. Hard to get away/ miss the promotion for this big budget franchise.

Awards: the film is directed by Oscar winning director Sam Mendes and stars Oscar winning actress Judi Dench. Also the film won 2 Oscars during the 2013 Academy Awards. One for 'Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song' which was 'Skyfall' written by British Singer Adele and Paul Epworth. And the other was for 'Best Achievement in Sound Editing'.