AboutComedyFilms
OurexamtopicisbasedonComedyfilmsComedyisveryindividualandsubjectiveComedyis inherent,differentaudiencesfinddifferentthingsfunny.Recentlywehadjustseenamoviecalled, "There'sSomethingaboutMarry,"starringCameronDiazandBenStiller.Thisisaprimeexample ofacomedyfilm.
ComedyFilms"makemelaugh"–theyelicitlaughterfromtheaudienceComediesarelight–hearteddramas,designedtoamuseandprovokelaughter.Thecomedygenreexaggeratesthe situation,thelanguage,action,andcharacters.Comediesobservethedeficiencies,foibles,and frustrationsoflife,providingmerrimentProvidingamomentaryescapefromday–to–daylife, they...showmorecontent...
Screwballcomedies,predominantfromthemid–1930stothemid–1940s,arelight–hearted,often sophisticated,romanticstories,commonlyfocusingonabattleofthesexesinwhichbothco–protagoniststrytooutwitoroutmaneuvereachother.Theyusuallyincludevisualgags,wacky characters,afast–pacedimprobableplot,andrapid–fire,wise–crackingdialoguereflectingsexual tensionsandconflictsintheblossomingofarelationship(orthepatchingupofamarriage)foran attractivecouplewithon–going,antagonisticdifferences.Thecoupleisoftenafairlyeccentric,but well–to–dofemaleinterestedinromanceandagenerallypassiveorweakmalewhoresistsromance. (Stereotypicalmen)However,afteratwistingandturningplot,romanticloveusuallytriumphsin theend
BlackComedyisapopularsubgenreofcomedyfilms,thesearedark,sarcastic,humorous,or sardonicstoriesthathelpusexamineotherwiseignoreddarkerserious,pessimisticsubjectssuchas war,death,orillness.
Spooffilmsmockothermovies.Andagreatexampleofthisisaveryrecentfilmwhichhastwo partstoit,isScaryMovie.Thisfilmtakesthemockeryoutofthehorrorgenre.Spooffilms normallycalledParodymovies,exaggerateandoverplayillogicalinanexistingfilmgenreThey usedtobeteenageslashermovies.
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Thissummerhasbeenaneyeopener.Throughoutthiscourse,Ihavelearnedtolookatfilms throughanewperspective.MynewperspectivewillforeverchangehowIlookatfilms.Beforethis class,Iwatchedmoviesfortheircontentaswellasforentertainmentandenjoyment.Thissummer,I havelearnedthatyoumustanalyzefilmstofullyappreciatethework.Iwillnolongerwatchfilms forenjoyment,butIwillwatchthemforallthattheyareworthWhenwatchingfilms,my perspectivehaschanged,causingmetoanalyzethecameraworkelements,andhowthefilmties intoAmericanlifeandculture.
Beforethisclass,IneverknewthattherewassomuchworkanddetailputintoproducingfilmsThe cameraworkwasputintothesefilmsforaspecificreason,andwhenIrealizedthismythought processchanged.Irealizedthatinmanycasesthecameraworkiswhatmadethemovie,notthe plot.Once,Ihadthisunderstanding,Istartedtobreakdownthecameraworkintothemanydifferent elementsthatcomposedit.Bydoingso,Icouldfullyappreciateandunderstandthepurposeofeach elementThecamerashotthatisvisibleonscreenwasthoughtfullydesignedThetypeofshotused, whetheritwasacloseup,mediumshot,Americanshot,orlongshothadareasoningbehindit.The directorhadtodecidewhetherhewantedtofocusonthecharacterorspecificdetailsaboutthe character'sactionsoremotionsaswellashowmuchofthebackgroundtofeature.Theusageofonly
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Bollywoodmoviesareverypopularforthe"Romance"portrayedintheirplot.Romancein Bollywoodhasevolvedthroughouttheages.Buttheonething,thathasremainedconstantarethe unofficialandofficialbanonanydepictionthatmaysuggestsomethingwhichisnotapartofthe "Indian"culture.Westernizationwasalwaysshownassomethingnegativeandalien.Let'shavea closerlookathowHindicinemadealswiththiscensorshipcodethathasbeensetupBollywood adoptedanewwaytorecreatethesamepassionthatusuallya'kiss'wouldgenerate;theysubstitute thesebysonganddanceroutines.Songsarebasicallyadescriptionofthepassionateseenwithno suggestivevisualimagerytoaiditIt'slefttotheaudiences'showmorecontent ForexampleinShree420(1950),Mayathefemaleantagonistisshownasrich,westernizedwomen, withnomoralvalues.Sheisshowntowearexplicitlyrevealingclothesandhaveshorthair.She drinksalcoholandalsosmokes.Flirtingwithmenanddancingwhileinappropriatelycladaround them,arealsotheothernegativequalitiessheembodies.However,Vidyaisthefemaleprotagonist whoiscompletelytheopposite,she'straditionalandeducatedResponsibilitiesthatsheholdsare lookingafterherdisabledfatherandrunningaschool.Herhairislongandsheisalways traditionallydressedinsaris.ThecontrastingvisualimageryofVidyaandMayaletstheaudience makeajudgmentofwhoportraysthenegativecharacterquiteclearly.Donotfailtonoticethatthis outwarddepictionofgoodandbadisonlyintermsofthewomen.Rajthemaleleadofthemovie Shree420,goesthroughaphaseofcorruptionandgreed,however,heisultimatelyforgivenand giventhebenefitofthedoubt.Thisleadsmetomynextpointabouthow'Women"aresacrificedin moviesjusttopassoutasocialmessage.Themessageclearlystatesthatanyactwhichisnot "culturallyaccepted"willhavebadconsequencesInthemovieKatiPatang,youaretakenthrough thestoryofMadhavi,whorunsawaytobewithherloveronthedayofherwedding.Fromthatvery moment,sheencountersaseriesofunfortunateevents.Asecondarycharacterfrom
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Historicallyaccuratemoviesthatarealsocaptivatinghaveanimmenseburdentomeet.Tocapture theessenceofthetimethroughapersonalstorythatcaptivatesmovieexecutiveswhoregularly makemovieswithStevenSeagallandBruceWillisseemsanalmostinsurmountabletask.But difficultiesinsalesaside,therearetwocrucialelementsformoviesabouthistorytobethemost effectivetheycanbeTheseelementsarehistoricalaccuracyinapersonalstory,andasenseof hope.<br><br>Historicalaccuracydoesnotmeantryingtoencompasseverythingthathappenedin aparticulartimeperiod.Rather,itrequiresastorythathighlightskeyelementsoftheperiod involvedwhilecontainingnothingthatcouldneverhavehappenedintheshowmorecontent Hehasessentiallyrisenfromthedeadlifeofbeingaslavetothelandofthefree,wherethehorses runasfreeasmen.<u>TheLastSupper</u>isasuccessfulfilmonbothemotionalandintellectual levelsbecauseitpanderstotheheartwithapersonalincidentandgivesthemindhopetoponder. <br><br><u>Amistad</u>desperatelywantstobeasimportantinAmericancultureas<u>The LastSupper</u>isinCubancultureEventhoughthatsuccesswasnotattained,itisstillavery powerfulhistoricalepic.Again,thestoryistrue,butembellishedforthescreen.Andagain,thisis notaproblem,becauseinitsembellishmentithasnottrulydistortedtherealitiesofslaveryin Southernsociety.And<u>Amistad</u>,evenmorethan<u>TheLastSupper</u>,hasaveryclear levelofacademicentertainment.Theslaveryin<u>Amistad</u>isfoughtonapurelyideological levelWearegivenawhiteman'scourttodecidethefateoftheprisonersofthe<u>Amistad</u>–it'saclearpictureoftheinteractionbetweenEuropeansandAfricans.ThequestionsSpielbergposes aremany:Shouldthisbetheproperwaytohandlejusticeonapeoplethatdonotunderstandor respectthesystem?Howisitthatjusticecouldbeservedinthiscasewithoutmakingthe
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Today,themovieindustryhasbecomeahugemoneymakerintheentertainmentbusiness.You cannotturnonthetelevisionwithoutseeingadvertisementsforthenextbigblockbusterfilm.While mostofthefilmsthesedaysentertainwithamazingspecialeffectsorraunchycomedy,therearestill filmsthatthrivebecauseofgreatacting,directing,andediting.ThreefilmsthatIbelievewouldbe greatexamplesofthewaytheseaspectscancauseafilmtoexcelare?AnyGivenSunday?,?The Cell?,and?AlmostFamous?.?AnyGivenSunday?showshow,byusingediting,amoviecan portrayanintensesituationrealistically.In?TheCell?,colorisusedtodifferentiatebetweenhow weseethingsinrealityandhowshowmorecontent
Panningshotsofcheeringfansandscreamingcoachesalongwithoccasionalshotsofthegame beingbroadcastonatelevisionwithcommentatorsgivingtheirtakeontheactionsendtheviewer backtotherealitythattheyareonlywatchingtheactionandnotparticipatinginit.Whilewatching thismovieyoutrulyfeellikeyouareinthegame.
?TheCell?,insteadoffocusingonaccuratelyportrayingreality,takesyoutothedreamworld CatherineDeane,playedbyJenniferLopez,isachildpsychologistinvolvedinanexperimental projectthatallowshertotravelinsidethemindofcomavictimstotrytodrawthemawayfromtheir fearsandthusoutoftheircoma.Thismovieportraysthejourneyinsidethemindmuchlikeyou woulddepictadream.WhenDeaneisinsideayoungchild,whosemainconcernseemstobeafear ofthe?boogieman?,theworldsheentersisabeautifuldesertscenewheretheskyisbrightblue withpuffywhiteclouds.Sheisalwaysdressedinbrightwhitedressesandseemstoglow.This depictsthatshehasearnedthechild?strust.Allcolorisbrighterinthisdreamlikeworld.Even thoughtheseexperimentshadnotbeensuccessfulbringingthechildoutofthecoma,Deanwasable tolearnalotaboutthechild.Thiscausedacoupleofdetectivestoapproachheraboutenteringthe mindofaserialkillerwhohadslippedintoacomawiththegoalofdiscoveringthelocationofhis mostrecentcaptive.
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FilmandVideoProduction: BecomingtheFutureoftheSilverScreen
Everysooftenamovieisreleasedwithsuchtenseanticipationandglamorousvisualartthatthe publicisdrawntothisdramaticrenditionoflifeinthetheatreForevenjusttwohoursorso,youare putintoadifferentlifestyle.Action,dramaorcomedyitmaybe.Wearethrustintoadifferentway ofthinking.Weareforcedtolearnthecharactersthoughtsandfeelings.Thehardworkandartistic skillthatgoesintothesemagnificentfilmsisnotaneasythingtomimicOutofthethousandsof moviesreleasedworldwideeachyearonlyahandfularetrulyworthyofthelabelfilmart.Mostof thegreatmoviesareeitherproducedbyamultimilliondollarshowmorecontent
Evenifoneplansonbecomingadirectorandnotascreenwriteroneneedstoknowwhatkindof scriptstolookfor.Thisisveryimportantforabeginningsmallmoviedirectorsincethereaderwill mostlikelybewritingtheirownscriptstogetsomerecognitionAscriptisadocumentthatoutlines everyaural,visual,behavioral,andlingualelementrequiredtotellastory,accordingtothe dictionarydefinitionatwww.Wikidpedia.org.Itiscrucialtorememberthatfilmisavisualmedium. Onedoesn'ttelltheaudiencethestory,oneshowsthem.Sowhatonewillbewritingisnotanovel butmorelikeexplainingadreamonpaper.Onemustlearntowriteascreenplayvisually.Asfamed directorDarrenAronofskysaidinaninterviewwithastrugglingscreenwritertryingtoget published,
"Mostofwhatonewritesthatdoesn'tworkonscreenwilljustbeimprovisedonthemovieset". Therearemanyimportantrequirementsforscreenplaysthatmayseemlikeminutiaatfirstglance buttheformatofonesscriptisextremelyimportant
sinceitwillbesubmittedalongwithhundredsofotherstooneproducer.Forexample,themainfont inuseintheU.S.bybothpublishersandtheHollywoodfilmindustryisCourier12pitchAccording toAFI(AmericanFilmIndustry)thebasicsofscreenwritingThoughthisseemsunimportant,when apublisherislookingatamanuscriptheisgoingtolookforthings
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Intheearlytimesofnarrativecinematherewaslitterpressureonthefilmmakersfortheevolutionof filmformsbeforenickelodeons(Salt,31)ascinemahadnotbecomeamassculturalproductand filmwasstilljustanoveltyexpectedtodieoutlikerocknroll.Andsothedemandwaslowandso thesupplycouldremainunoriginal.MaryJane'sMishapwasmadein1903when'multi–scenefilms werebecomingpopular'(Salt,32)MaryJane'sMishapisnotableforitsuseofexperimentaland inventiveshottransitions.Itusedaverticalwipetoinsteadof'separatesuccessivescenes'(Salt,32) (asitcutstoashotwidthawiderframeofthesamelocale)buttochangethezoomlevel.Thisframe isessentiallyaninsertandborderlineshowmorecontent Inbigboldletter'PARRAFIN'theflammableoil.Withoutthisshottheviewerwouldbeperplexed astowhysheexplodedandallowsthenarrativetoflowasitcouldbewateroranyotherfluidforall theyknowascleverlySmithusedthismise–en–scenetoexplainthenarrativeinsteadofanintertitle beforetheexplosionwhichwouldhaveremovedallsuspense,tensionandmysteryespeciallyafter shemovedtothecamerastoshowhergesturingabrightideaThoughthisclose–upcouldalsobe arguedbyGunningofbeingofthecinemaofattractionsas'Foratime[incinema]close–upswere onlyusedasanattractiontoseeanimagesbutlargerthanlifebut'incitingvisualcuriosity' (Gunning,pg58)ratherbeingevolutionarytowardsnarrativecinema.Theclose–upsheightenthe 'only[toolthey]theyhaveattheirdisposal,alanguageofgestures'(Burch,224)musseridea
MaryJane'sMishapcombinedthecinemaofattractiontrickfilmwiththeviewerswantfor narrative.'Thedeclineintheir[trickfilms]commercialimportancewasalreadyevidentby1906' (Salt,40)SmithusedajumpcuttocreatetheillusionofMaryJaneexplodingintosmokeby subtractingherandaddingsmokeinthesuccessiveshot.Healsousessuperimpositiontocreatea ghostlikencreature.Likeanavatarforitsday.Thisshowsnarrativescinemastillbeinginfluenced bythecinemaofattractionsastomakeanentertainingfilm.
Theacting
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AsadigitalCinemastudent,Ihavelearnedalotaboutthedifferenttypesofmoviesthatarecreated everyyearandwhatmakesthemsuccessful,andunsuccessful.Withthisbitofinsight,Ihave discoveredthatItakeastronginterestanddrivefordocumentaryfilms.Ifindthemtobe meaningful,andmoreproductivethanothertypesofmovies.Somedocumentariesarecreatedto exposetherealityoftheworldforwhatitis,andIthinkthatwitheverythinggoingoninthisworld, thatiseffectiveandnecessary.ItwasnotuntilthisyearthatIwasabletoactuallycomposesome shortdocumentaryfilmsmyself,andIfoundthatIreallyenjoyit.
IwatchedthemovieFoodInc,afilmdevotedtoexposingtherealityoftheagricultureshowmore content...
Ithinkitisimportantthatpeopleareinformedaboutthebadresultsofsupportingthisbrand,soI createdavideoexpressingthetruthbehindthis"great"brand.Mostofmyshotsarezoominginand outoftheshelveswithinthestore,withafewthathaveapersoninteractingwiththeproducts,or justeverydayIthoughtthisvarietywouldhelpshowtheviewerthedifferencesinthechoicesthey canmake.Withalltheshots,Iincorporatedavoiceoverdiscussingtheissueathand.Thiswasthe mostimportantaspectofmyvideo,becauseithelpedtheviewerlearnaboutwhattheproblemis with"greatvalue"products,andhowitisaffectingtheworld.Ienjoyrealisticartwork,soIthought IwouldtrydocumentaryfilmsandseewhatIcoulddowithit.Ialsowanttotryandinfluence peopletosecondguesssupportingthisbrand
Thestrugglewithdocumentaryfilmsisgettingtheaccessthatyouneed,andbeingabletodocument therealsourcesbehindwhatthetopic.IknowwhenIwasshooting,Ididnotwanttogetcaught, becauseIknewWal–Martprobablywouldnotwantmevideoingtheirproducts,soIwasextremely carefulwhenIwasshootingmyfootage.Kennerandhisproducerhadasimilarproblem.Whenthey wereshootingtheystatedthattheywereunabletogetaccesstoalotoftheplacestheywantedto shoot,aswellas
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