Camera Movement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmILOL55xP0

I really like these takes from Full Metal Jacket because of the smoothness of the handheld camera.  Its almost as if a dolly was set up imperfectly for a reason to give it a somewhat smooth feel while you are behind the troop, but still choppy. This gives you the effect that you are walking along behind everyone and getting a view from the back.  When our main character realizes he is in charge and has rounded as a character at this point from the experience of “takin out the sniper.” This time the dolly was set correctly and level to give a smooth and controlled feel as we follow along our main character.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UwJtDRQkoE

I really like this example from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  I am mainly talking about the camera movement during the sequence/montage of him collecting anything that reminded him of her.  Its all extremely rough, BUT NOT TOO F’N “CLOVERFIELD” rough, but rustic and hasty.  I feel like it shows the frustration of our main character and does well showing his franticness in each individual item, from ripping things out of his journal to grabbing the coffee cup with her picture on it.  A lot of the movie happens in Carrey’s character’s mind therefore it gives room for a lot of experimental lighting and camera movement. 

Another thing that I like in the area of camera movement is the use of extraordinarily long shots or takes.  I love when a lot of things happen all in one take.  It takes a lot of artistic planning and vision to plan a lengthy shot out and still make it perfect.  Conversation is not used enough anymore in film.  People want explosions now, not witty conversation. I don’t understand that.  I don’t have any good clips but one example of a film maker, that uses this talent and method, that I really like is Quinton Tarantino.  There are several AWESOME and extremely long takes in Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, scenes also full of good conversation and/or action.  Maybe its my theatre background but I feel like this is not done enough anymore. 

Scene Assignment

Scene Assignment "A Foot Massage" from Pulp Fiction

!!!OK!!!! Here's my Shot by Shot analysis! SHEESH!

I chose the Movie Pulp Fiction because it definitely represents a style that I enjoy.  I'm a theatre major.  Therefore, sometimes I enjoy a more theatrical approach.  The lighting in this movie amazes me sometimes and the framing is pretty close to perfect as well. (Cinematographer-Andrzej Sekuła)

The scene starts in a strip joint during the the slow hours of the day. Aging prizefighter Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) accepts a large sum of money from Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), agreeing to take a dive in the 5th round of his upcoming match. I like this scene because it takes you into the world of the mob leader and gives you an idea of what they might be up to during the day.  We see an over the shoulder shot, not yet seeing Marsellus' face, of Butch's face.  He is in the left 3rd of the frame and we can see easily, but slightly out of focus, the environment around him.  I like the red gel being used. Not only is this the feel of the place, Red, Hot, Exotic Dancers, but also with the dirty blood work involved in what you might call the mob bosses "day job."  I like that the blue lights along the stage and the light above the bar counter the red and almost frame Butch within the frame.  He is in high contrast lighting, showing an almost mysterious side of his face.  Because of this, we know that he may not do everything that he is told.  

 Next we cut to a further away over the shoulder shot as Butch stuffs the money into his jacket.  This is the first time we see Marsellus, but still remain to see his face. Notice that all you really see in this this long dialogue filled shot is that DAMN band-aid!!!!!  It's almost like the ear rings frame it.  It also jumps to the left third of the screen exactly where butch's face was located in the last shot.  Our eyes jump to it immediately.  Butch's face is well framed over his shoulder as well and for the first time we actually see a stripper pole in the back ground and even more color comes into the scene.

We jump back to Butch's face as he is required to repeat out loud that he will "go down in the 5th."  This is a very emotional close up with that low level lighting assuring us that he may not "go down in the 5th." After all, he doesn't think he's getting old.  He thinks he's a bad ass that can beat anyone anyway. I mean come on, its Bruce Willis!

This is a little unimportant, but I think it might be there for establishing the fact that it is daylight outside and that the bartender knows these two guys entering the joint.  

We then go to a full dolly shot, sideways, and follow Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson)  and Vincent Vega (John Travolta) into the bar wearing their ridiculous cloths.  As the dolly stops the two sit perfectly in frame at the bar staring back across towards Marsellus.  

The briefcase that the movie is so abstractly centered around is sitting in plain sight but the light below the bar has been flagged so that the case almost disappears into the floor.  Both are identically and equally framed, as done in several other scenes maybe as a racial message. These two are friends, and though they may disagree on certain things quite a bit, they never cease to find something novel or inspiring to tell the other or talk about.

Next we cut back to that Boss' world with the really rich red tone as we get a perspective shot of what Vincent and Jules are looking at across the lounge.  Butch and Marsellus are framed within the columns and the shot goes on forever behind them because of the mirror.

And so we bring Vincent and Jules into this world.  The concentration in the framing draw our eyes to Vincent and Marsellus behind him.  

The Bartender gives Vincent shit about having to take Marsellus' wife out for the night and the scene goes to show Vincent's frustration knowing what The Boss had done to the last person that gave his wife a foot massage. Jules goes to the bathroom laughing leaving Vincent alone.

As the "bad ass" (butch) walks up to the bar he challenges the look that Vincent, an unknown hit man for Marsellus, gives him. After all, the light looks much cooler on Bruce Willis because of the color in the jacket that he's wearing rather than looking almost like he's in a pink t-shirt, Travolta. Not only that, but now Butch has taken the place of Jules at the bar and suddenly the energy changes. There's only one guy, from Butches perspective, in goofy cloths, not two. We know this because of the last shot where Butch's back was to them when Vincent and Jules walked in.  Marsellus is perfectly framed between the two, blurry, almost blending with the background. WE HAVE YET TO SEE HIS FACE, even though we are looking right at him!

Marsellus calls Vincent out at Trovolta delivers the line "You heard me, Punchy," (I love it! hahaha) secretly he knows he has no problem shooting him right there.  Butch realizes the familiar tone as his face turns and fills into the light.  Then, as Vincent walks away, the camera does this nice follow circle around  Butch as he turns his head to follow Vincent, with his eyes, across the room.  I do not have that shot but it does turn to this perspective shot from Butch as he watches Vincent and Marsellus hug:

It almost shows Marsellus' face here when they pull away from the hug but just as you think your getting a glimpse, a well place flag cuts light and cast a shadow over his face.  We can also now see the whole room and now have a good idea, spatially, how it's set up.  It makes it feel a little more comfortable to the viewers eye rather than blurring the back ground a lot before and only being able to slightly make out what kind of furniture was in the room.  

The scene finishes, before Butch's character walks out the door, with a close up and the reaction that "billy bad ass here" has about the obvious realized friendship between the guy that just tried to pick a fight with him and the guy that's basically bending him over by convincing him to throw the fight.  It's seems so just when Butch gets off Marsellus' hit list (Butch doesn't throw the fight, wins, and skips town with the money.) by saving him, with a samurai sword, from getting bent over himself by a good ol' man named Zed. Well, almost in time. Ha

Ahhhhh. That's niiiiiice. Lighting...

First of all, before the examples, I'd like to point out that lighting effects me the most.  I feel like music could be a close second but our eyes are very in-tune tools when it comes to recognizing expression, body language, and where the lighting comes into play, setting. That "perfect shot" always seems to be lit a very certain way whether it is intentionally bold or subtle.

Starting with natural light (left), this is a great example of the use of magic hour early in the day.  It projects a warm soft feeling as the light reacts with and moves through the early morning moisture in the air. The boat is literally traveling with the light and there is use of "look room" or "leading room" in front, considering the boat is in the right third of the frame.

This (right) is a good example of high contrast lighting skills mixed with of course, a beautiful set of eyes.  I guess it makes a difference when you simply have the right talent to light.  Her key light is strong and there is hardly any, if any, back and fill light.  This is when that beautiful triangle of light is projected on the opposite side of the face and almost capturing the other eye but is left to the mysterious look.  There is also use of an object blocking the light, making the shadowed line across the side of her face with the key light.  This could be a small type of flag or gobo, or it could be as simple as a stick or branch mounted or held between the key light and and subject.

Screwin up = Learning (Portrait of a Place)

Overall, I feel like I learned a great deal more from hearing the, obviously, more experienced classmates talk and give advise about each others projects.  I can't even express how much I learned about the process of setting up certain shots (f-stop, shutter speed tricks, camera movement, etc).  I also got a kick out of having not only good, but bad examples to work with and discuss.  I can say this because mine was amongst the most terrible.  In the movie and scene critic world, its easy to get lost in the work and not notice certain effects and techniques.  In fact, it's even more noticeable if techniques cease to be used at all. It's hard to talk about something close to perfection until you note the works that are far from it.  I can't wait to get another camera in my hand and work on another project.  I feel like I can do nothing but improve.

JVC or SONY? I choose door number 3.

When it truly comes down to it, I really didn't get to use the SONY as much as I would like.  I felt like I was more familiar with the SONY, true. (though i might have been sick for the JVC tutorial day)  But, in my familiarity with the controls on the SONY, I am completely unfamiliar with the way one transfers the raw footage from the tapes into FCP. Therefor with the simplicities of these two cameras, I must choose the JVC with its ability to transfer files digitally, straight into a quicktime file and immediately usable in FCP.

The JVC seems to have an ease with the white balance button but who cares when it comes down to it, as long as it is somewhat easily accessible. I did not, however, like the fact that the focus and the zoom were on the same dial up front.  Maybe it was my brain deadness, but I found myself forgetting which side the toggle was on and screwing up shots, having to redo them, and ultimately wasting time. I guess I could learn to pay attention more the more familiar I get with these two cameras.

Bottom line, I think it will be better when we move onto the higher grade cameras and get a chance to venture out more with our abilities and options, considering there is not too much difference between the two pieces of equipment. As a whole, I liked the digital factor from the JVC but haven't thrown out the idea of tape at all if I can get a better picture out of it.

Roll Tide