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Moving in Unison Scene Research

Moving in Unison Scene Research

Midsommar – The Feast Begins

As many scenes in our film present groups of students exhibiting identical behavior to create an eery sense of conformity, this scene from Midsommar is a great example of how that cult mentality can be depicted. While the group of people in this particular scene don’t move in perfect synchronization, their movements and their facial expressions still create an unsettling sense of conformity and mindless following.

CueNotes
How could we potentially use a bird’s eye view of a classroom without the capabilities that this film had?













Could a wide angle lens be effective in showing the number of students in the classroom?













Should we show our protagonist/stranger to the cult starting to give into the group behavior or should we only present a rejection of these norms?



Entire scene is completely devoid of music – making the audience uncomfortable with silence

Establishes relationship between cult leaders and followers with costume and set design (different outfits, leaders sit in throne-like chairs)

Slow dolly out to reveal the number of followers involved in this cult

Movements of each follower matches the movements of the leaders – not in perfect unison but still establishing that cult mentality and the weirdness of their mindless nature

As leaders pick up silverware and begin to eat, camera angle changes to a bird’s eye view and then pans across the table set-up to show the consecutive movements of each follower – kind of like a ripple of movement

Character seating placement at table establishes rank

All of the “follower” characters seem to be in a trance throughout the scene, all following the same behavioral patterns and moving based on the leaders’ movements

Even the characters that are strangers to this cult begin to follow the behaviors of the others – giving into that cult mentality and conformity in fear of standing out too much in this foreign environment

Blocking in every shot is almost never focused on one single character – there’s always multiple people in the shot to communicate their belonging to this group/lack of individualism

With the exception of the leaders and the strangers in this scene, the followers are depicted as a group, not as individuals – representing their loss of identity to this brainwashed cult

Sound effects: emphasis on the visible sounds of the scene like forks scraping and the minimal dialog that exists – no presence of external sounds like wind

Majority of characters are entirely emotionless, clearly in a trance

Overall, this scene is a great representation of how to shoot a large group of characters moving simultaneously, as it successfully communicates the lack of individualism in the group and the notion that this is a cult. On top of the various angles, edits, and blocking choices that add to the success of the scene, the lack of music and the emphasis on isolated sounds creates a very eerie and unsettling feeling in the viewer.

Andrew Stanton Storytelling

Andrew Stanton Storytelling

CueNotes
General rules of storytelling

How early should the promise be developed?
Storytelling is joke telling
Stories cross the boundaries of time and allow us to connect to each other
Stories affirm who we are
Make me care with your story
The beginning of a story should give a promise that it’s going to go somewhere
A well-told promise can propel you through the story
Links into anticipation and building tension – don’t make things predicatableStorytelling without dialogue is the purest form of storytelling
“Make the audience work for their meal [but don’t let them know they’re working for it]”
Unifying Theory of 2+2: don’t give them 4, give them 2+2
Every character has an itch they want to scratch – the spine of the character
This “itch” could be positive or negative, but we all have it
Can tension be built even in a “dull” scene? Stories die when things go static, because life is never static
“Drama is anticipation mingled with uncertainty”
Anticipation is tension – audience wants to find the conclusion but don’t make it predictable
Links into Hans Zimmer’s idea of finding the “rules” of the film and then breaking themStorytelling has guidelines, not hard and fast rules
A strong theme is always running through a well-told story
In other words, make people connect and care!Most important part: can you invoke wonder?
The best stories are able to infuse wonder in its audience
Draw from what you know
Capture a truth from your own experience

Summary

Andrew Stanton’s basic, overarching principle of storytelling is to use what you know and make your audience care about what you’re trying to say. Stories are meant to make us feel connected on a deeper level, and according to Stanton, being successful in this means invoking wonder and creating anticipation that keeps an audience engaged.

Session 5 Production Project – The Perfect School

Session 5 Production Project – The Perfect School

Hands Across America, Philadelphia (1986)” by VCU CNS is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0.

SUMMARY

Role

Composer

Intention (SMART Goal)

By May 10th, as part of team 5, I will have added detailed notes to the script and storyboard on music choices and the use of tension building through music using Robin Hoffman’s “What is The Function of Film Music” and MasterClass’ “6 Ways to Create Tension and Release in Music”.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

John Williams

John Williams is one of the most well-known and highly regarded American film composers, having composed over 100 films and having 52 Oscar nominations, five Oscar wins, two Emmy wins, three Golden Globes, and 25 Grammy wins. Some of his most well-known compositions include the score for Jaws, Jurassic Park, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, the first three Harry Potter films, and nine Star Wars films. Williams’ ten rules for success are mostly related to working hard and finding joy in everything you do. Throughout his career, Williams has stayed incredibly humble despite his extensive success and recognition, as he cares deeply for his work as a musician and finds immense joy in his every interaction with music.

Training Source(s)

6 Ways to Create Tension and Release in Music

  1. Repetition
    • Repeating one bundle of chords/notes creates rhythmic tension
      • Predictable pattern and emphasis on particular sounds
    • Sudden chord change to break up repetition can …
      • Produces satisfying release for the build up OR
      • Create more tension
  2. Dissonance
    • Putting two notes together that feel unstable creates harmonic tension
    • Dissonant note pairings are common in horror films to escalate tension
    • Following dissonant notes, you can use consonance or harmony to create release
  3. Key changes
    • Key changes create anticipation for a return to original key
    • Adding minor keys or changing keys contributes to musical tension
      • Listeners feel uneasy until the music returns to its original sound
  4. Dynamics
    • Reach climaxes with increasing pitch or volume (quickly or slowly)
    • Create release with decrescendo
    • Can also use silence to add to the dynamics of music
  5. Restriction
    • Can continue building tension by holding off on release
      • Often used in EDM
    • Climactic moments come with build up of rhythmic patterns
      • “The drop”
  6. Syncopation
    • Syncopated rhythms: disruption to regular pattern of beats
    • Tension builds with off-beat rhythms
    • Release happens when rhythm is on beat
What is the function of film music?
  1. Commentary
    • Commenting on the image presented in each scene
    • Pushing the audience to perceive things in particular ways
      • Heroic, sad, romantic, etc.
  2. Movement
    • Accenting music with every visual movement
      • Often referred to as “mickey-mousing”
    • Often feels cartoony and is useful for slapstick, but can be employed in dramatic moments
  3. Plot Relationships
    • Giving certain characters, situations, or places a “thematic identity” with a repeated song or note/chord pattern
      • Using this can almost act as foreshadowing to an upcoming event or character appearance
  4. Atmosphere
    • Very important and powerful; sets the tone
    • Particular music in an intro: establishing genre or “feeling” of entire film
      • Could be used to set the stage for plot twists as well
  5. Emotion
    • Getting into the emotions of the characters
    • Intentionally pushing a certain feeling onto the audience (tell them how to feel!)
  6. Social, Cultural, or Geographic References
    • Music that represents a certain setting, especially as characterized and perceived by Western ears
    • Alludes to the main setting of the film by making us feel like we’re in a certain location
  7. Time Period References
    • Musical styles change throughout time
      • Use to establish time periods and bring an audience into that time
      • Can be especially useful in flashbacks to heighten audience understanding of the amount of time passed
  8. Connect Scenes or Montages
    • Glue or connect scenes together
      • Harsh cut between scenes is softened with music
    • Especially useful with montages to understand meaning and purpose
  9. Manipulate
    • Manipulating the opinions/perceptions of the audience in the “right” direction
    • Used commonly in propaganda films
    • Useful in misleading audience for a greater plot twist
      • A character portrayed as the “good guy” is revealed to be the villain at the end
        • Use heroic/happy music for his appearances to guide viewers away from suspecting any evil
  10. Perception of Time
    • Altering tempo can push or drag a scene
    • Extending or shortening the actual time passed with differing tempos
  11. Space
    • Using something like a full orchestra matches with deep space
    • A more intimate piano and violin piece matches with shallow space
  12. Unreal Situations
    • Used to characterize nightmares or unreal moments
    • Focusing on the extreme fictional nature of the scene
  13. Contradiction
    • Sounds that don’t match the visual appearance of the scene are unsettling
      • Alludes to something being off
    • Dark music under seemingly neutral dialogue – something is wrong
  14. Parody
    • Music can dictate whether a scene is serious or laughable
    • Often used in comedies to poke fun at a traditionally intense scene
      • Think the final match in Dodgeball: the intense, big “battle” of the film still made comical with music
  15. Physiological Conditioning
    • Influence and stimulate audience emotions
    • Used especially in horror and thriller films to build tension and instill fear in the audience
  16. Size Relations
    • Example of a little boy walking alone through a big city:
      • Visual differences between the boy and the city can be emphasized by music
      • Light flute motif combined with a deeper music provides auditory contrast with visual contrast
      • Can change the degree of auditory contrast if the little boy is developing into a “bigger” character
        • Music can express that new “size” dimension even though we can’t visually see it yet
  17. Psychologically Uniting Listeners
    • Real world example: national anthems working to “unite” a nation
    • In film: more euphoric or heroic scores can be used to “unite” the audience to a common emotion
      • Allows the audience to feel as though they’re part of the scene
    • Using well-known, popular songs can have the same effect as the audience is familiar with the piece
  18. Character Development
    • Music can be used to develop characters or aid audiences in their understanding of said character

Project Timeline

  1. Brainstorm ideas
  2. Create storyboard
  3. Present storyboard to class and get feedback
  4. Create slideshow and share with all team members
  5. Make story adjustments and write screenplay
  6. Decide on location and character roles
  7. Gather/make props, costumes, equipment
  8. Set up shots
  9. Prepare blocking for each scene
  10. Film all scenes
  11. Record all sounds/dialogue
  12. Put all recordings for audio and video in shared Google Drive folder
  13. Decide which scenes to keep, get rid of, or re-shoot
  14. Label final shots and audio clips
  15. Transfer audio and clips into Premiere Pro
  16. Put clips in order and make all edits
  17. Create music
  18. Put audio in and sync up to video
  19. Make all finishing touches
  20. Export final film
  21. Add evidence to slideshow
  22. Present film and slideshow to the class and receive feedback

Proposed Budget

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

The Perfect School

Skills Commentary

Slideshow

I acted as composer – my evidence is on slides 25 and 26.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

Considering the number of actors we used in multiple scenes, creativity and problem solving was crucial to the success and completion of our film. The class we were originally going to use in those scenes was unavailable the day of shooting, so we had to problem solve to try and find a new class last minute. We also had to overcome issues related to the time constraint, as we changed our original filming plans and cut hallway running scenes. On top of this, our editor was absent the entire week of editing, so we had to problem solve in order to ensure we had a finished film with all the necessary components.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

Throughout the entire production session, our team was in constant communication, which was especially necessary because we are a six person team. When our editor was out for the entire week of our editing process, we all had to collaborate to make sure we ended with a finished, well-done film. Decisions on cutting scenes, sound design, and music were all a collaborative effort, as we checked in with each other every day and each watched our film before publishing it. We also had to communicate during filming to finish our scenes efficiently, and we collaborated by helping each other out with our individual roles when someone was gone or had to be an actor in a scene.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

Due to the limited time we had to edit the film, add sound effects, and create music, I had to learn how to use a music composition site other than GarageBand so that I could work in the classroom and from home. The website I used was called Soundtrap, and I had to learn all of the details and specifics of the site in order to make progress on our film’s music and complete the finished product in time. As a learning tool, I read about the purpose and potential of music in film with Robin Hoffman’s article “What is the function of film music?” and researched how I could create conflict and release in my music with MasterClass’ “6 Ways to Create Tension and Release in Music”. As a team, we used Celtx to write the screenplay, Google Drive to share files, and Trello to keep track of our progress.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

In this production session, I gained a lot of life skills regarding collaboration, teamwork, and general creativity. Because this was our last film and every team was given the same prompt of “community”, my team and I pushed ourselves to come up with something unique and creative that would stand out among all the other films. Especially during our pre-production and brainstorming process, I learned how to effectively collaborate, and express and communicate my creativity and ideas successfully within a group. When new, often conflicting ideas were proposed, we had to blend them together and work through everything as a team, which I feel is a very important skill to have in the real world. In a more specific sense, I continued my learning about music theory and composition, which is a skill I would like to build upon in the future.

Reactions to the Final Version

“The music built very successfully, starting with a wholesome feeling and then shifting as the tone of the film shifted. The inclusion of the heartbeat sound was also really effective to portray the panic of the character, even though it was a smaller, background noise.” – James

“The music flowed really well and matched the tone of the film, which helped move everything along and provide clarity in the plot.” – Moira

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

Our final film was simple, as we only included shots and scenes that were necessary to develop the plot of the film and communicate our story. It was also emotional, as we used sensory language and specific film techniques to instill fear and create suspense with our audience. Additionally, our film was concrete and unexpected, as we shocked our audience with a final plot twist and addressed the prompt of “community” from a unique perspective.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

During this project, I learned a lot of technical skills, especially regarding music composition and the specificities of the Soundtrap software. Before this production session, I had only ever used GarageBand, but now that I am well-versed in an entirely new program, I feel more prepared for any music I compose in the future. In a more general, real-world sense, I continued to gain skills relating to leadership and group collaboration, which will be very helpful in the future. I also solved many problems alongside my team members during this production session, as we had a large task including nearly 50 actors that needed to be completed within a relatively short period of time.

Grammar and Spelling

Grammarly, Edublogs Spell Check

Editor

Merja Haatanen

Story of Film – Episode 3 – The Golden Age of World Cinema

Story of Film – Episode 3 – The Golden Age of World Cinema

Movie Theater
Movie Theater” by Pioneer Library System is marked with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Notes

The following material is from Wikipedia.

1918-1932: The Great Rebel Filmmakers Around the World

  • The Thief of Bagdad (1924) (introduced in Episode 2) dir. Raoul Walsh
    • Soft lighting, shallow focus, dream-like
  • The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) (introduced in Episode 2) dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer
    • Realism
    • Taking the fantasy and gloss out of main-stream cinema
  • Robert and Bertram (1915) dir. Max Mack
    • Challenge to conventional cinema
    • Over-acting and adolescent
    • Mocking the portrayal of sex and love
  • The Oyster Princess (1919) dir. Ernst Lubitsch
    • Mocking modern-day norms
      • Commentary on capitalism, race, gender, etc
  • The Mountain Cat (1921) dir. Ernst Lubitsch
    • Visually daring
    • Strangely symbolic
    • Surreal production design and screen-masking
  • The Marriage Circle (1924) dir. Ernst Lubitsch
    • Early film after Lubitsch’s move to Hollywood
      • Had to be creative with portrayal of sexuality with American censorship
      • Communicating the ideas of sex and romance without actually showing – we can only infer
  • La Roue (1923) dir. Abel Gance
    • French film
    • Work of impressionism
    • Viewers are able to see inside a character’s mind – flashes of short shots
  • Napoléon (1927) dir. Abel Gance
    • Four-hour film
    • Made main-stream romantic cinema look static in comparison
    • Rethought the camera’s relationship to movement
    • Great showing of dynamism (characterized by vigorous activity and progress)
    • Masterpiece of impressionist filmmaking
  • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) dir. Robert Wiene
    • Influential expressionist film – looking deeper into the human mind
    • Filled with fear and murder
    • Flooded set with flat light and painted shadows directly on the walls and ground
    • Bizarre imagery – questioning point of view with jagged lighting and space
  • The Tell-Tale Heart (1928) dir. Charles Klein
    • Jagged set design and lighting
    • Directly influenced by Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
  • The Lodger (1927) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
    • British director – worked in Germany
    • Using similar shadowing and hysteria to Dr. Calagari film
  • A Page of Madness (1926) dir. Teinosuke Kinugasa
    • Japanese film
    • Visual overlays and fast cutting as seen in La Roue
    • Uses complex flashbacks to communicate story of character
    • Goes further than The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari
      • Rather than seeing insanity within one character, the entire film seems psychotic
    • Combines techniques of impressionism with the unease of expressionism
  • Metropolis (1927) dir. Fritz Lang
    • One of the most iconic films of the silent era
    • Portrays a clash between workers and an authoritarian industrialist (set in 2000 in a giant city)
    • Influential with story of exploitation and use of urban landscapes
  • The Crowd (1928) (introduced in Episode 2) dir. King Vidor
    • Influenced by Metropolis
    • Another film set within a city landscape
  • Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) dir. F. W. Murnau
    • Made by German director
    • Expressionist masterpiece
    • Husband and wife walking through the city through traffic – city shifts to nature
    • Voted the best film of all time by French critics
  • Opus 1 (1921) dir. Walter Ruttmann
    • Looked by biology – painted on glass
    • One of the first abstract animations
  • Entr’acte (1924) dir. René Clair
    • Placed the camera underneath a dancer
  • Rien que les heures (1926) dir. Alberto Cavalcanti
    • Experimental film
    • Used imagery of multiple eyes
  • Spellbound (1945) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
    • Influenced by Rien que les heures
    • Used imagery of multiple eyes within a dream sequence
  • Un Chien Andalou (1929) dir. Luis Buñuel
    • Attempted to show the unconscious works
    • Nuanced and layered imagery
    • Graphic imagery – showing of free association
    • Innovative method of editing
  • Blue Velvet (1986) dir. David Lynch
    • Influenced by Bunuel’s work
  • L’Age d’Or (1930) dir. Luis Buñuel
    • Shocking imagery and editing
    • Members of the Fascist League of Patriots threw ink at the screen and attacked viewers during its premiere
  • Kino-Pravda n. 19 (1924) dir. Dziga Vertov
    • Russian film
    • Camera attached to train
  • Glumov’s Diary (1923) dir. Sergei Eisenstein
    • Eisenstein’s first film
    • Actors performed “mug for the camera” (directly to the camera, posing/making faces to draw attention)
  • Battleship Potemkin (1925) dir. Sergei Eisenstein
    • Using steps as the scene for a murder
    • Dolly movement along the steps as people run
    • Each shot averaged about 3 seconds, much shorter than American or German cinema
    • Portraying panic w/ montage of attractions
      • Emotions come from the screen to the viewer
  • The Untouchables (1987) dir. Brian De Palma
    • American film inspired by Eisenstein’s step sequence in Battleship Potemkin
    • Using splintered editing, short shots, grand staircase
  • Arsenal (1929) dir. Alexander Dovzhenko
    • Ukranian director/film
    • Takes place during time of war
      • Depicts woman standing frozen in the midst of dead villages
      • Shows the partially buried body of a soldier, his face still smiling
    • Shocking and unsettling imagery that evokes emotion in audience
  • Earth (1930) dir. Alexander Dovzhenko
    • Man walks down road, singing to himself but suddenly collapses
      • Left as a mystery to viewers
  • I Was Born, But… (1932) dir. Yasujirō Ozu
    • Japanese film
    • Ozu: philosopher turned into one of the greatest directors to have ever lived
    • Director known for being serious – this film is a comedy but has a level of maturity
    • Naturalistic performances from actors
    • Dark and honest masterpiece of film with great commentary on society
  • Tokyo Story (1953) dir. Yasujirō Ozu
    • Framing mid-shot of female character w/ her almost looking into the camera
    • Lower angle placement than the norm
      • Using hip height rather than shoulder height creates feeling of balance
    • Focus on precise rhythm and matching shots
  • Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) dir. Chantal Akerman
    • One of the few films to use Ozu’s camera height
  • The Record of a Tenement Gentleman (1947) (introduced in Episode 1) dir. Yasujirō Ozu
    • Implementation of pauses
      • Giving the story a breather and allowing the space and composition of the shot to also have a breather
    • Ozu’s focus was on centering the human body and de-centering the human ego
      • Creates balance; far different than romanitcism in Hollywood film
  • Osaka Elegy (1936) dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
    • Working around the same time as Ozu
    • Attacking arrogance in Japan and turning focus onto Japanse women
    • Story about a young woman sold into a geisha house
    • Bold staging: character in extreme foreground with action still occurring in background
    • Ends with the young woman on a bridge, contemplating suicide
  • Citizen Kane (1941) (introduced in Episode 2) dir. Orson Welles
    • Welles later used similiar staging to Mizoguchi
      • Background actions still in focus
  • Chikamatsu Monogatari (1954) dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
    • Woman married to overbearing husband
    • Intense scene dealing with an affair and suicide
      • Rather than capture the emotion with well-lit, close-up shots, Mizoguchi uses dark lighting and cuts away to further distance between actors and camera (shot of woman’s back – we soo no emotion)
  • Mildred Pierce (1945) dir. Michael Curtiz
    • American film
    • Female character finds herself on a bridge, contemplating suicide as seen in Osaka Elegy
    • Still romanticism though – scene is visually beautiful
  • Romance of the West Chamber (1927) dir. Hou Yao and Minwei Li
    • Chinese film
    • Typical film – period costumes, iris to emphasize one person/part of shot
  • Scenes of City Life (1935) dir. Yuan Muzhi
    • Evovled towards leftist, realist cinema
    • Use of camera angles and suggestive imagery to convey ideas
  • The Goddess (1934) dir. Wu Yonggang
    • Woman forced to sell her body to pay for son’s education
    • Tracking movement conveys spread of information/gossip among parents
      • Woman is shunned and isolated because of her situation
    • Well-known film for popular Chinese actress Ruan Lingyu
      • Women related to and understood her authentic and genuine performances
      • A beginning of real acting
  • Center Stage (1991) dir. Stanley Kwan
    • Ruan Lingyu played by Maggie Cheung
      • Recreating her mannerisms
  • New Women (1935) dir. Cai Chusheng
    • Another Ruan Lingyu film
      • Playing the role of an actress who committed suicide after being hounded by the press
    • An all too-real relation to Ruan’s life as tabloids trashed her modern, realistic acting in a scene dominated by gloss and sparkle
      • Led to her suicide
Session 4 Production Project – Peanuts II: Revenge of the Peanuts

Session 4 Production Project – Peanuts II: Revenge of the Peanuts

Sound Design's New Gear
“Sound Design’s New Gear” by vancouverfilmschool is licensed under

SUMMARY

Role

Sound Designer

Intention (SMART Goal)

By March 2nd, as part of Team 5, I will explore the sound designer’s skill pathway by following The Visual Story by Bruce Block and will have created scenes that demonstrate the visual story structure of rhythm.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Richard King

Richard King has been the sound designer for multiple highly successful films, including Interstellar, The Dark Knight, Inception, and Dunkirk. He has worked with directors like Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, and M. Night Shyamalan and for his exceptional work in sound design he has won four Academy Awards. For new sound designers, King suggests starting with broad ideas and important moments before diving into finer details. He emphasizes trying to put yourself in the scene to gain a better idea of which sounds are most important, and to focus your time on those particular noises.

Training Source(s)

The Visual Story – Bruce Block

  • From a sound and music standpoint
    • Alternation between sound and silence, high- and low-pitched sounds, or loud and quiet sounds create a rhythm we can hear
    • Repetition of this alternation also goes towards creating rhythm
    • Tempo controls both repetition and alternation
  • The rhythm we see is defined by the same three components, but is created with stationary objects, moving objects, and editorial cutting
  • An object placed in the middle of the frame divides it into four equal areas
    • This creates affinity, which reduces visual intensity
  • An object placed off-center divides the frame into four unequal areas
    • This creates contrast, which increases visual intensity
  • Accented areas (areas with an object) create positive space
  • Unaccented areas (areas without an object) create negative space
    • Two unaccented areas are necessary to create repetition
  • More objects/characters in the frame increase the tempo of a scene
    • Example: one character in an empty room stands slightly off-center
      • Frame has a slow, slightly irregular visual rhythm
  • Two types of rhythm in moving objects: primary and secondary
    • Primary: Movement of a whole object
    • Secondary: Part of the whole object moves independently
  • Primary Rhythm
    1. Entering and exiting the frame
      • Should happen more than once to create visual beat
    2. Moving in front of or behind another object
    3. Moving and stopping
      • Should happen more than once to create visual beat
    4. Changing direction
      • Should happen more than once to create visual beat
  • Secondary Rhythm
    • Created by the movement of part of an object that is already creating primary rhythm
      • Example:
        • Primary rhythm = person pacing back and forth
        • Secondary rhythm = the person’s moving legs and feet
    • Editorial Rhythm
      • Every cut has potential to create a rhythmic beat
      • Strong visual contrast creates a strong rhythmic beat
      • Limited visual contrast creates a less intense rhythmic beat
      • Editorial and Pictorial Repetition
        • Editorial: occurs because a beat is produced by each cut – each cut continues the pattern of repetition
        • Pictorial: occurs when the same shots are repeated – creates repetition and visual affinity
      • Editorial Tempo
        • Any series of edits will have tempo (constant, speeds up, or slows down)
        • As time between edits increases, the sense of editorial tempo diminishes
13 Sound Design Tips for More Cinematic Films

Project Timeline

  1. Brainstorm ideas
  2. Create storyboard
  3. Create slideshow and share with all team members
  4. Write screenplay
  5. Decide on location and character roles
  6. Gather/make props, costumes, equipment
  7. Set up shots
  8. Prepare blocking for each scene
  9. Film all scenes
  10. Record all sounds/dialogue and create music
  11. Put all recordings for audio and video in shared Google Drive folder
  12. Label final shots
  13. Decide which scenes to keep, get rid of, or re-shoot
  14. Transfer audio and clips into Premiere Pro
  15. Put clips in order and make all edits
  16. Put audio in and sync up to video
  17. Make all finishing touches
  18. Export final film
  19. Add evidence to slideshow
  20. Present film and slideshow to the class and receive feedback

Proposed Budget

No proposed budget, all materials owned by Capital High School/Mr. Le Duc

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

Peanuts II: Revenge of the Peanuts

Skills Commentary

The Slideshow

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

Similarly to our last production session, my team members and I had to overcome issues with Premiere Pro. We used video tutorials and asked for help from people around us to recover lost edits and attempt to share the project with other group members. I also had to adapt to time constraints when adding the appropriately intense music and had to apply my creativity while recording and adding sound effects to the film and paying attention to small details.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

Throughout the entire production session, my team members and I collaborated on many aspects of the film, including lighting, location, dialogue, delivery, camera angles, and many other things. When I was adding sound effects to the film and figuring out what music would best suit each scene, I communicated with my team members to evaluate which creative decisions would work for our final film. As one of the actors, I was constantly communicating with my team members, especially our director, to ensure that blocking and movements were correct and that my delivery matched the emotion of the scene.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

During this project, I used a Zoom audio deck and boom mic to record the audio for every scene. As a learning tool, I read the chapter on visual rhythm from Bruce Block’s book The Visual Story. As a team, we used Trello to organize our timeline and keep track of our progress, Google Drive to share files, and Celtx to write the script.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

While creating this film, I gained collaboration and teamwork skills that will be helpful to me in any future group project. Considering the size of our group and how many new team members joined us, I had to put even more effort into collaborating and ensuring that everyone felt included. We had many opinionated and creative perspectives that needed to blend to create our final product. I also learned various sound editing and music creation skills that could not only be useful in the film industry but also other projects and assignments.

Reactions to the Final Version

“The music building at the end of the film was very effective in communicating the rising intensity.” – James

“Overall, each of you did a great job contributing something unique to an interesting and well done film.” – James

“All of you did a great job showing your preparation and how much work you put in during pre-production with the evidence in your advanced storyboards.” – Michelle

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

Our final film was simple, as we only included scenes that were necessary to develop the plot. It was also unexpected, as we introduced a new exploration in the sequel to our first film Peanuts, and used an intense final scene to shock the audience. Additionally, our film was emotional and concrete, as we used sensory language through intense music and shots to create suspense.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

During this project, I learned technical skills, like how to record audio with a Zoom audio deck and edit audio recordings in Premiere Pro. I also learned real-world skills, like how to successfully work within a large team and work around creative differences. Through working with my team, I found what kind of workflow, collaboration, and style of organization works best for me, and what kind doesn’t work. I was also exposed to small technical skills in other roles from watching other team members work and witnessed a great deal of leadership and creativity that I can apply in my own life.

Grammar and Spelling

Grammarly, Edublogs Spellcheck

Editor

Merja Haatanen

Visual Story Structure Research

Visual Story Structure Research

Stories“Stories” by Elias Ruiz Monserrat is licensed under

Seven Visual Story Components

CueNotes
 What does it mean to emphasize the longitudinal plane?

How can the setting of a scene create emotion?
Space:
Affinity – Limit space, make ambiguous, eliminate perspective, stage objects parallel to the picture plane, remove relative movement, reduce tonal/color separation, use telephoto lenses, and let objects blur

Contrast – Deep space, make recognizable, emphasize longitudinal plane, stage objects perpendicular to the picture plane, move the camera, take advantage of tonal separation, and use a wide angle lens
 Why does diagonal to horizontal to diagonal build intensity?

How can shapes communicate character development?
Line and Shape:
Affinity – Horizontal or vertical line, straight line

Contrast – Diagonal line, curved line

Controlling line and shape – squint, evaluate the lighting, stage movements carefully, create a linear motif storyboard, evaluate the shapes (actor, scenery, set dressing), control the lighting, and simplify
 Tone:
Affinity – Coincidental

Contrast – Non coincidental

Controlling tone – find the subject, don’t confuse color with tone, and hide or reveal objects
Besides cyan and red, how do other colors on the color palette communicate emotion?Color:
Affinity – Desaturated, cyan

Contrast – Saturated, red

Controlling color – color palette, filters (lens and lighting), time/location, and digital capture photography
How do we control movement in production?

How does continuous movement and separated movement differ in story telling?
Movement:
Affinity – Horizontal movements

Contrast – Diagonal movements

Involves the objects in the frame, communicating and creating feeling with movements
What is the difference between rhythm and movement in relation to film?

How can rhythm be shown with stationary objects?
Rhythm:
Affinity – Slow rhythm and pace

Contrast – Fast rhythm and pace

Controlling rhythm – watch the lines, don’t confuse rhythm with movement, find rhythm in movement, find the rhythm for a scene, and plan the editing
  

Summary

Resources

Session 3 Production Project – Peanut

Session 3 Production Project – Peanut

2008-01-26 (Editing a paper) - 31
“2008-01-26 (Editing a paper) – 31” by Nic’s events is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

SUMMARY

Role

Editor

Intention (SMART Goal)

By January 28th, as part of my film team, I will further explore possibilities in editing by following Vince Opra’s Premiere Pro Tutorial for Beginners 2022 and the Videomaker article When Editing a Horror Movie or Thriller, Timing Is Key and will use edits to create suspense over the first 3 scenes and develop the emotions and personalities of the character throughout the film in our session 3 project.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Michael Kahn

Michael Kahn is primarily known for his editing work on films directed by Steven Spielberg, including Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three Academy Awards for Best Film Editing. On editing, Kahn has expressed the importance of editing based on feeling rather than knowledge and that you can’t find the best cut unless you edit every cut. For other editors, he suggests using the theory of 3’s for reaction shots and walking away from your work to keep a fresh eye on each shot.

Training Source(s)

Premiere Pro Tutorial
  • Importing video/audio/sound effects (1:06)
  • Creating a new sequence (2:23)
    • Standard settings (3:14)
    • Cutting video to input (4:00)
  • Basic tools (5:02)
  • Speed up or slow down clips (6:17)
  • Effects and transitions (7:14)
  • Adding text (9:47)
  • Adding music and sound effects (10:50)
  • Coloring (11:46)
  • Exporting final film (14:58)
  • Use timing and pacing of clips to build suspense and evoke certain emotions
    • A succession of fast-paced, short clips can disorient the audience and create a sense of urgency and panic
    • Extended, uncut clips can build suspense and anticipation
      • An uncomfortably long shot should usually be part of a faster sequence and should end with a big reveal
  • Be aware of the purpose of every detail of every shot
  • Take advantage of what the audience hears (or doesn’t hear)
    • Be intentional with the music, timing crescendos and decrescendos with the film’s subject matter
    • Sound effects should build a rhythmic pace and create unseen tension
    • Don’t follow the usual rules of audio mixing, where dialogue is always prioritized – don’t be afraid to utilize the silence in a shot
  • Ten basic steps to a good scare
    • The protagonist is in an isolated area and their vision is limited (usually a dark shot)
    • The protagonist reveals their anxieties about the current situation, sometimes calling out to express their concern.
    • The antagonist is revealed, unbeknownst to the protagonist.
    • The antagonist is hidden from view again as the protagonist’s anxiety builds and they are unaware of how close the antagonist is.
    • Rise in tension, either by means of a rise in music or a slow move-in by the camera.
    • The scene blocking has the protagonist positioned for surprise.
    • Something happens in the background, like a falling object or a door slammed shut. The protagonist is startled and the audience is briefly scared, but the true scare from the antagonist has not yet been revealed.
    • There is sense of calm from the audience and protagonist because the scare was small and explainable.
    • As the protagonist’s courage starts to build, the pacing of the edit reveals to the audience that there is still an ever-present threat.
    • The big reveal! The antagonist is fully revealed to the protagonist and the audience gets the true scare.

Project Timeline

  1. Brainstorm ideas
  2. Create storyboard
  3. Present storyboard to class
  4. Create slideshow and share with all team members
  5. Write screenplay
  6. Decide on location and character roles
  7. Gather/make props, costumes, equipment
  8. Prepare blocking for each scene
  9. Set up shots
  10. Film all scenes
  11. Put all scenes in a shared Google Drive folder
  12. Decide which scenes to keep, get rid of, or even re-shoot
  13. Label final shots
  14. Record all sounds/dialogue and create music
  15. Put all recordings in shared Google Drive folder
  16. Transfer audio and clips into Premiere Pro
  17. Put clips in order and make all edits
  18. Put audio in and sync up to video
  19. Make all finishing touches
  20. Add evidence to slideshow
  21. Export final film
  22. Present film and slideshow to the class and receive feedback

Proposed Budget

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KxftmASOaxRNFBQVnVkONCHUK4MvZrCK/view

Skills Commentary

The Slideshow

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

When editing with Premiere Pro, I had to problem-solve multiple issues that I naturally encountered while using new software. There were many obstacles, as edits were randomly deleted and it was difficult to share the project with other group members. I also had to apply my creativity while adding visual and auditory tones to the film, as I gave every scene a deep, cloudy blue hue and composed music with crescendos and decrescendos that matched the rhythm of the film.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I edited the film with the visions of my other team members in mind and we constantly collaborated on large and small aspects of the final product. When I was creating the score for the film and choosing the color and intensity of the hue for each scene, I communicated with my team members to evaluate which creative decisions would be the best for our final film.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

During this project, I used Premiere Pro to edit the film, which gave me further creative expression than previous editing software with options for special effects and color editing. I also used GarageBand to compose the music for our film, which allowed me to explore the program extensively and apply my skills as a musician. As a team, we used Trello to organize our timeline and keep track of our progress, Google Drive to share files, and Celtx to write the script.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

Through creating this film, I gained collaboration and teamwork skills that will be helpful to me in any future group project. I also learned various editing skills that could not only be useful in the film industry but also in other projects and assignments. I can apply the skills I learned regarding cutting unnecessary components of any piece of work and keeping things concise, yet interesting and detailed.

Reactions to the Final Version

“The choice to edit along to the crescendos in the music was really effective in building tension.” – Coletrane

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

Our final film was simple, as we only included scenes and shots that were necessary to tell the story. It was also unexpected, as we used a final plot twist to shock the audience and leave them on the edge of their seat. Additionally, our film was emotional and concrete, as we used sensory language through music and dramatic shots to instill fear and suspense into our audience. Overall, we were able to tell a story completely and creatively in a way that resonated with our audience.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

During this project, I learned technical skills, like how to edit using Premiere Pro and build tension with editing. I also had an opportunity to create music that matched my editing and our film’s genre. I learned real-world skills as well, like how to successfully work within a team and overcome obstacles. In working with my team members, I found what kind of workflow and style of collaboration works best for me and what kind doesn’t work. I was also exposed to small technical skills in other roles just from watching other members of my teamwork. All of these skills will be helpful to me in the future, and I will apply them to future projects.

Grammar and Spelling

Edublogs Spell Check, Grammarly

Editor

Windsor

Queer Theory – Film Theory

Queer Theory – Film Theory

Film theories from this article: Research Film Theory

CueNotes
Why is queer theory an important political lens?Allows us to investigate whether works of art reinforce or challenge homophobia
Gives opportunity to expose the truth behind harmful myths/stereotypes
What myths exist that are perpetuated against queer people?The myth that “gay people are sick or evil … and that it is therefore in their ‘nature’ to be
insatiable sexual predators, to molest children,
and to corrupt youths by ‘recruiting’ them to
become homosexual” (Dr. Tyson).
Queer people make up a small portion of the population (despite being nearly 10% of U.S. population)
Those raised by queer people will thus grow up to be queer
What is the larger goal of queer theory?To deconstruct, reveal, and draw attention to works of art where traditional categories of sex and sexual expression breakdown, overlap, or do not properly represent the range of human sexuality.
Questions that queer theorists ask when evaluating works of art: What does this work contribute to our
knowledge of queer, gay, or lesbian experience
and history?
Is this work homophobic? If so, is the homophobia explicit or implicit?
How does a work illustrate the problems or complications in one’s sexual identity?
The Rocky Horror Picture ShowFilm’s lead, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, is openly displayed as a transvestite, allowing the film to represent a “non-normative” category of sexual expression
Lead is also describe as “sweet” transvestite, challenging the myth that queer people are naturally evil
Uses example of a heterosexual couple being attracted to members of the same sex to demonstrate that sexuality exists on a wide spectrum

Summary

In film, queer theory is applied to evaluate how works of art draw attention to and represent sex and sexual expression, especially in relation to the traditional binaries of heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Through this, we can assess how a film contributes to our knowledge of queer history and queer experiences, and how it expresses the notion that sexuality exists on a spectrum.

Sound Design Resource Notes 2

Sound Design Resource Notes 2

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