Friday, October 16, 2020

Short Film vs. Feature Length Film

  

             The short and the feature film are similar in many ways. They have the same mis en scene. The short and feature film have the same post apocalyptic theme and use dark lighting and dull colors. Theres also that same eerie feeling displayed in the both. The suspense is there and builds in the movie like it does in the short. This is done with the use of the monster in the beginning of the short and the film. The character makeup of the monster in both films is similar. The sharp teeth and big figure, and use of a certain sound when the monster is approaching further adds to the similar suspense/eerie feel. The film and the short also both have the same plot. While the short is a compressed version of the films plot, they have a similar conflict. 

          The short and the film are also very different. While the feature film has dialogue, the short does not. There was no need for dialogue in the short, because it didn’t need it. The short was able to communicate the plot without dialogue. However, in the film, dialogue was used to make the film more intriguing and get across more information. The films also had more characters than the short. This use of more characters is a result of the stretching plot and now availability to provide background information to the audience. The plot is also longer. Theres more conflicts and plot changes in the film than the short. And while the film and short were different, both had the same director style.







Thursday, October 15, 2020

Research 9, The Feature Film

 

         After watching the whole film, I can say that I enjoyed it and thought that it was well done.  The full film had more background information and had a much bigger plot. The ideas were similar, but expanded. I noticed that there was talking in the full film, while in the short there was none. I suspected this would be the case. So having the dialogue added to the films overall plot and made it more intriguing. The mis en scene of the movie was also very well thought out. The whole movie had a very eery and dark feeling to it. The use of dark lighting and dull colors, made this post apocalyptic theme more apparent. The character development also added to the film. 

       The main character acted the same as he did in the short, but now audiences were able to explore his past and connect more with him. He starts off shy and not knowing much and blossoms into a braver person. The same is done again with the villain. The movie unfolds why this character is there and terrorizing them. The way this was done makes the film ten times better and more complex. I also like the extended plot. Even though the conflict presented in the short remained in the feature film, there was more. The characters were battling an overall conflict with the monsters but also trying to decode their existence. The use of more than one problem makes an audience more involved. This also gives a more satisfying ending. 





Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Research 9, The Short

 

               After watching 9 the short film, I had many thoughts. I thought that the short film was really good. I can also understand why it got picked up as a full movie. One reason why I think this is the way the short was directed. The creatures did not speak but only used hand gestures and facial expressions. I thought that this deepened the film and allowed viewers to read into the plot and pay ore attention to the characters and their mannerisms. The short also built a strong connection between the viewer and the characters. Even though it was a short film i still found myself getting emotional with the plot. This was genius on the directors part because it took the viewer through a whole story with plot twists etc. This is important in a short because they all need to have structure, while making sense.

      I also noticed the difference in the makeup of the characters. The main character and his friends were small and had big doe eyes. They were friendly to each other and were caring. On the other hand, the evil character was big and mean. They gave this creature sharp pointy teeth and long claws. A friend of the main characters was killed off in the beginning by the villain. This characterization builds the connection between the viewer and the main character, while building the fear with the villain. This again allows the audience to see the full plot of the short almost like its a full 2 hour film. It also makes the plot more tense and interesting. I enjoyed this short and think that it will offer me guidance with my short. 


Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Genre Choice For Film

    


          After researching three genres my group and I came to a decision. We chose the genre drama. We chose this because it relates the most to our film. The storyline of our short film is similar to other films in the genre drama, so we saw it fit. We were inspired to choose drama out of the other researched genres because of its accuracy. Comedy, doesn’t  apply at all to our film. Our film doesn’t use comedy in any dialogue and doesn’t use anything for a purpose of laughter. With thriller, while some aspects of our film are surprising, it isn’t a nail bitter. Nothing about our film will keep an audience at the edge of their seats, like thriller films do. And even though we do have an unexpected plot twist, it’s not enough to call this film a thriller. Our pitch doesn’t need to be tweaked. After the research, my group and I still stuck with our original plot and ideas. It was however very interesting to learn about the other genres and their common tactics.We still always felt compelled to the drama genre and knew that that would be our end result. Another reason why we picked drama is because of the similar CLAMPS. Drama tends to use dull lighting and the sounds tend to play cake the scenes. This is similar to what my group and I want to do for our film. We have many ideas on using sound to our advantage by adding intense music and sound affects. Since this is similar to what drama films do, we again found it fit to call our film a drama film. Overall, my group and I are ecstatic to start planning and filming our drama film.




Genre Research

  

           When it come to the Thriller Genre, the common camera movements are, Low angles which are used to display power in a character, high angles are used to show vulnerability, and eye level is used to show tension between two characters. The movements traditionally consist of, panning and zooming because this generates tension during the film. In thrillers close-up shots are mostly used to create more tension, while wide and long shots are avoided because it takes away from the tension of the movie. The common costumes in thriller films are extremely diverse, but many films choose to use deep, dark colors so it can set more of a mood. The lighting is usually darker in thriller films, so low-key lighting is used throughout. The audience for thriller films are usually 18+ because there is violence, blood, mental illnesses, etc. Makeup is usually a minimum but on certain characters like monsters or nuns etc. use a lot of make-up. Props are a big part in thrillers because they can help create more of an eerie mood. In thrillers settings remain the biggest part because, they help create the tension because they use places like forests, old houses, and very dark areas. The editing process in thrillers typically consists of these major edits; jump cuts, elliptical editing, graphic matches, and fast/slow paced editing. Using sound in thriller films help create and set the mood for the audience. sound really does change the way a film is perceived. For example, in a quiet place, the director decided to choose sounds that are mostly diegetic sounds for the purpose of making the film more thrilling.  The elements of thrillers that I like are, the feeling of uncertainty, suspense, and how it makes you always think what's going to happen next. The elements of thrillers that I do not like are the terror scenes, I usually do not like "pop-up scenes" which are parts of a film where an object goes into the frame very fast.

     

  

                   For the Comedy Genre, the common camera movements are push/in out clips, perspective shots, for camera movements, most are just the most basic ones. The main movements that are being used are zooms, tracking shots and tilts. Zooms help show emotion in actors faces, tracking shots (in comedies) are usually running or car scenes and tilts can sometimes show costumes/makeup. The most common costumes in comedies consist of bright, bold colors. For example, in the movie Zoolander, extremely bright and excessively bold colors are used to produce an emotion about the characters. Lighting in comedies helps move the plot along, so using high key lighting is the best option. The audience for comedies is very diverse; some comedies are meant for families, but most comedies are also 18+ due to language, substances and many more. Props are used in many comedies because a lot of directors will use a prob as something that helps move the storyline along. Editing comedies is tricky because you do not want to leave any humor out, multicam editing helps ensure that they get each scene correct. Sounds in comedies are usually non-diegetic sounds, or sounds added into the film so that the audience can thoroughly understand what’s going on. The elements of comedies that I enjoy are, how it makes me happy and the laughter that comes from watching them. The elements I do not enjoy in comedies are that sometimes the storyline is often slow, and most comedies are very similar, just with different actors.


           

     The drama genre often focuses on real-life events. Drama film is a genre that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters. Common camera angles, movements, and shots found in a drama include close-ups,  long shots, over the shoulder, medium shots, extreme close-ups, bird's eye, point of view, pan, tracking shot, and wide shots. Close- ups are used to emphasize the expression on the face of an actor. Long shots and wide shots can be used to show the character and their surroundings. Usually the actor or object focused on will be in the center while anything else is in the background. Over the shoulder shots can be used for dialogue or to see the emotions of a character as they Arte told something by someone else. Medium shots show the characters facial expressions as well last body language. Extreme close-ups can add a sense of intensity or focus to a scene. Bird's eye can be used to gain perspective and show that one is of lesser meaning than another. Point of view can be used to let the audience experience how the character feels as they do something. Pan shots are commonly used for transition or to show off a setting in drama films. Tracking shots are used to follow the actor as they go through something (whether it's an activity or just walking). Common sound in drama films include, diegetic sound, dialogue, and voiceovers. Diegetic sound is used to keep the film as real as possible. Dialogues between characters are common whether they are positive or negative (they can allow ones feelings to be presented). Voiceovers are common when there is a narrator telling the story. There is a wide range of types of dramatic movies which allows them to differ greatly when it comes to mis-en-scene. When it comes to costumes, characters are usually dressed in normal clothing whether it's streetwear, business attire, etc. In some cases, the drama could be a period piece or happen in a made up world. In this case, the costumes would be created based upon that (capes, ballgowns, etc.). The same idea goes for makeup (can be normal but if it's a drama about drag queens, the makeup will be extravagant), setting (can take place in modern day New York or medieval France) and for props (could be something as simple as a pen or as fun a a wand). The lighting can differ based upon the mood but usually makes the movie even more dramatic. The actors have to be able to have a range of emotion, not just be funny or energetic. Drama films can vary which also can lead to variations of editing. However, drama films use a lot of cutaways, jump cuts, shot reverse shots, and eye line matches. The cutaways and the jump cuts are often used to show that time has passed. The shot reverse shot and eye line matches are often used when the character visits a new place or meets someone new. When it comes to drama films, I love that there are so many different types and that you never know what twists and turns it will have. I dislike when the movies are bad but not not intended to be (sometimes it's too cheesy). Some drama films include Titanic, A Star is Born, Harriet, All the Bright Place and Juno. More example are included in the picture below.     



Monday, October 5, 2020

Genres I Would Like to Research

      
         The next step in this project is to research genres and find out which one our short film belongs under. My group and I have decided to research the genres thriller, comedy, and drama. We have decided to research the thriller genre because our short film is about the harsh obstacles three teenagers deal with in their personal lives. A thriller contains a lot of suspense throughout the film. Suspense could be useful in our film to show just how rocky their at home lives are. Comedy is the next genre we are looking into. Comedies are often more light-hearted and could help steer our movie in a more positive direction. A funny movie may also emphasize the innocence of the characters in the story since they are teenagers. There are also different types of comedy. There is dark humor, dry humor, comedy through action, romantic comedies, and so much more. A genre that has this much range is beneficial for a film in general. 
    Drama is the final genre we will be researching. Films that have teenagers as the main characters are often dramas. Dramas are often more realistic and take a dive into the emotions and events of the characters and their lives. Dramas contain themes that relate to real life problems. This is a good thing because it introduces a connection to form between the audience and the film. There are also different types of dramas. For example, a melodrama has many exciting events intended to bring our certain emotions. This could be really beneficial for our film because it deals with such a relatable topic that many people could have emotions about. Overall, researching different genres is very important when deciding which one your film belongs under.