Blog Post #8

I learned a lot about the process of choosing a lighting style. Before this class, I never thought about cinematography. Never really gave thought to the lighting, framing, composition. I didn't know you could reveal so much with just light. I don't really follow cinematographers. One man said that you have to have the picture in your mind. You have to know how you want to tell the story. One guy said that when he walks into the filming area, he turns on one light, then turns it off. Then he turns on another light, then turns it back off. He maps it out in his head. I think that is something I most definitely need to work on. I think I'll try that when I get ready to do my scene assignment.

Shot by shot analysis of Bound

Movie: Bound

Director: WachowskiBrothers

Director of Photography: Bill Pope

Plot summary: Basically ex con Corky and mobster’s mistress Violet begin an affair. The mistress comes up with a plan to get out of the mob life by taking 2 million dollars from them. Violet and Corky plot to frame Violet’s lover Caesar for the deed so they can make a clean break.

(The scene I’m analyzing is the beginningof their affair. It isn’t very exciting but I like it)

Shot 1: The shotiskind of dark. The movie as a whole uses a lot of shadow but this scene is even darker. The darkness doesn’t exactly swallow Corky up, but it does make her seem small in a way. Which is good because she’s in Violet’s apartment and she’s uneasy because she’s not sure what’s going on. She’s alsoframed tothe right because Violet is to her left. She has that look room.

Shot 2: Violet enters the frame and now we’re in the over the shoulder shot. You have a bit of dept of field going on. She and Corky take up the whole frame for the most part but only Corky is in critical focus. I think the director wants the audience to feel Corky’s emotions. Feel her anxiousness to seewhat is going to happen.

Shot 3: This shot is interesting for numerous reasons. First of all Corky is really underexposed now that the shot is framed for Violet. It’s almost an over the shoulder shot but it’s off to the side almost a medium close-up of them both. There is a soft light on Violet and the camera is tilted up so it’s like Violet is looking down on Corky. It could be a way to let the audien

ce know that

Violet is in control of the situation.

Shot 4: Now we’re back on Corky. This is a standard over the shoulder shot. Corky is no longer underexposed; she has a soft light on her as she talks to Violet. She still isn’t fully lit like Violet.

Shot 5: Back to the shot that could be over the shoulder but could also be a medium close up. It’s kind of likein Grammar of theshot they say you should move over 30 degrees on the 180 degree line for each shot. Anyway we’re back in a shot similar to the one in shot 3. This builds the tension I think. Then you have Violet leaning over to ouch Corky’s tattoo.

Shot 6: This is a really tight shot. This also has a lot of shadow on it. Corky’s arm is softly lit while Violet’s hand is a bit underexposed. It’s a beautiful contrast and I think it adds to the moment. Makes it a bit more sensual. Where the contrast between soft light and dark was at first used to create an uneasy vibe, it is now used to make the seen a bit sexy.

Shot 7: We go into a wider shot of Violet tracing the arm of Corky. The lighting is pretty much the same. The DP is keeping it consistent. Idon’t think they want to jar the audience out of the moment.

Shot 8: Once again they’re staying consistent with the framing and composition as they cut from character to character. It’s almost an over the shoulder shot but it’s off to the side almost a medium close-up of them both. There is a soft light on Violet and the camera is tilted up so it’s like Violet is looking down on Corky.

Shot 9: This shot is just like shot four but I just noticed that unless you strain your eyes, you can’t seen anything behind Corky. That’s how dark the background is. The director and DP don’t want the audience to see anything but Corky and Violet.

Shot 10: There is soft light on both women this time. The camera is angled down on Corky but not at the height of Violet. Even though the woman has stood, she just goes out of frame, the camera didn’t move with her. It stayed in the exact same spot. Since the camera does not immediately follow Violet, the audience is left to wonder what exactly the woman is about to do. Kind of builds anticipation.

Shot 11: We’re now at a medium shot. Violet’s head is still out of frame. There is a lot more light all of a sudden. Violet moving kind of breaks the spell by standing up and moving. It’s a small break from the intensity and it’s also the point where Corky is no longer as uneasy, which could be why the light is balanced a bit more. The shadows aren’t as pronounced right now.

Shot 12: As Amy Winehouse would say, now we’re back to black. Shadows have returned. Corky is once again underexposed while a soft light is put on Violet in this over the shoulder shot.

Shot 13: They play with light a lot apparently. The light is soft and sexy but this is only the 2^nd or 3^rd time the light is almost a fluorescent color. It’s usually like a bronze red, almost like a small fire is going in the background. A glow if you will. The light on Corky in this shot is the type of light that would come through a window in the middle of the day.

No grand gestures necessary

Today I was in the Ferg filling out some paperwork when a guy asked me is I was a TCF student. I looked up at him and politely said yes and he says, "You're Tiffany right? I think you know my father. He showed me some of your work and I really liked it."

Now I've done about 10 projects before and I immediately knew what work he was talking about. He was talking about the digital story I made in your class over the summer. My first instinct was to be embarrassed. The story was very personal and I feel weird when someone tells me they've seen it. Then I was flattered that he went out of his way to compliment me and introduce himself.

So what's my point? This is why I want to edit. Simple words like, "I enjoyed your work". It's nice to hear, I don't need Oscars, awards, A's, etc. Someone enjoyed something I did and they took the time out to tell me. I've been smiling ever since. :-)

Lessons Learned

I didn’t realize telling a story using only visuals was so hard. I’ve always been okay with editing but this time I had a hard time because I had to rely solely on the footage I shot. I’m so used to using sound, pacing, and other things to help get my point across. One of my main problems is/was and probably always will be is my lack of planning. I didn’t think my project all the way through so when we were finished, I didn’t have what I needed to tell a story. If I would have planned, maybe I would have thought to add simple things like books, a teacher, and other things I could have shot to get my point across more.

I think I learned what planning can help you do. I was really impressed with how people approached their project especially the ones who did their project on a person. It look like they really spent time on it during pre production instead of all their energy in post (like moi).

Portrait of a Place

Options

I never really thought about how important the decision of what type of camera you use is. I've always just used the camera given to me and made it work. Knowing what I know now, each camera is a bit different. I think you should judge what type of camera you use on what exactly you plan to film and where/when you plan to film it. I want to shoot outside but I've always had trouble with overexposure and since I only have the camera for so long, I want to use a camera I am comfortable with. I'm choosing the SonyHDV. Even though both cameras have irises that I can adjust, I like having the option of two ND filters instead of one. They've helped me a lot in the past especially when it comes to filming smack dab in the middle of the day. Also, the last few times I've shot something for class, I used the Sony HDV. I'm not entirely comfortable with using just SD cards, but the few times I have used it, the footage was transferred to my harddrive really easily. Plus I think there is only one computer in the lab that takes HD tapes and I don't want to risk that. (I'm not even sure if the Sony HDV does need a HD tape deck). I think they're both really cool cameras plus for some reason, I can't handle a JVC. I always feel uneasy handling it so that is another reason I am using the SonyHDV.

Hopefully my project turns out well.

Whatever I wanna do...

I'm not really sure what I wanna do. I'm about to graduate and I have no plans whatsoever. It's a bit scary honestly. My family wants me to make a lot of money. Money--that's what its all about to some of them. That's not what I'm here for. A job is something you do for money. I don't want that for the rest of my match. I see people who work everyday at a job they hate just to pay the bills. I respect them for doing what they need to for money but going to college is supposed to prevent that and I want to make the most of it. So what do I wanna do? Hell if I know. I do know that whatever I end up doing, I want to be the best at it which is why I'm taking your class. You and Dwight said that in order to get a job I need to be able to understand and be capable of being a apart of all aspects of filmmaking. I love telling stories and making people laugh...entertaining my friends. I want to be able to transfer that into doing it visually. I want to be the best visual storyteller I can be.