Last 5 films I've seen

Hangover *****
21 Blackjack ****
Run Lola Run ***
Hidden **
The Ricardi Experience (0) (please don't waste your time!)

Summer Work for IB Film

During the summer, I will watch "The Exorcist" and "Psycho", due to the fact that I will need to analyze these two movies for my independent research. Besides these two, I'll probably be watching short movies to help me for my final movie and watch a certain genre to become more aware of the techniques used.
Then, I'll choose my role in the film, which will probably be scriptwriter, editor or director, based on my preferences at that time. After this, I'll choose who will be in my group.

Independent Research

My documentary will be the study about the effect of sounds and/or music (the soundtrack) in horror films. It will reveal how this can imply different meanings, set the mood and control the viewers’ feelings throughout a film, making the director have complete control over the emotional resonance felt in the audience. The case studies which will help me to analyze and support my theory will be “The Exorcist” (1973) and “Psycho” (1960), both of which are widely recognized as classic horror films and contain powerful and shocking sounds and music.

Interview with Daniel Batimos

Favorite movie?
The Matrix

Favorite Director?
Quentin Tarantino

Favorite Actor?
Ricardo Darin

English or Spanish?
Spanish

Favorite genre?
Suspense

Film you cried in?
Zatura

Film you left in the middle of it?
Up

Recent films?
El Secreto de tus Ojos
Terminator 4

Film Genre: Action

Action movies are a film genre wherein the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero. While action has long been an element of films, the "Action film" as a genre of its own began to develop in the 1970s. The genre is closely linked with the thriller and adventure film genres. While action films have traditionally been a reliable source of revenue for movie studios, relatively few action films garner critical praise. While action films have traditionally been aimed at male audiences, from the early teens to the mid-30s, many action filmmakers from the 1990s and 2000s added female heroines in response to the times, glorifying the strong female archetype.

These movies have tremendous impact, continuous high energy, lots of physical stunts and activity, possibly extended chase scenes, races, rescues, battles, martial arts, mountains and mountaineering, destructive disasters (floods, explosions, natural disasters, fires, etc.), fights, escapes, non-stop motion, spectacular rhythm and pacing, and adventurous heroes - all designed for pure audience escapism with the action sequences at the core of the film.
They almost always have a resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, life-threatening circumstances, or an evil villain, and/or trapped or chasing each other in various modes of transportation (bus, auto, ship, train, plane, horseback, on foot, etc.), with victory or resolution attained by the end after strenuous physical feats and violence (fist fights, gunplay). Action films have traditionally been aimed at male audiences, ages 13 to the mid-30s in both American and world-wide markets.

During the 1920s and 1930s, action-based films were often "swashbuckling" adventure films in which Douglas Fairbanks or Errol Flynn wielded swords in period pieces. The long-running success of the James Bond series of spy films in the 1960s and 1970s helped to popularize the modern day action film. The early Bond films were characterized by quick cutting, car chases, fist fights and ever more elaborate action sequences. The series also established the concept of the resourceful hero, who is able to dispatch the villains with a ready one-liner. Early American action films usually focused on maverick police officers, as in Bullitt (1968), The French Connection (1971) and Dirty Harry (1971). These were among the earliest films to present a car chase as an action set-piece. However, the action film did not become a dominant form in Hollywood until the 1980s, when it was popularized by actors such as Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson. The 1988 film Die Hard was particularly influential on the development of the genre in the following decade.

Notable action film directors from the 1960s and 1970s include Sam Peckinpah, whose 1969 Western The Wild Bunch was controversial for its bloody violence and nihilist tone. Some of the influential and popular directors from the 1980s to 2000s include James Cameron (the first two Terminator films, Aliens, True Lies); John Woo (Hong Kong action films such as Hard Boiled and US-made English-language films such as Hard Target); Ridley Scott (Black Hawk Down); The Wachowski Brothers (the sci-fi The Matrix trilogy) and Michael Bay (Bad Boys 2).

I will use ¨The World Is Not Enough¨ as my movie to analyze; my case study. It was first published in 1999, and it’s the nineteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Michael Apted and revolves around the assassination of Sir Robert King by Renard, and Bond's subsequent assignment to protect King's daughter, Elektra, who had previously been held captive by Renard. During his assignment, Bond unravels a scheme to increase petroleum prices by triggering a nuclear meltdown in the waters of Istanbul. Despite the film's mixed critical reception, it earned over $361 million worldwide. This movie uses the spy genre as it’s usually focused more on the exploits of a super-intelligent man, rather than a super-strong man. The spies are usually one-step ahead of the villains, but always find their way into danger. They usually also find their way into the arms of a willing woman.

First short-film

Synopsis:

Begins in an office, bankers working. Jason is the boss, a strict one. He revises everyone’s work done at the end of the day. He finds that Tommy hasn’t done anything, so he starts to discuss with him. In the end, mocking him, he fires him. Tommy goes to a bar, starts drinking, and in the next scene he goes back to his flat (poor area) and tells his wife that he has been fired, and the wife starts crying, while showing Tommy that there has been a card sent to them saying that they owe money or their house will be mortgaged. They fight between them because the wife knows that they will not be able to pay; Tommy says it will all work; wife says: no, it’ll never work. Never. The wife leaves the flat. Tommy does his tie, in front of the mirror. Grabs the gun. Leaves.

Script:
Int: bank. Day.
Bankers working
Jason:
All righty, I want each of you to give me your work right now. Specially you, Tommy, you looser.
Tommy:
Yes sir. No worries.

Clock ticking. Jason revising what everyone has done. Reaches Tommy…

Jason:
You’re pathetic, man. (Spits on Tommys work). You can’t do this little task? Then no more working for you, pumpkin.
Tommy:
But boss, please. I really need this…
Jason: (interrupting)
Come on, get you’re stuff and get out. Shouting: Look at this looser leaving; everyone say bye, bye to him!

Int: Bar. Dark lighting.
Tommy sitting at a bar, waiting for his drink.
Tommy walking to his house
Int: Tommy’s house. Poor building and environment.
Tommy:
Hi honey…
Wife:
DID YOU SEE THIS?!? (Showing him a card from the government). We need to pay a fortune just to keep our flat!
Tommy:
Honey, I need to te…
Wife: (interrupting)
It’s too much money! We won’t live!
Tommy:
I said shut up and listen to me!!! I’ve been fired…OK?
Wife: (crying)
Jesus Tom…
Tommy:
Don’t worry, babe. I’ll make it w…
Wife: (interrupting)
No Tommy, no. It’ll never work. Never.

Wife leaves the flat. Making a loud noise while leaving.
Tommy goes to his bedroom, looks at himself in the mirror, slaps his face.

Tommy:
It’s the only way…

Light disappears (dissolves). Reappears again (as if it was the next day) and there is Tommy doing his tie up in the bathroom. He grabs the gun and leaves.


CHARACTER: Jason Delgado, Banker
PROP: black tie
LINE OF DIALOGUE: It’ll never work

CAST
Jason Delgado: Lucas Ricardi
Tommy: Max Cooper
Wife: Giuliana Bruni


CAMERA SHOT LIST

Location SCENE FRAMING SHOTS Cam/Light Action. dialogue
Bank 1 Establishing shot Day people work
Bank 1 Long shot/Jason Track shot Day Jason talks
Bank 1 Close up/Tommy High angle Day Tommy talks
Bank 1 Close up/ clock E/L Day clock ticking
Bank 1 M/S Jason Track shot Day Jason talks
Bank 1 S-R-S Eye level Day Jason-Tommy
Bank 1 Track shot M/A Day Tommy leaves
Bar 2 side of shot M/A Low Tommy drinks
House 3 wide shot Day Car engine
Room 4 pan shot M/A Low Tommy enters
Room 4 S-R-S M/A Low Tom-Wife-Tom
Room 4 Med-shot Track shot Low Wife leaves
Room 4 Close Up Eye Level Low “…only way”
Room 5 Black - Dark -
Room 6 O/S Eye level Low does the tie
Room 6 POV Track shot Low grabs gun, leaves.

First Documentary

Argentine Farm: A short documentary based on the life of argentine farm workers.

Cinematographer

A movie photographer, especially one who is in charge of shooting a movie. The title is generally equivalent to director of photography (DP or DoP), used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The cinematographer typically selects the film stock, lens, filters, etc., to realize the scene in accordance with the intentions of the director. Relations between the cinematographer and director vary; in some instances the director will allow the cinematographer complete independence; in others, the director allows little to none, even going so far as to specify aperture and shutter angle.

Six Point Plan

Topic: A Day In The Life Of A Farm Worker
1) We have chosen this topic due to the fact that we are interested in it, we have clear access towards it, and it is a social issue.
2) We will meet the target audience by making them think about these people which live far away from town, every day live it the same way and don’t have access to many things, such as education. We will do this by shocking images, interviews and interesting editing.
3) The equipment we will use is: handy cam, windows movie maker (from laptop), and a microphone.
4) Primary sources: farm workers (Javier, Guillermo, Cecilia, Mara, Ruben, Olga)
Secondary sources: citizens
5) Max: Filming, Editing, Producing
Matías: Filming, Editing, Producing
Francisco: Filming, Editing, Producing
6) The documentary we will use for guidance will be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfQEC029caw, which shows the audience the illiteracy of young children.

Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dogs has often been seen as a prominent film in terms of on-screen violence, and was the 1992 debut film of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. This film was produced in the United States, and it was completed with a US$1.2 million as a budget. It portrays what happens before and after a botched jewel heist, but not the heist itself; this occurs because he wanted the movie to be about something that is not seen and that he wanted it to "play with a real-time clock as opposed to a movie clock ticking". It incorporates many themes and aesthetics that have become Tarantino's hallmarks: violent crime, pop culture references, memorable dialogue, profuse profanity, and a nonlinear storyline. The film has become a classic of independent film and a cult hit. It was named "Greatest Independent Film of all Time" by Empire. Reservoir Dogs was generally well received and the cast was praised by many critics.

In this five minute scene we can see a group of men dressed in suit, talking about unimportant issues, such as the song ‘Like a Virgin’. It is practically always the same, as it gives the audience a short and confusing introduction, showing the main characters interacting with each other.

To begin with, we can see very few camera distances, angles and movements. First of all, the distance maintains always the same, with a steady medium close up, varying only once as it becomes a mid shot due to the fact that one of the characters stands up. The angle of the scene is medium angle all the time, because it shows the characters from an eye-level shot; it shows subjects as we would expect to see them in real life, and is considered a fairly neutral shot. Only in one stage of the scene there is a low angle shot which lasts for a very short time, and it focuses the leader of the group. This is made this way so the viewers can understand or maybe perceive that the role of that character is probably one of the most important ones. Finally, it is clear that the camera is being held by a tripod, as it pans around the table (where the men are talking) very steadily, keeping the angle and distance constant. After a while, it stops turning around and keeps completely still, filming only the characters which are speaking at that time.

The editing isn’t really used; it is pretty slow-pasted throughout it (taking into account that it is an action movie). The amount of times that there is a cut during the five minutes of it isn’t that high considering the genre; just 36 times. The scene is composed by a camera being constantly rotated through the table with the sitting men, and near the end it reaches a certain point in which there is constant shot reverse shot, focusing the characters which speak. The style of editing is of continuity, which is good as it helps the audience to keep focused on the subject or issue, not at all distracting.

In this scene, the sound used is mostly diegetic, generally referring to the narrative elements of a film (such as spoken dialogue, other sounds, action) that appear in, are shown, or naturally originate within the content of the film frame. The opposite is non-diegetic elements; such as sounds (e.g., background music, the musical score, a voice-over, or other sounds). This example is only used at the beginning, with the voice-over of a character while the credits are being shown. As I’ve just said, the diegetic sound is mainly always used due to the fact that the characters are speaking to each other continuously through the scene; it is a spoken dialogue between them. This use of dialogue chosen by Tarantino is interesting because there is no way the audience can fully understand what the actors are talking about due to the fact that it doesn’t follow a sequence or a certain structure. We can see this when the movie begins with someone talking about the song ‘Just Like A Virgin’, and there is no previous act that helps the viewer comprehend why this is being said.

Finally, the mise-en-scène of the scene is set in a coffee shop, with many posters hanging from the walls, a fan going round (doing the same movement as the camera), a lot of costumers in the store, a slightly bright lighting and a few windows. All main characters are visible and obvious because they are all wearing a suit (except two which then will be the ones who don’t participate in the crime scene), but even so they are all sitting in the same table. It’s lengthy and uninterrupted sequences shot in real-time are often cited as examples of mise-en-scène.

In conclusion, this scene is very easy and useful to analyze due to the fact that it doesn’t have many complex cinematographic examples. It is slow pasted, which helps to analyze it, and its meaning must be one of the hardest things to evaluate because of its non-linear structure that Tarantino gave to it.

German Expressionism

"Expressionism" is a theory of theatric direction in which subjective feeling, rather than objective observation, is represented symbolically in form (shape, colour, contrast) and subject matter. Expressionism is a symbolic representation of the director's state of mind, rather than of events, places, or things. In Germany, it developed into an anguished style which tended to explore the darker sides of the psyche.

German expressionist films were prevalent in the 1920’s. These films were united by highly stylized visuals, strange asymmetrical camera angles, atmospheric lighting, non diegetic sounds and harsh contrasts between dark and light. Shadows and silhouettes were an important feature of expressionism, to the extent that they were actually painted on to the sets in some movies.

Many directors were able to use these techniques in their own style, creating tension, fear, excitement and intense feelings in the audience throughout the movie or specific scenes.

Its purpose was to deepen the audience’s interaction with the film, combining technology and imaginative filming techniques in order to intensify the illusion of reality. The Expressionists supplanted reality with myth and fantasy in order to liberate visual perception from the other senses.

The Expressionists practically reinvented the look of film with innovative and unusual editing rhythms (it was very hard to follow the plot due to this fact), respectively distorted sets, exaggerated gestures, weird or different camera angles and the famous “camera unchained” (a new technique that allowed the camera to move within the scene, vastly increasing the accessibility of the character’s subjective point of view). The Expressionists developed new habits of seeing, new ways to interpret the way people relate to social living and self-identification.

The themes of Expressionism were integrated into later films of the 1920s and 1930s, resulting in an artistic control over the placement of scenery, light (it was mainly dark during the whole film), and shadow to enhance the mood of a film. Two genres that were especially influenced by Expressionism were the horror film and film noir.

Amongst the best remembered are films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Robert Weiner, 1920), Nosferatu (F.W. Murnau, 1922), Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927) and Sunrise (F.W. Murnau, 1927).

In conclusion, no other film genre of the 1920's was as innovative and influential as German Expressionism. It opened the world's eyes to the possibilities of filmmaking, and where an audience could be taken. It was very much a product of its time, and so flourished and declined in that 10 year period of social and economic change. But its influence lives on in terms of production aesthetics and audience-driven production decisions. Simply put, modern films would not be the same if it was not for the ground breaking achievement of German Expressionist cinema.