Please continue working on your documentary projects during 1st period. Review and understand the various film jobs from our last post. Use this list to label and decide who will be given credit for various jobs as you create your documentary. It is a good idea to keep a hand written list so no one gets left out of the credits. Feel free to begin working on your credits in addition to any editing you are doing.
During 2nd period, please stop your work and attend to the screening of the Maltese Falcon.
As you watch the film, look for these common Film Noir elements. Record what you find in your notebook:
1. A protagonist who is cynical or detached
2. A femme fatale who leads the protagonist astray
3. A mystery, crime, or use of suspense
4. A naive scapegoat to take the rap of some "crime"
5. Goons (hired criminals who give the protagonist a hard time)
6. Razor sharp dialogue
7. Shadows and the use of low key lighting
You will be writing a review paper analyzing The Maltese Falcon. Please pay attention and take notes.
Cast information is here.
Script can be found in the workshop folder. And its website to get yourself a copy of the PDF is here.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Film Jobs - A Useful List - Part I
Producer: The producer initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring and arranging distributors. The producer is normally involved throughout all phases of the film making process from development to completion of a project. An investor in the project is called an executive producer.
Production Manager: The production manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling.
Production Coordinator: The information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The PC is an integral part of film production.
Director: The director oversees the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack. Though the director wields a great deal of power, he/she is ultimately subordinate to the film's producer or producers.
Assistant Director: Assists the director.
Script Supervisor: The person who keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process.
Stunt Coordinator: When a film requires stunts, the stunt coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt.
Production Designer: A production designer is responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film - settings, costumes, properties, character makeup, all taken as a unit.
Art Director: The art director reports to the production designer, and more directly oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the set designers, graphic artists, and illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops.
Assistant art director: The person who helps out the instructions of the art director.
Set Designer: The set designer is the draftsman, often an architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the production designer.
Set Decorator: The set decorator is in charge of the decorating of a film set, which includes the furnishings and all the other objects that will be seen in the film.
Set Dresser: The set dressers apply and remove the "dressing", i.e., furniture, drapery, carpets—everything one would find in a location, even doorknobs and wall sockets.
Props Master: The property master, or props master, is in charge of finding and managing all the props that appear in the film. The propsmaster usually has several assistants, including: props builders, weapons masters, etc.
Key Scenic: The person responsible for the surface treatments of the sets. This includes special paint treatments such as aging and gilding, simulating the appearance of wood, stone, brick, metal, stained glass--anything called for by the production designer. The key scenic artist supervises the crew of painters, and is often a master craftsperson.
Greensman: The greensman is a specialised set dresser dealing with the artistic arrangement or landscape design of plant material, sometimes real and sometimes artificial, and usually a combination of both.
Make-up Artist: Make-up artists work with makeup, hair and special effects to create the characters look for anyone appearing on screen. Their role is to manipulate an actor's on-screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. There are also body makeup artists who concentrate their abilities on the body rather than the head.
Costume designer: The costume designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors that appear on screen. They are also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes. They are assisted by the costume supervisor and costume crews.
Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DP): The chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. The DP makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the director tells the DP how they want a shot to look, and the DP chooses the correct aperture, filter, and lighting to achieve the desired effect.
Camera Operator: The camera operator uses the camera at the direction of the cinematographer, director of photography, or the film director to capture the scenes on film. Generally, a cinematographer or director of photography does not operate the camera, but sometimes these jobs may be combined. Various assistants are also named.
Production Sound Mixer: The head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming.
Boom Operator: The boom operator is an assistant to the production sound mixer, responsible for microphone placement and movement during filming.
Grip: Grips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. Their main responsibility is to work closely with the electrical department to put in lighting set-ups required for a shot. On the sound stage, they move and adjust major set pieces when something needs to be moved to get a camera into position. They are divided further into Key Grip, Best Boy (assistant to the key grip), dolly grips.
Gaffer: The gaffer is the head of the electrical department, responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan for a production. Sometimes the gaffer is credited as "Chief Lighting Technician". His/her assistant is referred to as the Best Boy.
Location Manager: Oversees the Locations Department and its staff, typically reporting directly to the Production Manager and/or Assistant Director (or even Director and/or Executive Producer). Location Manager is responsible for final clearing (or guaranteeing permission to use) a location for filming. Usually he/she has several assistants.
Location Scout: Does much of the actual research, footwork and photography to document location possibilities.
Transportation: Transports cast, crew and equipment back and forth between locations. These people are divided into: transportation coordinator, transportation captain, drivers, assistants, etc.
Film Editor: The film editor is the person who assembles the various shots into a coherent film, with the help of the director. There are usually several assistant editors. Various technical responsibilities are referred to as editors such as dialogue editors (who work with dialogue), Sound editing, etc.
Visual Effects Supervisor: The visual effects supervisor is in charge of the visual effects department.
Compositor: A compositor is a visual effects artist responsible for compositing images from different sources such as video, film, computer generated 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, matte paintings, photographs, and text.
Music Supervisor or Music Director: The person who works with the composer (people who write the music), mixers and editors to create and integrate the film's music.
Foley Artist: The foley artist is the person who creates many of the sound effects for a film.
ADR Editor: Edits the rerecorded dialogue.
Production Manager: The production manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling.
Production Coordinator: The information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The PC is an integral part of film production.
Director: The director oversees the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack. Though the director wields a great deal of power, he/she is ultimately subordinate to the film's producer or producers.
Assistant Director: Assists the director.
Script Supervisor: The person who keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process.
Stunt Coordinator: When a film requires stunts, the stunt coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt.
Production Designer: A production designer is responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film - settings, costumes, properties, character makeup, all taken as a unit.
Art Director: The art director reports to the production designer, and more directly oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the set designers, graphic artists, and illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops.
Assistant art director: The person who helps out the instructions of the art director.
Set Designer: The set designer is the draftsman, often an architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the production designer.
Set Decorator: The set decorator is in charge of the decorating of a film set, which includes the furnishings and all the other objects that will be seen in the film.
Set Dresser: The set dressers apply and remove the "dressing", i.e., furniture, drapery, carpets—everything one would find in a location, even doorknobs and wall sockets.
Props Master: The property master, or props master, is in charge of finding and managing all the props that appear in the film. The propsmaster usually has several assistants, including: props builders, weapons masters, etc.
Key Scenic: The person responsible for the surface treatments of the sets. This includes special paint treatments such as aging and gilding, simulating the appearance of wood, stone, brick, metal, stained glass--anything called for by the production designer. The key scenic artist supervises the crew of painters, and is often a master craftsperson.
Greensman: The greensman is a specialised set dresser dealing with the artistic arrangement or landscape design of plant material, sometimes real and sometimes artificial, and usually a combination of both.
Make-up Artist: Make-up artists work with makeup, hair and special effects to create the characters look for anyone appearing on screen. Their role is to manipulate an actor's on-screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. There are also body makeup artists who concentrate their abilities on the body rather than the head.
Costume designer: The costume designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors that appear on screen. They are also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes. They are assisted by the costume supervisor and costume crews.
Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DP): The chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. The DP makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the director tells the DP how they want a shot to look, and the DP chooses the correct aperture, filter, and lighting to achieve the desired effect.
Camera Operator: The camera operator uses the camera at the direction of the cinematographer, director of photography, or the film director to capture the scenes on film. Generally, a cinematographer or director of photography does not operate the camera, but sometimes these jobs may be combined. Various assistants are also named.
Production Sound Mixer: The head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming.
Boom Operator: The boom operator is an assistant to the production sound mixer, responsible for microphone placement and movement during filming.
Grip: Grips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. Their main responsibility is to work closely with the electrical department to put in lighting set-ups required for a shot. On the sound stage, they move and adjust major set pieces when something needs to be moved to get a camera into position. They are divided further into Key Grip, Best Boy (assistant to the key grip), dolly grips.
Gaffer: The gaffer is the head of the electrical department, responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan for a production. Sometimes the gaffer is credited as "Chief Lighting Technician". His/her assistant is referred to as the Best Boy.
Location Manager: Oversees the Locations Department and its staff, typically reporting directly to the Production Manager and/or Assistant Director (or even Director and/or Executive Producer). Location Manager is responsible for final clearing (or guaranteeing permission to use) a location for filming. Usually he/she has several assistants.
Location Scout: Does much of the actual research, footwork and photography to document location possibilities.
Transportation: Transports cast, crew and equipment back and forth between locations. These people are divided into: transportation coordinator, transportation captain, drivers, assistants, etc.
Film Editor: The film editor is the person who assembles the various shots into a coherent film, with the help of the director. There are usually several assistant editors. Various technical responsibilities are referred to as editors such as dialogue editors (who work with dialogue), Sound editing, etc.
Visual Effects Supervisor: The visual effects supervisor is in charge of the visual effects department.
Compositor: A compositor is a visual effects artist responsible for compositing images from different sources such as video, film, computer generated 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, matte paintings, photographs, and text.
Music Supervisor or Music Director: The person who works with the composer (people who write the music), mixers and editors to create and integrate the film's music.
Foley Artist: The foley artist is the person who creates many of the sound effects for a film.
ADR Editor: Edits the rerecorded dialogue.
1940's Film Research/Documentary, et al.
After the sample screenings, please complete and turn in your 1940's film research (due today). Complete and turn in your film script review. This is due today, as well.
Then, do the following:
A. Read and view the clips below regarding color (if you have not done so yet).
B. Work on your documentary. By now, apart from checking in briefly with your group to handle scheduling, you should beginning to use iMovie to edit clips, create titles, work on capturing voice overs, etc. Import still shots from the internet, if necessary, write the script if you are doing an expository documentary including any details and facts the viewing audience needs to know, complete your interview questions if you are doing an interactive documentary, etc.
HOMEWORK: Shoot part or all of your documentary!
Then, do the following:
A. Read and view the clips below regarding color (if you have not done so yet).
B. Work on your documentary. By now, apart from checking in briefly with your group to handle scheduling, you should beginning to use iMovie to edit clips, create titles, work on capturing voice overs, etc. Import still shots from the internet, if necessary, write the script if you are doing an expository documentary including any details and facts the viewing audience needs to know, complete your interview questions if you are doing an interactive documentary, etc.
HOMEWORK: Shoot part or all of your documentary!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Workin' Wednesday
Today, please continue to work on your various projects. These include:
1. Read and note the information about Color in the essay "COLOR IN FILM" (Handout). Read and review the film clips from the blog entry below regarding color. Take notes of which films USED color and how, why, etc. Additionally, you should see how the muted or vivid color use for each film brought a sense of vitality to the scene depicted. Color is used symbolically and breaks down into two types of symbolic groups: warm and cool. You should understand why a film might wash out certain colors and keep others (i.e., how is color being used in a film, and what might it mean.)
2. Continue your research questions on the 1940's. These are due Friday.
3. Turn in your index card or note on chapter 15 (The Dark Streets of Film Noir). We will discuss this article after the announcements.
4. Complete your reading of the 1930's script. A script review is due Friday. Please make sure you read and understand the blog entry for this assignment (found below, March 18). Your reviews should be typed (and about 6-10 paragraphs...see instructions).
5. Work on editing your documentary if you have shot any of it. Try to trim your film down to about 10 minutes or less so that you have a film appropriate for upcoming film contests.
Any questions? Getting stuck? Ask.
1. Read and note the information about Color in the essay "COLOR IN FILM" (Handout). Read and review the film clips from the blog entry below regarding color. Take notes of which films USED color and how, why, etc. Additionally, you should see how the muted or vivid color use for each film brought a sense of vitality to the scene depicted. Color is used symbolically and breaks down into two types of symbolic groups: warm and cool. You should understand why a film might wash out certain colors and keep others (i.e., how is color being used in a film, and what might it mean.)
2. Continue your research questions on the 1940's. These are due Friday.
3. Turn in your index card or note on chapter 15 (The Dark Streets of Film Noir). We will discuss this article after the announcements.
4. Complete your reading of the 1930's script. A script review is due Friday. Please make sure you read and understand the blog entry for this assignment (found below, March 18). Your reviews should be typed (and about 6-10 paragraphs...see instructions).
5. Work on editing your documentary if you have shot any of it. Try to trim your film down to about 10 minutes or less so that you have a film appropriate for upcoming film contests.
Any questions? Getting stuck? Ask.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Color in Film
Color tends to be a subconscious element in film. It has an emotional appeal which often suggests mood of the film or characters in it.
The first Technicolor film was THE GULF BETWEEN (U.S., 1917), a five-reeler made by Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. in Florida mainly for trade showings in eastern cities, to create interest in color movies among producers and exhibitors. It did not receive nationwide distribution. A lost film today, only a few frames survive.
The first two strip Technicolor feature made in Hollywood, and the first to receive nationwide distribution, was the costume drama THE TOLL OF THE SEA (1922).
Another silent movie filmed entirely in two strip Technicolor was the swashbuckler THE BLACK PIRATE (U.S., 1926), produced by and starring Douglas Fairbanks.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Cecil B. DeMille's epic, 1923) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) BEN-HUR (1925) and KING OF KINGS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1926) used color as a gimmick or in parts.
The first all-talking Technicolor feature was the Warner Bros. musical ON WITH THE SHOW (1929).
All of the color films up to this point were two-color processes, which could capture only two of the three primary colors of light.
In 1932, Technicolor perfected a three-color motion picture process (also known as three-strip Technicolor, because three negatives were employed in the camera, one for each primary color of light -- red, green, and blue).
It was introduced with the Walt Disney cartoon FLOWERS AND TREES (1932), which won the first Academy Award for Animation. Walt Disney kept a monopoly on 3-color technicolor from 1932-1935.
The first feature-length movie in three-strip Technicolor was the costume comedy-drama BECKY SHARP (U.S., 1935)
Technicolor used a three color system: red, blue, green (these colors therefore are most vivid)
Early color was used as an expression (expressionism) of the director’s or cinematographer’s story, and so early films with color tend to be ones that are formalistic, artificial, or exotic. Color was often not used for “realistic” movies.
Warm colors: red, yellow, orange (brown)
Cool colors: Blue, green, violet (white)
Technicolor fragments.
Phantom of the Opera Masquerade Scene
During the 1930's, technicolor was still expensive. It was still being used as a movie gimmick as seen here. The Women (1939)
The first Technicolor film was THE GULF BETWEEN (U.S., 1917), a five-reeler made by Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. in Florida mainly for trade showings in eastern cities, to create interest in color movies among producers and exhibitors. It did not receive nationwide distribution. A lost film today, only a few frames survive.
The first two strip Technicolor feature made in Hollywood, and the first to receive nationwide distribution, was the costume drama THE TOLL OF THE SEA (1922).
Another silent movie filmed entirely in two strip Technicolor was the swashbuckler THE BLACK PIRATE (U.S., 1926), produced by and starring Douglas Fairbanks.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Cecil B. DeMille's epic, 1923) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) BEN-HUR (1925) and KING OF KINGS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1926) used color as a gimmick or in parts.
The first all-talking Technicolor feature was the Warner Bros. musical ON WITH THE SHOW (1929).
All of the color films up to this point were two-color processes, which could capture only two of the three primary colors of light.
In 1932, Technicolor perfected a three-color motion picture process (also known as three-strip Technicolor, because three negatives were employed in the camera, one for each primary color of light -- red, green, and blue).
It was introduced with the Walt Disney cartoon FLOWERS AND TREES (1932), which won the first Academy Award for Animation. Walt Disney kept a monopoly on 3-color technicolor from 1932-1935.
The first feature-length movie in three-strip Technicolor was the costume comedy-drama BECKY SHARP (U.S., 1935)
Technicolor used a three color system: red, blue, green (these colors therefore are most vivid)
Early color was used as an expression (expressionism) of the director’s or cinematographer’s story, and so early films with color tend to be ones that are formalistic, artificial, or exotic. Color was often not used for “realistic” movies.
Warm colors: red, yellow, orange (brown)
Cool colors: Blue, green, violet (white)
Technicolor fragments.
Phantom of the Opera Masquerade Scene
During the 1930's, technicolor was still expensive. It was still being used as a movie gimmick as seen here. The Women (1939)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
1940's Film Research/Documentary Film Project
Please continue working on your documentary film projects. Use the lab time to a). film scenes b). edit or c). prepare questions or shooting schedules.
While not working on your documentary film project, please do the following assignments:
1. Complete the reading of your chosen 1930's film script. (See below). You should write a review of the script by Friday.
2. Complete the 1940's research question sheet. (See handout)
3. Complete your reading of Film Noir. On an index card, write at least one thing you learned from the chapter and one question or comment/observation from the reading. (Due Wednesday)
4. Read the article on "Color Film."
While not working on your documentary film project, please do the following assignments:
1. Complete the reading of your chosen 1930's film script. (See below). You should write a review of the script by Friday.
2. Complete the 1940's research question sheet. (See handout)
3. Complete your reading of Film Noir. On an index card, write at least one thing you learned from the chapter and one question or comment/observation from the reading. (Due Wednesday)
4. Read the article on "Color Film."
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Test
Please identify the following documentaries as one of each of the 5 styles:
Observational, Expository, Interactive, Reflexive, Performative. Each type will only be used once. After your identification of the film, please indicate why you think the clip should be classified as that style of documentary.
Clip #1
Clip #2
Clip #3
Clip #4
Clip #5:
Observational, Expository, Interactive, Reflexive, Performative. Each type will only be used once. After your identification of the film, please indicate why you think the clip should be classified as that style of documentary.
Clip #1
Clip #2
Clip #3
Clip #4
Clip #5:
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