After a brief discussion on auteur theory, we watched another Miike film: Sukiyaki Western Django.  Certainly not a fan favorite, but very much an intriguing idea. Here are the links to some readings on auteur theory. Andrew Sarris – Notes on the Auteur Theory Peter Wollen – The Auteur Theory François Truffaut – Une Certaine Tendance of Cinema Francaise Auteur Theory auteur – usually always a director one who brings to a film signs of their own individuality (perhaps in way narrative is constructed, way certain themes are explored, or visual style) not all directors are auteurs

able to function as main creative force & controlling presence metteur en scène – director who ‘merely’ brings competence to specialist role of directing within production over which they have no overall artistic control

raise up to auteur – rise above “restraints” of formulaic genre film-making auteur theory made 2 fundamental contributions

encourage serious study of popular Hollywood cinema demanded a close analysis of mise-en-scène as principle site where auteur identity could be extracted

auteur study is a construct of criticism problems

problems of “authoring” a film because it involves many creative people directors whose work did not reveal marks of essential underlying personal force were relegated to metteur en scène – and work relegated to them evaluation of film in terms of whether or not it possessed auteurist identity (bad film by auteur was better than great film by non-auteur) auteur theory diminished strengths & achievements of industrial production process rather than broadening film study, led to debates on who was & who wasn’t an auteur

“sign” of a director can carry success auteur sign signifies set of stylistic & thematic features to be found in film itself, thus more specific early auteur theory was connected with personal characteristics & biographical details of auteur (auteur-as-person) late 1960’s it shifted toward auteur-as-structure

still has names (Hitchcock films) but only to understand group of films move from Hitchcock the biological author to Hitchcock a critical construct that unites a series of texts biographical still important to confirm observations & “presence”

because of many individual contributions, i.e. music, writing; the idea of auteur becomes the combining force & the catalysts for the individual parts leaves room for auteur as individual (final determining creative force) & as combining force in “new” Hollywood, defining auteur is difficult if even possible – auteur names are thrown around as labeling for cataloging & marketing (a film by James Cameron) other kinds of auteurs

studios – a particular house style | Warner Bros. in 1930’s producer – certain visions in each work | Jerry Bruckheimer star – takes over film, a “star” signature | Kevin Costner, Johnny Depp spectator – meaning is only created in act of reading – an encoded message (text)

remains only as potential meaning until it’s decoded by a reader (or spectator) different readers come to a text with own specific social, cultural, & psychological formations as individuals text is “authored” by the reader rather than by text’s originator

auteur based critical approach

auteur director regarded as “persona” his role must be excavated through critical analysis emphasis on biographical is common need to have available generic structure of auteur to evaluate film to even if spectator ignorant of auteur structure, simple power of naming remains significant

power of name recognition name as trademark or guarantee name-tag commodity (Spielberg)

auteur study attempts to establish set of thematic & stylistic features (a signified) for the auteur name (the signifier)

more so done by auteur who quite consciously puts in place components of an identity which his name can then be said to signify

today, director of strives self-consciously to construct recognizable auteur identity to confirm commercial & critical existence of name they bear

real challenge is examining work of directors whose work is so varied we are tempted to artificially limit range & scope of work for purpose of critical neatness

such as developing a check list to apply to all films of specific director

auteur structure doesn’t offer itself as schema for audience to work with although additional layers of meaning & response can emerge when a body of films which have shared auteur origins Final Exam Review Your final exam will consist of answering 5 of 8 essay questions each worth 20 points for a total of 100 points.  Good luck and I will see you Wednesday for the exam!

We discussed many film theories this evening and topped it all off with The Happiness of the Katakuris.  Monday will bring our last film and auteur theory. Film Theory & Criticism (a rapid overview & listing – you can look up some of the ones that I do not focus on) classic film theory – designate specific value of cinema formalist (creationist) film theory – Rudolf Arnheim, Sergei Eisenstein, Bela Balazs

cinema more than “the feeble mechanical reproduction of real life” transforms and constructs reality the how of artistic expression – editing, cinematography

realist film theory – Andre Bazin, Siegfried Kracauer

reality possesses ambiguous quality Bazin believed filmmakers should develop style that respected ambiguities & that did not unfairly coerce or manipulate viewers into sharing a single, mass emotional response to a scene or film techniques best suited to represent reality were deep focus cinematography (great distance separate sharply focused foreground & background objects) & the long take (shots of long duration) & minimizing editing

auteur theory – from French New Wave era (more on this later) structuralism & semiotics – total theory or grand theory approach

concentrated on film’s relationship to underlying structures that govern production of all meaning myths

post-structuralism & deconstruction – Jacques Derrida & Michel Foucault

denial of existence of a knowable truth & quasi-scientific analysis of text move away from textual interpretation & move to interaction of text and spectator reception theory – relation of audience to text (focusing on gender, race, social status) auteur-structuralism

psychoanalytic film theory – film medium activates deep-rooted psychological desires & anxieties

voyeurism fetishizing the body taboo images

ideological film theory – examine relationship between movies & society & specifically how film represents social & political realities (social and political issues) Marxist theory – examination of social & political ideologies, class struggle feminist film theory – collection of approaches

images of women and stereotypes assume male as dominant audience – male gaze and women viewed as objects influenced many other theories

gay & lesbian criticism – look at homosexuals in film, hidden stars

The Celluloid Closet ((book on homosexuality in Hollywood)) investigating stereotypes & rereading

queer theory – non-normative expressions of gender & a concern with non-straight expressions of sexuality & rereading

new ways of thinking about sexuality – bisexuality, androgyny, transgender looks more at films made for this reason than gay & lesbian camp

post theory – argue against a “Grand Theory” of film cognitive film theory – studies way viewers process & interpret visual & auditory information in film & how specific structural features may invite particular kinds of interpretation star system / theory – exam star as a combination of image, labour, capital Next week is Sukiyaki Western Django, auteur theory, and a review for your final exam.

What is postmodernism?  Is Hot Fuzz postmodern?  Tonight we discussed characteristics of postmodernism and screened Hot Fuzz. Postmodernism in Film organization of film industry – mass production to flexible independent production exemplify postmodern themes or offer images of pomo society – dystopian sci-fi bricolage / pastiche – playful mixing of elements (genre for us) – we could also use pastiche for mixing of film elements such as live action and animation nostalgia – reflect on past but w/o real exploration intertextuality / blank parody – Hot Fuzz and homage erasure of boundary between past, present & future self-referential – break down 4th wall no separation between high and low films and techniques voyeurism Nest class we venture into film theory.  Make sure you bring your film journals, they are due right after we watch our film.

An interesting conversation moving from just how many genres are there to zombies.  We then explored the world of Pontypool.  What exactly is the purpose of the piece after the credits? We tend to say many genres, but we do need to be careful about saying unlimited or infinite.  This helps criticism as much as saying there is only one genre. Frank McConell – 4 character types & 4 genres which correspond to 4 stage historical cycle of culture

King establishes the state – Epic Knight consolidates the state – Adventure Romance Pawn is trapped in the institutionalized state of laws – Melodrama Fool points out craziness of institutionalized state – Satire

a fifth stage he adds Apocalypse – breakdown into anarchy and decadence which requires establishment of new order – new cycle based on archetypes Thomas Schatz (Hollywood Genres) – Adopts thematic & ideological approach which gives 2 genres

Genres of Order (western, gangster, sci fi) Genres of Integration (musicals, comedies, melodramas)

Hero – Individual (male dominated) Hero – Couple or Collective, Family (female dominated)

Setting – Contested space (ideologically unstable) Setting – Civilized space (ideologically stable)

Conflict – externalized (expressed through violent actions) Conflict – internalized (expressed though emotion)

Resolution – elimination (death) Resolution – embrace (love)

Thematics – hero takes upon himself the problems, contradictions inherent in his society & acts as redeemer-  macho code of behavior -  isolated self-reliance (either through his departure or death, hero does not assimilate values / lifestyles of community he saves – maintains his individuality Thematics – couple or family are integrated into wider community, personal antagonisms resolved-  maternal – familial code -  community co-operation

Could there be just one genre as Tzvetan Todorov suggests – tempted to say one genre dressed in many different types of clothes Zombies allusions to zombies come from the Epic of Gilgamesh and Haitian Vodou White Zombie (1932) – 1st zombie film Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Romero introduces modern zombie film zombie apocalypse post 9/11 & Hurricane Katrina – increase in zombie films zombies become horror due to many factors such as inability to reason with them, could be friends or relatives, active state of decay, pandemics… Pontypool did act as a zombie film even if it was not directly characteristic of typical zombie films.  Any further comments?  Post them here. Next week we encounter postmodernism and Takashi Miike.

What a better way to introduce narrative and genre by showing you the potential for breaking them.  Survive Style 5+ was an interesting departure from Hollywood, tell me what you think in the comments for bonus points. Narrative cinema begins with the written word

scripts adaptations – issues with adapting

actualities (no narrative form) to documentary and “story” films narrative structure = story +plot plot – sequencing of events story – larger set of events (true chronological sequencing) linear plot – chronological classical narrative structures – viewer is aware of shaping of storyline, move towards resolution

use of flashbacks

formalistic narrative – author is overly manipulative to maximize thematic idea mixed up plot sequences – Pulp Fiction, Run Lola Run narrator & narrative point of view films have multiple authors – real vs. implied narrative POV

1st person – voice over, POV shots 3rd person – either we know everything or some things are kept hidden

is typically a multiplexity of views rather than just a single viewpoint alternatives ambiguity of causality (open ended) anti-narrative (going against any form of narrative sense) And just to add to you thoughts, here is a breakdown of how Jean-Luc Godard presents counter cinema in Vent D’est.

narrative transitivity vs. narrative intransitivity (one thing follows another vs. gaps & interruptions, episodic construction, undigested digression) identification vs. estrangement (empathy, emotional involvement with a character vs. direct address, multiple & divided characters, commentary) transparency vs. foregrounding (“Language wants to be overlooked” Siertsema vs. making mechanics of film/text visible & explicit) single diegesis vs. multiple diegesis (unitary homogeneous world vs. heterogeneous worlds – rupture between different codes & different channels) closure vs. aperture (self contained object, harmonized within its own bounds vs. open-endedness, overspill, intertextuality – allusion, quotation, & parody) pleasure vs. unpleasure (entertainment, aiming to satisfy the spectator vs. provocation, aiming to dissatisfy & hence change spectator) fiction vs. reality (actors wearing make-up, acting a story vs. real life, the breakdown of representation

Genre label or category Genre deals with our mitigation of shared characteristics and expectations. genre world – limited & predictable range of features in which our expectations are more likely to be fulfilled functions like a language genres two essential communicative functions

structures by those making meaning (filmmakers & spectators) discourses for us to talk about response to film (audiences & critics)

conventions of a genre can act like short hand & play into our expectations Wednesday brings us to a specific type of genre, the zombie film.  Add your comments on Survive Style 5+ to this post for 2 bonus points on your film review.

We cleaned up some editing and went right into sound.  And then we laughed along as we watched Some Like it Hot. Principles of Continuity Editing spatial continuity

continuous flow of action – viewers are supposed to be unaware of the film’s technical side matching to master shot – ms defines layout of scene establishing shot – beginning of a new scene, establishes time & space reestablishing shot – reorient viewer with time & space after many cuts constant screen direction eyeline match – characters looking at each other shot – reverse – shot series – used for dialogue, cameras over shoulder of characters 30° rule – between shots camera position must change by at least 30° in order to avoid a jump cut 180º rule – nothing is sacred, used to stabilize space of playing area so spectator isn’t confused or disoriented

temporal continuity (time)

order frequency duration

Editing is seen as not only a technical aspect of film but also creative. It takes art to assemble a film. Sound may not have been possible on early film, but by writing scores and having them played by a piano or organ during the film; its importance was demonstrated. Todays films rely heavily on sound to help the visual side of interpretation. Types of Sound

speech – dialogue (consider dialects and speech patterns)

automated dialogue replacement (ADR) -most dialogue is recorded at a later date and synched to the actors mouth

sound effects

Foley artist – record sound effects in studio

music

functions of movie music

setting the scene adding emotion background filler create continuity – leitmotif (musical label of character) emphasize climax

sound montage – dialogue or sound that overlaps with non-related images (much like editing montage) Please feel free to add comments to this post discussing your opinions on Some Like it Hot.  How about 2 bonus points for well thought out comments? Next week we tackle narrative and genre and experience Survive Style 5+.

While my sinuses began closing, we entered into a discussion on acting and editing.  While we will continue our discussion, I think the acting discussion went really well and in-depth in relation to Do the Right Thing. Acting becomes design element

unique body language choreographing expression

histrionic – precise & exaggerated gestures in silent film

typage – actors and performances are visually stylized, suggest that character embodies a particular social or psychological type

social typage – actors expected to portray a typical representative of a social class or historical movement psychological typage – portray typical representative of mental state

visual mediation of performance – use of visual elements top affect how viewer understands a character (one way is using lighting)

approaches and methods method acting (Lee Strasberg) – actor seeks to portray a character by using personal experience & emotion as foundation for the portrayel technical approach – detached intellectual perspective, what seems right for the character characters have function and motivation – what is their purpose in the film and why do they act the way they do Star Image and Theory (we will discuss this more)

pre-classical Hollywood – actors recieved no credit classical Hollywood – films soln on star image star – a performer in a particular medium whose figure enters into subsidiary forms of circulation & then feeds back into future performances 4 components

what the industry puts out what the media says what the star says & does what the audience or spectator selects

Editing work of joining shots to assemble finished film, editor selects best shots nonlinear editing – digital access to any scene or shot, highly dependent on computer linear editing – older, only search for one shot at a time montage – scene composed of rapid series of shots, based on Soviet model, invoke emotions or ideas from seemingly unlinked images Types of Transitions

cut – most commonly used, one shot instantaneously replaced on screen by another, cut is invisible jump cut – editing transition that’s confusing in terms of time & space dissolve – change in place or time, gradual screen transition with distinct optical characteristics, editor overlaps end of one shot with beginning of next shot to produce a brief superimposition fade – substantial change of time & place, visible on screen as brief interval with no picture, fades one shot to black & after pause, fades in next shot other transitions

iris – circular black opening in or out, silent era wipes – vertical or horizontal line bringing in new scene to push out old scene, 1930’s-1940’s

Functions of editing

continuity – fundamental principle in narrative filmmaking

move along story in orderly & organized fashion

continuity of movement continuity only exists on screen not in filming flashback – technique which takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before flash-forward – suggests predestination dramatic focus – find or emphasize dramatic focus on scene tempo & mood – establish rhythm & pacing, brief shots produce fast pace, horror uses for suspense narration & POV – orientation of viewers, helps tell of parallel action cross-cutting – back & forth between 2 or more lines of action

More editing next class.

A short night for notes (attributed to a sickness that is still taking its toll), the big event was screening Do the Right Thing. Lighting 4 major features of lighting

quality – relative intensity of illumination (hard & soft light) direction – path of light from source to object lit

frontal lighting, sidelight, backlighting, edge or rim lighting, underlighting, top lighting

source – may use real light or studio lighting

key light – primary source of illumination fill light – less intense, softens or eliminates shadows cast by key light 3 point lighting – use of a key light, fill light, and back light to illuminate a scene

color – can convey symbolic meaning, establish narrative organization, convey mood and tone

What was your response to the film?  We will discuss this more in-depth in class along with acting.

We covered quite a bit this evening from form to mise-en-scene.  We do not find results in just memorizing, we will find our results in being able to use what we’ve learned to analyze a film just as we did with the clip from Gladiator. Form Form as System artistic form – artworks rely on unifying quality of human mind film has form – overall system of relations that we can perceive among elements in whole film

set of narrative elements – the story stylistic elements – way camera moves, patterns of color in frame, use of music mind wants to bring two elements together

Form versus Content exist together in film expectations help guide us in form A=cue, B=formal hypothesis ABACA – expectation to hypothesis to expectation sometimes expectations are delayed (AB…)

suspense – delay in fulfilling an established expectation surprise is a result of expectations being cheated, expectation revealed to be incorrect

Conventions & Experience one guide to hunches was prior experience aesthetic form not pure activity isolated from other experiences because artworks are human artifacts & artists lives in history & society – can’t avoid relating work to other works & aspects of world in general conventions – tradition, dominant style, popular form – some such elements common to several different artworks

genres depend heavily on conventions

Form & Feeling emotion plays large role in our experience of form emotions present in film may be seen as systematically related to one another through film’s form

for example, grimace of pain consistent with character’s response to bad news

emotional response felt by spectator expectations spur emotion

delayed fulfillment of an expectation – suspense – may produce anxiety or sympathy gratified expectation may produce feeling of satisfaction or relief cheat expectations & curiosity about past materials may produce puzzlement or keener interest all of these above possibilities may occur

matter of context – of particular system that is each artwork’s overall form Form & Meaning constantly testing work for larger significance referential meaning

concrete, barebones plot summary

explicit meaning

openly asserted themes defined by context point film is trying to make interact with other elements of overall system

implicit meaning

more abstract film suggests or implies meaning when we do this we are interpreting it interpretations vary can lead to broad concepts – themes search for implicit meaning should not leave behind particular & concrete features of film strive to make interpretations precise by seeing how each film’s thematic meaning are suggested by film’s total system

symptomatic meaning

treats explicit meaning as a manifestation of wider set of values characteristic of whole society can be revealed when considering social ideology meaning is a social phenomenon all meaning can spring from culturally specific beliefs need to compare ideology of culture film created in foreign films – see through their culture – may lead to some missed meaning due to unfamiliar culturally specific beliefs films “have” meaning because we attribute meaning to them must balance concrete system & urge to assign wider significance

Cinematography

photographic aspects of  the shot framing of shot duration of shot

photographic aspect filmmaker can control visual qualities by manipulating film stock, exposure, and developing process speed of motion – frames per second (fps)

silent era until sound was 16 to 20 fps to synchronize with sound it becomes 24 fps fewer fps = greater acceleration of screen action more fps = slower screen action – slow motion

the lens = focal length – distance from center of lens to point where light rays converge to a point of focus on film

short-focal-length (wide-angle) – exaggerates depth, show more middle-focal-length (normal) – seeks to avoid distortion, like the eye long-focal-length (telephoto) – longer lens flattens space, good for detail zoom lens – optically designed to permit continuous varying of focal length

depth of field – range of distance before the lens within which objects can be photographed in sharp focus

deep focus – allows for greater depth of field based on faster film, shorter-focal length lenses, more intense light

framing frame is a neutral border that defines the image onscreen vs. offscreen space – frame makes image finite position material is viewed

angle – use of high and low angle shots level – frame can be canted height – camera on floor or raised up distance

extreme long shot – human figure barely visible long shot – figures more prominent but background still dominant medium long shot – human figure framed from knees up medium shot – frames body from waist up medium close-up shot – frames body from chest up close-up – just showing head, hands, feet, or small objects extreme close-up – isolating a minute detail

one function of framing mentioned in class was a point-of-view shot (POV) – shot’s framing prompts us to take it as character’s vision mobile framing - possible to move frame with respect to framed material camera movement  (basic)

pan – move camera from left to right (vertical axis) tilt – move camera from top to bottom (horizontal axis) roll – rolling camera on side

tracking shot – camera travels in any direction on ground crane shot Steadicam – gimbal balanced camera mount, allows cameraman to walk with camera w/o camera shake hand-held camera – used to create subjective point-of-view, in the action

After discovering the “how” of what you see, we enter the world of “what” you see. Everything within the frame is fair game as we look at mise-en-scene. Mise-en-scene

French term meaning “putting into the scene” usually planned by director George Méliès – 1st master of mise-en-scene

Aspects of mise-en-scene Setting

can become more than just a setting and influence character action color use of props

prop can become a motif (a reoccurring theme) – shower curtain in PSYCHO

Costume & Make-up

sometimes committed to authenticity of period of film can be stylized language system of costumes

Lighting Acting We will certainly be discussing more details about mise-en-scene on Friday.  In addition, we will be screening Do the Right Thing. Don’t forget that your film reviews are due Friday.  Keep an eye on my Twitter feed and become a follower for possible bonus points…

This evening we discussed in-depth how exactly we write about film.  In addition, we viewed Modern Times and had a lively discussion afterwords which led to the beginnings of a discussion on film form. Writing About Film Writing about film can be highly specialized. In class we discussed the three main types of writing and some hints to making your writing better. Screening Report

1-2 pages, informal, connections between film and content, clear examples remember it’s for you

Film Review

2-5 pages, but depends on where it will be published makes evaluation central focus judgment on quality of film what to include

brief plot synopsis – no spoilers main character name followed by actor in parenthesis mention striking aspects comparisons to other films no ratings system since they have no context

use your personal style

Analytical Essay / Scholarly Criticism

5-15 pages but depends on what it is for goes beyond the film to explore ideas such as theory, cultural value, business, etc… written for scholars, therefore language and style should match only use plot summary if needed to make analysis clear use of sources to validate

Your paper must include 3 secondary sources, but can include any amount of primary sources if needed. primary sources – movie (video, DVD), script secondary sources – books, journals, electronic sources I have also collected the information from the handout here as well. People The following list contains all of the jobs involved in filmmaking.  You will be responsible for knowing the jobs in red and their function. Preproduction 2 roles central – producer & screenwriter producer – tasks chiefly financial & organizational

nurses through script process, obtains financial support, arranges to hire personnel on film during filming – acts as liaison between writer, director, & film company after filming – arrange distribution, promotion, marketing, & paying back investors

executive producer – arranges financing, detain literary property line producer – oversees day to day activities of director, cast, & crew associate producer – liaison with laboratories & technical personnel screenwriter – prepare script Production Phase (shooting phase) director – responsible for overseeing shooting & assembly production designer – in charge of visualizing film’s setting art director – supervises construction & painting of sets set decorator – (interior decoration experience) modifies sets for specific filming purposes, supervises staff to find props set dresser – arrange things on set during filming costume designer – in charge of planning & executing wardrobe for production cinematography & special effects units director’s crew

script supervisor – in charge of all details of continuity from shot to shot 1st assistant director – jack of all trades helping director with shooting schedules, keep track of actors, monitor safety conditions 2nd assistant director – liaison between 1st assistant director, camera crew, electrician’s crew 3rd assistant director – messenger for director & staff dialogue coach – feeds performers lines & speaks lines for offscreen characters 2nd unit director – films stunts, location footage, action scenes

cast

major roles & stars supporting players minor players extras

other (not always used)

stunt persons supervised by stunt coordinator professional dancer led by choreographer animals handled by wranglers

photography units

cinematographer / director of photography (DP) – expert on photographic process, lighting, camera technique camera operator – runs machines key grip – supervises grips grips – carries & arranges equipment, props, elements of setting & lights gaffer – head electrician, places rigs & lights best boy – gaffer’s assistant

sound unit

production recordist (sound mixer) – record dialogue during shooting, also room noise to add later boom operators – manipulates boom microphone & conceals radio microphones “third man” – places other mics, lays sound cables, in charge of controlling ambient sound sound designer -  some movies have to plan sound in prep phase

special effects unit – handles process shots, matte work, consulted with on ongoing basis (transport cast & crew) producer’s crew

production manager / production coordinator / associate producer – manage daily organizational business (meals, accommodations) production accountant / production auditor – monitors expenditures production secretary – telephone communication production assistants (PAs) – run errands

Postproduction Phase (assembly phase) supervising editor – catalogues & assembles takes

works with director to make creative decisions about how footage can be cut together

assistant editor – synchs images & sound, sort takes by scene Feel free to comment more on Modern Times here.  Just like being a follower on Twitter, commenting does warrant my consideration for bonus points.  Have a great holiday weekend!

Where do you start?  You start with a rapid overview of the beginnings.  It may not be pretty, but it’s effective. Preconditions for Motion Pictures

understand human eye and how it perceives motion – Zoetrope

critical flicker fusion & short-range apparent motion

capacity to project rapid series of images on a surface – magic lanterns use photography to make successive pictures – split second exposure print images on flexible base to pull through camera – George Eastman (1889) intermittent mechanism (shutter)

Contributors to Invention Thomas Edison & W.K.L. Dickson

Kinetograph & Kinetoscope (1891) Black Maria

Louis & Auguste Lumière

invented commercially viable projector – Cinématographe shot films @ 16 fps

R.W. Paul & Brit Acres

sold equipment rather than lease like Edison

If you want more information view Origins and Origins Continued Phases to Film Exhibition commercial movie housing showing current films constitutes theatrical exhibition theatrical releases important as a launching pad even though most seen on video Distribution exhibitors rent films from distribution companies – exhibitors bid for each film

major distributors – Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney/Buena Vista, Columbia, Twentieth Century Fox, & Universal

movie theater gets small % of box office receipts yet theaters get all cash from concessions specialized distributors for independent & foreign films

independent filmmakers – try to presell distribution rights in various territories & use funds to finance production, display work at film festivals specialized distributors -handle foreign & independent films “art house”

distributors make prints, schedule release dates, & launch advertising campaigns specific duties of distributor provide publicity – trailers, music videos & soundtracks, infotainment TV shows, “making of…” shows, press kits, web pages, merchandising, cross promotion tracks box office receipts ancillary markets

since late 1970s – video, returns more money than original release release 1st appears over hotel television systems & airline flights, then PPV, then cable & cassette/DVD, eventually to network TV & cable reruns internet delivery of movies on demand

some bootlegs already available pirated copies – download and burn to DVD

films can spawn TV, comic books, theme parks & rides, Broadway shows, video games, cartoons Production (while we did not cover this yet, it’s a good summary of what the production phase entails) Phases of Production preparation

idea developed & committed in paper form acquire funds

shooting

create images in form of shots record sound

assembly

images & sound combined executing special effects adding extras automated dialogue replacement (ADR) – half or more of dialogue is rerecorded in postproduction final cut – the last edited version of a film as it will be released answer print – first print struck from a finished cut negative

You may have noticed a few terms in red, those are items that you will see in the final (or at least have the potential of seeing). This Wednesday we will discuss more about the phases of film and also have our first screening.  Please make sure you sign-up to follow filmclasses on Twitter, there may be bonus points involved.

The final exam is this Wednesday night at 5:30.  Th exam consists of answering 5 of 8 essay questions worth 20 points each for a total of 100 points.  The exam will consist of questions from the midterm on.  Good luck!

As we come to a close for the semester, we end with auteur theory and a taste of art cinema.  And yes, the journals have been read already (which is why the post is late). because of many individual contributions, i.e. music, writing; the idea of auteur becomes the combining force & the catalysts for the individual parts leaves room for auteur as individual (final determining creative force) & as combining force in “new” Hollywood, defining auteur is difficult if even possible – auteur names are thrown around as labeling for cataloging & marketing (a film by James Cameron) other kinds of auteurs

studios – a particular house style | Warner Bros. in 1930’s producer – certain visions in each work | Jerry Bruckheimer star – takes over film, a “star” signature | Kevin Costner, Johnny Depp spectator – meaning is only created in act of reading – an encoded message (text)

remains only as potential meaning until it’s decoded by a reader (or spectator) different readers come to a text with own specific social, cultural, & psychological formations as individuals text is “authored” by the reader rather than by text’s originator

auteur based critical approach

auteur director regarded as “persona” his role must be excavated through critical analysis emphasis on biographical is common need to have available generic structure of auteur to evaluate film to even if spectator ignorant of auteur structure, simple power of naming remains significant

power of name recognition name as trademark or guarantee name-tag commodity (Spielberg)

auteur study attempts to establish set of thematic & stylistic features (a signified) for the auteur name (the signifier)

more so done by auteur who quite consciously puts in place components of an identity which his name can then be said to signify

today, director of strives self-consciously to construct recognizable auteur identity to confirm commercial & critical existence of name they bear

real challenge is examining work of directors whose work is so varied we are tempted to artificially limit range & scope of work for purpose of critical neatness

such as developing a check list to apply to all films of specific director

auteur structure doesn’t offer itself as schema for audience to work with although additional layers of meaning & response can emerge when a body of films which have shared auteur origins Remember that we have a make-up class on Monday!  Any suggestions for a topic of interest or anything you would want to discuss more from class?  We will also review for the final exam.

This week we began discussing auteur theory and continued our exploration of the mind of Lars von Trier by watching The Boss of It All. Here are the links to our readings on auteur theory.  I know, I only said two but I decided to add one more. Andrew Sarris – Notes on the Auteur Theory Peter Wollen – The Auteur Theory François Truffaut – Une Certaine Tendance of Cinema Francaise Auteur Theory auteur – usually always a director one who brings to a film signs of their own individuality (perhaps in way narrative is constructed, way certain themes are explored, or visual style) not all directors are auteurs

able to function as main creative force & controlling presence metteur en scène – director who ‘merely’ brings competence to specialist role of directing within production over which they have no overall artistic control

raise up to auteur – rise above “restraints” of formulaic genre film-making auteur theory made 2 fundamental contributions

encourage serious study of popular Hollywood cinema demanded a close analysis of mise-en-scène as principle site where auteur identity could be extracted

auteur study is a construct of criticism problems

problems of “authoring” a film because it involves many creative people directors whose work did not reveal marks of essential underlying personal force were relegated to metteur en scène – and work relegated to them evaluation of film in terms of whether or not it possessed auteurist identity (bad film by auteur was better than great film by non-auteur) auteur theory diminished strengths & achievements of industrial production process rather than broadening film study, led to debates on who was & who wasn’t an auteur

“sign” of a director can carry success auteur sign signifies set of stylistic & thematic features to be found in film itself, thus more specific early auteur theory was connected with personal characteristics & biographical details of auteur (auteur-as-person) late 1960’s it shifted toward auteur-as-structure

still has names (Hitchcock films) but only to understand group of films move from Hitchcock the biological author to Hitchcock a critical construct that unites a series of texts biographical still important to confirm observations & “presence”

What are some aspects of Lars von Trier’s films that would be considered in the auteur canon?  Could others be auteurs aside from directors?  We will discuss this more next week.

This evening we found ourselves overwhelmed by the numerous possibilities of film theory.  How can we analyze and think about film itself?  What approaches can we take?  Sadly there was no chalk mark, so we can’t really be sure which theory is for us.  Oh that reminds me, we also watch Lars von Trier’s Europa.Film Theory & Criticism (a rapid overview & listing – you can look up some of the ones that I do not focus on) classic film theory – designate specific value of cinema formalist (creationist) film theory – Rudolf Arnheim, Sergei Eisenstein, Bela Balazs

cinema more than “the feeble mechanical reproduction of real life” transforms and constructs reality the how of artistic expression – editing, cinematography

realist film theory – Andre Bazin, Siegfried Kracauer

reality possesses ambiguous quality Bazin believed filmmakers should develop style that respected ambiguities & that did not unfairly coerce or manipulate viewers into sharing a single, mass emotional response to a scene or film techniques best suited to represent reality were deep focus cinematography (great distance separate sharply focused foreground & background objects) & the long take (shots of long duration) & minimizing editing

auteur theory – from French New Wave era (more on this later) structuralism & semiotics – total theory or grand theory approach

concentrated on film’s relationship to underlying structures that govern production of all meaning myths

post-structuralism & deconstruction – Jacques Derrida & Michel Foucault

denial of existence of a knowable truth & quasi-scientific analysis of text move away from textual interpretation & move to interaction of text and spectator reception theory – relation of audience to text (focusing on gender, race, social status) auteur-structuralism

psychoanalytic film theory – film medium activates deep-rooted psychological desires & anxieties

voyeurism fetishizing the body taboo images

ideological film theory – examine relationship between movies & society & specifically how film represents social & political realities (social and political issues) Marxist theory – examination of social & political ideologies, class struggle feminist film theory – collection of approaches

images of women and stereotypes assume male as dominant audience – male gaze and women viewed as objects influenced many other theories

gay & lesbian criticism – look at homosexuals in film, hidden stars

The Celluloid Closet ((book on homosexuality in Hollywood)) investigating stereotypes & rereading

queer theory – non-normative expressions of gender & a concern with non-straight expressions of sexuality & rereading

new ways of thinking about sexuality – bisexuality, androgyny, transgender looks more at films made for this reason than gay & lesbian camp

post theory – argue against a “Grand Theory” of film cognitive film theory – studies way viewers process & interpret visual & auditory information in film & how specific structural features may invite particular kinds of interpretation star system / theory – exam star as a combination of image, labour, capital With only one film left, we are certainly at the end of the line.  Please discuss Europa in the comments!  Is it postmodern?  Analyze it with one of the above theories.  Next week we work on auteur theory and watch The Boss of it All.

We tackled the daunting task of trying to figure out what postmodernism is in film.  One thing we agreed on, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind may just fit the bill.Postmodernism in Film organization of film industry – mass production to flexible independent production exemplify postmodern themes or offer images of pomo society – dystopian sci-fi bricolage - playful mixing of elements (genre for us) – we could also use pastiche for mixing of film elements such as live action and animation nostalgia – reflect on past but w/o real exploration intertextuality / blank parody – Hot Fuzz and homage erasure of boundary between past, present & future self-referential – break down 4th wall no separation between high and low films and techniques We could also possibly add the idea of voyeurism to this list, but let’s discuss that next week.  If you have any comments on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, please add them here.  Or are you scared?  Are you chicken?

This evening we continued our discussion of genre and looked at the make-up of modern Japanese film.  And then we watch an example of what could be called a postmodern Japanese film about adult issues and a frog prince. We tend to say many genres, but we do need to be careful about saying unlimited or infinite.  This helps criticism as much as saying there is only one genre. Frank McConell – 4 character types & 4 genres which correspond to 4 stage historical cycle of culture

King establishes the state – Epic Knight consolidates the state – Adventure Romance Pawn is trapped in the institutionalized state of laws – Melodrama Fool points out craziness of institutionalized state – Satire

a fifth stage he adds Apocalypse – breakdown into anarchy and decadence which requires establishment of new order – new cycle based on archetypes Thomas Schatz (Hollywood Genres) – Adopts thematic & ideological approach which gives 2 genres

Genres of Order (western, gangster, sci fi) Genres of Integration (musicals, comedies, melodramas)

Hero – Individual (male dominated) Hero – Couple or Collective, Family (female dominated)

Setting – Contested space (ideologically unstable) Setting – Civilized space (ideologically stable)

Conflict – externalized (expressed through violent actions) Conflict – internalized (expressed though emotion)

Resolution – elimination (death) Resolution – embrace (love)

Thematics – hero takes upon himself the problems, contradictions inherent in his society & acts as redeemer -  macho code of behavior -  isolated self-reliance (either through his departure or death, hero does not assimilate values / lifestyles of community he saves – maintains his individuality Thematics – couple or family are integrated into wider community, personal antagonisms resolved -  maternal – familial code -  community co-operation

Could there be just one genre as Tzvetan Todorov suggests – tempted to say one genre dressed in many different types of clothes Modern Japanese Film While we couldn’t go very deep with the time allotted, we were able to have a few general genres discussed.  The main idea is that the differences in film come from the differences in society. giant monster film – Kaiju (Gojira) anime J-Horror (Ringu, Ju-on, Dark Water) yakuza – Takeshi Kitano films pinku eiga (pink films) – more information from a past student project postmodern – Takashi Miike films  (we will talk more about postmodern next class) Since we had no time left after class, what did you think of Paco and the Magical Picture Book?  Post some comments and discuss!  I am very interested in hearing your reactions.

Our main discussion was on the purpose and definition of genre.  We then progressed into a discussion of one genre, the musical.  And then we watched a classic example of the musical, Singin’ in the Rain. Genre label or category Genre deals with our mitigation of shared characteristics and expectations. genre world – limited & predictable range of features in which our expectations are more likely to be fulfilled functions like a language genres two essential communicative functions

structures by those making meaning (filmmakers & spectators) discourses for us to talk about response to film (audiences & critics)

conventions of a genre can act like short hand & play into our expectations The Musical

revue musical – string musical numbers together backstage musical – theatrical context operetta musical – stories & numbers in fantasy setting integrated musical – singing & dancing in ordinary setting

So what are your opinions on not only Singin’ in the Rain, but also the musical in general?  I know some of you were asking about the Broadway dance number, so here is Speaking vs. Dancing in the Rain.  It explores some possible ideas behind the scenes inclusion.  If you have more ideas or comment, feel free to post them! Next week we explore Modern Japanese Film and this question, how many genres are there?  You can post some of your ideas here to prepare for Wednesday’s discussion.

As we moved into our discussion on narrative, we confronted issues involved with where a film comes from and how films can tell a story.  We then ventured to space where we confronted Sam in Moon. Narrative cinema begins with the written word

scripts adaptations – issues with adapting

actualities (no narrative form) to documentary and “story” films narrative structure = story +plot plot - sequencing of events story – larger set of events (true chronological sequencing) linear plot – chronological classical narrative structures – viewer is aware of shaping of storyline, move towards resolution

use of flashbacks

formalistic narrative – author is overly manipulative to maximize thematic idea mixed up plot sequences – Pulp Fiction, Run Lola Run narrator & narrative point of view films have multiple authors – real vs. implied narrative POV

1st person – voice over, POV shots 3rd person – either we know everything or some things are kept hidden

is typically a multiplexity of views rather than just a single viewpoint alternatives ambiguity of causality (open ended) anti-narrative (going against any form of narrative sense) And just to add to you thoughts, here is a breakdown of how Jean-Luc Godard presents counter cinema in Vent D’est.

narrative transitivity vs. narrative intransitivity (one thing follows another vs. gaps & interruptions, episodic construction, undigested digression) identification vs. estrangement (empathy, emotional involvement with a character vs. direct address, multiple & divided characters, commentary) transparency vs. foregrounding (“Language wants to be overlooked” Siertsema vs. making mechanics of film/text visible & explicit) single diegesis vs. multiple diegesis (unitary homogeneous world vs. heterogeneous worlds – rupture between different codes & different channels) closure vs. aperture (self contained object, harmonized within its own bounds vs. open-endedness, overspill, intertextuality – allusion, quotation, & parody) pleasure vs. unpleasure (entertainment, aiming to satisfy the spectator vs. provocation, aiming to dissatisfy & hence change spectator) fiction vs. reality (actors wearing make-up, acting a story vs. real life, the breakdown of representation, truth)

We also watched Moon.  If you have any other observations or comments, please add to this post!  Did you like the film being open ended?  What about the ethics of cloning?

We spent the evening discussing editing and sound.  We even found that using both of these effectively can be vital to a film.  One reminder, your first versions of your research paper are due next week, March 24th.Editing work of joining shots to assemble finished film, editor selects best shots nonlinear editing – digital access to any scene or shot, highly dependent on computer linear editing – older, only search for one shot at a time montage – scene composed of rapid series of shots, based on Soviet model, invoke emotions or ideas from seemingly unlinked images Types of Transitions

cut – most commonly used, one shot instantaneously replaced on screen by another, cut is invisible jump cut – editing transition that’s confusing in terms of time & space dissolve – change in place or time, gradual screen transition with distinct optical characteristics, editor overlaps end of one shot with beginning of next shot to produce a brief superimposition fade – substantial change of time & place, visible on screen as brief interval with no picture, fades one shot to black & after pause, fades in next shot other transitions

iris – circular black opening in or out, silent era wipes – vertical or horizontal line bringing in new scene to push out old scene, 1930’s-1940’s

Functions of editing

continuity – fundamental principle in narrative filmmaking

move along story in orderly & organized fashion

continuity of movement continuity only exists on screen not in filming flashback – technique which takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before flash-forward – suggests predestination dramatic focus – find or emphasize dramatic focus on scene tempo & mood – establish rhythm & pacing, brief shots produce fast pace, horror uses for suspense narration & POV – orientation of viewers, helps tell of parallel action cross-cutting – back & forth between 2 or more lines of action

Principles of Continuity Editing spatial continuity

continuous flow of action – viewers are supposed to be unaware of the film’s technical side matching to master shot – ms defines layout of scene establishing shot – beginning of a new scene, establishes time & space reestablishing shot – reorient viewer with time & space after many cuts constant screen direction eyeline match – characters looking at each other shot – reverse – shot series – used for dialogue, cameras over shoulder of characters 30° rule – between shots camera position must change by at least 30° in order to avoid a jump cut 180º rule – nothing is sacred, used to stabilize space of playing area so spectator isn’t confused or disoriented

temporal continuity (time)

order frequency duration

Editing is seen as not only a technical aspect of film but also creative. It takes art to assemble a film. Sound may not have been possible on early film, but by writing scores and having them played by a piano or organ during the film; its importance was demonstrated. Todays films rely heavily on sound to help the visual side of interpretation. Types of Sound

speech – dialogue (consider dialects and speech patterns)

automated dialogue replacement (ADR) -most dialogue is recorded at a later date and synched to the actors mouth

sound effects

Foley artist – record sound effects in studio

music

functions of movie music

setting the scene adding emotion background filler create continuity – leitmotif (musical label of character) emphasize climax

Codes of Sound Design

sound hierarchy – sound volumes sound perspective – convey properties of physical space seen on-screen sound bridges – carry sound between shots & scenes, continuity off-screen sound sound montage – dialogue or sound that overlaps with non-related images (much like editing montage)