Hitchcock Historical and Institutional Influences

Hitchcock Historical and Institutional Influences

1. What are the institutional factors that may be important?
a. as a production of a specific producer (i.e. Walt Disney), institution (Disney Studios), specific economic factors (Studio Film), or a political background? (U.S. politics 1959)
2. What is the film’s historical significance?
a. as a document of its time?
b. as a part of history of film?
c. as a representation or reaction to the studio system?

Psycho, by Alfred Hitchcock, is a very interesting film that is famous for being one of the best slasher horror films to ever be made. This film has influenced countless people and entertained a wide variety more. During the making or preproduction of the film, many studios would choose to not fund the film Hitchcock had great visions of. But Hitchcock was known to be a great filmmaker, “Indeed, he was flawless as an editor. In the distinctive rhythm of his cuts, alternately tightening and slackening, and quickening to a climax, we become intimately aware of his physical presence” (464). They thought that including the techniques he proposed for the film, including all of the slasher aspects of the bloodshed and murders, were immoral and extremely gruesome. They believed that audiences would not enjoy the film because it had many aspects to it that were considered controversial. “Even though the villain's body count is only two, the film's "whodunit" plot structure, knife-wielding and mentally disturbed killer, twist ending and 'stalking' camera technique proved influential on films to come” (461) This quote shows how big a role this film played and the technique within it. After going to many big studios and proposing his ideas for his film, he was given a chance. But this deal was only for the screening and distribution of the film and not the actual making or production of the film. The studio was called Paramount Studios Inc. and they assisted Hitchcock in these affairs. The profits were distributed so that the studio gains sixty percent of the revenue made from the profits. Hitchcock finally had a chance and he was a very influential figure in the industry, “They honed their craft by close study of his work, consulting the Truffaut interviews as a kind of bible of filmmaking.” (464)  Politics in the United States were becoming very difficult at this age when talking about film. Censorship laws and bans etc. forced out some genres and films that would have otherwise been huge successes in the industry. The government wanted to filter anything that might cause controversy including nudity, sexual appeal, violence, bloodshed, or incorrect ideologies portrayed within the film. This film has truly left its mark on the future for filmmaking. Slasher films such as Scream or Halloween series all have elements from this era of film and the techniques used then are still used in films that we know very well today.

Hitchcock Genre and Audience

Hitchcock Genre and Audience

1. What tradition or genre is it in?
2. What are the features determining genre or elements that tell us what type of film this is?
3. What other work might it be connected to?
4. Who made this? Why?
5. What can we tell about its’ creators?
6. How does it fit within the director’s other work?
a. Does it share significant narrative or thematic concerns?
b. Does it share particular visual or technical elements?
7. What is the film’s theme?
8. What is the target audience? How does it address its audience?

The film Psycho was a film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960. The film was a suspense thriller and horror film. The genre it would belong to is known as the slasher genre that revolved around violence and gruesome events. The features in this film that determine genre or elements that highlight the type of film it is are highlighting the characters roles, music, relating events, sound effects, chase sequences, motifs, and lighting. Music can add a sense of suspense and drama especially when dealing with films of this genre. Sound effects also add to the nature of the film. The chase sequence when the woman is being chased, or is escaping, to flee to Arizona is very well thought out. In this scene she is being very worried and cautious about her actions. Motifs such as the blade or knife and also birds can add a sense of the genre because we associate them with the type of film being made. Lighting is extremely key in films of this genre although it does not have color and is only black and white. Low lighting can create a mood or tone or even atmosphere by adding an aspect of fear or something of that sort as a build up to scenes in the future. Symbols such as the birds (birds are in the first hotel scene and represent the womans name which is Crane and also talk about other characters in the story) also help to propel the plot and provide backstory if used correctly. These elements are definitely connected to other works of the same genre. The music and tone and suspense leads to a dramatic conclusion and it impacts the feeling of the film. Hitchcock was known to incorporate many suspenseful techniques in his films. He was always wanting to show the audience what he wanted to show in his thrillers and really bring them into the story to captivate them. But to fully appreciate all of his tricks and clues and hints in the story the viewer must see the movie more than just one viewing but many so they can notice all it has to bring in terms of foreshadowing and hinting and what may come in the future. Hitchcock was truly a pioneer in the industry and he incorporated his own ideas and tactics to the films he made while also respecting the techniques that were already being used in other films of the same genre. The target audience would be anyone that could handle the slasher type of films as there are many scenes involving violence and bloodshed. Younger audiences might not have had the ability to enjoy the film because it is in the horror genre. It was mainly made for young adult audiences.

Silent to Studio Golden Years

Part 1: Explore how the inclusion of sound in the movie pictures impacted the Movie Industry. Detail how it happened, who was affected, what was lost.

The inclusion of sound impacted the movie industry in several ways. In the beginning large studios opposed the idea of including sound in their films. The public was accustomed to silent films and didn’t want change. Sometimes stars voices didn't fit their roles and studios spent a lot of money to invest in their silent stars and couldn't possibly have them talk in movies. There were issues with capital, spending to build sound facilities, and the cost of making them was costly. There was a large risk in changing the status quo of the industry. There could be many failures if they added sound and since they were already making tons of money with their silent films, they saw no reason to change it. Warner Bros studios was the first to make a feature length film while incorporating sound called The Jazz Singer. The other major film studios were worried and started to do the same and soon they were making films with sound. These large studios and the audiences and the actors were all affected.

Part 2: The 20 years between 1930 and 1950 are generally recognized as the studio years. Describe what the pros and cons were of this factory system.

The studio years were a period when  MGM, 20th Century Fox, RKO, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal, and Columbia dominated the film industry. The movie industry had three economic divisions known as the production, distribution, and exhibition or films. Throughout this great era of film, studios would build large and elaborate sound stages. They created land for for movie sets in the southern region of California. The studios became very efficient and productive and it was a successful era in the industry. They made sure their stars were their only and this eliminated competition from others if you had a well-producing set of actors for your films. Each studio also became famous for excelling in its own genre of film.

Resources:
http://cybercollege.com/frtv/frtv003.htm
http://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/20s-hollywood-and-soundthe-studio-system/deck/171388

5 Types of Writing

5 Types of Writing

In this article written by Karen Gocsik, she explains differences in how we interpret and react to film and its analysis. The article highlights the five ways in which you can write about film, the first being formal analysis. This type of analysis requires people to look at all the different aspects of the film and then relate them back individually to the overall picture or message of the film and how they help the overall film. When we look at the individual parts we can make sense of why the director chose to incorporate this in his film and how it helps the plot as well as what role it plays in the story being told. The next type of writing is called film history. This is essentially talking about a period in time and every film that is made has this aspect to it. The film reflects ideals of history and tells the story from this viewpoint. The next type of writing is ideological papers. This means that the film has a set of specific beliefs and ideology, hence the name. It has to do with the idea or ideas being presented or promoted and how well the film attempts to do this. The next type of writing is cultural studies of films that have aspects of a certain culture or country that it was made in. This is varied due to the many types of cultures around the world so it is interesting to see how others portray information and life. One cultures have different values, different kinds of people, and can have a totally different ideology than those of other cultures. Last but not least is discussion of the auteur which is taking the ideas that the director wanted to present and his overall vision for the film.

Shot from Gone With the Wind highlights Film History 

This ideology is representative of Culture  Studies and Ideology from a specific place 

Annotating a Film Sequence

Annotating a film sequence requires using language and diction in order to completely understand what is occurring in a specific sequence of shots. This is labeling the shots in a sequence and effects such as dissolves. Through this, you can learn keep track of the shots and look at them as a whole series and change them and add aspects that will enhance the overall product. This is beneficial to the editor and director that require this knowledge to be successful.


Thinking Beyond the Frame

Thinking beyond the frame is really looking at the effect of the film, history of the film and context, and realizing what the true vision of the director was. It is looking at why the director chose to do what he did while also being conscious of how it is being interpreted by many different kinds of people, its cultural impact, and how it relates to its genre which can highly add to your knowledge through analytical reasons for its production.

Film Trailer Review

21 and Over Documentary Review

Link: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/21andover/

I watched a film trailer for a movie called 21 and Over which is coming soon to theaters. The narrative involves a college student whose father has arranged for a mandatory job interview at a business firm the next day. The trailer begins with a chase sequence and then the rest of it tells the story of what happened 13 hours earlier. The guy, named Jeff Chang, whose buddies surprise him by coming over the morning of his 21st birthday. The dad tells him that he must sleep well and be rested the following morning and not to embarrass him. This causes the barrier which will become the conflict for the rest of the film. The friends convince him to have a beer with them and this turns into a Hangover-like plot sequence. The protagonist is finally a man on this birthday and his friends want to make sure they celebrate correctly. They have an entire journey, filled with girls, drinks, cars, and buffalo not to mention tons of chaos and trouble-making in the process. The image above shows the catastrophe caused by this adventure.   

The Mise En Scene aspect of the shots of the trailer are very interesting. The shots are very well thought out and the things inside them help the overall flow of the movie. An example is this screenshot of the film above. It shows Jeff Chang being carried by his two friends, Casey and Miller. They have just experienced the adventures in a nightclub and have partied really hard. Jeff throw up and ends up unconscious by the end of it. Now his friends must find a way to get him home but they don't know where he lives. This rising action helps to propel the plot. The shot shows the entrance to the club and the neon signs on the window. It also shows that it has gotten dark since the time they entered the bar. The streets are empty and the darkness is a reference or indication of their situation because the characters face many challenges at this point. There is also a raccoon crossing the road which shows this emptiness and lack of resources to find a way home.    

The cinematography of the trailer is brilliantly done. The camera movements in the film trailer are very fast paced and this causes a lot of suspense and the feeling of adventure throughout it. The cinematographer uses panning in this clip which shows Jeff Chang running through his college campus naked with th exception of a bra and a teddy bear taped to where his private male parts are to be found. There is great acting and the man has a priceless expression on his face while he is running around like a crazy man yelling “Free OJ”. The location is perfect because they use an actual college campus. There are students walking around and there is lighting that is to the left and right of the actor in this shot. The light to the left, probably a filaments or LED light is used to show the actors body and this causes shadows as well. to the right there is use of a practical light, being the lampposts on the campus where there is no need to add more intentional lights. There is no use of the depth of field other than the walkway and changes of focus aren’t used in this particular shot but are in other parts of the trailer. The cinematographer uses primarily a wide angle lens for the majority of his shots.

The edit of the trailer is extremely professional. It is a Hollywood-made movie so this is expected. The events are linked together perfectly by dialogue, music, and titles. The shots start and end at the perfect timings, music is changed and stopped and the actions are also conducted by the tone in music. The dialogue from the actual film is used to show what the characters think and do and this tells the basic story or narrative. There are also sound effects used when funny things happen such as the strict and controlling father of Jeff Chang beats the children in his household so they leave. Every single part of the trailer is precisely edited.

The sound design of this piece was very cool. It was action packet itself and very intense which helped to show the true nature of the film. This was used in the bar and clubbing scenes where the characters go wild and crazy and learn how to live a little because the protagonist is finally 21. The crowd in this shot is heard screaming and cheering because the boys, or men I should say, have just taken shots and won a game of intense beer pong against another group. Also, the tone changes of the film are very well conducted. The dialogue is so clear and perfect and when there is music and dialogue there are no problems with that either and it seems perfectly intertwined together.  

Documentary Pre Pro Concept

1. Purpose: (What is the message or intent of the piece?)

To inform and entertain the audience about the lives of former war
veterans.

2. Contacts: (Who do I need to speak to in order to get the information for my piece?)

Senior citizens at the retirement home I volunteer at. There are
numerous veterans who would be happy to share their journeys with me.

3. Interview Questions: (What do I want to focus on in the interview? At least 5 questions and avoid Yes/No questions.) (REMEMBER THAT WITHOUT STRONG CONTENT YOUR PIECE WILL FALL FLAT!!)

1. What is your name and can you tell me about the war you fought in or participated in?
2. Was it difficult to decide if you should/would/could go to war? If yes, explain the process of decision.
3. Did the experience benefit you in any way? If yes, how so?
4. How has this impacted your outlook on the world?
5. Would you do it again if you could? Why?

4.Shot List- What images do I need to make the visual part of the story work?
Interviews use mostly Close-ups, Waist shots, and B-roll. Background should
also be considered. Usually at least 5 to 10 different shots are combined for a
sophisticated piece.

I will have various shots of the location where I will film. The B
Roll will include various shots of the senior citizens in their everyday life
and this is where the viewer learns about their current lives. Next we go to an
interview, and possibly have images of theirs shown during the interview. This
will have many shots. Mostly I will use close-ups and wide shots. Since there
are members of a team/ troupe who fought in combat together at this home, I
will have a wide shot and close ups of both.  

5. General Flow: Describe the beginning, middle, and end of your segment. Include any narration you might include as well as graphics or interviews. (Try to imagine the piece playing in your head)

In the beginning of the segment we will be introduced by a narrator who will tell the audience the main objective of the film. He will introduce the home and its members. We will introduce the lives of the people in the B roll while the narrator tells us about them. Then we will have various interviews and interesting dialogue in the middle part of the segment. We will also continue with showing what their lives are like now in the present day between these interviews as a sort of refreshment topic so we do not have to see the same thing continuously. We will show pictures and visuals relating to what information and feedback we get from the interview questions we receive from the above question. The end will be all of the senior citizens together saying goodbye.

Production Schedule- Dates for interviews/b roll

Saturday
December 1. Sunday December 2 (one day for primarily b roll, the other for interviews and insight on the citizens lives at many points of their life)

Documentary Review

Life in a Day Documentary Review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JaFVr_cJJIY

I watched a documentary called Life in a Day created by director Kevin MacDonald and producer Ridley Scott. This film compiles over 4,500 hours of amateur and professional video from hundreds if not thousands of people from 192 different countries. The entire film is based on a single day: July 24, 2010. The clips serve to highlight the numerous aspects of human life on the planet Earth.  We see insight of the daily lives of people around the world and this was particularly interesting to me as I found out much about the world we live in and how similar we all are to each other although we are so far apart from one another. This film does not argue for a position, or take a stand on a subject, but instead offers a unique perspective on life itself. It is edited beautifully to show how everyone is equal and similar as well. The film does not have one narrator, but various narrators and individuals talking about their experiences in life. I loved this documentary and this take on life was very interesting to see because it showed a genuine snapshot on life.    

This documentary makes use of countless locations, scenes, events, and interviews. The film makes choices about what material is to be introduced at what point in time. For example, the director chooses to divide the movie into sections that show different parts of the lives of people around the world. He emphasizes the categories by holding long shots (in this case, he used the longer clips submitted to him for the film) to show the backgrounds and journey of the individuals. Here, the filmmaker wants us to learn about a man from Korea who has spent the last nine years of his life traveling around the world on a single bicycle. He has traveled through over a hundred countries so far and is still on his adventure. The director shows this clip to inspire all of the viewers and to entertain us by revealing a character who has does tremendous things in his life. He hopes to inspire us to make the most out of life. This clip also combines a voiceover of the man, named Okhwan Yoon, who tells us his story and the commentary by the single narrator. This helps to add a more emotional aspect and form a connection with the audience. He wanted to learn about cultures around the world and took it upon himself to find out about them.  

   This documentary also uses some footage that has symbolic or metaphorical meaning that overpowers the literal meaning of it. The filmmaker is especially fond of close-ups dealing with hands. Hands are a symbol of life, and in this documentary we can see many types of life being introduced to the world. A specific example would be this image to the left. The clip was part of the first sort of segment in the entire film which was about waking up in the morning as well as birth which symbolize humanity through the ages. The other segments were about what the people interviewed love, what they care about, their jobs, and generally their everyday way of life and survival. This shot shows a baby duckling that, when juxtaposed with the hand, shows it is very small and vulnerable to any outside force of nature. The focus in the shot is centered on the beak and head and I think it was how intricate the body parts are. This also serves to portray the significance of life and how precious it truly is. This is one of the things we tend to forget about in life because we humans are so preoccupied with other things that we forget about the small, meaningful things such as birth to a new life form.  

This film is successful in recording a seemingly spontaneous dialogue interaction between a group of people. During transitions between video clips we can see and hear an African folk song that a group of women are singing while they work on creating some type of material for food it seems like. The wide angle shot was low to the ground which is very similar to the eye-level of the people and this shows how close to the ground they are. They are barefoot which can also show their type of lifestyle. This song helped to show unity and form a connection to the audience who is learning about life in various countries. The melody was really touching and this shot shows a desert environment which is very colorful and their clothing help to show their lives in this setting. The three African women sing in unison about something no one other than people of this region or culture would understand. But the director specifically chose this piece to highlight a topic that is present in every culture and tradition in every part of the world. Music is very important in everyday life. It helps us get through our struggles, makes us feel happy or any other emotion, sets a mood, and also helps us to pass time just as these beautiful women are doing here. This is very significant because everyone can relate to it and understand what is happening when this clip is shown.

Another clip of the film showed a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket inside of a hospital. The previous shots showed her parents and the excited look on their faces as they had just brought a new life into the world which is an amazing spectacle to watch and experience. The director uses these parents as well as the baby as participants in the subject matter of his documentary. His goal is to show various aspects of life, human or animal, and he succeeds with every ongoing clip. This one does just that. The baby is a visual representation of life itself and how unique and genuine it is. The baby, in my opinion, represents the benevolent nature of the young who have not yet been exposed to the bad aspects of our world. It also is generally the symbol for goodness and thriving and happiness. The shadows used this shot offer fall off on the babies face. The light from the left side is almost overpowering but it helps to show the goodness that birth offers. The small beanie the baby wears shows warmth and the small nature of the baby with his eyes closed show how precious it is. The focus is also just on the face. The composure of this shot is very nice and I like its simplicity as well as the message it conveys. The colors in the shot are very soft also and I really liked that because they influence the nature of the shot.

We can also see this image of a man talking about what he loves. When asked, the middle-aged Jamaican male told the interviewers that he loves his children and his wife as well as life itself. This is the third section in the film that actually lends us opportunities to really learn about the lives of people in the film. This is one of the few times we actually get to hear people talking. When we do see or hear it, the people portrayed in the clips have interesting accents that show where they are from. I believe the director does this intentionally with the dialogue so the audience can learn about where they come from. The people in these interviews are very revealing and they can teach us a lot about life. We learn that the an has faced many challenges and obstacles throughout his life and his perseverance and family is what has led him to survive. I really really enjoyed the colorful background in the shot and the lively nature of the man being interviewed. He seemed happy about being alive and was filled with joy when talking about the things that make his life worth living.

Another moment in the film I really liked was when we are introduced to a single father of a young Asian boy in the urban part of an Asian city. This clip actually has various movements because the dad continuously moves the camera from place to place as he and his child move while conducting their normal early morning rituals like brushing their teeth and saying good morning to their mother. It is conveyed through a photograph and shrine for the mother that she has previously died while the boy was very young. The camera is moved to a table pointing at the photograph and candles and incense for her. Then it shows the boy going back to bed. Throughout the clip, we see the life of the two characters. Their apartment is extremely messy and dirty and their house feels very cramped. There are toys all over the place and clothing laying all over the couch and hanging from the ceiling. The clip is also the only one in the entire film that is shot with a fisheye lens which captures many parts of their life. This was my favorite clip of the film and it was very emotional and insightful and I learned a lot about this particular part of these peoples lives which I enjoyed doing.  

A final clip I wanted to talk about was this shot of two girls in a village in a setting that we do not have much information about. It is just another clip that occurs quickly but I found some significance in it. We see a relationship between two young female characters,p probably sisters, sitting on a bench rocking back and forth. They have their feet in the water of a creek or river. The serene and calming setting is shown by the ripples in the water, the focus on the bench swing, the soft natural colors of the mud and trees in the background, and the lighting which is magnificent and natural from the sun. The two take some time away from their normal lives to enjoy and have some peace. They are enjoying themselves a lot because they are laughing. I really enjoyed this because it shows a bond between sisters and shows a beautiful part of life for the children and their innocence in the world.

I really loved watching this documentary on life. It was so inspiring, informing, entertaining, and creative. I learned a lot about people from various parts of the world and their daily activities which are very different from everyone else. But throughout the film, we see aspects of human life and interaction that is similar no matter where you are. We as humans have a unique bond and although we are separated by thousands of miles, we are still very equal. This film has opened my eyes to the many aspects of life around the world, some of the conditions people live through to survive, their everyday work habits and rituals, and how they live in general from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. I liked every part of the film and I can honestly say this was the best documentary i've ever seen and I highly recommend it to anyone reading this.