Oral Presentation Reflection

I think I had a coherent, incisive, insightful and richly detailed evaluation on my extract from The Godfather. I went through almost every technical aspect of the extract including lighting, imagery, camera angles, acting, 

costume design, and set design. First, I did a lot of research on the context of the film and the producers of The Godfather, Paramount and Alfran Productions. Film genre was well explored and I went in depth about how the film was a part of the gangster and thriller genres while also subverting the genre and taking on new genre conventions that shaped all gangster movies that came after it. My film language was well developed and when I began speaking, I reflected on the context of the extract within the film. It was a pivotal moment in the film as Michael Corleone takes the reigns of power and is now an actual godfather (ironic) to his sister Connie and her husband Carlo’s newborn baby. Don Vito Corleone has just died in the field in front of Michael's young son and a new leader is in power of the gang. The extract takes place in a parallel action sequence and we see the baptism taking place while multiple murders are occurring. After giving this information, I related the extract to the film as a whole and why this was important. My evaluation was also based on how meaning was constructed and an example is when I talked about the acting and costumes that were used for the Corleone's hit-men when they are undergoing procedures to undergo the murder. The evaluation was not wordy at all and it was actually very clear and concise and I felt very confident within the time it took to describe and analyze the extract. I took the time to prepare for the oral and I think this reflected on my performance. I would give myself a 21 out of the 25 marks on the rubric.

Concepts of Continuity

Location As Character

Director's Commentary: 

Advanced Editing Concepts

Realism/Classical/Formalism Oh my

Realism/Classical/Formalism-

1. How would describe the characteristics of the camera camera work: composition, angle, movement

2. How would describe the difference in the edit?

3. How would describe the quality of the story being told/narrative?

Realist films are just that, films that largely incorporate a sense of realism within them. They often have sequence shots which are lengthy shots combined with sequence edits which do not have many cuts or edits. One of the most apparent of these realist films is called The Arrival of a Train which was one of the first documentary films. It was created by the Lumiere Brothers in 1895 and was only about a minute long. The duration of the clip consists of one continuous recording and the camera does not move at all but rather remains still in order to capture everything happening in the shot at that moment in time. The entire clip consists of a train arriving at a station and people boarding and departing from the train. The angle of the shot is diagonal and faces the train and creates an interesting use of lines along the platform of the train station. Since there is no editing involved, it creates no difference and that audience sees the integrity and realistic nature of the sequence. The use of camerawork and lack of editing techniques creates a story of the coming and going of a train. However, there is no real narrative being told. There are many people in the shot as the train arrives and it the only real action other than the train.

Classical films are different from realist films in that they use shots that are used to make the action as believable as possible. Realist films aim to show how things really look in the real world while classical films aim to show how things feel. They use cuts that add a dramatic feel and emotion to the shots to create a feeling through the film. They show cause and effect relationships between things and characters and put an emphasis on the emotional feeling rather than just physical communication through the shots presented. Also, they also incorporate cutting to continuity which shows an event taking place in a fluid nature and condenses them without taking any essential moments out of them. One famous film in this category is The Great Train Robbery. It fits perfectly because it really highlights how stories should be told through film. The film, directed by Edwin Porter, is about a real train robbery that took place in 1903. In this clip, the gang of robbers kidnaps a man working on the train and ties him up when the train arrives. Porter wanted to tell this story of a robbery and he is successful because his film gets the audience caught up in the characters and their problems and motivates them to feel what they feel. The shots resemble reality because they reenact true events and the exact way they happened while getting the realistic aspect of it spot on. The editing is crucial because it portrays the characters motivations and the way in which they rob the train. This is shown when they tie up the man and proceed to wait for the next train as well. The quality of the story being told is very high although this was one of the first film to ever be created.

The last type of film is formalist films that incorporate shots that are not usually used in a narrative style. They have very detailed and exaggerated sets and costumes along with complicated and camerawork that sometimes, in my opinion, random and confusing to understand. This style draws attention to itself without having any stories and characters altogether. Instead, they attempt to convey a particular mood or emotion by showing abstract images. A prominent film that incorporates formalism is Battleship Potemkin and more specifically the Odessa Step sequence scene which was created by Eisenstein in 1925. This film has a lot of abstract shots that don’t really have any relationship to one another. There are many angles and camera movements. In the clip you see shots of children and families and there is a calm and peaceful atmosphere and then suddenly you see armed soldiers who are chasing civilians who are  running down a bunch of steps. The musical soundtrack as well as the quick jump cuts add to the weirdness of the clip. The narrative itself has some sort of continuity although it is to a lesser degree than other forms of film.

Contemporary Media Analysis

1. What does the media say about the world we live in?

Media says a lot of things about the world we live in. It highlights many common stereotypes that society revolves around while also ridiculing our society. It tells us about our own world and also reflects on it. An example is the issue of racial prejudice and racism throughout media although the issue has been less and less common in the recent decades. Many comedic cartoons and television shows often poke fun at different stereotypes and this is a reflection on the growing issue of racial conflicts. It does, however, make people laugh and entertain them and there is no intention of harming anyone at all. This image below is a good way to add humor to the cartoon show Family Guy and the jokes, even the racist ones, are pretty funny in general.

2. Do you notice any one trend that keeps resurfacing through multiple media forms?

One trend that keeps resurfacing in multiple forms of media is homosexuality. This has become a largely controversial topic in our society and media had definitely been a large part of it. A good show to talk about here is Glee. Glee is a show with a positive vibe that portrays the lives of homosexual kids and it depicts the problems they face whether it is at home or at school. There are many messages conveyed through the television series such as never giving up or letting others control who you really are on the inside. The show speaks a lot about love and how love is really blind and that anyone can love anyone else. The characters are not used for an entirely comedic purpose but instead they are there to help other people who are dealing with the same issues with their own problems.

3. What do you see as the best and worst of what media portrays?

The best parts of media, in my opinion, is the access to information and important news events around the world. We can learn about daily issues in our world such as political issues and natural disasters that have a large impact on the people. Also, another significant aspect of media is the entertainment part through movies and television shows. Being a Netflix user, I watch multiple series at a time and its a large part of where I spend my leisure time. However, there are many negative aspects of what media portrays. The worst of what media portrays are tabloids and celebrity drama because it is not relevant to most of our lives. It does not usually affect us directly and really has no significance instead of creating more drama and pulling attention to these celebrities that is not needed.

4. Where do you see yourself contributing to the conversation?

I think we can all contribute towards using media for better purposes than it already is. There are many negative aspects to media and we can help make it more positive. Media criticizes society and almost ridicules it like in the comedies mentioned but we also have to take into consideration the underlying meaning behind everything that is portrayed. Sometimes this can help us in resolving our problems and making better decisions about the future.

Top 5 Films of All Time!

One of my favorite films of all time has to be Django Unchained. I loved everything about Quentin Tarantino's film from the realism of the times of slavery in the United States all the way to the amazing soundtrack and sound effects. Not only that, the casting was amazing in my opinion. The choice of Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio were the perfect combination. I was captivated throughout the entire movie, which was probably due to the storytelling and action-filled and bloody scenes.

Another film I love is Saving Private Ryan. How can anyone not like this movie? It has one of the most powerful films I’ve seen. On top of that, it incorporates genre conventions that are included in dramas, action films, and adventure stories. I also loved the realism in this film and with every gun shot was a true portrayal of combat scenes during World War II’s D-Day invasion. A fun fact is that some shots within the film are based on real camera roll that was filmed the day of the actual invasion, many years before the film was made. It is truly the best war-movie I had ever seen.

The Rush Hour Series will always be one of the classics in my book. I love comedies in general and this series literally made me laugh every other minute. The picture of the film was so amazing and there were many interesting shots during the chase scenes etc. that I liked. The cast of Chris Rock and Jackie Chan as partners in crime was perfect. The fast-paced storyline and action scenes appealed to me as well. I really think it is a blockbuster series.  

Another series I loved are the 6 Fast & Furious films. My favorites out of them, however, have to be 2 Fast 2 Furious and and Fast 5. Being a car guy, I was appalled at both the racing scenes as well as the cars used in the film. Also the compelling storyline and adrenaline-pumping chases helped when I was deciding which films to pick. Some of the scenes are actually impossible to recreate in reality. They defy physics and this is another factor that sold the film for me.

Limitless is a more recent film about a failing writer who takes a miraculous drug that enhances his entire life. The drug allows people to fully access 100% of their brains, which leads to both benefits and negative consequences. The protagonist, played by Bradley Cooper, must fight off gangsters and corrupt businessmen who will do anything to get their hands on the drug. I liked everything about this film. The best part about it was that it was a truly original story that I had never seen before. Yes, we’ve seen films about wars and bloodshed, cars, and the partner in crime duo, but nothing as original as this film. I liked the sci-fi aspect of it and how it explores what it would be like if people could have this much power. I also loved some of the camera angles used when the main character is at the top peak of his career and believes his life can not get any better.