Sunday, October 16, 2011

Assignment #6







For this assignment I choose to use the cartoon Tom and Jerry.  These two pictures are using color and lighting to contrast the events happening in the scenes. In the first picture the scene uses warm hues like orange, red, yellow, and browns to signify a happy scene. Tom and Jerry are also smiling at each other instead of chasing each other around. The scene is also brighter in color compared to the other scene, signifying the happier tone of the shot. They do this by having a higher saturation in the colors. The shadows in the first image are also made to look like there is natural light in the room. As if there was a big window. This again adds to the light mood of the clip where Jerry and Tom are getting along. The shadow is only behind them though not on them. This can be seen as a symbol of the two-sided nature to their relationship. They are civil now but as soon as Tom stops playing the piano he starts to chase Jerry again.
            The other clip is of when Tom and Jerry are fighting.  The scene is using cooler more dull hues to symbolize us that there is conflict in the scene. Compared to the other scene when warm colors were used and they were getting along this scene is colder to signify conflict. The colors are not very bright and the use of the red candle emphasizes this lack of color. The colors are de-saturated to add to this dull effect. The lighting is very flat. It seems like the scene is lit from artificial light. This lack of bright light symbolizes there is conflict in the scene. Tom has just hit Jerry on the head with a spoon. There are very few shadows in this scene, but the few shadows that do exist are all pointing away from Tom. I think this is to symbolize his power over Jerry in this clip. The lack of color, brightness, and saturation also adds to this effect. 


Assignment #5







In the scene from the movie Amelie from blog three I feel that the director does follow the 180 rule because for most of the shots the camera is either following or in front of them. But there are many jump cuts in the scene because there are a lot of things being described. They need to jump to them to add coherence between the dialog and the chaotic visuals. In order to make all of these jump cuts work they defiantly use the rule of 30. They change the camera angle at least 30 degrees many times in the scene. For instance the 180 rule is used when the scene starts with the camera to the back of the blind man. Then it jumps all the way across the line of 180 to Amelie who is behind the blind man. Then it jumps back to her walking up behind the blind man to help him cross the street. I feel that this is all coherent because we are introducing the characters of the scene and how they are going to interact. I think that the director also uses the rule of thirds when he places the two of them in the frame together. Each is taking up the edge thirds of the screen. This makes it easy to follow with all of the jump cuts we know where they are going to be in the frame each time. I think that the director of the scene is very talented. Without seeing the whole movie one would be able to realize how happy the blind man is when she is giving him sight of the city street around him. I also feel that to accomplish a scene where there are so many jump cuts and it is so fast and so many things are going on  and not have it be confusing is accomplishing a feat. That is why I feel it is a great example of the use of the rule of 180 and of 30.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Assignment #4



Helter Skelter by Siouxsie and The Banshees



Helter Skelter by The Beatles 





            For this assignment, I chose to do the song Helter Skelter by The Beatles. Siouxsie and the Banshees a punk band from the seventies covered the song but I feel in a different way. The main tempo for both songs is upbeat and medium to fast time. The both are using the symbol as a main source of keeping the beat. The Beatles version uses the electric guitar in the beginning to set the time. Whereas in the Banshees cover the beginning is slow, unpredictable then it goes into a punk, thrash, groovy time signature.
The instrumentation for both is similar. They both use the simple band instruments: guitar, base, drums, and vocals. Where they differ is how they use them. The Beatles guitar and the guitar in The Banshees are using different pedals and effects. In addition, the vocals are somewhat the same, both using layers and harmonies of vocals. This is almost adding a gestalt effect adding to the overall sound and making us excited while listening to the song.
            The organization and the emotional architecture are what I feel differ the most. In The Beatles version, they start the song and it goes right into the beat, electric guitar leading from the start. In The Banshees version, it is more slow and unpredictable in the beginning then it goes into the punk rock beat, which is steadier. Like any punk music, songs normally end quickly not fading out. The Beatles use the highs and lows in the end to fade the song in and out and in and out. Whereas the Banshees do this in the beginning. The Banshees also end the song with a bang. They both have similar interior structure, it is mostly high beat and high emotion through out the middle of the songs.
            I like both versions I feel if I had to choose it would be the Siouxsie and the Banshees version. I like that the song ends in with a bang, I also like that you don’t really know what is going on in the beginning. I just like the way that Siouxsie and the Banshees choose to cover an extremely successful bands song.