Week 2, Part 2 Genius of Moving Image
Q.1 What is the role of the cinematographer in film making?
The cinematographer is the director of the lighting and the camera,
having control over the technical decisions related to the overall image
generating the aesthetic of the film.
Cinematographers work in co-ordination with directors, creating the allusive
images that appear to be somewhat of realism to the audience, as they
are in control of the visual presentation of the film, creating the atmosphere
and emotion through lighting, so that this coincides with the directors
decisions upon performance. Having the ability of being in control of the camera
the cinematographer also is in control of what the viewer sees,
and how their subconscious mind will relate to the realism of the film.
Q.2 Why did director Roman Polanski insist on using hand held camera in the film
Chinatown?
Polanski enjoyed the idea of intimacy and spontaneity with this approach to
filming, it allowed off the cuff responses from the actors. This technique also
created a voyeur perspective, creating different angles, and shot which could
not be achieved using most methods. It gives a first hand account experience
and furthermore, with the close proximity of the camera to the actor it
emphasises the intimacy and intensity of the filming.
Q.3 Name two films which use colour in a very symbolic way, and describe what they
suggest?
Pan's Labyrinth - Guillermo Navarro often uses blues and yellows within
his work as a cinematographer to generate atmosphere and emotion.
The blue shows isolation, and a certain coldness to the film, during
encounters within the Labyrinth. The Blue is also used to depict the time
of day, and create a visual mystery due to dark situations making them
difficult to depict. The use of yellow within this film shows a certain warmth,
and the idea of hope, as well as creating an authentic appearance to suit
the period of time the film is based around, giving it almost a rustic effect.
The deep red/oranges are used as signs of endangerment, or are used to intensify
the idea of gore situated within the imagery complimentary to the blue filter.
Schindler's List - Within Schindler's List there are 4 areas within this black and white
film where colour has been used selectively as a representation of events.
The over all aesthetic of the film, and the use of black and white is to produce an
aged feel, to relate to the time relation of the films setting, making it more
of an authenticated feel.
The first area of colour used within the film and as the opening scene,
is during the celebration of Sabbath, where the Jewish have lit candles. The flame
represents as the Jewish faith, and as the film fades into black and white the flame
burns out, thus showing the extinguishing of this faith with the commencement
of the Shoah.
The second colour scene, is the igniting of this flame that had previously burnt
out. Schindler's Jews are allowed to celebrate the sabbath within the factory, as
humans ashes fall from the sky, the colour of the flame represents the flames of
death apposed to that of life. The colour in this scene is significant because
it highlights and illuminates the continuation of life, despite all of the tragedies
of the Holocaust, this colour represents that of hope for Schindler's Jews, relighting
the flame as hope.
The third scene, shows a girl wearing a red coat trying to escape and hide
during an evacuation as Schindler watches her from a distance. Later, Schindler
finds the girl dead before she is to be burned, seeing the red coat once again. The
colour of this scene symbolises the significance of this one Jew as an individual
rather than collectively. The coat is a symbolism of purity, and also it symbolises
death as though the young girl was prepared by wearing death shrouds.
Finally, the fourth colour scene, it could be inferred that there is light at the end
of the tunnel, and that there is potential for a happy ending. The colour also
represents faith, just as the Jewish candle did during the first 2 colour scenes,
bringing a sense of warmth that this is the end of the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Q.4 In the film Raging Bull why was the fight scene filmed at different speeds?
There was alteration between 24 fps and 48 fps throughout each individual fight,
this variation between frames per seconds was influenced by Life Magazine,
which was mostly still life and flash photo style. The pace of the action captivates
the audiences attention and emotion through a particular stylisation of alteration
of frames, increasing the dramatics and the idea of the movements, increasing
of speed and once again slowing down when reaching the 'over crank's'
ring side shots.
Q.5 Who is the cinematographer for the film Apocalypse Now, and what is his philosophy?
The beliefs of the Cinematographer Vittorio Storara is that his line of work is
an art community, apposed to being a single art form much like painting,
and writing, which is that of the medium of photography.
The ideology of working with the director as a leader, is only to be described
as a "group effort" with his addition of lighting.
Schindler's List - Within Schindler's List there are 4 areas within this black and white
film where colour has been used selectively as a representation of events.
The over all aesthetic of the film, and the use of black and white is to produce an
aged feel, to relate to the time relation of the films setting, making it more
of an authenticated feel.
The first area of colour used within the film and as the opening scene,
is during the celebration of Sabbath, where the Jewish have lit candles. The flame
represents as the Jewish faith, and as the film fades into black and white the flame
burns out, thus showing the extinguishing of this faith with the commencement
of the Shoah.
The second colour scene, is the igniting of this flame that had previously burnt
out. Schindler's Jews are allowed to celebrate the sabbath within the factory, as
humans ashes fall from the sky, the colour of the flame represents the flames of
death apposed to that of life. The colour in this scene is significant because
it highlights and illuminates the continuation of life, despite all of the tragedies
of the Holocaust, this colour represents that of hope for Schindler's Jews, relighting
the flame as hope.
The third scene, shows a girl wearing a red coat trying to escape and hide
during an evacuation as Schindler watches her from a distance. Later, Schindler
finds the girl dead before she is to be burned, seeing the red coat once again. The
colour of this scene symbolises the significance of this one Jew as an individual
rather than collectively. The coat is a symbolism of purity, and also it symbolises
death as though the young girl was prepared by wearing death shrouds.
Finally, the fourth colour scene, it could be inferred that there is light at the end
of the tunnel, and that there is potential for a happy ending. The colour also
represents faith, just as the Jewish candle did during the first 2 colour scenes,
bringing a sense of warmth that this is the end of the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Q.4 In the film Raging Bull why was the fight scene filmed at different speeds?
There was alteration between 24 fps and 48 fps throughout each individual fight,
this variation between frames per seconds was influenced by Life Magazine,
which was mostly still life and flash photo style. The pace of the action captivates
the audiences attention and emotion through a particular stylisation of alteration
of frames, increasing the dramatics and the idea of the movements, increasing
of speed and once again slowing down when reaching the 'over crank's'
ring side shots.
Q.5 Who is the cinematographer for the film Apocalypse Now, and what is his philosophy?
The beliefs of the Cinematographer Vittorio Storara is that his line of work is
an art community, apposed to being a single art form much like painting,
and writing, which is that of the medium of photography.
The ideology of working with the director as a leader, is only to be described
as a "group effort" with his addition of lighting.
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