The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker is a political narrative on the social and psychological effects of long term war and specifically, a bomb expert. Sergent William James is somewhat of a social mess and does not follow the proper code and conduct of a normal expert and this film acutely portrays major consequences of his actions.

This film was directed by Kathryn Bigelow and depicts the current occupation of american troops in the middle East. It went on to win 6 oscars. It was released in 2008 when most americans stated to lose or already lost their support for Middle eastern occupation. It shows what a soldier has to go through as well how they will the great amount of stress and danger they deal with. Most of the soldiers, especially James, react to the stress by further inflicting self harm through violence and alcoholism. Soldiers also seem to have lower morals and attitudes after staying in Iraq.


The film takes place in modern war torn Iraq and its dry deserts, and damaged cities. There is little vegitation and a large amount of dust in they air. The setting adds another dimension to lives of the soldiers. They are constantly sweating in the blazing sun as well as being covered in dirt and possible blood. At the same, James is in al large bomb suit most of the time to add to the discomfort. The setting a nd location add to the discomfort the audience feels for the characters. The actual visual style and look of the town is truely athentic because it was mostly filmed on location in the country of Jordan. The towns desserts are actual deserts that real soldiers fight in and what they experience and see. The real location adds a realistic and almost documentary style setting.

The hurt locker focuses on largely on natural light as well as hand held camera work. There are multiple shots within the movie that very shaky as well as constantly zooming in and out mid-shot. It almost seems as if a documentary is being filmed there and just filing on the fly. even non-exciting scenes with simple dialogue featue a lot of camera movement. The lighting is also very natural from the bright set. The harsh sun creates a very dry look by washing out everything within the scene. Everything is a sand beige color and it really sucks the life out of the scenes. The scene s all seem lifeless and hopeless to parallel the feelings and emotions of the characters.

The changing of speed through out the film help us see things we wouldn't normally see in standard motion. They emphasizes certain actions and effects. specifically in the explosions. The use of slow motion help shoe just how powerful it is and the damage it does. The audience can accurately see the damage the bombs have on the environment as well how it could kill the soldiers. Parallel action is used within the same scene to add tension and show multiple perspectives of the same action. Visual metaphor can also be seen at the end of the film with the kite. The kite seems to represent innocence and peace, but it is actually flying above the city and James to show how far away it is from their reality.

Single sounds are isolated at certain points to emphasize their impact. For instance, when the car is getting crushed and the dirt is coming of the ground. Both of those single sounds are islotaed so the audience can actually see the real effects of such a large explosion. it also adds a kind of surrealness just because it is a view we could never been able to see in our normal lives.

Sergent James is not the ideal image of an American soldier. When American civilians think about soldiers, they picture a proud disciplined individual. But James is full of all kinds of problems. He doesn't follow any of the military's rules and often takes things into his own hands even if it could put others in danger. He needs to feel the rush of danger in order to be happy with his life. He will disobey and take matters into is own hands which leads to a injured friend and the harassment of an elderly man.
He also is so used to military life that he can't properly function in normal civilian life. Ironically, he finds some of the most simpliest tasks, like finding cereal, almost impossible.

The Hurt locker is essentially a war film, but takes its focus on the soldiers of war instead of the actual war. It shows the effects of war on the characters themselves. There are action scenes and gunfights, but they are seen on a more personal level instead of the war as the whole. It is showing how the war effects the individual instead of the society.

Hurt Locker is a film that puts a negative view on the effects of war. War changes a person psychologically and socially, but it can also be a drug for them and become addicted to it.

Pre production


Aim: To show the struggles of being a runner, injuries, and daily training.

Contact: Aaron Jones (Aka: super runner) Is going to state to compete after making it through CCS.

Interview questions: How has running shaped your lifestyle and your experiences as an individual?
What have you accomplished as a runner, that you are proud of.?
What experiences have made you desire to go into cross country? Family lineage perhaps?
How do you prepare for a race?
What do you clear in your mind or what do you do mentally to prepare for the race?
When you run how do you feel, does it relieve stress, what do you feel?
This is the last race of your senior year how do you feel?

General flow:

The beginning we will build Aaron’s character as being a relaxed individual, sort of the average joe, yet when it comes to running he does things that make him unique. Show the change in persona of Aaron on race day. Also show the injury that he has been coping with and the precautions that he has to deal with. Then we will show him after the race and show his emotions and how he feels he did?

Shot list:

Close ups of Aaron along with background to show his environment . I will get shots of him training for the race practicing. Photos from the year’s cross country program along with times. B-roll of running will be used. use voice over the piece. on pictures.

script:

Basically the entire piece will Aaron talking and the only text will be used to establish context on Aaron , like general things like his age and location (San Bruno) . Also where the race will be held.
Opening: motion opener, Establishing Aaron as the main focus of our topic and the central theme of our film as documenting Aaron’s life as a runner.

Closing:

Will finish with Aaron’s final words on how he felt he did this year and his opinion on that race being his last, or just the beginning.

Baraka Review

Baraka (1992) is not a very conventional movie. It lacks what most people would consider the most important for the criteria of a movie. There is no plot lone, characters, dialogue or even a main setting. It only contains shots in its simplest form from all over the world. Having said that, this movie definitely has a purpose and a point. It shows human and natural life from all points of view. The movie takes you from some of the deepest jungles with the Australian Aborigines to the busiest streets in New York to sacred temples in Jerusalem. It doesn't explain directly what all these cultures are like or directly give an opinion on any of them but allows the viewer to experience first hand as if they were really there. Baraka in Islam translates to breath. This film tries to give the audience the idea that all beings on earth are related in someway and all contribute to the life of the Earth. We all allow the earth to breath. The audience can make see the similarities between different people by the cuts made from person to person. At points they would show things that culture share like body art or rituals such as dancing or singing.

The music also allows a connection to all the different kinds of music that can be found around the world. It helps add to the a more realistic feel to what that are is like as well as help transition into new scenes. There would often be a large explosion or noise that would hit as soon as a cut hits to teleport us to a new place. It also can be used to give the world a lively feel as if itself was breathing.

It also forces the audience to feel the somewhat small in the bigger picture that is the earth. The individual seems pointless and so minuscule when compared to some of the natural phenomenon expressed within the film and how old and large the earth really is. But collectively as human beings we all add to the lively hood of the planet.

Hungry Love Cretique

Rationale:

Hungry love was inspired by the 2001 French film "Amelie" and its themes of love and and magical realism. We wanted to make a film that focused on these pure kind of ideas but use them in a kind of childish and selfish kind of way to add little more light harted humor to it. The protagonists takes advantage of these ideas and uses them to his advantage to get what he wants, but the use of comedy makes it impossible to hate the protagonist for what he does.

Critique:


In Hungry Love, my role in the the making and design of the film was to be the actor. I was the main protagonist and the character that the ausience was supposed to connect with and identify with. The Character was supposed to be sly and witty and smart enough to use people emotions to his advantages. He was also was supposed to be somewhat of a ladiesman (being able woe the ladies into falling in love with them and taking advantage of them). Althought the audience could clearly see that he is just a user, he is supposed to be likable and the audience is supposed to be on his side. In the Shot above, the girl is obviosly smitten, but his indifferant look shows that he isnt really trying all that hard, if he even is at all. Characterization was a major part of our story because the entire plot line was about the chemistry between them two. It was really important as the actor to get the audience to understand the kind of charcter i was playing.

The hardest and definetly most challenging part of making the film was maintaining continuity from shot to shot. With the large amount of close ups and very little wide shots, if my body movements or actions altered from shot to shot , it was very appartent. Some times during filming i would have to switch hads with props like the guitar or cards, and we would have to reshoot because they did not match in the edit. The props would jump from hand to hand or side to side with no explanation. This would create problems for the cast and crew because we would have to go back and film on extra days that would not have been ncessary if we got it right the first time. But the biggest problem that was totally out of our control was lighting because all of it was natural light from the day. We mostly filmed around the after noon which usually has some of the best light but the problem lied in that we filmed over severla days around the same time. The lighting was never exactly the same and it was apparent in the filming. All the shots are not equally saturated or lighted. Some are more washed out while some look very good and bright. Unfortuently, the outside wheather is not under our controll. Rain also delayed our schedule and made it impossible to shoot sometimes.

Magical Realism was the most important theme we where tring to relate to. We used the progaonist "magical romance" to bring in props that we could not bring in usually in a more realistic film. Props like the guitar, cards, and paper pad all appear at the protagonists whim. The score also was a very important part of the film. We used a very french accordion piece that was somewhat of an allusion to the Amelie and its themes of Magical Realism. The music takes over the audio track for the film which gives it a more silent movie type feel. It also allows the actors to act out there emotions through body language instaed any kind of dialogue.

"Amelie" also focused on simple and innocent love and characters. Amelie took her joys from simple everyday life. We tried to incorporate those ideas through the location and intenet of the characters. The protagonist want something that people everyday(food) by using something that people don't find everday (love). We also tried to portray the girl as being very innocent by her posture and modest clothes and reserveness when first coming in contact with the boy. Likewise. the pose posture is somewhat laid back and uncaring and obviously trying to get into a "cool" character.

In terms of cinematography, there was manly one location and there main perspectives (His view, Her view, and a 2-shot. Most of the film uses 1 of these 3 perspectives, especially near the last scene with the cards. The camera keeps reversing shots to keep what is on the card a secret from the audience. The constant switching adds a good amount of suspense and makes the final reveal much grander.

Overall i feel like the film strongly related to the themes that we studied in romantic comedy such as Amelie. We included very french stle music and the location seemed somewhat romantic as well. My favorite part was the large heart ending which really seemed almost cartoon while keeping the themes of love.

Magical Realism Treatment

A bored student lazily listening as his boring teachers lectures about some obscure subject. He isnt really listen and seems to be getting lost in his daydream.

He looks at the teacher and only notices that he has the book Don Quiote in his hand. He looks back out the window to see a bully picking on a little freshman.

The Freshman gets pushed and shoved and is obviously shivering from fear. The Freshman is slowly stepping backward. He almost seems too scared to just run away. The Bully knocks the freshmans book out of his hands, grabs him viliently by the collor, and tosses him into the near by garbage. The two instantly become friends and walk away together to plan their revenge

the student back at his desks stares at this in disbeleif. He sees this and brings it into hi daydream

In his daydream, the situation is playing over again in his head, but this time he sees himself comeing to the rescue, running in front of the of the, fully suped up in a cape ans mask. He beats up the bully and the bully runs home crying for his mommy.

The bell rings, and he is snapped out of his dream. He heads outside and helps the freshman out the garbage. They introduce themselves and walking together to plan their revenge

The Bully walkning down the hallway, pushing and forcing his way past anyone that gets in his way. he passes by a bush, unknowing that behind it are the new enemies he had made. The bully is angerily walking alone. The two behind the bush jump out and attack with spitballs. The bully is hit in the back of the head, turns around to see nobody behind him. The bully shakes it off and continues walking. The Bully is attacked again, turns to see nothing, but is obviously annoyed. He is attacked, and this time he screams from anger. the two are seen behind the bush laughing quietly to themselves.

The Bully walks into his home, tired from the long walk home. He take off his backpack an jacket. The two are hinding in obvios places around the house , but the bully does not notice.

the bully walks into his room and lays down, turning off the light before laying down. The room is complete darkness. Some rustling around the room is heard. He turns the light back on to see two masked men with bats and sports gear on. they proceed to beat him up with wuffle ball bats. Once the beating has ended, They force the bully to promise to never bully again. The bully promises, and they continue to beat him. once its over they run out of the house with joy from what they had done.

Amelie

The Director uses speed of the film to help reinforce the theme of magical realism. The speed of this bike seen -is used to represent the emotion the characters feelings. It represents the "rush" of ther love and how they feel like it is whizzing by them.

Amelie's house and bedroom very much reflect her personality and character. The room is full of red and orange shades. This color combo strongly represents her loving emotion at the time. Her home is very much a visual representation of who she is as a person and what she is feeling.

The Director seems to heavely use flashbacks with the voice of a narrator. It allows us to see what we could not normally see if it were just a first person narrative. The audience becomes informed on what all these toys and posseions mean to his childhood. The audience gets to understand what he is feeling and why he is feeling it.

Both of these shots involve the world around to seeming to be alive and knowledgeable about Amelie's life and character. The fact that a teddy bear becomes unveiled in the sky really reinforces her childish and innocent personality. Amelie's paintings also come alive and talk to each other about her life. They seem to be an extension of Amelie's imagination and also help tell the story from a more omnipresent view to help explain what she is feeling to the audience.

Dramatic Moment

The main character is prankster that feels the need to contantly parnk everyone and is always looking for new victims. He is never satisfied and continues to prank everyone. He will not be fufiled until he gets everyone he possible can. His dramatic moment can be when he finlla y does a prank that actually hurt someone or gets into serious trouble. He will probbaly deny that he has actually caused any trouble or harm, but will eventually learn what he has done. He has to learn to cope with it and find a way to fix what he has done. All his action, he learns, have consequences. We need to make sure that the charcater is someone annoying and care free and it is beleivable that he doesnt care about anyone else.

Plot that Kill

MY KIND OF GUY from SF Film Workshop on Vimeo.

This short film i beleive can be seen as a punitive plot. The character has done wrong to all these women and when he is finally called on it and women start to challenge him, he just blows it off The main character has all these influences from the women that are calling him and looking for him, but he doesnt really care about them. He continues on with what he is doing with out picking up their calls and completely ignoring them. the main guy's character is definetly defined as from the actions and words of the characters around him. He actually never does or say anything that makes you dislike him, but you can by the people around him the kind of person he is.

A possible story pertaining to this same stle or genere could be about a prankster that finally takes a prank too far. The prankster does a prank so bad that he physically and mentally hurt some one beyond repair. He has to face the fact that his actions have consequences, and he has a find a way to make things right.

Treatment

Log Line: A naive prankster pulls a prank that will change how he sees about causing mischief.

Two friends walking down the hall casually talking to each other. They are discussing normally as they would everyday. The topic of this annoying prankster comes up. They both talk about how much havoc he has been causing around the school. As they walk a rope layed out on the ground where they are about to cross. As they walk on to it it pulls tight. Both of them trip on it and fall on the ground. The prankster that they were talking about reveals himself and that he was the one that triped them. He laughs at them hysterically and annoyingly, and runs a way from the scene. The two friends stand up, being very annoyed, and brush them selves off. they agree to just let him go and that he not worth it. They leave toward their class.

Later in the day, the first friend is seen going to the bathroom by him self. He enters the bathroom and goes into one of the stalls, not knowing that the prankster is hiding in the stall next to him. As the he is going to the bathroom, the prankster pulls out two cans of silly string and starts to shake them. He hears the shaking noise but is not sure what it is. As he looks up he sees the prankster with the cans and the silly string coming at him. Both cans are completely unloaded on him. The prankster runs out the bathroom laughing hysterically. He goes to chase him, covered in silly string just to find out that he has been locked into the bathroom.

The second boy is seen walking into the locker after PE. He heads to his locker and takes off his gym clothes that he places behind him. Right before he is about to open the locker, his phone in his gym pocket rings. He answers it. As he turns back to his locker, the prankster steals away his clothes. On the phone, is his friend warning him about the prankster. At the same time he opens his locker,and he sees that all his stuff is gone. he turns back for his gym clothes and they are gone to. At this point the prankster reveals himself with his stuff and a bottle filled with a yellow liquid. The prankster slowly opens the bottle and pours it on the clothes and then the boy himself. The prankster runs out and he pursues him but he is already gone. Outside, he runs into his friend that is still covered in silly string. they both agree that something must be done.

Both boys are seen in a dark room with a large paper in front of them. They are working on their plan but what they are doing is completely unintelligible and inaudible.

The prankster is seen in his home in the morning sleeping in his bed. He wakes up like it is any other day. he walks into the hallway and slips on a skate board, falling to the ground. Once he realizes what happens, he wonders who's skateboard it is. He walks to his closet to realize that all his clothes are are gone. there is a letter in the closet telling him to look outside. He heads toward the backyard. he sees that all his clothes is in the yard. he goes to investigate and there is a letter on the ground. he bends over to read it. It says "GOTCHYA!". Unknowingly the two boys sneak up behind him and give him the biggest wedgie ever. The prankster lays on the ground in pain as the two boys slowly walk out of the yard.

Going Beyond the Still Image

These shots are taken from the short film "Job Security". It is a film to use the new tecnology of HDDSLR Cameras. These shots taken from the film help the barrative in terms of Characterization, Conflict, and the resolution. The shot of the 2 security guards really shows the differences between them and their characters and attitudes in the story. The older veteran security guard really doesnt care about is job and takes no interest into what is happening around him. The younger new guard is obviosly more serious and worried about what is going. This sets a strong contrats and forshadows by showing the old guards careless which could get him into danger. Most of these shots include the young guard in dark desolite places. This shows that he is specifically fighting the unknown. he is not sure what is in the box or why someone would steal it, but he is still brave enough to get it back from the theif. Like i stated before, the film is full of darkness, and is easily seen in most of these shots. It adss the sense of mystery to the story. It also reflects that the audience never is shown what happens to the guard. There is a large use of mystery and darkness in the resolution and as a film as a whole.

Reverie and the DSLR Revolution

These 3 screen shots are taken from the short film called "Reverie". This film is using a a new technology in camera called a DSLR camera (Digital Single Lens Reflex). This camera has the ability to take shots in very low light without creating any kind of fuzz or grainyness. All three of these shots are at night with mostly just the natural light of city. This creates a large contrast within the shots. All areas of the shot where light is coming from is very bright while the darks are very dark. It results in making background and longshots very detailed. In the shot with the women, she still keeps her focus and clarity while keeping the detail and contrast of the backround. It also seems like it causes the midground to disappear. In all these shots everything is in the foreground or background and in full focus. This is showing off DSLRs ability to focus on multiple objects. Most of these screenshots also take on a photo or painting type quality to their composition.

Italian Neo-Realism

Italian Neo Realism films were created for short period of time after WWII. These movies were a strong contrast from the "essentially American" style they were present and promoted during the rule of Mussolini. Neo realistic movies strongly contrasted these in both the process of making the movie and their ideology. Neo movies mainly focus on the working class and their role in society. They support the theme of "individual vs. the society". They also go against the ruling regime and represent the "resistance" and their anti-fascist beliefs. Directors were often urged to "go into the streets, into the barracks, into the train stations" to spread their ideologies and create a new era of Italian movies. Their aim was "not to record the social problems but to express them in an entirely new way". Neo movies used new techniques that were not as glamorous as earlier movies. They relied heavily on non-professional as well as on location filming. Film makers also used the natural lighting that they were supplied and stayed away from the man made studios. These techniques were used to create a realistic feel and that kind of documentary styling. Rome: Open City was one of these films to accurately express anti-Fascist ideas. It accurately expressed the cruelty that man had to face and inhumanity in the world. Bicycle thief also connects with middle class ideas and how Ricci has to fight against the power of his society. Support for the creation for of these movies mostly came film journals like Cinema and Bianca e Nero. Writers like Alberto Moravia and Italo Calvino began to compare these new kind of movies to realistic writing.

Solitude Trailer

These are 3 screenshots taken from the trailer for a movie called solitude. This first shot above i felt like it had a very lonly and dark feel. I think this has lot to do with the lack of objects in the frame and only the girl. She is alone in a very empty area. The Solid cement wall and dirt ground also help give that desolite, unwelcoming feel. There i also a large amount of darkess all through out the frame. this adds a kind of mystery or unknowing to what is really going on around her.

The second frame was a very good use of a reveal. I actually did not realize the man taped to the wall until she turned that way. I felt like it also contines with using a large amount of darkness and danger. I also like that the shot was taken as a close-up. It really shows how the character is scared and the shows why she is scared. It really is able to show the effect on the character.

The last shot i felt like had a really good actor. You can really see the horror in his face. Him being dragged into the mysterious darkess is a great way to show the danger but hide what what is causing it. The audience doesnt know what is going but knows that it is harming the characters. I also felt like the low lighting and how it only covers the side of his face continues on with the theme of darkness.

Edit Demo Critique

I felt like our parallel action video did a better job at explaining our concept more than the Match Action cut Video. The Parallel action had the most story and also included the idea of how parralel action helps create suspense and the idea that my character could possible catch Anthony in the act of messing around. It really shows how this method is commonly used. I felt like our second movie could have had a little more story. I think it was a little confusing on what was really going on with iso many shots in sucha short period of time

I felt lke our actors did a pretty decent job in getting across the emotion and feelings that are commonly accosiated with parrallel action. Anthony's character does a good job of showing the sense of danger and jitteryness that he should get because there is a possibility of him being caught. The fast cutting as i got closer to the room helps increase this effect. In terms of parrallel action , it is evident that the two characters are in separte areas. I felt like the second video could have used a wide establishing shot. Looking at over again i feel like it was missing that and in result caused the scene to be a little confusing. But i did think the shot of me grabbing the coffee from a side view was really interesting because it is a view that is not commomly seen.

I think the hardest challege was making the movies short enough to have some kind of story, but still keeping it short. I had to cut a lot out of my first video but still had to have it make sense and demonstate the use of parrallel action. I think we needed a good set up to create suspence and that is why it ended up being so much footage. The second one felt like it was a little to direct and only showed the concept. I felt like it could have been longer and should have made the cuts a little longer so people could actually see them.

Behind the scenes of Avatar

James Cameron's Avatar has recently been a box office success reaching over $1 billion. Some beleive that the story challenges us to "Be all that you can be" while some beleive it just a recycled story or could possible even be racist. I beleive this movie should be condoned for its art direction and visuals rather than its story. The story line is something that has been used over and over again and is reminesant of Pocaohontas. I beleive this is so because of the fact that movie cost so much to make and they wanted to make a plot that could please everyone. The story needed to be able make make $400 million to make and still make a profit. A more edgy or contraversial plot might not have been able to do that. Although it did reflect the ideas of american imperialsm and american violence, it was anything new to film.
But the visuals and technology used is where the movie is truley revolutionary. This is the very first movie to use such a high level of technology and adavances in film. The cinemotographers were able to take a live mocap performance from the actor. All the movements made by the actors were represented exactly on to the avatar character. Everything from body movements to facial expressions were accuretly captured. The film makers were able to actually capture the performance and not just the voices like most other animated movies. The visuals and technology used were able to bring in such a large profit and make this movie so succesful.