With last week and this weeks lecture’s on composition I thought Id take chance to study the composition of one of my proposed cinematographer’s to take stylistic influence from; John Alcott.
In collaboration with director Stanley Kubrick, Alcott’s composition of images in the films he has worked on have a common trend.
One trend is that of symmetric image’s. Often featuring shots down the length of tall with the use parallel walls in the frame.
This is, exampled below can be seen throughout Alcott’s film as cinematographer, notably in the Shining with the image framed as said throughout the various corridor scenes in the Overlook Hotel, as well as 2001: A Space Odyssey where it is used in various forms, from the symmetrical alignment of planets as well as to depict the monolith from a low angle’s looking upwards on its imposing presence.
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Proposal
For my cinematography assignment I wish to emulate the cinematography of Christopher Doyle. He is most notably known for films including “In the Mood for Love” (2000), “Happy Together” (1997) and “Chungking Express” (1995) all films directed by Wong Kar Wai, however the film I wish to replicate the most visually will be Wong Kar Wai’s 1995 release “Fallen Angels”.
The cinematography in the following link (seen in a lecture in Film Tech 1); is seen throughout the rest of the film, and is the style I want to achieve in my assignment.
The camera is very loose and often canted at an angle. It is also positioned very close to the subject. It is focused on the foreground whilst capturing also capturing what may be happening in the background in focus; using a large depth of field to achieve this.
As well as Christopher Doyle I also wish to use elements seen in the cinematography of John Alcott. Alcott’s most well known as Stanley Kubrick’s cinematographer; working in collaboration on films such as “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), “A Clockwork Orange” (1975), and “The Shining” (1980).
Unlike Christopher Doyle, Alcott’s composition is very much stuck to the tripod, filming across the length of parallels. Though in terms of lighting both cinematographers use very diffused bright white light in there films, the colours can often appear very pale; Alcott preferred lighting that appeared natural and which did not draw attention to itself; this is another feature I wish to include in my work unless using colours and positioning of light which is meaningful to its presence; seen in Doyle’s cinematography.
The cinematography in the following link (seen in a lecture in Film Tech 1); is seen throughout the rest of the film, and is the style I want to achieve in my assignment.
The camera is very loose and often canted at an angle. It is also positioned very close to the subject. It is focused on the foreground whilst capturing also capturing what may be happening in the background in focus; using a large depth of field to achieve this.
As well as Christopher Doyle I also wish to use elements seen in the cinematography of John Alcott. Alcott’s most well known as Stanley Kubrick’s cinematographer; working in collaboration on films such as “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), “A Clockwork Orange” (1975), and “The Shining” (1980).
Unlike Christopher Doyle, Alcott’s composition is very much stuck to the tripod, filming across the length of parallels. Though in terms of lighting both cinematographers use very diffused bright white light in there films, the colours can often appear very pale; Alcott preferred lighting that appeared natural and which did not draw attention to itself; this is another feature I wish to include in my work unless using colours and positioning of light which is meaningful to its presence; seen in Doyle’s cinematography.
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Super 8
I came across this video the other day through a friend. Its Super 8 family footage dated from 1969 which has been telecined using a Canon HV20.
Ive worked with Super 8 before and personally love it. The colours are ever so saturated with such vibrancy which aesthetically makes it so pleasing to the eye.
I also love the fact that so many Super 8 films are shot hand held which gives off this informality; often depicting, like in this example happy family day's out which works really well with the warmth of the colours you get with super 8.
Even the jerky manner of the frame's going through the projector add to the innocence of it all, which all adds to the nostalgia.
It interests me that footage like this only depicts happiness, I dont think Ive ever seen a Super 8 film which has contained dark themes and this is something I will look into. Could the mold be broken, and if so would the juxtaposition of bright saturated colours work with more darker themes.
The Beginning
So, this will be my online blog for cinematography technology. It will be a log of the thoughts and processes that will be of relevance to my assignment which is to create a three to twenty minute film.
The research I will undertake will look and study existing artifacts and practices I come across in the pre-production planning stages of the assignment; in which I will take ideas, skills and techniques from to help me.
My intention will be to make it a sort of time line that will evolve into my finished film in where all of the posts I have made will be relevant to my film in some sort of way, even if in the smallest of ways.
The blog will also be a source for any test footage I will film in preparation as well as practice for the final piece.
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