Scene Deconstruction Part 2

In this clip there are two important topics that help reinforce the theme that good always triumphs over evil, lines and space. Lines are particularly useful because we can almost distinguish what is good and bad by lines. Straight lines generally represent good people or memories. For example, when Harry’s friends walk into the scene they are upright and straight. At the end of the clip when Voldemort leaves Harry’s body, Harry is left in a straight line position which reiterates straight lines are good. Most of the evil sections of this clip are curvilinear, for example Harry lifts his body up into a snake formation during the battle versus evil. Straight and curvilinear lines help show tension and release because tension rises when evil clips appear because we don’t know if Harry will overcome evil temptations. Tension releases when we are reassured Harry will stay morally straight until the end of time.

Space remains fairly flat in the clip because we need to focus on the primary movement in the scenes. The background may change color or texture but it is meant to be a backdrop to compliment the main action in the scene. There may be a few seconds of deep or limited space in flashbacks, but to keep attention focused on the overall message, the background is simplistic. Space is complimented with contrast and affinity. There are some snippets that largely contrast colors in foreground and background, whereas some snippets display affinity between foreground and background. There are many more important factors that bring this clip to life, but lines and space really differentiate motifs of good and evil. 

Scene Deconstruction

This scene comes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, as if you can’t tell already I have an obsession with Harry Potter. The theme of the movie and the scene is that good always triumphs over evil, and I think this is exemplified in a didactic manner. Harry starts out struggling and seeing dark images of dark times in his life. But then he knows that all the happy moments and people that love him can help him through anything. It shows a struggle of good vs. evil, but in the end good wins because nothing beats the power of love. 

Animation Deconstruction

The two pictures I am comparing and contrasting come from Monster’s Inc. and Finding Nemo. First I will explain how these two images are different. Picture 1 shows the use of complimentary colors between the good and bad characters. Mike Wazowski (the green character) and the right side of the picture have more saturation to symbolize good, or an absence of evil. Since mike is a brighter color he appears to advance. The mood of this picture is fairly dark due to the background, rusting metal, and the only light is on the character for interrogation. Cooler colors were used to evoke emotion.

In picture two there are a plethora of colors but the most prominent tones are warmer colors. Opposite of picture 1, picture two uses warm colors to create a look of tension, suspense, and darkness. Our eyes are drawn to the top of the volcano because it is a bright color and a heavily saturated yellow. We also see bubbles coming out of the volcano that advance toward us because of the saturation. The eyes of the fish are points of interest because they are brighter juxtaposed to their surroundings.

These pictures are alike in that they create a similar mood and feeling, but they used different colors in doing so. Both pictures utilized shadow to emphasize a character. Picture 1 has a shadow on Mike to show that Randall (the lizard) is dominant in this interaction. Mike is looking up at Randall empowering his stature. In picture 2, shadow is used as a sense of mystery because it is lighting up half of the fish’s faces. It seems like a horror story because the shadows are causing the characters to have dominance because they can see all of us, but we can’t see all of them. We are also looking up at the fish, signifying that they are being emphasized due to the low horizon line.

These two movies are great examples that you can create a sense of fear using different hues, although both utilized shadow and horizon lines to emphasize characters. The creators used bright colors and saturation to make certain parts of the picture catch our eye and we have to pay special attention to those spots. 

Story board imitation part 2

There were many innovative shots taken in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The 180 degree rule, the rule of thirds, and the 30 rule (either 30% or 30 degrees) were used. In the following paragraphs I will demonstrate how these rules were applied.

The director utilized the 180 degree rule multiple times in these 5 shots. From shot 2 to 3 the 180 degree line was crossed because Ron moves, enabling a new 180 degree line. The 180 degree line was also broken from shot 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 because new characters were introduced to the scene.

The rule of thirds was used quite often. In shot 1, the most important element is the stopped train. In shot 2, Ron’s hand falls under the rule of thirds, but then drifts to the middle of the shot. In shot 3 the glass bottle and Ron’s hand fall into the vertical and horizontal intersections. In shot 4 and 5 the rule of thirds is not utilized because the characters are in the middle of the screen.

The rule of 30 was used multiple times. In shot 1, the camera moved from a wide shot of the train to a medium shot of Ron in Shot 2. Shot 2 goes from a medium shot of Ron to a close-up of Ron. The rule of 30 was only used twice because the 180 degree rule was used for the rest of the shots.

I think the directing talent in the Harry Potter movies is phenomenal. The director knows how to push boundaries of filmmaking and keep the audience interested and on edge throughout the whole movie. The director followed the 180 degree rule, rule of thirds, and the 30 rule (30% rule). The director did not use the 30 rule of 30 degrees. This may be used later in the movie clip but since the 180 degree line kept changing, we did not use the 30 degree rule. 

Story Board Imitation

Song Deconstruction (Part 2)

The song Forever originally sung by Chris Brown was remade by American Idol contestant Andrew Garcia. These two songs are arranged very differently and appeal to different audiences. Chris Brown’s version was created in a studio and contains many machine made sounds and effects. Andrew Garcia’s version was acoustic and he performed live without the help of sound effects.

   

Both songs generally use the same lyrics. Andrew Garcia’s song is shorter in length; therefore he had to cut out a few verses of the song. In the end, he shortens a chorus and the finale, and then adds them together. The melodies of the two songs are nearly identical because the melody is the vocal aspect of these songs.

Chris Brown’s version has a fairly fast tempo (allegro) and could be described as having hip-hop, poppy, or dance personality to it. There are a large amount of instruments/ effects in this song. The most prominent sounds were base beats, popping beats, keyboard, synthesized sounds, background vocals, and main vocals. The song organization is as follows: Intro, verse 1, bridge, chorus, verse 2, chorus, verse 3, chorus, and finale. There are wide ranges of high and low pitches. The timbre is complex due to the large amount of sounds and effects overlapping throughout the song. 

Andrew Garcia’s version has a slightly slower tempo (moderato). Most of the prominent sounds come from a guitar, bongo drums, and vocal. There are some background instruments playing, but they are very subtle. The personality of this song is rather soft, hypnotic, and relaxing. This is almost the exact opposite of the original song. The organization is as follows: Intro, verse 1, bridge, chorus, verse 2, chorus/finale. This song remains rather consistent until the verse 2 breakdown. There were many low pitches, but the only high pitch I noticed were violins in the background. The intensity of the song was low because it is a soft song; the timbre was fairly simple as well.  

I enjoy Andrew Garcia’s version of Forever more than Chris Brown’s version. The acoustic version seems more real and meaningful. Andrew only had one chance to get this song right on stage and he nailed it, whereas Chris Brown could keep working until his voice sounded right.  I may be a little biased because I have a weakness for live performances, especially ones involving acoustic guitar. 

Song Deconstruction

Chris Brown- Forever

Andrew Garcia- Forever (Cover)