Visual Review # 8: Title Sequence

I decided to watch and analyze the title sequence from the 1981 James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only. The sequence utilizes multiple design techniques that we learned about in class last week. As the typical James Bond music begins, the scene starts out with a white circle on the screen and then another white circle appears out of the first one to the right, creating a rippling line of repetition of the white points. The rolling circles move in a line across the screen to the right, and there are only two white dots seen at one time. This visual design is playing on the ideas of point, the relationship between multiple points, and lines with repetition. This scene is leading your eyes to the right of the screen where the last dot enlarges in size and becomes the lens of a telescope or camera. Inside the circled opening is the figure of a man to the left side of the screen. This sort of back and forth movement makes you wonder what is going on beyond the sides of the screen because the person has magically walked into the scene. The man, aka James Bond 007, suddenly stops in the middle of the screen and points/shoots his gun at the viewer. This is Bond’s signature move, which is paused in action on the black and white background. After the shot is fired and the image paused, red liquid begins to fall from the top of the screen and ooze over the image. This creates interest and is a great way of displaying blood through the rising and falling technique along with an emphasis on color. Through the red color, one can still see Bond in the circled eye opening. The telescope begins trucking back and forth, and Bond disappears as the circled opening turns white.

The circle then moves to the bottom right of the screen and drags up a new image that turns into a wide shot that fills the entire screen. The whole screen is now blue and is layered in front of Bond’s silhouette. Bubbles begin to appear, showing that Bond is underwater. The names of the actors begin to emerge to the side of Bond’s silhouette in bold, white lettering. The lettering is easy to read and stands out against the dark blue background of the swirling water. Suddenly, bubbles begin to rise upward and an image of a woman shows up in front of Bond’s silhouette. Underneath her, the title of the movie, For Your Eyes Only, comes into view in all capital lettering. The camera then zooms into the image, focusing the viewer’s attention on the woman’s mouth, which is singing the words of the title. This blue image then turns into the inside of Bond’s silhouette of him shooting a gun to the left side of the screen. This image allows the viewer to now read the names of the actor’s starring in the film, while simultaneously playing a visual game. The silhouette provides a frame for the next image of a close up facial shot of the woman singing the theme song. The close up of her eyes gives the perfect visual because it ties into the main title and theme song.

As the title sequence continues, the screen is then filled up with the blue water and bubbles. Another close up shot of the woman appears to the left of the screen and Bond’s silhouette of him shooting a gun at her appears to the right. Her heartfelt look combined with music makes the viewer feel sympathetic to her relationship with Bond that seems close but at a distance. The sequence ends with Bond’s silhouette being slid out of the screen to the right. Overall, the film’s opening title sequence is appealing to the audience because it does a good job of utilizing design techniques that create visual interest and draw the audience into the film’s plot.

For more information about the 1981 James Bond For Your Eyes Only film check out this website!

Assignment: Video Scavenger Hunt

This is Derek and I’s Video Scavenger Hunt Assignment. Derek videotaped my ice skating training session this past week. All shots taken were staged, yet we tried to make it look believable. We chose to tape myself ice skating because it is an artistic sport and is visually appealing. The initial shot of me skipping into the rink was fun to tape because Derek was simultaneously driving next to me and videotaping the scene we decided to create. For this shot angle, he dollied right and captured my moment of joy (don’t try this at home kids). Another humorous take was the tilt down shot of exhaustion. I had just got done training, and we thought this would ideally depict my emotion after a tough session. Although a short shot, one of my favorites is the mid shot of my skate that is seen by its shadow.

In the golf scenes, we were at the golf course with some friends. Doorie was practicing his putting, and we decided to place the camera at a low angle right behind the hole. This was able to capture Dorrie’s composure while putting the ball. While at the golf course, another friend by the name of Kyle was at the driving range practicing his long distance shots. We thought it would be cool to get a close up of the club striking the ball, highlighting the intensity of the action. To enhance the intensity of the swing, we kept the sound of the club hitting the ball.

To end the video, we set up to scenes that evoke two completely different emotions, anger then surprise. The first scene was shot from a high angle from the third floor of the SIS building starring the famous actors of Mohammed and Abdullah. Abdullah was “working” in his office on the second floor of SIS when Mohammed walked in and gave him some upsetting financial news. Abdullah then angrily reacts to the news by throwing his papers all over and kicking Mohammed out. The final shot is an extreme close up of CoCo Becker, one of the girls I skate with. She made the perfect actress of a look of surprise because she has great facial expression that conveys believable emotion.

Luckily, we had some great shots, which allowed us to keep the original footage with little to no editing. We chose the song “Bittersweet Symphony” by the Verve because it fit well with our particular scenes. The lyrics also worked perfectly with emotions we were trying to convey in the different scenarios. Overall, we had a wonderful time creating this project!! We hope you enjoy watching it!

Visual Review #6: Rear Window

After reading the short story “It Had to Be Murder” by Cornell Woolrich, I watched the film Rear Window, which turned words into visuals thanks to the brilliant film direction of Alfred Hitchcock. Now, I am going to turn the film back into words and compare and contrast some key elements of the story, talk about different camera shots, and comment on important elements of mise en scene.

During the film, you, the audience, are seeing through the eyes of the main characters and will experience the action of the film through their perspective. This is a subjective point of view because you see the actor watching someone or a scene taking place. Then, you see what the actor is observing, and finally, you see his reaction. However, Hitchcock does let the audience take part in the film because we see something Jeff misses while he is sleeping. We see the exit of the fake Mrs. Thorwald who leaves during the wee hours of the morning for the train station.

Here are some examples of the contrasts and comparisons between the short story and the film:

• In the short story, you are missing the romance. The romance between Jeff (James Stewart) and Lisa (Grace Kelly) plays a huge part of the film. Also, Grace Kelly was a beautiful and perfect choice for the role of Lisa because her physical appearance was feminine and sophisticated. The very first time you see her in the film is in a close up, slow motion camera shot, which is normally a great entrance for a main character. The slow motion creates sensual drama as she leans in for a kiss. The close up allows you to see all the details of Kelly’s face. The lighting of the scene casts shadows that makes the image unforgettable and creates a sensual mood  which adds to the romance the short story lacked. The outfit Kelly wore for this and every other scene enhances the importance of her femininity.
• The short story only included the murder of Mrs. Emma Thorwald. However, the film had many side stories of the different neighbors. These included Miss Torso, the ballerina, who is always dancing up a storm, Miss Lonelyheart, who almost attempts suicide, the Songwriter, who finally finishes a song by the end of the film, the Newlyweds, who are always having sex, and the couple whose dog is murdered by Mr. Thorwald. All of these side scenes/stories allow the film to be possible and add humor and other emotional elements to the film. They make the story more complex, making the audience and Jeff and Lisa wonder if it is ethical to watch the private lives of others.
• In the short story, Jeff only had one supporting character by the name of Sam. Sam seemed extremely distant and really wanted nothing to do with the murder Jeff was trying to uncover. Throughout the short story, Sam just did the favors/errands Jeff told him to do and never asked questions about the craziness of each request. On the other hand, in the film, Jeff had two main supporting characters, Stella, his nurse (who can be considered Sam’s more humorous, female film character played by Thelma Ritter) and Lisa Carol Fremont, Jeff’s “oh too perfect” girlfriend. During the film, these two characters are extremely involved in the Thorwald murder that happened across the courtyard, make their own predictions about how the murder was successfully pulled of, and risk their own lives to be apart of Jeff’s investigation. The two believed Jeff’s opinion that Mrs. Thorwald was murdered by her husband and fully take part in the plot, which is nothing like the short story. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the addition of these characters because they added a much-needed emotional element of humor to such a serious and eerie story. Yet, in the short story, the audience definitely questions Jeff’s sanity because he did seem much more crazy. You felt like he had made up the entire murder story in his mind.

Here are a couple elements of Mise En Scene:

• The Setting: You can actually see every window, which resembles a mini city or dollhouse.
• The Props: In the very beginning they visually depict Jeff’s character. They zoom into a continuous shot of his broken leg and cast, a broken camera, and the cover of a magazine. This opening scene shows that Hitchcock truly understood that he was telling a story through the use of visuals.
• The Music: The film opens with jazz music, which reflects the busy streets beyond the courtyards walls. The main music of the film is the song that the Composer is struggling to find the medley and harmony for, which he ends up finishing at the end of the film, saving Miss Lonelyheart from committing suicide.
• The Lighting: They used four different types of lighting that automatically changed with the flip of a switch. The four types include:
  • Morning
  • Afternoon
  • Twilight
  • Nighttime

The dramatic scene where Thorwald breaks into Jeff’s apartment includes many lighting techniques that create tons of drama. Jeff grabs his camera to defend himself and takes a picture to make the flash go off with every step closer Thorwald gets to his wheelchair. The flash leaves a sort of red color lingering for a moment, resembling blood and creating suspense and drama to the importance of the scene.

Here are some of the general themes:

• Since the audience acts somewhat like voyeurs, they are witnessing life’s relationships that are both good and bad. Originally, Jeff resists the ideal relationship because he always says he isn’t ready for marriage. Instead of focusing on his own problems of having a broken leg or having too perfect of a girlfriend, he watches the lives of others and concentrates on their problems. Again, the various dramas that unfold depict life and the relationships we all experience.
• Throughout the film, one can also see the incompatibility of male and female positions in society. This can be seen visually through the murder of Mrs. Thorwald and the scene where Miss Lonelyheart brings back a man and he forcefully starts to come on to her and she fights back, kicks him out, and ends up alone in tears. These type of scenes make us feel sympathetic, yet they also tell us that we need to know how to defend ourselves from the things we do not understand in the world. These are both external and internal struggles that we face on a daily basis. There is a major difference between a man and woman’s point of view. This can be seen through the Newlyweds who literally have sex all the time because that is what they expected marriage to be like and the way Lisa shows and even proves her love for Jeff through always talking about marriage and then being part of the murder investigation. Also, she seems so perfect to Jeff as well because she is almost seducing him through the food she makes him because he is immobile. At the end however, Lisa is reading Beyond the High Himalayas and then switches the book our for her personal reading preference of Bazar magazine. This is a great conclusion to the story because it shows that she found balance and was not going to abandon her more feminine life interests.
• The audience also gets a sense of isolation from the rest of society because you never really leave the apartment. It’s a world defined by a courtyard. Each apartment resembles a prison cell. This idea of isolation is directly addressed when the lady who has her dog killed accuses all of the neighbors of not being true neighbors. You never see any of the neighbors friendly interacting; they all keep to themselves.

More information about Rear Window can be found on the AFI’s Top 10 website!

Visual Review #4: Roman Holiday (AFI)

I chose the film Roman Holiday for the AFI’s top ten assignment and was under the Romantic Comedies section. I have never seen this movie, and I was really excited to watch an Audrey Hepburn film. The film is set in Italy, and there is no place more picturesque than Italy. The film is shown through the eyes of the two lovers. Princess Ann feels trapped and decides to rebel by running away. She ends up drunk on the streets and is picked up by a handsome American newspaperman by the name of Joe Bradley. Later that day he figures out she is the Princess, and he decides to follow her after she leaves his apartment. He “runs” into the Princess again, where she lies and says she is a student. The two end up embarking on an adventure throughout Rome. They fall in love, creating a bond that will never be forgotten by either. Since he fell in love with Princess Ann, he decided to keep her “Roman Holiday” a secret.

Mise en scene:

After talking about mise en scene in class, the telling of the story through visual elements like camera movement, actors, costumes, and lighting really stand out. I used to overlook so many simple elements, and they really help tell the story through visual elements.

The setting, lighting, and music all help create the mood of the film. A specific moment when the music is perfectly chosen is when Hepburn wakes up after she is telling her about her “dream” and the music is soft and sweet. The camera zooms into her face, and when she wakes up, her eyes widen and the music immediately cuts off. One of my favorite shots of the setting and scenery is when Hepburn is standing on Bradley’s balcony and looking out at the beautiful Italian landscape. I have been to Italy, and this scene makes me feel the love and beauty of such a stunning country. I also love the scene where Bradley follows the Princess after she leaves his apartment, and they show a shot of the Trevi Fountain. The music and lighting is timed perfectly with the scene of Hepburn and Peck riding the motorcycle in front of the Colosseum. I think most people remember this shot the most because it gives the feeling of freedom but also gives the feeling that the Princess is finally in control of her own life. When they all go to the Mouth Of Truth and Bradley puts his hand in the mouth and then the music changes as he pretends to have his hand smashed. The dramatic music and Peck’s acting skills made me jump, which is the exact mood the director wanted to create before showing it was all a joke.

The costumes for the film were also superb. Hepburn is always dressed in light, white clothing, signifying reality and innocence. She stands out against the black and white background. Her white clothes create a great contrast with Peck’s much darker suits. The contrast between their dark and light clothing helps tell the story of how different they are when they first meet. However, there is a change of mood that can be seen through the costumes. When the Princess returns to the palace, she is wearing a dark, black robe. This is the first time we see Hepburn in dark clothing. She stands out against the rest of the setting, but it also shows that she is in mourning and that she is heartbroken to be back and away from Bradley.

Close Ups:

Since the beautiful Audrey Hepburn plays the leading role of Princess Ann, each close up shot provides the audience with the ability to see her facial details and clearly read her emotion. She was loved by many, so close up shots really stand out and do a perfect job of stating a point.

The very first shot you see of Hepburn is when she is walking into the banquet being thrown for her in Italy. I love how they do the close up shot of her feet to make the audience feel how long the introductions and bows took. She kept taking her right foot out of her pair of heels because her feet hurt so long from standing. It was an ideal camera angle to easily represent the pain of standing that long and a subtle way of foreshadowing how she was tired of the same old routine.

Also, having a close up of Audrey Hepburn, Princess Ann, right before her lash out/breakdown at the beginning of the film added to the dramatic scream of frustration because the close up allows the audience to see the sadness in her eyes. As she starts to tear up, the camera zooms in and then, all of a sudden, she screams and throws her face into her pillow. These simple camera shots help add to the mood and create a dramatic scene.

Another great close up moment is when Bradley sees the close up of the princess’ face on the newspaper. It is the first time he realizes that the girl sleeping in his apartment is the Princess. Again, this unique camera angle helps paint the perfect picture of shock that Bradley is experiencing.

The back and forth close ups between Joe Bradley, who is played by Gregory Peck, and the taxi driver clearly create a sense of confusion. They do not know what to do with Audrey, who they do not know is a Princess. They send dirty looks back and forth between one another because they know what they should do, but neither of them wants to take responsibility for the drunken girl sleeping on the bench. This same back and forth tension is seen when the Princess is telling Bradley to leave her at the corner before she goes back to the palace. In this same scene, they also build up the music to create drama and suspense. This back and forth close up routine is used again during the press conference to allow Bradley to subtly tell the Princess that he is going to keep her secret about her “Roman Holiday.”

The scene where Hepburn looks in the mirror and the camera zooms into the mirror allows the audience to see the sadness in her eyes. This helps foreshadow the cutting off of all her hair. The Princess looked into the mirror and was not happy with what she saw, so she took matters into her own hands for the first time and made a change in her look.

The close up shot of Hepburn and Peck dancing sets the mood for romance and love between the characters of the Princess and Bradley. This sets up the scene of the Princess escaping from the dance floor after the secret service men try to take her away, which ends with a close up shot of Bradley kissing the cold, wet Princess after she has escaped by hiding in the fountain to avoid being seen. This scene also shows how the Princess has matured and blossomed into a woman.

Zoom Out:

Another great camera shot was after she hops in the back of the truck during her escape. The camera starts with a close up of the gates closing after her and zooms out as she continues to travel further and further from the palace. The zoom out of the camera provides a feeling of distance and a new beginning.

I love the low angle camera shot when Hepburn is eating gelato on the Spanish Steps. It gives the effect that she is on top of the world. She is finally free from royal responsibility and she has the world at her fingertips.

Further information about the film can be found on the AFI’s website!