Final Project-- Lunch Break

Blog#4--MoMI Visit

The MOMI’s exhibit on production design shed light on how much research and effort are put into the look of a film. Prior to the visit, I did not know the history of production design and how early in film’s history it was used. For example, in 1916, a giant set of ancient Babylon was recreated for D. W. Griffith’s Intolerance. Back in the 1920s, the film industry heavily used soundstages and backlots, and recruited architects, illustrators, and stage designers. Production design underwent changes that were caused by political and economic factors. Antitrust laws, competition with television, and tighter budgets shifted design away from grandiose sets to the streets, changing the look of many films.

Kristi Zea’s work on The Silence of the Lambs showed the meticulous planning required prior to shooting. She took inspiration from the book that was the basis for the movie, as well as images from magazines, clippings, and paintings by Francis Bacon. The design of the cell block drew inspiration from photographs of Nazi prisoners. Labeled model sets were built for the villain’s basement, which reflected the psychotic mind of a killer, and many detailed conceptual drawings and sketches of the victims were made in preparation. The exhibit also showed how production design must work with the director’s needs for specific scenes. The film’s director wanted a conversation between Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling without prison bars between them, so Zea chose to use plexiglass walls with drilled holes for the scene. The exhibit overall did an excellent job showing how production design deeply influences the aesthetics and mood of the film.

Blog#3-editing

The scene starts off with Clarice next to a door, about to go into the murderer’s room. There is an expected, abrupt cut as she moves left to right to burst in through the door. Because she is facing straight as the doors open, the 180 degree rule can be broken here. In the following cut, the camera is on the other side of Clarice, who now moves right to left and creates a sense of confusion. Rock music playing in the background becomes distorted as the camera moves to a gruesome, subjective shot of the murderer’s victim. This gets cut short to black as the lights shut off. The music stops as well. Next is a subjective point of view shot seen from the murderer--sound and the greenish, off tint of night vision glasses effect play a big role here. We see Clarice from the POV of Buffalo Bill (from his glasses) and hear Clarice’s heavy breathing for the majority of the rest of the scene, adding suspense. The subjective shots especially increase suspense when Buffalo Bill raises his hand as if to touch Clarice’s hair, and when he points his gun at the back of Clarice’s head. When Bill raises his hand, we hear a tense, dramatic string music that puts the audience on edge. 

The shots of Clarice are long in comparison, and are cut by short, neutral shots of Buffalo Bill with his night vision goggles. The shots of Buffalo Bill are very unnerving because he is looking straight ahead at the camera in his strange looking goggles. When Bill cocks his gun, we see it pointed at the camera. It cuts back to his POV of Clarice, who turns around in slow motion to face him. This effect highlights the peak of the tension and its resolution by showing Clarice firing first by a fraction of a second.

When Clarice fires, the light from the gun reveals Bill standing in the dark and Clarice standing and shooting in brief, obvious bursts of cuts, which parallels the gun’s shooting. When Bill goes down, the night vision effect is removed as the light in the room mysteriously turns back on. Perhaps because evil is eliminated, light is restored. Finally, the camera moves back to reveal Clarice alive with Buffalo Bill dying on the floor.

Project 2- Audio Portrait

Soundwalk Blog#2

Stopping and listening bring out the individual sounds and keynotes that are unique to Bensonhurst. The cacophony of everyday noise makes it hard to pick out a specific texture or sound at first.

The D train that connects the Chinatowns of New York passes through the neighborhood. The train roars in to the overhead station every few minutes but it does not seem to interrupt anyone’s conversations. The most distinct verbal sounds are loud Chinese, Russian, and English, with Chinese being the most prominent. It is spoken by elderly and middle-aged women shopping and haggling over prices, and teenagers walking out of cafes and tea gardens.

The shops on 86^th street contribute significantly to the clutter of sounds as much as their patrons do.  One is guaranteed to be startled at least once by sudden croaks from cheap plastic frog toys and yipping robot dogs in front of 99 cent stores. By the supermarkets, one can hear the rustling of plastic bags as customers grab for fruit, and the occasional dull thud of an orange falling out of a fruit stand. The incoherent shouts of the big homeless lady mark the biggest supermarket on the street. She yells at everyone coming out of the store but it isn’t clear to anyone if she is just complaining or begging for money.

These sounds don’t change much throughout the day—at night the D train can still be heard from a distance, although less frequently, and the sounds of children playing get a little louder as they enjoy the freedom of an emptier street. This chaotic neighborhood symphony is the expected, and does not deviate much from it.

Define a Space--Hunter lights

Artist Statement

I’ve always been interested in comedy writing and comedic TV shows. People assume me to be serious and don’t expect my interests to be so lighthearted because I don’t really bother to be outspoken a lot of the time. On the contrary, I don’t speak up a lot because I don’t take a lot of things too seriously.

I really appreciate and admire classics like Futurama, Arrested Development, and 30 Rock. Shows like these I can watch all over again and I’d always find the material fresh. It’s also hard to resist their perfect blend of cleverness and the occasional, well timed vulgar joke.

I’m not sure if my reasons for interest in comedy are rather selfish because frankly, I would be pleased with my work if the only person that it made laugh was me. But what ultimately draws me to the art form is my view and appreciation of comedy as an alternative, more complex way of communication that requires a great amount of wit. Humor also opens up a better way to share personal experiences. Nowadays people are quick to dismiss legitimate concerns because they’re sick of hearing the same narrative. Quality comedic writing can criticize and can open people to a dialogue they were not comfortable to have before. Often times, people break down barriers for the first time by sharing a laugh.

I don’t have much experience yet as I am still exploring my interests in media. Though my current statement doesn’t list any projects, I hope to start some and update the statement to include works I would have completed.