Blog Assignment #8: Scene Deconstruction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2vr0M7jhRk

I believe this movie has a few themes that are explained actively because it's quite obvious. By giving the little girl his toys that he loves so much and even playing with them one last time, Andy teaches us that good byes don't have to be band, and that the end of one adventure, can lead to a new just as great one. Andy isn't throwing his toys away, he's in fact giving them to someone whose just as creative and has a good heart.

Space in this scene helps explain the theme. They run around the yard, and use different places in the yard to play with the toys. It helps with the idea that you don't need a huge area to imagine being in one. Toy Story is a series that lets your imagination wonder, and this scene shows that off. Space off time is used in these scene as well. You can tell that time is passing, that Andy and the little girl are really playing with these toys, not just a few minutes. It feels as if Andy has spent a whole day with his toys. Movement is also used a lot, it's quick and swift. When playing with toys the plots and characters and worlds change a lot and this is shown off with the quick movements of the two characters running around with their toys. Contrast and Affinity are also used by Space and Movement in these scene. Andy is much taller, so his movement is quicker and much smoother (as he's been walking and playing much longer). Yet how the two play together is very similar and therefore shows the toys are being given to a good new person, their new journey will be a good one. it's a beautiful scene to end a great movie and even better series.

Blog Assignment #7: Animation Deconstruction

A Pup Named Scooby Doo vs. The Simpsons

The color in the two shows are very different. A Pup named Scooby Doo uses much darker, and earthier tones. Lots of green and Brown. Also, when blue is used in this still it's usually a darker blue. Even Scooby's name tag is slightly a darker blue. In general the Hue of Scooby uses lots of Green, and Brown. Hue's in the Simpsons are based off yellow and blue. The Simpsons's colors are much brighter. Having yellow skin shows off easier and is obviously brighter than Scooby's brown fir. Even the Simpson's shadows are a light shade of black on top of the blue walls. Comparing the two dogs from each photo you can see that Santa's Little Helper is a much lighter brown. The saturation of these two pieces are almost the exact opposite of each other.
The Lighting in these Stills are also very different. The Shadowing in the Simpson's are very light and bright. The Simpson's have a very bright blue based shadow which shows off the difference in type of show. The Simpson's show is comedy so it's bright. Scooby as a pup is a mystery and therefore the shadow at the top of the Still is much darker shadow than anything in the Simpson still. Which leads into an explanation of the symbolizing with the lighting. The Simpson's is light and funny and care free. So the light lighting shows off that kind of mood. Scooby Doo is solving a mystery and there's a monster somewhere around, and despite it being a comedy it still has that aspect of the story and therefore the shadowing is more based on the mystery side of the story. However, Scooby doesn't use black and red like normal mysteries. By using earthy colors, a more friendly mood is created. Using dark shadowing the mystery/monster aspect of the show is presented, and the earthy friend tones show off the comedy and for kid aspects of the show. The Simpson's use light colors to show it's a fun comedy for everyone.

Blog Assignment #6: Fight Club In Pictures

Over Head Photo

Scene 1

Scene 2

Scene 3

Scene 4

Scene 5

The 180 degree rule definitely applies to this scene in Fight Club. Marla and The Narrator are always the perfect space away, as you can tell in the overhead shot especially. When Marla starts the scene yelling at the Narrator, the degree is kept when it then cuts to her cleaning his face off. Then as the buildings outside begin to explode the space is kept even though it is a completely different camera shot. Basically this scene is shot with the 180 degree rule in mind.

The rule of thirds is also used. If you see how the window they're staring out is split into tinier sections of the window. This gives the desired effect of energy and interest the rule of thirds is suppose to give off. The window using this rule makes the buildings exploding in the background have more impact and lots more meaning. It helps express the explosions better than simply one large window exploding. 

This scene only really used the 30 rule when the characters interacted at the beginning. They moved enough between their two faces to make the desired effect of the 30 rule. However, this technique was not used at all after. This is because they used the same shot from then on, of the buildings exploding through the window.

The director used all of these rules and obviously used them to his advantage. Especially the rule of thirds with the window that looked out into the sea of exploding buildings. This made the scene stronger visually, thus can be felt more emotionally. He also really used the 180 degree rule well. The characters interaction was perfect and the distance was very well measured and it all felt so smooth. It's because he followed these guidelines and rules correctly, that the end of this movie was as strong as it the potential was.

Blog Assignment #5: Comparing "Red Right Hand"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxePKps87k&ob=av2n (Nick Cave, Original Version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7psIbGeoij0 (Arctic Monkeys, Cover Version)

            Lyrically there are no changes to the song. However, the way they are sung, gives them different meaning. They're both about a strange man who seems to have control of the whole world and can do whatever he pleases. Nick Cave however, seems to be most content with the man and is giving more of a warning about the man. As if he is telling a small child to watch out for this guy. The Arctic Monkey's version (sung by the fantastic Alex Turner) seems to be sung much more in fear. Alex Turner has an urgency in his voice, as if the man is watching from over his shoulder over the whole song. However, Turner seems to have control as if he is cooling warning you from a stool at a bar. It's almost as if Turner was the child Nick Cave had warned and he's at the back of a bar telling you all that has happened. Lyrically this song is fantastic, and due to the style the Arctic Monkeys' adapted during this time, this cover fits well with the rest of their material. Lyrically this song is very Arctic Monkeys's just as it is Nick Cave's song. Both singers take the song and make it their own.
            The Melody is also the same. Turner's vocal pattern is the same as Nick Cave's and is sung also the exact same. The melody in the organ and guitar solo's are also the same. The cover (just as they did with the lyrics) keeps the integrity of the original melody, and amps the speed up. The organs both play the mysterious lead melody that feels as if the man with the red right hand is right there with the band, and is always watching. The Melody is simple, yet dark and dirty. It helps the lyrically vibe move forward, and creates the atmosphere.
            The Monkeys made a few changes to the song. Rhythm is similar but with the bass and drum parts it's a little funkier and more of a head-bobber. The Intensity is similar, both rise from the verse to the end of the chorus. They both have an intensity that makes you nervous as well, as if the song could change very quickly. The Monkeys's did a good job keeping the intensity of the original (the original version is very well known for being in all the Scream movies). Organization, is the same and the Monkey's stuck close to the original for it. That being said Alex Turner's voice is higher than Nick Caves, and that's the major difference in Pitch between the two. Timbre, the Monkey's have a better production and therefore many of the instruments sound better and crisper, and overall have a strong more obvious Timbre. Finally, the Monkeys' bumped the speed of the song up quite and bit giving the song a personal vibe to the band, but keeping the integrity of the original. Which is what all good covers should do.

In class iMovie assignment

In Class Stick Fight (Warning: Almost too much violence)

Enjoy watching as I did making it. Look out, lots of waving.