Tag / film and television

by harrietread

Aspect to Aspect – Western vs Eastern Storytelling at Play

In Week 1, we were sent a reading in Media1 in the form of a graphic novel by Scott McCloud, exploring human perception in the media that we consume daily. I was reminded of this reading last week in our Media1 workshop and went back to it after we were sent out in groups to film content for a short film haiku. The constraints of the content we shot were that there was to be no focus on individuals, and no camera movement.

I was reminded in this moment of a method of storytelling I had learned about originally from a YouTube personality called Nerdwriter1; it is called Action to Action, and another is called Aspect to Aspect. In Scott McCloud’s Blood in the Gutter, Action to Action is shown as a storytelling method that allows a reader or audience to fill in the gaps, or gutter, between panels and frames. Nerdwriter1 analyses this deeper as a storytelling method for a society or culture that is very goal oriented; for example, in American comic books, Action to Action may be used to tell the narrative of a superhero intending to save the world, knocking down one bad guy at a time.

Conversely, Aspect to Aspect, as explored by McCloud, renders the concept of time unimportant, or even non-existent. Each frame shows aspects that allow the mind and the eye to wander, evoking an idea, emotion or setting. Nerdwriter1 has taken this a step further, and suggests that, particularly in an eastern culture or society, such as Japan, there is less emphasis on getting to a particular place or attaining a particular goal than the notion of allowing the mind to wander within a moment in time. Nerdwriter1 suggests that Aspect to Aspect can be utilised to evoke in an audience or reader a sense of simply existing in a moment. The YouTuber supports his theory through his video essay on the Japanese sci-fi thriller Ghost in the Shell, alluding to a series of shots in the intermission of the film that takes on this sense of being present in a moment, absent from time and time’s constraints.

Back to my original point about the haiku short films we were collecting content for. While I am not sure if Brian Morris was intending for us to rediscover the theory of Aspect-to-Aspect, I found it interesting that we had the goals of creating a filmic haiku (a Japanese form of poetry) and were using a method of filmmaking that is closely linked to a storytelling method used predominantly in Japanese film, narrative, literature and graphic novels. Emphasis on the landscape, setting and context was made clear to us, which is highly similar to the way that Ghost in the Shell conveys a mood and place through similar emphasis to its production design and landscapes.

LINK: Nerdwriter1’s video essay alludes to McCloud’d readings on Action vs Aspect in the first 3 mins

by harrietread

What is Media?

Our Media 1 class yesterday explored what makes something a media text. Our verdict was that a media text was ‘any piece of media that communicates some sort of meaning.’

We also explored the way in which media, in its development as forms of communication, has made us interconnected and intertwined across the globe. Something that interested me was the shift from a Pre-Modern society to a Modern society.

A Pre-Modern society was the world before access to mass media was possible, wherein we experienced almost everything directly and face-to-face. A Modern society, like the one we are in today, sees us experiencing things through media texts, ranging from maps, books and newspapers to television, radio and phones.

The concept of ‘imagined communities’ was raised in the context of Modern societies. My understanding of them is that they are how media texts and the interconnectivity of communication media and technologies form a sense of community. For example, national newspapers, such as The Australian, help Australians identify as a community even though not everybody knows one another as closely as a smaller, local suburban area would.

Following our discussion of what is media, we were sent out in groups to various parts of the CBD to gather a collection of media texts that are present in our everyday lives; my group was sent to the State Library on Swanston Street, and our collection of media texts will be presented in a follow-up post.

by harrietread

Jeremy Bowtell on Editing in Media

In our Media 1 class yesterday, we began with a presentation from guest speaker Jeremy Bowtell on editing; specifically, in film. For me, editing a film is the best part of filmmaking. I find it a meditative experience, requiring patience as I go back and forth trying to find the right place to cut. What I found interesting in Bowtell’s presentation was this trifecta that contributes to editing in film: Rhythm, Emotion and Story.

Rhythm refers to the technical aspect of editing; does the cut fit into the sequence in a way that fits with or challenges the rhythm of the score or soundtrack, or has a jarring or subtle effect on the audience?

Emotion refers to whether the style and Rhythm of editing evokes a feeling within the audience. For instance, in the gore-filled ‘torture-porn’ horror, Saw, the style of editing in the flashback of Amanda Young instils anxiety, fear and apprehension in the audience through its face-paced, erratic and frenetic style of cuts.

Story is how narrative within a film progresses based on editing. Bowtell provided us with a quote by Edward Dmytryk: ‘Never make a cut without a positive reason.’ This can be referred back to how Story and Editing are intertwined, as Dmytryk is saying that a cut made through editing should be done to allow the narrative to progress in a relevant and efficient manner.

by harrietread

My Take on What Makes ‘the Lord of the Rings’ Iconic

CAUTION: Spoilers ahead

Earlier today I found myself having a conversation with a co-worker studying a degree in business/commerce about what makes films iconic, and found myself dumbstruck at his curiosity surrounding why the Lord of the Rings franchise is ‘iconic,’ ‘classic,’ ‘awesome’ etc.

So I had a quick think to myself: what would allow it to qualify as ‘iconic’ films? What I believe has Lord of the Rings rooted deeply in the culture of film and media includes its capacity for visual gorgeousness and furthermore its concept and storyline.

Firstly, a disclaimer: I have an incredibly biased view considering that LotR is one of my favourite series of all time and I could never get sick of it.

The story itself surrounds the fellowship of the One Ring; friendship, loyalty, courage and compassion are notions that are heavily evoked throughout the story. This spans from Samwise Gamgee’s vow to protect Frodo Baggins in the beginning of their quest in Fellowship of the Ring, to the cathartic closure of their journey in the scene at the top of Mount Doom, following the destruction of the One Ring, in Return of the King. Friendship, love and compassion are elements in the narrative that overpower forces of evil and corruption, which can be seen in how the army of Minas Tirith sacrifices everything against the overwhelming armies of Sauron, to ensure the successful destruction of the One Ring by Frodo in Return of the King. The timelessness of these thematic concerns that can be related to  consistently through human history, such as a sense of comradeship that can be linked to JRR Tolkein’s time in the armyduring the Battle of Somme, contributes to the iconic and timeless nature of the franchise.

Adding onto this, the visual wow-factor of the films are stunning to audiences, as director Peter Jackson’s influence led to much of the film being shot using practical effects, stunts and actors. For instance, a core moment for me in the entire series is the Battle of Helms Deep (The Two Towers) as the battle sequence is almost entirely shot using practical effects. The visual element of battered armour, ornate swords and weaponry mixed with the ghastly faces of orcs and Urukai provoke for the viewer a sense of thrill and excitement, as we are encouraged further to believe in the fantasy onscreen.

The Lord of the Rings is a brilliant series. Of all the films that I have watched, nothing comes as close to home as the original trilogy does. The Hobbit had so much potential, but really didn’t need such unnecessary expansion and tacky, plastic CGI.