8Current Issues in (American) Film 1. What is “film”? * Acquisition, Editing, and Delivery Systems—film, tape, computer; digital, analog * Nonlinear editing (old AND new) * HDTV/DTV/Convergence with film?--Digital Cinema * “Film Purists” - The strange case of Dogme 2. “Ownership” of film * Who's the author? * Copyright * Piracy (e.g., in-theater copying--Tarzan, Star Wars Episode I, digital piracy) * Who has the right to change, edit? - Colorization (derivative work; public domain) - Pan & Scan vs. Letterboxing - “Clean Flicks” case 3. Originality--Is there anything really new? * Remakes and sequels and prequels * “Synthespians” 4. Cultural Imperialism & Film * America entertains the world— does it also affect cultures? * European Union’s reactions to Hollywood 5. "Indies" (the role of independent filmmaking) * The post-studio era—is everything an “indie”? More on this later in the term. . .9* The importance of the Film Festival * “Breakthrough” e.g.s--Jim Jarmusch’s Stranger Than Paradise, Robert Rodriguez’s El Mariachi, Kevin Smith's Clerks, Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca * Independent Film Channel(s); John Pierson * Local examples--Robert Banks, Ohio Independent Film Festival10The Language and Technique of Filmmaking 1. Shots * Mise en scene * Type of shot: ECU CU MS LS ELS * Two-shot, three-shot * Over-the-shoulder shot * POV shot * Subjective shot 2. Angles * High (in the extreme: "birdseye" or even "top shot") * Low * Canted 3. Camera Movement A: Camera base B: Camera base Direction does not move moves________ Left/right Pan Truck1 Up/down Tilt Boom/ped/crane Closer/further Zoom Dolly1 1 - "Tracking" shots B: Can result in motion parallax/motion perspective11Also: * Zoom/Dolly combo * Arc * Hand-held shots * Steadicam * Aerial shots * Unmotivated camera movement/"discovery" shot 4. Transitions * Cut (video: take) * Dissolve1 * Fade in/fade out1 * Wipe (also called traveling matte)1--e.g., iris * Swish pan [1 - Typically requires optical printer or digital work] 5. Lighting * Classic 3-point system (key, fill, back) * Chiaroscuro lighting * Gobos12 6. Lenses A. Focal length - distance from film to surface of lens * Wide angle (short lens) < 35 mm Wide field of vision. Subject seems far. In extreme, called "fisheye." * "Normal" ~50 mm * Telephoto (Long lens) > 60 mm Narrow field of vision. Subject seems close. * Zoom - variable focal length13Examples of short and long lenses' fields of vision14B. Aperture/diaphragm - size of opening Large opening, Small opening, more light less light Fl l.4 2 2.8 4 5.6 8 ll l6 22 "Fast" lenses are capable of low F-stops C. Depth of field - the range of distance in front of the lens that appears in focus. The following contribute to a large DOF (allowing a "deep focus" shot): 1. wide angle lens 2. greater ambient light 3. smaller aperture (large F-stop) D. Other focus terminology * Rack the lens/selective focusing/focus pull * Follow focus * Soft focus 7. Film stock * Film size (8mm, l6mm, 35mm, 70mm, l05mm) * "Fast" film158. Editing A. Continuity Editing/Classical Editing l. Decoupage + Montage 2. Master shot/Establishing shot (usually LS) 3. Eyeline match 4. Shot-Reverse-Shot series 4. l80o system 5. Invisible editing, e.g.: * dissolves * orientation cuts * cut on action * continuity (visual + sound) 6. Consideration of legibility & centripetal decay B. Sequence shot (long takes) C. Parallel Editing (includes cross-cutting) D. Montage Editing/"Thematic Montage"169. Sound A. Equipment * Mic selection (directional, non-directional) * Boom * Double-system sound recording for “production sound”/production track * However--most sound is added in “post”. . . B. Post-production techniques *VO (voiceover) narration * Postdubbing/Dubbing/Looping/ADR * Sound effects (“real” and synthetic) * Foleying C. Stylistic techniques * Sound design/the sound designer * Talkovers/overlapping dialogue * Sound bridges (for continuity) * Sound montage D. Soundtrack music * Diagetic vs. nondiagetic music * Musical leitmotifs * Mickeymousing * Music licensing & composers’