COMM 3000 1st Edition Lecture 2Current LectureSleepy Hollow (1999)Tim Burton (director)Rick Heinrichs (production designer)● What information do you learn about the story? - feels creepy, and eery, later time period, dark, ● What mood or feeling does the film evoke? ● The sum of all the visual elements in the film frame● Includes:– the setting– costume, makeup, and hairstyle – props and decor“One of the things we were trying to do was inspire a sense of scary portentousness in the village. I think it’s different from Irving’s Sleepy Hollow, which is described as a dozing Dutch farming community. If our Sleepy Hollow is asleep, it’s a fitful sort of sleep with nightmares.”~Rick Heinrichs, Production Designer, Sleepy HollowProduction design can help establish a time and place, convey characterization though hair and makeup, Creates a mood, introduces ideas and themesBook calls production design: Mise-en-Scène (Me-zon-sin)● French phrase– “staging (or putting on) a scene” (never really used in the real world)● First applied to the practice of directing plays ● The term was ultimately applied to motion pictures.– The filmmaker stages the event for the camera. Staging the Scene● Mise-en-scène signifies the director’s control over what appears in a given space.● In theatre, that space is defined by the proscenium arch.The Film Frame**● In movies, this space is defined by the edge of the image. – the frame that encloses the imagesthe frame outlines the artworkThe Production Designer is the person in charge, works hand in hand with director● Individual responsible for the overall look of a film – implements the director’s vision– works closely with the director & director of photography ● Supervises the Art Department– costume designers– makeup artists– hairstylists – set designers– construction coordinators – set dressers– location scouts– prop masters The Production Designer● Position was originally referred to as the Art Director, primarily trained in architecture and draftingWilliam Cameron Menzies ● The first Production Designer worked on Gone with the wind, and he “story boarded” every scene of the movie, with actions etc● Believed the art director should do more than design sets – sketched detailed story boards– indicated shots, lenses used, and special effects William Cameron Menzies● Originally hired as Gone with the Wind’s art director● Sketched every shot of the film before it was filmed– Production Designed By credit acknowledged his contributionSetting● The place where the film’s action unfolds.can tell us all sorts of info about the characters and the world that they inhabit Two Types of Settings● Location– an actual real-world setting● SetA constructed environment– located on a soundstage or a studio back loteXistenZ (1999) David Cronenberg (director)Carol Spier (production designer)● What is the setting? ● Does the setting match the action depicted? ● What are the filmmakers saying through this use of production design? Color Palette● Production designers develop a color palette that corresponds to the subject matter or mood of the film.– a range of colorsCostume● The clothing worn by an actor in a movie● Conveys information about a character – social status – self image– the character’s state of mindMakeup● Actors’ faces would not register well on early film stocks – early films, makeup made their faces more “natural”Max Factor**● Developed a makeup specifically for film actors– did not crack, cake, or smear– introduced a line of cosmetics to the public in the 1920sMakeup● Makeup has many expressive possibilities. – establish time period– reveal character traits– signal changes in characters(the joker, beetle juice etc)Prosthetic Makeup● Three-dimensional makeup– made of latex, fiberglass, or silicone – attached to the actor’s face or body – pioneered by Dick Smith(the hobbit!)Hair● Until the 1960s, most actors wore wigs.– ensured the actor’s hair would appear consistent ● Hairstyle also gives us insight into the character.Props● An object used by a character– advance the plot– establish a sense of character and convey change– serve a symbolic function– reinforce a film’s
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