SVCTE Film/ Video Production

What do you find interesting about this video? How does seeing sound visualized help you understand what sound is? The fact that sound is just a change in air density is interesting to me. With this knowledge, it helps me better interpret what sound is. Their explanation of how they captured the clap is really complex and they said it very fast so it was a little hard to understand. 

Take a moment to reflect over your experience of sound at the movies. What are 2 things things that you notice about the sound in modern hollywood movies? What is the first film that made you think about the sound of the film? What interested you? The sound effects? The sound track? The dialog? Why? Sound in modern hollywood movies has very high quality. The way things are recorded can change the perspectives to match what is on screen For example, a car is speeding from the left side of the screen to the right side of the screen. The audio would sound far away in the speaker on the left and as the car gets closer, the noise gets louder and gradually starts to play in the speaker on the right. I can't think of a specific movie that made me think about the sound of the film. However, when I think of sound in any sort of film, I think of the ASMR trend where people get super close to microphones and record noises that they find satisfying. I also know that occasionally, ce...

Stepping back a bit, we are going to screen Hugo. So lets review the accomplishments of George Melies. Write a paragraph response summarizing his accomplishments in cinema history. George Melies created the science fiction genre. He developed his own camera system and created Europe's first studio. He was also the first filmmaker to use special effects and have a narrative in his film. It helped the progression of cinema because it gave other creators ideas that started technology for modern cinema. 

Take a few moments to reflect on what you have learned in this unit. The history of cinema is pretty vast, and we could only cover a short part of it. After watching this video, what do you notice about the evolution of filmmaking? How did it all begin? How far have we come? In your opinion, where are we headed? After watching this video, I noticed the art of acting is very different from what it had started off as. Near the beginning, the acting was over exaggerated and very dramatic while movies from the present seemed toned down but very realistic. I also noticed that there were not many people of color featured in this montage. I think we have come far technology wise but oppression towards minority groups in America are still common in films. I'm not sure where we could be headed because films right now seem very high tech and I don't know what other adjustments can be made. 

What are the roots of silent cinema in the bay area? How did it play an important role in early cinema history? What famous personalities made films here? Silent cinema in the bay area was important in early cinema because it helped the spread of filmmakers and the popularity of cinema blossomed. They were able to use the modern looking architecture from the bay area to imply time periods. 

How were asian actors and characters treated at the time in american films? Which of these actors stories could you relate too? Explain why you found their achievements so significant. At the time, Asian actors were treated as lesser than white actors, even if they were more fit for the role. Back in my home school, I don't experience this kind of discrimination because the majority of the students who attend Saratoga are Asian. However, out in public, my friends and I often experience the same sort of injustice that these actors may have experienced after starring in many films that objectified her. When were are together in public, people often refer to us as "China dolls" or "Mulan" or cat call us and fetishize our appearances. Though these stars sort of started an uproar in cultural appropriation, they broke barriers in Hollywood's casting and showed Asians in a positive light. 

What was Mabel famous for? What were three significant events or films that she made? What was her downfall? What surprises you about her? Mabel Normand was famous for being an early silent film actress and she directed her own films. She mainly featured and directed comedies. Some significant films she featured in were Tomboy Bessie  which was when she identified as a director rathe than an actress. Her downfall occurred after a close friend of hers was murdered and she was accused of drug and alcohol abuse. Nothing much about her surprises me other than how early she passed away.

If you had to summarize and explain the events that led from the film industry's transfer from New Jersey to Los Angeles, how would you explain it? What was Thomas Edison's role in this transition? What role did patents and Nickelodeons play in this dispute? The film industry transferred west because of the convenient scenery for filming surrounding the area, the weather, and cheap land. Furthermore, it was because it was far away from Edison. If someone wanted to create a movie, they would have to do it under Edison. Independent companies wanted to make movies freely under their own name so they moved as far as they could to make their own motion pictures.

Why was New Jersey the capital of film at the time? Why did the industry move West? New Jersey was the capital of film at the time because the land was cheap and there was lots of it. It was a quick trip with a ferry from Manhattan. The scenery was useful because there were lots of cliffs that could be used to make dramatic short films. The industry moved West because it was convenient and there was more space and good lighting.   

What is the latham loop? How did it change cinema? The lathom loop was a new invention that pulled film through the threading device of a camera gently enough not to tear the sprockets. It enabled the film to gently spool over from the back to front, allowing for longer films. It changed cinema by letting filmmakers create longer movies. The friction between Edison and Dickson helped inspire them to create new inventions in spite of each other. 

What were nickelodeons like? What was the first movie palace? What influenced the transition to the movie palace? Why do you think the movie places became so important? Nickelodeons were places where people could project movies for the public's entertainment. They started off as retail spaces that had 10-12 benches for audiences to sit on. Movie palaces were for the upper middle class and classes above it. Technological advances influenced the change from the nickelodeon to the movie palace. Movie palaces became important because they focused only on projecting motion pictures. They were a commercial success. 

What effect did the film have on the US society at the time? How did the white audience react? How did the african american audience react? How did Griffith respond to the publics reaction to his film? Write about three of the innovations that Griffith pioneered with the film. At the time, blacks were being pushed out of the south due to racial discrimination and were promised equal opportunities in the north. They were not fully accepted by northerners but they developed more rights as the years went by. Many of the Anglo-saxons at the time felt threatened by black empowerment and wanted to feel superior to them. When this film came out, it influenced more people to think black people were less than human and did not belong in white America. The film caused an increase of protests turned to riots and lynchings of black people. People accused Griffith of being a racist but he claimed he was not and everything in the film was pure fact. Griffith introduced the use of magnesium flares fo...

What was Porter's contribution to cinema? What was so significant about his work? Porter contributed to cinema by using his artistic views to recreate themes from older works and giving people a better idea of narrative cinema. He pioneered the use of continuity editing, transitions, and added text to better the quality of narrative films. Before this, films were mainly actualities so when he started incorporating narratives into film, it became very popular and helped the film industry expand. 

What were Melies' contributions to cinema? Why is his work so significant? Melies contributed to cinema by being the first to incorporate stage magic and in camera special effects which became the first film in the science-fiction genre. He also opened the first production company in Europe which made films a more international thing rather than just being in the US. 

What is this music video about? Why did the band and the filmmakers choose these images? Why are they significant? What do you think they are paying homage to or emulating? This music video is very similar to Le Voyage Dans la Lun or A Trip to the Moon which was an early motion picture about people who went on a trip to the moon and fought aliens. I think the band and filmmakers chose these images because they knew it would appeal to people interested in film history. It may have had added a nostalgic feel to some viewers who have seen Le Voyage Dans la Lun before. Their use of painted backdrops and flat props emulated the style of early motion picture and its early experiments of special effects.