Saturday, November 17, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
City Of God Mise-En-Scene
The opening scene of "City of God", a movie based on the true story of a photographer who grows up in Rio De Janeiro's slum, provides for an excellent Mise-En-Scene. The combination of select shots set the mood for the entire movie.
In the first shot the viewer becomes slightly overwhelmed. The scene opens with heavy percussion music and the sound and images of a sizable kitchen knife being sharpened on a large stone. The action in that scene is fast paced just like the percussion music. In between the shot the camera cuts to hands preparing food; carrots are being shredded, a single live chicken, and most importantly other chickens that are being killed and prepared for a meal. Peoples faces only begin to come into the shot about 30 seconds into the scene. The entire first shot is from the living chickens point of view. The color scheme consists of cool colors, and is shot with blue undertones.
The second shot in the scene focuses on the escape of the live chicken. The chicken jumps down onto the floor, and once the focus is just on the chicken the percussion music stops, and all we can hear is the clucking noises that the chicken is making.
The third shot introduces one of the main characters in the movie. We get a clear shot of his face, as he says in Portuguese "Fuck, the chickens got away! Go after that chicken, man!" Again, the music stops in this shot.
In the fourth shot a group of children with guns begin to poor out into the street of Rio in an attempt to catch the chicken. The music is similar, but not quite as load or drum heavy. The camera angle has changed in this shot as well. The children are shot from above, and no longer is the point of view coming from the chicken, in the shot it is coming from the children.
In the fifth shot two older boys are walking in another part of Rio, they are speaking about photos and a possible job at the local newspaper. The color scheme still remains the same, which is why we know they are still in Rio. There is no percussion playing in the background, just the sound of birds. "You'd risk your life for a picture? Forget it!" The boys friend tells him to forget about taking pictures in Rio, but it is too dangerous. In this scene one could argue that the life of the chicken and the life of the young photographer are likened.
In the Sixth shot the children are being lead by the older boy who spoke in the third shot. They are still chasing after the chicken, and become more violent. They all begin to shot at the chicken. The point of view from this shot comes from the eyes of the children.
In the seventh shot the chicken fleas into a street, and is almost ran over by a large black vehicle. The color scheme in this shot remains the same, but the sound is only of the chickens clucking, and the loud vehicle horn. The shot cuts to the two boys walking. The photographer's friend says "If Lil Ze' catches you, he'll kill you."
The eighth shot is very different from the other shots in the scene. The shot consists of a slow motion glance between the photographer and Lil Ze', who the children's gang leader. The two young men cross paths while on the same block. Lil Ze' is still looking for the chicken. The music changes drastically, it is slower and deeper, unlike the percussion music which was used in many shots through the scene. Lil Ze' asks the photographer to catch the chicken, which is right in front of him.
In the ninth shot, the photographer is stuck in the middle of a shoot out between Lil Ze' and his child militia, and the police. The camera does a quick pan around the photographer (a different camera angle). This angle helps to convey that the the shot is now being viewed through the point of view of the photographer. the music and the camera angle help relay the emotion of the photographer: panic. The scene ends here.
The nine different shots in the scene beautifully cast a light upon the main character which is the photographer. We as the audience understand that he is like the chicken, and is forced to find some sort of escape from Rio (which happens to be photography) or die. We are also introduced to Lil Ze' one of the movies other main characters, and understand through the shots that Rio has shaped him differently.
In the first shot the viewer becomes slightly overwhelmed. The scene opens with heavy percussion music and the sound and images of a sizable kitchen knife being sharpened on a large stone. The action in that scene is fast paced just like the percussion music. In between the shot the camera cuts to hands preparing food; carrots are being shredded, a single live chicken, and most importantly other chickens that are being killed and prepared for a meal. Peoples faces only begin to come into the shot about 30 seconds into the scene. The entire first shot is from the living chickens point of view. The color scheme consists of cool colors, and is shot with blue undertones.
The second shot in the scene focuses on the escape of the live chicken. The chicken jumps down onto the floor, and once the focus is just on the chicken the percussion music stops, and all we can hear is the clucking noises that the chicken is making.
The third shot introduces one of the main characters in the movie. We get a clear shot of his face, as he says in Portuguese "Fuck, the chickens got away! Go after that chicken, man!" Again, the music stops in this shot.
In the fourth shot a group of children with guns begin to poor out into the street of Rio in an attempt to catch the chicken. The music is similar, but not quite as load or drum heavy. The camera angle has changed in this shot as well. The children are shot from above, and no longer is the point of view coming from the chicken, in the shot it is coming from the children.
In the fifth shot two older boys are walking in another part of Rio, they are speaking about photos and a possible job at the local newspaper. The color scheme still remains the same, which is why we know they are still in Rio. There is no percussion playing in the background, just the sound of birds. "You'd risk your life for a picture? Forget it!" The boys friend tells him to forget about taking pictures in Rio, but it is too dangerous. In this scene one could argue that the life of the chicken and the life of the young photographer are likened.
In the Sixth shot the children are being lead by the older boy who spoke in the third shot. They are still chasing after the chicken, and become more violent. They all begin to shot at the chicken. The point of view from this shot comes from the eyes of the children.
In the seventh shot the chicken fleas into a street, and is almost ran over by a large black vehicle. The color scheme in this shot remains the same, but the sound is only of the chickens clucking, and the loud vehicle horn. The shot cuts to the two boys walking. The photographer's friend says "If Lil Ze' catches you, he'll kill you."
The eighth shot is very different from the other shots in the scene. The shot consists of a slow motion glance between the photographer and Lil Ze', who the children's gang leader. The two young men cross paths while on the same block. Lil Ze' is still looking for the chicken. The music changes drastically, it is slower and deeper, unlike the percussion music which was used in many shots through the scene. Lil Ze' asks the photographer to catch the chicken, which is right in front of him.
In the ninth shot, the photographer is stuck in the middle of a shoot out between Lil Ze' and his child militia, and the police. The camera does a quick pan around the photographer (a different camera angle). This angle helps to convey that the the shot is now being viewed through the point of view of the photographer. the music and the camera angle help relay the emotion of the photographer: panic. The scene ends here.
The nine different shots in the scene beautifully cast a light upon the main character which is the photographer. We as the audience understand that he is like the chicken, and is forced to find some sort of escape from Rio (which happens to be photography) or die. We are also introduced to Lil Ze' one of the movies other main characters, and understand through the shots that Rio has shaped him differently.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Artist Statement
I am a woman who is tired of being bombarded by the cosmopolitan image of female identity, of unfair politics, and media outlets that do not allow for the appreciation of individuality. My work in the past, specifically 2008 through 2009, has showcased the detrimental effects of beauty myths by utilizing traditional art forms such as painting and sculpture. I created a body of work which showcased the symbolic suffering which women bare in American society. The collection consisted of eight pieces, six of them done with acrylic paint, one in watercolor, and the last done in block printing ink. I have also critiqued and recreated offensive advertisements targeted towards female audiences through photography. This project began in January of 2011, and was completed by May of 2011.
The world constantly inspires me, but the lens in which we as a society views it needs changing. I believe the Internet is attributing to this for the better and worse, and as a significant media outlet, I would like to better understand it. Through this I would also better like to learn how to utilize it, hoping that my work could adapt, and take on a stronger meaning.
Having said this I know who I am, however I am not so sure who I want to become. I am familiar with other outlets of media such as photography, journalism, and traditional artistic mediums. In the future I would love to better understand film, blogging and digital art. My goal is to become a much more rounded media maker/consumer by understanding and mastering multiple outlets, especially those which pertain to creating “new media”.
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