Week 3 D1 and Blog
The Impact of Cinematography and Editing Options
Explore movie clips from the Movieclips website or the Internet Movie Database –IMDB. Choose a clip that you
wish to analyze. The clip you choose must be from a film (preferably from a film with which you are familiar) – not
a film trailer or a mash-up. Re-watch your chosen movie clip while closely observing the mise en scène, making
sure to analyze the placement and movement of characters and props in the scene as they relate to camera shots,
color, lighting, and other elements of cinematography.
In your discussion, analyze at least three elements of cinematography and editing (e.g., lighting, color, shots, focus,
transitions, and types of cuts) by evaluating the dramatic impact of the scene. Interpret the scene based on your
analysis. In your view, what mood, symbolism, or meaning results from the scene’s creative editing and
cinematography?
Include the name or partial name of the film clip you analyzed in the “Subject” line of your discussion. Include the
link to your film clip in the body of your post. Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. Support your
claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any
references. By Day 7, respond to at least two classmates who reviewed a different clip than your own. After
watching the movie clips reviewed by your classmates, compare how the scenes would be different had the editors
or cinematographers chosen other options. Each response should be a minimum of 125 words.
Week 3 D1 Post- Notes
In my travels around the United States one thing was always the same. Whenever someone ask me where I
was from and I answered “Kansas” the next line out of their mouth was “How’s Dorothy?” But what they
didn’t expect was me to answer “My mother’s name was Dorothy and my first dog’s name was Tippy (close
enough to Toto) and yes there is a lot of tornado’s in Kansas.” So obviously everyone has seen the movie
“Wizard of Oz” but what most people don’t remember is how remarkable of a production it was in in 1939.
One of the first color movies to be aired on national television. The creativity of Directors Victor Fleming
and George Cukor and Cinematographer Harold Rosson (Nominated for the 1940 Academy Award for Best
Color Cinematography) used crude but effective methods to film the movie. The clip of the “Wizard of Oz
that I have chosen is the sequence of Dorothy leaving Kansas and arriving in Oz. Three components of
cinematography discussed here are lighting, color and focus. Additional comments about the special effects
are included.
http://putlocker.is/watch-the-wizard-of-oz-1939-online-free-putlocker.html
This shot of the characters of OZ in Kansas is a perfect example of three point lighting. Notice how the front
camara light source on the right of the shot is elevated the character on the right’s hand is casting a shadow
on Aunty M shirt and the character on the left his hat is casting a shadow on the right side of his face but the
left side is lit from the left front of camera light source positioned lower than the right side. The rear light is
set low and highlighting the building behind the characters.
Crude but effective use of double exposed film blurs Dorothy’s image as the house spirals into the sky. The
window is framed like a television showing her objects flying by the window, Aunty M goes by the window
knitting in a rocking chair and waves at Dorothy, the ranch hands goes by the window in a row boat, the
mean neighbor that took Toto pedals by the window confirms to the audience that she is dreaming.
Tornado scene Speial effects strong winds blow door off of house – After Dorothy is hit by the window she
goes into a dream. The effect of using smoke swirling around her head tells the audience that she is going into
a dream state.
In this shot the mean neighbor riding a bicycle changes into a witch riding a broom. Foreshadowing what to
come. This shot the double exposure of the neighbor transforms the neighbor into a witch.
This shot shows the bed spinning around with Dorothy on it as the tornado takes her to OZ.
The first overlay of color film over black and white in the
history of movies in 1939. Notice the lighting is positioned between Dorothy and the foreground plants. The
three point lighting technique was modified to move the rear light behind the plant and right of stage but in
front of Dorothy the two front light are positioned with the left light positioned low and the right light
positioned high so both Dorothy and the color plant are highlighted but no shadows are visible. This shot
was done with a backdrop shot of the black and white house behind Dorothy. Very creative for this time
period as are many of the shots the cinematographer Harold Rosson created for the Wizard of Oz.
The first shot of color in the movie when Dorothy opens the door of the house and peers outside to see Oz for
the first time Note the yellow brick road at the bottom of the shot.
Foreshadowing the characters of OZ. Dr. Marvel / Wizard of OZ Ranch hands: Zeke/ Cowardly Lion,
Scarecrow and Tin Man dialog reveals who they will be in OZ.
Camera
Framing Camera Distance, Angle, and Level
aspect ratio, which is a number describing the ratio of the frame’s width to its height
Types of camera shots
ELS (XLS)
LS
MLS
MS
MCU
CU
ECU (XCU)
Framing
control of the mise en scène, carefully accentuated through the use of the camera—its position, movements, and
choice of lenses.
Lighting
three-point lighting
Color
Saturation
Desaturated
Week 3 Blog
Categories and Functions of Sound
Review the General Instructions for your blog post before beginning.
As we have been discussing, the mise en scène of a film is the use of a variety of design elements to create the visual
theme. Please look through Chapter 5 (Mise en Scene and Actors) for more information on this term.
Last week, we examined how different lighting styles and choices affected the final impact of a film. This week, we
will consider different types of sound at work in film and assess how they contribute to the overall sense of meaning
in a film.
There are many types of sound in a film. Some are diegetic (sounds that are represented as coming from within the
world of the film); others are non-diegetic (sounds that come from outside the world of the film). Using specific
examples from your chosen film, construct a blog post in which you
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Describe each of the three basic categories of sound (dialogue, sound effects, and music).
Explain how the different categories of sound are being used in your chosen film.
o Assess the impact of sound in establishing the theme.
o How does the use of sound inform the mood of the scene, or the film overall?
o Can you identify specific sounds in your film that allow you to infer a particular genre?
o Since each category of sound may produce a range of effects, how might you characterize the
effects in your film? For example, realistic and expected sound effects may have a different effect
on a viewer than exaggerated or unexpected ones.
Assess how the scene or sequence would play differently if you changed or removed a key category of
sound.
You must use at least two outside sources, in any combination of embedded video clips, still photos, or scholarly
sources. All sources should be documented in APA style as outlined by the Ashford Writing Center. It is suggested
that you approach this blog by focusing your attention on the same film you will write about in this week’s “Genres
and Genre Film” assignment. To submit this blog, you will be required to post a link to the specific blog entry in the
discussion forum. You are encouraged to explore your classmates’ blogs, but no replies are required.
Please note that if you opt to write about the same film in your Final Film Critique, applicable entries from this blog
can be used to write that assignment. Please also note that you should reflect on and revise this blog based on the
instructor’s feedback before you incorporate it into the Final Film Critique.