WEEKLY FILM - AMERICAN BEAUTY

'American Beauty' is a 1999 romantic drama directed by Sam Mendes, the film includes themes of love,family,freedom,identity and most importantly gives a very different perspective on American culture as appose to many over films which may portray the 'American dream' in an unrealistic light. The film revolves around our protagonist Lester Burnham, a sexually frustrated character who becomes involved in many not so perfect circumstances in his perfect stereotypical A merican neighbourhood. Many circumstances which are not usually dealt with in American films due to the truth within the illegal activities displayed through out the film shedding a negative representation upon American people. However the film was nevertheless very successful gaining 5 academy awards including best picture. 

The film follows a linear narrative structure with the occasional flashback in order to allow exposition for the audience, many topics such as drugs,child abuse,adultery and the sexualisation of teenagers in the modern day is dealt with in a subtle manner, only emphasising the normality of many of these very relevant issues within American society. I personally think the combination of sound and performance is to credit for the particularly eery atmosphere provided for the audience while viewing the film, this experience constructed in this way using the obvious stereotypes alongside the controversial topics that are often not considered when attempting to portray American culture. Much of the film also centred around the insecurities of each individual characters within the Burnham family, I thought this was clear evidence that despite the large house and social class the family had achieved happiness was not evident in any of the characters, again supporting that materialism and 'stuff' is not as important as the bond between family , the lack of their family bond perfectly illustrated by the dinner table scene where they are all purposely quite clearly disconnected from each other emotionally.

FILM DEVELOPMENT - INITIAL SHOOT

After writing a shot list and developing the progression of my film in terms of narrative I decided to travel to one of many locations I will use in my film and attempt to capture my desired footage, I personally think the initial shoot was successful as many clips captured where effective and possessed my desired look aesthetically, the 'trailer' produced above also displaying many of the techniques I intend to use in the actual film itself. Montage editing being an element I would like to perfect progressing towards the final outcome, this style to be accompanied with music in order to attempt to provide suspense of the viewing audience. The cinematography displayed above being something I intend to improve on by reshooting many of the clips, although I think the range of shots included is effective in providing my desired effect.

La Jetée

'La Jetée' is a 1962 short film directed by Chris Marker, the piece is a hybrid of romance and drama and also contains elements of documentary filmmaking. The short film holds themes of war,love and humanity, even though much of the film seems as if it is left to an individuals interpretation. 'La Jetée' tells the story through a combination of still images and a voiceover, providing an experience completely different to any other film I have seen before. The film also following a unique narrative set in the aftermath of WWII, in which a man becomes an experiment surrounding the science of time travel, two key memories becoming the focus of the film as he travels from various stages of his life including the future. I personally think this is a beautiful film telling a story I suspect was very experimental at the time it was made, the visual aspects of the film also taking my keen interest as I find it intriguing how such a complex narrative can be told effectively using still photographs and a narrator. 

COMPLEX - developing ideas

In development and proceeding towards the production of my A2 film I decided to shoot on location at alexandra and ainsworth estate , choosing this location due to its impressive urban architecture and vibrant community which I intend to capture for my A2 film surrounding the major themes of 'wealth and power'. I didn't particularly capture much of my desired footage in the short clips displayed in the video above due to restricted time and the ever daunting problem of light, both elements of production I intend to improve on moving forward towards my A2 film. Although I didn't personally think my short film surrounding the estate was successful I was able to recognise and learn from the practice of shooting the footage and editing , allowing me to have a much more clear picture of the range of shots I will have to capture in shooting my A2 film for the final product to be effective and successfully project the themes I originally intended. I will be returning to the estate in the near distant future in order to gather more footage that I will intertwine into my A2 film in the stages of editing, possibly improving on the footage already captured above as well as enhancing this by including elements of the unique community found in the 'complex' structure of the estate. 

Weekly Documentary - VOYAGEURS 8K

Voyageurs 8K is a short documentary which displays various shots of Voyageurs national park in the region of Minnesota, focussing on landscapes and in particular the pristine lakes and kaleidoscopic colours of the autumn season. I personally thought this short film would be useful in developing my own personal project as I focussed on how colour in particular can be appealing and immersive for the watching audience, even though no narrative was evident the film was still able to captivate an audience due to the enhanced visuals visible in the short doc. This has lead me to believe that with a intelligent use of mis en scene, colour palette and the application of colour grading in post production I will be able to produce a visually exciting experience for the audience through the use of vibrant colours ,combined with innovative cinematography and a provocative theme. 

MOODBOARD part 1

In order to visualise elements I intend to include in my A2 film production I decided to carry out a photo shoot in a location that fitted my desired environment, this location successfully displaying a derelict building that is run down and has clearly been forgotten about hence the vandalism and lack of maintenance on the building. In my A2 piece I intend to develop these photographs into moving image and effectively expose this harsh urban landscape, alongside this I will juxtapose well maintained buildings filmed in central London as appose to this abandoned building located on the outskirts of the city. I personally think this juxtaposition will be effective as I will focus on displaying visually provoking moving image in order to indicate my underlying theme visually rather than informing the audience of the theme through dialogue or text. The focussed themes surrounding my film will be 'wealth & power', I will attempt to expose the extreme difference in wealth using contrasting locations where I focus on the people and environment in the area, the shots I will included in the film emphasising this difference between various social classes in a range of locations. I will attempt to use a number of dynamic shots and include innovative movement in order to display these contrasting environments in a different light, as well as this approach hopefully captivating the audiences attention and allowing them to interpret my intended themes as individuals. 

Samsara - Documentary Case Study

'Samsara' is a 2011 poetic documentary which explores and displays various locations from sacred grounds to impressive industrial structures, filmed over 5 years in more than 25 countries the film is a sequence of visually enthralling shots captured on 70mm film. 'Samsara' is a documentary that subverts the expectation of the more common documentary, instead of informing the audience through narrator,dialogue or text the film focusses on encourages the audiences individual interpretations which are inspired by the visuals and music which combine the ancient with the modern. Exploring the cyclical cycle of life and its reflection in the rhythm of the planet the film projects link between humanity and nature through an expansive range of powerful moving images, these visuals accompanied by fitting cultural music which emphasises the theme and aids create a dramatic atmosphere among audience members. I intend to use this poetic approach in my own A2 coursework as I personally think the immersive style of filmmaking is effective in delivering the intended themes. 

FALL - SHORT DOCUMENTARY