Blog, I am beginning to have some regrets. I should be focusing on my biology lesson in class at the moment, however, I cannot rest when I think about this project. After the group meetings yesterday, I think I have went to fast with my story without doing more research beforehand. Sure, it may be nice to have an official idea set, however, this can only take me so far. Therefore, I will going back to my roots of RESEARCH. The group meeting definitely showed me that I should have more research backed up with my film opening.
Today, I am choosing to focus on... Cinematography. I may have envisioned what my story will look like, however, I have not had a chance to focus on cinematography components.
What is Cinematography you may be asking? Simply, it is how images are captured. Cinematography shows the art of photography and a visually appealing story. It is composed of elements such as lighting, framing, composition, camera motion, camera angles, lens choices, zoom, color, etc. Why might we need it? It defines the overall look and mood of a production and narrative. Every mise-en-scene choice can provide a way to enhance a given story. I found it super interesting that filmmakers choose to spend a bulk of their budget on high quality cinematography to ensure that the film while look appealing on a big movie theater screen.
What do cinematographers do? They're responsible for creating the look, color, lightning, and framing for every single shot in a film. Their choices must ensure that they support the directors vision for the film.
The Godfather (1972)
Starting off with one of the best drama films the exist, The Godfather, I was inspired by this cinematography because of the use of shadows. The cinematographer for this film is Gordon Willis who stated that he focused on a combination of lighting, camera angles, and framing to create a visual language that fits the directors narrative. The dark and dull tones allows the film to feel more suspenseful and intense. When looking at the shots that ocurred during this production, a good majority of them are typically serious with professional clothing, emotionless faces, and intimidating personalities.
This shot below immediately caught my eye. This, this is what I want my final shot to look similar to. The street, the color, the shot, it makes sense. A bright world before the protagonists world flipped around.
Bladerunner 2049 (2017)
Although my genre is drama, unlike this film which is a thriller/sci-fi, I was inspired by the lighting choices. I think the look of the duller tones would fit well with the themes of my film opening. The film is filled with stunning images that stick with the audience even after the film is over. It was shot by one of the most acclaimed cinematographers of all time, Roger Deakins, who also shot films such as No Country for Old Men (2007) and 1917 (2019). Half of this cinematography is composed of mise-en-scene elements.
The shots are beautiful. I have gained a lot of inspiration from this films choice of shots, color, mise-en-scene, etc. I particularly like the close up on Ryan Goslings face in the first section below. The light on his face, the expression, and the angle choice are all thought out aspects that I could possibly integrate into my shots.
Sources
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-what-is-cinematography-and-what-does-a-cinematographer-do
https://gridfiti.com/visually-stunning-movies/
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/blade-runner-2049-cinematography-analysis/
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