an additional reason the scene works so well is that it doesn’t suddenly cut to a dark androgynous figure with antlers doing… something…
Interesting stuff.
Definitely, but I almost wonder if I prefer to let the director work his magic without seeing the man behind the curtain. I am always afraid I will focus too much on what the director is doing and not letting myself get immersed in the scene. Not unlike people I know who work in computer graphics and watch a Pixar movie trying to figure out what tricks they are using rather than watching the movie…
I’ve thought about that too, but i found out that that rarely happens. The only side effect of knowing the techniques is setting the bar higher. Crass, stupid movies with obvious intent will be too transparent. Good directors will still work their magic.
Even directors with a really noticeable style (I’m thinking of Wong Kar-Wai) don’t really lose anything by spending some time figuring out the what and why. It’s like learning about any art – you don’t really lose appreciation of art, you start to appreciate some of the finer details instead. For myself, I’ve found that digging in a little helps me actually understand why something stood out to me in the first place. That makes it much easier to then find more things that exhibit the same qualities.
I wonder how much of this is actually the cinematographer’s work.
OK, this is probably an interesting video, and I would have loved to have watched it, but the soundtrack is very distracting. Do you want me to listen to your presentation, or the music? Make up your mind.
I had that problem watching films for a while after I took a huge number of acting classes. I couldn’t enjoy the performance because I analyzed all but the very best (which enthralled me despite my new annoying habit), but I got over it after a while and learned to enjoy good performances more and poor performances less.
I only seem to have that problem when I make the mistake of going to a 3D movie. I then spend all my time thinking about camera angles (while developing a low grade headache and constantly readjusting the effing glasses).
Is it just me, or does the still with the BoingBoing post look a bit like latter-years Michael Jackson?
My big college extracurricular was television production - I was involved in all aspects of video production including setting up lights, mics, operating cameras, directing, editing, script writing, and producing. I worked on this about 40 hours per week as a volunteer, which was insane, but fun. But even today it is very difficult for me to watch TV without noticing the camera angles and cuts, particularly with certain styles of live coverage like the coverage of presidential inaugurations where there are long, slow zooms to waving flags and tight face shots to increase the drama on what is actually a dull, static event - we used to use techniques like this for a debate series at the college where senators and ex-presidents and such would come. Honestly, being behind the camera was so much more creative and fun that watching the final work; I really miss it.
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