shitpost central
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
scene analysis
in this scene from 500 Days of Summer, the main characters
Summer and Tom speak for the first time since their breakup and summer’s
subsequent marriage to another man.
the framing is typical for a conversation scene, each actor
being shot “over the shoulder” of the other. however, the scene takes place on
a bench; the actors are seated next to each other, facing outwards. the scene
could have taken place at a table, with the actors across from each other, but
the fact that they are not facing one another helps to emphasize the fact that
these characters are no longer together, and no longer share the strong bond
they once did. they may be sitting near each other, but they are not
connected.
additionally, the colors in the scene are primarily dull and
unsaturated. while other scenes in the movie are full of vivid color to
emphasize the passion the characters feel for one another, this scene is
comparatively gray, reflecting the sense of loss and listlessness that now exists
between them.
interestingly, Summer is actually quite pregnant in this
scene, which is revealed at its beginning (before they sit on the bench
together, and before the clip above starts). however, the entire conversation
is shot from the actors’ chests up, so her baby bump is not visible while they
are actually talking. it is possible that this decision was made to avoid
distracting the viewer, keeping the emphasis on the two characters themselves
and the conversation they are having; seeing the baby bump throughout the
conversation would keep the viewer thinking about Summer’s pregnancy and
husband, but this particular conversation is not about those things, and so
that visual reminder is removed from the equation to make clear that the viewer
should be thinking about Summer and Tom and their relationship.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
MOMI visit
visiting the Museum of the Moving Image was a fascinating experience. getting to see special effects work, set design, costumes and more up close was pretty unforgettable. the Giant-Zoetrope-Thing was impressive, and seeing the progression of the television set over time was cool too. one part of the tour that really stuck out to me, though, was seeing how set designers often make to-scale 3D models of sets.
i’ve always figured that a lot of thought goes into set design, determining what will allow for certain lighting and camera placement, or where actors will enter and exit. any real space (i.e. not a set in a studio with three walls and no ceiling) provides challenges of its own, of course. how will you fit lights and camera and sound equipment in a small, enclosed space, for instance? what camera angles will even be physically possible to achieve based on the shape of the room? will the shape and material of the walls reflect too much light?
but it didn’t occur to me just how common it is to build set models. it certainly makes sense, and allows everyone involved in production—the director, the writers, the actors, the light and sound and camera operators—to make decisions ahead of time, to understand if and how the space will work to make the vision a reality. it takes a lot of time and work to make these models, but they can very well save time and work in the long run by allowing everyone to see potential problems before they arise on the real set. these days, we have sophisticated 3D modeling computer programs and 3D printers that can replace or supplement the task of building set models by hand. a computer render of a set can make any potential complications more immediately apparent, and is easier to adjust than a physical model.
i’ve always figured that a lot of thought goes into set design, determining what will allow for certain lighting and camera placement, or where actors will enter and exit. any real space (i.e. not a set in a studio with three walls and no ceiling) provides challenges of its own, of course. how will you fit lights and camera and sound equipment in a small, enclosed space, for instance? what camera angles will even be physically possible to achieve based on the shape of the room? will the shape and material of the walls reflect too much light?
but it didn’t occur to me just how common it is to build set models. it certainly makes sense, and allows everyone involved in production—the director, the writers, the actors, the light and sound and camera operators—to make decisions ahead of time, to understand if and how the space will work to make the vision a reality. it takes a lot of time and work to make these models, but they can very well save time and work in the long run by allowing everyone to see potential problems before they arise on the real set. these days, we have sophisticated 3D modeling computer programs and 3D printers that can replace or supplement the task of building set models by hand. a computer render of a set can make any potential complications more immediately apparent, and is easier to adjust than a physical model.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Thursday, March 24, 2016
soundwalk
there are always birds chirping in the park, even more so now that it's spring. it's mostly sparrows, tweeting their cute little songs, but i can hear a crow on occasion, a distant, ominous caw, but i can't see it. i can never see it. it's slightly windy, and the leaves rustle soothingly. behind me, children chatter and laugh on the playground. if i listen closely, i can hear the squeaking of the ancient swing set's rusted chains.
dogs and their owners trod along the dirt path and pavement alike, soft crunching leaves and twigs on one side, the click of shoes and claws on the other. i know a dog is coming thanks to the telltale jingle-jangle of dog tags. a little yappy thing barks a sharp, high-pitched sound at a scurrying squirrel, which chitters and ruffles the grass in its escape. in the distance, a bigger dog bays, deep and low and energetic—probably tumbling excitedly around the dog run. bikers whiz by, wheels flicking, chains clicking, bells dinging brightly.
a kid practices her rollerblading, wheels cracking pleasantly against the pavement, hair whipping in the wind. a younger kid, maybe her brother, screeches his scooter to a halt and lets it clatter metallically to the ground. his little sneakers stumble clumsily before he gets back on the scooter and kicks off—at least one of his wheels is slightly squeaky. their babysitter calls out in a stern, projecting voice, warning the boy to stay close as another bike fwips by. sparrows chirp and splash and beat their wings in a small puddle, then flap frantically away as a dog pitter-patters by.
dogs and their owners trod along the dirt path and pavement alike, soft crunching leaves and twigs on one side, the click of shoes and claws on the other. i know a dog is coming thanks to the telltale jingle-jangle of dog tags. a little yappy thing barks a sharp, high-pitched sound at a scurrying squirrel, which chitters and ruffles the grass in its escape. in the distance, a bigger dog bays, deep and low and energetic—probably tumbling excitedly around the dog run. bikers whiz by, wheels flicking, chains clicking, bells dinging brightly.
a kid practices her rollerblading, wheels cracking pleasantly against the pavement, hair whipping in the wind. a younger kid, maybe her brother, screeches his scooter to a halt and lets it clatter metallically to the ground. his little sneakers stumble clumsily before he gets back on the scooter and kicks off—at least one of his wheels is slightly squeaky. their babysitter calls out in a stern, projecting voice, warning the boy to stay close as another bike fwips by. sparrows chirp and splash and beat their wings in a small puddle, then flap frantically away as a dog pitter-patters by.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Friday, February 5, 2016
artist's statement
art has been a massive part of my life ever since i could
close my fist around a crayon. throughout my childhood i was constantly drawing
and observing the world around me. i've always sat on the sidelines and
watched, and thought, and learned. i admire the beauty of street lamps and
store signs, of speckled pigeons and tree-cast shadows, of the droopy-eyed
woman with hair like a ginger cloud. i see a world with a potential for
incredible beauty. but i also see a world that needs some serious fixing. i’m
not yet entirely certain how, but i want to be a part of that fix.
i want to create media in which people can see themselves—their best selves. i want to create media that reflect back a world better than our own. i want television shows about the people so often erased by media. i want shows about black lesbians in wheelchairs and autistic transgender indian girls. i want shows that give voices to the unheard, that don’t limit representation as if it is a zero-sum game where diversity costs some unseen ‘points’ and you can only spend so many. (“why is she disabled and black? isn’t that a bit much?”)
i can’t yet say what my path will be. i can’t say if i would be successful in such endeavors. i’ve never attempted any sort of large project. i always find myself overwhelmed with the details and minutiae. but i want to make a change. i want to provide means of being heard to the silenced. i don’t just want to make myself better; i want to do something that will make other people want to be better, too.
i want to create media in which people can see themselves—their best selves. i want to create media that reflect back a world better than our own. i want television shows about the people so often erased by media. i want shows about black lesbians in wheelchairs and autistic transgender indian girls. i want shows that give voices to the unheard, that don’t limit representation as if it is a zero-sum game where diversity costs some unseen ‘points’ and you can only spend so many. (“why is she disabled and black? isn’t that a bit much?”)
i can’t yet say what my path will be. i can’t say if i would be successful in such endeavors. i’ve never attempted any sort of large project. i always find myself overwhelmed with the details and minutiae. but i want to make a change. i want to provide means of being heard to the silenced. i don’t just want to make myself better; i want to do something that will make other people want to be better, too.
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