The Great Gatsby

The introduction of Nick

• There are some fast motion was using in this shot, it was using fewer frames than 24 fps, it was used because this scene was talking about the development of the past few years, the pace of the people maybe very fast, thus this scene can be faster because not the most important part, moreover, it can also show the living of people in a fast motion.

•  This was a shot of using steady camera, the movement of the camera will not be to shake,and people can watch this scene steadily.
• Besides, tracking was used too, this was the beginning of the movie, the director wanted to take the audiences to the era where the story happened, thus tracking was used.

• The last scene was using the attering time, frozen at that moment. The purpose of this shot was to introduce the main character of this movie, let the audiences to recognize him. 

The pathway to Mr Gatsby's house

• In this setting, there are a lot of trees beside the pathway. The light was natural light, because it was in the morning.
• Using aerial shot, the camera moving in a freedom way, not steady and follow the car.
• It was using the tracking skills, the camera follow the car and the people going to the party, let the audiences become one of the actor and placing inside the movie.

• The setting was in the evening, the sky was dark, it was inside a garden, there are lots of trees surrounded the castle.
• Using the long shot, we can know that later on the places was in this castle.
• Using a bird's angle to watch the house, can show the whole appearances of the house, every details was shown

Nick going into the party

• Using  high angel, the people are not a small point, it can show different kinds of people, businessmen, celebrities, directors, morality protectors and high school defectors.

• Using a close shot in the scene, we can clearly see the facial expression of Nick, he was very amazed about this huge party.
• It was using selective focus, the background was not important at all, Nick was the main character, he should be the focus  point.

• The lighting was very sift, it was not focusing on one point, it was diffused and spread out, there were different  light and bounced everywhere, make the party full of joy.
• Deep focus was used in this scene, all the frames are n focus, the setting, which means the party background, and the figures,which were the guests of the party, they are equally important.
• Using a high angel to show the space of the party, it was a enormous party, covey sense of space. 
• Using a long shot to show the space, far away from the party, it can occupied more space, showing the luxurious of the party. 

• The costume of the dancer were very glamorous, a lot of shiny hair ornament,  and the 
• The lighting was using high key, it represents joyful and cheerful mood, all the shadows were gone, the light ratio may be 2:1.
• This was using a high angel to show the facial expression of the dances, the dancers and dancing full of temptation and joyful.

In Mr Gatsby's working room

• The light was very soft and natural, we can feel that the working room was very warm,  peaceful and quiet.
• It was using a low level, from down to up, from the view of the Nick and look up to the housekeeper.
• Long shot was used too, going to show the whole space of the house and let people see the whole view of the working room.
• Besides, the shot was moved vertically, from down to up, it was panning.

The appeared of Mr Gatsby

 

• Extreme focus on the Mr Gatsby's ring, it was a significant representation of Mr Gatsby, let the audiences curious about who was wearing the ring, make a focus on the ring.
• Selective focus was used because the background was not very important, the ring was the main object in this scene.

• In this scene, the director was using selective focus, the background, which means the party was not important at all ,this scene was the introduction of Mr. Gatsby, so the focus point should be Mr Gatsby. 
• Slow motion was used in this picture, it was using the view of Mr Gatsby, Nick think that Mr Gatsby was very special and unrealistic, so when he first saw Mr. Gatsby, he felt a little bit shock and don't know how to react, so in his eyes, Mr Gatsby was moving slowly, and also in order to show the clear appearance to the audiences, a dramatic effect shown.
• The camera was using the medium close up,  from the face to the chest, can show the facial expression of Mr. Gatsby and focus on the action of him.

The end of the party

• At the end of the party, there are dark in the sky and Nick was out of the castle already.
• Although it was very dark, the light was not very hard, it was soft and natural, the light in the windows are yellow, make the cold environment a little bit warmer.
• Using a extreme long shot, Mr Gatsby become a small spot in the movie, it was building the characteristic of Mt. Gatsby, he was very mysterious, although Nick has a conversation with him, he still do not have a deep understanding of Mr Gatsby.

The death of Mr Gatsby

• In this scene, it was using a high angel, because the swimming pool was very large, it was showing the area of swimming pool, and the action of Mr Gatsby, high shot can occupied more space.
• Panning was using, from the edge of the swimming pool and panning up to Mr Gatsby, horizontal movement can make the story smoother and know what is happening.

Cinematography: Raging Bull

Walking to the Ring

• Eye level camera, we can see him at the same level
• It was using selective focus, the background of the people are out of focus, only Robert is in focus, because he is the main character, audience can pay whole attention on him.
• The effects are tracking and steady cam. The camera is following the man walking along the corridor, and pass by the other actors, using the angle of Robert. 
• Steady cam was used while the cameraman held the camera in a stable position, he didn't shak his hand, the whole picture was very fluid.

Entrance to the ring

• Wide angle, show the relationship between the space and the audience of the boxing match, let the audience know the size of that area, and show the hugh amout of people were watching this match.
• Using the telephoto shot to get closer, make the people getting flatten, showing shallow depth of the ring and separate Robert from the background.
• The panning is used from the audience to the ring, can show the whole situation of the match, every action and movement of the match.
• The effect of close up and medium close up shots are make audiences concentrate on the important part, emphasis the signification. Medium close up was from the face the his chest, and close up was focusing on his face.

The Fight

• It is using the high level as the camera angel at the beginning of the battle, which show the action of the two boxer.
• The low level was showing the facial expression of the boxer, low shot under the face of two boxer, they were very powerful and all the muscles are tense. 
• Besides,  the low level was used at the middle of the fight, because the director wanted to show the facial expression, they are both very nervous and tense.
• The director was using the handhold, it was edgy, tense and immediate.

End of the fight

• The canted angle is used after the fight, it is following the flow of the water and slanted to one side, it was a dramatic effect and can show an desperate feeling of the competitor. 
• The slow motion is used in the water movement and the facial expression of the boxer, the director wanted to have a tense atmosphere, and exaggerated the nervous and tired of the boxer, can show their feeling through the slow motion, audiences were like paced in the battle.

Celebration

• The tilt shot is used from the metal belt to Robert's facial expression, from down to up.
• It is a representation of winning the battle, the mental is a significant sign, using a sign to present the finish of the match and winner.
• The camera angle is low angel, makes Robert become taller and stronger in this angle, thus Robert become more powerful and at the top of the world, like he won the world, a very significant representation of the movie.

Mise En Scene :Metropolis

Image from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/?ref_=ttpl_pl_tt

How does Fritz lang use the devises of mise en scene to develop the characters, themes and narrative at the beginning of metropolis?

Location 1:

- Setting

• At the beginning, there are a lot of sound, e.g. Clock and machines from factories 
• The location is built in the future society, which are setting in a urban area
• There are divided into two parts: underground and overground
• It is a specific place and take place in the future, in metropolis
• Base on some real factories and stadium, but it is a realistic

- Describe the workers:

• The workers are all survive in the same way, including their appearance, movement and career.
• The workers do not have any facial expression, they are all cool and tense, it represented that their working environment make. Them feel numb.
• Moreover, the workers' movement are like to Robert, stepping one by one like soldiers and follow each other, like zombie walking in the same pattern
• Working like a slave,  they are working in an order. Underground workers work without own senses and feeling.

Location 2

- The people

• The main character, Freder. Upper class, some people who are rich and have a high status
• Daughter of a worker, a group of children

- The location

• In the overground area, one is at the stadium, one is in the garden

-Contrast to the first one

• Movement: very free, do not need to follow one by one, have different movement

Action:

• Running competition held, some of them scream and some of them try their best to run. 
• The upper class are playing in the garden, chasing each other, full of laughter
• A pair of lover playing in front of the waterfront, very romantic scene, their face are full of joyful and cheerful

Lighting:

• The overground is brighter and have sunlight, using some natural light
• The underground is dim and don't have any brightness

Why are they so different:

• Show the contrast between the two location, one is disaster, and one is an utopia
• Show the unfairness of the city in the metropolis

The Main Protagonists

- Who

• the upper class and the working class

-Contrast by appearance
 Light :

•  using some soft light in this location, spread out in a large area,brighter and can minimize the imperfection
•  using hard light in the location 1, more focus light, close to the workers and have deep shadows

Establish the narrative

What is happening:

• In the future world, there are two kinds of people in the city: upper class and the labour class
• wealthy residents live a carefree life, do not have any worries, form a utopian country, the main character, a man is one of them
• one day, a delightful lady appear with a group of poor children and just appeared in a short period of time
• the man follow her and get into the orld of the underground
• running the machine to keep the function of the overground people
• At last the machine kills a lot of workers 

Development and Representation

• Machine become a monster face after explosion
• Workers become slaves 
• This is a metaphor, create sharp image of the working class
• The workers are hurt by the machine, in this kind of working condition, they are going to die
• Some of them even died
• Freder is like an audience watching the disaster                         

Setting 

New setting:

• There are a lot of airplanes, cars and traffic jams happened in the crowded city
• very busy city with high technology
• A lot of high - rise apartment building 

The purpose:

• In order to show the differences of the upper class and working class make a clear definition in this area
• A capitalism society appeared in the metropolis, people have divided into two state       

Description on a picture from Atonement

   Through this picture, I have some idea about the costume of the movie included the period of time, the background and the class of the people.

  In this picture, we can realizes that this place held in England, because at the back of the picture, there was a old lady wearing a hat with British style, and fury coat that are European people would wear.Beside, the period of time is about 1930s, it was because the man at the front of picture was dressing like an army, he was in brown uniform and gel his hair neatly, which signifies that he was working for a department which need good behavior. Thus the period which appears armies was the world war. Moreover, the women at the front was wearing blue shirt with a pin on her shirt, which represented that she was a nurse, a nurse appeared in a war area means that women have their status and can have their job, so I guess the picture happened in World War II. The man and woman at the front were not very rich because they need to work, so I think they are lower class with a proper job.

  The setting of this picture was in a restaurant, there are tables and chairs everywhere, and a menu on the table.The career of the man and women in the front are the nurse and the army, they are sitting not in close position, they are sitting in quite a distance, so I think there are conflicts in their relationship. The facial expression of the women was very sad and depressed, and the man didn't have any facial expression, his face was very tense. He was looking down at the table, don't want to have any eye contact with the woman. Moreover, the action between them also tell that they are in a very sad mood, the woman was holding the man's hand, but the man didn't give her response, therefore I think the women feel sorry, and want to apologize, but the boy didn't accept her apology, both of them are in a very stressful situation.

  I think this movie was in the background of war, there may be about a love story in the war, but some dispirited feeling inside.