Hurt Locker Film Analysis

1- This was a great movie but although I have seen it before it is definetly a good choice to see it again. This movie is complex in the sense that you have to watch it more than once to understand the situation at hand. Not only that, but you need to realize the severity of the present war and that the soldiers fighting the war can't make the choice who lives or who dies. It was amazing however, that the audience could feel such a connection to the characters in the film. Such as the start of the movie we see the sergeant get killed by the blast radius from the explosion. It has not been twenty minutes yet we already feel remorse for the character because we understand he died an honorable soldier and man in the line of duty.

2- Everything comes into place at the beginning of the film, we understand the location, the mood, and the emotion the soldiers feel. This movie was set in Iraq and even though it is a war zone some shots show that there are actual people living there merely because it is there home. Iraq is portrayed as a dangerous place where you feel you could not survive one day because of the fighting; you might die in a cross fire or get hit in the skull by a frag grenade, the place is very chancy. The director was able to show us that soldiers are actual people with actual lives and that they taking risks to help our country and others as well; the american soldiers are not just numbers than can be distributed like ponds.

3- The camera work differs from other works (such as the steady camera panning). In this movie the camera is shaky almost all the time. This adds to the dramatic tension in the video because the camera shaking symbolizes the chaos of every situation these soldiers endure every day. I believe the actors did a great job in there rolls:

Thompson as the first team leader that was so cool that he could never be replaced esaily,

Sanborn as the responsible trooper (who follows procedure but is not in charge to make his job difficult),

Eldridge the trooper that fears that he will die any day: he is also careful for example he asks Sanborn if he should kill the Hajii.

Lastly there was Sergeant James who was the to cool for the rules as in he did not follow the procedures so that he could be unpredictable to the enemy.

These actors did a great job in inputing mixed feelings in the squad and so did the costume designers. The designers did a very nice job because not only did they give the correct outfit to put on but they most likely got an army expert and asked him about the ranks. I personally double checked the ranks and they were the correct ones as depicted in the film. For example, Sergeant James would call "Specialist" (which is the third rank in the army) and you can take his word that he is a specialist.

4- The movie is very realistic in a way because usually we don't see this kinds of things but as we hear about them on the news our minds paint images for us and we try to piece things in a ways so that they end up something like we would see in the Hurt Locker - therefore this movie is very realistic to us. You can count on this movie to tell what is going on and where it is happening. What the director decides to do is do an establishing shot of the current situation at hand and then he focuses on other "sub" situations before he cuts to the arrival of the main characters. The director does this so us as audiences can try to predict what will happen an kind of get a sense of the pandemonium. As the characters arrive and the start doing there job as soldiers, the camera is mostly in a close up or an extreme close up. This is so that we share the same emotions that the character try (and succeed to) portray.

5- The editing had manny variations. Most of the time in the movie as the action got more and more intense the camera got shakier and the shots were cut a lot faster from one point to another. This was a ways for the director to make us realize how little time the soldiers have to think and that they have to make split second decisions because it is life or death. But there were some times when the shots were slow passed because the soldiers do have time to relax but not always. The director focuses on Specialist Eldridge because he wanted to show that even in relaxed times the soldiers are still biting there nails (so to speak) and are agitated because they are so nervous. This is shown in the scenes between the Specialist and the Colonel (the doctor) as the Specialist discusses a song called "be all you can be." he asks what all he can be dead is the side of a Iraqi road. He justifies his words by saying this is war and that people die.

6- The motif of Hell was illustrated constantly as the squad had to go through many fields were choices had to be made that were life or death. For example, there was a bomb in every danger because this was a D.O.D. team. Graphic images of dead people, blood, and gore are present because this is the real world and the director tries to grasp that and enlighten the people who ARE unfamiliar with terrors of this world.

7- The script was well written in the sense that the writers knew what to make the characters say perfectly so that we the people who don't go to war and understand what is being communicated. We know that there is tension between the soldiers because every one has there own views on why they should be there or not. One circumstance is when Specialist Eldridge tries to find some sort of comic relief in war by tryin to scare Sergeant James. Although Sanborn is annoyed by what he does he still understands what he is trying to say. Sanborn comprehends what Eldridge feels because of the missions they have been on. By the end of Eldridge's dialogue we can conclude that he is vaguely asking James if he really wants to be in the military because it is just Hell.

8- The genre this movie has is action/adventure because there is non stop action, the breaks between the different bomb scenes are short showing that war does not take a break therefore you have to be on alert at all times. The reason why this movie is also an adventure is because these characters are on a never-endless quest to becoming better soldiers.

9- I have watched other war movies before and every one added a different view on how the war affects society back in the states and around the world. I feel that the Hurt Locker was definitely a great success and that it was well pieced together, the shots would not have communicated a successful message without the sound. The sound enhanced the experience and the mood - the way we felt towards these characters could not have been the same with out the sound. Therefore, the audio was a way to help us know what to feel about the situation even if our own words cold not describe it.

Short Documentary Blog Post

1- The narrative starts with Jeremy Mccgraw, he describes that as a kid he loved being in the dirt. Motocross was the perfect experience for him to fulfill this pleasure and he wouldn't know what else he would be doing if he stopped motocross. Ashley Fiolek is Jeremies friend, Jeremy helps her out at the Honda track for upcoming races. Ashley is deaf and we understand some pain that she goes through when she gets applause from people and she can't hear how well she is doing.

Jeremy usually competes in the X games but this time he is a game commentator. Jeremy's friend who compete in the X games say this is good because they dont want to loose to him again. Jeremy talks about how brethtaking it is to watch the freestyle at the X games. He says you think you might get used to it but it is always an amazing experience. "They make my hairs stand up."

Jeremy races of off road trucks at T.O.R.C. (the of road course). As a child Jeremy loved Rick Johnson and to day he gets a chance to meet up with him. Jeremy and Rick are both competitive racers. "We race with every fiber in our body."

Jeremy describes that it is good to have friends especially if your the new because you need pointer on how you can improve. Jeremy races at POWDER MTN., he says that it is always fun because of the camaraderie.

Jeremy says that there are 7 on the team: 5 got 1st place and 2 of them got 2nd place = His team is really good.

Jeremy only has one problem with his job, he travels TO much and he misses his family. Although this is a downer Jeremy has made it into the MOTOR-SPORTS HALL OF FAME.

2- Theshots are definitely varied. There are shots that follow the off road vehicles and some camera lenses are placed in front of the rider while they race. The interviews are interesting, Jeremy sits in a chair and the camera pans across the room as he is answering questions (with him still in the shot).

Definitely the shots are varied enough so that we don't get bored. Due to the action music and the action that goes in the documentary the shots change very quickly. For example during the interviews, there will be a close-up and while they are still talking the shot will be the beginning of a shot reverse shot. The camera always follows the off road trucks and when they mess up the camera swiftly zooms in on the failure but this is to add some tension because everyone is already off there seats hoping they will succeed in the trick.

3- The editing is not that great because while there is an interview b-roll cuts in and we see what is going on in the world of motocross. Obviously this sport is breathtaking, nail-biting, and gripping experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat so it is very compatible to have action music throughout the film. The only time that these motocross racers don't have action music playing is in the morning. During the morning these guys wake up in a calm environment.

As the soothing music plays this shows that these people are ordinary people with a passion and a dream for what they do. Jeremy says: "Bacon and eggs, i can do bacon and eggs any day." This quote is a quick and easy tool to help us realize that they are the same as us that they would eat bacon and eggs for breakfast just like almost everyone else.

Documentary PrePro

Documentary Pre-Production

Purpose: To show the importance of ELD English classes.

Contacts: Students enrolled in the class. The teacher that teaches ELD.

Interview Questions: Teacher Questions: GET THERE NAMES Can you describe to us what ELD is? What is the average number of students in an ELD class? How many ELD classes do you teach in a day? What are some challenges that come with teaching students how to speak English? Who regulates the difficulties of the assignments you assign? Do you feel that assignments are too easy for the students or if they’re too hard? When do you know to move on to the next level in teaching these students? Do you feel that students perform better in school based on learning to understand English better? Can you describe to us why ELD is important and why it should stay in the curriculum? There is a saying: “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” So when life gives you students, what do you make THEM into? How much do you love your job and what is your favorite part about it? Students’ questions: GET THERE NAMES

Where you born in the United States? If not where? Is English a second language to you? How long have you been taking ELD? Why are you taking ELD? Has your English improved since you have been taking ELD? For example, has it gone from a C to a B? Does the homework challenge you hard enough so that you do better? General Flow: In the beginning, we will see b-roll of the teacher teaching her class and we will fade to the actuall interview with the teacher describing what ELD is. In the middle, the teacher will tell us challenges about what she does in her job and then fade into the interviews with the students describing us how ELD has helped them. In the end, the final questions will pop up and the teacher will tell us how she transforms teens (that have just moved to the country) into successful students. Then she will tell us what she loves about her job and what the best part about is. Shot List- B-roll of classroom being taught CU- interviews with teacher and students Walking shots- me following the teacher throughout the day. 180 degree shot- panning the camera 180 degree around the teachers head CU- Students working hard.

Scripts: No script can be written yet due to the fact that i do not have my shots yet. the script will be written when i have filmed my shots. Intro: There are many levels in English studies but ELD helps students out more than we would ever expect. ELD helps shape our students of tomorrow. Closing: the closer will be the lemonade question.

Baraka

1- Baraka, created by Ron Frickle and Mark Magidson, is a film with no plot but rather a deeper meaning of the world around us. In addition, Ron Frickle and Mark Magidson's production makes us think differently about the events happening across the globe.With all of the beautiful shots taken around the world we as individuals must find out our own meaning to what we see.

Baraka is a specifically designed movie to heighten the viewers awareness about the traditions, lifestyles and the devastation that man ,animals and nature itself can create on the planet.

Above is a screen shot taken directly from the film, it shows how a simple oil fire fire can summon such destruction and terror on a landscape and the intensity of a volcano (right side picture)

Altough Shot Durations are prolonged to a certain extent to where the viewer can't take it anymore, the scenery changes. This developing technique is used to first, draw in the attention of the viewer; two, let them absorb the information given to them; three, process the information gathered.

The shots shown above are from Maui, Hawaii. They are from different time frames but each one of these shots were prolonged to about 30 seconds (a lot longer than the average 3 second shot). This is paramount because it exemplifies the way the directors are able to capture there audience with such camera work. It is interesting to see how after a 30 second shot we can move over to another location a few miles away and still be interested in the landscape with another 30 second shot (we might even be looking forward to it).

Why is the film titled Baraka?"

Baraka; meaning "breath" in Persian Sufi (Islam), is the title because with each breath you try to capture the essence of the situation around you. The word 'baraka' is a message to tell us that you need to stop and pay attention to your surroundings for a change and notice the smallest details.

Actors and Locations:

In the film world, directors are constantly looking for actors. But what better actor is there then the true being you are trying to impersonate? The directors of this movie intended on one goal: to show the people of how other peoples societies function. Embarking on this mission required two things which were: ordinary people (as actors) and there society (as the location or setting in which they inhabit).

Narrative Structure:

A theme to take away from this film is that everyone, in every part of there lifestyle, religion or culture is different. Some might be more similar than others but there will always be something that separates an individual from the rest.

Editing:

The way the movie is edited is edited merits some spotlight. Each shot is pieced together in a way so that each shot either connect through a deeper a meaning or is simply just a transitioning tool.

Sound:

According to the different shots, a partially different sound or music/soundtrack plays. Obviously, each shot has a different pace and intensity depending on location. As a result the editors or sound designers change the the track to something up-beat or slow passed so we understand the level of stress in an environment.

For example, as factory workers work in a factory we can imagine how it is for them to keep up with there work and stay on schedule all the time. Therefore, the music is up beat and moving quickly.

We have another occasion where we see the life of large portion of indian population living in a slum or a type of downtown where the buildings are a wreck. the next shots are of graveyards showing that there lives are as dull as the deads. therefore there is slow-passed music.

2- The film is expressing a planetary perspective critiquing the modern world. it is saying that the people in our current century are not as caring nor observant of the different cultures and severity of situations around the world. The film also tells us that we as humans spend so much paying attention to ourselves that we've become ignorant about the beauty that surround this planet.

3- Baraka brings us several messages such as taking care of our planet and praise it for its true beauty because every time something man made is created it ends up in the dumb like the dumb seen in the film. We receive the message by looking at landscapes around the world and it says that natures pure beauty should be enough to please man kind.

4- The absence of voice affected the goal of the global perspective in Baraka by letting the action in the shots or the actions by the people speak louder than words. so to make the actions speak louder the editors removed any speech or dialogue.

5- Answered above.

6- We watched Baraka in order to be exposed to different editing techniques and concepts. I have never thought about connections so much in my life with this movie and after though i have seen this movie it does not encourage me to travel because most of the shots creeped me out but taught me a thing or two about our planet.

Short Film Comedy

Script/Narrative/Story
The film develops a clear story when the star helps out many people in distress. In some scenes he saves other people from themselves.

Although a theme is not really present you can call it irony that after helping a lot of people he actually needs to save himself this time by allowing the death of his teacher so that he may get away with not doing his homework.

Throughout the video, every shot led us to believing more and more that the character is a nice guy every time he helped someone.
Dialogue was not present during this video.

The climax, is unique, it is original and we immediately understand that the main character gets his way. We understand that the character does a lot of nice things and after this one time he does not do his homework he is scolded for it. So, he is then rewarded when the teacher chocks on a pen and he just leaves him there.

Casting
I believe that each character was portraying there roll properly even for the tall guys it was nice to see that even they have emotions.
The actors were pretty believable because the roles were simple.
Each actor contributed a different attribute to there character. the mindless walker with his deranged face, the built guy who had a sensitive side, the helpless cripple who is to injured to pick up his books and the average student who is struggling with there homework.

Acting
The characters connected with the audience because these were every day events for high school people.
The actors were simply acting out rolls and most of the shots were good but it was difficult to match things perfectly.

Music and Effects
Although the walking in the rain song was calm and led us to a serene setting the rock music wakes people up to make them realize that this is intense.

Staging and Props
Because the film was related to high school troubles i believe that it fit well to shoot the shots at school

Lighting
The lighting was all natural light.

Titles and Credits
The credits are well paced and you can read them just before they leave the screen. Also no subtitles were in the film.

Camera Operation
I feel the shots were nicely placed especially when there is a lot of headroom at one point showing the characters inferiority.

Sound
No microphone was needed because we deleted the audio so that we could put our background music.

Editing
The editing was nice it flowed well, you could understand the story because everything started to unfold near the end. The star forgets to do his homework but leaves when the teacher dies.

Word Count: 456

Short film treatment - Romantic Comedy

Topic: A do-gooder that gets rewarded for his sacrifice.

Story:

Quandite is a normal kid but who is extremely nice.

While walking to school he makes sure no one gets run over by a car (kind of like a crossing guard).

When he is at school walking to class he picks up any books that people drop.

When someone looks lonely he cheers them up with a nice talk.

If people forget there homework he sometimes does it for them.
Ironically, today he forgot to do his homework because he did someone else's.
While walking to class Quandite is sweating crazy (like he just got out of the pool).
He is about to enter the classroom (already five minutes late) when...

The fire alarm goes off and he is literally saved by the bell!
Quandite gets another day to complete his OWN homework and continue to spread his kindness.

Amelie film analysis

Amelie, a long but worthwhile movie to see, is one of the best camera works i've seen. Amelie does a great job of connecting to the audience to plot of the story in more ways than one.

Camera Analysis:

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The movie Amelie contains several different kinds of camera work. Mathieu Kassovitz (the director) uses speedy close-ups to make us focus faster on the character. The way Mathieu does such a great job in grabbing our attention is by first using the Kuleshov effect.

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First, he puts the camera on Amelie, then he puts the camera on what she is looking at. After, this sequence is repeated a couple times, the climax to the scene occurs.

Sometimes, Mathieu directs the camera man to zoom into an extreme colse-up in about one second. In this matter, it makes it very easy for the viewer to know what he or she should be focussing on.


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In this movie, foreshadowing plays a great part to the development of the plot. In this scene Amelie is looking for the guy who owns a photo album that she is trying to return. The man she is looking for is the man under the skelton mask.

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The way foreshadowing is used during this first encounter, is by placing these two characters in an extreme close-up with both of them in the same shot. This shows a strong and focused connection that lets us infer that later on in the story these same individuals end up falling in love.