Research: Japanese Haiku poem

Japanese haiku poems consist of three lines; the middle line with 7 syllables and the top and bottom with 5 syllables (Note: This is the equivalent of Japanese syllables in English). they also contain "the essence of Japanese people’s aesthetics, view of nature, philosophy, thought, and sentiments." In other words, they are simple ways of explaining deep concepts.

This fits perfectly for the structure of my film; in the sense that it can explain the three key stages of the film in simple words. So, I've attempted to write the structure of my film in the form of a haiku. This structure can then be translated into a script for the film itself:


The Mantis watches
Consumed in the smoke of lust
The other knows this

Beneath the river
Unsettled on the surface
Empty in the deep

Sinking to the calm
From the soul can come a spark
He can find himself

Breaking down the poem:

• During the mating process of the mantis, the female eventually eats the male after reproduction. This is symbolic of how the unrequited love is consuming the protagonist.

• The river is a symbol of human life. On the surface of who we are, we can be false to our natures. But beneath the depth, there is nothing inside who the protagonist is.

• The spark marks the moment that the protagonist realises how he comes to love and respect himself before he can do the same to others.

* Quote reference: Mayuzumi, M (2010), Haiku: The Heart of Japan in 17 Syllables, http://www.tokyofoundation.org/en/articles/2010/haiku  [Accessed 28/04/17]

Work Check Feedback and Alterations

After my tutorial with Matt, we highlighted that the current version of my story is far too complicated and there is too much going on in the script; in other words, over complication. However, Matt liked the idea of peeling back the layers of a human to define who they are. We discussed that the story does not have to be linear in terms of going from A to B to C etc. Instead, Matt suggested the idea of a "Visual Poem". Having key simple ideas that when connected, create the meaning of a complex idea for the film.

With this in mind, I aim to rewrite the script; simplifying it to a much more basic layout. The key events that will be connected in the film are as follows:

• The protagonist has an unrequited attraction to another person that they put above themselves

• From loving the other person before themselves, they wallow in the fact that they are empty and in effect 'non-existent'

• In the resolution, they discover who they really are by learning to love themselves above anyone else

Connecting these events together, you have a film they explains the concept of what it is to be human. Beneath all the layers that make up a person, what is their true nature. This idea also brings in to play the concept of the world navel as mentioned before. This being that the events in the film are connect by means of an underlying beat of the Earth that synchronises with every living thing on earth. This is what the protagonist needs to discover who they really are.

The overall message is to make the audience take a step back and reflect upon who they really are; in other words, make them more aware of their nature.

Pre-Production: Storyboard 2nd Draft

I've decided to change the wolf dance animation into a photo montage sequence. The reason being is that it grants me more time to perfect the film I already intend to make and also, in my opinion in proved effective in showing intended action in the mini project I did on waste awareness.

Test: Sound Foley Exerise

Today in uni, the group project exercise we were set today was to practice creating sound foley for a random video clip. The clip we were given seemed overall disorientating and so we wanted to created something similar in sound to reflect this. What we wanted to achieve was paranoia and so we included the overlay of sadistic whispers, reversed electric guitar notes and sound effects to correlate with the actions in the clip.

Pre-Production: Paper Cut Draft 1 (Live Action Visuals Only)

So that I can roughly see how my film is going to look, I've combined scenes from the storyboard and edited them together with the addition of the camera movements and frame duration:

Whilst the animated parts of the film have not yet been story-boarded, I've been able to deduce where and when intensity needs to be highest by the use of camera movement and the rhythm of the editing. Doing this paper cut also gives me the opportunity to begin inception of the sound before the filming gets underway. This in turn leaves me significant time to perfect the story of sound as well as the visuals.

From the paper cut, I've analysed that there needs to be visual imagery to the religious implications of the film. This being by using line and shape to create the symbol of a cross to represent the Christian faith; and how the character throughout the film will mostly have his back turned to them.

I've also intended from the scene, where the cross lies at the foot of a plant and the camera panning up, creates the confusion as to whether or not the protagonist dies at the end of the film. The imagery implied being that the cross and "ascension" movement implies rising to heaven.

In conclusion, I can see how my film will look prematurely which helps me to identify improvements quicker during the test shoots.

Analysis: Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott

Overall, Blade Runner was fifty fifty for me. Reason being that; I enjoy good detective drama films but Blade Runner was too sci-fi for me. Therefore, it's safe to assume that the film is targeted at cyberpunk audiences with considerable interest in sci-fi films. For me, the message the film is trying to give is to make the audience ask themselves what it is to be human. This being shown from the behaviour the replicants show (particularly Rachael) when being told that their memories are artificially manufactured and thus if they are in fact living or mechanical.

With visual storytelling, I noticed that Deckard is mostly in the shadows compared to Batty during their final confrontation. 

My analysis of this is that something about Deckard is hidden that is clearly visible in Batty. Whilst it was later confirmed by Ridley Scott and Harrison Ford that Deckard was in fact a replicant, these scenes imply that it's not exactly clear whether he is; whereas Batty is plainly lit in sight of being a replicant in his final moments before 'retirement'.

Another use of visual components involves the almost constant contrasting of tone. The nearly the entire film's setting is at night and there are constant flashing spotlights in every window or on any character or point of interest. 

With this constant use of the technique chiaroscuro lighting that Ridley Scott has used, there is almost constant contrast of tone throughout the film. This may be to show the consistent conflict between man and replicant as the spotlight is like a search like hunting the shadows. Simultaneously, so much contrast of tone creates elements of affinity with the characters; meaning that replicants blend in so well with humans, it's hard to know who is a replicant and who isn't. 

This is evident with Rachael. She doesn't want to believe she is a replicant but through most intimate scenes with Deckard, there is contrast of tone and chiaroscuro lighting creates the dilemma of her wanting to admit her feelings for Deckard; whilst knowing she is a replicant with limited time on the clock. 

However, the moments that Deckard and Rachael share that are supposedly 'human' moments (emotional and empathetic); like when he explains about the piano music and when they kiss by the blinds. Both of them are lit equally.

These moments imply that despite their physical differences, love is real and not artificial. And so, there is no difference between humans and replicants when it comes to this. These moments are also  when Deckard is lit at his brightest. Again, this may mean that whether he may be a replicant or not, his feelings for Rachael are undeniably real and this pushes through the layers of his character stronger than anything else.

Other visual components used include shapes; or rather physical objects. Through the course of the film, Gaff makes three origami figures: a chicken, a man with an erection and a unicorn:

Correlating with the events in the scenes they appear, the chicken is a visual symbol to Deckard's initial cowardly approach in turning down the job of hunting down rogue replicants, the man with the erection is a sign towards the fact that Gaff knows that Deckard is growing attracted to Rachael; despite the fact he knows she's a replicant. The unicorn however has multiple meanings.

 One interpretation is that Deckard should live his dream (a unicorn he dreamt about) and run away with Rachel and live in hiding. Another may be that Gaff knew about Deckard's unicorn dream as he saw it from artificial memories; implying that Gaff knows Deckard is a replicant and that he'll one day come and hunt him and Rachael down.

In my opinion, I believe that Gaff put the unicorn out for Deckard to find because it's a symbol of something that is in myth and doesn't last forever. The implications in reality is that life is short and we shouldn't kid ourselves about it; we need to live life to the full before our time runs out.

Following up the unicorn symbolism, the visual subtext implied with the origami is that a unicorn is the one creature that was unwilling to go on Noah's ark in The Old Testament. They then faced extinction by means of the flood. In the context of the film, Deckard and Rachael are like the unicorn, they choose to live on the run away from the police; with the risk of being killed along the way.

Another example of visual subtext in the film is the setting. Originally in the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by  Philip K. Dick (the novel the film is based on), the setting is in a post apocalyptic San Francisco. However, Ridley Scott decided to set the film in a Chinese based community. The subtext here is that during the same year the film was released (1982), China had officially announced that it's population had reached over a billion people. Obviously the demographics implied the risk of population control; which may also be hinted to by means of retiring the minorities in the film; the replicants.

Concluding this. Blade Runner is a film that for me shows the implications of the subtext and also the number of sub plots within the story. However from personal interest of genres, it's not a film I would get hyped about; purely because of the intense sci-fi element.  

Pre-Production: Storyboard (Live Action Scenes Only) 1st Draft

Pre-Production: Script 2nd Draft and Story Intensity Graph

I decided to alter the 1st draft by taking out a lot of scenes that are not necessarily needed to explain the plot. I also wanted to give more time to scenes that require length to show the emotions within that scene. Simplifying the number of events in the script makes it less likely for the audience to lose track of the story: 

Mini Project: Zero Hero Challenge Competition

Note:

*This mini project has given me an idea as to how sound has to be match with the visuals in certain ways; in order to convey certain moods and relevance to the plot of the story. It can prove useful for designing the sound in my final project.*

As a side project, I entered the Zero Hero Challenge; a competition put on by Birmingham City Council. The brief was to create a video no longer than 2 minutes proposing an action plan to encourage students to be more aware of waste. This is part of the council's aim to make Birmingham a zero waste to landfill city by 2035.  

My Idea is called "WasteWatch". When planning this, I first tried to think of ways in which students would engage in a plan set up by the council. I started with the idea that students do a lot on social media in the present day and so the idea proposal would have to involve a social media element. Then I thought about how people upload selfies online and share them. I thought to use this as the base of the action plan.

In the end, my idea was to have the council position specialised recycle bins called "WasteWatch Points" all around the city; for example a plastic WasteWatch Point or glass, metal, cardboard etc. Students can then go to one and take a selfie recycling the waste that can be recycled at said WasteWatch Point. They then upload the picture onto social media with the #WasteWatch. In turn, they can be given a chance to be put into a random prize draw of WasteWatch selfies.

By doing this, it makes more students aware of waste in the city and provides an incentive for them go out and recycle at WasteWatch Points.

The story  in my short video involves a photography student that is trying to take pictures of sites around Birmingham. However, every time he tries to take a picture, a photobomber gets in the way; these photobombers are bits of waste trying to get their picture taken above everything else. When the photographer finds no safe place to take a picture, he happens to find a WasteWatch Point and decides to this time deliberately take a picture of waste; right before he recycles it. In the end, he can take his pictures without any unexpected photobombs.

When making the video, I decided to use the technique of photo montage as it requires fewer frames to tell a wider story. I took pictures of certain areas around Birmingham to use as the backdrop scenes to the story. For the character, I had a friend take pictures of me posing in certain ways to image movement in still frames. I then put the pictures into Photoshop and traced over my body shape and features and then added colour.

I chose my colour pallet to make the photographer have affinity with the green in the background images, and contrast to the colours of the waste. This was to show the importance of the environment and how waste does not fit in with it at all, it only damages it.

Edited version of submitted video to competition.

Test: Time Lapse

This is my first time in attempting time lapse movement on a scale as large as the moon. On a night when there was a clear full moon, I position my DSLR Cannon 100D on a fixed tripod and placed the shot in the apparent path of the moon in the sky. In 15 minutes the Earth rotated so that the moon passed from the bottom left of the frame to the top right.

Using Premier Pro, I increase the speed by x10,000. What was 15 minutes of real time turned into 10 seconds of time lapse footage.

I've done this because I want to use a shot like this in my film where the accelerated movement of nature can be mystified with the addition of appropriate sound design. This is to add the idea of visual language telling more of a story than spoken word; in the sense that the protagonist feels everything moving ahead of him as he is left behind to wallow in his sorrow.

Pre-Production: Script 1st Draft and Story Intensity Graph

I decided to go with Idea 3 and began initialising the layout of the script:

Along with this version of the script is the story Intensity graph:

Pre-Production: Developing Ideas

Idea 1: A story on reflection

• Using projection mapping to help tell the feelings of the story
• Life cycle of a tree in reflection with the life choices of protagonist

Logline:

A quest of discovering purpose in life leads a character to find that the answer is not so indifferent from nature as they think.

Plot:

• The protagonist has spent their entire life to solve a problem set in a wager with an anonymous figure they met in a bar, "What is the universal lie of human virtue?". This bet has consumed their every thought, action and emotion because they cannot find the answer. Just when they lose heart and prepare to give up, they take a moment out of their day to sit down and really think about what the problem really means. Under a tree at the end of winter, they look at one last dead leaf falling from the tree and then they notice the new buds growing through. It becomes apparent to them that this may have helped them solve the problem. "Humans can be false to their nature, but under everything, there is potential to be true to their virtues." 

Idea 2: A story about rhythm

• Editing sound design in a way that links two completely irrelevant plot lines with a common connection of rhythm
• Composed of an actor's performance and a dance choreography 

Logline

Plot:

• The protagonist battles with an internal struggle of trusting people and trusting themselves. They've turned away from religion and they've turned away from love because no one has shown them love in return. They want to open up more but they doubt themselves. they feel alone around people and they have no one to talk to. However, they find comfort in and around nature which is where they find someone who shares something in common with them.

• Alternatively: 

• Simultaneously, this story is told in the form of a dance reflecting the animal behaviour of a wolf dancer that mirrors the behaviours of the protagonist. The dance begins very lonesome and gradually gets more aggressive up to the climax where the dance becomes calmer; ending on a form of meditation and contentment as the dance concludes.

Idea 3: Idea 2 Alteration:

Logline:

He's lost the connection to his own heart, nature's beat can help him tune back in. 

Plot:

• The story tells of a person who is battling an internal conflict of choice and motivation. They attempt to seek the hand of someone that they admire; only to be betrayed by their friend in return. Throughout their defeat, they struggle to live with themselves and resent everything that they are. Whilst they contemplate in a dark place, they take a look at the last dying leaf of a plant which makes them go out into the woods for solitude. As they do, they look deep into themselves and realise that the way to  heal is to love who they are and rejoice in what they stand for. They return from the woods an "enlightened" person and they are ready to live life for their best interest.

• Simultaneously, the internal reflections of their struggle are mirrored by a wolf dance that takes place between cuts. The wolf lives among the pack and feels proud and mighty in protecting them in their home. Until one day, hunters and builders come and destroy their home leaving the pack to wander the wilds aimlessly. Over time, the wolves of the pack begin to leave the alpha male until he is alone with no one left for him to protect. For a time, he wonders the wilderness alone; until he looks up at the moon and acts to howl under its full glow. After which he meets a female who respects him and would seek to help him rebuild his noble pack.

Research: Animal Imagery in Contemporary Art

Dave White:

- Examples of White's work: White. D (2014-2015), Dave White Archive, http://davewhiteart.com/artworks/categories/3/ [Accessed 06/04/17]

Dave White is a contempory British artist and painter who specialises in creating art inspired by popular culture and the interpretation of contemporary emotive issues.

What I liked about his pieces here are his interpretation of animal poses and postures. He takes the natural behaviours of animals and places them into an art form. I find this to be useful as I wish to reflect in my character's performance, a suggestive nature of an animal they they would relate themselves to; this being linked to the idea that humans and animals share a connection that is the rhythm of their movement.

Pre-Production: Beginning Ideas

I began to brainstorm themes and concepts from my chosen text. What sparked my off in the beginning was the idea that humans don't know who they are. Instead, they define themselves with other things; for example, their fashion sense, what music they listen to, what films they like. To ask someone who they truly are is impossible for them to say on their own because in today's society, everyone defines themselves by the personalities associated with what they like. This of course changes with the changing of history and culture which makes the definition of who someone truly is biased.

I want to apply the use of the World Navel into my story; only making it more human. What I mean by this is that something inside a person is the centre of who they are; that all these multiple definitions of what a person is revolves around a source that is unique and individual in every human being.

Analysis: The Visual Components & Subtext of Princess Mononoke

I recently watched the Studio Ghibli film Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki. It got me thinking of the context behind the film and the underlying meaning than just a war between humans and animals. This analysis that I've done has helped me understand how subtext is applied and in turn, helps me to decide on how I would do the same for my film idea.

- DVD Cover of Princess Mononoke

The subtext of Princess Mononoke ties in very closely to the context of the events that took place during the year of its release in 1997. It’s clear that the films overall themes do not just address feminism, but also a larger portion of the films theme is discussed through the struggle between humanism and the eco-system. It seems more than a coincidence that this film was released in Japan on 12th July 1997; only months before the Kyoto Protocol was due to take place in December of the same year. Whether or not it was the intention of director Hayao Miyazaki to address this context in his film; the visual subtext most definitely implicates it.

The first area of subtext used is the emphasis on the very small number of people that care for the environment in proportion from the people who don’t care and actually want to cut it down. This is represented by the affinity of the protagonist’s tribe; the Emishi people.

 - Washington, et al, (1997: 22-23), The Art Of Princess Mononoke, VIZ Media, California

Colour and Tone:

One thing to notice is the art direction (one of Alex Buono’s seven ways to add subtext to a film). First off, the change in the saturation of colour indicates the mood and approach the film has on the relationship between humans and nature. The protagonist Ashitaka comes from a village that is at peace with the forest and respects the gods that rule over it; even in their rage and anger. Therefore, there is a lot of saturation and vibrancy in colour; green being the most dominant of them all.

 - Washington, et al, (1997: 32-33), The Art Of Princess Mononoke, VIZ Media, California

Another thing to note is the affinity of tone in these scenes. The Emishi village, when viewed from the hill, perfectly blends into the green surroundings; this is another indicator of the Emishi people’s respect for the gods and the forest making them in harmony with nature. Miyazaki even said in an interview “The Idea that the world is not just for humans, but for all life, and humans are allowed to live in a corner of the world.”*

 - Washington, et al, (1997: 42), The Art Of Princess Mononoke, VIZ Media, California

Now compare these with when the protagonist ventures on his quest. Gradually as he travels away from his village, brown is introduced and the vibrancy of the colour green begins to fade. This is evident when he meets Jigo the monk in a town larger than his own village. The subtext here is that these humans are more concerned about survival and taking from the land to do so; rather than be concerned with primarily preserving the forest.

Take this even further into the story when Ashitaka arrives at Iron Town. The colour green is completely gone and there are more browns and grey. There is also affinity of tone in the darker regions of dynamic range. This is an outlook on the humans as the most negative relationship with the forest as these scenes from Iron Town; compared with those earlier with the Emishi people, are strongly contrasting.

In my opinion what Miyazaki is showing with visual subtext here is that there are only so many people in the world who recognise the importance of the environment whilst the rest of the world obsesses with taking its limited resources to wage war, politics and money. The size of Iron Town compared to the Emishi; and applying the visual subtext, indicates the uneven portion of people who care and don’t care about the damage that’s being done to the environment today.

Miyazaki's choice of animals for protecting the forest also bears notion of visual subtext by the semiotics it demonstrates. Choosing to use the boar tribe to launch an attack on the humans, instead of using the ape tribe or the wolf tribe, is subtext to the belief in Japanese culture that boar are considered to have "direct ties to the Japanese god of fight...boars have regularly gone head-to-head with revered Japanese hunters. As a result, the Japanese associate the wild boar with aggression and the attacking spirit."**  Thus, Miyazaki has reflected their significance in Japanese culture through the subtext quite literally through his choice of character conflict.


Costume Design:

- Washington, et al, (1997: 74-75), The Art Of Princess Mononoke, VIZ Media, California

Further visual subtext to the film is the design of San (Princess Mononoke). Her warrior mask and clothes are inspired from a certain period in Japanese history. As Miyazaki says "if we search for a similarity for the female lead, she is in appearance not unlike a clay figurine from the Jōmon period (c. 12,000 BCE - 300 BCE)"***

- Artist's recreation of a Mimizuku Dogu Jōmon clay figure, gislebertus (2012), Etsy: Howned Owl Dogu, https://www.etsy.com/listing/95587244/horned-owl-dogu [Accessed 04/04/17]

- Washington, et al, (1997: 78-79), The Art Of Princess Mononoke, VIZ Media, California

The Jōmon are the earliest identifiable human civilisations in Japan's ancient history. In Jōmon culture, the pottery figurines they made were called "Dugo"; they represent human looking animal figurines and are believed to be associated with holy rituals and guarding the dead in the afterlife.  The large eyes on the Dugo are believed to be associated with the "watchfulness" of the Jōmon people based on their security from their geographical position on the islands of Japan. *V

Putting this subtext into the film, San is much like what the Dugo figurine represents; the princess that guards the forest and its gods and spirits; and as her wolf mother Moro states "my poor, ugly, beautiful daughter is neither wolf, nor human." - Princess Mononoke (1997)

Further Context:

Miyazaki talks about why he made this film in the "forward" of The Art Of Princess Mononoke (1997: 12). He discusses that coming toward the end of the twentieth century, humanity is facing the "chaotic era of the twenty-first century". He mentions that he did not make the film to in an attempt to "solve the entire world's problems. There can never be a happy ending in the battle of humanity and ferocious gods." What I think he is referring to is humanity's struggle against the environmental issues that are still present today. He elaborates on this topic in another interview for Animerica (1999) when he says,“consider whether or not civilisation is doing well, as long as nature doesn’t become a constraint, I would have to say it’s diseased.” **V

Overall, I think the subtext of this film makes it a story about humanism and the environment that is split into three parts: The past; as shown by the subtext of the Jōmon figurines, the present; shown in the disproportionate ratio of humans that care and don't care about the forest gods, along with the depiction of Iron Town's industrial settlements, and a foreshadowing of the future as shown in the climax of the film where humans are left with no choices to make. As Miyazaki states, “Unless, we put ourselves in a place where we don’t know what to do and start from there, we cannot think about environmental issues or issues concerning nature.” ***V

• * - Toyama, R (1997), Interview: Miyazaki on Mononoke-hime, http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/m_on_mh.html [Accessed 02/04/17]

• ** - Panfili, D, (2014), Cultural Boar: Wild Boar in Japanese Culture, http://www.culturalboar.com/japan.html [Accessed 03/04/17]

• *** - Miyazaki, H, (1997: 12), The Art Of Princess Mononoke

• *V - Stone, R (2015), Ancient Origins: Ancient dogu figurines with large goggle-eyes defy scholarly explanation, http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/ancient-dogu-figurines-large-goggle-eyes-defy-scholarly-explanation-002722 [Accessed 04/04/17]

• **V -Animerica (1999), Savage Beauty: Princess Mononoke, Vol 7 Issue #12, https://www.animenostalgiabomb.com/princess-mononoke-hayao-miyazaki-interview-animerica-december-1999/ [Accessed 02/04/17] 

• ***V - Toyama, R (1997), Interview: Miyazaki on Mononoke-hime, http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/m_on_mh.html [Accessed 02/04/17]

Research: The World Navel

- Yggdrasil, the World Tree (etching, Scandinavia, early nineteenth century A.D.) Hero With A Thousand Faces, (2008: 33)

According to Joseph Campbell in his collected works The Hero With A Thousand Faces (2008), "the World Navel is the symbol of continuous creation; the mystery of the maintenance of the world". (2008: 34)
In summary, it is essentially, the centre of all everything that exists in a referred world and/or story. Everything revolves around it and it is the source of all creation. As Campbell also states, "since it is the source of all existence, it yields the world's plenitude of both good and evil." (2008: 34) 

My understanding of this is that the World Navel is the connection between the ultimate power the hero has to gain to succeed in the quest, and the world in which they need to save. Ultimately, it is a source that both the protagonist and antagonist can use for their own needs or want. It's also what the world of the story revolves around and everything in the story links back to this one point.

 Examples of the World Navel that Campbell (2008:35) talks about; used in narrative and culture include, the spot in which the Buddha sat when reaching enlightenment, Christ himself having the power of God as his son and being "the way, the truth and the life" (Bible, John 14:6) for Christians to gain passage to heaven, Rome being the centre in which the Catholic church revolves around. Another example evident in film is the Force being the source and binding power of the galaxy in Star Wars; and how it can be used by both the Jedi and the Dark Side.

"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together." 

- Quote from Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope

Evidence that Campbell presents where the World Navel is used from an antagonistic point of view is the anecdote about the trickster-divinity Edshu in West African mythology. Campbell explains how Edshu wore a hat that represented the four world directions; where one side was white, the other red, the front green and the back black. Edshu himself represented the World Navel. Two farmers on either side of him fight over what colour the hat was; as one saw it as red, the other as white. The meaning of this is that Edshu was the Navel of the chaos caused between the two farmers from the different world directions (colours) the hat displayed. (2008: 37).
(Note, Campbell references Leo Frobenius' work: Und Afrika sprach when explaining the anecdote of Edshu) 

This Concept fascinates me and it seems that it can be applied to stories very easily. I would use this in my own story as it can prove very relevant to the themes I wish to discuss based upon my text which talks about human philosophy.

Lecture: Visual Subtext Parts I & II

Semiotics in cinema:

Inflation of images = recession of meaning

Visual Subtext example:

• Oranges foreshadowing death in The Godfather
• Fight Club: Starbucks coffee cup  in every shot to indicate consumerism and globalisation

Rules of subtext:

1. Subtext must be organic to the story
2. The undefined is more powerful than the defined
3. Think laterally

Undefined + Lateral = Universal

How to add subtext to film:

• Semiology (semiotics)
• Speculation allows audience engagement
• More subtext = more engagement

Alex Buono's 7 Ways to add subtext:

1. Art Direction:

• The Last Emperor: Grey to red to orange to yellow to green to blue to indigo to violet to white indicating stages of his life
• Guardians of the Galaxy:Hubble images inspired colour pallet of film

2. Costume Design:

• Used to expand characterisation (Gladiator when character's costume literally turns into the image of a deity)

3. Hair Design:

• Collateral: Tom Cruise's hair is grey to represent his character and is mirrored back to him from the grey fur of the wolf at the end.

4. Makeup Design:

• The Dark Knight: The Joker, Francis Bacon's art was Chris Nolan's inspiration

5. Sound Design:

• 80% of film is sound and helps us process what we see. (Raging Bull; animal sounds added for fight scenes)

6. Lighting Design:

• Reference Apocalypse Now

7. Camera Operating:

• Black Swan: Dancer was taught how to use a camera

Allegory = Telling a story through a story