This Week’s…
Screening:
Citizen Kane, 1941 (Swank)
Blade Runner, 1982 (Swank)
OR
Blade Runner, 2046
Readings:
LAM (Looking at Movies) Ch. 6 (Cinematography)
CS (Cinematic Storytelling) Ch. 9-12 Camera Lenses, Position, Motion and Lighting
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Discussion (4 Points) and Peer Review (1 Point) : Graded Assignments Combined: 5 Points
DISCUSSION
PROMPT #1: 2 Points
Citizen Kane has been seen by many as the gold standard for cinematic innovation. New faster lenses that could capture more light allowed director, Orson Welles, with the assistance of cinematographer Greg Toland, to experiment. Welles could take the camera inside and capture depth of field shots and three plane staging on a sound stage in a way never before possible. Higher ASAs, or faster film speeds, such as Super X, 100 ASA and Super XX, 200 ASA further facilitated.
One of the most famous scenes in Citizen Kane is the depth of filed shot that features Citizen Kane as a young boy. Find it on YouTube by searching for “Citizen Kane snowball”
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAHaRDlUrLw
Prompt: Explain how director Orson Welles, with the assistance of cinematographer Greg Toland, exploited the increased depth of field his lenses and film stock to tell the story. Points 2
Tip: Keep your eye on the father and think what depth of field enabled.
Tip #2: Make sure you know exactly what depth of field is. You need to know this to answer the question.
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PROMPT #2: 2 Points
Both Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2046 are known for their extraordinary creation of a fictional future world.
Prompt: Select ONE specific scene from either film and explain how the Lighting was used to suggest a Change of Fortune for either the hero, a sidekick or the antagonist. See the two parts (A) and B) to the prompt below:
(What you are looking for is change. The main character might be lit brightly and then something happens and we see the character now shaded, for example. The reverse, of course, could also be given as an example. A character may go from hopeless to hopeful and lighting is used to reflect that change.)
A) Describe briefly the scene you are referencing and the name of the character who will experience a change of fortune. Points 1
B) Briefly describe how the lighting messaged the change of fortune for this specific character in this specific scene. Points 1