122 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media- Young boys play in the dusty rubble of a railway yard in Los Angeles.
Th ey throw rocks incessantly and badger each other. Th e black and
white of the images possesses a thickly textured light with overexposed
highlights that brilliantly refl ect the harsh, nearly surreal context of
the scene. Th is look also mirrors the feel of gritty documentary fi lms
of the 1960s, lending an authenticity that makes us feel as if we have
been dropped right into the neighborhood of Watts aft er the riots
of the 1960s. (Killer of Sheep, 1977, directed and photographed by
Charles Burnett) - On the screen, a young man quickly winds a string around a simple
rounded pyramidal top. Th e earth-colored tones of hand, wooden top,
and twine are followed by a face pinched-up in concentration, then
the top spinning perfectly onto dirt amidst old coins. Within the next
few minutes, the screen will pulsate in close-ups with successively
brighter colors and the rhythms of darting tops. Edits and music
push and pull our attention between lingering shots of concentration,
then rapid fi re cuts to capture kinetic energy. Th e range of sizes,
styles, and people we see paints a vibrant portrait of human cultures
and inventive movement. (To p s, 1957, directed by Charles and Ray
Eames)
In each of these instances, we see the work of fi lmmakers placed in front
of us like the drawings on the cave. However, in this case it is light itself that
we are looking at.
When we are studying creative occupations, we oft en focus on the methods
and tools of the inventive process. To use this approach exclusively is shortsighted.
It is vital to consider the perspectives of the people experiencing the works
that are being off ered. Th us, you need to investigate not only the instruments
of fi lm production, but also the experiences of motion picture viewing.
You will now consider the essence of the experience of motion pictures:
light and the frame that holds it. To understand these elements, fi rst we will
study cinematography as it moved from black and white to color. Next, we
will explore the history of standard screen dimensions. - Can you think of a single image from a movie—in
other words, a frame from a motion picture—that
is memorable to you? Why does it remain strong
in your memory? Now, think of the length of
the entire shot. What happens during the entire
shot? Is there movement within the frame? Does
the frame change because of camera movement,
changes in light, or other factors? - Can you cite any examples in which light and
dark were used successfully in a motion picture?
Name two and compare and contrast them. - Can you think of any examples in which color
played a major role in a motion picture? Name
two and compare and contrast them.
Framing the Discussion
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