The Art of Watching Films

     There is an art to making films obviously, but there is also an art to watching films.  The art of watching films is a matter of observing, developing skills and habits of perceptive watching and analyzing.  Film is unique in that it is an industry and an art form.  Each film is a "child of a turbulent marriage between businesspeople and artists."  ---The Art of Watching Films by Joseph M. Boggs and Dennis W. Petrie
Films also have different art media woven into them.  (Scultures, paintings, music, poetry etc.)  People often times see analysis as a destroyer of the beauty and enjoyment in the film.  This might be somewhat true, but you can't truly enjoy a film while only focusing on the art and emotion that was put into it, just like you can't just focus on analyzing every tiny aspect of the film.  It is a happy medium between the two that will bring the full enjoyment and appreciation of the film. 

Props in Film

      Props or properties in film is a fairly general term used to include everything from the past, present and even the future.  Props are usually however, grouped into categories depending on size and purpose.  Props can ordered from catalogs, taken from past props used in other films, bought and even made!  Buying props for a film out of a catalog can get to be very expensive.  This would be more of special items that cannot easily be made and that you have never used before.  It is important for filmmakers as well as theatre people to keep the props that they have used in the past.  They will get to have quite a large collection after awhile and it will be cheaper to use the same props again, even if they have to be altered for the next play they are used in.  A lot of props can be bought at regular stores.  If the play is set in the past especially then D.I's, second hand thrift stores and antique shops can be great places to buy things.  Props can be made quite easily also! 

Costumes in Film

     The costumes in a film might not seem all that important, but it is one of the many things that make up a great film.  If you took away the reality, authenticity and durability of the costumes, then it starts to take away the believability of the entire film as a whole.
In the book, "Magic Garment" by Rebecca Cunningham, it states that "A costume is a "magic" garment--a garment that enables the actor to become, for a time, someone else." 
The costume that the actor wears also plays a part in the actor's ability to pretend.  They can also help to tell the audience the time period that the film is going to be set in and also play a role in defining the character and even show the development of the character.  Costumes also establish rank or social status; this helps so that things don't necessarily have to be spoken outloud to tell the audience what is going on.

Cinematography as a Career

     Cinematographers need to have knowledge of a lot of different aspects of film, not just about the camera work!  They need to have a knowledge of audio lighting, experience with many different software programs for editing, tilting and motion graphics and lots of other things! 

     The Cinematographer works on a film or television set.  They are supposed to compose the shots in the film to reflect the mood and tone that the director means to reflect.  Cinematographers have to be able to work with not only the director but also the camera operators, the editors and even the producers.  They need to also be able to know what kind of equipment will be needed and help in acquiring the equipment for the actual filming.   

     Computer skills are obviously a necessity for the special effects and technological aspects of the cinematographer.  You must have a college or technical degree to fulfill the position.  Many companies want extremely specific skills and specific programs for you to be familiar with.  It is a very rewarding career, despite the sometimes stressful environment that is apparent. 

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3-D Films

     The recent development of 3-D films over the past decade have been becoming a bigger and bigger deal to filmmakers and to those enjoying the films.  The 3-D aspect might enhance the illusion and the depth perception of the film but it might be compromising more important things.  


     Although there have been some forms of 3-D films since the 1950's, filmmakers have really only recently since the year 2000 been successful and had a breakthrough with the technology.

"A 3-D (three-dimensional) film or S3D (stereoscopic 3D) film^[1] is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception. Derived from stereoscopic photography, a regular motion picture camera system is used to record the images as seen from two perspectives (orcomputer-generated imagery generates the two perspectives in post-production), and special projection hardware and/or eyewear are used to provide the illusion of depth when viewing the film. 3-D films are not limited to feature film theatrical releases; television broadcasts anddirect-to-video films have also incorporated similar methods, primarily for marketing purposes.

3-D films have existed in some form since the 1950s, but had been largely relegated to a niche in the motion picture industry because of the costly hardware and processes required to produce and display a 3-D film, and the lack of a standardized format for all segments of the entertainment business. Nonetheless, 3-D films were prominently featured in the 1950s in American cinema, and later experienced a worldwide resurgence in the 1980s and '90s driven by IMAX high-end theaters and Disney themed-venues. 3-D films became more and more successful throughout the 2000s, culminating in the unprecedented success of 3-D presentations of Avatar in December 2009 and January 2010."

Information found at   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-D_film


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Makeup Artist

     Makeup Artists can turn young into old, beautiful into ugly and human into non-human all using just a few tools!  There are several different types of makeup used in films and for other occasions.

Fashion Makeup is used in magazines and on the runway.  It is also generally used in television and film and is used to create natural beauty and sophisticated looks.

Theatrical Makeup is obviously used in plays and is meant to go in accordance with the lighting and to also highlight and make it easier for the audience to see the actor's emotions and expressions.

Special Effects Makeup is used to enhance or change physical features on an actor.  Prosthetics and plaster casting are often times used to create these changes.

High Definition is a new for of makeup which involves the use of light and minerals to give the skin a flawless finish and glow.

Makeup Artists apply makeup and prosthetics for theatrical, television, film, fashion, magazines and several other different types of productions including modeling and weddings.  Makeup Artists and actors have to be able to work well together.  This is especially relevant if it is makeup that will need to be applied many times and that can easily get messed up and need fixed.  Makeup Artists have a tough job and have to also be able to deal with high  stress situations!

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http://www.ehow.co.uk/how-does_4671617_special-makeup-artist-spend-workday_.html

Lighting in Film

      Lighting for film can also be called stage lighting.   The pros to using artificial lighting is that it can be controlled easily.  If a scene is being shot outside, the weather could definitely affect the lighting and it might not turn out how it was supposed to.  Also, if you wanted to film something outside at sunset it might not work out if the actors are having a hard time getting their lines right or if the equipment isn't working correctly because if you take up too much time with that, then the sunlight might already be gone.

      Lighting can also help to portray the mood or the emotion of the scene.  The intensity of the illumination is what helps with that.  A soft backlight will be used for the female actors that are meant to look flawless and beautiful.  Uplights create a mysterious and unknown effect.  (This is especially true when a lot of things are in shadows and only certain things can really be seen)  Lights can also direct attention for the audience to where they need to be looking.  Lighting helps to create the environment in the film and is very important!

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Pre-Production Storyboards

      Story boards are a sequence of drawings that are usually with directions and dialogue.  They are showing the shots and ideas planned for a film.  These are completed before the filming is done.  They are graphic organizers so that the ideas of the film can more easily and fully be understood by everyone.  Storyboards can also show the cinematography that is wanted in the film; this can help the editors to know what was intended.  

      Storyboards are created so that the images and illustrations and written words can be displayed in a way that can help everyone to pre-visualize the film before it is filmed.  Obviously the entire film isn't going to be displayed within these simple storyboards, but they do give the basic idea of what needs to be done.  The dialogue especially in storyboards might not be completely correct.  They are more intended for the organization of shots and footage.

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Pre-Production; Scripts in Film

      Creating a film takes a lot before, during and after the filming of the movie takes place!  During pre-production a lot goes on and the creating of a script is one important part of it!   Every movie starts with a script and the scripts are even available for you to read online.  A screenplay is a specialized version of a script.  This might include what types of shots are wanted etc.  A script in general however is a written work that is where the movements, actions, expressions and dialogues of the characters are narrated.

      Although the script is not always exactly followed by the director, it is a basic version of what the film is hoped and supposed to be like.

      The pay for a screenwriter is very subject to be different from one person to the next.  There are also different kinds of screenwriters.  Someone who writes a spec script (short for speculative) doesn't get paid for writing the actual script.  Once they have written a script for a movie, they try to sell it to filmmakers.  A pitch is where a writer writes a 5-20 minute long presentation of a prospective movie and presents it to possible buyers.  A feature assignment is where a writer writes the script on assignment when they have a contract with a studio or a production company or an individual.

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