My Own Oral:
The movie I choose for my oral presentation was "Million Dollar Baby". When looking back and reviewing my oral, I did a lot better then I thought I was going to do. I was clear and has information, but I realized I forgot to talk about a couple of things like cinematography and how the extract relates back to the movie as a whole. Talking about those two things probably would of helped my oral become stronger and receive a better grade. I feel like I was sorta organized, but at the same time I could tell I bounced around from different topics. My strongest topics that I talked about were the lighting and how gender takes a big role in the movies. I covered most of the material besides relating the extract back to the movie as a whole and the cinematography. Overall I think I did well even though I felt like I was going to do horrible. If I were to give my own oral a score, I would give it a 20. This is because I covered most of the subjects, I went deeper into the meaning of things, and because I was clear on most of my points. Also there reason once again why I would take points off is because of not hitting the topic of how the extract relates back to the movie as a whole and the cinematography, and how at times in my oral I wasn't overly specific.
Jenna Fontaine's Oral Presentation:
I choose Jenna Fontaine's oral presentation to critique. The movie she choose was "Edward Scissorhands". Jenna did a good job of explaining her extract and each topic. She throughly explained shot composition, sound design, and the sociocultural aspects. She really went deep into the foreground, midground, and background of her extract and what it meant. She also explained the dominating sounds in the extract and how they were brought about. I really like how she related the film to gays and AIDS; which are problems that still exist today in our society. She discussed how they were important in the time period of the film. Jenna made a lot of connections to the film which brought my attention because I saw more meaning to the story than before. I feel like she could of talked a little more about the target audience but I felt that her point was clear enough for people to understand what she was saying. Just like me, her weakness was talking about cinematography and sound design. Those two things I had trouble with talking about and i felt like maybe she did too. I felt that she focused a lot on how the character struggles with his surroundings and how that signifies his actions. Overall, I would give her a score of 22 because her oral presentation was well developed and she hit a lot of the subjects. She also went deep into what she was talking about so it was just simple details but a detailed analysis that takes time to really think about. Good job Jenna and keep it up!!!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Oral Presentation Part 3 Narrative- Million Dollar Baby
Part 3
IV. Narrative
1. How is this film constructed according to narrative/story being told?
The film is being constructed according to the story being told through not only the dialogue between the characters but the actions and reactions. My extract that I have chosen to evaluate is the last fight sequence near the end of the movie (1:28:30-1:33:30). The story is really told in this scene through the characters body language and emotions. In this scene, Maggie is taking on one of the biggest names known in woman's boxing. Through her mentor's words she gains the power to struggle through and start fighting back. Through anger and adrenaline the opponent hits Maggie during a time out and sends her to the floor where her neck lands on a chair and ends her career. At the time of her fall, you see her action of falling while we also see her mentor's reaction. He helplessly tries to save her by moving the chair out of the way, but fails in the attempt. During the extract we see how close their relationship has evolved not only as a coach and boxer but like a daughter and father.
2. Is the narrative organized by plot or time sequence, or some other way?
The narrative is organized by time sequence.
3. Does the film use other principles than narrative sequence as a structure (for instance, an argument)?
This film is a three act structure. The three act structure consists of a beginning, middle, and end whereas the plot is the main focus in the story. In this plot, the beginning, middle, and end help develop the story and that characters actions towards each other. Through out this film, the plot helps develop the climax in the film and how the characters have come to a conclusion.
4. What is the nature of our engagement with the story or characters?
The nature of our engagement with the characters are very relevant. Through out the story, we can closely relate to the emotions and struggles that the characters deal with on a daily basis. We all deal with the emotional struggles of relationships with the people around us in our everyday life.
V. Film Language and Representation
1. How are characters and issues represented?
The characters are represented through the issues that are brought upon them. The issues help build the characters and help express who they really are. As the big championship fight gets closer and closer, Maggie and her mentors relationship gets closer and closer as they train harder. Through the training process, we see issues with Frankie and Maggie not knowing wether they have become to close because they both don't want to deal with the risk of losing one another. Especially Frankie who has had a tough time dealing with his distant daughter.
2. What is the style and effect of acting and performance?
The style of the characters reveals strength and determination. Through out the film, the performances of the characters are intense, active, and also fearless. For example, Maggie's character is determined to get Frankie to be her mentor and boxing coach, while along the way she risks her emotional attachment with Frankie. Also Frankie risks having a close relationship with Maggie, when he told himself he never would be close with anyone again after what happened with his daughter. So both Maggie and Frankie are in the same emotional situation. The style of the acting definitely helps portray who the characters really are and what they are going through. This helps us relate more to them as we see them open up and spill more details out.
3. How is meaning created by camera angles, shots, and camera movement?
Meaning is created by camera angles, shots and camera movement because it helps capture the emotions through the characters expressions. The variety of camera angles help develop the tension and emotion in the story through close ups and quick cutting between fight sequences. In the extract that I picked, the camera angels and shots help develop the tension between the two fighters. Through the close ups we also develop the same feelings that we see the characters going through.
4. How is meaning created through proxemics, territorial design, or open and closed forms?
Maggie and Frankie has a relation in proximity. They both have been through the rough edges on family history. The proximity shows how close in relationship the two have develop through time when developing themselves. The majority of the scenes are in open form because you instantly know where the scene is being taken place at from the wide angles.
5. How is meaning created by editing and sequencing?
During the fight sequence at the end, the editing is cut at a good pace to keep people wondering what's going to happen next. In the extract of the fight sequence, when Maggie goes down the shot is slow downed to help with the dramatic tension. During the shot in slow motion, the editing cuts back and forth between Frankie's reaction and to the action of Maggie falling to the floor. During this cutting, we see how close they have become through Frankie's reactions to try and help Maggie before she hits the chair which breaks her neck and ends her boxing career.
6. How is meaning created by lighting, shade and color?
There isn't much lighting techniques used in this scene because it is a boxing ring. What they did was set it up like a actual boxing ring with the spot light above to brighten up where the fight is being taken place. In the scene if you look off into the background, it is dark compared to the actual ring. The lighting during this scene is to show that she has her spotlights and she has her dark moments. Her spotlights are when she makes a come back after being tossed around a little and the dark moment is when she takes a hard fall and hit her neck on a chair. The dark lighting helps show that we should feel sad. After the fight sequence it goes to a shot of Maggie in the hospital after the fight and the lighting gives you enough to see of how badly she was injured. On the other hand, there is a little shadow on the right side of her face to resemble how badly beaten up that side of her face is.
7. How is meaning created by sound and music?
There isn't much music in this scene, but at the end of the fight sequence when she takes the hard fall, sad slow music slowly fades in to help draw the feelings to the audience. The sound in this scene on the other hand takes a big role. In this scene you can hear the sound of the punches and the heavy breathing of the fighters. You can also hear the roar of the crowd. All of these sounds help the audience actually feel like they are sitting in the stands watching a boxing match. What really draws my eye is the use of expressionism during the slow motion part of the scene. When Maggie takes her big fall, you can't hear much of the crowd anymore or anything else. All you can hear is her body falling and when her neck hits the chair; the director really wanted to emphasize her neck cracking. When her neck hits the chair, all you can hear is her neck cracking, people's reaction and her hand hitting the floor. There is also a little echo feeling sound in the background that helps resemble that the scene is in slow motion. The isolation of these sounds helps the problem stand out to the audience. It also helps bring emotions to not only the characters but the viewers as well. The cracking off the neck makes me feel uncomfortable, which helps portray the feelings created by these sounds. Lastly when we see Maggie in the hospital after the accident, we hear the heart machine in the back ground and a machine that is helping her breathe. She also tries to talk, which is an attempt fail because of the injury. This short scene helps the audience see and feel her pain.
8. How is meaning created by location, set design and mis en scene.?
The location of this scene is a boxing ring in Las Vegas. The reality of the fight sequence and the location definitely helps portray that it is an actual boxing match. It gives the film a sense of reality. In this scene the set design is taken very seriously in order to pull off the action. Also there wasn't much props, but the props that were necessary helped tell the story.
9. Does the film make use of symbols, metaphors, or allegories? Share are they and how do they work within the context of the film?
I believe that Frankie, Maggie's coach, takes on a big role as a symbol. Not only has a symbol of a mentor but as a father figure she never had in her life. Frankie helps Maggie shape her life and shape who she is. He also guides her through the difficulties of boxing which help her overcome her anger. Maggie doesn't have a supportive family, so I think that she thinks Frankie is supporting her by pushing her to become the best she is capable of becoming. I believe that Frankie symbolizes as her turning point in her life and his life as well. He was afraid of opening himself up to others because of his distant relationship with his daughter, but when Maggie comes along something changes in him and he gives it a shot.
10. How is meaning created by technical elements such as production design, mise en scene, composition, special effects (matte paintings, models or animation, computer generated images….etc.)
Meaning is created by technical elements such as production design by the film blending boxing and the real world. Both boxing and the real world have moments where you have to think and make ways to get through difficult situations; and the two really come together when making a way for both. The production design of how boxing is portrayed in the movie helps show that boxing is not only a adrenaline rush but a way to express yourself through hard times and a way to get things of your chest. That is one of the reasons why Maggie was so devoted to boxing because she wanted to find a way to make herself feel like she knows who she really is.
11. What emotional information is conveyed through the film making process?
The emotional information that is conveyed through the film making process is how people are trying to make there way through life. The movie definitely brings a sense of reality because all the emotions that the characters go through are real. These real emotions allow the audience to connect to the characters immediately.
IV. Narrative
1. How is this film constructed according to narrative/story being told?
The film is being constructed according to the story being told through not only the dialogue between the characters but the actions and reactions. My extract that I have chosen to evaluate is the last fight sequence near the end of the movie (1:28:30-1:33:30). The story is really told in this scene through the characters body language and emotions. In this scene, Maggie is taking on one of the biggest names known in woman's boxing. Through her mentor's words she gains the power to struggle through and start fighting back. Through anger and adrenaline the opponent hits Maggie during a time out and sends her to the floor where her neck lands on a chair and ends her career. At the time of her fall, you see her action of falling while we also see her mentor's reaction. He helplessly tries to save her by moving the chair out of the way, but fails in the attempt. During the extract we see how close their relationship has evolved not only as a coach and boxer but like a daughter and father.
2. Is the narrative organized by plot or time sequence, or some other way?
The narrative is organized by time sequence.
3. Does the film use other principles than narrative sequence as a structure (for instance, an argument)?
This film is a three act structure. The three act structure consists of a beginning, middle, and end whereas the plot is the main focus in the story. In this plot, the beginning, middle, and end help develop the story and that characters actions towards each other. Through out this film, the plot helps develop the climax in the film and how the characters have come to a conclusion.
4. What is the nature of our engagement with the story or characters?
The nature of our engagement with the characters are very relevant. Through out the story, we can closely relate to the emotions and struggles that the characters deal with on a daily basis. We all deal with the emotional struggles of relationships with the people around us in our everyday life.
V. Film Language and Representation
1. How are characters and issues represented?
The characters are represented through the issues that are brought upon them. The issues help build the characters and help express who they really are. As the big championship fight gets closer and closer, Maggie and her mentors relationship gets closer and closer as they train harder. Through the training process, we see issues with Frankie and Maggie not knowing wether they have become to close because they both don't want to deal with the risk of losing one another. Especially Frankie who has had a tough time dealing with his distant daughter.
2. What is the style and effect of acting and performance?
The style of the characters reveals strength and determination. Through out the film, the performances of the characters are intense, active, and also fearless. For example, Maggie's character is determined to get Frankie to be her mentor and boxing coach, while along the way she risks her emotional attachment with Frankie. Also Frankie risks having a close relationship with Maggie, when he told himself he never would be close with anyone again after what happened with his daughter. So both Maggie and Frankie are in the same emotional situation. The style of the acting definitely helps portray who the characters really are and what they are going through. This helps us relate more to them as we see them open up and spill more details out.
3. How is meaning created by camera angles, shots, and camera movement?
Meaning is created by camera angles, shots and camera movement because it helps capture the emotions through the characters expressions. The variety of camera angles help develop the tension and emotion in the story through close ups and quick cutting between fight sequences. In the extract that I picked, the camera angels and shots help develop the tension between the two fighters. Through the close ups we also develop the same feelings that we see the characters going through.
4. How is meaning created through proxemics, territorial design, or open and closed forms?
Maggie and Frankie has a relation in proximity. They both have been through the rough edges on family history. The proximity shows how close in relationship the two have develop through time when developing themselves. The majority of the scenes are in open form because you instantly know where the scene is being taken place at from the wide angles.
5. How is meaning created by editing and sequencing?
During the fight sequence at the end, the editing is cut at a good pace to keep people wondering what's going to happen next. In the extract of the fight sequence, when Maggie goes down the shot is slow downed to help with the dramatic tension. During the shot in slow motion, the editing cuts back and forth between Frankie's reaction and to the action of Maggie falling to the floor. During this cutting, we see how close they have become through Frankie's reactions to try and help Maggie before she hits the chair which breaks her neck and ends her boxing career.
6. How is meaning created by lighting, shade and color?
There isn't much lighting techniques used in this scene because it is a boxing ring. What they did was set it up like a actual boxing ring with the spot light above to brighten up where the fight is being taken place. In the scene if you look off into the background, it is dark compared to the actual ring. The lighting during this scene is to show that she has her spotlights and she has her dark moments. Her spotlights are when she makes a come back after being tossed around a little and the dark moment is when she takes a hard fall and hit her neck on a chair. The dark lighting helps show that we should feel sad. After the fight sequence it goes to a shot of Maggie in the hospital after the fight and the lighting gives you enough to see of how badly she was injured. On the other hand, there is a little shadow on the right side of her face to resemble how badly beaten up that side of her face is.
7. How is meaning created by sound and music?
There isn't much music in this scene, but at the end of the fight sequence when she takes the hard fall, sad slow music slowly fades in to help draw the feelings to the audience. The sound in this scene on the other hand takes a big role. In this scene you can hear the sound of the punches and the heavy breathing of the fighters. You can also hear the roar of the crowd. All of these sounds help the audience actually feel like they are sitting in the stands watching a boxing match. What really draws my eye is the use of expressionism during the slow motion part of the scene. When Maggie takes her big fall, you can't hear much of the crowd anymore or anything else. All you can hear is her body falling and when her neck hits the chair; the director really wanted to emphasize her neck cracking. When her neck hits the chair, all you can hear is her neck cracking, people's reaction and her hand hitting the floor. There is also a little echo feeling sound in the background that helps resemble that the scene is in slow motion. The isolation of these sounds helps the problem stand out to the audience. It also helps bring emotions to not only the characters but the viewers as well. The cracking off the neck makes me feel uncomfortable, which helps portray the feelings created by these sounds. Lastly when we see Maggie in the hospital after the accident, we hear the heart machine in the back ground and a machine that is helping her breathe. She also tries to talk, which is an attempt fail because of the injury. This short scene helps the audience see and feel her pain.
8. How is meaning created by location, set design and mis en scene.?
The location of this scene is a boxing ring in Las Vegas. The reality of the fight sequence and the location definitely helps portray that it is an actual boxing match. It gives the film a sense of reality. In this scene the set design is taken very seriously in order to pull off the action. Also there wasn't much props, but the props that were necessary helped tell the story.
9. Does the film make use of symbols, metaphors, or allegories? Share are they and how do they work within the context of the film?
I believe that Frankie, Maggie's coach, takes on a big role as a symbol. Not only has a symbol of a mentor but as a father figure she never had in her life. Frankie helps Maggie shape her life and shape who she is. He also guides her through the difficulties of boxing which help her overcome her anger. Maggie doesn't have a supportive family, so I think that she thinks Frankie is supporting her by pushing her to become the best she is capable of becoming. I believe that Frankie symbolizes as her turning point in her life and his life as well. He was afraid of opening himself up to others because of his distant relationship with his daughter, but when Maggie comes along something changes in him and he gives it a shot.
10. How is meaning created by technical elements such as production design, mise en scene, composition, special effects (matte paintings, models or animation, computer generated images….etc.)
Meaning is created by technical elements such as production design by the film blending boxing and the real world. Both boxing and the real world have moments where you have to think and make ways to get through difficult situations; and the two really come together when making a way for both. The production design of how boxing is portrayed in the movie helps show that boxing is not only a adrenaline rush but a way to express yourself through hard times and a way to get things of your chest. That is one of the reasons why Maggie was so devoted to boxing because she wanted to find a way to make herself feel like she knows who she really is.
11. What emotional information is conveyed through the film making process?
The emotional information that is conveyed through the film making process is how people are trying to make there way through life. The movie definitely brings a sense of reality because all the emotions that the characters go through are real. These real emotions allow the audience to connect to the characters immediately.
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