Alright, That's a Wrap People!
My project was interesting because the focus of my research was wildly different than what I was physically doing on set. Without reasonable access to Hollywood blockbusters or the creative staff involved in bringing them to life, I found myself exploring the shoot-to-shoot life of professionals involved in much smaller scale work. The world behind the screen was much different than I had ever imagined. I learned how to hold and position a boom microphone; set up and direct a flapjack light; and unload a SD card onto a mac book throughout the process. All the learning I did was hands on and in the spur of the moment because idle hands have little place on a movie set. There are parts while filming where everyone has to stay still and watch but right after the camera cuts people jump into action to recreate shots and rearrange things.
By simply observing, I got to learn a lot about the interactions on a movie set. First of all, in a small place like Tucson with an even smaller film industry, a person's access to equipment determines their presence on set. Usually that would mean that the camera's owner would come and operate it on set but larger pieces of equipment, like drones, would be accompanied by both an owner and an operator. Additionally, good camera crews have to be able to adjust to all the curve balls thrown at them while filming. A lot of the time, Scot and Evan had to capture shots based on what was available at the sites they were working at. There was a general plan but the specifics consistently had to be worked out on site.
Independently, I read about the art of film editing and about how documentary filmmakers overcame the ethical dilemmas that accompany factual film making. I learned that good editors look for the natural cuts in film, rather than seeking to impart their own style upon the film. However struggling with the ethical dilemmas of documentary film making did not have such an easy fix. Each director encounters different ethical dilemmas and struggles with creating something that is both factually accurate and compelling enough to capture the attention of the audience.
Furthermore, I analyzed narrative films that were imaginative and novel in how they used the film medium to recount their narratives. Last year's Moonlight was full of imaginative storytelling that not only innovated on the traditional film format but used those innovations in different capacities, directly after introducing them to the audience.
Tony, one of my favorite you-tubers that focuses on the analysis of film. likes to focus on how separate directors shoot scenes of dialogue between two characters as a way of breaking down their styles. This is because all films, regardless of genre, include these dialogue scenes. Through this same analysis, one can begin to notice the level of scrutiny that goes into the construction of a narrative film. All directors have the same basic visual vocabulary at their disposal; however, their arrangement of different types of shots can stimulate different emotional responses in the mind of the audience. Seeing how they do this, especially in ubiquitous discussion scenes, is telling of a director's style.
I will continue to critically watch movies even if I never find myself in a position to creatively influence one. However, the time movies that are produced today spend in post-production is growing with the increased use of CGI and special effects. Movies have become technological feats and they'll need engineers to keep the show running smoothly. I hope to find some supplementary role in making sure movies are able to tell the visually compelling stories that they are right now.