February 23, 2010 - Reflection

Today was my first lesson back after missing two so it was slightly challenging seeing as I was now a bit behind the  rest of the class. But I managed and overall, enjoyed today's lesson and learned a lot about cinematography, especially, for the first time.


I found watching the Quantum of Solace trailer in class particularly fun and interesting today because I had never realized just how much thought had been put into a clip as short as 3 minutes long. When I watched the trailer for the first time, I did not notice too much as I found it all a bit overwhelming, so I was quite confused and didn't have much to contribute when the class read out their answers of homework from the previous lesson which I was absent for. I found their responses interesting in how they varied, but did not understand completely what they were talking about. 
Watching the presentation afterwards helped me so much. This, I think, was the most challenging part of the lesson for me because I have never taken film before whereas I know a lot of the students have already and were familiar with many of the terms we covered. As Ms Wong swiftly guided us through the presentation, I listened and found it all very interesting as I picked up bits of the trailer in my head that had used some of these tools. When we were told of all the different effects on the watchers of the use of the tools such as a low angle making someone look more superior, I found it so interesting how it was so true and how easily the conscious mind didn't notice it. I also enjoyed learning about the other angles and shots and their effects on the films and watchers. 
As we continued on to learn about the different lightings, and the film gauges, and different lenses, and film stock I was getting a bit lost. It was a lot of information to take in and even more so, this being my first time in the subject. I concentrated, but found the different angles and shots sometimes difficult to differentiate as we went through different images and talked of which tools were used. It's not that I don't understand it but I think I need more time to get familiar with the terms and can do so by going over the presentation myself in my own time which I have done and already I am beginning to understand cinematography and all of its tools a lot better. 
After the presentation when we watched the Quantum of Solace Trailer for the second time, it was astonishing to me how much more I noticed, although of course not everything. I particularly liked the use of the different shots of when James Bond was talking to the man in the café and how the camera would move in closer to the talking pair as they got nearer and nearer to the answer of the initial suspenseful question with a series of action filled scenes in between. We discussed this section of the trailer in class, and I'll admit it took me a few times to watch it before I noticed it.


 It is these kind of clever techniques that I would want to incorporate into my film depending on its purpose to make it more interesting, and a better film overall.


I really enjoyed today's lesson, finding it very interesting, fun and I learned a lot of new information on films, although it was quite challenging.


NOTE:
At the end of this lesson, we got divided into groups for the film project. I am in a group with Zoe, Harry and Jade. We need to interview two people on the built environment and fashion.