Critical Theories and My Own Work
- George Bartley
- Studying Film & TV at Chelmsford College
Throughout My second term at Chelmsford college, my first term in Film & TV, we have been given the task to create a body of work (Portfolio) that we can be assessed on for my introduction into the course.
So far I have found it tough but it is very enjoyable. Throughout this term I have created a website for my music and my college, work this was a very fun process designing and creating myself an online portfolio. I have created videos in the style of Auteurs these include Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick. Furthermore I have learnt about the Genre Theory and and the Psychoanalytic Theory, these were very interesting to learn about, and I have expanded on these Theory's in my blog entry's.
I am very proud of the way the stylistics of shooting in the style of Auteurs this is because I feel I have done their work some justice. The reason being I enjoyed the process of recreating and style but with something new. This is because I believe I have a keen eye and a high attention to detail. One thing I hate is the camera out of focus and the Rule of Thirds not being used. So when I filmed these sequences I made sure there weird leading lines and the compositing was good, I did this using the Rule of Thirds by using the feature on the camera. I used this so I could position the camera in direct points of view, E.g. Wes Anderson Symmetry and Stanley Kubrick One Point Perspective. In all honesty I would change parts of my sequences but thats all. A what if and I will remember for next time.
When we entered the stage of creating 3 minute clips for Film Noir, Horror and Comedy I was worried about the work load considering we only had one week for each genre. Film Noir was interesting, seeing as it was the first proper genre to shoot off in film, until it soon died out when colour TV had been introduced. This task was hard I was very much used to filming during lesson times but this task stated all filming must be done in my own time which worked. But the group I worked in wasn't organised the chemistry wasn't working and we didn't have enough clips to fill 3 minutes. Although these problems occurred my group and I got through the mess and made an effective piece. When we went into Horror we was given the same task as Film Noir but this time we was all prepared for the filming process and the script writing. I personally feel the final outcome the film isn't what i had visioned but its the best I have from my time limit.
I am going to analyse my work as if someone else was watching my videos and my work from a Psychology point of view, I am going to talk in first person. I believe that a lot of my videos contain relationships, this probably because of some personal experiences during my life. Most of these relationship story are to do with my love life as well and they have true aspects to them. If I was to look at my GCSE music videos I chose both songs are to do with broken relationships and broken love. I use a lot of green scenery E.g. Forests and Fields, also the use of green can suggest ENVY and JEALOUSY this does explain both songs and my love relationships so I feel these have had an influence on my work.
If I was to talk about myself in an Auteur point of view I wouldn't say I was an Auteur but I would say I share Similarities. Reoccurring themes I would defiantly put Forests and colour palettes of Green, Blue and Yellow mainly nature. We can see this style in my rotations video Ranger Starring me and Aidan Mccabe, as well as my GCSE music videos both graded A. Also Reoccurring Actors is myself I am featured in a lot of my videos for the Practical tasks.
Overall I feel I have warmed into the course despite how tough and stressful it maybe I enjoy it. My aim is to create music videos for Big artists in the music Industry such as Ed Sheeran, Coldplay etc. I expect to be pushed to my limit everyday on this course but more importantly produce the best work I possible Can.
Shaun of the Dead.
Throughout Edgar Wrights creation Shaun Of The Dead he leaves us with his incredible visual style. In the film we see fast cutting scenes, this visual style is unique to his directing style. When Edgar Wright wants to get to a place very quickly without having to explain 20 minuets of storyline. When they are creating plans to save Shaun's mum and kill Phill.
This is one of the best examples of Edgar Wrights style of quick cuts. Through this scene we hear Shaun explaining how he will save his mum this is also a unique feature to Edgar Wrights writing style. When using quick cuts he will use a quick dialogue to explain how they will get there and fulfil the plan and this happens throughout this scene. Another one of Edgar Wrights Auteur features if the fact he works with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost a lot and they have produced the Cornetto Trilogy. This Trilogy consists of Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and The Worlds End. If you have seen these films they all use quick cuts and that is the same for all of Wrights work.
This films is defiantly a dark comedy and reason being is its funny but there is a catastrophe with zombies infesting the country. What Wright does with the zombie situation, is he adds comedic value by emphasising on Nick Frost character being lazy and really couldn't give a monkeys about anything. If we was to analyse it using Blake Snyder's theory the Golden Fleece it would fit perfectly because, this film shows growth of characters and they travel in a group. This team Shaun has in the film signifies the strength he doesn't have, "SPOILER" most of the group die and its just Shaun and Liz left possible because of Shaun's miss direction this create the DARK COMEDY.
If we take this film from a Psychoanalytic Perspective... So we have the Ego, I believe this would represent The group that Shaun's in charge of. I picked these characters because everytime shaun comes up with a plan they all follow him with out questions asked. The Super Ego would be Shaun as he is controlling the group and he is the leader. and the ID would be David. The reason I chose David is because he is always undermining Shaun and take matters into his own when he believes Shaun's plan is wrong.
When we put gender in the perspective of Shaun Of The Dead we see a story about three friends who share a flat, and there is a zombie apocalypse. When we take it in the female view all women apart form Liz because she is in power with her relationship with Shaun, this is because she ends the relationship but also try to control it. Also Shaun has a female friends who is in control of her group so we have a female leader but she's not a main character were as Liz is. If we look through the lens of Shaun Of The Dead through gender theory we are missing out a lot and there isn't really a lot to do with gender, I'm trying not to contradict myself but really there isn't a lot of information on gender in Shaun Of The Dead.
If we look at Shaun Of The Dead from a Auteur it is a masterclass in film beautifully written and visual amazing, but when we add Gender Theory into the equation it makes the film okay and not a masterpiece. If we was just focus on gender theory we are just focusing on one aspect and not a whole lot on the important stuff like the artistic value of the film. This is why when we take a critical approach we use loads of different approaches so that we aren't missing a lot of information thats very important.
Overall Shaun Of The Dead is a fantastic film the use of Edgar Wrights amazing writing skill and visual perception during the filming process he one of the greats. The use of making a female character over powering not usually used in top film, and the clear use of Psychoanalytic Theory make this film great and giving it a back story to unveil.
