Tuesday, February 26, 2019

BSA106-The Oscars

So the Oscars happened last night. I have never watched them and never will. It is a waste of time to watch. 

As we know the Academy who votes, is a small select group of individuals who meet the extremely limited requirements. 

As for the winners, because I haven't actually seen or heard of most of the nominees I don't have a strong opinion on the matter.

Rami Malek won best actor, which I think is great as he performed Freddie Mercury fantastically. 
Spider-man:Into the Spiderverse won best animated feature, again super cool. Never saw it but apparently it was really good. 

I don't have much of an opinion on the Oscars. Although the way that the voters are a selected few doesn't sit well with me. I think it would be more accurate if they took in public opinions and considering most people in the class hadn't even watched most of the nominees, if there was a public opinion then there would probably be better nomminees. 

Here is an interesting video by truTV (Adam Ruins Everything) on how talent doesn't win the Oscars, money does. 
This video was quite interesting to me as it shows how unfair these 'award' shows are.

BSA106-George Melies

George Melies

The Magician of the Cinema
Owned his own theater in Paris and was a successful magician
Pioneered the Sci-fi, fantasy and horror genres.
Pioneered in techniques
Loves to use smoke in his films



George Melies created these new film techniques

  • Stop frame
Stopping the camera and moving things around then resuming the film
  • Fade in
  • Fade out
A transitional device consisting of a gradual change in the intensity of an image or sound.
  • Dissolves
A transitional editing technique between two sequences, shots or scenes.
  • Reverse motion
Refers to a trick camera effect, created by running film backwards in the camera or during optical printing
  • Cutting in the camera
To film each scene exactly in the order of the story line.

How did the new techniques influence future films in general?
These new techniques influenced the editing of films, creating special effects and transitions between scenes. 

From my Top Ten list of favourite films I can see the most influence from George Melies in Thor:Ragnarok. 

Monday, February 25, 2019

BSA106-History of film and animation

Summary of pre-1900's 

Inventions started on the premise that the retina retained the image for a short period of time. The persistence of vision with regard to moving objects, 1824 Peter Roget created and published a book on this. Humans have been recording picture since cave painting time, where the painted the movement of animals and people. 

Walk and running cycles were often put onto bowl and vases, as seen with a 5200 year old bowl from Iran. The use of pictorial movement was very common.


  • The thaumatrope was created in 1825. Most well known for the spinning bird in a cage.
  • The phenakistiscope was created in 1841 by Joseph Plateau
  • The daedalum, meaning wheel of death was created by William George Horner, when it was patented in the US it was called the Zoetrope, meaning wheel of life.
  • The Praxinscope invented in France in 1877 by Charles-Émile Reynaud. It was popular until the Lumiere Brothers started to make films.
  • Eadweard Muybridge used 12 stereoscopic and tripwires to take photos of a horse on the race track to prove the theory of unsupported transit.
  • French scientist Etienne-Jules Marley chronophotgraphic gun to take pictures of movement.
  • Thomas Edison convieved the Kineoscope, his employee William Kennedy Dickson developed it further. The kineoscope is a box in which the viewer looked through the view finder and the pictures moved at 46fps
  • Lumeire Brothers invented the cinematograph, credited with combining photographic and projection device. Shot at 16fps, most common fps for 20 years.
  • Edison started to create staged movies as a way to create an economic push for more bizarre entertainment
  • Louis Amie Augustin Le Prince was an inventor of the early motion picture camera. 
  • Arthur Melbourne Cooper created what I think is a stop-motion ad for matches as well as the short film called Dreams of Toyland.

Summary of film and animation history between 1900-1905

  • Segundo de Chomon created the film The Electric Hotel  and created the camera dolly which is a camera on rails
  • Alice Guy was a french pioneer in film making and was one of the first to make a narrative fiction film. 
  • Edwin S Porter filmed The Great Train Robbery  and used the dissovle technique to switch between scenes.
  • Winsor McCay was the first animator and he created the animation Little Nemo
  • Cecil M Hepworth filmed Rescued by Rover 


BVA103-Parody Homework

5 Examples of Parody

What is parody? An imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.
  1. -Austin Powers (Parody of the James Bonds and similar movies in the same genre)
  2. -Gulliver Travels (Parody of travel narratives and a satire on contemporary England)
  3. -Shows like The Daily Show (renowned for mimicking famous political personalities, and this allows them to target what they think are unintelligent political and social viewpoints.)
  4. -Shakespeare Sonnet 130. There is a parody of the typical love poems that were written in that time 
  5. -Scary Movie (Parody of horror/thriller movies)

Questions regarding copyright infringement

In relation to my examples these examples parody a movie/literature genre type and/or societal and political viewpoints. Therefore these parodies don't really infringe any copyright. 

Austin Powers parodies the typical spy movies, such as James Bond. But rather than having a charming and handsome leading males that are typically seen in this genre, Austin Powers take this cliche and flips it on its head. The leading male is not attractive, yet the ladies in these films seem to flock to him. This film like a lot of parodies, mocks the genre and twists it into something similar but overall different. Therefore copyright infringement doesn't apply to it.

Gulliver Travels is a parody of travel narratives and a satire on contemporary England, not any original works as such. Just the types of work that have been produced as well the viewpoints of contemporary England.

Shows such as The Daily Show, mimic famous political personalities and you cant copyright a person. Although it does allow them to poke fun and target what they think as unintelligent viewpoints of politics and society. The comedian Trevor Noah, is known to do this on The Daily Show when it comes to individuals such as or associated with Donald Trump.

Shakespeare parodied the types of work, those being typical love poems that were written in that time. This doesn't infringe copyright because it is a genre or a trend of that time. Many people would have been creating such works, so to call it copyright infringement would be a waste of time because it would be like copyrighting a genre.

Scary Movie parodies the typical horror/slasher/mystery film genres. It mocks films such as Scream, The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Blair Witch Project. It also pokes fun at the typical teen movie cliches. Because it does parody classic scenes from these movies, there could possibly be copyright infringement. But they made 5 Scary Movie so I guess they didn't infringe on any copyright? 




Wednesday, February 20, 2019

BSA125: Treatment for Storyboarding DRAFT

Story (Treatment for Storyboarding)


In Happier Days



Act 1-Flashback Part 1 

Dolores stands in the kitchen, preparing lunch as her husband and daughter are playing outside. It is a perfect day. She watches with amusement as Amelia is spun around.  
Aeron sulk in her shadow, notices her watching them. You will never be as happy as them He caresses her cheek He doesn’t love you He will leave you, just as Caty left us
Dolores grips the knife, trying to banish Aeron away from her inner thoughts. The pull becomes too much, Aeron belittles her, and she gives in enough for him to take over. 
Markus and Amelia come inside. Markus goes to wash his hands and Amelia runs up to Dolores. 
Mummy!  
Aeron (Dolores) kneels and embraces her. He then plunges the knife into her back. Amelia screams, the knife is removed, and she falls to the floor, dead.  
Markus runs in after hearing Amelia scream. He sees his dead daughter on the ground. Calling out for Dolores he cradles Amelia. Aeron is behind him and plunges the knife into his back three times. Markus falls to the floor, Still holding Amelia as he bleeds out.  

Act 2-Flashback Part 2 

A passerby witnesses the murder and runs to the neighbors to call the police. Aeron hears the sirens and leaves Dolores. She re-inhabits the body, looking around she notices the blood and looks at her feet where her family lay. Dropping to her knees she cradles her daughter in her arms, crying as she moves the hair from Amelia’s face. She grips Markus hand and screams in anguish. The police arrive and break down the door. Seeing the murder scene, they drag her away screaming.  

She is in the courthouse, where she is found guilty and escorted off to an insane asylum. She is locked up in a padded cell, in a straitjacket and her hair is shaved off. 

Act 3- Present day 

Dolores sits in the cell, remembering the murder. She is a broken soul, quiet. Aeron looms over her, filling the shadows. Let me take over. You have no use for this body anymore in her last attempt to fight him off, she screams, thrashing about. Aeron takes over. His signature smile and red eyes appear. Her hair turns a ghostly white and the camera pans out to show an oddly calm Dolores and continues until it shows her information on a clipboard. 

Patients Name: Dolores  
Age:40 
Medical: This patient suffers from Dissociative Personality Disorder, as a result of possible sexual abuse and trauma at a young age. There are three known personalities. Dolores (Host), Aeron (The killer) and Caty (The child). Aeron is responsible for the death of Markus and Amelia Jones. Caty has only been observed when Aeron is not ‘in the room’. Dolores cares for Caty 

Notes: If you or someone you know is suffering from mental health issues, is a victim of rape or is suicidal, please call a hotline in your country and seek help. 
Here are a few from multiple countries. A more complete list can be found at http://www.cocoonais.com/mental-health-hotlines-worldwide/ 



UPDATED STORY TREATMENT DRAFT

IN HAPPIER DAYS

Act 1

DOLORES stands in the kitchen, preparing lunch as her husband and daughter are playing outside in the fenced backyard. It is a perfect day, the weather is sunny a slight breeze blows through the oak large tree and bushes that sit in the yard. 

She watches with amusement as AMELIA is spun around by MARKUS.  

AERON sulks in her shadow 
(Her shadow is in AERON'S form, the shadow isn't cast normally. He is cast behind her but looms above her. His figure is on the wall almost touching the ceiling

He notices her watching them and creeps closer 
(His form is less shadowy and clearer, he looks more like a humanoid rather than a shadow with distinguished features) 

AERON: "You will never be as happy as them" 

He caresses her cheek with his finger tips, moving stray pieces of hair from her face.
 (his hand is about 40-50% transparent and he feigns compassion and kindness) 

AERON: "He doesn’t love you He will leave you, just as CATY left us" 

DOLORES grips the knife in her right hand. She closes her eyes and concentrates on trying to banish AERON away from her inner thoughts. 

The pull becomes too much.
(AERON becomes clearer, his figure becomes more solid but still slightly transparent. He is taller than Dolores and is connected to her via her lower back /He has no legs, he is connected from the waist down/)

AERON belittles her, and she gives in enough for him to take over. 
(He constantly whispers lies into her ears, switching between them. She covers her ears and then goes limp, her hands fall to her side and she visibly slouches. He goes back into his shadow form and then envelopes her. She straightens, AERON'S angular eye and mouth shape replaces DOLORES'S, the line-art becomes more angular)


Act 2




MARKUS and AMELIA come inside. MARKUS goes into the bathroom to wash his hands and Amelia runs up to Dolores. 
(AMELIA does not notice that Aeron has taken over)


AMELIA: "Mummy!"  

AERON kneels and embraces her. He then plunges the knife into her back. 

AMELIA screams. She tries to grab at AERON for help and she falls to the floor, dead.  

AERON moves to the corner of the room beside the bathroom door, he hides in the shadows.

Markus runs in, not seeing Aeron, after hearing Amelia scream. He looks frantically around for Amelia and Dolores. Looking into the kitchen he sees AMELIA's dying body beside the kitchen counter in a pool of blood. 
(Amelia on her stomach the stab wound is close to her heart on her back) 
(AERON moves behind MARKUS, looming over MARKUS with the kitchen knife in hand)

MARKUS kneels beside AMELIA. He moves her so that she is sitting up and places his hand over the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. With his other hand he wipes AMELIA's tears from her face. 

MARKUS: "It's going to be okay sweetie, you are going to be fine" 

AMELIA tries to speak but chokes on her tears, she is shaking and MARKUS can see the life draining from AMELIA
(AMELIA's eyes will fade in colour and the shine+pupil will no longer be visible)

MARKUS gently places AMELIA's body down, closing her eyes. He then stands up, grabbing a pan from rack. He calls out to DOLORES

MARKUS: :Dolores! Dolores where are you?!"

Aeron moves behind him as MARKUS turns around. 

AERON: Yes love?

MARKUS swings around, slightly alarmed. AERON plunges the knife into his body three times. MARKUS drops the pan.
(Knife is plunged into his back, side and finally chest)

MARKUS attempts to fight AERON off, the look of confusion and betrayal in his eyes. MARKUS grips the handle of the knife that is sticking out of his chest. His legs give out on him and he falls to his knees.
(AERON looms over him, smirking)

Aeron picks up the pan and with one solid hit to the side of MARKUS's head, knocks him out.


Act 3

There is a scream. AERON snaps his head towards the open door, where a neighbour stands shocked.
(She heard AMELIA scream and MARKUS call out for DOLORES earlier and came to investigate)

The neighbour turns and runs to her house.
(She goes and calls the police)

There is police sirens and the sounds of policemen as they approach the house
(The scene from here to the end is filled with flashing blue and red lights that come through the windows.)

. Aeron hears the sirens smirking he relinquishes control of the body. 
(The body goes limp and AERON leaves in his shadow form. He returns to DOLORES's shadow, his distinguishing features still seen in it.)

She re-inhabits the body
(Dolores's line-art goes back to normal. Her eye and mouth shape returns to its original shape. her posture goes back to its ever poised stance. She looks around slightly confused)

DOLORES looks around. She notices the blood on her hands and dress. 
(She holds her hands up, turning she goes to wash them in her confused state. As she moves towards the sink she trips)

She looks down to see what she tripped on.  

DOLORES sees the pools of blood and bloody splatters. Amongst the blood lay MARKUS's and AMELIA's bodies.
(She realises what has happened /This being that Aeron killed her family/)

DOLORES cries out, dropping to her knees she reaches out for AMELIA, retracting her hand as she realises AMELIA is dead and turns to MARKUS. She cradles his face in her hands.

 Her hands fall into her lap. She then brings her  grips her head in her hands and screams in anguish.
(In the background there is an embroidered picture that says 'Press F to pay respects")

(The flashing red and blue lights become brighter, sirens become louder. The screen is filled with red an blue then it suddenly goes black. The title fades into existence from the back. End of animatic/animation) 

END


NOTES

When Aeron is in control, overlay both Aeron's and Dolores's voices.
Her line-art becomes more angular and the eye and mouth shape change when Aeron is in control.