Analyzing videos…for me is a bit engaging and is also be a very deliberating task. Being that video production was my concentration as an undergraduate, I was excited to examine various shooting techniques, as this is essentially my area of expertise. However, I also looked forward to gaining some creative inspiration for the process of editing together music and the camera angles of multiple clips.
The all-too short films of Hillman Curtis.
Spinal Tap, the first video I watched was the winner of the 2008 “Webbies” award for best drama. The story centers on two friends, whose names are Sid and Chris, situated in a bar, discussing relationships, tragedy and Coldplay over hard-core bottles of beer. After the two pals joke about the events of the year past, the aura of the conversation between the two quickly shifts from playful friendly to slightly melancholy. Chris, as he proceeds to talk about the death of his father, is emotionally charged when recapping their relationship. He allures the viewer that he and his father had a relationship in which items like razorblades were a bonding ground for them, however neither of them ever verbalized their love for each other. Chris seemed highly distraught and even frustrated when voicing that he never told his father that he loved him, and the camera then delivers a superb close-up of his profile (side of his face) in which we can see his brows knitting, and pensive demeanor. His expressions are visually tense, and the pitch and tone of his voice adapt to his gradual frustration.
The shooting angles even the movement of the camera somewhat give the feature an organic, natural feel, similar to that of the style of The Office or Modern Family. Camera angles of interest include quick pans, from bottom to top, and from left to right. This works to give the film a “home movie” aspect that many viewers can easily relate to. The camera follows all the natural movements of the characters, and the various shots entailed supply the viewer with various levels of emotional engagement. The technique of extreme-close up shooting accompanies the emotionally charged shots of Chris in the film, in the cases that he talks about his love interest, and he is flustered about her leaving him.
The second short film I observed was Powerhouse books musical. The film opens with a black and white shot that pan across to feature a man carrying two exotic glasses of wine and was located at what appeared to be a book-signing event. The viewers are not allured of his name, but it is interpreted from the directions that he gives another woman featured in the shot that he has an important role in the video. As he glances across the room, it appears that someone captures his attention, and suddenly there is a quick cut with a slick transition from a black and white shot to the ambiance of Technicolor in the film. The scene that directly follows is a medium shot of a woman, at which point the man approaches her. I can incur that this woman is a friend, love interest, a former flame or something of the sort, but they discernibly have history together. Throughout the conversation, the camera captures their intimate exchange of facial expressions from various angles. From the manner in which they hold each other’s gazes, it is obvious that they share deep feelings for one another. After they exchange dialogue, I am allured of their history, in which they were once a couple that at some point in time but fell out of touch. The scene then proceeds with another bold transition from black and white to color, then featuring the two bouncing about a staircase, walking about and feeling rejuvenated in one another’s presence. The final scene in the film is a medium shot of the woman as she gives the man a kiss on the cheek, and swiftly breaks away from the shot while leaving the man slightly perplexed with his eyes fixed on her.
Discussing this from a shooter’s perspective, I was intrigued to see a variety of shots that ranged from close-up to long and from down-under to front and center. In particular, the close-up shots and the hands and side of faces were particularly useful in emphasizing particular shots in the film, such as the designation of the wine glasses and the romantic tension building between the man and his former girlfriend.
Of the two that I primarily watched, I preferred Spinal Tap, being that I could easily sympathize with the situation involving Chris and the death of his father. To me, the character’s emotional epiphany and remorse over never having told his father he loved him truly humanized him. This in turn conveyed to me that while the character is not real, he relays circumstances of strife and grief in a way that is natural and additionally impactful to the viewer. On the other hand, I did enjoy powerhouse books for the spicy music and the crafty transitions from black/white into color shots and vice versa. I took the liberty of watching a few more films to observe the craft behind creating an impactful film, regardless of length and running time. It stands true that to make a film that is worth while for the viewer means that the producers is knowledgeable of the audience, story, plot and characters. A successful film will muster together the best of each of these elements and integrate them into film in such a way that it contains just enough “oomph” for whoever that decides to watch.