Hollywood's Golden Age

The Hollywood Golden Age

The Hollywood Golden Age started in the late 1920’s and continued through the late 1950’s. This was the era in which most studios such as MGM, Paramount, 20^th Century Fox and more gave birth to dozens of stars, who then became Hollywood legends, also, new genres were formed. At the very beginning of the Hollywood golden age, United States was financially in trouble because of the consequences of the great depression; however Hollywood still managed to produce outstanding movies. These films had very positives effects on the audience, by providing an escape for audiences who were struggling with the tough times caused by the depression.  The eight major studios, each known for its distinctive style and stars, collectively produced 95% of all American films. More than 7,500 features were released by the studios between 1930 and 1945 to eager audiences. More than 80 million people took in a least one film per week at the height of the cinema’s popularity. Some of Hollywood’s most memorable classics were created during this Golden Age and included films such as “Gone with the Wind” (1939), “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), this period also saw the introduction of the Production Code, B-Films, and the first animated feature of Snow White (1937).Hollywood’s Golden Age began to decline in the late 1940’s due to the introduction of television.

Production Schedule

Calendar for Short Film 2012-Viveka & Sabrina
Due Dates			Organizanization
April	Monday 2nd (Holiday)		Storyboard			Script
	Monday 9th (Holiday)		Script			Scouted Location-List
	Monday 16th		Scouted Location-List			Shot List
	Monday 23rd		Shot List			Costumes & Needed crops
	Monday 30th (Holiday)		Costumes & Needed crops			Filming part 1 (Upload of Footage)
May	Monday 7th		Filming part 1 (Upload of Footage)			Filming part 2 (Upload of Footage)
	Monday 14th		Filming part 2 (Upload of Footage)			Filming part 3 (Upload of Footage)
	Monday 21st		Filming part 3 (Upload of Footage)			Filming part 4 (Upload of Footage)
	Monday 28th		Filming part 4 (Upload of Footage)			Filming part 5 (Upload of Footage)
June	Monday 4th		Filming part 5 (Upload of Footage)			Editing part 1, Opening
	Monday 11th		Editing part 1, Opening			Editing part 2, Body
	Monday 18th		Editing part 2, Body			Editing part 3, Closing
	Monday 25th		Editing part 3, Closing			Post Production (Shot log, Script writing complete)

Short Film 2012

 SHORT FILM PITCH

KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid!

Name writer: Sabrina Cantini

Intended Audience: PG 13

Main Character: Sophia, 18 year old girl.

Location: Argentina, Bs as

·         Sophia visiting psychiatrist.

Skin Productions

Sophia visiting psychiatrist

What`s the Story?

A woman who`s life changes by the death of her only young brother. After her brother dies in he’s young 16´s, she becomes crazy and imagines his presence. She visits the psychiatrist to deal and accept the death of her brother Mathew .

Why we`re doing it?

We are doing it because we think is a very interesting theme that can show all of our film knowledge. The genre is Drama and what we want to show is how Sophie gets confused with reality and her imagination.

How we`ll do it?

We will do castings to find our actors and actresses from the people who study Drama IB in a lunch time. The film will be only 5 minutes long

Where are we doing it?

The Short film will be filmed in places such as school and a neighborhood called Abril because there´s a lot of shots that can be taken of nature that we want to include on the film. Also another place will be an office to show the psychiatrist office.

Story Outline:

The short film will start by introducing our main character, Sophie, by following her into the psychiatrist office. Then we will show them in their first appointment, as they introduce each other and the audience will get to know why the patient is there. We will show images of Sophia´s childhood with her dead brother, to express the happy and nice relation they had, and the relation they had as they grew up. Then we will show how her world broke down after her brother’s death by showing how she imagines and believes that he is still alive.

Noir Conventions in Seven

Noir elements of opening.
Sounds: Sirens, car break,rain always present even though we cant see it.
Music: Use of low key chords- sense of doom
Angles:close-ups,dutch angles (distortion of angles)- which show a distorted world.
Characters: Detectives (2), Forense police, victim- plots involving crime, murders.
Setting: Rainy, cloudy, urban decay, unknown city, building crumbling. This create a cold, depressing feeling-downbeat atmosphere.
Lighting: Darkness, flash lights-which create complex storylines,shadows, hospital like (white lights) foresce laboratory and police department which create a tecnological environment but also the cold unfeeling world of the film. There are also a lot of contrast in lighting-which is called the chiaroscuro low-key lighting that can show actors being trapped pr enclosed.

Production Journal- 05/09/11

Last week we transcribe the scripts and we created our shot log to start editing in an more organized way. When i started the editing i didnt notice that in some videos the sound quality wasnt very good because of background music and sounds, so i had to transcribe the script and i am deciding if i steal use the visual of the video with subtitles (but it would sound messy and not comfortable) or if ill present it in another way such as written or with v.o in b-roll. After observing all the videos we decided to choose videos that had the best sound quality and that looked good. We found between the videos that some of the tatooers repeated the question we asked, so we can use the tecnic in the documental "Super size me" in the scene in which the lawyer repeats the question and another character answers, We could cut the part in which the tattoer repeats the question we asked and then we could include the aswers of several tattoers. We thought it would be a very clever tecnic to use so that our voices dont appear repeatively in the documental and it would be a faster way to put all the information together and mantain people interested.


TODAY IS MY B'DAY! :)

Production Journal 29/08/11

On Tuesday the 23rd of august (Last week) our whole film studies class skiped classes to film. In our group, Giuliana Viveka and I got together at about 9.30 in viveka's department, had breakfast and organized our selves, checking we had all the memory cards and the batteries full. We wanted first to visit Henry's tatto place but he didnt answer our mails neither our phon calls so we went to La Bond Street. At about 10.30am we started our filming day: we firts visited la bond street and took some establishing shots for our B-roll material. Then we walk through the whole gallery and we asked permition to film in a new place we found. The first tattooer we interviewed was called Gerardo, and when we saw him he was designing a tattoo. He was really helpfull, he knew a lot about the history of tattoos and many other things. We got a great shot of him because while he was answering our question you can see in the background part of his design.
The second place we went to was  new also. The man we interviewed was a tattoer and also an actor. His name was Richard. Richard new a lot about tattoos also. He invited us to film him while he was tattooing which was great! Richard was very helpfull and new a lot about cameras, he was a very positive person.
After that we had lunch in McDonalds. During lunch we transfered all our material to my computer and we also charged vivekas camera battery. After having a perfect useful morning the afternoon arrived, when we got back to La Bond Street no one wanted to help us with the documentary, we interviewed Gerardo again and then we interviewed another tattooes which wasnt very helpfull, because he wasnt quite aware of the history of tattoos and the dangers they can and they cant have. After that we visited the first place we visited before winter holidays, but the owner was quite distracted, we felt disapointed about that cause when we filmed there the last time they were very positive and sympathic.
During the filming we all helped by asking the questions we needed to be answered, and viveka controlled the camera. She did an excellent job. We were proud of us cause we were very organized and followed part of our shot list. Also last week we worked labelling our videos and analizing them which was very organized and helpfull also.

Production Journal 15/08

Last weekend, our aim was to visit the tattoo places and get several shots to start editing, but we couldnt because i was sick!! We are going this weekend.
In the las 8 weeks we have progressed a lot with Skin Productions, we produced our storyboard with our100word summary with our aims and ideas. W also took several shots of the places and the people we will be working with.
WEEK 1
On our first week of work we assigned each member of the production a pacticular role to have through out the production and we chose a name for our production:
Skin Production´s
Giuliana: Cameraman & Producer. Giuliana got these roles because she was absent and these where the roles left.
Viveka: Researcher & Talent. Viveka chose to be the reseacher because she really liked the idea of studying the history of tattoos, an she chose the talent cause she is a very outstanding person that could appear talking in the video with out problem.
Sabrina (ME): Editor and writer. I am the writer and the editor because i am the most artistic in the group, i really like to write and draw, i think i am very creative and also i was the only one that had worked with editing programs.
At the end of our first week we had to have a completed pitch and present it to the PE. At first we chose to work with a non-profitable company, FILOCHICOS, that helped to educate and teach poor children about higene, maths, and several other, but then we had a problem which was that it would be very difficult to achieve what we wanted because we would have to ask permition to every kid´s parents for them to appear in the video and we didnt have enough time to contact each parent. While we waited for an answer from FILOCHICOS telling us if we could work with them and the children or not, we came up with a better idea for our documentary with was the art of tattoos.
WEEK 2
On the second week we presented our story board and story outline for FILOCHICOS, but as we wanted to change to tattoos, we also presented our new pitch which was accepted by the EP.
WEEK 3
On the third week we presented our new story board and storyoutline, as that weekend we had already visited and asking permition to film in the tattoo places, we were ahead of all our partners because we asked permition and contacted several owners of several tattoo places. We also presented our research documents 2. For this week we already had pictures and videos of our visit to the tattoo places!! We are an organized group ahead of the rest, we have several interviews and videos of people being tattooed that we took for ourselves. We have a very good relation with the tattooers and they enjoyed being part of our documentary and loved to help us and keep helping us to create an interesting 5 minute film.
WEEK 4
For our 4th week we had to scout locations, which we already had. We created our list of locations including shots of the places.
WEEK 5
Last week we learned what a shot list was and what was it for. We worked on a shot list organizing ourselves and choosing how we will work with the shots we have and the shots we need to get to acomplish the documentary we are planning to do, including details of the V.O we are going to use , the music, and the speed and order of each still and moving shot that we are going to use.

Production Journal 08/08

Last weekend we were going to visit La Bond Street but we couldn't for some personal issue.
On Saturday I downloaded several editing programs to try them and choose the best and the easiest to work with. The best for me was AVS VIDEO EDITOR and i`ve worked with it the whole weekend learning different ways to edit and get everything together, I am still discovering different ways to make it more interesting.

Tarantino Scripting

EXT. City Center- Morning

Alejo: You know, on a summer day a milkshake is the best thing there is to cool us down but I can´t find a good place which sells it don’t they know sellers could become millionaires if they added a milkshake to their menu??

Santiago: I don’t care having a normal icecream.

Alejo: You should care, they are two totally different things! You can have a milkshake at any time cause its faster to consume and the flavor is much better, you can also mix flavors at your preference and add cookies or toppings and drink it all mixed it up. Its like a subway sandwich but with icecreams.

Santiago: What about Mc Donald´s milkshake?

Alejo: I hate it, it tastes like plastic, I prefere a Dunkin Donuts Milkshake but they only have one flavor which is vanilla and they always mix it with coffee.

Santiago: Two tickets please?

Cashier: To where sir?

Santiago: The nearest stop.

Cashier: Next stop is Wallaby sir, the subway will be passing in 3 minutes so you better hurry.

Alejo: How much?

Cashier: 2.20 dollars.

(They pay with 5 dollars and go to the subway stop)

Cashier: Sir Don`t forget your change!

Alejo: It’s all yours.

Cashier: Thank you! Have a nice day!

Alejo and Santiago enter the subway and sit in the sits nearer the entrance.

Santiago: What time is it?

Alejo: 10.03

Santiago: Right in time

Alejo: We should get breakfast.

Santiago: I’m starving.

They live the suitcase in the subway and leave the station. The subway station explodes while they walk away to have breakfast, neither of them turns around.

Quentin Tarantino

1)      Name two distinctive features of Tarantino’s films.

1.Clever Dialogues

2.Combined "ultra-violence" scenes with humor.

2)      How was Tarantino’s education in film different to the normal method of film-school?

He started his career as a video clerk. He started being and actor while he studied film in Video Archives in Manhattan Beach, CA. While he was studying he began writting his own screenplays.

3)      Despite the success of Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino’s first film in 1992, it was criticized by many. Why?
Tarantino's first film "Reservoir Dogs" in 1992 was criticized by many because it used ultra-violent scenes. The movie was about six strangers who had to conduct a diamont heist that unraveled rapidly in the aftermath.

4)      What genre do Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction belong to?
Horror genre.

5)      Identify three recurring CAMERA ANGLES/SHOTS used by Tarantino. Include a screen shot example of each, with a brief caption about the possible effects created by each (eg. to give a sense of power to audience/character, to disorient the viewer, etc) 
Low angle shot (looking up)

Makes the viewer feel inferior because they are looking down at something and in this case they seem to be laughing about the spectators
(In Reservoir Dogs : Mr Brown, Mr Pink and Mr White looking at Marvin Nash.)


POV

 Makes the viewer feel as the character, makes the viewer feel curiosity to know what they are looking at and indentifies with the character being observed.
(In Pulp Fiction : When Marsellus wakes up after being hit by Butch's car)


EXTREME CLOSE-UP

This kind of shot focalises in making the viewer concentrate in what she is saying, this helps because it provides no distractions.
(In Pulp Fiction : Mia's lips)



6)      Explain USING YOUR OWN WORDS what Tarantino’s Mirror shot is, and possible effects of using it. Include a screen shot.
The mirror shot represents the "double" of the character. By saying the double I mean the other side of the person, the inner side. The reflection in the mirror can show real feelings that the character is having but he cant show them by themselves.  When people look their reflection in the mirror is a personal, intimate moment in which they can express their real feelings and show what they really are to the viewers

7)      A recurring trope in Tarantino’s films is the Mexican standoff.

a) Briefly explain what it is. 
A Mexican standoff is a situation in which 2 or more people ar pointing each other with a gun in a circle, which means than one life depends on the other.

b) Explain where the term comes from.
It was invented by an italian-american film director, Sergio Leone.

c) Examples of two non-Tarantino films that use it (with screen shots of possible). 
“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”

Three Kings

d) Provide screen shots from two Tarantino films that use it.
Reservoir Dogs

True Romance

8)      A “MacGuffin” is used in Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction.

a)      What is a MacGuffin? Explain in fifty words.
The MacGuffin troop were the conventions in which a scriptwriter can rely on as being reasonable as being part of audience and viewers minds such as their expectations. This would help the writer to discover what will the audiense like to see and what will surprise them.

b)     What is the MacGuffin in Pulp Fiction?

c)      Provide examples fo MacGuffins from two non-Tarantino films, with screen shots if possible.

The 39 steps.

Starwars