FTV Final - Grade: A PDF

Preview

Summary

Final for Spring 2020...

Description

Tapay 1 Brian Tapay Dr. Erica Aguero FTV 140 23 May 2020 The Foundation of Modern Film According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the first full length feature film is The Story of the Kelly Gang, with a runtime of one hour and ten minutes. In the 114 years since the release, the landscape of film and filmmaking has changed tremendously. Back then, it was a rarity to have a film that long and to have certain aspects such as sound, animation, and computer-generated images (CGI). Today, a film would be seen as the laughing stock if it did not have these things. A film that shifted the whole notion of having special technology integrated is Steven Spielberg’s 1993 science fiction blockbuster hit , Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park pioneered modern day blockbusters with its visually stunning combination of both practical animatronics and computer-generated images. Since its release, there have been four more sequels, with another on the way and its own ride at the Universal Studios theme park . However, these effects alone are not what made Jurassic Park the pop culture icon it is today. Other factors that made the movie the global sensation it is also includes its film form, production, and sound.

Tapay 2 The film form of a movie is often considered as the film’s basic backbone . This includes the editing, mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound, and editing. Jurassic Park follows a narrative story structure. This generally means that the film is easy to follow as events unfold in chronological order. In Jurassic Park, the film starts in Isla Nublar, on an accident that kicks off the entire plot. With little dialogue, Spielberg creates an environment of suspense and intensity through the close-up and mid-shots on the operators. Spielberg also utilizes crowd shots in the movie, or having multiple extras stand around the main characters. In one instance, when Dr. Allan Grant is observing the dinosaur fossil on the monitor , dozens of faces are surrounding him, thus deeming Allan as a figure of significant importance. Another way the audience feels more connected to the story of the movie is by the facial emotions of the actors and actresses. As the audience, we are captivated by the staggering dinosaurs presented throughout the movie. The reaction shots of the actors amplify the mood of the scene . The special effects of Jurassic Park by itself is fantastic, but when coupled with the face acting of the stars along with the editing, the tension and danger that is presented to us (the audience) is taken to the next level. Another smart technique brings the audience into the scene by placing them alongside the characters to see what they are seeing simultaneously. For instance, in the tyrannosaurus rex attack scene, the shot begins with Grant and Dr. Ian Malcolm casually reacting to Gennaro’s

Tapay 3 dash as the camera is placed alongside them. It displays their response, then pans with them as they turn their heads to the right and at the same time, the characters and audience watch the dinosaur rip the electrified fence apart from its posts . As a result, the view of characters and audience is inhibited by the car windshield, creating tension. Additionally, the camera positioning puts the audience in the car with the characters, increasing their own feelings of danger and tension. Apart from breathtaking cinematography through the eyes of director Steven Spielberg and cinematographer Dean Cundey, the production of Jurassic Park separates itself apart from the rest. When talking about the production and visual effects, Kirsten Acuna of the news website, Business Insider states, “Its lasting effect on movies has been monumental” (Acuna). The production that went into making the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park was a long process. Although there were only fourteen minutes of screen time for the dinosaurs, it took the visual effects artists about a year to perfect. Artists first began to draw the prosthetics and designs of different dinosaurs. Those drawings then made its way to the computer to be rendered. Special software is then used to figure out the joint placement of the dinosaurs. After that, the skin is put on, and graphic computers render the images. Through a process called composting, the dinosaurs are added into the scene. The stunning effects of the movie won an Academy Award

Tapay 4 in 1994 for best visual effects. Jurassic Park set the framework for all computer-generated images in future blockbuster movies such as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Avengers: Infinity War. Blockbuster hits like Jurassic Park would not be what it is if it wasn’t for the sound. And I’m not talking about just the dialogue. The little things such as the sound effects and musical score play an instrumental part in trying to convey the film’s overall message and tone . Dinosaurs went extinct hundreds of millions of years ago, so nobody knows what each species truly sounds like , so sound designer Gary Rydstrom had his work cut out for him. By mixing the sounds of animals like elephants , cows, and donkeys, Rydstrom was able to give each species of dinosaurs a unique sound, which in turn helped enhance the ferociousness of creatures like the T-Rex. As a result of his work, Rydstrom won two Academy Awards in 1994 for best sound editing and best sound mixing. Alongside the sound effects, the musical score works in tandem to establish the emotions each scene tries to convey. John Williams’ work on the score of Jurassic Park became an instant classic. Using simple melodies, rhythm, harmony, and orchestration techniques, Williams brings the audience a score that will leave them in awe , just as the dinosaurs brought awe to Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler when they first laid their eyes on a dinosaur.

Tapay 5 Today’s big blockbuster films often try to bring the same feeling of awe and wonder that Jurassic Park did to millions around the world in 1993. They do this by incorporating various character reactions, new visual effects techniques, sound effects, and a compelling accompanying score to try to tell a story. When compared to the films of the early twentieth century, Jurassic Park has made leaps in the aspects of production, visual effects, and sound. When combined, a strong feeling of awe, wonder, and inspiration is created. Jurassic Park truly is the foundation of modern film.

Tapay 6

Works Cited Acuna, Kirsten. “How 4 Minutes Of CGI Dinosaurs In 'Jurassic Park' Took A Year To Make.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 11 July 2014, www.businessinsider.com/how-cgiworks-in-jurassic-park-2014-7. Richards, Mark. “Film Music Notes.” Film Music Notes, Film Music Notes, 20 Apr. 2013, www.filmmusicnotes.com/john-williams-themes-part-5-of-6-theme-from-jurassic-park/. Sullivan, Becky. “Jurassic Bark: How Sound Design Changed Our Imaginations.” NPR, NPR, 13 Apr. 2013, www.npr.org/2013/04/13/177153801/jurassic-bark-how-sound-design-changed-ourimaginations. Walton, Fletcher. “Many Sensational Shots: Capturing Jurassic Park.” One Sensational Shot, 13 July 2018, onesensationalshot.com/many-sensational-shots-capturing-jurassic-park/....