Wolf of Wall Street Film Analysis - Klevis

  

If I had a pound for every time I've watched the Wolf of Wall Street I'd be as rich as Mr Belfort. This is my all time favorite film of all time and only because Kye is managing the blog, its ranked at number 3 of our top 10 films.

Its directed by the genius Mr Martin Scorsese. This film has every single trick of Martin Scorsese's book over the last 25 years and that's what I'll be breaking down. There is so much to write about and I'm so passionate about this film I won't simply be putting all this analysis into one blog post but rather many.

Freeze Frames:

A Martin Scorsese great and his great use of this effect links to another trick of his but we'll get to that later.
Martin Scorsese in the opening scene of the film uses freeze frames as a effective use of character identification.
 

The freeze frames serve a kinetic, as well as narrative, function. They deliver a visual that can't be filled with video and also signpost moments which Scorsese wishes to call our attention to as these are key features of his character.
In the above an example is the use of a close up on Dicaprio's face. Scorsese does this because we the viewer don't who is currently speaking so freezing right on Dicaprio's aggressive face, we're told two things. One we know who is speaking and who probably is the mean character and the type of person he is. A very aggressive man high on his own testosterone amongst others as we the audience further will learn in the film.

Birdman Film Analysis - Maryam

I watched Birdman, which is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. What I liked most about this film is that it is filmed and edited to look like the film was done in one take. Overall,the film was quite weird however it still had a funny feel to it. I liked how the score was all drums, which is unique compared to other films.this scene was well acted alongside the rest of the movie, and I would definitely recommend this film to everyone. 

Whiplash Film Analysis - Jack

Yesterday I watched the film Whiplash, directed by Damien Chazelle, who is a very young up and coming director and one who in my opinion directed a masterful film piece here. This film is about a skillful drummer Andrew (Miles Teller) who tries to make it at a top music school under the guidance of a top music conductor (JK Simmons). It turns sour for Andrew having large feuds with Fletcher the conductor. At the end of the film, Andrew and Fletcher meet and he performs a wonderful piece of drumming that allows him to show off his talents to a large audience and his true potential to Fletcher. This film showed many different emotions throughout to create different atmospheres within scenes. The most effective thing in my opinion was the make up effects used to show how tough it was for him drumming at his hardest, the blood on his hands and the sweat pouring out of him. 

Film Rating 7/10 

Django Unchained Film Analysis - Kye

 I recently watched Django Unchained. I enjoyed this film. The film is directed by Quentin Tarantino, who has directed films such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. 
 In this film, a lot of unnatural camera shots are used. I really liked the use of quick sudden zooms, which gives the films a light comic feel. it also draws focus to a particular thing or character. For example, when we first see Leonardo Dicaprio's character the camera quickly zooms into his face drawing focus onto him. 
 The film has a yellow colour, which gives the film a old, western feel. It also feels authentic and old, as it is filmed on film rather than digital, which is something Tarantino insists on doing. 

Pain and Gain Film Analysis - Kye

 Tonight, I watched the film Pain and Gain which is directed by Michael Bay. 
 The film was quite funny because it had interesting us of the editing and cinematography. It used slow motion a lot in a comedic way, which was very effective. Unnatural and POV shots were used a lot, which aren't common in movies. 
 The film was very saturated, which reflects the summer heat of Miami. It also gives you a warm feel, complimenting the comedic element of the film. 
 The film had a lot of what one would called black humour. Black humour is one of the most controversial and best types of humour.

The Panic Room thinglink - Maryam

 I recently watched the film The Panic Room, which is directed by David Fincher. I really liked this film as it was very well directed. Miss introduced us to a new website called Thinglink, which allows me to plot points on an image. I like the simplicity of this website and I will be using this again in the future. 

Spectre Film Analysis - Jack

 Tonight, I watched the latest instalment of the James Bond franchise, Spectre. I just want to say that I was quite disappointed with the film as it wasn't very good. 
 Not many films these days have opening credit sequences. In Bond films it is essential to have an opening credits sequence as it is a long standing tradition. Opening sequences are essential and useful for setting the atmosphere for the film. 
 Spectre's opening sequence was your typical bond; girls, striking visuals, oh and octopuses, lots and lots of octopuses. 
 The film used a lot of effects. Special effects are used in most major blockbusters as it allows the director to show things that couldn't be done in real life. I actually don't really like CGI that much. I don't know if it was just me but the CGI in this film was quite poor, it could've easily be done in real life. I personally like to have a mix of practical and special effects. In movies, no matter how good the CGI is, it'll always feel fake. Practical effects have that sense of realism that CGI will never achieve. 
 In action films, there are usually parallel edits. In this film there a big one in the third act. This increases the amount of tension, because usually the parallel edit would become more quickly edited. 

Film Rating 5/10

Editing Practice - Kye

 I finished my superhero mashup! I'm quite proud of this as it took a long time to make. 

Film Colouring - Kye

 There is this really cool website called Movies In Colour. It basically analyses all the colouring in a show or movie. http://moviesincolor.com/

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo film analysis - Kye

 This film ends my David Fincher Quest. It's very weird to see Daniel Craig in a non bond film. 
 This film has a very good opening credits, which sets up the tone of the film perfectly. It plays Trent Reznor's rendition of Immigrant Song, which with Karen O's vocals sounds very twisted and disturbing. The editing in the credits are every snappy, which creates a sense of chaos. The only colour in the sequence is black and there is a weird liquid that makes you sort of sick watching it. 
 The film mainly uses two different colours. Blue and Yellow. The day is in blue and the night is in yellow, which gives out a big contrast. 
 One thing I realised is that Fincher uses steady shots in the film that don't move at all. It stays in one place. I really like this as it looks clean and neat. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button film analysis - Kye

 Continuing with my David Fincher quest, I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This film is the least Fincher like film of his filmography. You wouldn't expect Fincher to direct this sort of film, but I really wish he did more stuff like this because this film is so good. 
 This film has non linear narrative, which is quite rare in a film nowadays. It alternates between the future and past. I personally think this is very hard to do and write. 
 The thing I love most about this film is the technology. The film uses very complex technology to age and de-age Brad Pitt. You can't tell that CGI is used. And when they de-age him to his 20's it is very impressive. I saw a behind the scenes video and what they did was, they put him in a visual effects house and do the facial expressions, and they render that to make him look older and replace the body double's face. 

Zodiac film analysis - Kye

 Tonight, I watched David Fincher's Zodiac. This is a crime thriller based on true events. 

 Firstly I have to say this. This film is the most creepy, scary and disturbing thriller I've ever seen. This film is just mad. It's absolutely mad. My heart was literally in my mouth in some scenes. 
 This film is traditional Fincher. The film is dimly lit, has a specific colour, which is yellow in this movie and is very disturbing. The editing in this movie is very very good too. The editing is very fast, and makes a nearly 3 hour film go quite fast. 
 I think this film is very important for my coursework, because in my head the opening scene is going be based on a serial killer killing. The murder scenes in this film are crazy. I literally had my hands covering my eyes in some scenes. I don't exactly know what it is, but its probably because it feels so real, which Fincher is pretty good at portraying. The fact that these killings actually happened, makes this film more chilling than Se7en for example. 
 I also must say, I really like Jake Gyllenhaal as an actor now. He gives such a good performance in this film. This is a bit off topic, but I finally see how he would be a great Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in the upcoming DC superhero films. 

Thriller trailer analysis - Kye

 Today, I will analyse the new Jessica Jones trailer. 

 The show is set in downtown New York, which is a very gritty and dangerous place. It's almost like the place setting isa character in the show. It plays a massive part in the atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, this trailer sets up a dark, disturbing atmosphere very well. In the trailer, we see very gritty themes such as rape and murder. The song used is very cold and hollow. The female singer is cold and creepy. 
 Throughout the trailer, we don't see the face of antagonist of the show except for a very brief second, which creates a sense of mystery. The way he creepily talks to Jessica makes him seem like a rapist, which he is in the show. 
 The show has a desaturated colour and purple title cards are used. These are dark, cold colours, which further make the atmosphere darker. 
 Towards the end, the music becomes more chaotic, as the clips become more chaotic too. 
 That's all I have for now. Maybe I'll analyse the Daredevil trailer next. 

TV opening credits analysis - Kye

 The next one is Hannibal. This one is quite short but packs a lot of things to analyse. 

 The main visual image is the red coloured, blood like liquid forming a face. This immediately notifies the viewers that this is a thriller. The background is white, which makes our eyes focus on the liquid. The soundtrack is very chilling and disturbing. You can hear a sound that feels like skeletons bashing together. I don't know about other people but this sends a chill down my spine. I once watched this at night and I was too scared to sleep, I know this is a very disturbing opening credits, to fit a very very disturbing show. The next one I'm going to analyse is Daredevil. 

TV opening credits analysis - Kye

 I'm going to be analysing a few tv opening credits this week. To start off, I'm going to do my favourite one, True Detective Season 1. 


 This is a very creative opening credits. The show uses a technique that merges two images into one called double exposure. The images in this sequence are usually people and scene from the show. These clips gives the viewers as to what kind of show it is. From the visual cues you can instantly tell that its a crime show and not a very bright one. The people's faces are usually covered which gives out a mysterious feeling. The music is very country, which reflects on the Louisiana setting. The editing compliments the music as it is very slow and not choppy. It is also in sync with the song, especially when it gets to the chorus. The colour os the sequence is very desaturated to give off a dark, cold feeling. The next one I'm going to do is probably going to be Hannibal. 

Limitless Film Analysis - Kye

 Today I watched Limitless starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. I forgot how good this film was!!! A film like Limitless is every directors dream. There is so many interesting things you can do in terms of cinematography and editing. This film has some very interesting concepts. The use of colour is key in this film. When Eddie Mora (Bradley Cooper) isn't on the pill, the film becomes denatured and has a blue colour, which gives out a cold, dull feeling. This reflects on how Mora feels when he's not on the fill. However, when he's on the pill, the film becomes much more saturated and uses more warm colours, representing the energetic feeling of being on the pill. I also must need to comment on Bradley Copper's eyes because they are honestly he has the most beautiful set of eyes in the film. Not many people know that the director actually digitally enhanced the blueness of his eyes when he's on the pill. I do think that colour is absolute key when setting up the atmosphere for a film. I'm thinking for the coursework, that we give the sequence a dark blue, desaturated colour. Blue happens to be my favourite colour. It's amazing. 
 The cinematography in this film is really refreshing compared to most big budget films. The film is famous for the endless zoom effect. The director also uses awkward camera angles to show that Mora is struggling in the film without the pill. 
 Limitless is the kind of film that allows you to use special effects really creatively. When Mora is on the pill, he sees things in a different way and it looks so cool. Like really really cool. I prefer how the effects are used in the tv show though. 

Green Screen - Kye, Klevis, Jack and Maryam

 Today, the group filmed green screen footage to the song Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal. We haven't finished editing it yet, we will do it after half term. Cant wait to see the final product!!  

Movie Retrospectives - Kye

 To train my editing skills, I often like to make retrospectives. I think they are really fun to make and you can get really creative with it. Every director has to be good at editing, so I think it is good that I start early and young. During the half term, I'm planning on making another one for superheroes. In my mind it looks like a masterpiece already.

The Spectacular Now Film Analysis - Kye

 Tonight, I watched an indie film called The Spectacular Now starring Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. I always loved indie films. They're just a breath of fresh air compared to big budget movies in terms of cinematography, editing and soundtrack etc. I thought this film was very realistic compared to other romantic movies. The film is directed by James Ponsoldt, who has a bigger film coming out this year called The End of The Tour. I realise that in The Spectacular Now, Ponsoldt uses a lot of long tracking shots. The camera is also still throughout the film, which is is quite unusual for an indie film. You can tell that the director uses framing proportions throughout the film. The protagonists are usually placed bang in the middle or the left and right of the frame. This gives the film a clean, controlled look. I have an idea for my coursework, which involves a long tracking shot as the main shot in the opening sequence. I should probably study more into the concept and what goes on to do tracking shots. The next film I'm going to watch is probably going to be Limitless, and I know I have a lot of things to analyse about that! I also need to watch Zodiac by David Fincher during the half term. 

David Fincher Thinglink - Kye

 I used a website called Thinglink, which allows you to plot points on an image. I do prefer the simple nature of prezi, but I don't mind this software as it is easy to use and looks very nice. I analysed one of my favourite director, David Fincher's style and cinematography. 

ThingLink Panic Room Film Analysis - Jack

I created my first ever thinglink today, this enbaled me to analyse the film Panic Room directed by David Fincher. I thought this was very easy to use and allowed me to add all the things that I wanted to. 

Earth Zoom Effect - After Effects - Klevis

Here is a composition I made whilst looking around for After Effects tutorials. I found the tutorial for this effect on "Videocopilot.com". I've had previous experience with After Effects so I found this "expert tutorial" relatively easily to follow.

The main source of inspiration for this type of video effect is the "Limitless" introduction. I could see us using this type of effect to some extent for our thriller introduction because the it has the effect of creating tension because the viewer can't predict what is coming and it can toward effective editing as it can show off a location fairly easily so if we needed a subtle way of telling the viewer where the film is based, we could use a similar type effect as made here.

Why Whiplash is one of the best films of all time - Klevis

In my lifetime, I've only ever re-watched two films in the cinema. The first being Star Wars Episode VII...and Whiplash. I was actually a year late to see this film. Released January 2014 I only saw it in September 2015 at Prince Charles Cinema, twice.

I remember I stood up after the film feeling happy for Andrew (Miles Teller) because he got the happy ending he wanted over Fletcher (J.K Simmons), proving that hard work triumphs and all that general "goodness". However like Schrödinger's cat, the more I thought about it, I wasn't sure. 

If we first look at the ending;

Whilst in plain sight it looks like a victory for Andrew because he got that classic sports film victory over his tormenting tutor, in my opinion the ending is less about anyone scoring a victory but just showing how Andrew has transformed as a musician.

At the beginning of the film, we see that Andrew is an extremely passionate jazz fanatic. From one he's made it into one of the best music colleges in America, his room is decorated in jazz posters, the famous scene of him crying watching a video of himself playing the drums along with the idea that he's a very shy and socially awkward person because he doesn't believe that he can relate to anyone because he only has one passion/hobby which is jazz. Evidence of the final point is when he first goes out with Nicole or that awkward dinner with this father and extended family. Andrew does however find a compadre in Fletcher, a music veteran who runs the most prestigious band Schaefer. Fletcher sees potential in Andrew and pushes him to his absolute limit, causing him to break up with his girlfriend, lose him temper more and isolating himself only with the idea of self improvement.

Throughout the film Andrew is changing constantly and morphing into someone soon loses his passion for music and instead becomes obsessed with Fletcher's opinion because he's taught to believe that his opinion is the only one that matters.

Andrew in the film is essentially a war hero, he achieves a admirable status through pain and hardship but it comes with straining side effects like PTSD and whiplash. (No pun intended.)

Logo Concept - Jack

 Today, I made a concept art for our potential logo. 

I messed around with the 3-D effect on photoshop and it's a new feature to me, so I am aware that it looks tacky and not very advanced. I do like the idea of a spotlight shining on the trident though, maybe that is something that could be used in the ident. 

Movie Production Company Ident Analysis - Kye

1. Paramount - At the start, you see space and stars, which gives the viewers a sense of wonder and mystery. There is a sunset and the sequence has a red/orange palette, which is visually pleasing to watch. The shot zooms in to the iconic mountain, There are clouds under it, which gives it a sense that it is high up and almost legendary. The name Paramount ties into the sequence as it means supreme or high up.




2. Universal - The shot pans over the earth, which gives it the sense that it is on top of the world. Half way through, the earth shows lights go on, which gives the viewers the sense that there are a lot of people on this earth.  The name Universal also ties into this sequence, as it shows the earth in a galaxy, and also gives the viewers the sense that it's on top of the world.

After Effects 1st Attempt - Jack

The other day I had my first attempt at using the after effects software. I found it quite challenging but fun at the same time and I think my final piece came out quite well considering it was my first time. I could make further improvements to it, but this is my first go.  

After Effects; World Globe - Maryam

This is not the best quality or best looking video. However this is my attempt of after effects with a spinning globe.

G.I Joe : Rise of the Cobra Film Analysis - Maryam

 Over the weekend, I watched G.I Joe - Rise of the Cobra. I have watched it many times and the most touching part of the film is when Anna who is one of the protagonists gets flashbacks of her past. The way it is shown in the film is very effective as the director uses a montage with various shots in the colour black and white. The fact it is in black and white clearly emphasises it's in the past. Overall i would recommend people to watch this.

Warrior Film Analysis - Kye

 I watched the film Warrior tonight again. After all these years I'm still in awe of the size of Tom Hardy's traps. I like how the director uses a sort of TV effect during the fights for half of the shots. This gives the film a documented feel which I think can be used effectively in a horror. 

The Hurt Locker Film Analysis - Kye

 I watched The Hurt Locker again during the weekend. One big thing I like about the film is the way shaky cam is used throughout the film. I think Kathryn Bigelow decided to do that to achieve an unplanned, natural feel. Most people say that shaky cam gives an unnatural feel, but I believe that it gives you a more human, natural feel. Still, steady shots feel too robotic to me and doesn't have that natural feel. Maybe shaky cam is something I could incorporate into my coursework.

500 Days Of Summer Film Analysis - Kye

 I watched 500 days of summer tonight. I thought it was a very well directed film, with some very interesting concepts in the cinematography. There was a scene in the film where Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character is playing a song on his computer, so it is diegetic sound, but then it changes to non-diegetic. I like this concept and would try to use this in my coursework. 

Film Opening Credits Analysis - Kye

 Drive (2011) is my favourite film of all time and I enjoyed making this prezi. The opening credits of this film is very unique compared to other films. 

Sequence Analysis on Seven - Maryam

This is my prezi sequence analysis on the movie seven.

First Attempt at After Effects - Kye

Obviously, it isn't the best looking video out there, but it is my first attempt at this complicated software. I'm looking forward to getting better!

16 Personalities (How To Work With Me) - Jack

This is a short video I made about how to work with me in a group.

An Introduction - Who Are We

We hope you enjoy our blog, this video just highlights who we are so you'll know who is posting what.

Edited by Klevis