Master Class: Barney Eliot (Film Director)

The master class with Mr Elliott in my opinion was of great help to give an idea of how everything works within the film industry. Mr Elliott taught us what would be the way into the film industry and how to get inside it is of great importance to be persistant and know that the film industry is possible and not only a dream.
The short film which Mr Elliot presented to us are not really the kind of films I like, but they were very interesting and having the director of the films made us be able to fully understand the video even though in my opinion the fact of him being there can make our opinion of what we are seeing different. Making for example when we saw "Ultimo recurso" Mr Elliott told us they maked it in order for us to empathise with the man who was steeling from the lady but maybe if he would not have told us that before the film we would not have noticed.
In general, having a film director teaching us about the making of film and how to get into the film industry does help us motivate and see another internal view of the film making industry.

The Matrix - The Pill Scene

Man giving the back to the camera. As soon as the lighting appears he turns around revealing his identity (close-up on his face). Hear a door open.

Morpheus

At last.

Now we can see Neo and a women coming in to the room.

Welcome Neo. As you no doubt have guessed, I am Morpheus.

Neo

It's an honor to meet you.

MORPHEUS

No...The honor is mine. Please come sit.

Guides Neo to a chair. We can see he is not comfortable and hear Morpheus closing the door.

I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. Hmm?

NEO

You could say that.

MORPHEUS

I can see it in you eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he's expecting to wake-up. Ironically, this is not far from the truth. Do you believe in fate Neo?

NEO

No

MORPHEUS

Why not?

NEO

Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life.

MORPHEUS

I know exactly what you mean.

Morpheus sits down on the chair and plays with a case (which contains the pills.

Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain but you feel it, you felt it you entire life there something wrong with the world you don't know what it is but it's there like a splinter in your mind driving you mad. It is this feeling that brought you to me.Do you know what I'm talking about?

NEO

Matrix

MORPHEUS

Do you want to know what it is? The matrix is everywhere it is all around us even now in this very room.

Changes vision to the both of them to show the room

You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you go to pay you taxes. It is the world that is been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

NEO

What truth?

MORPHEUS

That you are a slave Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison, which you smell or taste or touch. A prison, for your mind. Unfortunately no one can be told what the matrix is.

Opens the case and talks while he stares at the inside of it.

You have to see it for yourself.

Lets the content of the case fall into his hands, puts the case on the table and continues talking.

This is your last chance after this there is no turning back.

Shows what he has on his hand (only blue pill) at the same time talks.

You take the blue pill the story ends you wake-up in your bed and believe whatever you what to believe,

Shows what he has on his other hand (now we can see both pills) at the same time talks.

you take the red pill you stay in wonderland and i show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Show close-up f Neo's faces so that we can see he is struggling with the decision.When about to get the red pill Morpheus starts talking again.

Remember, all I'm offering is the truth, nothing more.

Takes the red pill and a thunder can be seen in the background.

Follow me.

The END

Long Take

Definition
Anything significantly longer than the norm (for its time and place) 
(eg for 1940s anything over over 9s long is considered a long take.
Deep- focus photography)
What is it?  
Keep several planes of shot in focus at the same time
Why is it used?
 It allows several actions to be filmed at the same time. Used in combination with long take, decreasing need for editing.

Textual analysis - The script-writing process

When extra elements are there in the film?

• Non-diagetic sound (esp. Music but also sound effects)
• Facial expresion body language- non-dialogue acting
• Props + sets (mise-en-scéne)
• Camera movement + scope (mise-en-shot)
• The type of diagetic sound (voices)
• Extras
• Lighting
• Cronology
• Costumes (Mise-en-scéne)
• Time of day
• Does the film's dialogue + action deviate from script?
• Expletives removed
• Some dialogue shortened
• There are differences in how a scene plays out (eg backing into the corner not trying to escape when his mouth is disapeared)

Why does the final production end up diverging from the script?

• Extra elements are NOT a script writers job
• Film production is a colaboration and its hierarchical
• Script have to flow + be readeble
• Editing changes the film
• Films are sometimes cut

Intended audience

• Film maybe language cut.
• Some thing  just dont work when acted (boring? impact? etc.)
• Actors interpretation
• Technical limitations
• Buget limitations
• Directorial decitions

Continuity editing

-Eyeline match
-Point of view match
- Match on action cut
-Directional continuity (180 rule)

Mise-en-Shot

How scenes are shot and edited
1. Camara Position
2. Camara movement
3. Shot Scale
4. Length of shot- duration of shot
5. The pace of the editing

What extra elements "make" a film?

Branding -> GLAMOUR
What extra elements "make"the film?
-Camera angles + focused shots on faces (morpheus glasses)
-Dark, gothic costumes- but well designed
- Mysterious setting, abandoned- "Putrifiyging elegant"
-Storm outside- sound- adds mystery/ drama, etc.
-Body language (non verbal comunication) and expressions ( Morpheus is confident whereas Neo is confused)
- Framing of armchair and its shadows
-Color- filterde to give impressions


Sound & Color
-Think about the role of sound (esp. non-diagetic sound) and color
"Amelie" ->see also Janet's much darker "Delicatessen"

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Introduction
MGM was created in April 1924. It was created by the theatre magnate Marcus Lowe, who orchestrated the merger of Metro Pictures Corp., Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions. Which the combination of this three would lead to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

What were some of the best films made by your studio?
During a golden three decades from 1924 to 1954, the Culver City-based studio dominated the movie business, creating a Best Picture nominee every year for two straight decades. One of the more memorable years at the Academy Awards was in 1939 when MGM's Gone With the Wind and MGM's The Wizard of Oz were both nominated for Best Picture. Gone With the Wind took home Best Picture that year, along with 8 other Oscars. The Wizard of Oz secured two Oscars. Hattie McDaniel Won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and became the first African American to be nominated for and win an Oscar.

Who were the major stars and film-makers under contract to your studio?
Actors:
—

• Greta Garbo 
• —John Gilbert
• —William Haines
• —Norma Shearer
• —Joan Crawford
• —Clark Gable
• —Jean Harlow
• —Robert Montgomery
• —Myrna Loy
• —Jeanette MacDonald
• —Nelson Eddy
• —Lon Chaney
• —William Powell
• —Buster Keaton
• —Wallace Beery 

Directors: 

• —King Vidor
• —Clarence Brown
• —Erich von Stroheim
• —Tod Browning
• —Victor Seastrom 

And associated with musicians such as: 

• —Judy Garland
• —Fred Astaire
• —Gene Kelly
• —Frank Sinatra 

What genre and type of films did your studio
—Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer did the best films when the genre was musical. Such as:

• —The Wizard of Oz
• —Goodbye, Mr Chips
• —Ninotchka
• —Silk Stockings