In Class iMovie Project

Animation Project in Class

Blog # 6-Animation Deconstruction

Our protagonist Brendan 

The semi-antagonist Abbot Cellach

The above images our from Irish filmmaker Thomas Moore's highly acclaimed independent animated film The Secret of Kells. Let's begin our analysis with the protagonist Brendan's color scheme. Since he is just a novice in a medieval monetary, his outfit consists of a plain robe and cape. His entire outfit is done in a hue of brown. All of it's done in a light saturation nothing too dark about it at all to suggest any sinister motivations. He's a young boy with not a hint of darkness in him. As we can see Brendan is outside during the middle of the day. Behind him you can see the abbey farm fields, and the wall in the background. It's a multitude of colors-grey, green, yellow, etc. Now let's talk about the lighting of the image. It's bright, and there are precious few shadows in the image. This suggests a mood of peacefulness, and tranquility, nothing dark or sinister, or something to imply that something terrible might happen. 

Now let’s turn our attention to Abbot Cellach. As you can see it’s literally a very different picture from the one with Brendan. Since he is the Abbot his robe, is not a plain brown one at all. Instead his ornate robe is done in a hue of red. This not only symbolizes his place as the leader of the monks of Kells, but it also suggests something else as well. Brendan’s robe was done in a light saturation of brown, while the Abbot’s robe is done in a dark saturation of red. This is fitting since the Abbot, while he is not exactly an antagonist; he is at least an obstacle to Brendan’s goal, which explains why his color scheme is dark, and not in the least way bright in any way. Where Brendan was surrounded by a multitude of colors, only a very dark blue wall that is almost black covered with chalk drawings of building plans surrounds the Abbot. Now let’s turn our attention to the lighting of the scene. Brendan’s scene had no shadows at all, while the Abbot’s scene is far more generous with shadows, the only stream of light comes from the a window off screen which keeps the image from being in total darkness. But it also serves to show us that even though the Abbot might be an obstacle he does have a good heart. But never the less the mood is foreboding one, as we sense the Abbot is not someone who likes to be crossed.

Blog # 5-Storyboard Imitation

                                                                             



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMKI5r12JKo&feature=relate

In this scene from Inception, Christopher Nolan does abide the 180-degree rule. At the beginning when Ariadne is in the elevator, and glimpses the train passing by (which we see as a cut scene) see is looking straight at it, thus setting up a new 180 line. When she exits the elevator and into the hotel suite, the camera pans around the wrecked room until it comes across Mal who hears Ariadne, and stares at her. Ariadne the makes eye contact with Mal reestablishing the line.  With the rule of thirds it’s a mixed bag. The train that Ariadne glimpses passes left from right on the screen, near the top of the shot, while the elevator wall is below the train and is the last thing our eyes notice. However he does not follow this rule in the hotel suite.  When we cut to Mal, the first thing our eyes should is Mal, but since it's a wide shot what we notice first is the lamp next to her, then we notice Mal, then the back of the couch she is sitting on. All of this distracts our attention from Mal, which should be the main focus of that particular shot. But since it's a very brief shot our mind is inclined to overlook it.  However, Nolan does follow the 30 percent rule. When Ariadne enters the hotel suite, the camera is not stationary it's always slightly panning over the wrecked room until it lands on Mal then it becomes stationary again. This also explains why we are introduced to Mal in a wide shot. If we had seen her in a close up it would’ve been a jaunting jump cut. But by instead of having a close up like on Ariadne, Nolan merely reduces the image by 30 percent, allowing for a smooth transition if at the expense, of the rule of thirds.

Blog # 4-Song Deconstruction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CgBs3-BlqA

Nil Se'n La by Celtic Woman

LISTENING FRAMEWORK

LISTENING PHASE 1 (Rhythm)

Tempo [slow, medium, fast]

Medium, but also fast in some parts.

Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]

Drums.

Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]

Playful, slightly sensual, and flirtatious 

LISTENING PHASE 2 (Arrangement)

Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?] 

Drums, guitar, but mainly a fiddle

Structure/Organization [how is the song built? Order, patterns, etc.]

The song is not very chaotic, but highly ordered the vocals, and the instrumental segments transitioning very smoothly one, after the other.

Emotional Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]

The song begins with some light vocalization with drums in the background with a low pitch fiddle making us feel anxious with an air of mystery about it, but this soon gives way to a playful feeling of fliratiousness with lyrics such "In my heart it's still the night, and we'll stay until the morning" that remains throughout the entire song

LISTENING PHASE 3 (Sound Quality)

Balance

Height [high and low of frequency]

The frequency is low.

Width [stereo panning left/right]

The width remains on both left, and the right at all times.

Depth [layers of instruments - via loudness]

The vocals, and  fiddle are the loudest and are on top. These are followed by the drums which are usaully medium, and the guitars which aew soft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaRz-3DYV7c

Hey Bulldog by the Beatles

LISTENING FRAMEWORK

LISTENING PHASE 1 (Rhythm)

Tempo [slow, medium, fast]

It's mostly fast.

Source [where is the rhythm coming from?]

Drums.

Groove [describe how the personality of the rhythm]

Loose, happy, mellow

LISTENING PHASE 2 (Arrangement)

Instrumentation [which instruments drive the song?]

Piano, guitar, bass.

Structure/Organization [how is the song built? Order, patterns, etc.]

The song is organized with a very ordered, the instruments do not clash. It begins with a sort piano, that leads into the fast-paced bass, and guitar which is constant through out the song.

Emotional Architecture [Draw how the song build and drop?]

The song begins with moderate piano cue, and then switches over into a mellow bass giving off a slight depressing feeling. This then settles into a sort ambigous guitar melody which is re-enforced with lyrics such as "What makes you think you're something special when you smile?", or "Some kind of innocence is measured out in years, You don't know what it's like to listen to your fears" that gives off an anxious, moody feeling that makes us feel uncomfortable. But later the same melody is paired with the lyrics "if you're lonley you can talk to me. This is repeated throughout the song ending with a livley "hey bulldog" leaving us with a happy feeling.

LISTENING PHASE 3 (Sound Quality)

Balance

Height [high and low of frequency]

Low frequency

Width [stereo panning left/right]

The song begins with the music on just on the left side, but soon becomes audibe on both the left, and right sides

Depth [layers of instruments - via loudness]

The bass, and guitar are  the loudest, when not accompianed by vocals, and the drums are midly loud a certain snare beat is present but it does not overtake the other instruments

Nil Se'n La by Celtic Woman, and Hey Bulldog by the Beatles both use guitars, and drums but that’s it. Both songs are from two completely different genres. Nil Se'n La is a Celtic folk song. Hey Bulldog is a rock song. As both songs are from different genres, they in turn have different musical qualities, and these will be discussed in turn.

            Let’s begin with Nil Se'n La by Celtic Woman.  The song’s tempo is for the most part moderate, although it is fast in some parts set up by the drums. Its intensity of the song is soft with a fiddle, and soft guitar. The groove of the rhythm is slightly playful, in fact you could also call it flirtatious. The timbre of the song is rather simple. The depth of the song is the fiddle is the loudest, while drums, and guitars are in the background. The lyrics are an odd mix of modern English, with the chorus of is in Gaelic. The song is highly ordered the vocals, and the fiddle coexists peacefully. The width is equally distributed on both the right, and left sides. Emotionally the song begins with some light vocalization with drums in the background with a low pitch fiddle making us feel anxious with an air of mystery about it, but this soon gives way to a playful feeling of being flirtatious, which remains throughout the song. It’s meant to be a celebration of life with a harmless nighttime fun.

            Now, Hey Bulldog by the Beatles is a completely different song. Its tempo is fast-paced. The intensity of the song is loud reinforced by the loud bass, and drums. The width begins on the left, but then is balanced on both sides. The groove of the rhythm is sort of loose, and mellow. The depth of the song is structured so the bass, and the guitar are the loudest on top, followed by the drums, which although on the bottom are still audible with that snare beat. The song is a mixture of emotion. The melody of the song is sort ambiguous towards emotion, but the lyrics fix that. Lyrics like “you don’t what it’s like to listen to your fears” invokes sadness, while “if you’re lonely you can talk to me invokes happiness. If you feel troubled, or alone in the world there’s always someone to turn to.