5 ms·

To every generation there is a film technique which defines it. There was the smokey grey/green from the Matrix films. Michael Mann had his desaturated shallow-

by ethank 15y ago

To every generation there is a film technique which defines it. There was the smokey grey/green from the Matrix films. Michael Mann had his desaturated shallow-DOF look. David Fincher uses silver-retention on his film development to extend the dynamic range while underexposing his shots (thats why interiors in Seven were so "dark" yet exposed). Part of the device of cinema is extending the mise-en-scene outward and upward to the representational devices (projection, development and treatment). Part of the study of film is tracing how the use of technique defines generations of film makers. Often, technology serves as an impetus for a style (i.e., Robert Altman and the use of multi-track audio on Nashville precipitated very "talky" films from the 70's/80's), or the developments in computer motion controlled rigs. Or lets not forget: lens flares. Color grading (ie, the orange/blue compliments in this article) are also defined by outward influences like magazine photography, trends in CGI, etc. Anyhow, in a few years a new dominate "look" will pervade cinema and we'll all have something new to complain about.

waterside81 15y ago
Both this comment and your comment further down below are really illuminating to a film luddite like me. It's always interesting to hear the nitty-gritty details of someone else's trade. It always amazes me how much detail goes into things that at the end of the day, the end user is none-the-wiser. Thanks for the informative posts.
- ethank 15y ago
  Glad my years in film school amounted to something :)
- rdtsc 15y ago
  Interestingly you might find that once you are aware of such details it is hard to go back and "just watch a movie". You start noticing color gradients, lighting techniques, camera angles, and many other technical details, and spend mental effort categorizing and critiquing them instead of being immersed in the experience, like, perhaps, you were before. As computer geeks notice bogus computer terminals in the movies, and it is somewhat irritating and frustrating "no, dammit, that is not what a mainframe terminal looks like!" film geeks do the same with movies.
  - ethank 15y ago
    My wife is an animator (worked on South Park). We are the absolute worst people to see a film with.
  - nickheer 15y ago
    After working a bit on a film in college, I started noticing cuts, and it started to drive me insane. It's one of those things that's largely inconsequential. I, as an audience member, am aware when a cut is made. But now, after doing a bit of editing, I notice just how many cuts there are. Conversely, I now have eternal admiration for scenes comprised of as few cuts as possible (cf. "Children of Men").
    - kapilash 15y ago
      > I now have eternal admiration for scenes comprised of as few cuts as possible Andrey Tarkovsky's films are awesome that way. A part of brain will keep track of the length - perhaps the same way as a music aficionado keeps track of the the current note and the starting note of a melody (or the way jvm keeps track of a stack trace).
    - rahoulb 15y ago
      Just a +1 for Children of Men - I wasn't that taken by the story but the way it was put together was phenomenal with lots of beautifully choreographed long shots.
    - rdtsc 15y ago
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark just took that to the extreme and made the whole movie in one long shot. It is interesting to watch just for that effect. The content is only interesting if you care or are familiar with Russian history.
      - ethank 15y ago
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epB5Z6ijpk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epB5Z6ijpk The Player, opening scene. Self referential of the fact that it's all one cut. A dissection of the Copacabana shot from Goodfellas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMKyNJvNV8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMKyNJvNV8 And one of the most brutal long-takes I've ever seen: the Death of Little Bill, Boogie Nights (NSFW): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znwh41szei4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znwh41szei4
bobbles 15y ago
In the Matrix films the greenish tint is used while 'inside' and blue-ish for the 'real world'
- ethank 15y ago
  It's actually fun to use Kuler to do the palettes for the Matrix. They did the whole complimentary triad thing in spades with both looks.

by ethank 15y ago

waterside81 15y ago

Both this comment and your comment further down below are really illuminating to a film luddite like me. It's always interesting to hear the nitty-gritty details of someone else's trade. It always amazes me how much detail goes into things that at the end of the day, the end user is none-the-wiser. Thanks for the informative posts.

ethank 15y ago
Glad my years in film school amounted to something :)
rdtsc 15y ago
Interestingly you might find that once you are aware of such details it is hard to go back and "just watch a movie". You start noticing color gradients, lighting techniques, camera angles, and many other technical details, and spend mental effort categorizing and critiquing them instead of being immersed in the experience, like, perhaps, you were before. As computer geeks notice bogus computer terminals in the movies, and it is somewhat irritating and frustrating "no, dammit, that is not what a mainframe terminal looks like!" film geeks do the same with movies.
- ethank 15y ago
  My wife is an animator (worked on South Park). We are the absolute worst people to see a film with.
- nickheer 15y ago
  After working a bit on a film in college, I started noticing cuts, and it started to drive me insane. It's one of those things that's largely inconsequential. I, as an audience member, am aware when a cut is made. But now, after doing a bit of editing, I notice just how many cuts there are. Conversely, I now have eternal admiration for scenes comprised of as few cuts as possible (cf. "Children of Men").
  - kapilash 15y ago
    > I now have eternal admiration for scenes comprised of as few cuts as possible Andrey Tarkovsky's films are awesome that way. A part of brain will keep track of the length - perhaps the same way as a music aficionado keeps track of the the current note and the starting note of a melody (or the way jvm keeps track of a stack trace).
  - rahoulb 15y ago
    Just a +1 for Children of Men - I wasn't that taken by the story but the way it was put together was phenomenal with lots of beautifully choreographed long shots.
  - rdtsc 15y ago
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark just took that to the extreme and made the whole movie in one long shot. It is interesting to watch just for that effect. The content is only interesting if you care or are familiar with Russian history.
    - ethank 15y ago
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epB5Z6ijpk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0epB5Z6ijpk The Player, opening scene. Self referential of the fact that it's all one cut. A dissection of the Copacabana shot from Goodfellas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMKyNJvNV8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMKyNJvNV8 And one of the most brutal long-takes I've ever seen: the Death of Little Bill, Boogie Nights (NSFW): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znwh41szei4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znwh41szei4

bobbles 15y ago

In the Matrix films the greenish tint is used while 'inside' and blue-ish for the 'real world'

ethank 15y ago
It's actually fun to use Kuler to do the palettes for the Matrix. They did the whole complimentary triad thing in spades with both looks.