THE POWER OF ONE: ASSESSMENT

THE POWER OF ONE: ASSESSMENT

Picture 1

Inspiring, Educating, Exhilarating. These are just some of the words to describe the film ‘The Power Of One’. John G Avildsen directed the movie and utilised the lighting skillfully through the ‘hang him up’ scene. This is demonstrated when the professor/principal walks in with the light behind him slightly above. This makes the audience think that he is strong and important compared to the others. The director did this to show how empowering the professor is. This worked well with the silence of the scene when they see him and stop talking. This aspect can be compared to when they are chanting and the light is shining upon their face. Students working on film aspects or human rights should view this film for its great view on the history topic. 

Picture 2

Close up, midshot, POV, over the shoulder. These are just some of the expertly used camera angles in the powerful film ‘The Power Of One’, directed by John G Advilsen. A long shot is used effectively in the ‘Hang him up’ scene. This is demonstrated when everyone is meant to be getting ready for bed but is instead causing a riot. This makes us think something is going to happen. This was one to show everyone in the room and make us understand the chaos that’s happening. This worked well with the sound in the scene for they are all chanting and screaming. This aspect can be compared to when the professor walks in and they are standing in two lines being as silent as possible. The director used these powerful film aspects throughout the movie. We could see things from different perspectives and it helped make the film more understandable. This film brings more awareness to the global issue of race discrimination.

Picture 3

Lighting, Music, Sound, and Camera angles are all expertly used in the film ‘The Power Of One’. All of these are used well but the symbolism is used very effectively during the ‘Hang him up’ scene. For example, when everyone is running around there is a quick cut scene to the symbol carved into the wood. This shows us that the people in the school respect the Nazis and are dedicated to proving it. The purpose of this was to help join everything in the story by giving it a symbol. This worked well with the flags shown in the next part of the scene because they have the same symbol and the same meaning. This aspect can be compared to when Botha the bully has his friend carve the symbol into his arm. Avildsen used his expert directing to give the film more depth and meaning, making the film a thrill to watch.

Picture 4

One man, One hundred problems, ‘The Power of One' was a brilliantly directed film by John G Advilsen. Expertly used makeup is implemented well in the ‘hang him up’ scene. For instance, when Botha the bully slaps PK, his nose starts to bleed and smear over his face. This makes us understand that he was hit pretty hard and that Brotha is strong compared to PK. This was done to exemplify the power of Brotha’s hit. This was done to exemplify the power of Brotha’s hit. This worked well when Brotha’s friend was ‘carving’ the Nazi symbol into his arm. The makeup was realistic making us feel like it is real and to contrast from when he was in the boxing ring later on in the movie. Makeup was a relatively big part of the movie-making it better and definitely more realistic. ‘The Power Of One’ is an amazingly directed 1992 film. He expertly uses music, makeup, and camera angles to prove a powerful point. This is educational, meaningful, and to some people, it can bring hope.

Film Aspects Meaning - 'The Power Of One'

How do the film aspects show the meaning in John. G. Auildsen's film "The Power Of One".

S: In the concert scene, we hear the native South Africans sing a song in their language that was written by P.K  (The main character)

E: The joyful song was lead by a native singer and the chorus was sung by the rest of the tribe harmoniously, whilst Doc played the piano and P.K composed. 

X: The song makes us as the audience feel hopeful and it was moving. This was because P.K - though the singing - brought the tribes together. 

X: The purpose of this was to help show that P.K was the mythical figure of the Rain-maker;

X: The singing combined with long shots that also helps show the harmony of the natives as they are all sitting nicely together.

Y: The singing can be compared to the singing at the boxing match, as the now freed natives sing to P.K to show him they think he is the Rain-maker. Both lots of singing give a sense of hope for the native South Africans.

Creating the Illusion of the Other Mother

We were talking about the different changes we found when we first meet the mother to the last time we see her. There is a huge difference from when we first meet her for she starts of looking nice and kind but turns to a soap devoring spider demon. This represents the 'Looks can be deseving' subject we started out working on.

The Other Mother 1

Physically - 

Soft/round edges.

Looks like the real mother.

Normal height.

Costume - 

Basic/ no pattern.

Baggy loose clothing.

Mostly covers her.

Color and lighting -

Warm tone.

Artificial coloring.

dull.

Color pallet - Orange

The Other Mother 2

Physically -

Patterns on her clothes.

Her nose is longer.

Head more pointed.

Sharper edges.

Costume - 

Black/red.

Loose clothing.

Color and lighting -

Warm light.

Artificial.

Orange and yellow color pallet.

The Other Mother 3

Physically -

Pale skin.

Weight shift to hips/ bum looks like beetles.

Pointy nose, back of head, elbows skinner.

Costumes - 

Pattern pokadots, black, white, red.

Fits her figure better.

beetle shell like layers.

Shows more skin.

Color and Lighting - 

Bright, vibrant, cold.

Artafical.

Oranges.

The Other Mother 4

Physically - 

Ugly, Spider like, needless, no fat, no skin

Lots of sharp angles.

Taller.

Costume - 

Tattared rags.

Barly there.

Color and Lighting - 

Green and black.

Cold light.

Unatural.

How Does Music Enhance The Story

Music - 

Diegetic Sound - Sounds added to a scene. eg music.

Non-Diegetic Sound - Sounds that don't need to be added for they happen in nature. eg footsteps, wind blowing, leaves.

Chords:

Major - written in a major key, has a happy and uplifting tone.
Minor - Written in a minor key, has a sad and gloomy tone.

Tempo/speed:

fast - It is something you would walk fast or run to. Makes you feel energized and gives it a movement.
Moderate - Somewhere in between the two.
slow - You would be drawing your feet if you were walking along to the music. It makes you lethargic.

Dynamics/Volume:

Farte/Loud - Gets the viewer's attention. It gives the music more emotion.
Piano/Quiet - Either background music or used to make the viewer focus.
Changing - Quiet to loud builds intensity. Loud to quiet pulls us into focus.

Song 1 -

Happy, Uplifting, Catchy, Major, energetic, live, upbeat, Fast. Mostly Major tones.

Song 2 -

Sad, tired, background music, low, lethargic, slow, sobber. Lots of minor tones.

Coraline Song 1 -

Cordes - Minor, Changing tempo.

Moderate - feel on edge, walking pace gives energy.

Minor, Tired, upset, Sad, Confused, creepy.

Changing speed - Starts quiet and goes louder. Grabs our attention, builds emotion, and intensity.

Mouse circus -

Chords - minor, In the background, there is a lot of minor tones that make us feel like there is something not quite right in the scene/music.

Tempo - Fast, I feel like I have to start marching place with the tempo of the music.

Dynamics - Loud, It makes us feel like joining in and intrigued kind of like taking your focus.

How does 'Lighting & Color' enhance the story - Film Studies

Atmosphere - feel in space/ energy around you

Mood - how you/someone feels

Location - Place where something is happening.

Lighting:

Natural - light that comes from nature. sun, moon, stars, lightning, etc.

Artificial - Man-made light source. Electricity, lightbulb, etc.

Warm light - yellow or orange tone that makes you feel happy/warm.

Cold light - Blue or a white tone - clean/clinical.

Bright - A bright light fills the space to that there aren't many shadows

Dull - A dull light will only fill parts of a space.

Colour - Colour palette: What are the predominant colors used.

Warm colors - make us feel warm and welcoming. It has the happy and friendly colors.

Cold colors - Isolated, chilly, and makes most people feel dark and gloomy.

- Clean and clinical

Brainstorm 1 (Lighting/Color):

What is happening? -

Coraline and her family are having breakfast in the real kitchen. They look rushed and tired.

Describe:

Lighting - 

Natural lighting with clouds coming through the windows.

It feels like a cold colors with the white tone.

It has a bright tone to it.

Color - 

The color that pops out the most is this yellowish-white color making the place look cold. 

It makes that space feel tired and lonely.

Effect on the viewer (Think/feel):

Boring, Dull, Depressing.

We understand from the picture that they aren't the happiest of families.

Coraline looks like she doesn't like it there.

Directors Purpose:

They made the place seem dull so the other world looks more appealing. 

Coraline doesn't like the real world.

Other techniques (Setting):

Outside the window that setting makes the place seem duller.

The furniture looks old.
It is very empty and doesn't look lived in.

Brainstorm 2 (Lighting & Color):

What is happening?

Coraline's other parents are eating dinner in the other kitchen.

Everyone seems happy.

Describe:

Lighting - 

Artificial/ feeling light

Warm - Yellow/ orange tone

Dull - some space dark

Color - 

Red, orange, white, and black.

Warm - happy, safe, and welcome.

Effect of the viewer:

Compact/close, interesting, welcoming, safe.

Coraline looks happy to be there.

Directers purpose:

Shows there looks can be deceiving because their family looks kind & happy but that turns out to be wrong.

Other Techniques (Costumes):

Formal, fashionable, tight-fitting, tidier.

Bright Black, red, white.

SEXXXY Paragraph - 

In the real world kitchen scene, lighting and color are used effectively to show looks can be deceiving. We see this when Coraline and her real parents are eating in the kitchen. The room is naturally lit from the cloudy window making the room feel dull and uninviting. The color in the room is grey and this yellowish-white. It is used effectively in this perspective for Coraline sees this place more as a place to stay instead of a welcoming and loving home. This makes the audience feel like Coraline doesn't really want to be where she is. The director did this to show how Coraline feels in the real world compared to the otherworld because in the other world the colors have a light and warm tone whereas the real world has a cold and dark tone.

In this scene with the Other Mother and Coraline, The lighting and coloring are used effectively to show the theme looks can be deceiving. We see this when Coraline is walking through the door of the other kitchen for the first time, seeing the warm tone of colors, as well as the dull lighting making the place, feel homey and safe. This makes the audience think that the other world is the better home for Coraline because of the warm colors. The director did this to make a contrasted to later on in the movie where the other world looks less safe with the cooler colors like blues and the dark tones that overshadow the other world. 

Workshop 2: Linking themes to the impact of Angles, Movement, and Shots

BrainStorm - 

What is happening:
The other Wybie is standing outside the pink palace on the stairs. The other mother asks him to smile at Coraline from the doorway but he ends up frowning. O.Wybie is making himself smaller - less of a target - kinda like he is submitting by putting his head down, shoulder hunched. looks weak and vulnerable.

Angle Shots:
High Angle - Makes Wybie look over powdered and like he isn't as strong or good as anyone else.
P.O.V - The other mother makes herself seem like she is stronger, bigger, and more dominant.

Viewer:
It makes the viewers feel sorry for/scared for The other wybie for he looks scared and weak.

Director:
Foreshadowing - hinting at whats is to come.
Hinting the maybe the other mother isn't so wonderful like she seems.

Other Techniques:
Lighting - Dark with a spotlight in wybie like he is on the spot/under focus.
the darkness creates a creepy atmosphere.

SEXXXY Paragraph - 

In the scene with The Other Mother and The Other Wybie, we see high angle shots used to show the theme looks can be deceiving. We see this when The Other Mother asks The Other Wybie to smile but he hunches over and frowns instead. This makes the audience feel sorry for and scared for The Other Wybie because he looks scared and worried himself. The use of a high angle shot from the perspective of The Other Mother adds to the feeling as it makes The Other Wybie look weak and vulnerable. The director did this to portray foreshadow the change of The Other Mother from being perfect to evil. Coinciding with this is the use of lighting. A spotlight is put ver The Other Wybie and emphasizing that he was under the focus and pressure of The Other Mother. This reminds us of earlier in the film where a low angle shot was used to make Wybie seem big and scary but really he was just an ordinary nerd. This links to the scene because it also shows a moment when the look of a character was deceiving.

Theme Guide Booklet - Film Sudies

Today in film studies we had to choose between making a theme guide booklet or a mindmap about the movie Coraline. My friend and I decided that it would be better for us to do the theme guide booklet because it was an easy task for two people to do together. I talked about how looks could be deceiving like how we first met the other mother and she was so nice compared to at the end of the movie where she turns into a weird looking spider demon. Lucy wrote about the bravery from Coraline in the movie. She was scared at the start of the movie but her character developed in the movie and she became braver and stronger mentally and physically. Here is our theme guide booklet.

Unpacking Themes And Ideas - Film Studies

Today for film studies, we were working on the difference between the first impressions and who the character is/what the place is vs who/what the subject actually is.

Theme & Ideas - Continuous idea/subject that links throughout the film/book/show.
'Looks can be deceiving' -
- Don't judge a book by it's cover
- Don't judge by appearance

EXAMPLE 1: Character Of Wybie - When we first meet him he seems scary (Mask, Motorbike, Lightning, Higher point of view, Looks bigger, Loud music) but in reality, he is just her weird neighbor.

HOW DOES IT SHOW THE THEME - Shows theme because, like other characters, our first impressions based on appearance, tone, and visual technics aren't always correct. We used Coraline as an example

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT 'LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING' - It is important because it helps the abundance understand with Coraline that just because something looks good doesn't mean it is. She chose the real world over the fake world that turned out to be a trap.

EXAMPLE 2: Character Of the 'Other Mother' - She seems normal/friendly the start but by the end becomes a soal devouring spider demon.

HOW DOES IT SHOW THE THEME - Shows theme because, like other characters, our first impression of the 'Other Mother' is based on appearance, tone, and visual technics that aren't always correct. She seems nice at the start but really isn't so we shouldn't judge by first impressions.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT 'LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING' - It is important because Coraline realizes that having something that looks perfect isn't always a good thing.

S - Statement:
In Coraline, the theme 'looks can be deceiving' is used effectively to engage the audience.
E - Evidence:
For instance, the character of the 'Other Mother' shows us that looks can be deceiving because she started of as a caring, kind, mother figure but gradually changes into a soal devouring spider demon.
X -  eXplanation:
Audience - 
This makes us understand to not judge everything by appearances but also look for other clues of hints as to who they are for the first appearance can be wrong.
X - eXplanation:
Director - 
This was done to help Coraline decide between the real world and the other world. If the 'Other Mother' was really perfect Coraline wouldn't choose to go back home to the real world.
X - eXplanation:
Another technique - 
Combined with this is the use of this is the color and lighting. The 'Other Mother' first appearance in a vibrantly bright room that makes us feel warm and safe. However, by the end, it has become dark and green which makes the viewer feel unsafe and shows that looks were deceiving.
Y - Your link - 
This can be juxtaposed to the character of Wybie who we think at first is evil but is truly kind proving looks can be deceiving.

Film Studies - Camera Shots

Today in film studies we were working on the different camera shots and angles. I found out that there were around 15 main angles/shots that directors and cameramen use during the making of a film. I found a few examples, got their definitions, and put them all down in a document. I wrote them all in my own words to make it better for me to understand.

Definitions - 

Extreme close up - When it is very close to the character/item that it is showcasing. Most of the time the item/ characters take up the whole screen so you can focus more on it at hand. 
Close-up - It is a film or an image that is taken at a relatively close range to show the image/character.
Medium shot - It is captured at a medium distance from the subject and is mostly used during the dialogue scenes, but also depict body language and more of the settings.
Long (wide) shot - So you can see the subject in the settings but also so you can see everything else in the scene at the same time.
Extreme long shot - Is a shot that is used to focus on the surroundings in the movie to show what’s going on and where they are.
Low angle shot - Low angle shots are used to can be used to give the audience a sense that they are sharing the character's point of view especially when they are looking up at something.
Eyelevel shot -  It is considered to be emotionally neutral and is best used for straight, factual presentation.
Birdseye view shot - It is normally used when they want to make a dramatic comment on a character or scene in the movie.
Dutch tilt shot - They are normally used for dramatic effect and help portray unease, disorientation, and madness.
High Angle shot - High angle shots are used to make the subject/character seem vulnerable or in some cases weak and powerless.
Tracking shot - Tracking shots are shots where the camera is moving along with the subject in the frame making it look like that camera is tracking the subject.
Point of view shot - A point of view shot is used when the directors want the audience to see what the character sees.
Mise en scene shot - The term mise-en-scene refers to everything in front of the camera, including the set design, lighting, and actors.
Over the shoulder shot - Over the shoulder shots is a shot of someone or something taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person.
Pan shot - It is when the camera is put on a tripod and moved from left to right normally used when a subject is moving or something.

EXAMPLES - 

Extreme Close-up	Close-Up	Medium Shot
Long (wide) Shot	Extreme Long-Shot	Low Angle
Eye Level	Birds Eye View	Dutch Tilt
High Angle	Tracking	Point of View
Mise En Scene	Over the shoulder	Pan