In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world, in the visual arts and in literature, from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the male viewer. In the visual and aesthetic presentations of narrative cinema, the male gaze has three perspectives: that of the man behind the camera, that of the male characters within the film's cinematic representations; and that of the spectator gazing at the image.
The film critic Laura Mulvey coined the term 'male gaze', which is conceptually contrasted with and opposed by the female gaze. As a way of seeing women and the world, the psychology of the male gaze is comparable to the psychology of scopophilia, the pleasure of looking; thus, the terms scopophilia and scoptophilia identify both the aesthetic pleasures and the sexual pleasures derived from looking at someone or something.
One of Mulvey’s examples used to demonstrate her theory of the male gaze is the first appearance of American actress, Marilyn Monroe in the 1954 film, The River of No Return. During the scene, Monroe’s character of Kay Weston is subject to the male gaze in a way that treats her like an ornamental object. Through a sexualised outfit and the lounging position that she assumes, she becomes an object to be viewed, both by the audience of the film and the predominantly male audience within the room of the scene.
Two forms of the male gaze are based upon the Freudian concept of scopophilia: the 'pleasure that is linked to sexual attraction and [the] scopophilic pleasure that is linked to narcissistic identification', which show how women have been forced to view the cinema from the perspectives of the male gaze. In such cinematic representations, the male gaze denies the female's agency and human identity, thus dehumanising the woman, from person to object, to be considered only for her beauty, physique, and sex appeal, as defined in the male sexual fantasy of narrative cinema.
Two types of spectatorship occur whilst viewing a film, wherein the viewer either unconsciously or consciously engages in the typical, ascribed societal roles of men and women. In relation to phallocentrism (the ideology that the phallus, or male sexual organ, is the central element in the organisation of the social world), a film can be viewed from the perspectives of 'three different looks'. The first look is that of the camera, which records the events of the film; whereas the second look describes the nearly voyeuristic act of the audience as they view the film proper; and the third look is that of the characters who interact with one another throughout the filmed story. The perspective common to the three types of look is the idea that looking generally is perceived as the active role of the male, while being looked-at generally is perceived as the passive role of the female. Therefore, based upon that patriarchal construction, the cinema presents and represents women as objects of desire, wherein women characters have an 'appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact'. Therefore, the actress is never meant to represent a decisive female character whose actions directly affect the outcome of the plot or impel the events of the filmed story, but, instead, exists within the film to visually support the actor, portraying the male protagonist, by 'bearing the burden of sexual objectification'.
A woman being the passive object of the male gaze is the link to scopophilia, to the aesthetic pleasure derived from looking at someone as an object of beauty. As an expression of sexuality, scopophilia refers to the pleasure (sensual and sexual) derived from fulfilling sexual fetishes by viewing material such as pornography. There are two categories of pleasurable viewing: voyeurism, wherein the viewer's pleasure is in looking at another person from a distance, and he or she projects fantasies, usually sexual, onto the gazed upon person; and narcissism, wherein the viewer's pleasure is in self-recognition when viewing the image of another person. Therefore, it is believed that in order to enjoy a film as a woman, or as a person of any gender other than the male gender, women must learn to identify with the male protagonist and assume his perspective that is the male gaze.
The female gaze is conceptually equal to the male gaze; that is, when women objectify people, they view said individuals, and themselves, from the perspective of a man. The male gaze is considered a manifestation of unequal social power, between the gazing man and the gazed-upon woman; and is also seen as a conscious or subconscious social effort to develop gender inequality in service to a patriarchal sexual order. From either perspective, a woman who welcomes the sexual objectification of the male gaze might be perceived as conforming to social norms established for the benefit of men, thereby reinforcing the objectifying power of the male gaze upon woman; or, she might be perceived as an exhibitionist woman taking social advantage of the sexual objectification inherent to the male gaze, in order to manipulate the sexist norms of the patriarchy to her personal benefit.
Mulvey said that the female gaze is analogous to the male gaze, because 'the male figure cannot bear the burden of sexual objectification. Man is reluctant to gaze at his exhibitionist like'. In describing the relationships among the characters of the 1966 novel, Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys, a writer known as Nalini Paul said that the when the character of Antoinette gazes at Rochester, and places a garland upon him, she makes him appear heroic, yet: 'Rochester does not feel comfortable with having this role enforced upon him; thus, he rejects it by removing the garland, and crushing the flowers'. It is believed that from the male perspective, a man possesses the gaze because he is a man, whereas a woman possesses the gaze only when she assumes the role of a man, and thus possesses the male gaze when she objectifies other people, by gazing at them as would a man.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male_gaze
Most films that do not serve the main purpose of being distinctively erotic, such as pornographies, do not necessarily consist of scenes that can be considered supportive of the male gaze, all throughout the runtime. They will often have such scenes scattered around, so as to not appear in direct favour of sexual objectification of women. However, certain films may have its main female characters seen rather scantily clad in the majority of scenes. Many superhero films, in particular, have been accused of using the concept of the male gaze to their advantage. Examples include The Return of Swamp Thing (1989), Barb Wire (1996), Elektra (2005), X-Men: First Class (2011), and Suicide Squad (2016). In this case, I shall be analysing a scene from French director, Pitof's Catwoman (2004), as the titular character is often dressed in a very revealing costume. In addition, Halle Berry - the American actress who portrayed the character - has played multiple roles that can be considered deliberately appealing to male audiences. Such roles include Ginger Knowles in Swordfish (2001), Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball (2001), and Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson in Die Another Day (2002).
In Catwoman, after being drowned and flushed out of a conduit pipe, artist and graphics designer Patience Philips is mysteriously revived by an Egyptian Mau cat, resulting in her developing cat-like abilities. Patience uses these to her advantage to become a vigilante, living as both a hero and a thief. After she steals a mask from a jewellery store that was being broken into, she fashions herself a sexual, skin-tight, leather outfit to further highlight her new Catwoman persona. The scene that I shall analyse is the one in which Patience sashays along a rooftop, revealing herself and her new attire to the camera for the first time.
Within the scene, the camera pans slowly up and around Catwoman's figure, presenting her assets in great detail. Transitioning smoothly, the camera begins at the character's feet, and ends at face, as she gazes intensely just above the lens. In terms of Catwoman's appearance, toes, waist, belly, neck, and arms are completely exposed. Cleavage is also very clearly shown, and rips in the form of claw marks can even be seen in her trousers, revealing pieces of flesh on her knee pits and buttocks. Her light-brown skin seems to be covered in some sort of beauty product, as it shines unnaturally. She compliments her look with a heavy layer of red, glossy lipstick on her lips. Ultimately, it is very easy to see why many believe that this scene appeals to the male gaze.
The camera's smooth movement disguises the fact that it is unnatural. In reality, one would not be able to view another in such a way without consequences, unless the two have a personal connection that they both consent to sharing. The viewer is able to view the character in a sexual manner because they are simply watching a film, and therefore, will not suffer at all for doing so. The fact that Catwoman only exists within the world of fiction - and is not written to break the forth wall - provides a layer of safety for the viewer to view her in the way that they see fit. Additionally, the viewer will know that the actress, Halle Berry, chose to portray the character, and most likely knew beforehand how a large majority of people would picture her onscreen.
An additional piece of evidence to suggest that the film scene is in support of the male gaze, is that only women seem to be presented in such a way. In other words, very little people of the opposite sex have been dressed in such sexual attire, whilst being filmed to show most body parts in full detail. For example, one of the only other superhero characters to rival Catwoman in terms of performance, is Batman. However, no obvious depiction of the 'World's Greatest Detective' can be seen to deliberately fulfil sexual appeals of audience members. Batman is almost always fully clothed from head to toe, with the only body parts showing being his eyes and mouth. Indeed, his outfit, due to being skin-tight, his large muscles are greatly pronounced, but this is much tamer compared to how Catwoman is presented.
If one were to argue against the idea of Catwoman serving the purpose of deliberately appealing to male audience members, one may compare to film to the comics - created and published by DC Comics, Inc. - that the character originated from. In many editions, Catwoman was sexualised through both appearance and actions. Therefore, one could argue that whoever proposed the idea for her to be presented in such a way within the film, was only attempting to make the project stay as true as possible to the original work. However, this can be countered with the fact that the story that the film tells is completely different to any found in the comics. For instance, the character actually gains superpowers in the film, despite being completely human - just like Batman - in the comics. Thus, what can be asked is why such drastic changes were made in terms of story, but the character's sexual appearance and personality were kept the same.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Jacques Lacan's Theory of the Mirror Stage
The mirror stage is a concept in the psychoanalytic theory of French psychoanalyst, Jacques Lacan. It is based on the belief that infants recognise themselves in a mirror or other symbolic contraption which induces apperception (the turning of oneself into an object that can be viewed by the child from outside themselves) from the age of about six months.
Initially, Lacan proposed that the mirror stage was part of an infant's development from 6 to 18 months, as outlined at the Fourteenth International Psychoanalytical Congress at Marienbad in 1936. By the early 1950s, Lacan's concept of the mirror stage had evolved, as he no longer considered the mirror stage as a moment in the life of the infant, but as representing a permanent structure of subjectivity, or as the paradigm of 'Imaginary order'. This evolution in Lacan's thinking becomes clear in his later essay titled 'The Subversion of the Subject and the Dialectic of Desire'.
The child's initiation into what Lacan would call the 'mirror stage' entails a 'libidinal dynamism' caused by the young child's identification with his own image and creation of what Lacan terms the 'Ideal-I' or 'Ideal ego'. This reflexivity inherent in fantasy is apparent in the mirror stage, since to recognise oneself as 'I' is like recognising oneself as other ('that person over there is me'); this act is thus fundamentally self-alienating. Indeed, for this reason, feelings towards the image are mixed, caught between hatred ('I hate that version of myself because it is so much better than me') and love ('I want to be like that image').
As the mirror stage concept continues to develop over time, the stress falls less on its historical value and ever more on its structural value. 'Historical value' refers to the mental development of the child and 'structural value' to the libidinal relationship with the body image. In Lacan's fourth Seminar, La relation d'objet, he states that 'the mirror stage is far from a mere phenomenon which occurs in the development of the child. It illustrates the conflicting nature of the dual relationship'. The dual relationship refers not only to the relation between the Ego and the body, which is always characterised by illusions of similarity and reciprocity, but also to the relation between the Imaginary and the Real. The visual identity given from the mirror supplies imaginary 'wholeness' to the experience of a fragmentary real.
The mirror stage describes the formation of the Ego via the process of identification - the Ego being the result of identifying with one's own specular image. At six months, the baby still lacks coordination. However, Lacan hypothesised that the baby can recognise itself in the mirror before attaining control over its bodily movements. The child sees its image as a whole, but this contrasts with the lack of coordination of the body and leads the child to perceive a fragmented body. This contrast, Lacan hypothesised, is first felt by the infant as a rivalry with its own image, because the wholeness of the image threatens it with fragmentation; thus the mirror stage gives rise to an aggressive tension between the subject and the image. To resolve this aggressive tension, the subject identifies with the image. This primary identification with the counterpart is what forms the Ego. The moment of identification is to Lacan a moment of jubilation since it leads to an imaginary sense of mastery. Yet, the jubilation may also be accompanied by a depressive reaction, when the infant compares his own precarious sense of mastery with the omnipotence of the mother. This identification also involves the ideal ego, which functions as a promise of future wholeness sustaining the Ego in anticipation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_stage
The film that I shall be applying Lacan's mirror stage theory is Black Swan (2011), directed by Darren Aronofsky. Within the film, the audience is made to see through the eyes of the character of Nina Sayers, a twenty-eight year-old in a New York City ballet company, which is preparing to open its new season with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. With prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre being forced into retirement, artistic director Thomas Leroy announces that he is looking for a new dancer to portray the dual role of the innocent White Swan and the sensual Black Swan. Nina auditions for the role and gives a flawless performance as the White Swan, but fails to embody the Black Swan. The qualities of the Black Swan are much better embodied by the new arrival, Lily. Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the part, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into a nightmare.
In terms of the theory of the mirror stage, whilst Black Swan does not begin with the protagonist as a child - which is the usual age for the stage to take place - it does begin with Nina in a childlike state. She has not yet become a woman, nor has she formed an identity apart from her mother. Thus, she is kept from being a true individual. A prime example of this is Nina's bedroom being decorated with wallpaper containing iconic visual representations of butterflies, ceramic statues, stuffed animal toys, and an overabundance of pink. To most people, the bedroom looks like it belongs to a small child, rather than a twenty-eight year-old woman. Nina's mother also dotes on and smothers her as if she were still an infant, calling her 'sweet girl', and even going so far as to undress her, as if Nina is incapable of doing so herself. In addition, the name 'Nina' has a relation to the Spanish word 'Niña', which happens to translate to 'little girl'. Within the company that she dances for, Nina is not so much treated as a child, as she is invisible, being seen as just another dancer among many - reduced and stripped of identity.
Black Swan opens on Nina dreaming - an act that, for her, serves the same function as looking into a mirror. Nina is able to externalise her image of herself, and consider her desires for said image. She acts as a spectator, watching herself dance her most coveted role: the Swan Queen. This role would not only make her the prima ballerina of her ballet company - a distinct individualistic position rather than one lost in the chorus - but would also help her to create a persona apart from her mother. Nina would no longer be just some aspiring ballerina following in her mother's footsteps. She would have reached the pinnacle of her craft, surpassing her role as daughter into her role as woman. This is the indeed the journey that Nina takes throughout the film. After being chosen to play the role of the Swan Queen, Nina starts maturing both emotionally and sexually. She defies her mother, confronts her predecessor, decides to leave her home, and has her first satisfying sexual experience. By all accounts, Nina successfully grows up, passing through Lacan's mirror stage, because she manages to create an identity that is her own, separating herself from her mother, and distinguishing herself among her peers.
According to Lacan's mirror stage, Nina does not actually create her new identity in the conventional way. Instead of only recognising herself as a distinct individual, Nina keeps hold of her infantile White Swan persona, and also manifests an opposite identity to her own: the Black Swan: an amalgam of the traits that she both fears and yearns for. At first, Nina has difficulty giving full form to her Black Swan person, and so she projects it onto the women around her. However, as Nina matures, so does her alter ego, as her Black Swan begins to manifest itself more frequently and aggressively both outside of and within the mirror.
In many ways, Black Swan is as much a case study for Lacan's theory of the mirror stage, as it is for the mirror stage 'gone wrong'. It poses the question of what happens when a person cannot reconcile the identity that they want with the one that they have. For Nina, she is constantly warring between her White Swan persona and her doppelgänger, so much so that her body seems unable to handle the two different identities at once. Throughout the film, Nina pulls and scratches at her skin, as if something beneath the surface were trying to break free from her body. However, Nina only acts in such a way when she is reflecting with both identities, either in front of a mirror or in her dreams.
The resolution of Nina's internal conflict occurs during her official debut performance as the Swan Queen. As her light and dark identities fight, they shatter a mirror both literally and figuratively, for Nina attempts to destroy the reflected darkness of herself. However, the violent, immoral act of killing her doppelgänger taints Nina's White Swan persona, corrupting it and allowing her to become both white and black. Instead of simply shattering her mirror image, Nina breaks through it, turning into both of the women that she created in her mirror stage. By subsuming two opposing forces, and holding them within one physical body, Nina has fragmented herself, allowing her desire and actuality to push against each other, fighting for control. This duality of character gives Nina what is required to dance the role of the Swan Queen, but also destroys her body in the process, for she cannot harbour two women in one vessel. By this point, Nina has broken the mirror between her desire and reality, mixing black and white together, fragmenting the identities created in her mirror stage, all in order to fulfil her reflected desire.
A crucial turning point in the film occurs when Nina goes out to dinner with Lily, leading to Nina willingly drinking a vodka cranberry spiked with what appears to be MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. Afterwards, the two women take place with many strangers on the dance floor, in a sequence designed to be as hypnotic as it is terrifying. With the pulsing lights and merging images of bodies, this undeniably sexual scene acts as a visual climax to the film. It represents a moment that Nina has of liberation from her restrictive White Swan persona, and embrace of the Black Swan's primal impulses. The Chemical Brothers’ delirious song Don't Think blares in the club as red and green lights flash on and off in a strobing effect. The red represents Nina's passion and desire for becoming the rebellious Black Swan, while the green represents her envy of Lily's ability to personify such a character. In nearly every frame of this sequence, hidden imagery is manipulated within the frame, such as an object or image that recalls themes within the film. The moon set piece from the play, the character of Rothbart from Swan Lake, and Nina as the Black Swan permeate the sequence.
Momentarily, the electronic dance music lets up, replaced by Clint Mansell’s atmospheric and tense nightmare lullaby (which is Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake played in reverse at a slower tempo), and Nina looks around. For one frame, Lily’s face is superimposed onto Nina’s face, just prior to Lily joining in and dancing with Nina. This represents Lily's rebellious attitude slowly corrupting Nina, as if they are becoming the same person. Soon after, the music begins again. The inclusion of a tonal interlude in the sequence, one that further establishes the nightmare, is indicative of the subjectivity of the film. Only she experiences this moment, even while other people are lost in the din of debauchery, and only she somewhat realises the nightmare that she is enduring, what with the plethora of doubles within the sequence itself. Her obsession with Lily continues to corrode what little sanity she has left.
In the following sequence, Nina brings Lily back to her apartment, before locking her overprotective mother out of her room. The two begin passionately kissing, leading to them lying on Nina's bed, almost soiling the pink innocence which had previously ruled over Nina’s life, and Lily performs cunnilingus on Nina. The film presents a shot of Lily arching her back in pleasure and then looking up at Nina, cutting to Nina looking up at Lily. However, the face that comes up is not Lily’s, but an amalgam of Lily and Nina. As Nina panics and attempts to back away, in the next frame, Lily’s face is suddenly back to normal. As Lily returns to performing oral sex, the tattoo on her back mutates and grows, looking down from the same angle that Nina would see it. The audience, and Nina, see every sinew in Lily’s back, almost in admiration. These perspective shots are inherent to understanding that, even in ecstasy, Nina still has no control.
What is interesting about these hedonistic sequences is that they are so subjective that it is revealed that neither actually happened to the extent that the audience sees them in the film. Nina may have gone clubbing, but the nightmare that she endures is not the same story that Lily remembers. In addition, according to Lily, she and Nina did not have sex together. Nina is so fixated on competition that she may have begun to desire the same thing that she hates: herself. If Lily is indeed a manifestation of herself, to some extent, and what she needs to be, this strange process of maturation necessitates that she develop a monomania with discovering herself. Earlier in the film, Thomas suggests that Nina must 'touch' herself in order to channel the carnal elements of the character that she will play. However, this is something that Nina has done before, due to being kept in a childlike state by her mother. Therefore, such an act is seen by Nina as a piece of self-introspection that she has never had to in the past, and thus, is uncomfortable with. By following Thomas's suggestion, and fantasising about having sex with Lily, Nina's vulnerable mind fights the idea that she is incapable of becoming a woman, further deranging her mind in the process.
Initially, Lacan proposed that the mirror stage was part of an infant's development from 6 to 18 months, as outlined at the Fourteenth International Psychoanalytical Congress at Marienbad in 1936. By the early 1950s, Lacan's concept of the mirror stage had evolved, as he no longer considered the mirror stage as a moment in the life of the infant, but as representing a permanent structure of subjectivity, or as the paradigm of 'Imaginary order'. This evolution in Lacan's thinking becomes clear in his later essay titled 'The Subversion of the Subject and the Dialectic of Desire'.
The child's initiation into what Lacan would call the 'mirror stage' entails a 'libidinal dynamism' caused by the young child's identification with his own image and creation of what Lacan terms the 'Ideal-I' or 'Ideal ego'. This reflexivity inherent in fantasy is apparent in the mirror stage, since to recognise oneself as 'I' is like recognising oneself as other ('that person over there is me'); this act is thus fundamentally self-alienating. Indeed, for this reason, feelings towards the image are mixed, caught between hatred ('I hate that version of myself because it is so much better than me') and love ('I want to be like that image').
As the mirror stage concept continues to develop over time, the stress falls less on its historical value and ever more on its structural value. 'Historical value' refers to the mental development of the child and 'structural value' to the libidinal relationship with the body image. In Lacan's fourth Seminar, La relation d'objet, he states that 'the mirror stage is far from a mere phenomenon which occurs in the development of the child. It illustrates the conflicting nature of the dual relationship'. The dual relationship refers not only to the relation between the Ego and the body, which is always characterised by illusions of similarity and reciprocity, but also to the relation between the Imaginary and the Real. The visual identity given from the mirror supplies imaginary 'wholeness' to the experience of a fragmentary real.
The mirror stage describes the formation of the Ego via the process of identification - the Ego being the result of identifying with one's own specular image. At six months, the baby still lacks coordination. However, Lacan hypothesised that the baby can recognise itself in the mirror before attaining control over its bodily movements. The child sees its image as a whole, but this contrasts with the lack of coordination of the body and leads the child to perceive a fragmented body. This contrast, Lacan hypothesised, is first felt by the infant as a rivalry with its own image, because the wholeness of the image threatens it with fragmentation; thus the mirror stage gives rise to an aggressive tension between the subject and the image. To resolve this aggressive tension, the subject identifies with the image. This primary identification with the counterpart is what forms the Ego. The moment of identification is to Lacan a moment of jubilation since it leads to an imaginary sense of mastery. Yet, the jubilation may also be accompanied by a depressive reaction, when the infant compares his own precarious sense of mastery with the omnipotence of the mother. This identification also involves the ideal ego, which functions as a promise of future wholeness sustaining the Ego in anticipation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_stage
The film that I shall be applying Lacan's mirror stage theory is Black Swan (2011), directed by Darren Aronofsky. Within the film, the audience is made to see through the eyes of the character of Nina Sayers, a twenty-eight year-old in a New York City ballet company, which is preparing to open its new season with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. With prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre being forced into retirement, artistic director Thomas Leroy announces that he is looking for a new dancer to portray the dual role of the innocent White Swan and the sensual Black Swan. Nina auditions for the role and gives a flawless performance as the White Swan, but fails to embody the Black Swan. The qualities of the Black Swan are much better embodied by the new arrival, Lily. Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the part, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into a nightmare.
In terms of the theory of the mirror stage, whilst Black Swan does not begin with the protagonist as a child - which is the usual age for the stage to take place - it does begin with Nina in a childlike state. She has not yet become a woman, nor has she formed an identity apart from her mother. Thus, she is kept from being a true individual. A prime example of this is Nina's bedroom being decorated with wallpaper containing iconic visual representations of butterflies, ceramic statues, stuffed animal toys, and an overabundance of pink. To most people, the bedroom looks like it belongs to a small child, rather than a twenty-eight year-old woman. Nina's mother also dotes on and smothers her as if she were still an infant, calling her 'sweet girl', and even going so far as to undress her, as if Nina is incapable of doing so herself. In addition, the name 'Nina' has a relation to the Spanish word 'Niña', which happens to translate to 'little girl'. Within the company that she dances for, Nina is not so much treated as a child, as she is invisible, being seen as just another dancer among many - reduced and stripped of identity.
Black Swan opens on Nina dreaming - an act that, for her, serves the same function as looking into a mirror. Nina is able to externalise her image of herself, and consider her desires for said image. She acts as a spectator, watching herself dance her most coveted role: the Swan Queen. This role would not only make her the prima ballerina of her ballet company - a distinct individualistic position rather than one lost in the chorus - but would also help her to create a persona apart from her mother. Nina would no longer be just some aspiring ballerina following in her mother's footsteps. She would have reached the pinnacle of her craft, surpassing her role as daughter into her role as woman. This is the indeed the journey that Nina takes throughout the film. After being chosen to play the role of the Swan Queen, Nina starts maturing both emotionally and sexually. She defies her mother, confronts her predecessor, decides to leave her home, and has her first satisfying sexual experience. By all accounts, Nina successfully grows up, passing through Lacan's mirror stage, because she manages to create an identity that is her own, separating herself from her mother, and distinguishing herself among her peers.
According to Lacan's mirror stage, Nina does not actually create her new identity in the conventional way. Instead of only recognising herself as a distinct individual, Nina keeps hold of her infantile White Swan persona, and also manifests an opposite identity to her own: the Black Swan: an amalgam of the traits that she both fears and yearns for. At first, Nina has difficulty giving full form to her Black Swan person, and so she projects it onto the women around her. However, as Nina matures, so does her alter ego, as her Black Swan begins to manifest itself more frequently and aggressively both outside of and within the mirror.
In many ways, Black Swan is as much a case study for Lacan's theory of the mirror stage, as it is for the mirror stage 'gone wrong'. It poses the question of what happens when a person cannot reconcile the identity that they want with the one that they have. For Nina, she is constantly warring between her White Swan persona and her doppelgänger, so much so that her body seems unable to handle the two different identities at once. Throughout the film, Nina pulls and scratches at her skin, as if something beneath the surface were trying to break free from her body. However, Nina only acts in such a way when she is reflecting with both identities, either in front of a mirror or in her dreams.
The resolution of Nina's internal conflict occurs during her official debut performance as the Swan Queen. As her light and dark identities fight, they shatter a mirror both literally and figuratively, for Nina attempts to destroy the reflected darkness of herself. However, the violent, immoral act of killing her doppelgänger taints Nina's White Swan persona, corrupting it and allowing her to become both white and black. Instead of simply shattering her mirror image, Nina breaks through it, turning into both of the women that she created in her mirror stage. By subsuming two opposing forces, and holding them within one physical body, Nina has fragmented herself, allowing her desire and actuality to push against each other, fighting for control. This duality of character gives Nina what is required to dance the role of the Swan Queen, but also destroys her body in the process, for she cannot harbour two women in one vessel. By this point, Nina has broken the mirror between her desire and reality, mixing black and white together, fragmenting the identities created in her mirror stage, all in order to fulfil her reflected desire.
A crucial turning point in the film occurs when Nina goes out to dinner with Lily, leading to Nina willingly drinking a vodka cranberry spiked with what appears to be MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. Afterwards, the two women take place with many strangers on the dance floor, in a sequence designed to be as hypnotic as it is terrifying. With the pulsing lights and merging images of bodies, this undeniably sexual scene acts as a visual climax to the film. It represents a moment that Nina has of liberation from her restrictive White Swan persona, and embrace of the Black Swan's primal impulses. The Chemical Brothers’ delirious song Don't Think blares in the club as red and green lights flash on and off in a strobing effect. The red represents Nina's passion and desire for becoming the rebellious Black Swan, while the green represents her envy of Lily's ability to personify such a character. In nearly every frame of this sequence, hidden imagery is manipulated within the frame, such as an object or image that recalls themes within the film. The moon set piece from the play, the character of Rothbart from Swan Lake, and Nina as the Black Swan permeate the sequence.
Momentarily, the electronic dance music lets up, replaced by Clint Mansell’s atmospheric and tense nightmare lullaby (which is Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake played in reverse at a slower tempo), and Nina looks around. For one frame, Lily’s face is superimposed onto Nina’s face, just prior to Lily joining in and dancing with Nina. This represents Lily's rebellious attitude slowly corrupting Nina, as if they are becoming the same person. Soon after, the music begins again. The inclusion of a tonal interlude in the sequence, one that further establishes the nightmare, is indicative of the subjectivity of the film. Only she experiences this moment, even while other people are lost in the din of debauchery, and only she somewhat realises the nightmare that she is enduring, what with the plethora of doubles within the sequence itself. Her obsession with Lily continues to corrode what little sanity she has left.
In the following sequence, Nina brings Lily back to her apartment, before locking her overprotective mother out of her room. The two begin passionately kissing, leading to them lying on Nina's bed, almost soiling the pink innocence which had previously ruled over Nina’s life, and Lily performs cunnilingus on Nina. The film presents a shot of Lily arching her back in pleasure and then looking up at Nina, cutting to Nina looking up at Lily. However, the face that comes up is not Lily’s, but an amalgam of Lily and Nina. As Nina panics and attempts to back away, in the next frame, Lily’s face is suddenly back to normal. As Lily returns to performing oral sex, the tattoo on her back mutates and grows, looking down from the same angle that Nina would see it. The audience, and Nina, see every sinew in Lily’s back, almost in admiration. These perspective shots are inherent to understanding that, even in ecstasy, Nina still has no control.
What is interesting about these hedonistic sequences is that they are so subjective that it is revealed that neither actually happened to the extent that the audience sees them in the film. Nina may have gone clubbing, but the nightmare that she endures is not the same story that Lily remembers. In addition, according to Lily, she and Nina did not have sex together. Nina is so fixated on competition that she may have begun to desire the same thing that she hates: herself. If Lily is indeed a manifestation of herself, to some extent, and what she needs to be, this strange process of maturation necessitates that she develop a monomania with discovering herself. Earlier in the film, Thomas suggests that Nina must 'touch' herself in order to channel the carnal elements of the character that she will play. However, this is something that Nina has done before, due to being kept in a childlike state by her mother. Therefore, such an act is seen by Nina as a piece of self-introspection that she has never had to in the past, and thus, is uncomfortable with. By following Thomas's suggestion, and fantasising about having sex with Lily, Nina's vulnerable mind fights the idea that she is incapable of becoming a woman, further deranging her mind in the process.
Sigmund Freud's Theory of the Id, Ego and Superego
The id, ego, and super-ego are the three distinct, interacting agents in the psychic apparatus defined in Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche. These three agents are theoretical constructs that describe the activities and interactions of the mental life of a person. Developing at different stages of life, the agents play separate roles in personality, but work together to form a whole, and contribute to an individuals’ behaviour. While the id, ego, and superego are often referred to as structures, they are purely psychological, and do not exist physically in the brain.
Freud’s work was not based on empirical research, but on his observations and case studies of his patients and others. Due to this, his ideas are often viewed with skepticism. Nonetheless, Freud was an enormously prolific thinker, and his theories are still considered important. In fact, his concepts and theories are the very foundation of psychoanalysis: an approach to psychology that is still greatly studied today. Interestingly, Freud is still considered by many to be the father of psychiatry. (Journal Psyche)
Overall, Freud's personality theory was influenced by earlier ideas about the mind working at conscious and unconscious levels. Freud believed that early childhood experiences are filtered through the id, ego, and superego, and that it is the way in which an individual handles these experiences, both consciously and unconsciously, that shapes personality in adulthood. (Vinney, C)
The earliest part of the personality to emerge is the id. This part is present at birth, and runs on pure instinct, desire, and need. It is entirely unconscious and encompasses the most primitive part of the personality, including basic biological drives and reflexes.
The id is motivated by the pleasure principle, which wants to gratify all impulses immediately. If the id's needs are not met, it creates tension. However, because all desires cannot be fulfilled right away, such needs may be satisfied, at least temporarily, through primary process thinking in which the individual fantasises about what they desire.
Newborns’ behaviour is driven by the id - they are concerned only with meeting their needs. In addition, the id never grows up. Throughout life, it remains infantile, because, as an unconscious entity, it never considers reality. As a result, it remains illogical and selfish. At a later stage, the ego and the superego develop to keep the id in check.
The second part of the personality, the ego, arises from the id. Its job is to acknowledge and handle reality, ensuring that the id’s impulses are reigned in and expressed in ways that are socially acceptable.
The ego operates from the reality principle, which works to satisfy the id’s desires in the most reasonable and realistic ways. It may do so by delaying gratification, compromising, or anything else that will avoid the negative consequences of going against society’s norms and rules.
Such rational thinking is referred to as secondary process thinking. It is geared towards problem-solving and reality-testing, enabling the person to maintain self-control. However, just like the id, the ego is interested in seeking pleasure. The only difference is that the ego wants to do so in a realistic way. It is not interested in the concepts of right and wrong, but in how to maximise pleasure and minimise pain without facing consequence.
Operating at conscious, preconscious, and unconscious levels, the ego's consideration of reality is conscious. However, it may also keep forbidden desires hidden by unconsciously repressing them. Much of the ego’s functioning is also preconscious, meaning that it happens below awareness but takes little effort to bring those thoughts into consciousness.
Freud initially used the term ego to reference one’s sense of self. Often, when the term is used in everyday conversation - such as when someone is said to have a 'big ego' - it is still used in this sense. Yet, the term ego in Freud’s theory of personality is no longer referring to the self-concept, but to functions like judgment, regulation, and control.
The superego is the final part of the personality, emerging between the ages of three and five - the phallic stage in Freud’s stages of psychosexual development. The superego is the moral compass of the personality, upholding a sense of right and wrong. These values are initially learned from one’s parents. However, the superego continues to grow over time, enabling children to adopt moral standards from other people that they admire, such as teachers and celebrity idols.
This agent consists of two components: the conscious and the ego ideal. The conscious is the part of the superego that forbids unacceptable behaviours, and punishes with feelings of guilt when the individual gives submits to their id's most insufferable desires. The ego ideal, or ideal self, includes the rules and standards of good behaviour that one should adhere to. If one is successful in doing so, it leads to feelings of pride. However, if the standards of the ego ideal are too high, the person may feel like a failure, and experience guilt.
Not only does the superego try to control the id and its impulses towards societal taboos, like sex and aggression, it also attempts to get the ego to go beyond realistic standards and aspire to moralistic ones. The superego works at both conscious and unconscious levels. People are often aware of their ideas of right and wrong, but sometimes these ideals impact people unconsciously.
The id, ego, and superego interact constantly. Ultimately, though, it is the ego that serves as the mediator between the id, the superego, and reality. The ego must determine how to meet the needs of the id, while upholding social reality and the moral standards of the superego.
A healthy personality is the result of a balance between the id, ego, and superego. A lack of balance leads to difficulties. If a person’s id dominates their personality, they may act on their impulses without considering the rules of society. This can cause them to live without the ability to control themselves, which can lead to legal troubles. If the superego dominates, the person can become rigidly moralistic, negatively judging anyone who does not meet their standards. Finally, if the ego becomes dominant, it can lead to an individual who is so tied to the rules and norms of society that they become inflexible, unable to deal with change, and incapable of coming to a personal concept of right and wrong.
Many critiques have been leveled at Freud’s theory of personality. For example, the idea that the id is the dominant component of personality is considered problematic, especially Freud’s emphasis on unconscious drives and reflexes, such as the sexual drive. This perspective is believed by some to minimise and oversimplify the intricacies of human nature.
Alfred Adler, a former student of Freud, developed his own approach, known as individual psychology. He believed feelings of inferiority and striving for significance to be the motivating forces of human life. Thus, he rejected Freud's emphasis on biological drives, primarily sexual desire, as the primary source of motivation. (Tanabe, R)
Additionally, Freud believed that the superego emerges in childhood because children fear harm and punishment. However, research has shown that children whose greatest fear is punishment only appear to develop morals, and that their real motivation is to avoid getting caught and prevent harm. Some say that a sense of morality actually develops when a child experiences love, and wants to keep it. To do so, they engage in behaviour that exemplifies their parents’ morals and, therefore, will gain their approval.
Despite these criticisms, Freud’s ideas about the id, the ego, and the superego have been, and continue to be, highly influential in the field of psychology.
Despite first impressions, a vast majority of films containing three or more characters are capable of having Freud's theory applied correctly to them in some manner. In order to provide evidence for this, I shall be applying the theory to three scenes from Shaun of the Dead (2004), as its presence is nowhere near as evident as it is films that appear to be deliberately constructed around it, such as Fight Club (1999) or The Dark Knight (2008). In some ways, even those who appreciate director Edgar Wright's level of detail in films, may see this film to be nothing more than a highly enjoyable, British horror comedy. However, the film uses a wide range of cinema techniques, including Freud's theory of the id, ego and superego.
The film is set in London, following the character of Shaun, an aimless electronics salesman who is disrespected by his colleagues, does not get along well with his stepfather, Philip, and is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz. However, his uneventful life is changed dramatically when a zombie apocalypse overwhelms London, forcing Shaun to single-handedly keep his family and friends as safe as possible from the hoards of the undead.
Directed by Edgar Wright in 2004, the film is considered by many to be the best comedy involving zombies, or in other cases, the best horror comedy of all time. It is classed as the first entry into the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (or the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy) of films, followed by Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World's End (2013).
Before analysing the first of three scenes from the film, it would be wise to explain the personalities of the three characters included, so that they are actually proven to be the components that they have been assigned as within the story.
Ed, the id, is a indolent, unkempt layabout whose only priorities are leisure, such as playing video games, and drinking in the local pub known as The Winchester, whilst Shaun and Pete go out to work in order to make a living. His disheveled appearance and ignorant attitude represent Shaun's youth, as Ed is constantly trying to convince his friend to unwind more often.
Shaun, the ego, is stuck in a position between his id and superego. One on hand, he wants to remain young, which he feels when spending time with Ed and his mother; whilst one the other hand, he wants to please his girlfriend Liz by acting as a functioning member of society, which he looks to Pete as an inspiration, and Philip as a setter of rules and regulations. Throughout the film, Shaun is constantly conflicted between what the other two agents want for him.
Pete, the superego, respects Shaun in some ways, as he knows that Shaun is capable of acting maturely, and making something of his life when he puts his mind to it. The superego also knows when Shaun has followed the id for too long at a time, and so is there to pull Shaun back in order to stop him from becoming exactly like Ed.
The first scene reliable enough to be studied would be the one of Shaun and Ed listening to electro music at four in the morning, before Pete confronts them both angrily, for he is trying to sleep. This piece of the story takes place after Liz breaks up with Shaun, and so he, along with Ed, visit The Winchester, and then return home late at night whilst drunk.
At the beginning of the scene, Shaun and Ed are filmed close together as they dance along to music playing from a vinyl record. The fact that there is little physical space between the two of them reinforces the strength of Ed's influence on Shaun. Afterwards, Pete storms in, grabs the vinyl record, and throws it out through a window. The act of Pete attempting to destroy the record demonstrates his want to silence the things that enable Shaun to relate to his id. In this case, Shaun claims the record is the second album that he ever bought, meaning that it serves as an item of irresponsible and irreplaceable youth, which Ed is best known for.
A very important aspect of this scene is the clothes that Shaun is wearing. Unlike Ed, Shaun is wearing a work uniform consisting of a white shirt, red tie, and name tag. This attire represents the morals and values of the superego, as it makes Shaun look like a man who acts professionally and takes his job seriously. However, Shaun is also wearing a baseball cap positioned with the peak facing backwards to the left. An identical hat can be seen on Ed's head, worn in exactly the same position. The reason for this is for a part of Shaun to reflect the persona of the id, as Ed wishes for his friend to stop caring about society, and live as if he were young once again. Most fully-grown men do not wear hats in such a way, and so the two are presented as teenagers. When worn together, the smart uniform and informal hat show that Shaun is being torn between his id and superego, as he attempts to please both of them equally.
Once Shaun complains about Pete's action of throwing out his record, Pete stands to face Shaun head-on. Meanwhile, Ed's face is hovering above his friend's right shoulder. The positions of the characters at this time are extremely important, as the superego is viewed by the ego directly, as if Shaun is looking up to Pete, who informs him of responsibilities as an adult. In the case of Ed, the id is stood beside his friend as a constant reminder that the desires and wants of the ego are always present, even if they are not being viewed directly at the time.
It is also important to know that Shaun, Ed and Pete all live together in the same house, creating the metaphor of them all being parts of the same mind. Shaun needs the two of them in order for him to live properly, as he always requires a balance of influence from the id and the superego. This way, he is able to enjoy leisure time as much as did when in his youth, as well as just about cope with making it through each day of work from start to finish.
After Pete throws a tantrum, Shaun apologies to him, demonstrating the ego's natural wish to please the superego. In order to explain his state, Shaun says 'We split up with Liz tonight'. The key word in this statement is the pronoun 'We', as it bonds both the ego and the id together as if they are the same person. Naturally, Shaun was in a relationship with Liz, which Ed obviously had no place in. Ed was not present when Liz separated herself from Shaun, and only revealed himself in order to make Shaun feel as though Liz was not meant for him anyway. Ed's words, along with the help of alcohol, indicate that the id wants the ego all to itself. Shaun's use of the pronoun 'we' make it seem that the id's main goal is becoming easier to obtain. However, the superego manages to push the id back, as Pete tells Shaun to sort his life out, and that Ed only holds him back. At the end of the scene, the superego, having finished its job, leaves. Straight after, the id, now characterised by a defeated look on its face, disappears of screen, and the ego pulls its baseball cap of its head, presenting the fact that the superego has won.
As with the first scene, the characters within the second should also have their personalities detailed beforehand, in order for them to be accurately linked to their assigned components of the id, ego and superego.
Barbara, Shaun's mother, fits the criteria of the id in the second scene. The id is always placing its own needs and desires before others, and while Barbara does not act in the traditional manner, she serves as a means to fulfil Shaun, the ego's needs. It is made quite clear that Barbara still does not fully see her son as a responsible adult, and so, in some ways, she treats him with unconditional love, as if he were still the same child that she raised years before. Examples of this include calling Shaun 'pickle' in a saccharine manner, cleaning a spot of 'red' off him, and not wanting to 'worry' her son by informing him that she was bitten by an infected person. By doing this, she constantly feeds the childlike half that dwells within Shaun, acting, along with Ed, as another hand holding him back from reaching his superego component any further.
Shaun is, of course, the ego once again, and so will not be explained in terms of personality, since such information can be found earlier within this essay.
Philip, Shaun's stepfather, is seen as the superego within this scene. Although Shaun does not necessarily look up to Philip as he does to Pete, Philip reveals to his stepson that what Shaun originally thought were acts of cruelty, were simple means for Shaun to stay strong after he lost his real father, and that Philip always loved and believed in Shaun to do well in life, claiming that he was only providing motivation. This explains that Philip simply wished for Shaun to be more responsible, painting Philip as an enforcer of rules that he believed were for the greater good in terms of his stepson's attitude towards life. Earlier in the film, Philip reminds Shaun to bring flowers for Barbara the next time that he comes to visit. In the scene analysed in the following paragraphs, Philip even states that he took some of Shaun's toys to the rubbish tip, which can be interpreted as Philip destroying a piece of Shaun's childish irresponsibility that he always wishes to keep with him.
The second scene consists of Shaun and Ed driving to Barbara and Philip's house in order to take Shaun's mother to The Winchester before eliminating the stepfather due to him being infected, and because of Shaun's attitude of distaste towards Philip. Ed remains seated in the car that they parked on the driveway, while Shaun is let into the house by his mother. However, Shaun's entrance is not actually shown, as after he trips over on the driveway, the camera cuts to a quick zoom of his finger pushing the doorbell, before the next frame immediately presents Barbara smiling at Shaun and greeting him warmly with 'Hello, pickle'. The fact that the Barbara is presented in an instant by showing unconditional love for her son through her greeting, followed by a hug and the act of cleaning a spot of red off Shaun's neck, demonstrates her immediate need to coddle her son, much to his satisfaction. In addition, afterwards, Barbara takes Shaun straight through the house to the kitchen, which represents her domestic persona of motherhood, before trying to ensure that Shaun will eat her food by making sandwiches even though he says that he is not hungry.
In contrast to Barbara's instant appearance, Philip is presented significantly slower as the camera follows Shaun carefully approaching his armchair from behind. Although part of Shaun's cautiousness is due to his need to kill his stepfather, the careful, enduring camera tracking of Shaun pictures Philip as a force that has frightened Shaun since they first met. Shaun sees Philip as too much of a threat to the id that is his mother, and so he feels the need to destroy the superego that is his stepfather in order to have the agent that he prefers overall to himself.
Stood behind Philip, Shaun raises the cricket bat that he is holding as a weapon, over his head. Ready to swing the bat heavily down onto to Philip's head, he quietly says 'I'm so sorry, Philip', indicating that Shaun does at least have some respect for his superego, even if he does not want to. Much to Shaun's surprise, Philip speaks, asking the simple question 'Why?', startling Shaun. Philip then asks 'What have you done now?', instantly assuming that Shaun has done something wrong, as Philip is constantly suspicious of Shaun misbehaving, as if he were still a schoolboy. Shaun then attempts to hide the cricket bat from Philip by holding it behind his back with both hands. This pose, along with Shaun's roguish response of 'Nothing' even visually presents Shaun as a schoolboy who is attempting to make themselves look innocent when in trouble with their parents. A few moments later, Barbara enters the room and tells Shaun that some of his toys are upstairs, to which Philip says that he disposed of them at the rubbish tip. Further presenting himself as childlike when with his mother, Shaun looks at Philip and moans 'Ah, what?', which shows that Shaun may result to whining when not getting his way due to his parents' decisions.
Following on from Shaun's childish remark, Barbara reveals to Philip that she has called a doctor to come to the house in order to examine his illness. The two partners then become engaged in a small argument. Philip declines the need for a doctor, stating that he feels perfectly fine, and that the situation happening outside is all being blown out of proportion by news reporters. On the other hand, Barbara claims that he should see a doctor 'just to be on the safe side', as she is clearly worried about him, demonstrating that she may somewhat serve as an id for her husband as well as her son, even if Philip refuses to accept it. This short quarrel is presented through a shot reverse shot technique by having the camera show Philip alone on the right-hand side of the screen while looking at the left (at Barbara), and then showing Barbara alone on the left-hand side of the screen while looking at the right (at Philip), before repeating the process. Occasionally, however, Shaun is shown for brief periods of time alone in the middle of the screen, directing his gaze from one character to the other, almost as if he is pondering the question of who to listen to. Once again, Shaun is presented as a small child - in this case, by being caught in between two parents arguing with each other, making the child feel as though they should take sides.
Once more, the characters within the third and final scene shall be explained in order to justify the Freudian components that they have been assigned. In this case, however, the only included character that has not been detailed is Shaun's girlfriend, Liz, since both Shaun and Ed's personalities of the ego and the id have been explored in the analysis of the first film scene.
Liz undertakes the role of Shaun's superego not only in the final scene, but mainly throughout the whole film. She places herself aside Ed in order to force Shaun to decide who he wants more in life, leading to her dumping him just before the first scene analysed, as she believed that he preferred to please his id over his superego. By wanting Shaun to herself most of the time, she represents a concept of responsibility and commitment, only wanting to be with Shaun if he stops acting childishly and inattentively by treating her with the love and respect that he has for her deep down, but struggles to present due to his constant need to fulfil the wishes of his id.
The third and final scene is of Shaun and Liz living together in his house, with an infected Ed being kept in the garden shed. It appears to be set some time after the zombie apocalypse, since at the end of the previous scene, Shaun and Liz are rescued from The Winchester by the military. In addition, the current scene begins with Liz switching through television channels which appear to show the world not only making light of the apocalypse through comical entertainment, but also using it as an advantage, due to 'the fact that the mobile deceased retained their primal instincts make them ideal recruitment for the service industry'. At this point, the television shows an infected worker returning supermarket trolleys to their huts, whilst being kept on a chain. This links back to the opening credits in which many people together are seen in public, tiredly repeating basic actions - such as checking their phones and walking - in sync with most individuals around them. The purpose of this is to represent the monotonous drone of life, as in some ways, these people were zombies to begin with, and are still not free from the chains of society even when undead. Overall, this shows that in terms of a national scale, nothing has truly changed in life.
After Liz switches the television off, Shaun walks in and sits down on the sofa next to her, before giving her a kiss on the cheek, indicating that they are indeed together as life partners. In terms of surroundings, the living room appears different as opposed to its original state. At first, it was messy and unkempt due to the lazy Ed, whilst consisting entirely of objects that can be associated with Shaun's desire to stay young and irresponsible. However, the current appearance is a slight mixture of both Shaun and Liz's preferences. While Liz has decorated the room with a cabinet, framed pictures, a house plant, sofa blankets, pillows and a tuffet, Shaun still has a certain music poster in its same place on the wall, and has kept the television in the exact same place. Furthermore, he is keeping an infected Ed chained in the garden shed, which is where he goes to play video games with his friend, before the credits role. Ultimately, this gives off the impression that Shaun has received the best of two worlds: that of his id and that of his superego. Since, he needs both to cope with life, he has finally found the perfect mix of the two, enabling him to act more responsibly, whilst still being able to retain certain aspects of his childhood.
Upon sitting down next to Liz, Shaun asks her 'What's the plan, then?', to which she responds with a list of activities that appeal to both of them. Afterwards, Liz says that she will 'get the kettle on' to make cups of tea, and Shaun asks 'Can I have two sugars, please?', before awaiting her approval when telling her that he 'might pop into the garden for a bit' to give Ed a quick visit. From this sequence, it seems apparent that Liz has almost undertaken the role of Shaun's mother through her actions of telling Shaun what to do for the day, making him tea, and allowing him to see Ed. Additionally, from the point in which Shaun enters the living room to sit down beside Liz, the camera slowly zooms in on the two of them, before only moving closer to Shaun once Liz leaves to make the tea. This cinematography is reminiscent to horror films, as the camera may linger whilst gently zooming to show the audience that nothing is quite what it seems. With the world moving on from the apocalypse as if nothing happened, it would appear that Shaun has actually not changed either. Throughout the whole film, it was evident that Shaun was the ego, childhood was his id, and responsibility was his superego. Due to what Shaun experienced during the apocalypse, such as killing Barbara, one may assume that he would follow his id much less afterwards. However, due to loosing both Pete and Philip, as well as holding onto Ed despite his infectious state, the film does not necessarily have a happy ending. In conclusion, the world does not change, and Shaun does not grow as a person, meaning that nothing has actually changed.
Journey Psyche. "The Freudian Theory of Personality | Journal Psyche", Viewed on 9th December, http://journalpsyche.org/the-freudian-theory-of-personality/#more-191
Tanabe, R. (2017) New World Encyclopedia "Ego, superego, and id - New World Encyclopedia", Viewed on 9th December, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Ego,_superego,_and_id&oldid=1006853
Vinney, C. (2019) ThoughtCo "Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego Explained", Viewed on 9th December, https://www.thoughtco.com/id-ego-and-superego-4582342
Freud’s work was not based on empirical research, but on his observations and case studies of his patients and others. Due to this, his ideas are often viewed with skepticism. Nonetheless, Freud was an enormously prolific thinker, and his theories are still considered important. In fact, his concepts and theories are the very foundation of psychoanalysis: an approach to psychology that is still greatly studied today. Interestingly, Freud is still considered by many to be the father of psychiatry. (Journal Psyche)
Overall, Freud's personality theory was influenced by earlier ideas about the mind working at conscious and unconscious levels. Freud believed that early childhood experiences are filtered through the id, ego, and superego, and that it is the way in which an individual handles these experiences, both consciously and unconsciously, that shapes personality in adulthood. (Vinney, C)
The earliest part of the personality to emerge is the id. This part is present at birth, and runs on pure instinct, desire, and need. It is entirely unconscious and encompasses the most primitive part of the personality, including basic biological drives and reflexes.
The id is motivated by the pleasure principle, which wants to gratify all impulses immediately. If the id's needs are not met, it creates tension. However, because all desires cannot be fulfilled right away, such needs may be satisfied, at least temporarily, through primary process thinking in which the individual fantasises about what they desire.
Newborns’ behaviour is driven by the id - they are concerned only with meeting their needs. In addition, the id never grows up. Throughout life, it remains infantile, because, as an unconscious entity, it never considers reality. As a result, it remains illogical and selfish. At a later stage, the ego and the superego develop to keep the id in check.
The second part of the personality, the ego, arises from the id. Its job is to acknowledge and handle reality, ensuring that the id’s impulses are reigned in and expressed in ways that are socially acceptable.
The ego operates from the reality principle, which works to satisfy the id’s desires in the most reasonable and realistic ways. It may do so by delaying gratification, compromising, or anything else that will avoid the negative consequences of going against society’s norms and rules.
Such rational thinking is referred to as secondary process thinking. It is geared towards problem-solving and reality-testing, enabling the person to maintain self-control. However, just like the id, the ego is interested in seeking pleasure. The only difference is that the ego wants to do so in a realistic way. It is not interested in the concepts of right and wrong, but in how to maximise pleasure and minimise pain without facing consequence.
Operating at conscious, preconscious, and unconscious levels, the ego's consideration of reality is conscious. However, it may also keep forbidden desires hidden by unconsciously repressing them. Much of the ego’s functioning is also preconscious, meaning that it happens below awareness but takes little effort to bring those thoughts into consciousness.
Freud initially used the term ego to reference one’s sense of self. Often, when the term is used in everyday conversation - such as when someone is said to have a 'big ego' - it is still used in this sense. Yet, the term ego in Freud’s theory of personality is no longer referring to the self-concept, but to functions like judgment, regulation, and control.
The superego is the final part of the personality, emerging between the ages of three and five - the phallic stage in Freud’s stages of psychosexual development. The superego is the moral compass of the personality, upholding a sense of right and wrong. These values are initially learned from one’s parents. However, the superego continues to grow over time, enabling children to adopt moral standards from other people that they admire, such as teachers and celebrity idols.
This agent consists of two components: the conscious and the ego ideal. The conscious is the part of the superego that forbids unacceptable behaviours, and punishes with feelings of guilt when the individual gives submits to their id's most insufferable desires. The ego ideal, or ideal self, includes the rules and standards of good behaviour that one should adhere to. If one is successful in doing so, it leads to feelings of pride. However, if the standards of the ego ideal are too high, the person may feel like a failure, and experience guilt.
Not only does the superego try to control the id and its impulses towards societal taboos, like sex and aggression, it also attempts to get the ego to go beyond realistic standards and aspire to moralistic ones. The superego works at both conscious and unconscious levels. People are often aware of their ideas of right and wrong, but sometimes these ideals impact people unconsciously.
The id, ego, and superego interact constantly. Ultimately, though, it is the ego that serves as the mediator between the id, the superego, and reality. The ego must determine how to meet the needs of the id, while upholding social reality and the moral standards of the superego.
A healthy personality is the result of a balance between the id, ego, and superego. A lack of balance leads to difficulties. If a person’s id dominates their personality, they may act on their impulses without considering the rules of society. This can cause them to live without the ability to control themselves, which can lead to legal troubles. If the superego dominates, the person can become rigidly moralistic, negatively judging anyone who does not meet their standards. Finally, if the ego becomes dominant, it can lead to an individual who is so tied to the rules and norms of society that they become inflexible, unable to deal with change, and incapable of coming to a personal concept of right and wrong.
Many critiques have been leveled at Freud’s theory of personality. For example, the idea that the id is the dominant component of personality is considered problematic, especially Freud’s emphasis on unconscious drives and reflexes, such as the sexual drive. This perspective is believed by some to minimise and oversimplify the intricacies of human nature.
Alfred Adler, a former student of Freud, developed his own approach, known as individual psychology. He believed feelings of inferiority and striving for significance to be the motivating forces of human life. Thus, he rejected Freud's emphasis on biological drives, primarily sexual desire, as the primary source of motivation. (Tanabe, R)
Additionally, Freud believed that the superego emerges in childhood because children fear harm and punishment. However, research has shown that children whose greatest fear is punishment only appear to develop morals, and that their real motivation is to avoid getting caught and prevent harm. Some say that a sense of morality actually develops when a child experiences love, and wants to keep it. To do so, they engage in behaviour that exemplifies their parents’ morals and, therefore, will gain their approval.
Despite these criticisms, Freud’s ideas about the id, the ego, and the superego have been, and continue to be, highly influential in the field of psychology.
Despite first impressions, a vast majority of films containing three or more characters are capable of having Freud's theory applied correctly to them in some manner. In order to provide evidence for this, I shall be applying the theory to three scenes from Shaun of the Dead (2004), as its presence is nowhere near as evident as it is films that appear to be deliberately constructed around it, such as Fight Club (1999) or The Dark Knight (2008). In some ways, even those who appreciate director Edgar Wright's level of detail in films, may see this film to be nothing more than a highly enjoyable, British horror comedy. However, the film uses a wide range of cinema techniques, including Freud's theory of the id, ego and superego.
The film is set in London, following the character of Shaun, an aimless electronics salesman who is disrespected by his colleagues, does not get along well with his stepfather, Philip, and is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz. However, his uneventful life is changed dramatically when a zombie apocalypse overwhelms London, forcing Shaun to single-handedly keep his family and friends as safe as possible from the hoards of the undead.
Directed by Edgar Wright in 2004, the film is considered by many to be the best comedy involving zombies, or in other cases, the best horror comedy of all time. It is classed as the first entry into the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (or the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy) of films, followed by Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World's End (2013).
Before analysing the first of three scenes from the film, it would be wise to explain the personalities of the three characters included, so that they are actually proven to be the components that they have been assigned as within the story.
Ed, the id, is a indolent, unkempt layabout whose only priorities are leisure, such as playing video games, and drinking in the local pub known as The Winchester, whilst Shaun and Pete go out to work in order to make a living. His disheveled appearance and ignorant attitude represent Shaun's youth, as Ed is constantly trying to convince his friend to unwind more often.
Shaun, the ego, is stuck in a position between his id and superego. One on hand, he wants to remain young, which he feels when spending time with Ed and his mother; whilst one the other hand, he wants to please his girlfriend Liz by acting as a functioning member of society, which he looks to Pete as an inspiration, and Philip as a setter of rules and regulations. Throughout the film, Shaun is constantly conflicted between what the other two agents want for him.
Pete, the superego, respects Shaun in some ways, as he knows that Shaun is capable of acting maturely, and making something of his life when he puts his mind to it. The superego also knows when Shaun has followed the id for too long at a time, and so is there to pull Shaun back in order to stop him from becoming exactly like Ed.
The first scene reliable enough to be studied would be the one of Shaun and Ed listening to electro music at four in the morning, before Pete confronts them both angrily, for he is trying to sleep. This piece of the story takes place after Liz breaks up with Shaun, and so he, along with Ed, visit The Winchester, and then return home late at night whilst drunk.
At the beginning of the scene, Shaun and Ed are filmed close together as they dance along to music playing from a vinyl record. The fact that there is little physical space between the two of them reinforces the strength of Ed's influence on Shaun. Afterwards, Pete storms in, grabs the vinyl record, and throws it out through a window. The act of Pete attempting to destroy the record demonstrates his want to silence the things that enable Shaun to relate to his id. In this case, Shaun claims the record is the second album that he ever bought, meaning that it serves as an item of irresponsible and irreplaceable youth, which Ed is best known for.
A very important aspect of this scene is the clothes that Shaun is wearing. Unlike Ed, Shaun is wearing a work uniform consisting of a white shirt, red tie, and name tag. This attire represents the morals and values of the superego, as it makes Shaun look like a man who acts professionally and takes his job seriously. However, Shaun is also wearing a baseball cap positioned with the peak facing backwards to the left. An identical hat can be seen on Ed's head, worn in exactly the same position. The reason for this is for a part of Shaun to reflect the persona of the id, as Ed wishes for his friend to stop caring about society, and live as if he were young once again. Most fully-grown men do not wear hats in such a way, and so the two are presented as teenagers. When worn together, the smart uniform and informal hat show that Shaun is being torn between his id and superego, as he attempts to please both of them equally.
Once Shaun complains about Pete's action of throwing out his record, Pete stands to face Shaun head-on. Meanwhile, Ed's face is hovering above his friend's right shoulder. The positions of the characters at this time are extremely important, as the superego is viewed by the ego directly, as if Shaun is looking up to Pete, who informs him of responsibilities as an adult. In the case of Ed, the id is stood beside his friend as a constant reminder that the desires and wants of the ego are always present, even if they are not being viewed directly at the time.
It is also important to know that Shaun, Ed and Pete all live together in the same house, creating the metaphor of them all being parts of the same mind. Shaun needs the two of them in order for him to live properly, as he always requires a balance of influence from the id and the superego. This way, he is able to enjoy leisure time as much as did when in his youth, as well as just about cope with making it through each day of work from start to finish.
After Pete throws a tantrum, Shaun apologies to him, demonstrating the ego's natural wish to please the superego. In order to explain his state, Shaun says 'We split up with Liz tonight'. The key word in this statement is the pronoun 'We', as it bonds both the ego and the id together as if they are the same person. Naturally, Shaun was in a relationship with Liz, which Ed obviously had no place in. Ed was not present when Liz separated herself from Shaun, and only revealed himself in order to make Shaun feel as though Liz was not meant for him anyway. Ed's words, along with the help of alcohol, indicate that the id wants the ego all to itself. Shaun's use of the pronoun 'we' make it seem that the id's main goal is becoming easier to obtain. However, the superego manages to push the id back, as Pete tells Shaun to sort his life out, and that Ed only holds him back. At the end of the scene, the superego, having finished its job, leaves. Straight after, the id, now characterised by a defeated look on its face, disappears of screen, and the ego pulls its baseball cap of its head, presenting the fact that the superego has won.
As with the first scene, the characters within the second should also have their personalities detailed beforehand, in order for them to be accurately linked to their assigned components of the id, ego and superego.
Barbara, Shaun's mother, fits the criteria of the id in the second scene. The id is always placing its own needs and desires before others, and while Barbara does not act in the traditional manner, she serves as a means to fulfil Shaun, the ego's needs. It is made quite clear that Barbara still does not fully see her son as a responsible adult, and so, in some ways, she treats him with unconditional love, as if he were still the same child that she raised years before. Examples of this include calling Shaun 'pickle' in a saccharine manner, cleaning a spot of 'red' off him, and not wanting to 'worry' her son by informing him that she was bitten by an infected person. By doing this, she constantly feeds the childlike half that dwells within Shaun, acting, along with Ed, as another hand holding him back from reaching his superego component any further.
Shaun is, of course, the ego once again, and so will not be explained in terms of personality, since such information can be found earlier within this essay.
Philip, Shaun's stepfather, is seen as the superego within this scene. Although Shaun does not necessarily look up to Philip as he does to Pete, Philip reveals to his stepson that what Shaun originally thought were acts of cruelty, were simple means for Shaun to stay strong after he lost his real father, and that Philip always loved and believed in Shaun to do well in life, claiming that he was only providing motivation. This explains that Philip simply wished for Shaun to be more responsible, painting Philip as an enforcer of rules that he believed were for the greater good in terms of his stepson's attitude towards life. Earlier in the film, Philip reminds Shaun to bring flowers for Barbara the next time that he comes to visit. In the scene analysed in the following paragraphs, Philip even states that he took some of Shaun's toys to the rubbish tip, which can be interpreted as Philip destroying a piece of Shaun's childish irresponsibility that he always wishes to keep with him.
The second scene consists of Shaun and Ed driving to Barbara and Philip's house in order to take Shaun's mother to The Winchester before eliminating the stepfather due to him being infected, and because of Shaun's attitude of distaste towards Philip. Ed remains seated in the car that they parked on the driveway, while Shaun is let into the house by his mother. However, Shaun's entrance is not actually shown, as after he trips over on the driveway, the camera cuts to a quick zoom of his finger pushing the doorbell, before the next frame immediately presents Barbara smiling at Shaun and greeting him warmly with 'Hello, pickle'. The fact that the Barbara is presented in an instant by showing unconditional love for her son through her greeting, followed by a hug and the act of cleaning a spot of red off Shaun's neck, demonstrates her immediate need to coddle her son, much to his satisfaction. In addition, afterwards, Barbara takes Shaun straight through the house to the kitchen, which represents her domestic persona of motherhood, before trying to ensure that Shaun will eat her food by making sandwiches even though he says that he is not hungry.
In contrast to Barbara's instant appearance, Philip is presented significantly slower as the camera follows Shaun carefully approaching his armchair from behind. Although part of Shaun's cautiousness is due to his need to kill his stepfather, the careful, enduring camera tracking of Shaun pictures Philip as a force that has frightened Shaun since they first met. Shaun sees Philip as too much of a threat to the id that is his mother, and so he feels the need to destroy the superego that is his stepfather in order to have the agent that he prefers overall to himself.
Stood behind Philip, Shaun raises the cricket bat that he is holding as a weapon, over his head. Ready to swing the bat heavily down onto to Philip's head, he quietly says 'I'm so sorry, Philip', indicating that Shaun does at least have some respect for his superego, even if he does not want to. Much to Shaun's surprise, Philip speaks, asking the simple question 'Why?', startling Shaun. Philip then asks 'What have you done now?', instantly assuming that Shaun has done something wrong, as Philip is constantly suspicious of Shaun misbehaving, as if he were still a schoolboy. Shaun then attempts to hide the cricket bat from Philip by holding it behind his back with both hands. This pose, along with Shaun's roguish response of 'Nothing' even visually presents Shaun as a schoolboy who is attempting to make themselves look innocent when in trouble with their parents. A few moments later, Barbara enters the room and tells Shaun that some of his toys are upstairs, to which Philip says that he disposed of them at the rubbish tip. Further presenting himself as childlike when with his mother, Shaun looks at Philip and moans 'Ah, what?', which shows that Shaun may result to whining when not getting his way due to his parents' decisions.
Following on from Shaun's childish remark, Barbara reveals to Philip that she has called a doctor to come to the house in order to examine his illness. The two partners then become engaged in a small argument. Philip declines the need for a doctor, stating that he feels perfectly fine, and that the situation happening outside is all being blown out of proportion by news reporters. On the other hand, Barbara claims that he should see a doctor 'just to be on the safe side', as she is clearly worried about him, demonstrating that she may somewhat serve as an id for her husband as well as her son, even if Philip refuses to accept it. This short quarrel is presented through a shot reverse shot technique by having the camera show Philip alone on the right-hand side of the screen while looking at the left (at Barbara), and then showing Barbara alone on the left-hand side of the screen while looking at the right (at Philip), before repeating the process. Occasionally, however, Shaun is shown for brief periods of time alone in the middle of the screen, directing his gaze from one character to the other, almost as if he is pondering the question of who to listen to. Once again, Shaun is presented as a small child - in this case, by being caught in between two parents arguing with each other, making the child feel as though they should take sides.
Once more, the characters within the third and final scene shall be explained in order to justify the Freudian components that they have been assigned. In this case, however, the only included character that has not been detailed is Shaun's girlfriend, Liz, since both Shaun and Ed's personalities of the ego and the id have been explored in the analysis of the first film scene.
Liz undertakes the role of Shaun's superego not only in the final scene, but mainly throughout the whole film. She places herself aside Ed in order to force Shaun to decide who he wants more in life, leading to her dumping him just before the first scene analysed, as she believed that he preferred to please his id over his superego. By wanting Shaun to herself most of the time, she represents a concept of responsibility and commitment, only wanting to be with Shaun if he stops acting childishly and inattentively by treating her with the love and respect that he has for her deep down, but struggles to present due to his constant need to fulfil the wishes of his id.
The third and final scene is of Shaun and Liz living together in his house, with an infected Ed being kept in the garden shed. It appears to be set some time after the zombie apocalypse, since at the end of the previous scene, Shaun and Liz are rescued from The Winchester by the military. In addition, the current scene begins with Liz switching through television channels which appear to show the world not only making light of the apocalypse through comical entertainment, but also using it as an advantage, due to 'the fact that the mobile deceased retained their primal instincts make them ideal recruitment for the service industry'. At this point, the television shows an infected worker returning supermarket trolleys to their huts, whilst being kept on a chain. This links back to the opening credits in which many people together are seen in public, tiredly repeating basic actions - such as checking their phones and walking - in sync with most individuals around them. The purpose of this is to represent the monotonous drone of life, as in some ways, these people were zombies to begin with, and are still not free from the chains of society even when undead. Overall, this shows that in terms of a national scale, nothing has truly changed in life.
After Liz switches the television off, Shaun walks in and sits down on the sofa next to her, before giving her a kiss on the cheek, indicating that they are indeed together as life partners. In terms of surroundings, the living room appears different as opposed to its original state. At first, it was messy and unkempt due to the lazy Ed, whilst consisting entirely of objects that can be associated with Shaun's desire to stay young and irresponsible. However, the current appearance is a slight mixture of both Shaun and Liz's preferences. While Liz has decorated the room with a cabinet, framed pictures, a house plant, sofa blankets, pillows and a tuffet, Shaun still has a certain music poster in its same place on the wall, and has kept the television in the exact same place. Furthermore, he is keeping an infected Ed chained in the garden shed, which is where he goes to play video games with his friend, before the credits role. Ultimately, this gives off the impression that Shaun has received the best of two worlds: that of his id and that of his superego. Since, he needs both to cope with life, he has finally found the perfect mix of the two, enabling him to act more responsibly, whilst still being able to retain certain aspects of his childhood.
Upon sitting down next to Liz, Shaun asks her 'What's the plan, then?', to which she responds with a list of activities that appeal to both of them. Afterwards, Liz says that she will 'get the kettle on' to make cups of tea, and Shaun asks 'Can I have two sugars, please?', before awaiting her approval when telling her that he 'might pop into the garden for a bit' to give Ed a quick visit. From this sequence, it seems apparent that Liz has almost undertaken the role of Shaun's mother through her actions of telling Shaun what to do for the day, making him tea, and allowing him to see Ed. Additionally, from the point in which Shaun enters the living room to sit down beside Liz, the camera slowly zooms in on the two of them, before only moving closer to Shaun once Liz leaves to make the tea. This cinematography is reminiscent to horror films, as the camera may linger whilst gently zooming to show the audience that nothing is quite what it seems. With the world moving on from the apocalypse as if nothing happened, it would appear that Shaun has actually not changed either. Throughout the whole film, it was evident that Shaun was the ego, childhood was his id, and responsibility was his superego. Due to what Shaun experienced during the apocalypse, such as killing Barbara, one may assume that he would follow his id much less afterwards. However, due to loosing both Pete and Philip, as well as holding onto Ed despite his infectious state, the film does not necessarily have a happy ending. In conclusion, the world does not change, and Shaun does not grow as a person, meaning that nothing has actually changed.
Journey Psyche. "The Freudian Theory of Personality | Journal Psyche", Viewed on 9th December, http://journalpsyche.org/the-freudian-theory-of-personality/#more-191
Tanabe, R. (2017) New World Encyclopedia "Ego, superego, and id - New World Encyclopedia", Viewed on 9th December, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Ego,_superego,_and_id&oldid=1006853
Vinney, C. (2019) ThoughtCo "Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego Explained", Viewed on 9th December, https://www.thoughtco.com/id-ego-and-superego-4582342
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Lighting Techniques and Experiments
Rembrandt lighting is a lighting technique that is used in studio portrait photography. It can be achieved using one light and a reflector, or two lights, and is quite popular because it is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment. The technique is characterised by an illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject on the less illuminated side of the face. It is named after the Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, who often used this type of lighting.
In order to achieve Rembrandt lighting, normally, the key light is placed high and to one side at the front, whilst the fill light or a reflector is placed half-height and on the other side at the front, set to about half the power of the key light, with the subject, if facing at an angle to the camera, with the key light illuminating the far side of the face.
The key in Rembrandt lighting is creating the triangle or diamond shape of light underneath the eye. One side of the face is lit well from the main light source whilst the other side of the face uses the interaction of shadows and light, also known as chiaroscuro, to create this geometric form on the face.
The triangle should be no longer than the nose and no wider than the eye. This technique may be achieved subtly or very dramatically by altering the distance between subject and lights, as well as relative strengths of main and fill lights.
Butterfly lighting is another lighting technique commonly used in studio portrait photography. It is also variously referred to as 'clamshell lighting', 'glamour lighting', 'beauty lighting', or 'paramount lighting'. At its most basic, butterfly lighting consists of a single light pointed directly at the subject straight on, and raised high enough to create a downward shadow on their face. This causes a little 'butterfly' shadow to appear directly underneath the subject’s nose.
Often, the butterfly lighting setup is augmented by a reflector or fill light placed in front of the subject, located underneath and just outside the frame of the shot. This is so that some light will be bounced up into the subject's eyes, as a light at such a high camera angle generally causes the eyes to appear very dark without it.
This technique is considered the 'fashion' lighting setup. Often times, this is considered a flattering look for young women. It is especially well-suited to women with narrow faces and high cheekbones, but because there is very little shadow cast on the face, it can add weight to subjects with rounder faces. Additionally, the lack of shadows means that it is unsuitable for subjects who have skin problems, facial scars, facial hair, and other inaccuracies. Although it is occasionally used as a fashion setup for men, it is so commonly used in women's fashion photography that it has become 'synonymous' with women's glamour lighting, so much so that even people who do not pay much attention to such things may still consider portraits of men with butterfly lighting applied as being 'funny', even if they cannot articulate why. Furthermore, the lack of facial shadow that is cast by the light is generally not especially flattering unless the man’s features are somewhat feminine already.
Split lighting is also a lighting technique often used in studio portrait photography. It is constructed with a single light source placed 90 degrees offset from the subject at a position a bit higher than eye level, lighting one half of the face, and leaving the other in shadow. One of the advantages to using the split lighting technique is that there is only need for a single light. Therefore, this setup benefits the photographer greatly if they are a beginner in the subject, and do not have the budget for a full light kit.
Overall, split lighting is considered a very 'moody' lighting option, and so it is generally used when the photographer wants to create a strong sense of drama with the image. It is less frequently used in portrait photography because generally people want to see a subject’s whole face in a picture, although it does appear in fashion for commercial and advertising photography every few years. The technique is often referred to as the 'comic book villain' lighting style, and indeed, many comic artists use this technique when they are portraying villains in their comic books. Whereas other lighting setups are much more common, and the vast majority of portraits will use almost anything other than split lighting, the technique is labelled as an 'accent' lighting choice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt_lighting
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/6772/what-is-butterfly-lighting-and-when-do-i-use-it
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/6656/what-is-split-portrait-lighting
Within the first screenshot, an illuminated triangle can be seen underneath the right eye on the darker side of the face, creating a Rembrandt lighting effect.
For the second screenshot, a downward shadow is projected onto the face, causing a 'butterfly' silhouette to appear directly underneath the nose, creating a butterfly lighting effect.
In the last screenshot, the right side of the face is obstructed in shadow, whilst the left side is lit brightly, creating a split lighting effect.
In order to achieve Rembrandt lighting, normally, the key light is placed high and to one side at the front, whilst the fill light or a reflector is placed half-height and on the other side at the front, set to about half the power of the key light, with the subject, if facing at an angle to the camera, with the key light illuminating the far side of the face.
The key in Rembrandt lighting is creating the triangle or diamond shape of light underneath the eye. One side of the face is lit well from the main light source whilst the other side of the face uses the interaction of shadows and light, also known as chiaroscuro, to create this geometric form on the face.
The triangle should be no longer than the nose and no wider than the eye. This technique may be achieved subtly or very dramatically by altering the distance between subject and lights, as well as relative strengths of main and fill lights.
Butterfly lighting is another lighting technique commonly used in studio portrait photography. It is also variously referred to as 'clamshell lighting', 'glamour lighting', 'beauty lighting', or 'paramount lighting'. At its most basic, butterfly lighting consists of a single light pointed directly at the subject straight on, and raised high enough to create a downward shadow on their face. This causes a little 'butterfly' shadow to appear directly underneath the subject’s nose.
Often, the butterfly lighting setup is augmented by a reflector or fill light placed in front of the subject, located underneath and just outside the frame of the shot. This is so that some light will be bounced up into the subject's eyes, as a light at such a high camera angle generally causes the eyes to appear very dark without it.
This technique is considered the 'fashion' lighting setup. Often times, this is considered a flattering look for young women. It is especially well-suited to women with narrow faces and high cheekbones, but because there is very little shadow cast on the face, it can add weight to subjects with rounder faces. Additionally, the lack of shadows means that it is unsuitable for subjects who have skin problems, facial scars, facial hair, and other inaccuracies. Although it is occasionally used as a fashion setup for men, it is so commonly used in women's fashion photography that it has become 'synonymous' with women's glamour lighting, so much so that even people who do not pay much attention to such things may still consider portraits of men with butterfly lighting applied as being 'funny', even if they cannot articulate why. Furthermore, the lack of facial shadow that is cast by the light is generally not especially flattering unless the man’s features are somewhat feminine already.
Split lighting is also a lighting technique often used in studio portrait photography. It is constructed with a single light source placed 90 degrees offset from the subject at a position a bit higher than eye level, lighting one half of the face, and leaving the other in shadow. One of the advantages to using the split lighting technique is that there is only need for a single light. Therefore, this setup benefits the photographer greatly if they are a beginner in the subject, and do not have the budget for a full light kit.
Overall, split lighting is considered a very 'moody' lighting option, and so it is generally used when the photographer wants to create a strong sense of drama with the image. It is less frequently used in portrait photography because generally people want to see a subject’s whole face in a picture, although it does appear in fashion for commercial and advertising photography every few years. The technique is often referred to as the 'comic book villain' lighting style, and indeed, many comic artists use this technique when they are portraying villains in their comic books. Whereas other lighting setups are much more common, and the vast majority of portraits will use almost anything other than split lighting, the technique is labelled as an 'accent' lighting choice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt_lighting
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/6772/what-is-butterfly-lighting-and-when-do-i-use-it
https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/6656/what-is-split-portrait-lighting
Within the first screenshot, an illuminated triangle can be seen underneath the right eye on the darker side of the face, creating a Rembrandt lighting effect.
For the second screenshot, a downward shadow is projected onto the face, causing a 'butterfly' silhouette to appear directly underneath the nose, creating a butterfly lighting effect.
In the last screenshot, the right side of the face is obstructed in shadow, whilst the left side is lit brightly, creating a split lighting effect.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Health and Safety
Professional film crews take health and safety issues very seriously. The line of responsibility runs from the producer to the production manager and 1st assistant director, before finally moving onto all crew members who have a duty of care which is recognised by law. If someone can see the potential for an accident, but does nothing to try to prevent it, they can be held responsible in some way, probably along with their senior colleagues.
When filming, people have much inside their minds, aspects of production can get rushed, and risks can increase. Even simple pieces can become dangerous because they are not used in ordinary situations. Of course, all of life presents hazards, but if someone is asked to run down a hill repeatedly to get the scene right, for example, the risk of them tripping and falling is increased with each time that they do this. In addition, if the area in which the actor falls is constructed from a material such as stone rather than grass, the risk of serious injury is increased dramatically.
The most effective way to keep production of films as risk-free as possible, is to plan and study beforehand each shooting setup and location individually, enabling all hazards to be spotted before production has even begun. This is known as a risk assessment, which involves identifying all hazards, before evaluating the risks, and determining measures to control said risks. The final step is to then put in place safeguards that will eliminate or minimise risk.
It is deemed important to remember that the noun 'hazard' refers to the potential for harm, while 'risk' is the chance of said harm actually occurring. Although some hazards might seem very obvious, people may still need to have them pointed out.
Weather
Extremes of weather are one commonly overlooked hazard. When working outside for long periods of time, it is essential to make sure that the crew is dressed appropriately. People may potentially get cold very quickly even in what seems quite mild weather, whilst rain, snow, and strong wind can scare people away from working, as well damage film equipment.
Sunburn and heatstroke are other outdoor hazards. It is recommended that the crew always has high-protection sunscreen on hand. The other reason for sunscreen is to stop the actors' appearance from changing drastically, which may ruin the continuity of the film. Aside from this, plenty of bottled water should also be available to drink in order for everyone to stay hydrated.
Time Pressure
The concept of rushing to finish production within the time limit allows hazards to be unidentified or ignored, and people begin to start taking risks. If this starts to happen, some of the crew may decide to take a few moments to calm everyone down and remind them of the consequences of rushing. If people feel extremely pressured, it may be best for the producers to find ways to lighten the work-load, such as cutting out certain shots to give more time towards the most essential aspects of the film, or even extending the deadline if possible.
Sharp Objects
The use of sharp objects such as scissors and utility knives are often required to cut cable ties, gaffer tape, and other materials. When these are not in use, they should be stored safely with blade covers on in places where they will not be accidentally knocked. To increase the rate of protection, only those who work on pieces of set should be enabled to handle them, as they not only have professional expertise in using them, but have a strong reason to utilise them.
Suspended Equipment
Before filming, the production team must ensure that all suspended equipment is securely fastened and, where necessary, with secondary measures to stop items such as studio lights, cameras, and heavy backdrops, from falling, which will not only cause extreme amounts of damage to people, but also to the equipment itself.
Risks of Tripping
In order to prevent people from tripping, the area for production must be kept clean, clear and uncluttered. All the equipment required is to be stored in the correct and safe way when it is not in use. Items should be stored in designated areas around the sides or outside of the area for production. No equipment or empty boxes are to be left in walkways or places that people could trip over them, as this can result in serious injury.
Tripods and Light Stands
When in use, the support legs of all tripods and light stands must be pulled fully open to give the greatest stability. This reduces the risk of equipment toppling over on top of people, or damaging the equipment.
Trailing Wires and Leaks
All electrical wires must be taped down or run through safety covers and protectors. This is to prevent people from tripping over the wires, as well as to prevent damage and wear to the cables. It is also best to keep the use of extension cables to a minimum. In addition, if sockets are used, one must check to make sure that the combined electricity is not exceeding the sockets' allowance. Furthermore, when plugging and unplugging electrical equipment, both the equipment and the plug socket must be switched off before putting the plug in.
Electricians are to ensure that all the electrical equipment is up-to-date with PAT (Portable Appliance Testing). Visuals checks are to be carried out regularly to ensure that there are no exposed wires or damaged leads, that plugs are firmly pushed into sockets, that no cables are stretched, and that the equipment looks to be in good condition whilst functioning as designed.
Lights
It is of vital importance that everyone involved in the production of films do not touch lighting bulbs, even when cold, as those who do can receive skin burns. Incandescent lights work at high temperatures. If handled, the finger marks and traces left behind can cause localised hot spots that will cause a bulb to blow, or even explode.
Those responsible for lighting must make sure that the lights are given plenty of time to cool down after use, in case they need to be moved. Lights are also more fragile and prone to breaking if moved when still hot.
Food and Drink
Ensuring that the crew is well fed and hydrated obviously makes everyone work better. If caterers are available to organise food and drink breaks at set times, production can run much more smoothly. However, it is also important to keep food and drink separate from all film equipment. This is to prevent food or drink destroying or damaging the equipment. In addition, any food or drink that falls onto the floor can become a slip hazard. Aside from this, there is also a possibility that photographic chemicals are present within the area for production, which may contaminate food and drinks.
https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/production/the-production-department/health-and-safety
https://09slyounghusband.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/health-safety/
When filming, people have much inside their minds, aspects of production can get rushed, and risks can increase. Even simple pieces can become dangerous because they are not used in ordinary situations. Of course, all of life presents hazards, but if someone is asked to run down a hill repeatedly to get the scene right, for example, the risk of them tripping and falling is increased with each time that they do this. In addition, if the area in which the actor falls is constructed from a material such as stone rather than grass, the risk of serious injury is increased dramatically.
The most effective way to keep production of films as risk-free as possible, is to plan and study beforehand each shooting setup and location individually, enabling all hazards to be spotted before production has even begun. This is known as a risk assessment, which involves identifying all hazards, before evaluating the risks, and determining measures to control said risks. The final step is to then put in place safeguards that will eliminate or minimise risk.
It is deemed important to remember that the noun 'hazard' refers to the potential for harm, while 'risk' is the chance of said harm actually occurring. Although some hazards might seem very obvious, people may still need to have them pointed out.
Weather
Extremes of weather are one commonly overlooked hazard. When working outside for long periods of time, it is essential to make sure that the crew is dressed appropriately. People may potentially get cold very quickly even in what seems quite mild weather, whilst rain, snow, and strong wind can scare people away from working, as well damage film equipment.
Sunburn and heatstroke are other outdoor hazards. It is recommended that the crew always has high-protection sunscreen on hand. The other reason for sunscreen is to stop the actors' appearance from changing drastically, which may ruin the continuity of the film. Aside from this, plenty of bottled water should also be available to drink in order for everyone to stay hydrated.
Time Pressure
The concept of rushing to finish production within the time limit allows hazards to be unidentified or ignored, and people begin to start taking risks. If this starts to happen, some of the crew may decide to take a few moments to calm everyone down and remind them of the consequences of rushing. If people feel extremely pressured, it may be best for the producers to find ways to lighten the work-load, such as cutting out certain shots to give more time towards the most essential aspects of the film, or even extending the deadline if possible.
Sharp Objects
The use of sharp objects such as scissors and utility knives are often required to cut cable ties, gaffer tape, and other materials. When these are not in use, they should be stored safely with blade covers on in places where they will not be accidentally knocked. To increase the rate of protection, only those who work on pieces of set should be enabled to handle them, as they not only have professional expertise in using them, but have a strong reason to utilise them.
Suspended Equipment
Before filming, the production team must ensure that all suspended equipment is securely fastened and, where necessary, with secondary measures to stop items such as studio lights, cameras, and heavy backdrops, from falling, which will not only cause extreme amounts of damage to people, but also to the equipment itself.
Risks of Tripping
In order to prevent people from tripping, the area for production must be kept clean, clear and uncluttered. All the equipment required is to be stored in the correct and safe way when it is not in use. Items should be stored in designated areas around the sides or outside of the area for production. No equipment or empty boxes are to be left in walkways or places that people could trip over them, as this can result in serious injury.
Tripods and Light Stands
When in use, the support legs of all tripods and light stands must be pulled fully open to give the greatest stability. This reduces the risk of equipment toppling over on top of people, or damaging the equipment.
Trailing Wires and Leaks
All electrical wires must be taped down or run through safety covers and protectors. This is to prevent people from tripping over the wires, as well as to prevent damage and wear to the cables. It is also best to keep the use of extension cables to a minimum. In addition, if sockets are used, one must check to make sure that the combined electricity is not exceeding the sockets' allowance. Furthermore, when plugging and unplugging electrical equipment, both the equipment and the plug socket must be switched off before putting the plug in.
Electricians are to ensure that all the electrical equipment is up-to-date with PAT (Portable Appliance Testing). Visuals checks are to be carried out regularly to ensure that there are no exposed wires or damaged leads, that plugs are firmly pushed into sockets, that no cables are stretched, and that the equipment looks to be in good condition whilst functioning as designed.
Lights
It is of vital importance that everyone involved in the production of films do not touch lighting bulbs, even when cold, as those who do can receive skin burns. Incandescent lights work at high temperatures. If handled, the finger marks and traces left behind can cause localised hot spots that will cause a bulb to blow, or even explode.
Those responsible for lighting must make sure that the lights are given plenty of time to cool down after use, in case they need to be moved. Lights are also more fragile and prone to breaking if moved when still hot.
Food and Drink
Ensuring that the crew is well fed and hydrated obviously makes everyone work better. If caterers are available to organise food and drink breaks at set times, production can run much more smoothly. However, it is also important to keep food and drink separate from all film equipment. This is to prevent food or drink destroying or damaging the equipment. In addition, any food or drink that falls onto the floor can become a slip hazard. Aside from this, there is also a possibility that photographic chemicals are present within the area for production, which may contaminate food and drinks.
https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/production/the-production-department/health-and-safety
https://09slyounghusband.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/health-safety/
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Four-Hour Film Challenges
Haunted College
Due to the fact that lessons were being taught whilst filming this video, I was able to take advantage of the college's quiet atmosphere by only filming scenes devoid of people all together. The purpose of this was to present the college in a haunting manner, as if all of its previous occupants had suddenly vanished. In order to increase dramatic tension, I and two others manipulated objects without revealing ourselves to the camera, creating the impression of supernatural behaviour. By filming some scenes in an unused, derelict area of the college, it would seem that the emotions of fear and uneasiness would become much more prominent to the average viewer. The eerie music that I added over the footage also helped strengthen these emotions.
Overall, since I had never used Adobe Premiere Pro before editing this video, I learnt the basic concepts of the software, such as importing, structuring, snipping, and reversing clips, as well as overlaying and fading music, all before exporting the completed video.
Although I find the narrative of the film to be somewhat lacklustre, in terms of camera techniques, I do believe that the few scenes shot outside are slightly overexposed. As an improvement, I would record these scenes again, but set the camera to ensure that the light does not appear too powerful, causing the colour to look slightly blanched.
Jumpcut Madness
As the camera operator, I would spend a few seconds filming four other students located in certain positions within one room. Each time that I stopped filming, the others would move to different locations or alter their poses for me to record. The camera would remain in the exact same position so that only the people within the film would represent change. By the time that the lesson had finished, I had filmed one-hundred and fifteen clips. In terms of editing, I layered the Nintendo Wii theme music over the footage, before cutting the length of the clips down, and structuring them so that each time that a new note began to sound, a new clip would play. This 'jumpcut madness' would be used for comedic effect, along with the silly fart noise that I added at the end of the video to the appearance of the French word 'Fin'.
In order to achieve the final result, I learnt to match the start of each clip to the main individual notes of the music. Being able to view the sound waves helped greatly, as I could actually see when each note began so that the footage could be accurately synched to the rhythm. Therefore, the main lesson learnt was how to match footage to music.
Due to the camera position, one of the four sets of two tables cannot be fully seen, as a corner is not within frame. This is because if the tables act as a midpoint, the camera was unintentionally placed to capture more of the room located on the left side, rather than being placed to capture an equal amount of both sides. Although others may be untroubled by this, I cannot help but find it rather irritating, especially since in most of the clips, nobody is positioned in the left-sided area that I see as being inconvenient, which renders the area useless onscreen. Obviously, correcting this 'error' would be a small price to pay for having to start the project from the beginning, but it is an improvement that I suggest nonetheless.
1920s Feature
This film, which was not at all planned or filmed by me, depicts two students within a chase sequence. One obviously believes that the other is trying to harm them, and so she runs in an attempt to get away. The other, who only wishes to return the runner's pass, is forced to chase her until she is eventually cornered in a room, where she realises the true intention of the chaser, before the film ends. With the use of iris shots, title cards, black and white imagery, and film grain, the final result is designed to follow the style of 1920 feature films.
During the editing of this film, I learnt how to create iris shots, meaning that a black circle opens within the middle of the screen in order to begin the film, whilst another closes to end it. I also learnt how to input still images - in this case, title cards - as well as text, which was used to present the characters' speech, and narrate a part of the story. Additionally, discovering how to remove the colour from the footage helped keep the film remain true to 1920s cinema. The final technique that I gained understanding of was overlaying multiple pieces of footage, as the whole video plays with a film grain effect present.
Personally, I do feel that the acting of the two students was somewhat laughable, but at least one can tell that they had fun doing it. Furthermore, in relation to improvements that I could make, I would try to speed the footage up slightly, as the majority of fast-paced 1920s films were produced in such a way. There is a problem that would arise from this, however, which is that the footage would end long before the music could, which is not in favour of 1920s cinema. Although I could always cause the music to fade out, this would also be out of keeping of silent films. Therefore, the only solution that I can see should I apply this improvement, would be to receive more acceptable footage to include.
Found Footage Music Video to Resident Evil Film Theme
For this film, I was tasked with producing a music video for XXYYXX's song About You, using nothing but found footage. Although the main requirement was for most of the footage to play in sychronisation with the music, and that aspects such as narrative and meaning were not necessarily important, I not only felt the track to be uninspired, but quite irritating. Thus, for the sake of my own sanity, I decided to change the song to Marilyn Manson's Resident Evil (2002) film theme song, as I enjoy it, and believed that it would work better with the found footage that I had in mind.
After searching the Internet, I began to start editing once I had downloaded thirty-four pieces of found footage. In order to create a strong connection between the clips, I made sure that the majority of them followed a red colour scheme, as I find the colour to be the most representative of the horror genre, which relates to the sinister nature of the music as well as its origin. Similar to my 'Jumpcut Madness' film, I decided to view the sound waves of the music so that the synchronisation of the clips to the sound was as accurate as possible. Ultimately, I would not say that I learnt anything new from this project, but at least I was highly satisfied with the outcome.
In all honesty, I cannot find anything about this film that I could improve upon. Although I do wish that every piece of footage used was able to play in 1080p, the only solution would be to remove them, but, of course, doing so would also remove their great contribution to the project.
Due to the fact that lessons were being taught whilst filming this video, I was able to take advantage of the college's quiet atmosphere by only filming scenes devoid of people all together. The purpose of this was to present the college in a haunting manner, as if all of its previous occupants had suddenly vanished. In order to increase dramatic tension, I and two others manipulated objects without revealing ourselves to the camera, creating the impression of supernatural behaviour. By filming some scenes in an unused, derelict area of the college, it would seem that the emotions of fear and uneasiness would become much more prominent to the average viewer. The eerie music that I added over the footage also helped strengthen these emotions.
Overall, since I had never used Adobe Premiere Pro before editing this video, I learnt the basic concepts of the software, such as importing, structuring, snipping, and reversing clips, as well as overlaying and fading music, all before exporting the completed video.
Although I find the narrative of the film to be somewhat lacklustre, in terms of camera techniques, I do believe that the few scenes shot outside are slightly overexposed. As an improvement, I would record these scenes again, but set the camera to ensure that the light does not appear too powerful, causing the colour to look slightly blanched.
Jumpcut Madness
As the camera operator, I would spend a few seconds filming four other students located in certain positions within one room. Each time that I stopped filming, the others would move to different locations or alter their poses for me to record. The camera would remain in the exact same position so that only the people within the film would represent change. By the time that the lesson had finished, I had filmed one-hundred and fifteen clips. In terms of editing, I layered the Nintendo Wii theme music over the footage, before cutting the length of the clips down, and structuring them so that each time that a new note began to sound, a new clip would play. This 'jumpcut madness' would be used for comedic effect, along with the silly fart noise that I added at the end of the video to the appearance of the French word 'Fin'.
In order to achieve the final result, I learnt to match the start of each clip to the main individual notes of the music. Being able to view the sound waves helped greatly, as I could actually see when each note began so that the footage could be accurately synched to the rhythm. Therefore, the main lesson learnt was how to match footage to music.
Due to the camera position, one of the four sets of two tables cannot be fully seen, as a corner is not within frame. This is because if the tables act as a midpoint, the camera was unintentionally placed to capture more of the room located on the left side, rather than being placed to capture an equal amount of both sides. Although others may be untroubled by this, I cannot help but find it rather irritating, especially since in most of the clips, nobody is positioned in the left-sided area that I see as being inconvenient, which renders the area useless onscreen. Obviously, correcting this 'error' would be a small price to pay for having to start the project from the beginning, but it is an improvement that I suggest nonetheless.
1920s Feature
This film, which was not at all planned or filmed by me, depicts two students within a chase sequence. One obviously believes that the other is trying to harm them, and so she runs in an attempt to get away. The other, who only wishes to return the runner's pass, is forced to chase her until she is eventually cornered in a room, where she realises the true intention of the chaser, before the film ends. With the use of iris shots, title cards, black and white imagery, and film grain, the final result is designed to follow the style of 1920 feature films.
During the editing of this film, I learnt how to create iris shots, meaning that a black circle opens within the middle of the screen in order to begin the film, whilst another closes to end it. I also learnt how to input still images - in this case, title cards - as well as text, which was used to present the characters' speech, and narrate a part of the story. Additionally, discovering how to remove the colour from the footage helped keep the film remain true to 1920s cinema. The final technique that I gained understanding of was overlaying multiple pieces of footage, as the whole video plays with a film grain effect present.
Personally, I do feel that the acting of the two students was somewhat laughable, but at least one can tell that they had fun doing it. Furthermore, in relation to improvements that I could make, I would try to speed the footage up slightly, as the majority of fast-paced 1920s films were produced in such a way. There is a problem that would arise from this, however, which is that the footage would end long before the music could, which is not in favour of 1920s cinema. Although I could always cause the music to fade out, this would also be out of keeping of silent films. Therefore, the only solution that I can see should I apply this improvement, would be to receive more acceptable footage to include.
Found Footage Music Video to Resident Evil Film Theme
For this film, I was tasked with producing a music video for XXYYXX's song About You, using nothing but found footage. Although the main requirement was for most of the footage to play in sychronisation with the music, and that aspects such as narrative and meaning were not necessarily important, I not only felt the track to be uninspired, but quite irritating. Thus, for the sake of my own sanity, I decided to change the song to Marilyn Manson's Resident Evil (2002) film theme song, as I enjoy it, and believed that it would work better with the found footage that I had in mind.
After searching the Internet, I began to start editing once I had downloaded thirty-four pieces of found footage. In order to create a strong connection between the clips, I made sure that the majority of them followed a red colour scheme, as I find the colour to be the most representative of the horror genre, which relates to the sinister nature of the music as well as its origin. Similar to my 'Jumpcut Madness' film, I decided to view the sound waves of the music so that the synchronisation of the clips to the sound was as accurate as possible. Ultimately, I would not say that I learnt anything new from this project, but at least I was highly satisfied with the outcome.
In all honesty, I cannot find anything about this film that I could improve upon. Although I do wish that every piece of footage used was able to play in 1080p, the only solution would be to remove them, but, of course, doing so would also remove their great contribution to the project.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
British New Wave Film
The film is of my father walking through rural areas outside of my hometown, before sitting down on a bench within a park. This footage is accompanied by the song Wonderful Land, performed by 1960s, British, instrumental rock band, The Shadows.
In order to create my film to be as accurate to British new wave cinema as possible, I made sure to use as many possible techniques that are in favour of such a style. For example, using natural lighting was very common throughout entries in the genre, and so, I did not use any external lighting sources whilst filming, relying only upon the light that the camera and daytime provided.
Although the footage was all filmed in colour, during the editing stage, I changed it to appear in monochrome, as it made the British new wave aesthetic even more prominent. Despite some films of the genre having been filmed in colour - such as Tom Jones (1963) and Alfie (1966) - it seemed wise to follow the colouration of the majority of British new wave instalments, many of which few people today will be familiar with.
To further relate to the period of filmmaking at hand, all the shots contained within the film are long, and progress from one to another through jump cuts. Such cinematography was commonplace in this genre, as the long shots helped to mesmerise the audience, whereas the jump cuts worked to make the audience remember that they were watching films.
All of the shots were filmed with a basic camera attached to a simple tripod. This is in keeping with British new wave films, as they were produced using very little equipment, and cameras were either held by hand, or fixed onto cheap support stands.
Essentially, most films of the new wave genre, regardless of their country of origin, have a visual, static effect to them, due to the cameras used to film them being cheap and underdeveloped. Therefore, although my film was not recorded with any camera that would cause such an effect, I did apply a similar texture during the editing stage, in order to capture the same aesthetic.
In order to create my film to be as accurate to British new wave cinema as possible, I made sure to use as many possible techniques that are in favour of such a style. For example, using natural lighting was very common throughout entries in the genre, and so, I did not use any external lighting sources whilst filming, relying only upon the light that the camera and daytime provided.
Although the footage was all filmed in colour, during the editing stage, I changed it to appear in monochrome, as it made the British new wave aesthetic even more prominent. Despite some films of the genre having been filmed in colour - such as Tom Jones (1963) and Alfie (1966) - it seemed wise to follow the colouration of the majority of British new wave instalments, many of which few people today will be familiar with.
To further relate to the period of filmmaking at hand, all the shots contained within the film are long, and progress from one to another through jump cuts. Such cinematography was commonplace in this genre, as the long shots helped to mesmerise the audience, whereas the jump cuts worked to make the audience remember that they were watching films.
All of the shots were filmed with a basic camera attached to a simple tripod. This is in keeping with British new wave films, as they were produced using very little equipment, and cameras were either held by hand, or fixed onto cheap support stands.
Essentially, most films of the new wave genre, regardless of their country of origin, have a visual, static effect to them, due to the cameras used to film them being cheap and underdeveloped. Therefore, although my film was not recorded with any camera that would cause such an effect, I did apply a similar texture during the editing stage, in order to capture the same aesthetic.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Shutter Speed Experiment
Shutter speed is described as the unit of measurement which determines how long the camera shutter remains open as each picture is taken. The slower the shutter speed, the longer the exposure time. The shutter speed and aperture together control the total amount of light reaching the sensor.
The video shows the falling drops and splashes made from one water fountain, in three different shutter speeds. This video consists of three separate recordings filmed in dissimilar speeds of 1/30, 1/50, and 1/250. They have been placed in the order of lowest to highest speed. For the first speed of 1/30, the water droplets cascade down in a continuous shower, appearing as rapid lines of white light, before hitting the water surface, creating the impression of cloud-like cotton wool. In the second speed of 1/50, the water lines appear thicker and seem to fall much faster, causing the cotton wool effect to become froth-like. Within the third and final speed of 1/250, the lines of water have disappeared, grouping together to become heavy droplets of snow-like balls, which hit the surface and cause the splashes to appear more lively, whilst the ripples in the water level are much more prominent.
As the screenshot shows, at a shutter speed of 1/30, the water drops appear thin, and seem to fall rapidly before landing on the water surface to form a resemblance of cotton wool.
In the following screenshot, at a shutter speed of 1/50, the water drops look as if they fall even faster, as they become slightly thicker, and create a froth-like effect once they hit the water surface.
Within the final screenshot, at a shutter speed of 1/250, the water drops seem to fall much heavier than before, as they have grouped together to form balls that hit the water at a greater impact.
The video shows the falling drops and splashes made from one water fountain, in three different shutter speeds. This video consists of three separate recordings filmed in dissimilar speeds of 1/30, 1/50, and 1/250. They have been placed in the order of lowest to highest speed. For the first speed of 1/30, the water droplets cascade down in a continuous shower, appearing as rapid lines of white light, before hitting the water surface, creating the impression of cloud-like cotton wool. In the second speed of 1/50, the water lines appear thicker and seem to fall much faster, causing the cotton wool effect to become froth-like. Within the third and final speed of 1/250, the lines of water have disappeared, grouping together to become heavy droplets of snow-like balls, which hit the surface and cause the splashes to appear more lively, whilst the ripples in the water level are much more prominent.
As the screenshot shows, at a shutter speed of 1/30, the water drops appear thin, and seem to fall rapidly before landing on the water surface to form a resemblance of cotton wool.
In the following screenshot, at a shutter speed of 1/50, the water drops look as if they fall even faster, as they become slightly thicker, and create a froth-like effect once they hit the water surface.
Within the final screenshot, at a shutter speed of 1/250, the water drops seem to fall much heavier than before, as they have grouped together to form balls that hit the water at a greater impact.
ISO Experiments
ISO is a digital camera setting used to either brighten or darken photos. As the ISO number is increased, the photos will become progressively brighter, whereas decreasing the ISO number will cause the photos to become darker. For that reason, ISO can help to capture images in darker environments, or be more flexible about the aperture and shutter speed settings.
Using an ISO of 100 is shown to be highly unsuitable for lighting an area outside at night, as this video showing a piece of back garden demonstrates. Not only is it extremely underexposed, but if viewed closely, one can see faint traces of grain. The most obvious solution to these problems would be to increase the ISO, and see what problems arise from said setup.
Continuing on from the previous experiment, the next does indeed consist of upping the ISO level - in this case, from 100 to 3200. The time and area in this video is the same as the first, only the space appears to now have the correct exposure, as light from bulbs both inside my house and outside can actually be seen, along with the objects that the light casts onto. Unfortunately, lots of grain is present at such a high ISO level, which is a problem that can be resolved by using external lights designed for film production to effectively illuminate the area. In turn, this would mean that the ISO could be decreased, and so the amount of grain would also receive the same treatment.
This video shows a pan of one side of my back garden whilst under heavy sunlight. An ISO of 200 was used to film the area, which appears to be most suitable, as barely any grain can be seen. In addition, the space can be considered lit very well, since there is very little underexposure or overexposure present, with the exception of the portion of the garden cast in shadow.
Filmed entirely indoors, the video presents one side of my bedroom at night, with an ISO of 1600 having been set. It would seem that the amount of exposure is suitable for the area, however, plenty of grain can be viewed at all points. The best solution to this issue would be to utilise external lights designed for film production, as they would help illuminate the area professionally, meaning that the ISO could be lowered, which would produce less grain.
An ISO of 100 was used to film this experimental lighting video of my computer screen rapidly flashing a red light. The experiment was to see how far the light would reach into its surrounding area. Alas, the light did not cause as much effect as hoped, due to the ISO being too low, and the screen not being powerful enough to produce more light. Furthermore, a significantly distracting amount of grain can be seen wherever the light touches. It would be wise to correct this by making use of external lights designed specially for film production.
Using an ISO of 100 is shown to be highly unsuitable for lighting an area outside at night, as this video showing a piece of back garden demonstrates. Not only is it extremely underexposed, but if viewed closely, one can see faint traces of grain. The most obvious solution to these problems would be to increase the ISO, and see what problems arise from said setup.
Continuing on from the previous experiment, the next does indeed consist of upping the ISO level - in this case, from 100 to 3200. The time and area in this video is the same as the first, only the space appears to now have the correct exposure, as light from bulbs both inside my house and outside can actually be seen, along with the objects that the light casts onto. Unfortunately, lots of grain is present at such a high ISO level, which is a problem that can be resolved by using external lights designed for film production to effectively illuminate the area. In turn, this would mean that the ISO could be decreased, and so the amount of grain would also receive the same treatment.
This video shows a pan of one side of my back garden whilst under heavy sunlight. An ISO of 200 was used to film the area, which appears to be most suitable, as barely any grain can be seen. In addition, the space can be considered lit very well, since there is very little underexposure or overexposure present, with the exception of the portion of the garden cast in shadow.
Filmed entirely indoors, the video presents one side of my bedroom at night, with an ISO of 1600 having been set. It would seem that the amount of exposure is suitable for the area, however, plenty of grain can be viewed at all points. The best solution to this issue would be to utilise external lights designed for film production, as they would help illuminate the area professionally, meaning that the ISO could be lowered, which would produce less grain.
An ISO of 100 was used to film this experimental lighting video of my computer screen rapidly flashing a red light. The experiment was to see how far the light would reach into its surrounding area. Alas, the light did not cause as much effect as hoped, due to the ISO being too low, and the screen not being powerful enough to produce more light. Furthermore, a significantly distracting amount of grain can be seen wherever the light touches. It would be wise to correct this by making use of external lights designed specially for film production.
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