Resources and notes to assist students of 2107GFS-Visual Story, semester 2, 2012, and 2013. All blog images and posts are copyright 2012 the respective copyright holders, and for academic use only.
“[A good artist is] one with imagination and the ability to tell a good story. How well a man draws cuts no ice with me, if what he’s trying to express comes out vague and choppy.” ‐ Jack Kirby
(Sherman cited in Morrow (ED.) 2004, (vol.1) p. 181).
Harvey Kurtzman: Corpse on the Injim. p5. Frontline Combat, or Two-Fisted Tales- can't remember which ;P. A story with great usage of the passage of time in panels, posing/shape dynamics, empathy with the audience (YOU are involved in the story) and the use of "zooms" and shot selection to emphasis the mood and drama.
Will Eisner: The Casualty. p2-3. 'Last Day in Vietnam. Example of Eisner going beyond the confines of the gutters and panels to still tell clear, concise and entertaining stories. In silence, no doubt. Empathy through subject and pose. Eisner was the Master of expressing an emotion through a gesture or pose.
Eisner: Last Day in Vietnam. P16-17. Closure- we understand "we're" in a helicopter by the visual clues given, and fill in the rest with our mind (suspension of disbelief). Again, gutterless/no panel borders, but clarity to a T. Depth created through the use of shadows and scale- plus, ultimate empathy: the "main character" is talking directly to us, as if we're part of the story.
More from 'Last Day in Vietnam' by Eisner.
The following four pages are the first four pages in "Lives" by Glenn Farrington and the Fillbach Brothers. The Fillbachs made me sit down and read this on the spot at SDCC 2013, and I can see why. They wanted to see my reaction first-hand. It's a fantastic single -issue, one of the best I've ever seen in comics. Uses the language and potential of the medium beautifully. By that I mean in terms of panel information, the passage of time, clarity, layouts and utilizing the physical medium: the unknown turn to the next page.
See how repetition of layout and camera choice per scene is used, and the devices to show passage of time (water drip, made/empty beds), to communicate and introduce 5 separate (and eventually converging) characters.
How much do we learn about the state of mind/background of a character through "aspect to aspect" panels (McCloud), on just one page, and with no dialogue?
The complete Comic short "Rubble". Recommended to me originally by cartoonist Howard Chaykin, and I'm forever thankful to him. An epic story of life, loss, and the human cost of war in 6 pages, over a 5 year period. Layout and establishing shot repetition used again super-effectively. That's why Kurtzman is a storytelling master in comics too, even doing layouts for all the other Frontline Combat/Two-Fisted tale stories. Would this have the same impact if told as a film?
Lecture from Week 6 Sequential Narrative is now available at Learning @ GU. Also read the previous post on this blog please :)
Ok, so just a brief recap on most of the examples we watched in class this week. Pay particularly close attention to the choices in camera, and the movements, that are used to tell the story. As some of you pointed out in class, very little dialogue is used to covey what a character is thinking, feeling or doing.
Which goes back to the point of "SHOW, DON'T TELL".
With many of the shots below (particularly the animated examples) it is plain to see the importance of perspective in relation to creating your 3D world on the 2D plane of the page/screen.
Sergio Leone's 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly'
For the life of me, I couldn't seem to find a proper formatted version of the opening sequence. However, you get the idea. A couple of things to take note: The often-used trademark of Leone's directing of cutting between grand long shots, with close ups of gritty faces, often of incidental or no-name characters. Not only sets the mood and tone of the world/period depicted but it's almost like the faces themselves are landscapes or settings. You know what I mean ;P
Also, the longer, relaxed pacing of the overall film (you need to rent this for sure.) From a storytelling/shot selection point of view, it's engaging in a sense that really, we're just watching a posse walk down a "street". But the choices made are interesting to the audience. And lastly, the fight. We don't see it, but our minds allow to piece together what happened (CLOSURE). And in one shot of the main character bursting thru the window, juxtaposed with highlight music theme, the words "ugly" which a comedic overtone, we have a little bit of empathy and engagement with him already (through comedy, and his obvious "skill" of cleaning up other gun fighters.)
The intense little scene where Lee van Cleef's "Angel Eyes" sits down to eat with Stevens in his home- remisinent of the Tarrintino 'Inglorious Basterds' Opening scene with "Hans Landa", because of the similar character interaction, choice of using Close ups/Extreme Close ups, subjectively drawing the audience right into the middle of these tense conversations, ending with the musically highlighted violent conclusions. The use of the POV shot at the end when the wife passed out is a nice transition into the next scene.
A selection of still frames to refresh your memories of the camera conventions used in the 'GB &U" scene. The point of showing you these seemingly mundane "talking" scenes is to show you the possibilities in creating conflict and tension in your stories through not only script, but more so through your choice in camera, movement and composition, particularly in scenes which are basically two guys sitting at a table.
Acting helps too ;) But when you're an animator, you drive the acting.
Fleischer's "Superman": The Mechanical Monsters.
One of my all-time favourite cartoon shorts, and my favourite in the series. Take note of the many uses of Upshots, Down shots, POV shots, Camera movements such as 'Tracking shots', that 'Dutch Tilt' establishing shot at the Museum...there's heaps in this cartoon. Plus, the diagonals at play in every composed shot.
The use of shadow and the silhouette is used throughout this short, and adds for an interesting storytelling device (what is shown, what is left for the audience to imagine).
Depth of field in play, and a nice composition example of using a darker foreground element to draw the eye into the main focal point (the primary-coloured 'Superman'), wit a blurred, soft/cool coloured background.)
Upshot, diagonals.
Depth from light/dark elements, composition seems "claustrophobic", as Superman is trapped under the fire and beatings administered by the mechanical men.
Notice these shots cut back and forth between one another when the Robot returns with the cash, and how the diagonals "balance", between one another.
The shots above and below are part of that tracking shot that takes the audience from the lab (where Lois was last seen) to where the mad scientist has Lois in an elaborate death trap. What is interesting about the tracking shot is the "pockets" of information we are fed about the location and it's relation to the lab, where the robots came from and what's in-store for Lois and Superman, without one word of dialogue, or cut to another shot. Storytelling through composition and camera movement.
Now that's a Down Shot!
A great long shot, using diagonals again, and light/dark elements/depth of field to create that powerline focal point.
I really like the poses the Fleischers utlised in their series. I'd say the above example is almost "contrapposto", but the feet seem to have even balance. Nevertheless, far more interesting to look at than just an evenly balanced stance.
It's also a point towards the fact that apart from the closeup of Superman using his X-ray vision, we never see a close up of Superman, or even rarely a medium shot of him in action. They are almost always a full body, or an 'American' (cropped to knees) shot. What does this mean? ;D
We learnt that "power" is conveyed through upshots, such as the ones always used to show the robots. Is it that the feats of Superman verses the dangers he faces in his environment need to be shown, and therefore his characterization (in costume) comes from his abilities? Curious to know your thoughts.
POV shot.
Great Close up/POV shot of Lois.
Huge POV Upshot!
Gotta go, see you next week! Don't forget, I want to see your Koala exercises, thumbnails and you MUST GET A FINAL ASSESSMENT STORY IDEA NOW!
Apologies for this frantically short and quick message. Will be making a post which should be up by Friday which will recap on some of the things we touched on in the 'Sequential Narrative' lecture and tutes, plus uploading a copy of the images and points to Learning @ GU.
A couple of quick things:
Make sure next week you have an idea or draft of the story you want to do for final assessment. Shoot me an email if you need any help at pmason83@gmail.com
Some students last year (and a few mentioned in the tute) that they were going to use their scripts from 'Scriptwriting'. DO THAT! It's easy- you could virtually start thumb-nailing and gathering references now ;)
Also, I noticed the majority of the class turned up for the first tute, leaving only a handful or less of students for the second tute. The problem is I will struggle to touch base with you guys/give feedback and help for all of you in the first class, whereas the afternoon session, I had plenty of time to chat with the guys in the afternoon...Trust me when I say, the students last year who gained more out of the course were the ones that communicated with me, rather than the ones who ducked off early or didn't share anything. At the end of the day, it meant some stuff came across as "undercooked" or didn't make a whole lot of sense. I would love to be able to help people or point in the right direction, given the opportunity ;D
Will touch base again in a day or two with notes/images etc. from Tuesday's classes, take care all. Next week I also want to see the Koala exercise, and maybe the results of some of your thumbnailing from Tuesday. Remember, scribble it down quick! Don't noodle on something that doesn't work ;D
