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- Jan. 26 First Class presentation
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A) Please complete the short pretest quiz (dated Jan. 26 in this Discussion folder) before you watch this movie compilation.
B) Regarding our 105-minute presentation, “First Class Sp 2024”:
Since I want you to enjoy it at your own pace, you will watch it on your own on your computer.
Please watch it on a computer, not a tiny phone and open it up full screen.Afterward, please reply to these questions below by posting your responses in the Discussion folder (by replying to the post from me called “First Class’s Presentation Questions”)
1) Please write down at least three things that you liked about the video.
2) Please explain at least three things you feel you learned or never thought about before.
Please note: When you name a film, you are supposed to either underline it or italicize its title, but OpenLab may not allow that. (Save that kind of academic punctuation for your essays.)
3) Please ask at least one question–and as many as you wish–about the content of the presentation.
You should complete these easy questions before the next class, preferably right after you finish the video.
1) I liked how the video gave insight into cultural differences between then and now and how certain things accepted previously are no longer the norm. although there were several things accepted in past eras of film for example blackface and strong language, many things were not accepted like sex and lustful behavior I like how the video shows examples of ways the directors would go around it making the scenes more modest.
2) I never actually took into account that viewers would find it offensive to be liked or cheered on by black people showed in one of the clips from “Show Boat” 1936. I am very surprised to see blackface as recently as 2008 in “Tropic Thunder” done by Robert Downey jr I assumed by that time that it was known to be unacceptable.That movie was not blackface in the same way as in the past because in the story, Downey played an Australian white actor who was challenging his skills and portrayed a strong, positive black man.Â
3) I’m curious if films over time will continue to break past barriers as well as will it eventually go too far?
That is a good question, Naina. I believe barriers will continue to be broken.  Violence, for example, is so over the top nowadays with heads being chopped off and bodies being flayed. Probably nudity in mainstream films will reach pornographic levels and forbidden themes will be more acceptable, like from the story in Lolita, which is still controversial today.
1) The first thing I liked about the video was the explanatory of cgi and the movie examples they used. For example, the cgi they used for Paul Walker when he passed away during the filming of Fast and Furious is interesting because with the help of his two brothers, their features were combined and adapted to closely resemble Paul Walker in the movie. Secondly, I liked how the video showed a compilation of how computer graphics work, and seeing how blue and green screens can help a movie look more realistic in the background. It was eye catching as the green and blue screens were revealed first and transition to the edited background that brought the movie to life. Lastly, horror and slasher films are my favorite movie genre and it was interesting seeing the difference of how they filmed violence scenes decades ago compared to now.
Please see what I said about Tropic Thunder to Naina, above.
2) It is insane to know that blackface has been used in movies in recent years like the movie Tropic Thunder. Decades ago black face was seen to be accepted (which isn’t okay) but in recent years I assume that others would know blackface is offensive. The Best Years of Our Lives hired a non-professional actor who lost his hands in war, and as learning about cgi it left me thinking. For instance, throughout the years cgi has become advanced which I feel like this can be a disadvantage for real-life disabled actors/actresses because this could lead to less acting roles opportunities since the existence of cgi. Lastly, I got to learned and see the difference between short shots and long “tracking shots.”
Using disabled actors is becoming more common but still professional actors who may ensure more box office sales, like to take on disabled roles. There is a hearing impaired actor, Russell Harvard for one example, who has been in a major film (There Will Be Blood) and the TV series Fargo. Marlee Matlin, also deaf, is an Oscar winner, and there are others.Â
3) If it wasn’t for cgi, what other technology options would filmmakers decide to use?
Alyssa, if you mean for special effects, before computers even existed there were special effect in movies like King Kong (1933),The Wizard of Oz (1939), and The Thief of Bagdad (1940) that used trick photography and other ways. We will see some of the other ways in May just before our last class. Some people actually prefer the “stop-motion” look over CGI because it is handmade. Here’s an interesting explanation:
 Â
ALL STUDENTS, PLEASE NOTE: When you talk about specific films you can cay the filmmaker(s) or the director–not “they.”   * When you mention the videos from class, I edit them so, “they” doesn’t sound right. Just say, “the video.”
1)
– I like how *they go through the history and culture of film and techniques of film sometimes comparing it to literature
– How they showcase what was allowed back then and kind of go through how the culture has changed since then
– I like how they show how the clips have changed whether it’s the use of a word or censorship and allow us to compare what has changed.
– I like how they show the different ways CGI was used throughout the years2)
– How censorship has changed over the years and how lenient we are now with things that would’ve been censored before
– A lot of things that would be considered racist or inappropriate were allowed back then like blackface and casting white actors to portray another character of a different race such as Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder
– I never knew that there were so many techniques to create the tone or vibe of what I was watching3)
Has there been any new mind-blowing technique in film recently similar to CGI when it was first used?Mu, CGI is always improving so there’s no need to replace it. I imagine AI will have its impact and you probably have already heard of “deep fake.”  It is creepy and will get even more realistic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJrffEfCMrs
1) The first thing I liked in the video was the discretion of sexual material in the old movies. For example To Have and Have not scene where she tells him to whistle gave the insinuation that she was down to be intimate with him but didn’t out right say that or in movies today they explicitly show the actors having sex. Also in Clint Eastwood’s I liked the visible display of misogyny movie where back then they didn’t really take women seriously even when she showed her badge. Last, I liked how it showed what was considered to be a violent murder compared to now being that there are movies like Final destination.
Your comments are very interesting abut the changes from older times to current ones, Tshari. Â
The casting of a white actress in Imitation of Life in 1959 could probably not happen in the 21st century. In the original version from 1934, that role was played by an actress who was indeed racially mixed. The character was supposed to have had a white father who was deceased.
2) What surprised me was how they used a white woman to play a light skin black woman, especially since the mother was a brown skin black woman. It didn’t really make sense since she was playing a fully black woman. After watching those close – ups I think it brings the realism and emotion to a scene. In the movie Insidious there was a close – up scene with the father and a demon right behind him that strikes a lot of fear in the audience when it first came out even till this day. The last thing I learned was how different shot angles and cuts set the tone for a film, if the The Bourne Ultimatum didn’t have quick cuts with fast pacing it would be a lack-luster action film.
3) Why is it films from plays have more dialogue then an original script or a book?
Just think of plays you have read for English classes. The entire story is done through dialogue.  In a novel, there may be pages of description of the setting, etc.  All of that carries over to the film versions. It is the nature of plays to have dialogue, more so than the average films based on non-play sources.  A you know the first motion pictures did not even have sound.
1)
– One thing that I liked about the presentation was the way it addressed the change in language over time as society advanced. For example, censorship in 1940’s movies was huge on censorship so instead of using “Jesus Christ” as an exclamation, actors were saying “Judas Priest.” Another example includes the term “free, white, and 21.” which is a term to describe female independence. This is now considered controversial since it’s not inclusive to women of other backgrounds. Despite its controversy, terms like this as well as “mighty white,” never had any racial context, it was just meant to express something positive.
– Another thing I liked about the presentation was when it talked about how TV appearances for movies are far more censored than the theatrical releases themselves. The first comparison showed Scarface, which is a movie that’s notorious for its heavy use of profanity. On the TV appearance of Scarface, there wasn’t nearly that much profanity compared to the theatrical release. Furthermore, the same censorship can be applied towards violence as shown in the presentation for a movie called Dressed To Kill. In the TV appearance, the graphic violence that’s shown in the elevator scene is completely cut off compared to its theatrical release.
– Yet another thing that I liked about this presentation was the topic of scenes with CGI versus scenes with no CGI. I liked how the presentation highlighted films like Freaks for example, which is a film that features actors that have physical deformities. As controversial as that movie was, the visuals we see in movies back then compared to now with the use of visual effects is very fascinating. For instance, using CGI in Forrest Gump was essential in order to show that the character of Lieutenant Dan lost his legs from the Vietnam War. There wasn’t a person who was actually handicapped in the movie compared to movies back then where visual effects never existed. So to see the development of visual technology overtime have such an impact for cinema throughout history is really endearing.
2)
– One thing that I learned about the presentation was the heavy use of Asian stereotypes that was in early films. I’ve always known that negative racial stereotypes were portrayed in early Hollywood, like blackface for example. Despite this, I had no knowledge of the Asian character in Breakfast At Tiffany’s was played by an actor that wasn’t even Asian to begin with.
– Another thing that I learned about the presentation was how most films are intentionally shot in order to display the dynamic between two or more characters. So for example, there is a type of shot known as a two shot where a movie’s frame can display two characters on screen. This is primarily done in movies like Pulp Fiction for example. Also, I wanted to add that I liked the example shown in Triangle Of Sadness because even though it isn’t a two shot, the way the camera pans back and forth in order to show how different of a perspective the two characters have was really cool.
– Moreover, another cool thing that I learned with cinematography was the difference between a scene that’s edited with multiple cuts and a scene that’s just one long tracking shot. A tracking shot is a shooting technique where one scene is shot once without any edits. For example, I really liked how Raging Bull’s tracking shot looked like as well as Goodfellas. Those scenes lasted from a minute and a half to three minutes. It feels like a very intimate way to shoot a movie because it feels like you’re right there. Before these two clips were shown, the presentation showed a scene from Twilight that had multiple cuts. Once the scene replayed again with the scissors appearing in the front of the screen, it opened my eyes towards how much editing was put into just one scene alone. The long tracking shot may seem unusual for some but to me it’s honestly really nice looking. Angel, your detailed replies are a pleasure to read, since they allow me to see that you really appreciated what you watched.
If you like long racking shots, these three movies have excellent examples: Boogie Nights (the opening sequence), Magnolia (a scene in a building with people walking and using an elevator), and Atonement (a beach scene of three soldiers walking along a beach right after WWII had ended).  All of these are outstanding films to see in their entirety, and you can find the shots on Google. Here’s the one from Magnolia: Â
<b>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDMdzg_QmxM</b>3)
– To make a comment first, I really liked the pacing of the presentation. It was very informative and it made me more knowledgeable in certain topics of cinema. One question that I have is if there are other movies that use reoccurring symbols of color like how we saw in The Godfather? I would really like to know more about it because the first movie that comes to mind is The Wizard Of Oz since the colors of red, yellow, and green appear a lot. I think motifs that are featured in movies are very important.
I have never read any commentary about the use of those particular colors in The Wizard of Oz.  Sometimes in earlier color film. many colors were used throughout (like a box of crayons) to show off the relatively new Technicolor technology.  Plus, it is a film directed at children and such films tend to be colorful.
1) One of the things that I liked about the video was explaining the use of CGI and how in the past in the film Freaks they would use circus performers with severe physical deformities to film the movies. The second thing I liked about this video is the comparison of political and racial views that were allowed in films in the past compared to today. Lastly, I liked how they[?] showed the comparison of censorship by using the film, Scarface which shows how different censorship is when it is shown on non-cable broadcast.
2) One thing that I learned about the video presentation is how the use of a one-shot and two-shot can be different and can be used depending on the scene whether it’s for romance, action, or speech that will help build up the intensity and dialogue. Secondly, I learned that films from plays have noticeably more dialogue than films from other literary sources like in the film Suddenly, Last Summer, and a scene from an original screenplay might use less dialogue. Lastly, I never thought that movie directors would use selected colors deliberately to showcase symbolism, emotion, and foreshadowing.
3) How many more new film techniques have been discovered that are used today?Bryan, today’s newer techniques seem to revolve on the use of smaller, lighter cameras that can fit into real spaces, like inside cars, compared to the much larger, heavier older equipment. That is one reason why older movies were filmed on open sets that inside actual rooms. Those older cameras and lights needed space.Â
Surely, computers are widely used now for creating visuals and for editing. Â
There seem to be advancements in makeup and prosthetics: the obese man in The Whale, like when he was in the shower, have reached new levels of realism.   However, great acting and writing have always been featured throughout film history; they are not reliant on computers.
1) One thing I liked about the video is early on it shows the differences of how society was back then to how it is now. An example of that is the language they used in their society wouldn’t or can’t be used in the same context of our modern society. In the video one of the movies had a clip of “free, white, and 21” was used. This saying could mean that during that time free meant being allowed to do whatever they wanted without facing racial prejudice due to them being white as well. And 21 is the legal age of being an adult. I like how back then the sex scenes weren’t really a thing but more hinting towards it instead. I also liked how they depicted censorship. Nowadays the words or scenes would be bleeped out but an in Scarface they replaced the cursed words with other words instead.
Travis, please use “filmmakers,” “writers,” “directors” instead of the vague “they.”
2) One thing I learned is that Asians also faced negative racial stereotypes in early films. While this isn’t totally shocking i still found it interesting because you hear and see more about the negative racial stereotypes of black people more. Another thing I learned is a one shot is probably the best shot for one character in a scene but it can also be used to alternate POVs. I also learned what a two shot is, for two characters in the same frame. I’ve seen both these shots before but never knew the terms for either.
3) A question I have is what’s next in terms of directing that can be done with movies? What I mean by this is can new directing techniques still be created or are all the directors we know of are using already established techniques?
That’s a great question. Some people would say there’s nothing new under the sun, but creative people can still do original things with existing techniques. Take for example that clip of Triangle of Sadness, wherein the good-looking coupe were sitting in the backseat of a cab and rather than use one-shots or two-shots, the director panned in a smooth back and forth movement. Some directors pull out the sound where there should be sound (we will see examples in a presentation in May).  I imaging AI and *deepfake will be used more and who knows what else will be invented!
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9UOp9WRfyAÂ Â Â <–deepfake
1. One thing I liked about the video is the use of films & the placement where the movies are not just from the 1900s but also from the 2000s because it gives the audience a wider view and a better understanding. Another thing I liked about the video is the writing or the labels because it makes the video easy to understand and gives the audience what they are supposed to focus on. In addition, I liked how the videos/movies have changed over time and we– the audience– can see the difference between old movies where they ( the film industry) didn’t have advanced computers to edit the scenes of a movie to make it look more realistic.
2. One thing I never knew was the way the editors used a technique where they cut the bed/mattress to fit the lieutenant’s legs from the Forrest Gump movie. The editing of the legs below the knee was really interesting and I never knew they used that technique to edit certain parts of the body. Another thing I never knew was the face changing of the characters in a movie. I had no idea that CGI could shape a person’s face to look like someone else. In addition, I was surprised to learn the actors had to change their body color especially to mimic African- American people instead of hiring dark-colored skin people to be actors.Using white actors in blackface or yellowface is not exactly a widespread or contemporary practice.
3. Were all the movies that were presented put in that order on purpose, meaning, is there meaning behind placing the movies in the order it’s in now?
Mehriniso, when I put together the video compilations, I use whatever I think will express what I am trying to explain. Once I have chosen my clips, I try to put them in a logical order.
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