Screen Arts

Film Title Director & Year The Matrix Wachowski siblings What do you believe to be the overall theme of the film? True freedom is impossible to obtain. Brief description of what happens within this scene. Neo is contacted by Morpheus and told he is being hunted by an ominous force and needs to escape. What role does this sequence play within the larger scope of the film, why is the scene important? (consider rising action, climax, turning point, character development, exposition, tone, motifs, etc.) This scene introduces us to Neo’s relationship with the matrix and his issues with authority.   We also start to get an idea of the lack of freedom Neo has in his own life. Cinematography: Note the composition, camera movement, colour, types of shots used, focus, depth of field. Meanings: Note the ways in which the formal elements contribute to the meaning of the story / scene...

Provide an overview of the Persistence of Vision documentary watched in class and address the following: What are your thoughts on Richard Williams level of perfectionism? Do you feel it was fair to have his film taken from away him… why? In your opinion, what could have been done differently during production to ensure the film was completed on time? This documentary is based on the career of animator Richard Williams who spent years working on his masterpiece only to have it torn away as it reached completion. In my opinion Richards level of perfectionism over his film The Thief and the Cobbler is understandable but on a professional level it is excessive. Richards desire to show his dream animation is something many animators could relate to. Yet Richards dream seemed to start to rule his better judgement. Richards passion for the film really hindered his ability to make professional decisions and instead focused on bringing his vision to reality.   ...

What is a Dogme Film: Dogme 95 was started in 1995 by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg with the idea in mind: to return to "traditional values of story, acting, and theme, and excluding the use of elaborate special effects or technology." At that time, big budget Hollywood films were reigning supreme, and von Trier and Vinterberg wanted to show that budgets don't define quality. Similar to Dogme 95, movements such as Italian Neorealism and French New Wave had certain political implications. but while Italian and French filmmakers embraced creative freedom, Dogme 95 wrote their manifesto and imposed a set of ten rules known as the "vow of chastity": Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found). The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the sc...