Blade Runner (Scott, 1982)

CRITICAL SCORE: 7.5/10

MEMORABLE SCENE: Deckard and Pris (Doll scene) WHY: When Pris is shot (retired) she lets out these horrifying screams making the scene raw and disturbing; her convulsions also enhance this scene, reinforcing how she isn’t human and is practically malfunctioning as a doll/robot would. Making her performance haunting for the audience. Her display of acrobatics highlights how she is inexperienced and child-like despite being in an adult body.

I rate Blade Runner a 6.5/10

Diegetic- Jordan Peele’s close up in Get out; his fear and emotions are being emphasized through the use of close up. This extreme close up is used to mainly focus of his eyes that pretty much indicate his feelings of fear; this causes the audience to experience a tiny bit of that fear and sort of put themselves in the characters shoes and think about what he might be thinking in that catastrophic moment.

Intra diegetic gaze- Harley Quinn going down the slide in the end fight scene of Birds of Prey. This scene makes us see things from Harleys perspective which gives us the feelings of the euphoric emotions she is feeling.

Extra diegetic gaze- perspective of another character; and example of this is in Wolf of Wall Street when Jordan Belford talks directly to the camera. The effect this has on the audience is significant as it shifts our focus directly on Jordan and what he is saying.

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What Is Cinematography?

Cinematography is the art of photography and visual storytelling in a motion picture or television show.  Cinematography comprises all on-screen visual elements, including lighting, framing, composition, camera motion, camera angles, film selection, lens choices, depth of field, zoom, focus, colour, exposure, and filtration.

What Is a Cinematographer?

The cinematographer or director of photography is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera and light crews working on such projects and would normally be responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the image and for selecting the camera, film stock, lenses, filters, etc. The study and practice of this field is referred to as cinematography.

Cinematography: the art of camerawork in filmmaking.

Cinematographer: a person who oversees or directs camerawork in filmmaking, especially one who operates the camera.

Cinematography 

Blend of science and art used to capture, manipulate and store moving images for the purpose of creating a motion picture. Example of cinematography are the decisions made about lighting, camera filters and lenses when shooting a movie scene. The art, science, and work of photography in making films. 

Cinematographer 

A cinematographer, also known as a Director of Photography, oversees the camera and the lighting crew. They’re the person responsible for creating the look, colour, lighting, and framing of every single shot in a film.  

In my opinion, I would rate Bladerunner as a film at 7/10. I enjoyed it overall, but it was difficult to follow the flow of the storyline at times. The worldbuilding and mise-en-scene worked well together to create a futuristic piece that’s grounded in our reality and future.

A scene that I found to be memorable was more toward the beginning, where the camera pans and slowly zooms out across different areas of the city as Deckard is escorted to the police station in the flying car. The shots implement elements from our current world, even today, with advertisements for Coca-Cola and the Atari building being one of the key structures, adding realism to the world the film has brought us to.

The art and technology of motion-picture photography. Involving techniques for the general composition of a scene such as the lighting of the set or location, the choice of cameras, lenses, filters, and film stock, the camera angle and movements, and the integration of any special effects.

Cinematographer: The person responsible for the recording of a film that focuses on the visual aesthetic of a film.

Connecting IB Learner Profile to Film Studies

Knowledgeable – Being knowledgeable of media content and contexts can be useful in writing and reviewing film, and theory aspects of the course 

Risk-takers – Taking risks during practical exercises could lead to overall better products, such as certain camera angles within a short film 

Balanced – Putting an equal amount of effort into each section of the course means that the final products will always be well-rounded and not lacking in specific areas 

Open-minded – Students who are more open to experimentation and other people’s ideas could end up with more impressive work as a result of trying something new 

Reflective – Going back to old work and evaluating where you went wrong helps to improve your abilities within the course 

Caring – Useful for creating a meaningful product, as it may relate closer to a student who cares about their work and puts effort into it 

Principled – Being principled and having a sense of morality could help in deciding whether a piece of work is friendly to audiences, or could cause a conflict 

Communicators – Those who can efficiently communicate with their team during a production typically end up with a better product, and faster 

Inquirers – Seeking to learn more about the course will leave a student with more knowledge on the subject, and will therefore improve their quality of work if they take it into account 

Thinkers – Being able to contemplate elements of your work is a useful skill, linking back to reflection on where you have or might go wrong, or how to do specific tasks 

Categorising Film

Art Films 

Battleship Potemkin 

The Shape of Water 

Alphaville 

Mainstream Film 

A Bug’s Life 

The Breakfast Club 

The Wizard of Oz 

Love, Simon 

Once Upon a Time in The West 

Historically Significant Film 

Fitzcarraldo 

Battleship Potemkin 

The Seven Samurai 

Definition of Cinematography

Cinematography is a blend of science and art used to capture, manipulate and store moving images for the purpose of creating a motion picture.

Cinematographer

Is the director of photography is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film and is responsible for the technical process that gives a film its unique look and feel.