iMovie in-class project

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Blog #6: Animation Deconstruction

For this assignment I'll be analyzing two scenes from an animated show that will always be a personal favorite of mine... Spongebob Squarepants.


Scene 1 - Band Geeks


Scene 2 - Sweet Victory

In the first scene (Squidward’s phone call with Squilliam), bright, saturated color is used. Although there is a significant amount of neutrals in the scene, they remain richly hued, with a high value. The characters themselves particularly pop out, as they are either mint green or bright purple.

Lighting, in this scene, is used mostly to create visual depth; the shadow behind Squidward’s bookcase makes their world feel three dimensional. In Squilliam’s room, the part of the room that is supposed to be farther behind him is washed in darker colors, creating more “shadows” and therefore more depth. There is little symbolism created by light in this scene as far as I can tell—it is well-light and light seems to be used only for practical purposes, or perhaps to create a mood of every-day life.

In the second scene, where Squidward’s quickly assembled band performs at the Bubble Bowl, there is still a usage of bright, saturated color and interesting hues. This is characteristic of many cartoons—particularly Spongebob—so it comes as no surprise to me. However, in this scene, the value of the color is a bit darker in order to create dramatism and the sense that they are outdoors at nighttime.

Lighting is used more creatively (as well as practically) in this scene. First and foremost, the lighting creats shadows to represent the depth of the stage and the supposed three dimensional quality of their cartoon universe. However, lighting is also used symbolically, particularly when Spongebob is first revealed—he is in the shadows, then suddenly lit by a bright spotlight when he begins to sing. This creates a dramatic, empowering effect. The mood of this scene is highly influenced by the dramatic lighting: it gives the sense that what they’re doing is epic and powerful. I’ve also noticed that they illustrated the characters from a point of view below eye level, furthering their empowerment.

Blog #5: Storyboard Imitation

For this assignment I've storyboarded the scene that I posted in Blog #3. (click to see full size)

Now here are drawings of where I think the cameras were placed in the scene:

In this scene from 500 Days of Summer, the director followed the 180 degree rule closely. This rule states that after a line of action is established, the camera cannot cross over that line (on a 180 degree arc) except under certain circumstances. The line of action is established between Tom and Summer in this scene, and the camera stays in front of them for the entire scene; this makes for a very simple scene with little camera movement. We observe them from a position with only slight variations.

The director obeyed the rule of thirds a bit loosely, but he still used the general concept of placing the main focus of the scene in the left or right third of the shot; Tom (who is the main focus in the scene, whereas Summer is only meant to be partially focused on) is always at least slightly off center. In the shots where they are inside the elevator, the rule of thirds is used more intensely.

The rule of 30 was not followed as closely by the director of this scene. The rule states that you should change the size of your image by 30 percent—or two size levels—when switching views. The scene begins with medium shots of Tom and Summer (waist-up, or there about), and then moves directly to a close up shot of them inside the elevator. However, because the elevator doors close in between these two shots, I would argue that the director avoided a jump cut. Although perhaps technically he did not follow the rule of 30 exactly, he did not (in my opinion) make a mistake by doing so. The viewer was not disoriented by the transition nor was the artistic value of the image decreased.

I’m personally a big fan of the way this scene was directed—it is minimalist, yet quirky and creative nonetheless. One detail I noticed and liked was that the director placed Tom in between two lines that were running down the back wall of the elevator, boxing him in and drawing the viewer’s eye to him. However, the same is not done to Summer—instead, she obscures the line that could have otherwise framed her in.

Blog #4: Song Deconstruction

For this assignment I'll be comparing two versions of the song Suspended In Gaffa. Originally a Kate Bush song from 1982, it was covered by the indie rock band Ra Ra Riot in 2008.

Click here to hear the Kate version

Click here to hear the Ra Ra Riot version

(Click photos to view full-size)

Although both versions of Suspended In Gaffa  use the same lyrics, song structure, and general melody, they end up being pretty different songs as finished products. I think this is largely, first and foremost, because of the different instrumentation used in the songs: in Kate Bush’s original version, there is piano usage, whereas in Ra Ra Riot’s version there is no piano but a lot of violin and cello. However, both songs rely on the usage of drums and bass to drive the song and create the tempo. The varying qualities of Kate’s female voice and the lead singer of Ra Ra Riot’s male voice differentiate the songs, too.

The adding of loud, slow-paced cymbal beats in the chorus of Ra Ra Riot’s cover results in a very different feel to the chorus of the song—unlike in Kate’s version, this version’s chorus is more calm and mellow. The choruses set the songs apart from each other because their differences change the emotional architecture so much. In the original, the song drops and releases more built up tension. It is more fast-paced in the original, as well. But in Ra Ra Riot’s cover, the chorus remains relaxed, with a slower tempo, despite the release of the buildup formed in the bridge. Instead of relying on increased tempo in the drop, Ra Ra Riot’s cover relies mostly on more layers of instrumentation and depth for effect. Kate’s version of the song gets deeper in the chorus too, but she also adds a quicker tempo to intensify the emotional architecture of the song. This way when her chorus ends, there is a clearer recession into calmness.

The tempos of the songs, overall, are different. Although I classified both as moderato, I think Ra Ra Riot’s version has an obviously slower tempo, creating a different “groove.” I classified the original version of the song as “whimsical” and “flowing;” this feel was caused by the playful melody of the song contrasted with smooth harmony. I chose to describe Ra Ra Riot’s cover as “whimsical” and “mellow.” I think what made their version more mellow was the slowed tempo and deeper pitches used. The tempo and emotional architecture in the original also made me classify it as “emotionally intense,” but I did not get the same emotional intensity in the cover. For this reason, although I am a fan of both versions, I like Kate Bush’s version more.