8th RTF Blog Post: 3 Act Structure

In Christopher Nolan’s, The Prestige, we see how Hollywood’s three-act structure is presented and how the climax is built up until the near end of the film as discussed in Professor Ramirez-Berg's lecture.

The first act usually includes the first 30 minutes and is the setup of the screenplay. In the story, we are introduced to the two main characters that play magicians in the movie: Robert "The Great Danton" Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale). The two colleagues first start out as friends and assistants to a magician. Unfotunately, disaster strikes during their performance to the underwater escape. Borden ties Julia's (Angier's wife) in a complex knot that keeps her from escaping the water chamber in time, leading to her death. ,During the funeral, Angier confronts Borden, asking which knot he tied. His answer is that he "doesn't know," which Angier can not accept. This is the beginning of their rivalry.

 Act II comprises of the next two quarters of the film (generally from 30-60 minutes long). It is the confrontation. Throughout this part of the film, we see that both magicians' intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle full of obsession, deceit and jealousy. The movie goes back and forth in time showing the different schemes that each protagonist played on the other to ruin their attempts of success. Angier disguises himself as an audience member to sabotage Borden's "Magic Bullet" trick. He intentionally shoots a finger leaving Borden scarred from what he did to his wife. To get back at him he equally ruins Angier's "Disappearing Bird" trick. Soon enough, Borden returns with his most impressive trick: "The Transporting Man". Angier "breaks his head" throughout the rest of the movie to figure out the secret. 

 The third and final act reveal Bordon's trick. Angier finally realizes that the secret of Borden's "Transported Man" was simple. Borden had a twin brother, and they were switching back and forth between the roles of Borden and his assistant. It also reveals Angier's secret to replicate himself in his trick. He owns a machine that replicates a double, and rigs a trapdoor on stage to get rid of him after the show. The last minutes result as the climax, filling all the gaps that were left out throughout the movie.

7th RTF Blog Post: Serial Features in TV Sitcoms

       In today’s TV shows, there are specific features for the different types of television programs (series, serial, and episodic). A serial show tells a story that develops over a period of time, which requires sequential viewing to make sure the viewer doesn’t miss anything. For serial shows, the characters tend to be more complicated and dynamic; their stories are told throughout the entire season(s). The plot is also not always predictable. Unlike episodic shows (such as House or Family Guy), serial does not follow a pattern (i.e. problem in the beginning; solution at the end). Every episode brings new problems and, sometimes, new characters.

       An example would be the TV series, LOST. LOST contains very complex characters and tells a story over time. The end of every episode leaves you more confused than the one before, but gets you closer to understanding the plot. It tells the story of several strangers who survived a plane crash on an island. Over time, the characters’ stories unfold and the viewers realize that there is more to the island than previously thought. Overall, each episode tells a story, but the episodes together tell a bigger story.

6th RTF Blog Post: Match Point

 The movie I decided to analyze was Match Point. My first shot is the Close Up shot. As discussed in class, this is the important detail shot. Here we are able to see the character's (Chris Wilton) facial features and descriptions. Here, he is having a drink with a girl that he is interested in. We infer that his eyes are engaged to the other character's. His feelings and emotions are then presented through the shot, which is what the director (Woody Allen) wants us to see.

The second shot is the Medium Shot (also known as the information shot). It is usually a shot from the knees or waist up. it is used to show a relationship between characters. In the movie, this is the part where we find out that Chris is attracted to Nola. We are able to see that both characters are flirting with each other and having a very intensive conversation. This is the first scene where the movie becomes more interesting; it foreshadows what is to come.

The last shot I chose for the movie was the scene with Nola and Chris walking in an unknown neighborhood discussing their secret affair. It is a Long Shot. These types of shots mainly shows a whole setting; the character(s) are also seen in full view. It shows the two characters isolated from the world. The fact that they are alone and the type of shot help the viewer understand what message the director is trying to portray. Clearly, they are doing something that is frowned upon in society which heightens the scene as well.

5th RTF Blog Post: Studio System

One of the factors for the success of Classical Hollywood was the way the studio system was set. Major studios, such as the Big Five, were completely vertically integrated which meant that they worked with all aspects of their films. Large companies like these held contracts with all of their employees including their major stars. They basically used famous actors to sell a movie.

Studios would use Hollywood stars to put an emphasis on their image rather than on real acting talents. Therefore, audiences would go to see a film for a certain actor rather than for the plot of the movie. In doing so, the actors would constantly play the same type of character in a movie whether it be a criminal, or the rebel, or the girl that everyone loved.

An example would be a feature film starring John Wayne. He has come to be considered one of the many archetypal movie stars. Although his acting career varied, John Wayne was most famous for starring in war and Western films such as Stagecoach, Rio Bravo, and True Grit.

Image From http://stevesomething.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/stagecoach.jpg

4th RTF Blog Post: All in the Family vs That 70s Show

       Contemporary family-based comedy sitcoms today both reflect and contrast those from those back in the 1960’s and 70’s. All in the Family was one of the first comedic TV shows of its time to present contentious issues from society. More recent shows, such as That 70’s Show, continue to bring forth debatable topics but have also become more accustomed to free speech.
       Both shows tend to centralize their comedy on social issues. They touch on subjects such as homosexuality and racism and use those themes to get a point across to the public. For example, the episode played during the screening of All in the Family centered itself on a family’s differing views of a man’s sexual orientation to view issue in a different light. In That 70’s Show, the same thing is done where Eric Foreman’s friend Buddy kisses him, putting both characters in an awkward situation. A few other similar characteristics are that both set in America in the 1970s, and portray the stereotypical family with the old-fashioned, man-of-the-house father.
       However, although both sitcoms were set in the same time period, one was actually aired in the 70’s while the other began production in the late 90s and ended in May of 2006. All in the Family took social issues more seriously than the ones presented today. That 70’s Show presents such issues in a lighter sense simply because it is not as “bold” of a statement as it was in previous decades. Also, the main cast of All in the Family was basically white, where That 70’s Show introduced “foreign” characters such as Fez.
       Overall, the issues presented in each comedy sitcom are different. All in the Family puts perspective to the social issues previously stated; they are more serious and make the viewer somewhat uncomfortable. That 70’s Show on the other hand, deals with more teen related issues such as freedom of speech, the use of drugs, and relationships between couples and friends.