All about the techniques!

MOVIE #1:  GONE GIRL
(over-all)

Released in 2014, the genre if the movie was a psychological thriller. Director  David Fincher made sure to put whatever it takes to bring about the psychotic element which the story has. Smartly produced and designed, the production design team had developed the house of Desi Collin’s lake house. As it spoke a lot about the character, Collins, it had to have the rich, controlling character and had to have a nice like the way he had.

Assistant art director for the film (Cara Brower) made the master bedroom on a stage in LA. The other built-in location was for the main house area , where the art director and their team had to make and design all furniture pieces, screens, and props for the scene. Transforming a traditional looking house to a modern, today’s go-to type house gave them good angles and new ideas on staging the set flexibility

The reason why the film was shot in that particular house was because of the warm yet distant cold feeling about it.

Gone Girl was edited in Adobe Premiere Pro to which Olive Peter’s has to say “ The hardest scenes to cut are the emotional scenes because David simplifies the shooting. You can't’ hide on the dynamic motion. More complex scenes are actually easier to cut”. The story had to be as strong as possible. For this, the editors had to get as many optical and visual effects.

The sound editing is the most important element when it comes to film making. Gone Girl is one such movie where the sound is engaging and constructive. Sound design and the music for even the standard narrative scenes were exquisitely made. Even the most typical sounds , for example, crickets croaking or a car passing by the house contributed to the storytelling. Sound shifts and getting the feeling of the unfolding of the mysterious character of Amy added more depth and meaning. Change in the sounds for Nick, (the protagonist) had an affect to how the people would view him as. Every location and scene had its own auditory look and personality.

Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth was quoted saying that there was a lot of camera movement involved which was deliberately done  to get the image of emotions changing swiftly. Specific shots, like the hand held shot was taken when the protagonist runs down from the town hall. Cronenweth chose this shot to be a hand held one because the scene required a lot of strength and energy.

MOVIE  #2: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (Sound editing)

When it comes to Harry Potter movies, especially the last two ones, the movie making, and the detailing gets more vast and so does the sound and sound editing for it.  The movie has its own unique requirements for special sounds and editing to be done. James Mather is the sound editor for Deathly Hallows part 1 and says that there is a subtle increase in the sound which leads to a crescendo. Because of this flow, the ambiance, music, dialogue and design, all set onto the scene perfectly without making the soundtrack chaotic.

The usage of Samplers(almost similar to a synthesizer but uses recordings and samples of sounds that are already recorded)  and  MIDI(these are keyboard controllers)   editing is more towards the end of the HP series. The sound made for the Horcrux scene is the same sound design one hears when the Warner Brothers logo comes up. They are a collation of  sounds like sirens, insects, animal voices and spell sounds which are played and triggered many times with different pitches and amplitude. Mixing was a must and playing it live was essential so that there is a right crescendo and balance in the sheets. When it comes to a movie with sequels, there are certain sounds that are not touched because it makes a connection so strong with the viewers that it becomes it's identity. There are some sounds that are tweaked and have elements added onto it.

  (The sound and edit team re-visit shoot area for newer sounds to match the scene and location)

New ways approaching the sequels and seeing if new tones are apt, or have percussive elements and staccato was a much for the movie. Ambiance sounds like spells, charms, doors are tweaked a little from the previous sounds. The part of the movie that has the animation scene in it needed a lot of experimentation with sound and had to be very different than the previous Potter movies. Since it was a separate tale, James Mather created a minimal yet an outlandish track. It had a voice-over throughout, by Hermoine Granger (Ema Watson) and had to sound like a dreamlike narrative with little hints of sounds to support the animation on the screen.

MOVIE  #3

GRAVITY (PRODUCTION DESIGN)

Andy Nicholson started his work as a production designer for Gravity at 2010, far before it hit the theater. A production design team needs to have a solid background and research work was done. As the movie was a space related one, the production design team researched everything related to ISS (International Space Station) and take guidance of NASA experts. Nicholas started gathering more and more information about the details of what a space station looked from the inside and outside. The production team had  to gather the exact dimension details. Those details are then forwarded to the visual effects team and the art department.

Visuals and pictures always plays an important role while setting a production set. Different forms of space shuttles were captured into large images and spread over sheets so that the visualization process became easier. It was found that every shuttle had a specific tile pattern.  The patterns were given to the texture makers as they would know how to generate the inside view of a shuttle.

 For the SOYUZ space capsule, Nicholson was keen towards using the Russian sections of the ISS as the textures were more appealing than the NASA and European ones.  Attention to details was a must as the Russian section had a more human touch in space. Religious icons, saints were a few things that made the journey of the movie relatable.

The set decoration was made the best by Rosie Goodwin and Joanna Woollard. To accentuate the set, visual effects were added. The production designer himself was sitting at the computers to have some parts of the sets and designs animated. More than sixty to seventy odd items were taken that were repeated and changed through animation for the sets. Modeling them in the art department with the specific frames needed  building them in the same animatization.

Once the animatization was done, the set design and the dressing would take off with the animation and the camera. The lighting starts afterward on the stage of the set. A lot of time was spent while making the interior sets in 3-D design as it was a new process which was explored for the very first time.

MOVIE #4

THE GREAT GATSBY

(CINEMATOGRAPHY)

Simon Duggan is the cinematographer for this film and has brought the 1920s era back into the screen all because of his cinematographic techniques. In most of the scene, the movie sees the usage of lights, particularly in the first half to give importance to Gatsby’s famed castle.

  The lighting mostly came from above as a top light sequence , having a harsh rim light in the interior as well. His cinematography goes in sync with the director and his vision. While shooting, the camera was not still for a gigantic part of the movie in the first half.  Dollys, cranes, pans were maximum to give a theatrical appearance. To get a certain flow of vision and rhythm, the camera was made to cover maximum movements as possible which also highlighted the characters in the frame.

Illuminating the characters and making them stand out from the background, the main leads/characters would get all the focus and pop off from the scene, Outdoor or indoor, they had the popping off effect and the rest of the scene falls back into the darkness or blurriness. Because of this technique, the costumes of that era got defined.

 The colours in the movie played a crucial role when it came to the cinematography and the grand theatrical sense of the movie. Usage of light on specific characters, such as on Daisy gave a very grand and an elaborate feel on her personality. The slightly blurred effect on her added  her softness and how Gatsby gets awed  by just looking at her splendor.

 He avoided the usage of  shadow on her and usually appeared brighter than anybody else. Getting influenced by theatricality, Duggan used diffusion filters that were shot perfectly and fit the story well through his cinematography.

                                                               MOVIE #5

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

(CAMERA WORK)

An essential point to remember while making this movie was to make it look natural. Yes, different period looks have been taken but all the drama would not have been possible if they didn’t have strong scene shots. Claudio Miranda was highly influenced by textures and frames of a painter to get the camera angle shot in that way of a painting. The camera locations had to have a natural light and the rest was left to the editing team of what to subtract or add into it. 

It was shot in 4:4:4 FilmStream mode with the camera’s CinemaScope option.  The lens choice was a 6-24mm Zeiss DigiZoom. It was also zoomed into and used at different focal lengths like, 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm within the zoom range. The shots and camera angles found here in this film are medium shots. Close-ups of Benjamin help reveal the transition and paint hat he goes through. The medium shots are used to probably keep the audience engaged into the scene while also making them conscious about the background. Long shots were used, for instance, in the scenes that required an aftermath reveal of a scene to get a more dramatic look.

The camera angles are not so special or over the top. General and normal angles were used for the viewers to show a feeling of normalcy. This was done because the director had other emphasis points for the movie like the narration and the story. For the rest of the scenes, there are attachments on the car for tracking it (done for inside car shots).

As an overall view, the movie has got a good composition of camera angles and shots. Fast cuts gave the viewers a long and a flow for the story with Benjamin as a voice over. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA-Ekavo2WI 

As far as fashion promotions go these days, they are all very unique and creative. Every brand has their way of promoting themselves. The promo creates an image in the viewers mind for the brand. As a part of a project, the above link is a fashion promotion for Forever New. Taking a hypothetical situation where the brand has come out with an all black collection. 

Radio Clip

So this is a short audio clip which was made for a project. It is a short radio advertisement. the product is a Taser. Seeing the situation for us ladies today, I think it is necessary that we are able to protect ourselves anywhere and at anytime. This taser is small and is in the shape of a lipstick so you can carry it in your pocket. It is easy to use and can take an offender down easily. Check out this link to play the audio. It is available on you tube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE5j0-CaYaA 

FASHION DURING THE RENAISSANCE

The word “ Renaissance” means “Resurrection” or “re-birth” and it is the period in the European civilization right after the Middle Ages where we see that there is a huge growth for an interest in values and classical learning. New explorations of  continents were seen, growth of commerce and paper , printing , the gunpowder and the compass came into existence. There was a revival of wisdom and learning all of a sudden after social decay and stagnation.
Just like anything else, fashion seemed to have evolved further. All the excessiveness in the costumes can be seen. Various countries took a different look and adapted this period in their own style. The Italian, German and French fashion seemed to have influenced what was left of Europe. Clothing was the only way of differentiating wealth and status of a person in the society. It was the ones with maximum wealth who were the trend-setters of that time. Several types of fashions can be looked into during this period because of the socio-economic gap.
The people who were with maximum wealth wore the most expensive and elaborate fabrics ranging from silk, velvets, brocades and also cotton. As cotton was difficult to source, it became a luxury to wear cotton. Fur was a must for the rich. It was also used as a lining on the insides of the garments. Dark tones and colours were used and detailed embroidery and gems and jewels were sewn onto the fabrics. The rich looked upon style much more than functionality and comfort.

As for the lower economic strata, there were simpler garments for them. But, as history shows, they also tried to imitate the richer classes and tried to implement some element of design from them into their garments. Wide sleeved chemises and tight bodices were commonly seen. The ‘slash and spread’ method of fashion was used a lot. A rule was passed down during that time that, only the rich could wear multiple colours and the peasants could only wear one. As a result, many rebelled against this discrimination and the people, would take their shirts, slash holes on them and wear it on top of another shirt while having puffing it through the holes. This technique get recognized and became a famous fashion in the Renaissance.
Fashion for the women was elaborate. Women wore long dresses with detachable sleeves. As a result, to keep their dresses clean , they also wore washable aprons/over dresses with linen chemise and shifts as underwear.

 (picture ref.:http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/r/clothing-and-jewellery/)

Their styles were multi layered and very extra-ordinary. For a woman with a wealthy background, she would have atleast 5 layers of skirts. Ie, a skirt, an under-skirt, over-bodice(vest), hoop and a collar. The women’s silhouette became stiff and puffed open with layers.  The  farthingale, which was a long cone shaped hoop skirt that women would wear while wearing a corset, to give a complete look to the attire. This era gave rise to the Corset fashion.   

Coming to the men’s clothing, it had changed a few times. It only centered around the squared look of the silhouette which could only be made by the widening of the shoulders on vests and padding them properly. Padding was made out of horse hair huge wide sleeves and long vertical slashes, with another layer under the slashed garment was present. 

A Jerkin was worn which was a short velvet jacket, mostly sleeveless, like a waistcoat. An upper Hose, full trunks was also seen, extended from the upper thighs to the waist. A Cod Piece was essential which was made from the same fabric as the jerkin. It was the forerunner of the fly. The Simar was worn , which was like a robe for men. 

Also, no outfit was complete without a headpiece. . Women had varied choices, including the ‘pointed cone” style that played to the cone fashion for the women. Men’s headwear included a wide boundary to give it a very square shape and look. 

(picture ref. :https://www.google.co.in/search?q=renaissance+clothing%5C&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB8QsARqFQoTCKGojOug8sgCFaUbpgodyikCSg&biw=1366&bih=643#imgrc=vFolHEDsFZfNPM%3)

References were taken from :- 

http://history-world.org/renaissance.htm 

http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Costume_History/renaissance.htm 

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Costume_History/Renaissance 

http://www.historytoday.com/ulinka-rublack/renaissance-fashion-birth-power-dressing  

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/r/clothing-and-jewellery/  

http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Costume_History/renaissance.htm

All About The Dark Age

The Dark Ages as a term has experienced numerous developments; its definition relies on upon who is characterizing it. In reality, presently, historians no more utilize the term on account of its negative implication. For the most part, the Dark Ages was usually the timeframe introduced by the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This occurred when the last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was removed by Odoacer. 476 AD was the time of this event.

The tough times that were faced, due to the fall of the Romans, art and design also took a turn. At this time , all the artists were completely controlled by the Church and were kept in Monasteries and different religious houses. The main reflection to be seen was more of Christian subjects and there was a strict no no to real landscapes, naturalistic art or even sculptures. This period only permitted the usage of art, frescoes, illuminated manuscripts, and mosaics to be created and these were all done in extremely toned down hues and were solely Church related. Violation of these strictures could prompt banning (basically a capital punishment), or even execution in some compelling cases. 

As far as fashion goes during that age and time,  it was largely determined by the class that people belonged to . The people wore clothes that were influenced by the styles worn by the kings and queens of their kingdom.  It was all based on the social status of that person in his/her kingdom. Medieval attire did not change as fast then as they did in the Late Middle Ages. Pieces of clothing made of intense, solid materials could endure forever. Yet, well off individuals and the privileged took pride in their appearance by wearing appealing attires.

Fashion that was worn by the royal, was actually restricted by the laws across Europe. Edward the third had stated a law that only the royals were allowed to were clothes made of pure purple, silk and gold. The clothes worn by the wealthier and upper class had been very elaborately placed jeweled and there was a lot of emphasis on the sleeves of the garment. The early medieval period saw fashion that was simple and with long shapes, wide gowns and embroidered edges. Tunics were the basic item of the clothes.

The wealthy wore garments that were made up of finer fabrics. Under tunics which were of linen was lighter as compared to wool that made them long lasting and comfortable and also, easy to wash. As linen was a product of fibers from the flax plant, it was obvious that it would be more expensive to purchase it making it difficult to be accessed by the commoners. Professional weavers and tailors were coming up at this age as they helped make the garments exclusively for the nobles and aristocracy. As for the women, they used to sew their shirts and gowns at times and add embellishments. The royals also had their silk imported from Byzantium that was scarce and costly. 

 

The commoners, serfs, peasant and workers wore a very basic tunic which was made up of thick cloth or leather (in winters). They had sandals or were barefoot. The laws directed by the Church restricted the types of clothes that had to be worn by the lower ranks. The clothes were generally made of wool or fabrics which were self woven at home.  Because of this, there was very little difference between the attires worn n by men and women, although, we can differentiate it by the women’s tunic which appeared to be longer and had a gown like structure. In the winter they wore sheepskin cloaks and mittens and hats made out of wool 

The men wore trousers under their tunics and this particular style was the reason for the differentiation between the northern European dress to Rome and Byzantium. Straps were made of either leather or straw which was then wrapped around the lower part of the legs and trouser to ensure minimal damage. 

{web pages that were referred to are:-

http://hubpages.com/style/Fashion-History-Clothinig-of-the-Early-Middle-Ages-Dark-Ages-400-900-

http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/fashion-in-the-middle-ages.html

https://historyofeuropeanfashion.wordpress.com/category/medieval-1100-1450/

http://www.lordsandladies.org/medieval-kings-clothing.htm 

image references:  http://hubpages.com/style/Fashion-History-Clothinig-of-the-Early-Middle-Ages-Dark-Ages-400-900-CE#slide-related

http://hubpages.com/style/Fashion-History-Clothinig-of-the-Early-Middle-Ages-Dark-Ages-400-900-CE#slide-related 

http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-clothing/medieval-noble-clothing.htm 

http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-clothing/medieval-noble-clothing.htm

https://tobiasmastgrave.wordpress.com/tag/dark-age/ }

Fashion during the 19th and 20th century

Queen Victoria ruled England from 1837 to 1901.

Before this time, men were the focus of fashion, but with a queen in power, women surged to the forefront. During the Victorian Era women were seen as pure and clean whose bodies were considered temples which should not be adorned with make-up. The role of a wife became to show off  her husband’s status and wealth, the husband receding to the background.

Many different clothing styles came and went during her reign, namely:

 Pre-Hoop Era 1840-1855/Hoop Era 1856-1869/Early Bustle 1869-1876/Natural Form 1877-1882/Late Bustle 1883-1889/Edwardian 1890’s.

Pre Hoop Era: In the 1840’s full skirts were supported by a vast array of petticoats made of horsehair or stiffened with cane and padding. The natural waist could be slightly longer than natural, with points in front and behind. Most trimmings were applied to widen at the shoulder, narrowing at the waist and again widening at the hem of the skirt to accentuate the tightly laced waistline.

 The bodice shoulder line ended well below the natural shoulder, often pinning the arm of the wearer down. Day dresses had narrow sleeves while evening bodices were often covered with folds of fabric or a bertha. 

In the 1850’s the sleeves started to become wider and skirts expanded in size as more and more petticoats were worn. Added flounces on the skirt helped create a wider look as dress fabrics were milled specially for flounces, with colours and patterns were designed to be cut into strips. Daytime necklines were more open and a ‘V’ neckline would be filled in over the bust by a small chemisette.

Hoop Era: With the reinvention of the cage crinoline in 1856, skirts were free to expand even farther. The round shaped hoop was somewhat bustled behind, the skirts being made of straight widths of fabric v pleated into a waistband. Bodice sleeves were full pagoda style, gathered at the shoulder and full/split at the wrist with a linen undersleeve. The bodice for casual attire now ended at the natural waist, straight all around, but the formal the formal one often had two long points at the front and 1 or 3 long points in the back.  

During the Civil war, hardships caused a decline in amount of fabric and trimmings in dresses and flounces disappeared. In 1864 the 2 piece coat sleeve tapered at the wrist and widened at the elbow and the bodice ending at the waist become popular. In 1865 skirt widths started diminishing at the hips to almost fit the waist and by 1867 skirt size reduced altogether. In 1868 skirt backs were cut in straight breadths and in 1869 the hoop was replaced by the bustle.

Early Bustle: The bustle was a framework on which the skirt was full in front and had even more fabric at the back. Overskirts became a must, and if one was not worn, one could be simulated with trimmings. In 1870 most bodices ended at the natural waist. The overskirt would be fitted over the bodice, showing a belt and often a large bow behind. A detached basque (a very short overskirt) became fashionable. By 1873, bodices became longer and longer and the polonaise was born. It was a bodice and overskirt in one garment. 

In 1875 the bustle began to dwindle in size but excess fabric remained. Many petticoats were worn to help keep the dress from trailing through the dirt. The shoulder line of the bodice still extended slightly past the natural shoulder.

Natural Form: By 1877 the bustle had diminished to a small pad or nothing at all. The bodice called the Cuirass became long and smooth fitting over the hips.A tall, slim figure became fashionable. The skirt had tie strings inside to hold the front close to the legs, leaving the back to flow freely into a train.The detached overskirt lost flavor. Bodices were also more on the shoulder than off. By 1879  the fan skirt becomes the mode. Petticoats and even hoops were needed to hold the ‘fan’ in good shape. The bodice shoulder line moves up to natural shoulder line. Neckline for day wear becomes more conservative, either high with a collar or open in a small ‘V’. By 1880 skirts are very slim and the train begins to disappear.

Late Bustle: In 1883 the bustle returned with vengeance. Skirts remains slim in front but ballooned out over a bustle frame. Evening dresses are often without sleeves. The back draperies are usually lifted high into poufs. Soon poufs, swags and drapes become an art form in itself. The daytime neckline becomes very high, with a collar. The sleeve gains fullness near the shoulder, but remains fitted below.  

Ancient Roman Clothing

The Romans had adapted to a very Greek architecture for their own purposes and created new styles in architecture as well. Vaults and arches and an intimate knowledge of building materials enabled them to achieve great success in constructing and making structures that could be used by the population.

Roman literature had its very birth influenced from Greek authors. The earliest works that are possessed till now are of historical epics telling the earliest military history of Rome.  While the republic expanded, authors began to make poetry, comedy, history and tragedy.

The paintings that were found had Etruscan influences, especially in the practice of political paintings. . Music was a part of life. Public and private events had music.  Great attention was paid to physical activities and sports and games were intricately woven into Roman culture.

There is evidence of the existence of a substantial garment industry employing  dyers and professional tailors. The main fabric was wool, later followed by linen, cotton and silk. Dyeing was done primarily from an extract of the murex sea snail harvested in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The basic garments used in Roman clothing were the Tunic, Toga, Cloak and the Stola, which was worn by women. 

Men generally wore two garments, the Tunica and the Toga, the Tunica being a short woolen under garment with short sleeves. In cold weather they were likely to wear two or three Tunics, in which case the one nearest the body, functioning as a vest, would be the Subucula. 

The Types of Tunics were Tunica Augusti Clavi: decorated with narrow Purple Stripes and worn by Knights and Legislators; Tunica Laticlavia: a much wider Clavi, reserved for wear by Senators; Tunica Palmata: made of purple silk Embroidered with Gold Thread, depicting scenes of  Military Campaigns. It was worn with Toga Picta; Tunica Recta: worn by both Men and Women during Marriage; Tunica Talaris: a full length Tunic which came into vogue during the 2^nd Century. 

The Toga was allowed to be worn only by Free Roman citizens. Foreigners or even exiled citizens could not appear in public wearing a Toga.

The Toga was basically a large Blanket, draped over the body, leaving one arm free. It usually spanned between 2.5 to 3 meters in length, some reaching up to 5.5 meters long, and up to 2 meters at its  widest.

Types of Togas:- Toga Praetexta: worn by all free Sons and Daughters of nobility until the age of 16 and also by Old Senators. It was White with a Purple Border; Toga Pura or Viriles: a plain natural Toga made od Unbleached Wool and worn by all Roman citizens over 16; Toga Candida: similar to Toga Pura, but of Bleached Wool, usually worn by candidates for Public Office, without Tunica; Toga Picta: worn on special occasions by High Ranking Officials. It was Purple in colour with Golden Embroidery; Toga Pulla: a Black or Dark coloured toga worn for Mourning. 

Paludamentum (Cloak): a Cloak or Cape fastened at one shoulder, worn by Military commanders and (less often) by their troops. It was generally Crimson, Scarlet or Purple  or sometimes White. It was fastened at the shoulder with a Clasp called the Fibula, whose size and form varied through time. Putting on the Paludamentum was a ceremonial act on setting out for War.

 

Stola: The basic female garment was the Stola, which was Long Tunic reaching to the ground. It could bave long or short sleeves, or be entirely sleeveless. The Stola was generally worn over another Tunic, the Tunica Interior.

As an Over garment women in the early days of the Republic wore the Recinium, a simple square Cloak, covering the shoulders. Later the Recinium was replaced by the Palla. 

 

The Palla was there as a Wrap for the females and they had to necessarily wear it while in the outdoors. It was either Simple or Decorated. 

 

Beards: The tradition of  intricately groomed beards was quite common among the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. The fashion of Shaving was adopted by the Greeks during the age of Alexander and was introduced by them to the Romans. In the Late Republic it was very fashionable for young Romans to keep a small, well-groomed beard known as Barbula.

Hairstyles: Roman women’s hair was plaited in braids and tied at the back of the head. Men’s hairstyle was simple curled or straight hairs.