Storyboards [WIP] - Act 1 Animatic

Life Drawing -

Playing with perspective and for-shortening, took a while to get to grips with the idea of it as it felt so unnatural

Film Review – Hitchcocks Rear Window

Fig.1 Poster Art

Rear Window is a Alfred Hitchcock movie released in 1954 based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story “It had to be Murder”. It’s an American suspense film starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey and Thelma Ritter. Critics and scholars claim ‘Rear Window’ is Hitchcock’s best, receiving four Academy Award nominations. 

Fig.2 Telescopic Camera

 Jeff (James Stewart) is confined to his apartment with a broken leg; his rear window looks out onto a small courtyard and several other compartments. During an extremely hot summer he spends his time by watching his neighbours. He notices suspicious movements from a certain neighbour who travels back and forth from his apartment with suitcases, soon after the disappearance of wife. Jeff and his partner Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) become increasingly weary about the situation and begin to make further inquiries.

The build up of suspense during this film can only be down to “Hitchcock's supple and witty handling of a story that only slowly develops true tension lends the proceedings a complete sense of confidence” (MCCARTHY, 2000) The way that Hitchcock builds up the pace to the final un-ravelling of the plot makes for a very enjoyable watch, as nearly every other Hitchcock film achieves and “In a very general way, it effortlessly demonstrates all that we now understand to be the splendour of the Hitchcockian cinema of the absurdly logical.” (CANBY, 1983) 

Fig.3 His front row seat to a real-time drama

“Rear Window is a demonstration that the spectator identifies with the camera, and that the entire cinema machine is predicated on what psychologists call the scopic drive.” (Hoberman, 2000) The viewer is made to feel as if he is staring through the keyhole into other people’s lives as they play out, this is exactly what Hitchcock wanted to achieve through this movie.

The film leads the viewer to wonder what is really going on in the lives of our own neighbours, and what secrets lie in closet of them, as Jeff’s home-care nurse says during the film "Whatever happened to that old saying, 'Love thy neighbour'?".

Bibliography

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117775567?refcatid=31

http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/100983hitch-window-reflect.html

http://www.villagevoice.com/2000-01-18/film/out-of-sight/1/

List of Illustrations

Fig.1  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d6/Rearwindowposter.jpg/220px-Rearwindowposter.jpg

Fig.2 http://hitchcock.tv/mov/rear_window/images/window2.gif

Fig.3 http://andrewsidea.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/rearwindow2.png

Film Review – Alfred Hitchcock – Psycho

Fig.1 Poster Art

Psycho, released in 1960 is a suspense/ horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on the novel by Robert Bloch, which is inspired by the Wisconsin murderer and grave robber Ed Gein. The film received mixed reviews, however due to its smash hit at the box office, which led to four Academy Award nominations was re-reviewed by many and since then has been a turning point in the film industry in terms of the use of editing and its story.

The follows the secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) who steals $40,000 from a client of her employer, and flees to her lover in California Sam Loomis (John Gavin) There is a heavy rainstorm on route, forcing her to stay at a Bates motel until the storm has stopped. The owner seems nice enough, just appears a little lonely to Marion.

Fig2. Shower scene

The Atmosphere created throughout this film is second to none, with one of the most famous scenes constantly parodied in future films, the shower scene with Marion. “brilliantly economical and tense, are simply more psychologically convincing and real than anything else in this baroque, inspired shocker” (Peter Bradshaw, 2010) the quick camera movements and editing within the shower scene involves the viewer almost totally, making one feel as if he is the attacker or the victim. The montage editing, flicking back and forth from the knife to the face of Marion. “The famous shower scene never shows the knife touching flesh, but it's still terrifying.” (Wenk 2011)The attack comes what unexpected to the viewer, making us feel deeply for the death of her. Once this attack has happened the viewer knows that the film is about to fall into chaos.

Add caption

The film has become one of the most overly critiqued movies “And, of course, it was the first movie to show a toilet flushing, so we might also credit it with spawning the entire gross-out genre. ‘Psycho’: we salute you.” (David Jenkins, 2010) The film opened many people’s eyes to what film could become in the future.

Release:

1960

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Screenplay by:

Joseph Stefano

Produced by:

Alfred Hitchcock

Genre/subgenre:

Thriller, Mystery, Horror

Country:

United States

Cast:

Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Janet Leigh

Bibliography

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/apr/01/psycho-review

http://www.totalfilm.com/reviews/cinema/psycho

http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/71535/psycho.html

List of Illustrations

Fig 1: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Psycho_(1960).jpg/215px-Psycho_(1960).jpg

Fig 2: http://www.weeatfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/1960-PSYCHO-0011.jpeg

Fig.3: http://filmsdefrance.com/img/Psycho_2.jpg

 

Introduction to Pre-Viz

After receiving feedback from my OGR it became clear that you would not fully understand the how the characters came to be where they were, and how their rivalry would really show, so from Phil’s feedback I have re-wrote act 1 so that it is more simple however easier to see.

Act 1 –

Environment – Inside Geoffrey’s trailer

Time - Night

FADE IN:

Geoffrey sits at his desk chair, reclining with his eyes closed but still awake. In the corner of the room a small Victorian stool sits with a vintage vinyl player playing soft jazz playing.

The walls of the caravan are littered with posters and framed images of Geoffrey, in his ‘Glory days’ all surrounding the mirror which sits above his desk which he sitting at. 

Geoffrey slowly gets to his feet as his act is announced over the tannoy outside his caravan.

He admires his self in the mirror with a sense of defeat in his face, but still a spark of pride and happiness. He gazes around the caravan as he admires his life work; he drags himself over to the vinyl player and removes the pin. He walks to the door and places his hand on the handle, then pausing to look over his shoulder around him.

Then swings the door open with a sigh

CUT TO:

Patrice is stepping out of his caravan at the same time; he spins quickly on the spot to come face with geoffey.

story-boards incoming :)

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OGR# Presentation 2

ogr2

OGR# Presentation 1

ogr1

Influence Maps -

Influence Maps -

Story Idea 2 -

Environment: Circus (Circ de Marvel)

Main Character: Geoffrey

Age: 49 (A veteran in the circus world)

 

From:  England

Build: Tall, skinny

Geoffrey, Is a specialist tightrope walker that specialises in the juggling swords whilst performing his tightrope walk act at death defying heights. He is a confident man however struggles to work with his partner, Patrice. Throughout their time together in the circus the tension between them has built as they each try to outdo one another. 

Rival Character: Patrice

Age: 28

From: France

Build: Short, stocky, French?

Patrice is a tightrope master that at a young age became recognised for walking across the Grand Canyon at the age of 7, he has grown to become a very forward person, with a large ego and seen by many as ignorant and a handful to deal with around the circus. His constant need to be the best means during the circus acts he is always trying to one up Geoffrey, with his bowling ball act. 

Plot:

Geoffrey and Patrice are the opening act for the circus company Circ de Marvel, they are both perform in unison, walking from opposite sides of the tent, each time doing something more creative above a large pool.

Patrice seems to be getting the bigger cheer from the crowd as he walks across on his own, spinning a bowling ball on his middle finger. Geoffrey then pulls out his swords and begins to juggle three at once whilst walking across the rope. The crowd get louder in response to Geoffrey, which angers Patrice, as he brings out two more bowling balls and begins to juggle them around his body as he walks across the tent.

As the rage between them increases, the crowd’s cheers increase each time. As they are walking across the rope Patrice throws a bowling ball to him to catch. The sheer weight of the bowling ball knocks Geoffrey completely off guard causing him to have to clutch onto the line with both his hands dropping his swords and the bowling ball to depths of the pool below. As Geoffrey pulls himself back up to his platform his takes his remaining sword and slices the rope supporting Patrice, causing him to swing around the tent in desperate attempts to get back to his own platform. 

Now there is only one line left for Patrice and Geoffrey to walk across, they run at each other meeting in the middle face to face, and in the final act for victory, Geoffrey bends over and slices the rope but at the same time Patrice places his final bowling ball in Geoffrey’s pants, causing them to both fall into pool below causing a huge splash!

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Story Idea #1

Character: Geoffrey

Occupation/ Lifestyle: Tight-rope walker

Age: 59

Hobbies: Swimming and Fishing

Geoffrey feels the sudden urge to go swimming to a new a leisure centre, he hops in his car and drives down the pool. 

He arrives at the pool, only to be told by the receptionist there is no swimming pool and that it hasn’t been there for 30 years. (The receptionist points to a sign saying bowling alley) Geoffrey had never been bowling before so the excitement to give it a go overwhelmed him. He walks through the doors behind reception.

(In front of him is an empty swimming pool with the bowling alley built in to it. His jaw drops with amazement. He sets down his towel, goggles and shampoo down in the middle alley, the only one that is lit up. There is only one bowling ball on the ball return system, he walks towards it and sets himself up for his shot)

(Cameras: moving slowing around him, building suspense, ending with a close up shot of his face)

 Geoffrey builds into a run, and throws the ball down the alley, (the camera follows the ball down the alley) as the ball gets near to the end, the ball begins to swerve to the side, and slowing down tittering on the edge of the gutter. Eventually falling into the gutter and remaining still near the end of the alley. Geoffrey falls onto his knees in disappointment clutching at is head.

He has an idea! He stands up, stretches a little then begins the walk along the tiny bar separating the lanes, balancing precariously placing one foot in front of another. He reaches the ball jammed in the gutter and jumps up celebrating, however due to his jump of celebration he falls into the lane setting off the REDLINE system! 

End of storm!