Week 102: Socials Roundup
Posts from 16 Dec - 22 Dec 2024
Thanks for reading and supporting and commenting and sharing and giving us even more film things to learn in 2024! We’re slowing the Substack a bit over Winter Holidays [or on our case, Summer Break], then ramping back up in the New Year.
Week 102 posts include shots from BoJack Horseman (2014-2020); Sullivan's Travels (1941); Wynonna Earp (2016–2021); Die Hard (1998); and Peep Show (2003-2015).
Die Hard
If you have any doubts about where we stand on the 'Die Hard as Christmas' debate, we've got a podcast episode for you!
Meanwhile, enjoy a breakdown of one of the most iconic movie entrances of all time:
Wynonna Earp
The entire 2:30 Wynonna Earp oner this clip is quite a scene, and has a lot of fun, theatrical transitions — as in, something you could imagine working on a stage with actors ducking in and out of doors, dramatic colour changes, and a ‘lazy Susan’ turning parts of the set.
We appreciate how the live lighting change transitions from warm, present day to flashback, distinguishing timelines and being a bit flashy while answering the question for us the audience (but not yet Wynonna) how the cryptic message got carved into her wall.
BoJack Horseman
"BoJack Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Story, Chapter One" has a lot to establish - world, characters, backstory, sitcom-within-the-show, story, conflict . . .
And because every new background, character, and outfit adds a lot of work, it's gotta make good use of its assets, without looking cheap! Look at the level of detail and in-jokes a quick cutaway scene such as this has, and how it executes without putting too much strain on the bottom line:
- multiple colours and patterns
- the overturned stroller draws most of the attention
- one of the show's many animal-name-puns "Lululemming"
- you can see coloured clothing and mannequins vaguely through the window (all inanimate objects, so you don't expect them to move!)
- when Princess Carolyn's eyes move, so does the mum's and baby's, but
- there's no other detailed motion needed, as the DON'T WALK sign cheekily lampshades
We expect eyes to move within animation, but a painting in Sullivan's Travels plays a similar trick:
Sullivan’s Travels
The painting above the mantle first glares, then considers, then is what I would describe as "deciding whether to be shocked or mildly appeased."
The shot showing it through the scene returns to the exact same lighting, framing, etc. so we can be sure yes, we're really seeing that stodgy painting change expression!
Peep Show
Peep Show 7.05 "Seasonal Beatings" smoothly transitions between multiple characters flying in and out of the scene/frame.
Once the scene leaves the big group dinner (where everyone's sitting, and their locations in relation to each other have been established), the edits generally go from motion to motion, or still-and-centre-frame to still-and-centre-frame.
eg. Dobby closing the door R-L flows into Sarah entering R-L and 'landing' where door was (0:41-0:44); then Sarah delivers her line while staying still before the camera cuts to Jez who is similarly still (0:44-0:46), and so it goes.
This editing helps keep us oriented amidst the frenetic pacing and conversation.