Week 67: Socials Roundup
Social Media posts from 8 April to 14 April, 2024
Week 67 saw posts on War and Peace (2016); Broad City (2014-2019); Harley Quinn (2019-present); Six Feet Under (2001-2005); and Event Horizon (1997).
War and Peace
This establishing shot from War and Peace (2016) uses set design to encapsulate its theme and title: a field peacefully blanketed by snow, broken by capillary-like installations in the foreground.
This set design doesn't only echo the arch of a bridge far in the background, but also in colour and artifice remind us of the “war” which unnecessarily spills the blood of so many.
Broad City
The punch line of this joke is landed through carefully selected shots and edit, with an assist from wardrobe and sound mixing.
As Marcel leaves, Ilana and her coworkers are shown in a wide shot; one co-worker says 'goodnight, dad' and the scene jumps into a two-shot where Ilana asks 'what'd you say!?"
As the scene cuts to a single, all restaurant noise drops out, music swells, and Ilana's co-worker pours out her heart about plans to tell Marcel he is *actually* a dad when — the scene cuts to the same two-shot from a few seconds earlier.
Music cuts out and restaurant noise comes back with the cut, as we realise there's only an empty space where Ilana was just standing.
The co-worker's look prompts the next cut to the door, where Ilana isn't just leaving, she's got her gloves and a bright orange coat on.
The punch line is not only that Ilana bailed, but that she's supernaturally fast at leaving when things get real.
Harley Quinn
*Could* you shoot a live-action POV "heavy armor comes straight at Batman's face" such as this one from Harley Quinn 2.05 "Batman's Back, Man" ?
Sure!
But they'll involve extra time, money, CGI, and/or potential insurance claims from aiming heavy props directly at a thin piece of plexiglass in front of your camera, over and over and over.
Part of the joy of animation is crafting certain shots which would be more complex, shoddy-looking, or downright impossible if you tried to recreate the real 'money shots' (here at 0:23 and 0:29) in live action.
Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under goes full split diopter in this scene from 4.07 "The Dare" —
We can see Claire's face as clearly as the anger of her classmate whose work was recently denigrated. Meanwhile the other student in the shot is in the 'split' or blur; as he's not emotionally involved in the scene, he's not visually in focus, either.
Event Horizon
This shot from Event Horizon does a great job of selling Laurence Fishburne's physicality.
Smitty (Sean Pertwee) goes to attack (Sam Neil) but is instead thrown down by Captain Miller (Fishburne) and then yanked upright.
It's done in one shot with the actor's faces visible, so it feels more real. While the camera pivot around Fishburne gives him an air of menace *and* we can see the reactions from the rest of the crew.
In fact, the whole scene is shot using circular movements, alternating between wide group shots and long-lens singles.
While this is a fairly classic approach to build tension — it makes the characters feel like they're trapped or being, well, encircled — it's particularly effectively done here.
All the actors (all greats!) feel present in the scene. Possibly this was shot as roving masters, so all the actors had to be "on" during every take.
While the production design has a lot of depth and texture, and the console itself is circular so it feels visually strong.
Just great stuff!