Film as Art or Entertainment?

[Mr Taylor]

Hi again, still working on the storyboard for my next shoot.
Neraly done (fifth revision!)

Got the cameras...tested them...great!

So I'm wondering, do my establishing shots have to be pretty?
I want them to be pretty, I can't help it, composition pleases me.

I have it seems the same compulsion as Kubrick, but not as severe.

As I was drawing up the storyboards, two forces seemed to be pulling on my mind, the storyteller and the photographer.

Any ideas on how to deal with this sort of conflict?

 

[Bob Kessler]

Films are about the characters and their stories. The visuals and the sound are there to convey information about the characters and their stories. A pretty picture is fine, but does it convey the information?

 

[jodymichelle]

it's for both art and entertainment

it's for both art and entertainment

I agree. As much as possible try as best as you can to put the characters and story first. Whether it's a well-written, well-developed story versus a non-well-written and underdeveloped story - you will still have an opportunity to try and deliver pretty pictures, right? What if the scenario were reversed? It would be harder to go back and fix the story.

Which brings me to a tangent thought: the fact that there are so many pretty pictures that play in the theatres, with stories that don't feed the mind or soul, what does that tell us about - well, to start with, test audiences?

 

[Mr Taylor]

Yes, you are right.
I know you are right.
In my defense, even the great Speilberg himself just had to put in lots of great natural wonder shots at the start of "Indiana Jones and the last crusade"
Kind of like Adventure tourisim.
In fact, he had the spice city of Petra in the fist one too.

About stories that don't feed the mind or soul..I expect younger people just want sex and action...the hormones in their brains get triggered by that type of input.
It's only when you get bored with that, or the hormone levels have less of a warp on your mind, do you want more.

 

[jodymichelle]

story elements

story elements

LOL how about better characters and stories with sex and action, (don't necessarily remove those elements). How much are mindless films really a reflection of culture, society, and intelligence levels of consumers? Or, how much do mindless films actually "shape" culture, society, and intelligence levels of consumers? I think if I were the pre-teen, teen, and 20-something demographic, I'd be a little insulted.

 

[Mr Taylor]

I will have to think about that.
(I have a meeting in half an hour), will give it some thought and let you know what I come up with.

 

[Mr Taylor]

Dreams lead reality, I think, after all you have to think up an idea before you put it into action.

You often hear motiviational speakers talk of using visualisation as a tool to shape your future.
What is a Film but a fancy bit of visualisation

I even think that testing has shown that visualisation enhances performance both phisically and mentally in sport.

Yes, control the dreams and you control the actions.

Sad really.

 

[Kim Welch]

importance of motion picture story telling

importance of motion picture story telling

importance of motion picture story telling

I read the subject of the thread and thought it was something else. my post is more about the Film as Art or Entertainment

I think a good motion picture can move people. I think it can inspire people. I think it has power. i remember our phychology saying entertainment is a need. I just think this is one of the greatest communication tools mankind has.

 

[Mr Taylor]

Oh, that's ok, we can cut back and forth between several lines of thought, just as a film cuts back between several lines of action...the trick is going to be to make them contact and resolve later on in the thread. (or not, lets go all "no country for old men" on it)

Well you might be right about the ability to move people.
(although I hear that people use less energy while watching a film than they do while sleeping..so not a lot of movement there(joke))

Now this ability to move...move hearts ..or move minds...or will one follow the other?

On the other hand is film nothing more that a big waste of billions of dollars , just so that people can escape the stuff they should really be doing that day?
(It is an often quoted idea that movies and lipstick do very well in a depression).

 

[jodymichelle]

what is film to you?

what is film to you?

There's that other famously referenced quote: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

 

[Mr Taylor]

Hmmm..not bad.
how about "man does not live on bread alone".
But back to the topic.
Perhaps if I compare a film to a car (for the boys) and clothes (for the girls).
Sure the car has to get you around and the clothes have to keep you warm..but if they look good too...well thats just great!
Same with film i suppose...as long as the form adds to rather than detracting from the function, then it's all good.