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[dorinda]

This morning I watched a Tony Zhou "Every Frame a Painting" video I missed when it first went up (this May), about the lateral tracking shot in film. It's here:

http://vimeo.com/95552335

It's short and interesting, like his other videos, and demonstrates with some great examples (the one from "Up", for instance, where he does a nice job comparing other possible transition choices).

But I still feel like something remains unexplored there. Well--I mean, of course, it's a complicated topic, and the video's like six and a half minutes long. But still. Something else is on the tip of my tongue.

Maybe something more specific about the way it's often used for strong & direct contrast/juxtaposition (I'm thinking of times it moves 'through a wall' to show us something happening in a different space and/or time), so it's as if the move from one rectangular shape over to another distinct rectangular shape is like...turning a page? Moving to the next comic panel/frame? As if it's doing the sort of juxtaposition work that a smash cut often does, but uses the sideways drifting to include the passing of time and/or greater space than a smash cut does. (He does mention the time/space thing, but I guess I wish he could've gone into it more.)

Anyway, I found it really interesting, and you might too. I highly recommend the rest of his videos as well--the one on visual comedy in film as exemplified by Edgar Wright, I think about that one a lot, especially his examples of how so much modern American comedy film has become SO VISUALLY LAZY. (Besides, any excuse for me to watch clips of Edgar Wright's work is extremely welcome!)

Comments

[klia]

TBH, I think the animated features and war films used lateral tracking shots best, because they used them to connect to the audience's emotions, not just to change scenes.

I loved the video about visual comedy, too. I get why some directors wouldn't use those techniques, though, since comedy is as varied as every other genre. Comparing mainstream rom coms to Monty Python or Edgar Wright is kind of apples-oranges, at least to me. OTOH, you know how I feel about dull editing.

[dorinda]

Yeah, I see what you mean. But I think of it in a larger sense--not that other directors should use Edgar Wright's same visual techniques, but that they should use more visual techniques. That they should develop an actual visual style (not like his, but like their own).

Like, I think Zhou is correct that in a ton of modern American comedy film, the comedy is being left to the contents of the frame: funny costumes, funny props, but most of all the dialogue. Actual film-style-wise, this means a ton of the films end up looking and sounding really similar and lazy, stringing together mostly just medium shot-reverse-shot sequences to present the dialogue and costumes/props. But of course as you well know, films have so much more to them than that, there are all kinds of tools in the director's toolbox to make a comedy film funny in more ways, to make it sharp and creative and clever, not just a static joke-delivery-system.

OTOH, you know how I feel about dull editing.

Your very favorite thing in the whole wide world! *fleeing*

[klia]

I see what you mean. I personally think Chris Columbus set an unfortunate comedy precedent with Home Alone that a lot of directors since have tried to mimic: Have your actors yell into the camera and run around a lot, and voila, comedy! I saw bits of The Hangover on cable, and it hit me as being very aesthetically similar. And I'm not a Columbus fan, but Todd Phillips made him seem like Soderbergh. /o\

Movies like The Hangover and Bridesmaids would've really benefitted from some Wright-style visuals and editing, but they made gazillions, so clearly, there's no incentive for studios to care whether their movies are creative or well-executed.

And these days, with affordable digital technology and hosting sites, allowing anyone and their cousin to be a "filmmaker," directors/editors who strive for something different and imaginative are becoming increasingly rare.

Harumph.

[dorinda]

Have your actors yell into the camera and run around a lot, and voila, comedy!

Ugh, you said it. It's just like the Michael Bay Theorem For Making Action Movies: want it more dramatic/exciting? SHAKE THE CAMERA AND TURN THE SOUND UP!!!11!

[klia]

Just so.