Summary

In this blog, I analyze the movie Do the Right Thing, a classic that I believe should be mandatory viewing for anyone interested in films, culture, or politics.

Film Analysis

Film Title	Do the Right Thing
Year	1989
Director	Spike Lee
Country	USA
Genre	Comedy-drama
If you could work on this film (change it), what would you change and why?	Spike Lee has been criticized by authors and activists such as Bell Hooks for his depiction and sexualization of women, specifically Black women. I think the nude scene was unnecessary and upon further research I found that Rosie Perez actually vocalized that she was uncomfortable doing the scene and was crying during it.

TOPIC	YOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?	Mookie
2. Who is the antagonist?	The Heat
3. What is the conflict?	Racial tensions between Italian business owners and the Black community of a Brooklyn neighborhood are particularly strained on a very hot day in the summer.
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)	Racial justice
5. How is the story told (linear, non-linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)	Linear
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?	Mookie is a young adult living in a diverse Brooklyn neighborhood and struggling with his work-life balance between his job as a pizza delivery man and young child. On the hottest day of the summer, racial tensions come to a peak and an argument begins between the pizza shop owner and a customer about the representation on the “wall of fame”. Later on this argument becomes a full on brawl that results in police arriving and killing an unarmed Black man. Mookie throws a trashcan through the window of the pizza shop and people torch the entire building. The next day Mookie and his boss meet up and reconcile, and the movie is ended with a radio station remembering the man who was killed, and quotes from MLK and Malcom X.
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage such reactions?	Throughout the film, tense moments are filmed with a wide angle and focal point on people’s faces, making us feel close to the situation. The diegetic music is played loudly over characters voices when it is loud in the movie. The film has multiple instances of likable characters doing regrettable things, leading to conflicting feelings from views. All of these elements are very intentional and overall contribute to the emotional rollercoaster that this film is, eliciting feelings of stress, betrayal, helplessness, and peace, all at once.
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?	The setting is a realistic neighborhood, but the atmosphere suggests a vibrant feeling. The boombox serves a symbolic function as an object of resistance.
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?	Most of the characters are costumed somewhat plainly and realistically, with Mookie wearing his work uniform, and everyone dressed in streetwear or clothing from the time, all appropriate for the weather. A character that stands out for their costume is Da Mayor, the neighborhood “bum”. He is dressed in a tattered suit, which suggests that he is old-fashioned, but also poor.
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?	Throughout the beginning and middle, the lighting outside is normal, same with indoors, with the exception of some bedrooms that are filmed dark and shadowy. At the end of the movie, when we devolve into chaos, the lighting is dark.
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?	The way that some characters are filmed with close up wide angles expresses their emotions and the tension of the moment.
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?	Non-diegetic music in the film represents the feelings of the characters and the atmosphere of the time, like Can’t Stand it, a song about unbearable heat. However, the most impactful music in the film is the song blaring form Radio Raheem’s boombox, Fight the Power by public enemy, a song about Black liberation and fighting against oppression.
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?	At the time of Do the Right Thing’s release, Black Americans were struggling with systemic issues such as unequal housing, representation, and police brutality, as they still are over 40 years later. However, this topic was just as polarizing as it is now and there was a lot of tension and between different racial groups, and in a setting as diverse as Brooklyn, it was the perfect place to hold these biases to the light. Our main character is Mookie, a young Black man, but his girlfriend is Puerto Rican, his boss is Italian, the convenience store owner across from is work place is Korean, we learn about and connect to all of these people. This film changed the culture of cinema, it was Black movie about racial issues that was enjoyed and understood by many audiences. Prior to its release, some critics said that it would incite riots in the streets, clearly missing the point .
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources. Example: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.	“Of course it is confused. Of course it wavers between middle-class values and street values. Of course it is not sure whether it believes in liberal pieties or militancy. Of course some of the characters are sympathetic and others are hateful. And of course some of the likable characters do bad things. Isn’t that the way it is in America today? Anyone who walks into this film expecting answers is a dreamer or a fool. But anyone who leaves the movie with more intolerance than they walked in with wasn’t paying attention.” – Robert Egbert (1989)
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene.Example: from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00.Explain why you chose this scene.	01:40:00 – 01:53:43
16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below to justify why this scene best represents the film:
a. Screenwriting:	The final conversation between Sal and Mookie has been described as a “cautious reconciliation” which I think is accurate. Their conversation is tense, but it ends with Mookie telling Sal he owes him some money, which suggests that he will return to him. The radio segment at the end gives us a sense of closure as it also pays remembrance to Radio Raheem. I think it was a good choice to put the two quotes from MLK and Malcom X, giving two different perspective on the place of violence in Black liberation, followed by a picture of them shaking hands, showing that people with different views can get along.
b. Sound Design:	The radio is playing in the back the entire time, but at the very end it comes to the front and is more clear.
c. Camera Movements/Angles:	The camera shows three different perspectives, Mookie’s, Sal’s, and a view of the two of them. When we look at Sal we see a mural in the background representing multiculturalism.
d. Light Setup:	The light is pretty standard for this film as it is outdoors, and intentionally or not, Sal’s store is in the shadows and Mookie walks onto the bright street.
e. Soundtrack/Score:	Jazz plays in the background on the radio, a genre culturally significant to Black Americans.
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?	The two quotes at the end sum up the themes of the entire movie, two men with different ideas of means to achieve an end, but the same core values, getting along.

This worksheet was developed with ideas from many IB Film teachers, thus should remain in the Creative Commons.

Summary

This was an editing project where we were given 30 minutes of raw footage and asked to turn it into a 2-3 minute video. I just focused on the basics of editing with premiere as it was new to me, cutting out bad parts, adding B roll, and making it still flow like a normal interview.

Terms and Concepts

Keyboard Shortcuts

• V – Selection tool
• Q – Cuts everything to the left
• W – Cuts everything to the right
• Cmd, K – Makes a cut
• \ – Shows the entire timeline
• Home – Moves cursor to the beginning of the timeline
• I – In-point
• O – Out-point
• ; – Lift (leaves a gap)
• ‘ – Extract (fills the gap)
• B – Ripple edit tool
• Up Arrow – Moves cursor to the left edit
• Down Arrow – Moves cursor to the right edit
• Left Arrow – Moves cursor to the previous frame
• Right Arrow – Moves cursor to the next frame
• Cmd, Shift, D – Crossfade
• Number Pad – Moves cursor to a specific location on the timeline
• A – Selects all tracks forward
• . –  Drops a clip into the timeline
• Opt, X – Clears all in-points and out-points

Techniques / Tools

• Cross Fade: Smooths out jolts between clips.
• Three-Point Editing: Add one in-point and one out-point on the timeline, and one in-point on the individual clip. Or add one in-point on the timeline, and one in-point and one out-point on the timeline. Then simply drop the clip into the timeline.
• Morph Cut: Helps fix jump cuts. To use it, go to Effects and search for “morph.” Drag and drop the Morph Cut onto an edit. After it finishes analyzing, render it by clicking Enter.
• Adjusting Audio Levels:
  • To adjust the levels of all the audio, select all the audio clips, right-click, choose Audio Gain, and adjust.
  • To create keyframes, hold down Cmd and click on the audio level bar. Use these keyframes to adjust the audio levels of just a specific section.
• Color Grading: Select a clip, go to the Color layout, and make adjustments. To apply this color grading to several other clips, select the main clip, go to Effect Controls, click on Lumetri Color, and copy it. Then select all the clips that need the filter and hit paste.
• Razor Blade Tool: Used to cut out a section of a clip.

Collating Files and Storyboard

I just used the beginning of the video and the picked random videos from the James Clark file.

Project Skills Evidence

What I Learned

I learned the basics of premiere, and that editing is very frustrating.

SUMMARY

We created a film based off of the Chocolate script.

Role

Screenwriter

Intention (SMART Goal)

By October 14th, as part of team #3, as screenwriter, I will have evidence of beginning middle and end by following this tutorial for session 1.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Billy Wilder – Made more than 60 films, versatile, some highly acclaimed. Wilder admired Ernest Lubtisch, a comedy writer, “wrings as much as possible out of every moment.” Wilder uses moments of comedy to deepen drama. Worked around “moral regulations” in Hollywood (similar to how we have to keep our films appropriate). Dialogue sharp and revealing, films surprising and provocative, have big emotions that are timeless.

Training Source(s)

5 Basic Elements

• Slug line (Scene heading)
  • Interior or exterior
  • Location
  • Description of time (day/night)
• Action
  • Write in present tense
  • First time character is introduced, name is capitalized
  • Capitalization calls attention to certain sounds
• Character Name
  • All caps, centered
  • If off screen (os)
  • If voiceover (vs)
• Dialogue
  • Centered, left alignment
  • Can be written in characters voice
• Parentheticals
  • Parentheses centered below character name and above dialogue
  • Blocks out a scene

Project Timeline

1. Planning
2. Storyboard
3. Shotlist
4. Location
5. Shooting
6. Reshooting
7. Editing
8. Export

Proposed Budget

n/a

PRODUCTION – ACTION

The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)

Film

Skills Commentary

Slideshow

Showed evidence of beginning middle and end on the chocolate script.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

I grew and learned about creativity and problem solving when my team ran into obstacles and had to think of solutions to continue the creative process.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

Our whole team had to communicate to make our film flow well, and as an actor I had to listen to the director/crew and be consistent.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

I learned how to use celtx.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

I learned how to work with a team at something we are all new at.

Reactions to the Final Version

“I like the spin you put on the script” – Michelle

“Some ADR was mixed up, actors were too loud” – Coletrane

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

Our film was simple, unexpected, emotional, and a good story.

Grammar and Spelling

Spellcheck

Editor

Sri W.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0r8eZyeAhE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_v20GYCGUM

Summary

This is a montage video of my typical day of online school.

Logline

A student goes to school and is bored.

Intent / Goals

My goal was to make a simple film that students could relate to.

Research

I didn’t have to research much for my role because I was playing myself.

Questions

Was the film relatable? Did the edits fit in well?

Peer Feedback

“YES relatable!!!” – Brian

“I think that the edits fit well, It was easy to see the clear passing of time, and the film was very relatable. I also liked the ending, and the audio of the teacher added a lot I think.” – Stuart

“I thought the edits were smooth, I liked the blackout in the beginning” – Robbie

“I think it was relatable, and the edits were pretty seamless. I think if you wanted to make it more interesting/engaging, you could utilize more of a variety of shots so it wasn’t the same shot the whole time.” – Avian

“the quiet audio for the zoom teachers was good because they audience couldn’t really pay attention to them just like the character in the film” -Neil

“I really liked the edits near the middle of the film. I think it captured the moods of online learning!” – Bradley

Editing Language

• Cutting to individual people & places instead of a whole room shot
• Shows the emotion on people’s faces, specifically Red
• Creates suspense for the viewers

Mirror Cutting

Editor Nicholas said in an interview “We talked about match cutting as a technique but we did a lot of what I call ‘mirror cutting’ to an inverted action or an inverted emotion or an uncanny replica of something. The underground dance/fight at the end was the purest form of musical, psychological, and artistic editing.”

Mirror cutting is similar to match cutting and cross cutting which are other techniques used by editors, in shows like Stranger Things which there are “two worlds” it is crucial to the emotion of the show to cut between.

Sources

‘Us’ Nails Its Doppelgänger Horror With Unique ‘Mirror Cutting’ Editing Techniques

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_cut

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-cutting

https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-direct-your-first-film-67387/

• Stay organized!
• Group by scene, act, event
• Be prepared for bumps in the road
• Cast people who respect your vision
• Storyboard to visualize ideas
• Talk to and connect with other directors

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12cElW7Pp1HIGxITmPLAloxMXaex6_QMJ/view?usp=sharing

Summary

This 60 second film is a narration of my dog’s inner thoughts while I am petting him. I often think to myself, what if my dog doesn’t love me as much as I think he does? Or what if he isn’t a big happy doofus on the inside? This was my interpretation of what he might be thinking.

Questions

• Was it funny?
• Was the sound quality ok?
• Do you think my dog is cute?

Peer Feedback

• Loved the voice over! Sound quality was great. – Bradley Berbells
• I would recommend more close up’s of the dog and a shot of yourself from the dogs point of view. – Aidan Anderson
• I thought it was funny! I liked how you narrated the dogs thoughts! – Avery Miller
• I like how the dog understands the flow of time as it is but also thinks of things in terms of dog years. – Dylan Werts
• The sound was great, very funny, very cute dog. He didn’t seem very enthusiastic to be in your film – Nairn Peters
• I liked the dog, and the different things he explains. I thought it was funny – Stuart Whitney
• Beautiful angled shot – Brian Favorite

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12cElW7Pp1HIGxITmPLAloxMXaex6_QMJ/view?usp=sharing

Summary

This 60 second film is a narration of my dog’s inner thoughts while I am petting him. I often think to myself, what if my dog doesn’t love me as much as I think he does? Or what if he isn’t a big happy doofus on the inside? This was my interpretation of what he might be thinking.

Feedback Questions

• Was it funny?
• Was the sound quality ok?
• Do you think my dog is cute?

Summary

I chose the Handmaid’s Tale to analyze because I like dystopian stories with strong characters, which the series fits the bill for.

Film Analysis

Film Title	The Handmaid’s Tale
Year	2017
Director	Reed Morano
Country	USA
Genre	Drama, Sci-Fi
If you could work on this film (change it), what would you change and why?	I would change some of the visuals and lighting.

As you view films, consider how the cuts, camera angles, shots, and movement work to create particular meanings. Think about how they establish space, privilege certain characters, suggest relationships, and emphasize themes. In addition to shot distances, angles, editing, and camera movement, note details of the narrative, setting, characters, lighting, props, costume, tone, and sound.

Ask yourself the following questions:

TOPIC	YOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?	June (Offred)
2. Who is the antagonist?	Aunt Lydia, Commander and Wife
3. What is the conflict?	The oppression of women and other minority groups
4. What is the theme? (summarize in one or two words) Learn more…	Women’s liberation
5. How is the story told (linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)Learn more…	Linear with flashbacks
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?	Offred has been captured by the new totalitarian state that was made to raise birthrates and help the environment but the leaders established biblical law and interpreted it in a way that oppressed women and anyone who didn’t fit their mold.
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)? Why does the film encourage such reactions?	The sound and editing make it a very suspenseful watch, and they want us to feel this way so it puts us in the shoes of people living there.
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized? What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?	The setting is realistic, the house that Offred lives in is old architecture but could still exist today, however, the lack of any seemingly modern technology shows how this society has returned to tradition.
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?	All the characters are costumed and made up very simply. Even the high-class women seem to not be wearing makeup. All formal wear is uniform and there is a lack of originality amongst the crowds. “Servant” women such as Marthas and handmaids have their hair covered.
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?	The lighting is also simple and really just shows what we would see through our own eyes.
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?	The camera angles help to build suspense and really show the expressions and reactions of the characters.
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?	The music exemplifies emotion and can dramatize the events of the plot.
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film? Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?	Margeret Atwood wrote the Handmaid’s Tale as a reaction to the rise of the Christian right in America, and this TV series was developed for similar reasons. This show was made to show how fast things could go south in our country.
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sources	“The Handmaid’s Tale is a haunting confluence of tenses. It’s also one of the best shows of the year so far, at times hard to watch but impossible to ignore.” -Liz Shannon Miller (indiewire, The Verge)
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements. Explain why.	I picked the first five minutes because I think the opening is important and sets up the entire show. 0:00-5:00
16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below:
a. Screenwriting:	Opens to June’s family presumably trying to escape
b. Sound Design:	Muffled background noise but loud effects (car crash, gunshots)
c. Camera Movements:	Hovers around June’s face to show her reactions
d. Light Setup:	Shows darkness in the forest, in the room the window is behind her to signify the change in mood
e. Soundtrack:	No music in the opening scene, just loud sound effects
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?	Rising dialouge/conflict in the US surrounding certain women’s rights/issues

Film Title:	mother!
Year:	2017
Director:	Darron Aronofsky
Country:	US
Genre:	Horror

TOPIC	YOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?	mother
2. Who is the antagonist?	Him, guests in house
3. What is the conflict?	Unwanted guests come into mother’s house and it leads to chaos
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)	God and the earth
5. How is the story told (linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)	Linear but with circular timeline
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?	mother and her husband, unnamed and called Him, live a peaceful existence in a large house in the middle of nowhere. Unwanted guests appear and cause the house and mother’s life to devolve into chaos. The movie includes many biblical themes and characters that represent Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, and Jesus.
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)?Why does the film encourage such reactions?	The film influences particular reactions by editing the film to increase suspense, with close up shots and long pauses between the action. The film also encourages these reactions by having certain “scary” noises.
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized?What atmosphere does the setting suggest? Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?	The setting is realistic, it’s probably a real house and even if it isn’t it definitely could be. The atmosphere suggests tranquility devolving into chaos. The house itself represents the universe.
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up? What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age? How do costume and makeup convey character?	mother is clothed and made up very simply. This shows that mother lives a minimalistic life which conveys her uncomplicated demeanor.
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?	The dark and shadowy lighting shows some of the hidden secrets that the house harbors.
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces? What do you see cinematically?	Camera movements and closeups of mother help to increase our emotions and empathize with mother.
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film? How does it direct our attention within the image? How does it shape our interpretation of the image? What stands out about the music?	There is no music. There was a score written but Aronofsky decided that the film was better without.
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film?Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?	The film is somewhat void of culture because it doesn’t exist in a specific timeline, but it has elements from many eras among the different scenes and characters.
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this film. Use credible sources and cite sourcesExample: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.	“By all means, go to “mother!” and enjoy its roller-coaster-of-weird exhibitionism. But be afraid, very afraid, only if you’re hoping to see a movie that’s as honestly disquieting as it is showy.” – Owen Gleiberman Variety
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements.Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene. Example, from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00.Explain why you chose this scene.	1:20:00 – 1:25:00, this movie represents the whole film very well. It is the beginning of the third act in which the whole house and mother’s whole world devolves into chaos. “the Poet’s” book is published and droves of people begin coming into the house, many of them pulling pieces of the wall to “prove that they were there”.
16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below to justify why this scene best represents the film:
a. Screenwriting:	Minimal writing, strangers saying strange things
b. Sound Design:	Mother sounding desperate and scared, no one listening to her, and increasingly loud din in the background
c. Camera Movements/Angles:	Closeups and sweeping shots frequent throughout the movie
d. Light Setup:	Dark and shadowy
e. Soundtrack/Score:	Very quiet movie
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?	Isolated world, scenes turned into warzones and chaos

This worksheet was developed with ideas from many IB Film teachers, thus should remain in the Creative Commons