Georges Méliès & Early Cinema Techniques: A Deep Dive

Georges Méliès: Pioneer of Cinema

Man Orchestra: minute 57.92 seconds

Méliès uses cinematic techniques to create his own language. We observe the effect of duplication of a character as an imaginative resource. This is an effect used in horror or fantasy movies (Méliès was an admirer of illusionism).

A Trip to the Moon: A Sci-Fi Landmark

A Trip to the Moon: 6 minutes

Méliès' A Trip to the Moon is a precursor to science fiction films and a significant work. It's one of the first movies in history to use cutting techniques, sets, and special effects extensively. It tells a linear story that was long for its time.

The Power of Music: The Man in the Head

The Man in the Head: minute 3.40 seconds

Méliès used music (piano) in this film to enhance the expressiveness of the character (Méliès himself). Méliès accompanies the movements on stage with the piano sound.

Space in Early Film

Space: The film consists of shapes, lights, colors, textures, depth, and movement to represent a three-dimensional space.

Framing and Focus: Defining the Image

Focus: Focus is the physical limit of the image, representing what is seen in the frame. It involves issues such as the position of the camera, the features of the photography, motion, perspective, depth of field, and special effects. The composition of the frame, as used by the great filmmakers from Lumière, transforms everyday reality into a cinematic fact.

The Impact of Framing

Framing affects:

• Size and shape of the image
• Field and off-field
• Distance and angle of vision
• Motion scene at the door

Field and Off-Field

Field: Everything shown within the borders of the image.

Out of Field: A set of space and sound elements that are assumed within the space of the scene but in an area not shown on the screen. (Méliès always left the camera still.)

Understanding the Plano (Shot)

Plano (Shot): In shooting, each of the sockets, each uninterrupted image on the screen.

Types: Great shot, shot, American plane, median plane foreground, detail.

Squaring Mobile: Dynamic Camera Work

Squaring Mobile: It is characteristic of the cinema. The frame changes in a plane with camera movements.

Panoramica-travelin-crane-the-plane-zoom-subjective level flat against chopped flat-flat-flat contrapicado

D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation

Symbolism and Conflict

The Birth of a Nation D.W. Griffith

Minute 8:4 (fight between a cat and a dog) hostility. It is a symbolic level that represents the disillusionment between North and South.

Love and Detail

12:04 minutes into the "Valley of Love" in this scene ends with a shot of a flower symbolizes love

Plano detail, pistol in hand 1 hour 25 minutes

Midplane, 1 hour 24 minutes elsi stomban and his brother in the audience

Narrative Tension

2 hours six minutes, three scenes that make the story a girl who goes to the woods alone two guys chases the sister of three brother cameron cameron Majorcan of his sister tries to help