The three feature films I watched for this class that had most impact on me were The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, and Raging Bull because these films had a strong emotional connection with me. I felt what the protagonist felt in the movie through great directing, acting, cinematography, and sound.
Three feature films that we haven't watched for this class that I believe should be watched by any film students are The Wackness, Requiem For a Dream, and Kids because these movies are about real stuff that happens to young adults everyday, but it is made into a film. I think by watching these movies, it can motivate film students to create their own film. These films are all independent films but very popular ones.
I chose The Diving Bell and the Butterfly as one of the movies that had the most impact on me because after watching that movie, I kind of felt how it was to be paralyzed. Especially with all the long POV shots in the film. I appreciate that I am living and have full function of my body. I chose the film Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind because I loved how the beginning scene of the film really took place toward the end of the film, but you wouldn't have known that if you had not seen the whole film. Everything made sense toward the end. I also loved the scenes where Joel is awake in his mind running away with Clementine and everything is falling apart. It gives me the feeling of the world falling to pieces. I chose the film Raging Bull because Robert Di Niro is such a great actor in this film, not that he isn't a great actor. The movie feels so real with all the fantastic make up and brutal fight scenes. I get nervous every time Jake gets into an argument with his wife because I know he might snap and hit her. I chose the film The Wackness because any young man can relate to this movie, especially if you just started dating for the first time or if you have a crush on a girl. It's about a young man dating a girl for the first time but she ends up breaking his heart because he took the relationship too serious and she just thought it was a summer fling. This movie has a ghetto new york city feeling to it and it seems like that is how it would really be like in real life. I chose the film Requiem For a Dream because this film shows you how you will turn out if you become a drug addict. Either it's heroin or weight loss pills, drugs will destroy your life. This movie is quite disturbing, but after watching it you will think drugs are the most disgusting thing ever. I chose the film Kids because this film was had a real street life feeling to it. Everything was raw and seemed like it was filmed without a script. This films is about kids having unprotected sex with many partners and soon realize they contracted AIDS.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Michael Rapaport
The film guest I chose to write about is Michael Rapaport. Michael Rapaport is an Actor, Director, and Producer. He acted in such movies like Hitch, Deep Blue Sea and even had his own sitcom The War At Home. He just recently directed his first documentary film Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. The documentary is about a very influential and legendary underground Hip Hop group called "A Tribe Called Quest". This interview with Michael Rapaport was aired recently on July 20, 2011.
After listening to this interview with Michael Rapaport I learned that his style of acting and the way he portrays himself comes from growing up in the hard streets of New York City. In mostly all of his acting roles, he is actually playing himself. At first I thought of Michael being the typical actor that knows how to do a good New York accent, but little did I know that he grew up in Brownsville and Harlem, and his heavy New York accent stuck with him and landed him the roles he has played up to today.
Michael Rapaport grew up listening to Hip Hop music in the 80's. Hip Hop was apart of his everyday life and influenced him heavily not just as an actor, but as a person. "Hip Hop was apart of my everyday life once I discovered it. If I wasn't listening to it, I was trying to find it. You definitely had to work for it. There was no internet, it wasn't on cable, it wasn't played on MTV, the only time it came on was on late Friday nights and Saturdays". This quote is noteworthy because it describes how passionate Michael was about Hip Hop music while growing up. Remember in the 80's Hip Hop was barely being introduced to the mass majority. Hip Hop was actually looked down upon because of it's topics and use of language. Since Michael was so passionate about Hip Hop music, you can only imagine how passionate he became about acting when he first started.
"Hip Hop and the vernacular of it and just the attitude of it, that's just how I was. It was kind of teenage anxed rebellion and it was really just how we all talked. I never tried to hide or change you know who I am or disguise it. I'd probably be a little further along in my career if I did." This quote is noteworthy because Michael stays true to his roots and culture. He is who he is and does not try to hide it. I do agree with Michael and think he would be further in his career if he actually did disguise the way he is. Michael is known as a Character actor, which means he is only famous for playing that same character he has always played. If he would change up his character for different roles, then I think he would land a lot more roles. But Michael does not want to portray something else and I think he is pretty successful being himself.
Michael never thought about being an actor. "Honestly, before I really started acting, I didn't think about it. You know I wanted to be a basketball player. So when I realized my hoop dreams weren't coming true I started doing stand-up comedy. And even then I didn't think about acting till I got called in for an audition from people that saw me doing stand up comedy. It was the thing for Zebra Head and I read that part. I just knew that was for me." This quote is noteworthy because Michael got his first acting role in a movie from doing stand-up comedy and simply being himself. He never thought about being an actor but because he acts the way he does from growing up where he did put him in the perfect position for the character in Zebra Head. His didn't find his career, his career found him.
I think Michael Rapaport had some very influential things to say in this interview. He contributes passion and realism to the film industry. I think if you're passionate about something keep doing it. You may not find a career or job pursuing it, but somewhere down the line your passion will reward you or even change your life.
After listening to this interview with Michael Rapaport I learned that his style of acting and the way he portrays himself comes from growing up in the hard streets of New York City. In mostly all of his acting roles, he is actually playing himself. At first I thought of Michael being the typical actor that knows how to do a good New York accent, but little did I know that he grew up in Brownsville and Harlem, and his heavy New York accent stuck with him and landed him the roles he has played up to today.
Michael Rapaport grew up listening to Hip Hop music in the 80's. Hip Hop was apart of his everyday life and influenced him heavily not just as an actor, but as a person. "Hip Hop was apart of my everyday life once I discovered it. If I wasn't listening to it, I was trying to find it. You definitely had to work for it. There was no internet, it wasn't on cable, it wasn't played on MTV, the only time it came on was on late Friday nights and Saturdays". This quote is noteworthy because it describes how passionate Michael was about Hip Hop music while growing up. Remember in the 80's Hip Hop was barely being introduced to the mass majority. Hip Hop was actually looked down upon because of it's topics and use of language. Since Michael was so passionate about Hip Hop music, you can only imagine how passionate he became about acting when he first started.
"Hip Hop and the vernacular of it and just the attitude of it, that's just how I was. It was kind of teenage anxed rebellion and it was really just how we all talked. I never tried to hide or change you know who I am or disguise it. I'd probably be a little further along in my career if I did." This quote is noteworthy because Michael stays true to his roots and culture. He is who he is and does not try to hide it. I do agree with Michael and think he would be further in his career if he actually did disguise the way he is. Michael is known as a Character actor, which means he is only famous for playing that same character he has always played. If he would change up his character for different roles, then I think he would land a lot more roles. But Michael does not want to portray something else and I think he is pretty successful being himself.
Michael never thought about being an actor. "Honestly, before I really started acting, I didn't think about it. You know I wanted to be a basketball player. So when I realized my hoop dreams weren't coming true I started doing stand-up comedy. And even then I didn't think about acting till I got called in for an audition from people that saw me doing stand up comedy. It was the thing for Zebra Head and I read that part. I just knew that was for me." This quote is noteworthy because Michael got his first acting role in a movie from doing stand-up comedy and simply being himself. He never thought about being an actor but because he acts the way he does from growing up where he did put him in the perfect position for the character in Zebra Head. His didn't find his career, his career found him.
I think Michael Rapaport had some very influential things to say in this interview. He contributes passion and realism to the film industry. I think if you're passionate about something keep doing it. You may not find a career or job pursuing it, but somewhere down the line your passion will reward you or even change your life.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Shots Fired
SHOT LIST - Opening Scene
| Production Title: American Beauty | Director: Sam Mendes | Cinematographer: Conrad L. Hall |
| SHOT # | LOCATION | SHOT TYPE | CAMERA ANGLE | CAMERA MOVEMENT | SHOT DESCRIPTION (subject, action, lighting, etc.) |
| #1 | Ext. | EST - BE | HA | Traveling | Ext. neighborhood, day; traveling helicopter shot of neighborhood |
| #2 | Int. | WA – BE | BE | Still | Int. bedroom, day; still shot of Lester waking up in bed |
| #3 | Int. | CU | BE | Still | Int. bedroom, day; still shot of Lester lying in bed |
| #4 | Int. | CU | LA | Still | Int. bedroom, day; still shot of Lester putting on shoes |
| #5 | Int. | CU | EL | Tilt | Int. bedroom, day; tilt shot of Lester showering |
| #6 | Int. | MLS | EL | Tracking/Pan | Int. bathroom, day; tracking/pan shot of Lester masturbating in shower |
| #7 | Ext. | ECU | HA | Handheld | Ext. front yard, day; handheld shot of Carolyn cutting a rose |
| #8 | Ext. | CU | EL | Tilt | Ext. front yard, day; tilt shot of Carolyn inspecting the rose |
| #9 | Ext. | LS | EL | Still | Ext. front yard, day; still shot of Carolyn cutting more roses |
| #10 | Ext. | MCU | HA | Handheld/Pan | Ext. Jim’s (neighbor) yard; handheld pan shot of Jim’s dog barking |
| #11 | Ext. | LS | EL | Still | Ext. Jim’s yard; still shot of Jim quieting his dog |
| #12 | Ext. | LS | EL | Pan | Ext. Jim’s yard; pan shot of Jim’s lover Jim calming their dog |
| #13 | Ext. | MS | EL | Still | Ext. front yard; still shot of Lester looking out the window |
| #14 | Ext. | LS | EL | Tilt | Ext. Jim’s yard; tilt shot of Jim greeting Carolyn |
| #15 | Ext. | MLS | OTS | Steadicam/ Slow Zoom-in | Ext. front yard; steadicam shot of Jim walking towards Carolyn and slow zoom-in to Lester looking out window |
| #16 | Int. | LS | OTS | Still | Int. living room; still shot of Lester watching Carolyn cutting roses |
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