art response

Overview

Discussion #3 Looking into Primitive Film and Shots

Discussion #2 Looking into Primitive Film and Shots

After reviewing the YouTube links in the prior module, describe the bullet points below in your own words. Your answers should be in a narrative form. Do not answer each bullet point individually.

• Explain why you think early filmmakers used a theatrical approach when creating their movies (Think about what was known during that time.)
• What similarities do you notice between Jack and the Beanstalk (1902) and a stage play? (Think about camera angles )
• What are some limitations of primitive films compared to modern movies? (Think about the knowledge and equipment used in that time.)

Please respond in short paragraphs. --no one-sentence answers.

Looking into Primitive Film and Shots

Click on the image below to listen and get detailed information.......

[Image unavailable: Looking-Into.png]<<<<<<<<< Click on Image to watch Movie

Looking into Primitive Film and Shots…. Jack and the Beanstalk is considered a primitive film. Primitive film was some of the very first films ever created. -Early filmmakers had no idea of how to use the frame to present information. -Just some of the problems of primitive films were that they used one single shot choice, very long takes and the camera did not move. -Early filmmakers copied exactly how plays were presented. Some of them just filmed a play and then presented it as a film. -We will view a part of the video provided titled Jack and the Beanstalk done in 1902.

Watch the 10 Min. movie Titled "Jack and the Beanstalk" in its entirety. A Quiz will follow. Click on the image below

[Image unavailable: Jack and the Beanstalk.jpg] <<<<<<<<< Click on Image to watch Movie

When you view it, it resembles a play because it was done on a stage. It uses a one-shot type, and editing is minimal. And notice the fake cow. I guess real cows were scarce in 1902.

Primitive Film Characteristics:
1. Static Camera:

• Early films like Jack and the Beanstalk utilized a static camera, reflecting technological limitations and lack of cinematic language. Filmmakers did not yet experiment with camera movement, angles, or zooms.

2. Theatrical Staging:

• Films were heavily influenced by the theater, with a single static shot resembling the audience's perspective from a theater seat. This gave primitive films the appearance of being "filmed plays."
• Set designs were elaborate and relied on painted backdrops, as seen in your screenshot. The artificiality of the cow also speaks to the theatrical nature of early cinema.

3. Minimal Editing:

• Primitive films often lacked the dynamic editing techniques later developed by filmmakers like Edwin S. Porter and D.W. Griffith.
• Scenes were presented as continuous takes without cuts, emphasizing the narrative's sequential nature but limiting storytelling sophistication.

4. Single Shot Composition:

• The entire story or segment was captured in one wide shot, making it difficult to guide viewers' focus or create visual variety.

5. Innovative Experimentation:

• While primitive films were limited by their theatrical roots, they laid the groundwork for cinema as an art form. Early filmmakers like Georges Méliès, who also worked around this era, began introducing cinematic techniques like stop-motion, multiple exposures, and dissolves.

Specific Notes on Jack and the Beanstalk (1902): • This adaptation of the famous fairytale is an excellent example of how early filmmakers sought to entertain audiences by adapting well-known stories. • The "fake cow" adds charm and humor but also illustrates the resource constraints of the time. • The resemblance to a stage play highlights how filmmakers initially borrowed storytelling methods from theater, which audiences of the time were familiar with.