(updated) FINDING NEMO & AVATAR IN RELATION TO FLIM

1)         a) According to Martin and Jacobus, a tracking shot is, “A shot in which the camera moves forward, backward, or sidewise” (302). A tracking shot can sometimes be used to enhances what the actor is saying.

            b) Martin and Jacobus explain that a crane shot involves a camera that “is on a crane or moveable platform and moves upward or downward” (302).  This is an easy shot to identify because it seems as the camera is in the sky looking down on the actors.

            c) A continuity cut explained by Martin and Jacobus is a “shot edited to produce a sense of narrative continuity following the action stage by stage” (303).

            d) According to Martin and Jacobus, a jump cut is “sometimes just called a ‘cut’; moves abruptly from one shot to the next, with no preparation and often a shock” (303). Sometimes a actor will be in a new city within a blink of an eye this is an example of jump cut.

            e)  A montage sequence explained by Martin and Jacobus is “a sequence of images dramatically connected but physically disconnected” (303).

2) There are two different kind of participation in film. One type of participation is when a viewer puts themselves in the actor’s shoes. Sometimes as viewers we like to think that we can be superheroes ourselves. The other type of participation is when the viewer sees themselves in the location of the film. According to Martin and Jacobus, in this type of participation we relate to the “form” of the film (305). I think I mostly put myself in the actor’s shoes. I tend to watch “chick flicks.” These types of movies I can relate to the character. I have seen the movie Mean Girls tons of times. I can relate to the girl characters in these movies. Through the characters I experience going back to high school to all the drama that occurs in these years of life.

3) I haven’t seen Casablanca but did learn about one of the frames from the movie. By looking at the light usage it can tell the viewer that Rick is explained by Martin and Jacobus a “shady” character in this certain scene (307). This shows that Rick is not of an important character to this scene or he is hiding something. The most light is on and the tallest figure happens to be Victor. Martin and Jacobus say that “the shadows are least evident on his portrayal” (304). This shows Victor being the head character things come together to explained by Martin and Jacobus “control the response from the viewer” (304). The director wants the viewer to pay attention to where the most light is which is on Victor.

4) The movie Finding Nemo has great sound in it. When Nemo’s mother was trying to get away from the shark in one of the first scene, the sound was very intense. There was a fast paino type music being played. The viewer was able to relate to the struggle of her trying not to get eaten by the shark. The music was very loud and fast to indicate how hard she was trying not to get eaten. Nemo in this movie gets lost from his father. When his father finally finds Nemo, the music was a type of reconnecting music. It taps into the heart and soul of the viewer. This music was very short felt music and bouncy. It conveyed the sense of happiness Nemo’s father and Nemo felt for finally finding each other again. Both of these scenes music contribute a lot to the movie.

5)  The two movies Finding Nemo and Avatar have two different structures.

In Finding Nemo the viewer doesn’t know the conflict that is about to arise in the movie. In the exposition, Nemo want to experience the ocean. This gets Nemo taken by fisherman. The conflict builds throughout the movie. In the rising action Nemo father tries to find him. The climax is when Nemo starts his own search for his father. The falling action is where Nemo finds his father’s friend who knows where Nemo’s dad is at. In Finding Nemo the setting is the ocean and the dentist’s office.

 In Avatar the settings is in the Avatar world and on the space shuttle. The expositioin is when the viewer finds out that Jake is going to be sent into this avtar world. In Avatar we find out very quickly that the movie will have something to do with going to the avatar world to get its treasures that this world has to offer. The viewer can already infer that this is where the conflict of the story is going to arise. Jake finds in love with one of the avatar’s this is the climax. The humans and the avatar are fighting to get what they want. The humans being the land and the avatar wants there world. Jake decided to stay in his avatar body making this the falling action.