COMM 231 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Poetic Realism, Todd Haynes
28 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
In pre-planning and producing the set for a film (referred to as the art direction or set design ) we can break down set design/art direction into two categorical styles: Realism in art direction tries to convince us of the realism of the setting (actual or studio): whether this be drama, science fiction, horror, or epic, the emphasis is on accuracy and mood. Emphasis = can be evocative rather than supportive to the characters and scenario. Examples: george melies (french) 1861-1938, brazil (american) 1958. Lord of the rings = a mix between expressionism and realism. The cabinet of dr. caligari (robert weine, 1919) German film with a style steeped in anxiety and terror. No attempt to preserve the conventions of perspective and scale. Meant to represent a state of mind, not a place. Horizontal and vertical lines are avoided in favor of diagonals--producing a sense of instability and visual anguish.
