Blog 5: Movie Analysis

Movie Review

Hey guys! It’s me again! As a huge fan of romantic films, I’m thrilled to share my thoughts and mixed feelings about a movie I finally got around to watching. It’s not exactly new—I’ve had it sitting in my watchlist for a while—but now that I’ve seen it, I can’t wait to dive in!

 

In this scene, the main character, Sang Zhi is frame with Medium Shot and direct angle, which capture from her waist up as she glances around. She was trying to figure out who left a cute plushie on top of a pile of things in the back of car. The way that she naturally picks it up immediately grabbed my attention—it felt like she knew exactly who it was from. That’s when my curiosity kicked in, and I found myself already guessing what the upcoming plots is. This shot definitely hooked me into the film, thanks to the use of a simple medium shot which made the movie became interest.

 

To further convey her feelings toward the plushie, the filmmakers then use a close-up shot where they frame focus above her shoulders and face—which allowed us to see her reaction and the plushie in greater detail. At first, I had so many questions—why did she pick up the plushie? What’s her relationship with the person who left it there? What emotions does it trigger for her? But as the scene progressed, it became clear that the plushie held a special meaning for her. It gave her a sense of nostalgia, almost like she was fondly remembering the past. Her gentle and affectionate handling of the plushie made me realize it was from someone very important to her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, she hears a voice from behind and turns around. The camera shifts to a high angle shot, making her appears small and vulnerable as if she was looking up at someone. This was a big hint that the other character was taller than her. The shift in perspective made her seem emotionally exposed. As a movie nerd, I was already giggling as I knew this had to be the main male character, someone significant to her (either her future boyfriend, crush or husband).  The camera then quickly switches to a low-angle shot, capturing her view of him from below. This shift in perspective gave me the impression that she was looking up to him, perhaps as a brother figure or someone older and wiser. Their brief conversation reveals that the plushie belonged to him and that she once had it when she was in her younger-self. 

In the next scene, the movie jumps back in time to when Sang Zhi was a little girl (talking with the same guy). In this scene, they were position with Over the Shoulder Shot, the camera captured behind one character and facing another in a dialogue scene, creating an intimate perspective. In this shot, she begs him to attend her parent-teacher conference to cover her parents from knowing she did something at school, but he refuses to put up with her. Sang Zhi then got frustrated and they both was on the heat. This make me realized that their relationship was more complex than the typical romantic storyline. It’s filled with drama and unresolved conflict. Very cute and dramatic!!!!

Blog 4: Transitions

 

Welcome back everyone!!! Today I'm excited to show you some video transitions that helped me tie my scenes together along with sharing a bit of my recording experience. Our theme for today is Disney's Princess Housewife!!!

Fade

 

I had a lot of fun recording this video, in fact there was a lot of laughs and bloopers during this scene! To set the tone for the movie, I started with a Disney-inspired intro and followed by a fade-to-black transition to hint the opening of the first scene. While shooting, I had to re-shoot multiple times to get the perfect angle and ensure every key detail was captured. Most importantly, I did a sound check after each take to make sure that the audio met the quality standard.

Cut

By far, this has been one of my greatest film experience ever, especially since I got to work with my close friends on this group project (from last year). In the first scene, in order to capture Sleeping Beauty's wake-up moment, I had to position the camera at a right downward angle. I couldn't stop laughing when she opened her eyes, and we figured that it would be hilarious to keep this scene. Jumping into the next shot, I had to stand on the stairs and angle the camera down to capture both Cinderella's back and Sleeping Beauty's reactions. Of course, I ended up tripping down the stairs because I was so focused on getting the shot!!!

Dissolve

 

As the cameraman, I didn't expect my friends to get so "into" their acting. It was a SURPRISING and HILARIOUS experience! Filming the fight scene had me dying inside from laughter as I also tried to keep up with them while they moved around. I had to constantly adjusting to kep them centered in the frame. I might not have been the perfect cameraman, but being able to capture all these moments felt like a huge success of mine!!

 

 

 

 

Blog Day 3: Peer Critique

Hey!!! Welcome back to my blog 

Today I will be reviewing 4 shots that was took by my peers and comment on how it became my favorites.

First Blogger: Mimeo Workshop

I absolutely love this blog, as I scroll through her blogs, she kept a consistent theme and it’s clear just how much she adore her cat, and as a fellow cat lover, I totally get it! My favorite shots are definitely the full shot and the extreme close-up. They’re such a great contrast, and she clearly put in a lot of effort to highlight the differences. The full shot gives me a nice sense of the background, showing Meo hanging out inside and looking completely at ease in her surroundings. It’s a great way to see how comfortable and connected she feels with her environment. On the flip side, the extreme close-up shot is amazing because it zoom in on Meo’s eyes. While I don’t get much of the background, I’m captivated by how beautiful and expressive her eyes are. Meo might look a bit grumpy and sleepy, but her gaze really communicates her emotions.

Second Blogger: Fashion Queen's Club 

I am totally in love and all of on how she puts in a lot of effort into both the shots and her makeup, and it really shows. Her shots' descriptions are so detailed and vivid, and it brings me a sense of present. Out of this post, my two favorite shots have to be the overhead shot and the over-the-shoulder shot. The overhead shot is incredible because it sets up a chaotic scene that really emphasizes the emotional state of the main character. It gives such a clear picture of why the character ends up where they do, and the details you’ve captured really draw me in. And the over-the-shoulder shot? I’m a huge fan of that one! I love how it captures a moment of loneliness, with the character reflecting on herself in the mirror. It’s so different from the usual dialogue shots and really makes me focus on the character’s actions and emotions. It adds a layer of unpredictability that keeps me hooked and wondering what’s coming next.