Lighting:

Major lights:

Fill in with other lights and reflectors etc.

Source lighting. Light should come from a source (lamp, window etc.) The famous cinematographer James Wong Howe once said “source lighting is for sissies”

High contrast (Rembrandt or chiaroscuro lighting) pools of hard, direct light with fast “fall off” – doesn’t become gradually darker.

Relative lightness and darkness in sequential scenes

Photography – “Writing with light”

Camera allow light to fall on film (expose the film to light). Too much light falling on the film causes an “overexposure” (picture is too white). Not enough light causes an underexposure (picture is too dark).

The amount of light can be adjusted by two features on the camera: the aperture opening (often referred to as “f stop”) and how quickly the shutter is open (referred to as “shutter speed”). The aperture is best imagined as a pin hole which can be enlarged or closed down. The greater the aperture opening the lower the f stop. For example an aperture of f 2 is a wider opening that an aperture of f 16. The numbers can be though of as the denominator of a fraction – hence ½ is greater that 1/16 .

The shutter speed is the length of time that the shutter is “open”, allowing light to fall on the film. Shutter speeds are given in time per second. So a shutter speed of 1/60 means that the shutter is “open” for 1/60th of a second.

Clearly there is a relationship between these two aspects of the camera. One can alter a shutter speed and the aperture and still allow the same amount of light to fall on the film

For example the same amount of light will strike the film if the aperture is f2 and the shutter speed is 1/500 as will strike the film if the aperture is f4 at 1/125.

Finally, in terms of film, there are different films which have different sensitivity to light.. The degree of sensitivity is indicated by an ASA number – the lower the number (say ASA 25) the less sensitive the film is to light. A higher ASA rating (say ASA 400) is more sensitive to light. Films with HIGHER ASA numbers tend towards being “grainier”.

There are other differences created by using different shutter speeds and apertures which will be discussed next time.

Apocalypse Now

1979

Literature vs. Fiction

What is film equivalent of literature?

Before the Film

The film is based on Joseph Conrad’s story Heart of Darkness which deals with the horrors of imperialism The film transports the story from Africa to Viet Nam

Some questions to think about during the film:

Is this an anti-war film? Is it an anti-Viet Nam war film? Is it an anti-U.S. Government film? After the film

The text based on Heart of Darkness

Classic lines from the film:

Lighting:

The film opens with a bright establishing shot of a jungle and progresses into darkness. By the end of the film the film is barely visible.

Bright lights at show are last hint of “civilization” before descent into darkness.

Final sequences are very dark – Kurtz almost invisible, Willard emerging from the water in almost total darkness with flashes of lightning.

Sound

How similar are Kurtz (Brando) and Willard (Sheen). Is Willard becoming Kurtz?

What has happened to Kurtz? He came to help the “savages” and has wound up saying “Exterminate the brutes” (Apocalypse Now).

Has he become one of the brutes? What kind of understanding does he have?

What does the fiml say about becoming a brute?

Others appear to have gone to "get" Kurtz before and joined with him rather than exterminating him. Is this happening to Willard?

Why has this change occurred?

Is the transformation caused by contact with Africa (Viet Nam) or the natives there? Why do they lose their humanity and their lofty ideals are replaced with violence and hatred?

What is the meaning about WIllard's statement about what Kurtz really wants- to die like a soldier? Is Kurtz heroic in some ways? What about Willard?

Compare Moby Dick and Pips’s fall into the ocean and his bond with Ahab.

What does the film say?

Is the heart of darkness Africa (Viet Nam) because it terns people into “brutes” savages (the discussion about the inoculated children which Kurtz now understands).

Is the heart of darkness the natives?

Is the heart of darkness inside everyone just waiting to be released?

Film techniques

Film opening:

Camera movement with helicopters during attack

Does the film make you "wish you were there? If so is it all the time or some of the time? When?

Cross cutting of killing (sacrifice) of Kurtz with sacrificial killing of ox.

War as insanity.

No place for compassion or kindness.

What role do the lines have in the film?

Do the soldiers undrestand what they aer doing or what their function is?