Inside the Huddle

Last weeks lecture and class was very much factual. I have little experience with film or anything like it. Therefore, I really enjoyed learning mroe about how things ahve evolved over the course of time. It was amazing to me how "The Horse in Motion" revealed to people for the first time that during a gallop all four feet of the horse come off the ground. It is weird to think that htere was actually a time in which people had never seen movies or were unable to plug up the boob tube and check the local weather. Even though cell phones were invented and made popular over the last 20 or 30 years, it is difficult to think about life without them. I personally think that the evolution of the eye of the camera is impressive. Over a short period of time, it went from just a theatrical view to the camera like we have today where shots are not limited by the capabilities of the human observer. In "Footlight Parade" the camera was even underwater. Who knew that technology like that was even available back then? The way in which the camera angles and viewpoints evolved so rapidly is amazing.

Something that struck me was the intensity and complexity of the film making process. There are so many things that directors, writers, producers, and actors, have to consider. When we watched the awards show with Neil Patrick Harris, it really hit me how much goes into a production. Hours and hours of work, thought, mistakes, and fixes had to be done to fit things into the specific time slot and to sync the production. As a viewer, rarely do I think about what goes into the production of movies or even sports. I never appreciate how things had to be planned to fit just right, I just expect them to be so. Today I was watching the San Diego Chargers play the new York Jets and they have a camera that flies around the field and takes shots that would never be possible by an observer. The camera can go into the huddle, check and see if recievers caught the ball or where a tackle was made. it is amazing how entertainment has evolved.

Although there wasn't any time for discussion in class, during class we took random bits of footage with an iPhone. Afterwards, the questions we were presented really struck me. I had considered, along with my group, very little about camera angles or what way in which the audience would see or think about things. Our pursuit of random humor was all that was considered. Although I believe had we been able to show our footage our end goal may have been achieved, we never considered anything but just being silly and playing around. If people laughed it would not have been because of our film making techniques or consideration of the viewer/ camera angles, but instead because of the youtube generation of college students that giggle at silly things. It astounds me how much goes into the film making process. It is no wonder movie directors and actors make so much. What about the camera men though? What are they making?