Celluloid Dreams: The Psychology of Film

Episode 10: Celluloid Dreams Film School Part 6: Narrative Structure & the Origins of Story

Matt & Mike explore sources of inspiration for films, as well as the various narrative structures through which those storylines are conveyed. Even though plot details may differ between narratives, universal themes are often explored through storylines that long predate the existence of film. Additionally, other sources of inspiration can influence various aspects of a film, including its visual expression of ideas and tone. Examples of sources of inspiration include the following: * Oral storytelling history * Religious and mythological stories * Stage Plays - both classic and modern * Short Stories & Novels - both classic and modern * Graphic Novels & Comic Books * Videogames * Artwork & Music * Radio, newsreels & newspapers * Other Films - both foreign & domestic * The Entertainment Industry itself * Actual Life Events and Non-Fiction materials based upon such events * The Collective Unconscious (assuming Carl Jung is correct) Some examples of Themes explored in film and its source material include the following: * Good vs Evil * Coming of Age * Search for Identity * Death & Rebirth Archetypal characters depicted in films and its source materials include the following: * Hero * Shadow * Mentor * Trickster * Shapeshifter * Herald Narrative structures for storytelling discussed within this video include the following: * Linear - including backward linear * Nonlinear / Fractured * Circular - including repeating time loop, time paradox, and thematic circular structures. * Bookends * Mythical Hero storylines that include a call to adventure Further exploration of narrative structures and devices to be continued over the next few episodes...

Episode 9: Celluloid Dreams Film School Part 5: Cinematography & Rhythms of Performance

In this episode, Matt & Mike revisit filmmaking elements addressed in prior episodes of the film school to discuss the following: * Techniques used when filming the performance of actors. * Editing techniques for dialogue scenes. * Establishing character through action. * How dialogue styles and rhythms either elevate or ground the execution of a film. Primary takeaways are as follows: * Distance, framing and motion of cinematography can be used to balance between establishing geography and highlighting key emotional moments that a filmmaker seeks to accentuate. * The most important aspect of editing character interaction is to capture the emotion of a scene, with other key aspects being maintaining essential elements of the plot and not disorienting the audience with a bad cut. * Elevated dialogue creates a more poetic version of reality, while naturalistic dialogue grounds a film in a less stylized manner to resemble the real world. * Voiceover narration can at times be straightforward to bring to light additional plot details or provide insight into a character's inner world. However, narration can also be unreliable to make the audience believe something other than what actually transpired in the story.

Episode 8: Celluloid Dreams Films School Part 4: The Psychology of Mise-en-Scene & Performance

Matt & Mike return to discuss the elements that "set the stage" for performance, which make up the Mise-en-Scene of the film. Aspects which comprise Mise-en-Scene include the following: 1) Locations - whether it be a soundstage or a natural location. 2) Costumes - past, present, or future all require authenticity. 3) Props - what are the props that either make the film feel lived in or define character. 4) Makeup - especially that which fully transforms the actor into the character he or she assumes. 5) Visual effects - to either enhance the setting or character transformation, including motion capture. Once the setting is established for the actor, the primary aspect required to bring the scene to life is performance. A few aspects regarding performance explored in the episode include the following: 1) Casting - whether to typecast or cast against type. 2) Exterior vs interior acting - stagecraft to play to the back row in comparison to the Method taught by Lee Strasberg or the Adler technique attributed to Stella Adler. 3) Non-professional actors - under certain circumstances, is it better for a person to simply be who they are before the camera? 4) What is the future for AI characters in film?

Episode 7: Celluloid Dreams Film School Part 3: Synched Sound & Music

Hosts Matt & Mike continue their journey through the process of filmmaking from a psychological perspective, along with special guest, Nick, a podcaster in his own right, who happens to also be Mike's nephew. The reason for Nick's inclusion in this particular episode is his musical background as an experienced drummer, as well as his knowledge of film and film scores. The first portion of the episode concerns the impact on film by the addition of synchronized sound, as well as how sound is mixed to add psychological resonance to a film. The second portion dives into film scoring and use of needle drops to promote associations to particular songs. Some of the composers and their important works discussed in this episode include masters like John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry, James Horner, Hans Zimmer, Wendy Carlos, Tangerine Dream and Angelo Badalamenti.

Episode 6: Celluloid Dreams Film School Part 2: The Psychology of Editing

Hosts Matt & Mike continue their journey through the process of filmmaking through a psychological perspective. This episode delves into the art of editing, including discussion of the various types of montage, parallel editing, surrealism and the psychological impact of extended continuous shots. Examples illustrating each aspect of editing include discussion of landmark montage set pieces from Battleship Potemkin and Citizen Kane to The Untouchables and Inception; the power of parallel editing in such masterpieces as The Godfather, Magnolia and Requiem for a Dream; and jaw dropping, seemingly continuous shots as seen in such films as Alfred Hitchcock's Rope, Children of Men and Sinners. Surreal cinema from Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon to David Lynch's Mulholland Drive are also discussed. Takeaways: * The art of picture editing is to juxtapose images in such a manner as to either create seamless action for storytelling purposes or convey complex ideas that go beyond the surface level plot of a film. * Montage is the art of using picture editing to make the assembled pieces have value that is greater than the sum of the individual parts, either intellectually or emotionally. * Montage strategy can either be as objective as following the number of frames between each cut or as subjective as determining how one image juxtaposed against another should create an emotional reaction in the viewer. * Surrealism is the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated elements that when combined create a kind of dream logic that may not be rationally explainable as much as felt emotionally.