I would like you to watch portions of Birth of a Nation (if you'd like, watch the whole thing!) and compare it with Falling Leaves. Look at both films and write two well-developed paragraphs that discuss mise en scene. Is the camera static? What kind of shots are used? What is the framing/composition of individual shots? Do the shots employ a lot of movement or not? Describe how the use of movement in the film/clips complement or detract from the development of the narrative. Note the type of movement (movement of figures within the frame or movement of the frame itself) in the shots and describe as accurately as possible the effect that the movement has on the relationships among the figures in the frame.
You can find Birth of a Nation here. Watch from 9:00-14:00 and 36:00-41:00. You should note certain techniques Griffith uses such as the 180-degree rule (right around 13:00) and his use of establishing shots and close ups.
If you want to re-watch Falling Leaves, go here.
Have fun!
Both “Birth of a Nation” by D. W. Griffith and “Falling Leaves” by Guy Blaché were some of the first films to use such techniques and were true masterpieces of their time, and even to this day. Falling leaves and Birth of a Nation both have static frames and cameras basically throughout the entirety of each film. It is always very motionless and still, other than the characters moving within the set frame. The interaction amongst the characters in each film sets a sense of unity and gives the audience connection. Each shot in each film has a very tight and balanced frame around the scene. Since the movement of the camera is so limited, I think it detracts from the development of the narrative a little bit, but also allows you to use your imagination which is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteIn Falling Leaves, doors are used to represent that imagination found in the viewer. Since the camera only follows the young daughter Trixie in one scene, not much is shown. The doors located at the back of the shot are used for entering and exiting in nearly every scene. In Birth of a Nation on the other hand, there director uses cutting in scenes, such as the boys fighting. He goes back and fourth to create more suspense. In this film, there is a more circular lens in many of the shots. When the male character looks at the picture frame of his love, the lens is very small, just big enough to perfectly frame the picture. In this scene, the camera flashes between his point of view of looking at the picture, and the picture itself.
Both Birth of a Nation and Falling Leaves employ the use of static cameras so that the characters are not followed by the camera, but it instead shifts to different takes whenever the action is taking place in a different location. This makes it so the viewer can not view all that is going on simultaneously. Due to this the stories, more so Birth of a Nation than Falling Leaves, go a little slower. Both films also use an iris-like shot that has the corners of the screen darkened. This represents darkness, when the two girls are hiding in the basement from the Union in Birth of a Nation (here it could also represent claustrophobia) and when Trixie is lying in her bed waiting to sneak outside at night in Falling Leaves. The same technique is used to help the viewer to focus on the couple walking by the lake and a picture of a specific character in Birth of a Nation. Both also have action going on in the front and background: in Nation, a main room in the house is shown with people walking in the door, others exiting, and people in the back running up and down the stairs; in Leaves, Trixie is shown watching unnoticed in the back of the room as the doctor discusses Winifred’s illness with her parents.
ReplyDeleteAlthough one wide shot is used to show the outdoors in Falling Leaves as Trixie is attempting to put the leaves back on the trees, there are few others, especially when compared to Birth of a Nation. A battle is even shown in Birth of a Nation with soldiers running in the background shooting at other soldiers with smoke filling the air; at the same time a man attempts to shoot a soldier near him but is instead shot himself. This scene also has multiple actions occurring at the same time, with the soldiers in the background setting the scene as the viewer focuses on the action in the foreground. Overall, Falling Leaves and Birth of a Nation use many similar shots and techniques to convey each of their individual stories, but Nation has a wider scope.
Throughout both “Birth of a Nation” and “Falling Leaves” the camera is static and solely films straight ahead. Instead of moving the camera the directors created action through the movements of their characters (“Falling Leaves”) or cut back and forth from different simultaneous action sequences (“Birth of a Nation“). In both movies, the movement is extremely helpful in moving along the narrative. The movement of characters throughout both films are engaging and convey the relationships that characters have with each other through body language.
ReplyDeleteIn “Falling Leaves” doors in various rooms represent further space that is unseen by the viewer. In this technique, Alice Guy Blanche is able to give the illusion of a larger space and even more generally, realism to the film. However, in “Birth of a Nation”, D. W. Griffith is able to film a larger area (for instance, when he surveys the town as the Union soldiers are invading) and therefore lacks the need to use this technique. Still both filmmakers make use of a similar technique in order to show isolation. In “Falling Leaves” Trixie lies in bed, a light gently highlighting her in an otherwise dark room as she makes her decision to go tie the leaves back onto the trees. In “Birth of a Nation”, the two girls sit in their completely dark cellar but their bodies are illuminated in order to show their reactions to the situations. While both movies utilize similar techniques to relate their plots, their mise en scene’s are inevitably completely different.
In both Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith and Guy Blache’s Falling Leaves static cameras frame each shot forcing the audience to follow the characters within the frame rather than the camera doing it for them. However, significant differences in the technique used by each director gives the two historical films their own uniqueness. For instance, in Falling Leaves characters make their way in and out of shots through doors placed on the back wall of the set, causing the audience to assume that instead of exiting to a different room in the “house” the actors are sliding into a backstage area similar to those of live theater performances. On the other hand, within Birth of a Nation we notice that characters enter from either side of the frame, seemingly just coming into our personal view, as if the set extends forever, making it slightly more realistic. This technique is also exemplified around the 13:20 minute mark when a character exits the static shot which then cuts to the next static shot showing where he arrived, still under the same setting. This would probably lead up to the moving frame. Another difference is the use of close-ups to focus in on a subject. Such camera angles cannot be found in Falling Leaves as the camera stays in one position throughout each of it’s 12 shot, while Birth of a Nation mainly consists of alternating zoom.
ReplyDeleteSimilarities, on a flip note, are recognized through the interaction of the characters (with each other and with the audience) and the basis on which the still frames affect these relationships. In a way these stationary frames allow us as viewers to see the scene in it’s entirety and catch glimpses of important details we might not notice if the camera moved itself, for example, little Trixie ducking behind chairs and such while the adults in the shot spoke of her sister’s fatal illness.
Due to their relatively close filming dates, D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" and "Falling Leaves" by Guy Blaché have many similar filming techniques and elaborate yet realistic mise-en-scene. Both films are generally shot from a stationary angle and the camera is static, causing the frame to lack movement. However, the balance of framing and kinesis indicates a carefully planned composition. The frames in the film are still, yet at the same time open, as they provide windows into realistic worlds. In both instances there is a lot of movement (kinesis) of people in each frame. This is exemplified by the large groups of running soldiers and pedestrians in "Birth of a Nation." There is also kinesis of inanimate objects, ie. the leaves in "Falling Leaves." This onscreen movement gives the illusion of depth in each shot and encourages the viewer to follow certain characters/ objects with their eyes. It also helps to carry on the narrative as it conveys different relationships and emotions between the characters. In "Falling Leaves" the interaction between the three female leads gives the illusion of domestic unity, and their body language indicates love and compassion for one another. While in "Birth of a Nation" the running and frantic attempt at getting indoors around 36:25 indicates fear. The editing of the films are also different. Each scene in "Falling Leaves" is filmed from one shot, with all of the action occurring within it. This differs from the cutting back and forth and parallel editing in "Birth of a Nation."
ReplyDeleteThe films, despite having very different content and setting, both employ the use of intricate costumes and sets. Although the mise-en-scene is very different, the outfits and style of the homes help to form a concrete idea of the different time periods in each film and increase the enjoyment of the stories. The detailed mise-en-scene also helps to create more believability in these silent films.
Static shots are the primary, and only, form used in the films "Falling Leaves" and "Birth of a Nation". Shots are set-up so that all the primary characters in the shot are there when it starts and, for the most part, they don't leave it. This is not to say that they are the only ones in the shot, nor is their conversation/interaction the only event going on. Crowds walk behind the characters in the street, slaves are picking in the fields, and maids and servants walk by in the mansion.
ReplyDeleteIn both films, most of the shots show the characters from, at the most, ankle to head and at the least they show the torso and head. Some close-ups occur but the large majority of scenes are set-up as how one would see the people if they were standing in front of them, simultaneously in the event and outside.
Lastly, kinesis occurs largely in the form of character movement, since the camera was static as previously mentioned. Occasionally, characters would move outside of the frame demonstrating the concept of open frame. All of these elements create the carefully planned mise-en-scene of each film.
The films, Falling Leaves and Birth of a Nation, both have very similar cinematic aspects about them. Being that they are both black and white silent films, they are obviously from the same time period. In the films the camera was mostly static, though
ReplyDeletebeing that Birth of Nation was longer and also include many outside shots there was some movement of the camera (back and forth). As for the frame both films seemed to use a wide straight angled frame the whole time. In both films you were alowed to see the entire space, of which was being used for that shot.
The Mise-en-Scene of Falling leaves really helped you understand the plot and what was happening, even with out the story book style narrating. Although the time of day in Falling Leaves wasn't always easy to tell the set used and the costume worn replaced the need for lighting. THe composition in Birth of a Nation also really help you sympathize and understand the characters and the roll's that each of them play. Although the story book narrating unlike, in Falling leaves, is actually neccesary in Birth of a Nation. Without words it becomes hard sometimes to understand exactly what is going on. Though the variety of scenery and characters in Birth of a Nation does keep the audience entertained.
Birth of a Nation and Falling Leaves are both silent black and white films. These two films use a static camera and the actions of these films were limited. Since the camera wasnt moving the audiences attention was only able to be on whatever was hapening in the span of the lens. Throughout the films the whole body was visable of the characters. There wasnt alot of fast pace movement, mostly conversational scenes.
ReplyDeleteI also realixed the quick change of scenes so the editing at this time was not very advanced. But in falling leaves the placement of the characters, how in the beginning the three female characters are in a room all together n one area of the room shows the tight connection that they have. Not having a moving camera doenst allow the audienec to know exactly what the house looks like in Falling Leaves or get the full idea of the setting in Birth of a Nation but that puts the audience in a situation were they have to imagine whats going on around the centered action and without close ups we have to imagine the importance and feelings and emotions of these characters since we cant see their faces/expressions up close