Sound-Image/Image-Image Relationships: The Prestige

 "The Prestige"      

          The opening scene of any film is always extremely important and must be done with great care to capture the viewer, whether they realize it or not. What I mean by this is that sometimes, as a viewer, the opening scene may be captivating, but one may not realize what is so captivating about it. One just wants to sit down and be entertained.
          However, there is a deeper level to an opening of a film. In particular, the opening of "The Prestige", directed by Christopher Nolan. "The Prestige" is a movie about magicians, wonder, and trickery. An extremely underrated film, it essentially tells the whole story in the first three minutes without the audience even realizing it. Nolan and his acclaimed cinematographer, Wally Pfister, smartly chose the opening shots and its order to create the classic "Chris Nolan" editing feel. With a brilliant use of jump cuts and cross-cutting, the sense of urgency and a demand for attention is apparent.
          The film opens with one of the most beautifully composed and placed scenes I have ever seen. A field with dozens of magician's top hats. This scene actually points out the ending of the movie. A short diegetic voiceover of one line and then a cut to a completely different location/time. The voiceover starts again as another voice and with a firm starting point. All of the words spoken in the voiceover are directly related to what is happening on-screen. There are jumps from Michael Caine showing a little girl a simple magic trick, to Hugh Jackman showing a whole audience an incredible one, all while the voiceover explains the three steps of any magic trick. The relationship between the diegetic voiceover and the images here is a very smart one. Though the two events that are occurring are at different times, locations, and circumstances, the diegetic sound relates to them both.
         Christopher Nolan likes to tie in his film endings right at the beginning of them. This is apparent in "Inception" as well as "Interstellar", with the latter using the same technique as "The Prestige" (The opening shot is directly applicable to the end, or the "answer" to the film). "The opening scene to "The Prestige" uses a perfect relation between sound and image, with many of Nolan's signature jump and cross cuts. This relationship between sound and image and shot and shot creates a tight, provocative opening. The film has an opening that creates the sense of wonder (with obscurely composed shots), mystery, and symmetry which sets the tone for the entire film.

Cartoons at the MoMi

        When I walked into the Museum of the Moving Image, I felt as though I had just entered a spaceship. It felt like the TV room in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". I was excited to see the different exhibitions in the building, which included makeup and prosthetics, sound, and even a whole section dedicated to the number of films and features made in Astoria, where the MoMi was located. However, I did not expect to see a whole floor that consisted of the work of the great Chuck Jones.
          The exhibition on Chuck Jones blew me away. There were videos of some his beloved characters, such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Wile Coyote, all over the exhibit. There were actual original drawings of his characters in motion. There were storyboards, exposure charts, and even a whole theater which showed Wile and the Road Runner going at it. I saw the earliest version of Bugs Bunny, which actually looked too adorable to not be evil. I saw how he as well as so many other characters evolved throughout the years. I was brought back to my childhood and it hit me that these are truly timeless characters. They were created in the 50s and they are still loved today. I realized that it was the only exhibit I have seen that displayed something that did not exist in the past. Instead, it endures today.      
            Looking back, I can't believe that I did not consider that cartoons were some of the greatest examples of moving image. I had gone into the museum expecting to see a whole lot of silent movies, old black and white films, and gargantuan cameras. I believe it was naive of me to have any type of expectation here. I learned that film and moving image is always changing; however, there will always be films that can last forever and still bring awe and wonder to the screen.

Interview With Matt

I had the chance to interview my friend Matt about his goals and passion in life. This is what he had to say.

SoundWalk

         Today is Halloween. I can hear a faint version of "Jailhouse Rock" echoing through the blocks from my stoop. I can hear children screaming with joy and laughing with terror. The streets of Hoboken are not as bustling as those of New York. Today was an exception. I can hear the streets come to life. I can hear tiny, young voices pleading for candy from half-excited venders and store owners waiting for their break. I can hear the cries of the miniature, mildly-upset spiderman pestering his father for more sweets. I can hear a shriek of sirens getting louder as the ambulance slithered throughout the horde of costumes.
        While walking down away from the parade, I can hear the sounds of the crowd growing mute. It never quite gets there though. I start to hear and feel the wooshing winds cutting through the crisp autumn air. I hear the heavy strides of a runner who just started his daily workout. I can hear water. I hear it splashing against pier A, only to cycle back into the flow of the Hudson. I can hear the sweeping sounds of the swells start to overtake the cries of the city streets. There is a homeless couple singing an Italian folk song in two-part harmony. I can hear the man pluck the nylon strings of his hollow-body acoustic guitar in accompaniment. I can hear the choppy engine of a news helicopter slicing through the sky towards the skyline of Manhattan.
       I can hear the dry leaves scurrying across the pavement at my feet, eager to bring us deeper into the season. I can hear the grunts and screams of painful fulfillment coming from the boxing gym just down the street. I hear the words to "This is Halloween" coming from the Wicked Wolf Tavern getting louder as I walked closer. I hear all of this. But I feel it too. The warmth. The shift from the busy crowds to the quaint riverside is my favorite thing about this city and this time of year. There will always be the exciting and bustling side of life. But there is also the calm, peaceful side that keeps it in balance. It is all life though, in this moment. Today is Halloween.

Define A Space Project

Artist Statement

My Artist Statement

           My passion since I can remember has been music and art. I was given paper and a pencil. It started out as doodles in my notebook in first grade. The doodles turned into full drawings of anything that came to mind. I zoned out. While I drew, I went someplace else. I was soon introduced to a television show that changed my premature life. Dragonball Z became my new passion. I drew it, watched it, fantasized about it. My eight year old self was mesmerized. Goku, the main character, became my hero. The closest I felt to being in that world was drawing anything Dragonball Z.
        DBZ was my first love. Soon after, my passion grew for  other things. I watched movies. I played video games. But I still drew.  I drew Superman saving Metropolis. I drew Mickey Mouse celebrating Christmas. And I still drew Goku saving the world. I drew everything and anything I pleased. I was like a machine, spitting out black and white sketches everyday. My passions created another world for me. I knew what was real, but I preferred fantasy. All these things- music, video games, and my art brought me to worlds that only existed in dreams. I was in love.
        Passion is the life force of all humans. Without it, we just exist. Never have I felt more alive than when I realize my passion. The worlds that I saw in my art took me to awe-inspiring places. They were surreal, beautiful, and magical. These places sparked the creativity in my mind and I created my own worlds, ideas, and magic. This was me twelve years ago. I did not outgrow it. 
        Today, while having a firm grasp on reality, I still love being in that surreal place. Most of all, the deepest of emotions are awakened in this realm. The storm of emotions is like a fury, a white-hot burning. But at the same time there is an unrivaled peace. I want to share my passion with others, I want them to feel something. Anything. The digital world is an impressive medium and I plan on using it for the purpose of fueling the life force behind as many humans as I can. If I can spark in people even half the amount of emotion and feeling that my passion, only then will I call myself an artist.