Important dates to remember

Monday, April 7: Two film journal entries are due. These are to be 1-2 typed pages, single spaced, 12 point font size. Please put your name, journal entry # and the film title at the top right or left of the page. Each journal entry is worth 25 points.

Wednesday, April 9: No class.

Monday, April 14: Short paper due. This paper should be 3-4 typed pages, single spaced, 12 point font size. This should be in the form of an essay, so I would advise having a clear thesis statement that you then back up in your well organized paragraphs, and a conclusion. The essay should be a response to one of the topics that I handed out, or one that I have received in writing and pre-approved. This paper is worth 50 points.

Wednesday, April 16: Midterm exam. I will either give out a study guide or I will give you the opportunity to review any concepts/clarify anything that you don't understand. Most of what will be on the exam will come from the book and the in-class lectures. The midterm is worth 60 points.

Please write these down and remember these dates! I will try to remind you again in class, but it is imperative (especially at the college level) that you pay attention and keep track of dates and assignments.

Pat's Paragraph

I read the first of Dede Allen's interview and found it rather fascinating. I think she is a strong woman in the film world and shows that not only the men run the industry. Her career represents that with ease from her work with editing on some of my favorite pictures such as Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, and Bonnie and Clyde. Then she has experience within the heavy hitting studio system that is Warner Bros. I found the interview mainly focusing on Dede's view of how it was back in the day now and here in the present. I don't know first hand how editing was back then, but with her words it seemed like a more personal career, and less of you and a computer. She states there was more freedom and less of the studios leaning over your shoulder watching your every move. For how is one to edit and make the picture good with that kind of pressure. She seems to be a great advocate of the Golden Age and one of those who slipped through the cracks without being destroyed by to much succcess, like many were. I admire her for her work in the film industry and makes me more interested in the job that is editing, it seems very difficult, but you come across ways to make it your own which makes it so fascinating. I appreciated the quote that was bolded, that stated how the actors were getting well paid and the money was taking from the artistry that is cinema. This woman has had quite a career and now that I know what film's she has worked on, I might just have to find the others I hadn't heard of before.

More Bonnie and Clyde

The director crafted a film that would pull audiences in with humor and flirtation, then slap them back with violence. "That," Penn said, "is how the real world has always operated. It was vital to me that the film be a new American gothic. . . . The movie was released into a world where kids were burning draft cards and feeling beset by their own government. We rang a big bell with this film. A very big social bell. We had no idea how it would reverberate around the world."

Above is an excerpt from a recent L.A. Times "Remembering Bonnie and Clyde", written by Geoff Boucher, who revisited the film with director Arthur Penn and Warren Beatty, Estelle Parsons and Gene Hackman.

Kelsey's Paragraph

I read the part II of the interview with Dede Allen. At first, Dede starts to talk about editing as an art form where you tell a story with shots instead of writing it down. I thought this was interesting, because I never really thought of editing like that. I particularly liked the Michelangelo quote that Mia Goldman used: 'To make the David, I cut away everything that wasn’t the David.’ I think this really can apply to editing as they cut away pieces of the movie that don't fit. Dede then explains the drama that can be caused in the workplace involving editors. She says that editors and directors need to respect and trust each other. They both need to be open to new ideas, because the way a director might look at the film and the way an editor might look at the film can be completely different. Not only that, but editors need to work together without personal problems with each other. Dede stresses that, "Crewing a cutting room is like casting a film. You want to make sure that everyone works well together because you don’t want to burden the director with psychological problems or an unhappy work environment." She also talks about how the digital revolution has impacted the job of an editor. Editors generally get less time with assistants to help them learn along with the editing process. Also, the expectations of directors has gone up. They expect immediate fluidity to the scenes. It sounds like Dede Allen really likes her job as an editor. She understands that editing requires collaboration and a positive attitude.

Carissa's Post

I enjoyed the interview with Dede. She has so much wisdom about films and film editing. She has an impressive film career. Her personal experience with the old way of editing and digital editing was interesting to me. When the interviwer asked her what inspiring editors should do. She said to watch plays. I like the thought of that. When you watch a play you see how it flows, the communication methods, and the complete three-act structure. Anyone can learn the new editing systems, but getting out there and gaining experience seemed to be her best advice.

Dede Allen blog assignment

Below I have posted some links to some interesting articles on Dede Allen, the editor of Bonnie and Clyde. The first two are links to an interview with Dede Allen. The interview is a bit long and is divided into 2 parts. You can get to Part 2 from the second link or from the bottom of part one, there is a connecting link, if you would like to read the whole interview. The third link is an overview of Allen's career, it also specifically addresses and analyzes her work in Bonnie and Clyde, and discusses the influence she has had on modern editing techniques.

I would like each of you to read at least one of these articles and then write a paragraph response to the reading. You may discuss something you found interesting from the article, something you learned about editing, you can write about Ms. Allen specifically, or you can discuss the editing of Bonnie and Clyde and your reactions to it. Please cite any quotes from the article or examples from the film when necessary. This will be worth 10 points, and must be posted by NOON on FRIDAY.

Dede Allen interview part 1.

Dede Allen interview part 2.

Analysis/info on Dede Allen and her work.

The making of The Graduate article

Here is that Vanity Fair article I mentioned in class on the making of The Graduate.

Good discussion on Wednesday, keep it up for the rest of the films!

Pat's Shot from The Graduate

In the shot I chose, Mr. Robinson and Ben are sitting down by the bar where originally Ben was "seduced" by Mrs. Robinson. The light on the two characters is very dark on Ben and shows a little light on Mr. Robinson. I think the lack of light on Ben shows the guilt that he holds right now seeing Mrs. Robinson nude and now he must sit with her husband for drinks. The pale light on Mr. Robinson is to show the symbolism of him being oblivious to the situation. While the two men talk Mrs. Robinson makes her way down the steps. This shot is perfect because she has a very strong stance and stands in the distance, but right in between the two men. This shows the connection between the two both seeing Mrs. Robinson nude, and the connection between the three as an intricate love triangle. The scene all together is very dark, because what has just happened is in fact dark itself. The only light shed is near Mrs. Robinson creating a glow on herself, who in reality thinks she has done nothing wrong. The acting adds a lot as well with Mr. Robinson who is acting very low key and then Ben who has a very stressed look on his face. Then there is the sensual Mrs. Robinson making her way down the hallway and holding utter confidence in herself. It's a great visual composition and the triangle creates a very strong literary and visual perspective.

My favorite scenes in the graduate

One of the interesting scenes in the movie, to my opinion, is the conversation between Ben and Mrs. Ronbinson. The way the camera angles on Ben's and Mrs. Ronbinson's face. The grassland between the two, as Ben looks across to her, showing a little confusion and fear. And for Mrs. Robinson's reaction to the conversation, she just smiled and continued talking calmly as need be. Taking an advantage over Ben. The lighting above helps display Ben's cold reaction as in to leave and Mrs. Robinson's brighter area seems to show that she's not afraid to show her true self.

In the shot, Ben and Elaine are seen sitting on the bus after escaping from the church. Elaine is looking at Ben and he is staring off into space. I think that it is very symbolic because although they are happy at the moment, they don't know what will happen down the road. It's almost as if Elaine made the wrong choice in picking Ben.

Carissa's Post

The scene I liked the most from "The Graduate" was when Ben was walking down the hall to the hotel room. The scene has a great depth of field with lots of dark shadows. Ben is slowly making his way down the long hallway. He is not in sharp focus and his form is a sillouette. I think the scene visually speaks for itself. Ben could turn around and run back down the hallway. He has a choice still. It seems that he is walking forever though. I also like that they have the door fairly shadowed, yet light enough so you can see the door number.

Ben's Choice from The Graduate

In the background, Benjamin is seen about to pound on the glass after seeing Elaine marry the other guy. Benjamin is in the very middle of the shot, while Mrs. Robinson is seen in the right third of the shot. He is much smaller in size comparison to Mrs. Robinson, and is also higher up in the shot compared to her. He is also wearing all white, while Mrs. Robinson is in all black... at her daughter's wedding. I believe that this in itself is telling more about the story than is seen at first glance. Because he seems so far away, it gives the feeling that their is no hope for him at all, but it doesn't seem that Mrs. Robinson is very happy either, considering she's in all black, but that's just my opinion.

The Graduate

There is a scene after Mrs. Robinson and Ben are talking in the bedroom. They had just had a fight about why Mrs. Robinson doesn't want Ben to ask out her daughter. At the end of their conversation, she makes Ben promise to not ask out Elaine. In the shot, Mrs. Robinson is on one side of the bed slowly taking off her stockings. Ben is in the corner slowly taking off his tie. There seems to be a stiffness in the way each character is acting now. I like this shot because the two are separated with the bed in between them. I believe this is important because it ends up being the last time they are together, and I think the shot shows how they are now separated.

Room change

We're in Room 131 tomorrow, and hopefully for the rest of the quarter.

We are in Room 103...

From 1-3:20. See you there!