Dreams That Count For Something...

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Line of action

*please note the above photos are what I used last year/term. I cannot find the ones that I drew this summer.

Cubist sketches

The above photos are my selects for my cubist sketches. Other notable sketches are below.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Worst Scene - Precious

This Scene is in the middle of the movie @ 0:47 mins. I understand this is incomplete.

Basically in the scene, precious and her mom recieve a visit from a social worker. What didn't work in this scene is that it was the most stagnant scene. The camera angles were alternates of these 3 sketches with the main one being the second (mother and social worker on the couch). I viewed it as being very stagnant and it was only after i rewatched the scene with sound that I realized all that was going on.

The fact that the situation was awkward for the family due to the lack of intrest from Precious' mother and the disconnect as a family unit I think the scene could have benefited from: different angles, close up of facial expression (to better emphasize Precious' uncomfort and her mothers evil glares) and the social worker and the mother in different attire. The mostly black attire and ghastly makeup was very jarring and didn't fit. A more professional silhouette and or a bold colour ( like Precious normally wears) could have helped.

I also think it would have helped if the social worker was in a better light rather than dark and drabby.

Best Scene - Precious

reference: clip fight with mom - you can start at 1:04:44 (in full movie)

or click here for an edited version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6p-myYoYY

I chose this as the best scene because of its drama. Even with the sound off or watching it multiple times to sketch the right still i still find myself gasping when Precious falls down the stairs and drops her baby. Its a traumatic scene. Its not a surprise to see the mother so violent and spiteful to Precious but its just never acceptable to take your anger out on a new born. They have no fighting chance. The last couple of scenes where we see the mother hurl a tv down flights of stairs where Precious less than a minute before was clutching her child its hard not to catch your breath at the inevitable.

As much as i thought this scene was great it did have its flaws. A couple of clips seemed jarring and mashed together as if the actors had to act out the scene dozens of times tirelessly to get it right. However, the beauty of drawing the scene and drinking in every moment is that I also got to see just that...every moment I might have missed otherwise.

The dangerous silhouette of Monique pointing her finger at her daughter as Precious stares defiantly back with her face lit right down the center was beautiful and simple.

When precious walks down the hallway, baby in hand, desperate to get away from her destructive mother she is framed all around by the doors of her complex. The frames also metaphorically symbolize her freedom and exit from the life she has been prisoner to.

Lastly, the best accident I never thought i would find is where Precious is thrown against the wall by her mother and is briefly cowering from the impact. This fight scene is exactly where everything gets jumbled and cut really weird so I had no idea where or how i would draw the actors. as I decided on this and started to draw the scene, it wasn't until i drew Precious' arm that i realized she had an orange scarf tied around it. Something that wasn't consistent with the connecting scenes. It could be a flaw of the director who didn't realized the error but i laughed at the coincidence. The scarf is important to the movie introduced in the beginning of the movie in a dream and eventually Precious passes it on to a neighbourhood kid. I just thought the chance of me finding it connected the scene even more.