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April 22, 2006 | 05:30 AM
The first and second days dailies
Dalies for those that are not familiar with film language are prints of some of the film exposed during the day. I had seen some of the dailies on DVD. But today I saw them projected on the big screen, and some of my spirits lifted..
The DVD was a false colour rendition. And I got concerned. It looked to bright, the costumes looked garish. But on screen, the right colour contrasts were shown and I had to apologise for criticizing the director of photography and the costume person. Especially as they are two of the best in the bussiness, and both of them did Elizabeth with me.
It was however on the second day of the shoot that I found the style fo the film. Of course this may be totally and falsely predictive. It may be just what I feel right now and all may change tommorow. But then I must express what I feel today and be open and confident enough not to imprison myself in today's thoughts if they are no longer relavent tommorow,
Today I feel I want to explore the outer boundaries of film grammer. I am not the only one. Many have tried before and some suceeded spectacularily and some failed. Most of the time such extreme ideas of the outer edges of film grammer must be matched by story telling of such extreme nature. One famous example is the first Matrix. It existed on the outer edges of both form and of content.
But what of Golden Age ?The story telling, or rather the immediate plot of it does not lie on the outer edges of stort telling. It is a good, solid touchable and 'relaiable', if you like, story. However in the subtext lies the outer edges of exploration of character relationships. Of meanings. Of the conflict between mortality and immortality. Between the infinite and the finite.
I began to see this as a dance between the opposites. And I begin now to see the possibilities of treating the camera and the choreography between the actors and the camera as if I am filming a dance film. An Opera. A musical. Not very obviously , but subtly. Encouraging the audience to start to see the film as part of a great symphony where each component part is just a note in a symphonic whole.
So if I have already decided that the film is Turner, what symphony or any one piece of music would complement the paintings of Turner ?
Shekhar
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...I know my painters better than my music, I'm afraid, so I can offer no constructive suggestions...
But Turner painted "scenes" which superficially, when you have visually deciphered them , work on a number of levels - yes...it's a scene of a steam train or ship wreck, but then you start to read subtle messages and associations...
In fact, if you could compress an entire film into one image, you might end up with something close to a Turner painting...
La Mer by Claude Debussy.
Something from Robert De Visee, Francisco Tarrega, Francesco Corbeta...
When I look at Turner's paintings, a certain melody comes to my mind - Craig Armstrong's "PM's Love Theme" from the soundtrack of "Love Actually". A smooth piano, so gentle that could melt any heart...
And "The Mysterious Barriers" by Francois Couperin, though some people think it was written by Frencesco Corbeta or Robert De Visee. Whatever the truth may be, it's really great.
Shekhar you are a beautiful writer. I find myself wishing I could write as fluidly and openly as you do, but then I realize your writing is special because it is strictly unique to you. I could no more write like Shekhar Kapur than you could write like Caitlin Coey. We write how we write and that's all. Thank you.
I think a recording is moving when it demonstrates the sense of different elements in different places creating the audio image of where it was performed--even if there never was such a place.
When I consider a relationship between image and sound, I always think in terms of the idea creating the same kind of effect an emotional space. The two together make something that is not there in each element alone.
I think you have to try all kinds of works, modern and ancient, while watching the dailies, and when you find it, the thing that makes a place in your heart and soul, you have to play it, on a set of headphones, in your mind. Even if it is not the ultimate score of the film, its your working soundtrack, that illuminates and reminds you of where you are and how to move through the room you've created.
I like things that have the Moorish or Basque infulence. Also, things from the Berber culture... very deep interesting recordings? And something you can dance to ...
...The Hebrides ("Fingal's Cave") overture, Felix Mendelssohn.
I would recommend anything by Elgar.
To me, the picture of Turner's you have chosen, makes me think of Fingal's Cave by Mozart. I hope this suggestion is helpful.
...a nice subtle piece with sitar and tablas.