IB Film Oral Presentation Critique- My Oral!

The film I presented was "Edward Scissorhands." I think I did a pretty good job at addressing the topics and being organized. My strongest points may be the parts about shot composition, sound design, sociocultural aspects, and the film's relation to film history and Tim Burton. I think my excerpt had a lot to say about shot composition (especially concerning fore/mid/background), and I think it was addressed thoroughly. I feel like I addressed the importance of dominating sounds in the hedge scene. I think my relation of the film to gay rights and AIDS was relevant for the time period and shows a connection to how Edward feels. I also think my point about Pinocchio and Freedy Krueger was valid and thorough because of how Pinocchio's personality and Edward's appearance are somewhat integrated to form Edward's being. I think my connection to Burton's childhood was also a good point because that type of childhood must've been an influence for many other films he has done, as well. My part about target audience was a little rushed, but it got the point across.

My weakest points were in lighting and editing because there wasn't as much to work with as cinematography and sound design. However, I feel like what I did say about them was valid. I also realize now that I made a false statement in saying that the camera cut down the z-axis to a medium close-up of Edward because it was really just a waist shot. Although I think I made some good points, the part about acting was underdeveloped because I only briefly talked about Edward and Esmerelda while failing to address Peg, Kevin, and Bill. My discussion of mis en scene was also limited because I found little to say in this particular extract except about the significance of the hedge.

Overall, I would give myself a 23 of 25 marks.

IB Film Oral Presentation Critique- NOT My Oral!

I reviewed the oral presentation for "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (=D) by Luis Velasquez. The presentation was fairly good overall and the presenter addressed all required topics.

The strengths of this oral were the symbolism of Jack Skellington, the relation to the institution (Disney) and history, and the attention to the importance of different objects in the sequence. To start off, the idea that Jack is different on the outside from how he appears on the inside was spot on (it reminds me of my oral, actually...must be Burton). I liked the point that Disney did not want to use the idea initially, but they changed their mind when they felt like experimenting because it gives a good background to he kinds of stresses Burton had to deal with. I loved the symbolism of the crosses because it is almost unnoticeable, but after it is explained it really makes sense. The part about the pumpkins and how it triggers a target audience of younger kids due to Halloween was also a relevant and well thought out point. I like the bit about all of the efforts made for the different expressions and flexibility of characters. Some other good points were about how the film was adapted into a musical, how Burton grew up knowing the story of the Grinch and it's influence on the film, and the references to tone in Jack's singing. Also, part about the stop-motion technology was a very important part of the cinematography aspect. Film terminology was used fairly well, as well.

One of the weakest points of the oral were that for much of the time it was hard to hear Luis speaking because Luke was doing his oral right next to him. I also think The importance of Sally's character was underdeveloped a bit. Also, I feel like the discussion of lighting and cinematography was limited.

Overall, I would give this presentation a 23 of 25 marks.

"Edward Scissorhands"- Oral Component Part 2: Narrative and Film Language and Representation

How is this film constructed according to narrative/story being told?

The film is constructed such that we hear about a story of a man with scissors for hands, we go into the past to learn about this character, and we go back to the present to hear about how it has affected the lady telling the story. The part in the past is constructed such that we enter Edward's world from an outsider's point of view, Edward becomes accepted by society, he falls in love with someone, a conflict is set that he is dangerous (even though he doesn't mean to be), he has to run away, the girl he is in love with follows, Edward has to kill the girl's jealous ex-boyfriend, and Edward retreats into hiding forever.

Is the narrative organized by plot or time sequence, or some other way?
The narrative is organized by plot, but the main portion of the movie in which the plot occurs is a flashback with no interruptions.

Does the film use other principles than narrative sequence as a structure (for instance, an argument?
Outside of the flashback in which the main part of the movie occurs, the narrative is triggered by the fact that it is snowing. It's important because the story surrounds the fact that Edward has scissors for hands and that it wouldn't be snowing without his ability. Also, the castle at the top of the mountain is a focus point in the first shot, and we learn that it becomes an important part of the story because later it triggers Peg's curiosity about this strange building in a suburban neighborhood. The curiosity the snow and castle is supposed to develop is what propels the grandma to tell the story about Edward.

What is the nature of our engagement with the story or characters?

The nature of our engagement with the story and the main characters is very warm. We feel sympathy for Peg because she can't make an AVON sale and she is the first one to find and accept Edward. We sympathize with Edward for his condition and we like him because he is so kind. We like Kim because she breaks up with Jim for making Edward break into his house and she seems to fall in love with Edward. The nature of our engagement with the story is also warm because of how Edward is such a pitiful creature, but we can't help but feel a connection to him for his undeserved loneliness. Therefore, we feel like we want to find out if he ends up with Kim in the end. However, things turn dark in the end. The nature of our engagement with Jim is cold. He is a jerk for trying to get Edward in trouble, trying to blame Kim's cut on Edward, etc., so we put him in the villain position. When "villain" meets Edward, the only way out is murder. Murder is something Edward can never come back from even though Kim can finally be with Edward, which is why the nature of our engagement with the story at the end is bittersweet.

How are characters and issues represented?

Characters are represented as average white Americans. In my extract (26:39-31:23), Bill (Peg's husband) is trimming bushes and Kevin (Peg's son) is listening to the baseball game with his friend in a tree house. Peg is ecstatic (as heard with her high-pitched voice) about Edward trimming the hedges in the shape of her family. The odd one out is Edward. He is represented as awkward, such as with his shuffling approach to the hedge. He also smiles when Peg is happy and frowns when she's not when she is putting products on his face. He just wants to fit in, but it is unnatural. Therefore, he begins to trim the hedge, so he can have the best of both worlds (the hedges at the castle are trimmed as well).

Issues most important to the plot are represented as being caused by character interference. For example, the devoted Catholic lady, Esmerelda, comes into the Boggs' yard and says Edward is from the fiery pits of heck. This eventually becomes a popular sentiment once people recognize the dangers Edward's scissors pose.

What is the style and effect of acting and performance?

The style of acting is realistic to the point where everything that happens we expect of that character. Esmerelda is eccentric in her behavior when she confronts Edward. We aren't surprised when she comes up and points her finger at Edward. Edward is gentle because he is naive about human nature (such as with Esmerelda and her fear of him), and he shows it with his soft voice and smiles or neutral facial expressions.

We expect him to feel proud of himself when he finishes his botanical masterpiece. The effect of this style is that we can tell which characters to like and which to dislike. For example, we dislike Esmerelda and we like Edward because of how the lady seems out of her mind with the odd way she presents herself and how Edward responds to the lady so that we realize he doesn't understand the meaning of what she said to him.

How is meaning created by camera angles, shots, and camera movement?

There are a lot of point of view shots of Edward being "beautified" that create the idea that Edward has to be changed in order to be accepted by society. (These shots also create uncomfortableness because Peg is seen applying all of this hunk to his face throughout the scene.) This is followed by a close-up reverse point of view shot of Edward with a smile that turns into a frown at peg's disapproval. The way Edward is staring at the audience (even though its Peg) helps him communicate his mood through all of this: he is willing to take what Peg does to him if he can fit in. That shows how these few shots contribute to the film as a whole.

Another interesting shot is when Bill is out working in the yard and Edward joins him. The shot has great depth because we have the branches in the foreground, Bill hesitating before cutting it in the midground, and Edward walking into the scene in the background. Then the cuts down the z-axis to a medium close-up of Edward cutting a branch just like Bill. What makes these two shots significant is that it literally and figuratively brings Edward out from the background and into the foreground by showing the audience that there is something he can do just like everyone else (or better?).

A bit later the branches are in the foreground, Edward is in the midground, and Bill is in the background, thus showing the significant change in dominance over the scene and highlighting Edward's importance.

vs. the previous

The final shot of this scene is most important because it is slightly from a worm's eye view as we witness Edward's giant dinosaur hedge. The angle of this shot shows that Edward has officially proven his worth and skill. Another important aspect is that the wide shot reflects the colossal stature of Edward's achievement. As a whole, this scene creates meaning because it physically shows how Edward becomes an important figure in the lives of everyone in the neighborhood because of his skill.

One last important shot of this scene is when Esmerelda enters. The camera dollies in with the woman, showing that we are coming in from an outsider's perspective. This is important to the film as a whole because eventually this negative outside perspective becomes a neighborhood-wide feeling.

How is meaning created through proxemics, territorial design, or open and closed forms?

Meaning is created through proxemics such that Edward is close to Peg, but distant from Bill. During the makeup session, Edward lets Peg experiment on him however she wants to because he trusts her with his life. She is the one who took him in, after all. Bill, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care much about Edward, as we can infer from the great distance between them during the hedge-trimming scene. They are the length of the yard apart the entire time. Proxemics are important to the film as a whole because it shows how the only people who really understand where Edward is coming from is Peg (and Kim when she becomes an important character). The rest of the neighbors turn their back on him, and Bill and Kevin aren't necessarily coming to his defense when things get rough.

How is meaning created by editing and sequencing?

One interesting part of editing is how the first scene of the extract is drawn out. It just shows all of the men going off to work, but it really emphasizes how uniform this society is compared to Edward. It is quite ironic because they are supposed to be human while he is artificial, but he is the odd one out in a group of men who act exactly the same.

Meaning is created through editing because of Edward's eagerness to please. During the makeup session, Peg is smiling and then she frowns and cocks her head. Then it cuts to Edward's smile turning into a frown. This cut is significant because like she wants for him, he wants to be accepted (appearance permitting). This is important to the film as a whole because Edward realizes that he can be his own person with his own opinions and that people are okay about him being different.

Editing is also important when Bill and Edward are cutting the hedges because Bill cuts once, Edward cuts once, Bill cuts twice, and Edward cuts twice. Edward is trying to send the message that he can do it just like Bill if not better. This is important to the film as a whole because a major part of the plot involves him proving himself to society, Peg, and Kim.

Another important part of the cutting in this scene is that they wait until the very end of the scene to show Edward's dinosaur. The closest we get is a glimpse of him cutting, but they put it off until after Bill's and Kevin's reactions for maximum intrigue. This is important to the film as a whole because, similarly, we don't realize Edward's true potential until the end of the film. His potential can be interpreted as creating the ice sculptures that make it snow or, more importantly, the fact that he was able to murder Jim and be able to say goodbye to Kim forever.

Another important part of editing is when Peg is listening to messages. The entire scene is one static waist shot of Peg sitting on the bed next to the phone. It creates meaning because one drawn out shot reflects the fact that Peg's neighbors filled her entire voicemail machine tape and emphasizes the daunting task that she has to listen to every single message. It is important as a whole because it foreshadows the relationship Edward is soon to have with the rest of the neighbors that leads him to feel more comfortable in society.

How is meaning created by lighting, shade and color?

The very first scene of the extract is of what a suburban weekday is supposed to be like. All of the houses are of pastel colors, as well as the cars. It is also a bright, sunny day with a great blue sky.

The bright lighting and colorful neighborhood suggest that Edward is becoming oriented into a world outside of his black castle, black jumpsuit, black hair, and pale skin. Also the lavender foundation on his face suggests that Edward is starting to "blend" (pun unintended) with that colorful new world. It is important to the rest of the film because it ultimately emphasizes the world he doesn't belong in not only because of his paleness and black attire, but his unfortunate tendency to be unintentionally dangerous.

How is meaning created by sound and music?

Sound is especially important in this extract. In the first scene with the cars leaving, we hear non-diegetic fast-tempo orchestrated music suggesting anxiety because it's a brand new day and we don't know what will happen. On the other hand, the music becomes cheerful with a harmony of voices, which suggests an ideal place that corresponds to this happy and colorful neighborhood. This song comes to a hasty close on an establishing shot of the makeup scene that calms that anxiety. It is important to the film as a whole because the anxious music demonstrates the lingering idea that there is a curious figure in the perfect neighborhood, the cheerful music demonstrates that it is just a happy neighborhood that Edward is integrating into, and the hasty close demonstrates that like Peg got used to Edward, so will everyone else.

During the makeup scene, Edward is completely silent while Peg is talking on and on about how to apply makeup to his face. The only other diegetic sound is a wet noise of the gunk going onto Edward's face. this part is important because it demonstrates how much Edward is willing to stand to be just like everyone else. Peg's dialogue is also important because Edward knows so little of the world outside of his home that he probably has no idea what Peg is talking about, yet he still seems to listen because it is polite and he is a gentleman. Peg's dialogue is important to the film as a whole because Peg is talking to Edward as though he were any other person when he is not, much like how the townspeople treat him equally or even better. The last line of Peg's dialogue ("Darn this stuff!") is important because we end the scene at the conflict, never to know the climax or resolution.

In the hedge scene, the baseball on the radio is merely diegetic noise that we notice but don't care for. The sound of Edward's scissors from the inside of the tree-house and Bill's request to turn up the radio's volume suggests that Edward will soon become the dominant point of interest in this scene. Bill can't get rid of the noise. The cheering of the crowd and the announcer saying, "it's gone, it's out of here, it's history," matches Edward's determination on his new project (as seen by his powerful expression).

The real uproar of the baseball crowd begins when we see Edward next to the dinosaur. One can also notice the increase in volume due to the crowd instead of the announcer yelling. This scene holds a lot of meaning with sound because Edward gradually becomes the center of attention. It used to be radio vs. Edward, but then it becomes radio both complementing and complimenting Edward. This appreciation of Edward's skill is important to the film as a whole because it adds a sense of accomplishment in Edward that motivates him to become a valuable member of society.

This highly contrasts the next scene, which is fairly quiet except for the sound of messages. This part is important because once again it emphasizes Peg's dull and lengthy task. At the sound of the tape squeaking as it rewinds accompanied with Peg's look at the machine, we can tell that there are a lot of interested neighbors. this is important to the film as a whole because we hear of all of the nosy people who later claim they think of Edward as special, but then turn their backs on him in the end.

An important piece of dialogue in the middle of listening to messages is the reference to Kim on her camping trip. This is a key piece of dialogue that means we should not forget about Kim and the effect he has on Edward, which shows its importance to the film as a whole because Kim is the reason Edward first gets in trouble and triggers the break-up with Jim (Edward says he broke into Jim's house because she asked him to, Kim broke up with Jim because he was mean to him, and later Jim is obviously jealous of Kim and Edward, so he goes after them).

One leitmotif that foreshadows the climax of the movie is the entrance of Esmerelda. We first hear her playing on her organ and then every single appearance she has involves that music. We hear dark , slow-tempo, mid-frequency accordion music upon her entrance. It is important to the rest of the film because it foreshadows that eventually no good can come of Edward's integration into society.

How is meaning created by location, set design and mis en scene?

Meaning is created through location by how Edward is working his way into an average white American suburban family, which is a very stereotypical image of an American family because there are also the rich, the poor, and other ethnic groups to consider. Furthermore, it is in a colorful neighborhood and he is coming from a dark place, so it's like he is seeing the light for the first time. This location is important to the film as a whole because it contrasts Edward's castle, which is the place Edward realizes he must return to in the end.

Meaning is created through mis en scene because the hedge in the background eventually become the significant hedge. The placement of the radio is important because it serves as an interruption for what we want to see Edward doing, but once our eyes are off of it and onto Edward's dinosaur we welcome it, especially since there is a thunderous applause on Edward's account. This aspect of the scene is important because it symbolizes how Edward is no longer in the shadows, but he is standing out in a positive way that leads him to become a famous member of society.

Does the film make use of symbols, metaphors, or allegories? What are they and how do they work within the context of the film?

Edward is a symbol of the acceptance of change. Edward's ability to show that he is capable of so much skill in cutting the hedge represents how not all change is bad. However, there are some people, like Esmerelda, who aren't ready for change because it is so extreme. This central symbol works within the context of the film through how people do accept him for his good qualities, but, once his bad qualities show change, becomes a more frightening notion.

What emotional information is conveyed through the filmmaking process?

Emotional information or the tone that is created during the scene with the cars is humor because it is ridiculous that the houses are those colors and every man is driving away at the same time. The next scene also shows a humorous tone because of how funny Edward looks and how serious Peg is about it. The hedge scene shows both humor and triumph because of how Edward's initial hesitance turns into fierce determination and how Edward is pleased with his creation at the end with the applause of the crowd. The voicemail scene is also humorous because of the length of the tape and we hear about everyone's curiosity. It also acts as a reminder of Kim's place in the story, which demonstrates a more neutral tone. The last scene with Esmerelda is tense because we want her to get out of there since we know Edward is not dangerous at heart. Overall we feel sympathy and happiness for Edward.