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cinematography analysis website


Benjamin Kantor

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This may be of interest to the people (like me) that lurk these boards: I launched a cinematography analysis website a few months ago, which you can find at cinevenger.com.

 

So far, I've looked at 'The Matrix', 'Logan's Run', 'Thor', and 'The Terminator'... I try to focus on films that don't already have volumes written about their cinematography (such as anything shot by Conrad Hall, or directed by Stanley Kubrick). I'm currently working on an analysis of 'Sunshine' and another on 'Hero'.

 

If you enjoy the website, I would be interested in any suggestions on what to look at next.

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Wow this is great, thanks for this. I've read some cinematography books but they're sometimes very academic and hard to follow (and sometimes a bit lacking in photos of examples, possibly because of copyright issues and costs). I find it much easier to read your analyses and perspective on specific scenes with clear examples.

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Wow this is great, thanks for this. I've read some cinematography books but they're sometimes very academic and hard to follow (and sometimes a bit lacking in photos of examples, possibly because of copyright issues and costs). I find it much easier to read your analyses and perspective on specific scenes with clear examples.

 

Being as useful as cinematography books is high commendation... I'm glad that you're finding it valuable for the study of the examined films.

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That slitscan for terminator was interesting as an analysis tool...

 

Where did you learn/think of that ?

 

 

I originally saw something similar at an art exhibit. Then, I painstakingly created a custom Nuke script to output the my own version of the slitscan. Finally, I found out that a really easy to use piece of software had been available all along. You can find it here: http://www.threewordtitle.com/thumber/

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It reminds me a little of running 35mm projection film through my fingers on a fast winder above a lightbox.

 

You sense .. well, not the film but something that I guess is unique to each.

 

 

Some people call that uniqueness a films fingerprint... I am currently looking at new 2D methods to create different types of fingerprint representations. I wouldn't know where to start with the 3D stuff (although it clearly has huge potential).

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Some people call that uniqueness a films fingerprint... I am currently looking at new 2D methods to create different types of fingerprint representations. I wouldn't know where to start with the 3D stuff (although it clearly has huge potential).

 

 

It's swapping representation of temporal data into a spatial representation - in some regard throwing away a heap of data that it falls between the gaps of our senses (not to mention that sound has been ignored).

 

There's a smidgen of pun in saying "watch this space" wink.gif

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looks really good Ben. I'll pour over Sunshine when I get time for a start-off.

 

You might be interested to talk to Rob Ager, he's a very thorough chap. His analysis of 2001 A Space Odyssey did the rounds a while back. All relevent stuff here. But he does other films too, there just happened to be a stint of things related to Kubrick at the time.

Edited by Rex Orwell
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Looks really good Ben. I'll pour over Sunshine when I get time for a start-off.

 

You might be interested to talk to Rob Ager, he's a very thorough chap. His analysis of 2001 A Space Odyssey did the rounds a while back. All relevent stuff here. But he does other films too, there just happened to be a stint of things related to Kubrick at the time.

 

 

I got knocked out of writing Cinevenger for almost three weeks because of a project I was shooting, but I am now back to a semi-normal schedule, so I just started reading/watching through this... looks great and appropriately dense. I think it will be one of those "watch three times" types of situations.

 

 

 

 

I was skeptical at first, but I think you did a great job with "Sunshine." It's kind of inspiring, actually. Thanks for the effort!

 

May I suggest Tarkovsky's "Nostalghia," and Orson Welles "Chimes at Midnight."

 

 

Thanks, and good suggestions. "Chimes at Midnight" is completely underappreciated... I don't think it's even on most peoples radar for Welles (compared with "Touch of Evil" and "Citizen Kane").

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Alwin compliments your research.

 

Alwin Kuchler? Wow, that's awesome. I'm honored that he read the article.

 

 

Great website. But you seem to stop posting. What happen?

 

I had to take a break for a while because I was working on a show called "Husbands" as well as some other projects. However, I am back at it now, and just did the first of three posts on "Breaking Bad."

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