38) FILM HISTORY SECTION A - 1930 - 1960. (TASK THREE)
Take 3 scenes from 'Singin' in the Rain' (1952) and analyse the micro elements
of film form, identifying how these elements construct meaning.
The three scenes I have chosen are as follows:
Make 'em Laugh:
The three scenes I have chosen are as follows:
MAKE 'EM LAUGH:
THE OPENING SCENE:
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN:
The relevant micro-elements of film are as follows:
* Mise-En-Scene - Costume, Make-up, Props and Location
* Editing
* Sound - Diegetic and Non-Diegetic
* Camera Angle and Movement
Make 'em Laugh:
Costume In this song, a significant item of clothing that plays a role in making the scene funny is the hat in which Cosmo is wearing. At the start of the scene, he puts the hat on and then pushes it further on his head, therefore, making his ear shape change. This adds a comedic effect on the scene as it is changing the way he looks. Also, he is wearing a shirt and trousers, therefore, showing his casual attire compared to what he looks like on show night. The costume isn't the main feature of this scene however there are some items which show the comedic aspect of the scene. Similar to the first scene, the makeup used is simply staging makeup to prevent the lighting from making any changes.
Props
An obvious prop which is used is the piano at the start of the song. This is the starting point for the song as Cosmo starts playing it, he also walks across it which makes Don laugh therefore showing the start of 'Make em' Laugh'. Furthermore, the three planks in which are used adds a massive comedic attitude to the scene, for example when the first plank unexpectedly lifts him up, he carries on singing and then begins to mimic swimming whilst be carried on the plank, the second plank hits him in the front of his head and then the third hit him in the back however this doesn't seem to stop him from continuing with the song. There is also a sofa that gets carried through when Cosmo suddenly ducks underneath it, this is the sofa used in the next part of the scene. Cosmo then goes running into the door which turns out to be false and he runs into a brick wall. This completely changes his face and he keeps trying to change it back whilst singing, this is a common remembered funny moment in this song. He then sits on the sofa with a mannequin sat next to him. He begins to pretend that the mannequin is a woman with whom he tries to impress. This almost leads to a chair duet, however, is stopped when they start fighting. Finally, the three walls which are surrounding Cosmo play an important role in adding to the comedy in this scene. At the end of the song, he runs up the two walls, and then is about to run up the third, however, 'not knowing' that it is a false wall and he falls straight through it. This is the last moment of comedy in this scene. All of these props have the same job to create the comedy in the scene, some props bring more comedy to the scene, for example, the brick wall, compared to others such as the hat, however, all props add some sort of comedic atmosphere to the song.
Location and lighting
This scene was shot in the studio, however, it was purposely shot in it as the characters were meant to be at the filming studio during this scene. The lighting used is noticeable in the shadows that are present when Cosmo is singing. At the start of the scene, the lighting was coming from behind him as there was his shadow on the piano whereas whilst he was dancing the light was coming from above him meaning that his shadow was on the floor. The choice of lighting is effective as they make the subject focus constantly lit the whole time which doesn't draw their attention away from him.
Camera angle and movement
The camera angle in this scene is simplistic, as all it does is follow Cosmo through the scene however it is similar to the theatre when the audience are following the characters eyes, just like the camera is following the actors through the action. There is also a birds eye shot at the end of the song showing Cosmo falling on the floor, here you can see how out of breath he is and how much energy he put into that song. It implies dedication to his job and shows that he loves what he is doing.
Editing
The scene is edited in a chronological order meaning that it is showing everything as it happens. The editing process allows the viewers to see who the character is talking too which brings the plot altogether and makes the scene understandable. When filming, the director would already have in mind the way the film would look like once everything was edited together, therefore creating the suited shot.
Sound
This scene is a mix between diegetic and non-diegetic sound, the singing in this scene is diegetic, as he was singing live on the set, also, the falling on the floor at the end of the song is diegetic as that is the actual sound he made when falling on the floor. The non-diegetic sound is the music and the drumming as well as the breaking of the glass after he fell through the false wall. The non-diegetic sound is parallel as it is suiting the mood of the scene.
The opening scene:
Costume
The costumes used in this scene reflect the wealth of the actors entering the premiere. They look well made and rich, therefore showing the high quality of the clothing. The clothing is an important aspect of this scene as it allows the viewers to understand what a big business the silent film industry was as the actors were very wealthy which may seem unusual to modern viewers as the actors don't actually say anything however back then, silent film was the only form of cinema the public had and so the silent films were extremely well loved. Different to the other two scenes, makeup is also used to show the wealth of the celebrities. The female characters have more obvious makeup to show the wealth and high status of the actors and they are defined as this through costume and makeup. For the male characters, normal stage makeup is used.
Props
The props used in this scene are showing how the event is all put together. Such as the microphone, which allows the presenter to be heard. The microphone was something that shocked me when first viewing the film as I didn't realise that microphones used to look that way and so straight away I was able to see just how old the film was, yet still loved by many. The vehicles used to bring the actors to the premiere were also props, the purpose behind these was to show the viewers how well loved these actors were especially Lockwood and Lamont as when they arrived they had motorbikes in front protecting the car they arrived in. Their car was also the grandest of them all whereas Cosmo's car, who is soon to be seen as the funny one in the film, isn't as great as Lockwoods even though it is his music that sets the mood for the silent film. Another prop which I thought was worth mentioning was the lighting equipment used at the film premiere. This showed how the premiere was lit, as well as showing the viewers how everything was done manually, whereas now we would have automatic lighting.
Location
The location is at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, something which was stated at the beginning of the scene. The event is a Hollywood premiere, something which is seen as a glamorous event already showing the wealth of the film industry back then. The location of the scene is important especially as it is the opening of the scene of the film, it shows what the film will be about, perhaps foreshadowing the battles in which the characters will have with the industry and the pressures it brings as everything at the beginning almost seems too good to be true, something which we find out as the film progresses when we realise that Lockwood doesn't even like Lamont as a friend, let alone as a romantic partner.
Lighting
When mentioning lighting, it is obvious that some of the lightings for the scene are made on set, such as the lighting equipment shown at the beginning, as well as the spotlights flashing when we get the establishing shot. However, I think there must be extra lighting used behind the camera to make everything is in perfect view for the viewers. Back then, the cinematography was done in Technicolour which was slow and expensive and so they needed bright, specific light to render the colour properly, meaning that extra light must have been used behind the camera.
Camera angle and movement
The camera angles are the point of view shots showing what the audience members of the premiere can see when the famous actors arrive. The camera moves back as the actors move forward up the red carpet. There are a few close-ups of the audience members, for example, the one member of the audience who screamed when Lockwood and Lamont arrive, showing his excitement of their arrival. There is also an establishing shot at the beginning of the scene showing where the premiere was being held, this sets the scene and allows the viewers to understand that they are watching a movie premiere. Editing
The scene is edited in a chronological order meaning that it is showing everything as it happens. The editing process allows the viewers to see who the character is talking too which brings the plot altogether and makes the scene understandable. When filming, the director would already have in mind the way the film would look like once everything was edited together, therefore creating the suited shot.
Sound
All of the sounds in this scene is diegetic, meaning that it was actually said or made whilst the camera was rolling. For example, the presenter speaking into the microphone not only helped her project her voice but also implied the substantial amount of people in the audience as she needed to be heard, as well as showing how the premiere was going to be shown on TV. The crowd yelling is also an aspect of diegetic sound in the scene, as it is showing the excitement of the crowd, of course, the non-diegetic sound could have been added to make the crowd seem more substantial. As mentioned before, there is a close up of a man screaming, something which I think is clearly diegetic sound and also amplifies the excitement of the crowd when Lockwood and Lamont arrive. The excitement of the crowd shows how big the film industry was during that time period as it was the only real exposure to the celebrity world. The car engines are also diegetic and when Cosmo arrives his car gives off a horn, therefore, could be foreshadowing the comedic aspect in which Cosmo will bring to the film.
Singin' in the rain:
Costume In this scene, Don Lockwood is wearing a grey suit and tie with grey trousers and a grey hat. All of these subdued colours amplify the bright colours that everyone is so used to seeing throughout the film. I think this may have been done to show how his clothes contrast to his mood as the whole song is all about how he has suddenly become happier than he ever has been before. The shoes in which he is wearing allow him to tap dance in the rain, he is wearing the appropriate footwear in order to dance properly. As well as this, the scene begins with him and Kathy, Kathy is wearing a raincoat and rain hat, this is showing the weather conditions as well as adding a hint of colour to the scene as her raincoat is bright yellow. All of the other characters in the scene are in raincoats which makes Don stand out as being different as he is the only one without one. The policeman who comes up to Don is identifiable by his costume, we know it is a policeman as soon as he comes up to him due to his costume and his posture when he is standing by Don. There isn't enough makeup present in this scene to mention on its own, as normal stage makeup is used on Don to prevent the studio lighting effect his face on camera.
Props
I would say the most significant prop in this scene is the umbrella, as it is the one thing Don is holding throughout. The umbrella plays a substantial role in this scene as it allows the audience to identify the fact that he doesn't care about the rain as he puts down the umbrella almost straight away when he starts singing the opening to 'Singing In The Rain'. The rain used in this scene is also seen as a prop, the rain machine was used as normal rain cant be picked up on camera and so false rain had to be used. This created a lot of water which allowed Don to perform his whole sequence in the water. The lamppost in which Don swings on when saying that he's "ready for love" almost starts off the dance and so this plays an important role as it is marked as the beginning of the famous 'Singing In The Rain' dance.
Location
The scene is shot in a studio, all down one street and is showing Don's journey home from Kathy's house. I think the purpose of having the dance take place all down one street shows how now that Don is happy he is recognising all of the small things which he has always missed when walking down this street. The street is emphasising his happiness which the song is all about.
Lighting
The scene is lit by the studio lighting, however, we as an audience are made to believe that the street lights are the only lighting that Don has. I think the lack of light in this scene acts as an important as the scene is all about appreciating what you have, for example even though it's raining, Don still wants to dance and sing in it. It's almost as if he's finding the happiness even though the world around him isn't showing any. I think this is what they are doing with the lighting, as although there isn't a lot of light, he's bringing the light to the scene as it is an enjoyable moment in the film.
Camera angle and movement
Throughout the scene, the camera is constantly following Don through the dance. This is to make sure the audience can constantly see what he is doing as it is an enjoyable moment in the film. There are a few moments where the camera angle changes, such as when Don says "come on with the rain, I've a smile on my face", the camera comes above him so you can see the smile that he's talking about. This angle allows the audience to see the rain pour on his face showing how he is enjoying the rain, something which not many people do. As well as this, when the policeman comes over, there is an over the shoulder shot showing the policeman's point of view of Don dancing in the rain and we are able to see how much water he is kicking around, this shot implies how not everyone is feeling the same as Don as the policeman is annoyed at him for dancing in the rain. Finally, at the end of the scene, the camera pans up to allow a wider, almost birds-eye view of Don, as he walks away after explaining to the policeman. This also shows how he offers his umbrella to a passer-by who clearly needs it more than he does. I think this acts of an importance as it is showing how Don has changed since meeting Kathy.
Sound
The sound used in this is a mix between diegetic and non-diegetic as all of the sounds made by Don are diegetic, such as his singing, the sound of the water splashing, the kicking of the water, his tap dancing and when he scrapes his umbrella against some metal railings. The rain is also diegetic as it is made from a rain machine meaning that the water was physically hitting the floor. Another sound such as the music is non-diegetic as it was added afterwards during the editing process. All of the sounds in this scene are showing how happy Don has become and the music used is parallel meaning that it suits the mood of the scene.
Editing
The scene is edited in a chronological order meaning that it is showing everything as it happens. The editing process allows the viewers to see who the character is talking too which brings the plot altogether and makes the scene understandable. When filming, the director would already have in mind the way the film would look like once everything was edited together, therefore creating the suited shot.
Props
An obvious prop which is used is the piano at the start of the song. This is the starting point for the song as Cosmo starts playing it, he also walks across it which makes Don laugh therefore showing the start of 'Make em' Laugh'. Furthermore, the three planks in which are used adds a massive comedic attitude to the scene, for example when the first plank unexpectedly lifts him up, he carries on singing and then begins to mimic swimming whilst be carried on the plank, the second plank hits him in the front of his head and then the third hit him in the back however this doesn't seem to stop him from continuing with the song. There is also a sofa that gets carried through when Cosmo suddenly ducks underneath it, this is the sofa used in the next part of the scene. Cosmo then goes running into the door which turns out to be false and he runs into a brick wall. This completely changes his face and he keeps trying to change it back whilst singing, this is a common remembered funny moment in this song. He then sits on the sofa with a mannequin sat next to him. He begins to pretend that the mannequin is a woman with whom he tries to impress. This almost leads to a chair duet, however, is stopped when they start fighting. Finally, the three walls which are surrounding Cosmo play an important role in adding to the comedy in this scene. At the end of the song, he runs up the two walls, and then is about to run up the third, however, 'not knowing' that it is a false wall and he falls straight through it. This is the last moment of comedy in this scene. All of these props have the same job to create the comedy in the scene, some props bring more comedy to the scene, for example, the brick wall, compared to others such as the hat, however, all props add some sort of comedic atmosphere to the song.
Location and lighting
This scene was shot in the studio, however, it was purposely shot in it as the characters were meant to be at the filming studio during this scene. The lighting used is noticeable in the shadows that are present when Cosmo is singing. At the start of the scene, the lighting was coming from behind him as there was his shadow on the piano whereas whilst he was dancing the light was coming from above him meaning that his shadow was on the floor. The choice of lighting is effective as they make the subject focus constantly lit the whole time which doesn't draw their attention away from him.
Camera angle and movement
The camera angle in this scene is simplistic, as all it does is follow Cosmo through the scene however it is similar to the theatre when the audience are following the characters eyes, just like the camera is following the actors through the action. There is also a birds eye shot at the end of the song showing Cosmo falling on the floor, here you can see how out of breath he is and how much energy he put into that song. It implies dedication to his job and shows that he loves what he is doing.
Editing
The scene is edited in a chronological order meaning that it is showing everything as it happens. The editing process allows the viewers to see who the character is talking too which brings the plot altogether and makes the scene understandable. When filming, the director would already have in mind the way the film would look like once everything was edited together, therefore creating the suited shot.
Sound
This scene is a mix between diegetic and non-diegetic sound, the singing in this scene is diegetic, as he was singing live on the set, also, the falling on the floor at the end of the song is diegetic as that is the actual sound he made when falling on the floor. The non-diegetic sound is the music and the drumming as well as the breaking of the glass after he fell through the false wall. The non-diegetic sound is parallel as it is suiting the mood of the scene.
The opening scene:
Costume
The costumes used in this scene reflect the wealth of the actors entering the premiere. They look well made and rich, therefore showing the high quality of the clothing. The clothing is an important aspect of this scene as it allows the viewers to understand what a big business the silent film industry was as the actors were very wealthy which may seem unusual to modern viewers as the actors don't actually say anything however back then, silent film was the only form of cinema the public had and so the silent films were extremely well loved. Different to the other two scenes, makeup is also used to show the wealth of the celebrities. The female characters have more obvious makeup to show the wealth and high status of the actors and they are defined as this through costume and makeup. For the male characters, normal stage makeup is used.
Props
The props used in this scene are showing how the event is all put together. Such as the microphone, which allows the presenter to be heard. The microphone was something that shocked me when first viewing the film as I didn't realise that microphones used to look that way and so straight away I was able to see just how old the film was, yet still loved by many. The vehicles used to bring the actors to the premiere were also props, the purpose behind these was to show the viewers how well loved these actors were especially Lockwood and Lamont as when they arrived they had motorbikes in front protecting the car they arrived in. Their car was also the grandest of them all whereas Cosmo's car, who is soon to be seen as the funny one in the film, isn't as great as Lockwoods even though it is his music that sets the mood for the silent film. Another prop which I thought was worth mentioning was the lighting equipment used at the film premiere. This showed how the premiere was lit, as well as showing the viewers how everything was done manually, whereas now we would have automatic lighting.
Location
The location is at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, something which was stated at the beginning of the scene. The event is a Hollywood premiere, something which is seen as a glamorous event already showing the wealth of the film industry back then. The location of the scene is important especially as it is the opening of the scene of the film, it shows what the film will be about, perhaps foreshadowing the battles in which the characters will have with the industry and the pressures it brings as everything at the beginning almost seems too good to be true, something which we find out as the film progresses when we realise that Lockwood doesn't even like Lamont as a friend, let alone as a romantic partner.
Lighting
When mentioning lighting, it is obvious that some of the lightings for the scene are made on set, such as the lighting equipment shown at the beginning, as well as the spotlights flashing when we get the establishing shot. However, I think there must be extra lighting used behind the camera to make everything is in perfect view for the viewers. Back then, the cinematography was done in Technicolour which was slow and expensive and so they needed bright, specific light to render the colour properly, meaning that extra light must have been used behind the camera.
Camera angle and movement
The camera angles are the point of view shots showing what the audience members of the premiere can see when the famous actors arrive. The camera moves back as the actors move forward up the red carpet. There are a few close-ups of the audience members, for example, the one member of the audience who screamed when Lockwood and Lamont arrive, showing his excitement of their arrival. There is also an establishing shot at the beginning of the scene showing where the premiere was being held, this sets the scene and allows the viewers to understand that they are watching a movie premiere. Editing
The scene is edited in a chronological order meaning that it is showing everything as it happens. The editing process allows the viewers to see who the character is talking too which brings the plot altogether and makes the scene understandable. When filming, the director would already have in mind the way the film would look like once everything was edited together, therefore creating the suited shot.
Sound
All of the sounds in this scene is diegetic, meaning that it was actually said or made whilst the camera was rolling. For example, the presenter speaking into the microphone not only helped her project her voice but also implied the substantial amount of people in the audience as she needed to be heard, as well as showing how the premiere was going to be shown on TV. The crowd yelling is also an aspect of diegetic sound in the scene, as it is showing the excitement of the crowd, of course, the non-diegetic sound could have been added to make the crowd seem more substantial. As mentioned before, there is a close up of a man screaming, something which I think is clearly diegetic sound and also amplifies the excitement of the crowd when Lockwood and Lamont arrive. The excitement of the crowd shows how big the film industry was during that time period as it was the only real exposure to the celebrity world. The car engines are also diegetic and when Cosmo arrives his car gives off a horn, therefore, could be foreshadowing the comedic aspect in which Cosmo will bring to the film.
Singin' in the rain:
Costume In this scene, Don Lockwood is wearing a grey suit and tie with grey trousers and a grey hat. All of these subdued colours amplify the bright colours that everyone is so used to seeing throughout the film. I think this may have been done to show how his clothes contrast to his mood as the whole song is all about how he has suddenly become happier than he ever has been before. The shoes in which he is wearing allow him to tap dance in the rain, he is wearing the appropriate footwear in order to dance properly. As well as this, the scene begins with him and Kathy, Kathy is wearing a raincoat and rain hat, this is showing the weather conditions as well as adding a hint of colour to the scene as her raincoat is bright yellow. All of the other characters in the scene are in raincoats which makes Don stand out as being different as he is the only one without one. The policeman who comes up to Don is identifiable by his costume, we know it is a policeman as soon as he comes up to him due to his costume and his posture when he is standing by Don. There isn't enough makeup present in this scene to mention on its own, as normal stage makeup is used on Don to prevent the studio lighting effect his face on camera.
Props
I would say the most significant prop in this scene is the umbrella, as it is the one thing Don is holding throughout. The umbrella plays a substantial role in this scene as it allows the audience to identify the fact that he doesn't care about the rain as he puts down the umbrella almost straight away when he starts singing the opening to 'Singing In The Rain'. The rain used in this scene is also seen as a prop, the rain machine was used as normal rain cant be picked up on camera and so false rain had to be used. This created a lot of water which allowed Don to perform his whole sequence in the water. The lamppost in which Don swings on when saying that he's "ready for love" almost starts off the dance and so this plays an important role as it is marked as the beginning of the famous 'Singing In The Rain' dance.
Location
The scene is shot in a studio, all down one street and is showing Don's journey home from Kathy's house. I think the purpose of having the dance take place all down one street shows how now that Don is happy he is recognising all of the small things which he has always missed when walking down this street. The street is emphasising his happiness which the song is all about.
Lighting
The scene is lit by the studio lighting, however, we as an audience are made to believe that the street lights are the only lighting that Don has. I think the lack of light in this scene acts as an important as the scene is all about appreciating what you have, for example even though it's raining, Don still wants to dance and sing in it. It's almost as if he's finding the happiness even though the world around him isn't showing any. I think this is what they are doing with the lighting, as although there isn't a lot of light, he's bringing the light to the scene as it is an enjoyable moment in the film.
Camera angle and movement
Throughout the scene, the camera is constantly following Don through the dance. This is to make sure the audience can constantly see what he is doing as it is an enjoyable moment in the film. There are a few moments where the camera angle changes, such as when Don says "come on with the rain, I've a smile on my face", the camera comes above him so you can see the smile that he's talking about. This angle allows the audience to see the rain pour on his face showing how he is enjoying the rain, something which not many people do. As well as this, when the policeman comes over, there is an over the shoulder shot showing the policeman's point of view of Don dancing in the rain and we are able to see how much water he is kicking around, this shot implies how not everyone is feeling the same as Don as the policeman is annoyed at him for dancing in the rain. Finally, at the end of the scene, the camera pans up to allow a wider, almost birds-eye view of Don, as he walks away after explaining to the policeman. This also shows how he offers his umbrella to a passer-by who clearly needs it more than he does. I think this acts of an importance as it is showing how Don has changed since meeting Kathy.
Sound
The sound used in this is a mix between diegetic and non-diegetic as all of the sounds made by Don are diegetic, such as his singing, the sound of the water splashing, the kicking of the water, his tap dancing and when he scrapes his umbrella against some metal railings. The rain is also diegetic as it is made from a rain machine meaning that the water was physically hitting the floor. Another sound such as the music is non-diegetic as it was added afterwards during the editing process. All of the sounds in this scene are showing how happy Don has become and the music used is parallel meaning that it suits the mood of the scene.
Editing
The scene is edited in a chronological order meaning that it is showing everything as it happens. The editing process allows the viewers to see who the character is talking too which brings the plot altogether and makes the scene understandable. When filming, the director would already have in mind the way the film would look like once everything was edited together, therefore creating the suited shot.
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