Friday, February 8, 2013

Magnitude and Convention


The medium on which the film is shown is taken into consideration when filming. A scene that is shot for a large theater projection, may lose its true effect when shown on a small television screen. The reversal can also be true. If a scene was meant for a small television screen, it may not translate as well on the big screen. “In considering the magnitude of a film we must be aware of the means by which the film is to be communicated,” as stated by Sporre (Sporre, pg. 174). I can only imagine that this can be especially tricky for movie makers. When a movie is first released to the public, it is shown in theater, but eventually it will go to DVD or Netflix, so it will have to work for both. Magnitude is an important element in film because I have often said “I have to see that in theater!,” or “That's a rental.” The movies that I usually want to see in theater are the ones with a lot of action because sometimes that action and/or graphics can become muddled on a small television screen.

“Film as theater, has certain conventions or customs that the viewer accepts without hesitation,” states Sporre (Sporre, pg. 174). Basically, as the audience there are things that we will not question or criticize, we just accept as a part of the movie going experience. When music is played in a movie, we do not question where the music is coming from or if a movie is in black-and-white we do not question where the color went.  I have included a short clip The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy exits black-and-white and enters technicolor. 

  

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