The cinema is an invention without a future. Louis Lumiere Films and film-making The cinema is an invention without a future. Louis Lumiere

The ‘birth’ of cinema The Lumiere brothers invented a portable motion-picture camera, film processing unit and projector called the Cinematographe. On Dec 28th 1895, their first film was screened to a paying audience in Paris. It was 10 mins long and the action consisted of workers leaving the Lumiere factory.

Early ‘moving’ pictures

Films and film-making No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls. Ingmar Bergman

Films and film-making Q: Why do people make films?

Film-making is a chance to live many lifetimes Robert Altman

Films…. Entertain, amuse Inspire, motivate Inform, educate, raise questions and issues Shock, disturb and provoke Predict the future and recollect the past

Films and reality…. Reflect and comment on reality Direct or influence reality Suspend reality Transcend reality

Film Genres

Film Genres Action/Adventure Comedy Crime/Gangster Drama Epic/Historical Horror Musical Science Fiction War Western

Film sub-genres The sub-classes within each genre include: ‘Chick-flicks’ Disaster films Fantasy films Road movies Romance Slasher films Sports films Teen films Thriller/suspense

Famous Directors Stanley Kubrick (2001-A Space Odyssey; The Shining) Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai; Dreams; Kagemusha) Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho; Rear Window; The Birds; Vertigo) Woody Allen (Annie Hall; Hannah and her Sisters; Match Point) Oliver Stone (Born on the 4th of July; Platoon; U-Turn) George Lucas (Star Wars episodes; American Graffiti) Steven Spielberg (E.T; Indiana Trilogy; Saving Private Ryan; Schindler’s List)

Famous Directors cont.. Tim Burton (Corpse Bride; Batman; Edward Scissorhands) Martin Scorcese (Taxi Driver; Gangs of New York) Brian de Palma (Scarface; Carlito’s Way; The Untouchables) Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather trilogy; The Outsiders; Apocalypse Now; Dracula) Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs; Pulp Fiction; Jackie Brown, Kill Bill) George Miller (Mad Max trilogy; The Witches of Eastwick; Babe-pig in the city)

Famous Directors cont.. James Cameron (Terminator trilogy; True Lies; Aliens; Titanic) Ridley Scott (Alien; Blade Runner; Gladiator) Peter Weir (Gallipoli; The Truman Show; Master & Commander) Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings trilogy; King Kong) Lasse Halstrom (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape; Chocolat; Cider House Rules) M Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense; Unbreakable; Signs; The Village) Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Ice Storm) John Woo (Face Off; Broken Arrow; MI2)

Film-makers talking about films… A film is-or should be-more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. Stanley Kubrick I steal from every movie ever made. Quentin Tarantino I like a film to have a beginning, middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order. Jean-Luc Goddard

Film-makers talking about films… I always start with the image. I get an image in my head and I start wanting to get it moving, to build a story around it and then make a film out of it. I think the idea of making a dynamic film is a primal urge for filmmakers. That's why action films are so popular: because film can get across the sense of speed. Tom Twyker (director of Run Lola Run)

From idea to the screen The film-maker tells the story through images and sound The film-maker’s vision is inspired through story elements and then brought to the screen by production elements. The combination of production and story elements engages the audience by creating meaning and emotion.

Mainstream films… Mainstream films have occupied Hollywood, but you can get bored very easily. It can be very repetitive, and I think now we want something fresh and something inspiring and different, daring. The mainstream film is very expensive to make and it scares people. It's made for the worldwide audience, you have to please so many people, and the business men start running the movies rather than artists. Ang Lee

Art-house films Art film is a film genre with a loose narrative, often experimental, presented as a serious artistic work. Some films that can fall into this category are foreign-language films, independent and non mainstream films, as well as documentaries and short films. The producers of art films seek a niche audience rather than mass appeal and usually present their work at specialty theatres and film festivals in large urban areas.

Classical Hollywood & Art-House Films Classical Hollywood films use familiar images, verbal expressions, archetypal characters and symbols to convey the story to the audience. This is designed to help the viewer to clearly and quickly understand the events of the story. Art films reject this as unrealistic, they portray events that do not always have a clear meaning and purpose, but may be vague or mysterious. They do not always clearly explain how plot elements, character and events fit together.

The Hollywood Blockbuster I hope we do see the end of the blockbuster movie, since most of them are bad. I have to agree that recent blockbusters films do not live up to the hype, and last year seems to have been very bad for recycling old film ideas/remakes Today's movies are so flat, unimaginative, and BORING. They're written and directed by idiots with no talent. James Cameron is a perfect example. All his movies are too long, filled with bad acting and dialogue. But guaranteed to gross half a billion or more, because the people are all cattle. I would be content not to see any movie that cost more than $70 million for the rest of my life. Preferably, not more than $30 m!

The Hollywood Blockbuster… There are times when I don't want to be mentally challenged by a movie. Flashy CGI, cool stunts, mediocre acting and paper-thin plot is just what I want. Blockbusters are like any other genre of film - they can be great or downright terrible! Plus, the most successful ones become shared cultural experiences - just about everyone I know in my age group is familiar with films such as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, the original Star Wars trilogy, and various other "blockbuster" films of that era. I'd be really sad to see blockbusters go - the best ones are a lot of fun and are good to watch over and over again.

The Hollywood Blockbuster… Sometimes I don't know which are more annoying - people who don't even bother watching anything which sounds remotely "challenging", or people who act like they're better then everyone else because they watch foreign and indie flicks and put down Hollywood blockbusters... http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2006/01/the_end_of_the_.html#comment-12549524

References www.imdb.com Internet Movie Database www.cinema.com All about recent films www.filmsite.org/directors.html Most influential film directors www.cinema-sites.com Index of film and television resources www.zeroland.co.nz/film_movies.html Directory of film-related websites

Cindy’s faves and recommended films… Alien movies Star Wars movies Lord of The Rings trilogy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Stand By Me The Breakfast Club Run Lola Run Donnie Darko Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Pleasantville To Kill a Mockingbird Rebel Without a Cause La Haine