Silent Film
Research
Before blockbusters and massive multi-million dollar budgeted films with famous actors, expensive visuals and rich soundtracks existed - silent films pioneered the entire industry of film. This era existed in the mid 1890s to the late 1920s. Silent film contained no synchronized recorded sound or audible dialogue. The narrative and emotion were portrayed strictly visually. A pianist, theater organist or a small orchestra would usually play music to match the mood or theme of the silent film playing for the audience. This would be either from a music sheet provided or sometimes improvisation.
This era brought many silent movie stars, one of the biggest being Charlie Chaplin along with Laurel and Hardy, Harold Llyod and Pearl White.
Although most early films of the 1890s consisted of a single continuous shot, a few filmmakers filmed different shots of the same subjects creating a type of multiple shot film dependent on the needs of the exhibitor. These exhibitors of the filmed shorts would decided which would end up in the reel to be show the audience and in which order - almost like the early version of editors.
Before blockbusters and massive multi-million dollar budgeted films with famous actors, expensive visuals and rich soundtracks existed - silent films pioneered the entire industry of film. This era existed in the mid 1890s to the late 1920s. Silent film contained no synchronized recorded sound or audible dialogue. The narrative and emotion were portrayed strictly visually. A pianist, theater organist or a small orchestra would usually play music to match the mood or theme of the silent film playing for the audience. This would be either from a music sheet provided or sometimes improvisation.
This era brought many silent movie stars, one of the biggest being Charlie Chaplin along with Laurel and Hardy, Harold Llyod and Pearl White.
Although most early films of the 1890s consisted of a single continuous shot, a few filmmakers filmed different shots of the same subjects creating a type of multiple shot film dependent on the needs of the exhibitor. These exhibitors of the filmed shorts would decided which would end up in the reel to be show the audience and in which order - almost like the early version of editors.
"L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de la Ciotat" by Lumière Brothers
Arrival of the Train at La Ciotat Station shows a regular, everyday train arriving at a station with passengers boarding and leaving the train. Eventhough the film is a simple 50 second shot, the audience reactions were fear and delight seeing this regular everyday scene on film. Even jumping at the train arriving closer and closer to the screen - terrified that the train would burst through the wall and hit them. Despite the camera not moving for the entirety of this short-film, the movement of the train creates different framing of the shot. From a long shot, to a medium to close-up. The angle creates dynamic shot that creates tension within the audience of this big machinery arriving closer and closer to the screen.
Arrival of the Train at La Ciotat Station shows a regular, everyday train arriving at a station with passengers boarding and leaving the train. Eventhough the film is a simple 50 second shot, the audience reactions were fear and delight seeing this regular everyday scene on film. Even jumping at the train arriving closer and closer to the screen - terrified that the train would burst through the wall and hit them. Despite the camera not moving for the entirety of this short-film, the movement of the train creates different framing of the shot. From a long shot, to a medium to close-up. The angle creates dynamic shot that creates tension within the audience of this big machinery arriving closer and closer to the screen.
"The Great Train Robbery" by Edwin S. Porter
This film by Porter is one of the most famous and influential film to the development of classical storytelling in cinema. This film is about two outlaws attacking the railroad telegraph office and attempting to stop a train to rob. They succeed in the attempt and manage to escape with their gang members. Porter makes editing between shots critical to his storytelling, with a film language focused on creating a sense of time passing between shots. Cutting between different filming locations and sets to help build tension and drama. This story is told with eleven shots, moving back and forth between scenes of a tied up telegraph operator and the bandits with the aniticipated train robbery, shoot-out and the bandits' death in the end. On top of this, Porter includes a breaking of the fourth wall - with the final insert of a bandit shooting his gun directly into the camera. This has influenced films nowadays heavily such as the James Bond movies having the character firing their guns at the camera.
This film by Porter is one of the most famous and influential film to the development of classical storytelling in cinema. This film is about two outlaws attacking the railroad telegraph office and attempting to stop a train to rob. They succeed in the attempt and manage to escape with their gang members. Porter makes editing between shots critical to his storytelling, with a film language focused on creating a sense of time passing between shots. Cutting between different filming locations and sets to help build tension and drama. This story is told with eleven shots, moving back and forth between scenes of a tied up telegraph operator and the bandits with the aniticipated train robbery, shoot-out and the bandits' death in the end. On top of this, Porter includes a breaking of the fourth wall - with the final insert of a bandit shooting his gun directly into the camera. This has influenced films nowadays heavily such as the James Bond movies having the character firing their guns at the camera.
Georges Méliès
I believe Méliès to be a ciritical filmmaker at the start of silent films and cinema. His use of special effects created amazing new techniques that are still used today. Creating new ideas of filming such as multiple exposures, dissolves, stop motion and split screen protography among other cinema techniques - his was of creating film was incredible new and a huge step forward at the time this new medium of creating art was blowing up. An example of this is 'Un Homme de tete' where Méliès appears in the frame and begins to remove his head, placing it on a table. The director creates the illusion of four heads being taken off his shoulders - this is achieved by early use of multiple exposures.
I believe Méliès to be a ciritical filmmaker at the start of silent films and cinema. His use of special effects created amazing new techniques that are still used today. Creating new ideas of filming such as multiple exposures, dissolves, stop motion and split screen protography among other cinema techniques - his was of creating film was incredible new and a huge step forward at the time this new medium of creating art was blowing up. An example of this is 'Un Homme de tete' where Méliès appears in the frame and begins to remove his head, placing it on a table. The director creates the illusion of four heads being taken off his shoulders - this is achieved by early use of multiple exposures.
Explosion of a Motor Car by Cecil Hepworth
Inspired by Méliès’ films of swapping objects to create jumpcuts - early british films inspired to create special effects in cinematography. This can be seen in an example one of Hepworth's films. This film shows a spectacle of a car exploding and slowly pieces of body parts falling from the sky for the police officer to witness and piece together in a shocking but comedic way.
Inspired by Méliès’ films of swapping objects to create jumpcuts - early british films inspired to create special effects in cinematography. This can be seen in an example one of Hepworth's films. This film shows a spectacle of a car exploding and slowly pieces of body parts falling from the sky for the police officer to witness and piece together in a shocking but comedic way.
Part One: Motion Graphics
For this first part of the brief, I was tasked with creating a 15-30 second motion graphic piece that was type-based that celebrates Silent Cinema.
As inspiration, I wanted to create something inspired and similar to the title cards used in each of the films - as this motion graphic would be type-based.
To begin with I began by looking at silent film title cards from films made in the 1900s. During the silent film period, any speech that was important to story lines would be unheard. This would mean that the director would insert a brief title card containing the speech of whatever the character said for the audience to read. I used this as inspiration to my own silent film.
To begin with I began by looking at silent film title cards from films made in the 1900s. During the silent film period, any speech that was important to story lines would be unheard. This would mean that the director would insert a brief title card containing the speech of whatever the character said for the audience to read. I used this as inspiration to my own silent film.
Development
I then using that inspiration sketched out a few ideas of what the title cards design, style could look like to understand the theme and style I am going for.
I decided to make my type-based motion graphic to say "Experience narratives and emotions visually" as that was I found in my research. These silent films had to portray both of those visually as they lacked any audio.
I then using that inspiration sketched out a few ideas of what the title cards design, style could look like to understand the theme and style I am going for.
I decided to make my type-based motion graphic to say "Experience narratives and emotions visually" as that was I found in my research. These silent films had to portray both of those visually as they lacked any audio.
I then moved my work into Photoshop to create all the different designs for each of the words.
Using inspiration from the previously found title cards and silent films I had researched. I replicated some of the title cards with my own words.
Using inspiration from the previously found title cards and silent films I had researched. I replicated some of the title cards with my own words.
Once I made all the silent film cards I wanted, I moved all my work into Sony Vegas pro to make it into a video.
Once I edited the video and I was happy with outcome, I then added the effect on top of scratches, dust and lines to make it fit more of the film that was made in the theme I was going for.
My final step was to render that video and then open a new project where I would apply the shaking, projector sound along with a piano piece to better suit the theme I was aiming for. The outcome made the motion-graphic fit the theme very well and I am happy with how my type based outcome finished.
My final step was to render that video and then open a new project where I would apply the shaking, projector sound along with a piano piece to better suit the theme I was aiming for. The outcome made the motion-graphic fit the theme very well and I am happy with how my type based outcome finished.
Part Two: 2D Game
The second part to this brief was to create a 2D game in the theme/idea of the Silent Film theme. I began by using the previously researched "The Great Train Robbery" as the base idea of the game. My character would slowly explore the entire train and collect money and hearts to get through the train.
As the films in this time were black and white - I decided to make my entire game the same style of colour. After sketching the idea on paper, It was time to create assets or "images" to be used as the objects.
Using these assets I created, I began building the game slowly.
I then made the character. To top this, I made the character have a small animation while walking to make the game better visually.
Here is a gif of me testing out his walking and jumping animation.
Here is a gif of me testing out his walking and jumping animation.
I then added health and points system for that health to be displayed.
I also added money to be collected, originally made green to stand out but changed to black and white to fit the theme.
Here is the score that I added in the top left corner to be shown to the player.
Instead of having a big title card, I added the title of the silent film at the top of the game which can be read while doing the entire level.
To finish, I decided to add a title cards style beginning and ending that the player would walk through. This fitted the theme very well and I thought was a good way to break up the level.
The end of the level would have a simple title card that would have a door that the character to could walk through for possible future levels?
Finaly, I changed the readability of the game information so that it would be visible both on the title cards sections and other parts of the game level.
I also added looping music as well as sound effects to different "collisions" such as picking up money, taking damage and picking up hearts.
Below are screenshots from the game.
Below are screenshots from the game.