MoMI trip

Our recent trip to the Museum of the Moving Image directly correlated with everything we have discussed in lecture so far. On our tour we explored how the elements of sound and light are so vital to moving images. The first interactive activities we did looked at stop motion film. We looked at a sculpture that rotated in a circular motion, and changed with each quick flash of the strobe light, proving the necessity for light and pause or rest. We participated in a short photobooth type activity that created a flip-book-esque product by taking a series of pictures instead of a short video. And then we created our own stop motion clips at the neighboring station. It was way harder than expected, and it proves that making such type of film is extremely meticulous work.

After that we focused on the importance of sound. We went to a station to listen to how the score of films changes the mood of the scene. It proved to be incredible crucial to the plot of the movies. The wrong song completely throws of the intention of the moment. It was a reminder of how important music and sound choices are in the projects we do for class as well. The final interactive piece we went to was the ADR room, in which we re-recorded movie scenes with our voices. That was something we discussed in lecture and, again, seems like incredibly tedious but important work. The second project we did, the audio portrait, was fresh in my mind as we went around the MoMI and furthered my appreciation for the craft that is audio and visual editing.

The Vitality of Editing: Final Scene in Harry Potter

This scene from the final Harry Potter film relies heavily on editing to convey the drama of the series' ending (sorry if this spoils it for you, Mathew). 

The music behind the duel adds to its intensity. At first, the only sound audible is Harry and Voldemort crawling on the rubble to their wands. This is also slowed down, building the intensity. As soon as they stand up, the orchestra begins, a fast and frantic tune. The orchestra is only interupted when Neville destroys Voldemort's snake, and the sword swishes through the air. Then - silence. The silence is also important to the scene because it is short, making it significant, and allowing for the drama to catch up from the slow-mo scenes. The orchestra builds back up again, for the last time, as Harry and Voldemort finish out their duel. The instruments steadily increase loudness until Voldemort's loss and death, which is when the instruments fade away. As the music fades, a faint dying scream can be heard from Voldemort, echoing in the wind. The audio editing for this scene is essential in captuing its tone, and can tell a dramatic story even without the visual component of the scene. 

The aesthetic of the setting is dark and murky. The color gradient is mainly gray, with the exception being the flashes of light emitted from the wands during the duel. This is significant because it not only highlights the vibrancy of the magic, but also contrasts it to the war-torn school that they are fighting on. The colors of the setting capture the idea of desolation and darkness. 

The shots in this scene are cut obviously because of the many storylines that the movie must complete within these last, few minutes. It cuts from close-ups/medium close-ups of Voldemort, to Harry, to capture both of their intense, angry faces as they duel. It then cuts away to the snake chasing Ron and Hermione (and we see the snake in low angle shot, making it look huge), and then back again to an extreme close up of Voldemort's face as he duels Harry. These obvious cuts also convey that all of these dramatic events are occuring simultaneously, adding even more intensity to them.

Audio Portrait