http://starwarswars.com/ 

In this video, we see compositing pushed to its limit as six Star Wars movies play at once. The digital effect used in this piece was compositing as the six films were placed in parallel video tracks. They were then “chroma-key’d” to different extents so that parts of five of the movies would remain visible, while one played in the back without any chroma-keying to serve as a background. The result is a mess purely done for experimental and comedic purposes.

When it comes to our own work, we can take influence from this positively by using compositing and chroma-key features to create visual effects (like fire or electricity) without the danger or costs of doing it practically. When it comes to the montage assignment, this type of composting so that multiple scenes or layers can play at once can be effective. Think of training montages in action movies that uses digital effects like these to show multiple scenes at once and give the viewer a sense of time moving fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0EDV1HGbrc&ab_channel=JustinHackney 

As for this link, we see an AI-generated video of a retro-futuristic carnival made using Runway Gen2. Reading the comments it appears many viewers enjoy the dream-like sense these artificial videos bring, perhaps effects like this can be used for surreal or unusual moments in a sci-fi or horror movie. Unlike many other digital effects, this tool is essentially producing the entire thing for you if you let it. I imagine it takes a lot of time to refine prompts, sift footage, and edit together the best parts, but you’re still limited in the sense that the entire picture is artificial.

Personally, the only benefit I see to using these in a serious project or motion-picture, would be for inspiration, or to make an artistic point/convey something “In-Human” like the idea stated earlier or using its “uncanny” sense as a tool in a horror or psychedellic sequence.

This opening from “Shameless” communicates the hectic, anxiety inducing strain that poverty can have on a family. As the Gallaghers struggle to meet the electricity bill, they also find themselves in a rush to get ready, and a mess from the night before (looking at the boy with a whole happy-meal on his shirt in-particular!). Matching the chaos of their situation, the framing and editing helps induce these emotions WITHOUT going too overboard in a “Michael Bay” sense.

Firstly, when it comes to editing this scene is fast paced. There’s lots of close-up shots of quick actions like shoving the chair into the washer, or passing the box of money around. These shots are edited so that they cut quick, giving you enough time to see what’s happening, but not too much that things seem stagnant. There’s always movement whether it be the camera or the action of the character it is focused on.

When it comes to framing, I notice a lot of close-up shots that are almost motivated POV, but not quite. Like when the camera finds itself at eye-level of the kids at the table, but not directly from the perspective of one of them. I like the framing of these shots as they do give you some of the benefits of a motivated POV shot like the immersion, but without being tooo distracting or ever taking one characters perspective entirely. This is the story of the entire family, not just one of them.

From 0:38-1:00 I noticed the milk jug as an visual anchor. We watch it begin its journey as the mom opens the fridge, then it gets passed around the table, to the sink, and back to the table. It really helped anchor our action so the viewer doesn’t get lost and can better imagine this 3D-space.

https://www.youtube.com/@jaxonswove7466

Within this scene of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Duel’, we see the use of many continuity edits. For one example, the 180 degree rule is followed the entire time to ensure that the main subjects (car and truck) are always seen being visibly pushed towards the left of the screen. This technique makes the action far easier to understand, rather than breaking the rule and risking the audience feeling as though the cars are moving in random directions. It even helps immerse you in the scene as you can imagine yourself slowly being pushed into a corner, rather than feeling danger coming from all sides.

At 0:36 in the scene, we get a motivated POV shot. This technique is effective at putting the viewer within the shoes of the character, especially for a tense situation like this scene. For this one in particular, it’s done to show the protagonist slamming the breaks, which is an effective and relatable perspective for most viewers. It’s far more effective than showing such high-stakes action in flat, disconnected shots.

As for another technique, throughout the scene we even additionally get plenty of shot-reverse-shots, such as when the camera reflects back and forth between the train/railroad and the car/protagonist. This technique establishes their positions for the incoming near-fatal incident, as well as contrasts the mighty train with the small passenger car. It’s just one additional way of upping the stakes of the action by visually representing the difference in size/power between our protagonist and this obstacle.

This is a test.