Author: asanders24

The work I chose for this blog post was “Lake Como Remix”. This work comes from early versions of Google Earth and Google Street View, which were then glitched to create an otherworldly experience of the tunnels in the Lake Como District of Italy.
These glitches cause extreme distortion of your surroundings. You can go through the images presented as the world, allowing you to see beyond it, revealing dark atmospheres and strange shapes and textures. The landscape around you occasionally moves as you do, in a strange manner reminiscent of early AI videos. It gravitates in one direction, which feels incredibly strange to see considering that when you are in Google Earth the only thing “moving” should be you.
These effects challenge your views of the “world” in which these Google applications offer you. It breaks the illusion of a physical space, revealing the artificial nature of it, which at least for me proved to be a little unsettling. I assume that is at least part of the goal for this work, considering the music track that is layered over the video enhances this feeling.

I skimmed over each of the videos, and I also wanted to mention the video “Poof”. I was so surprised when I saw that it was made by AI. It looks so real, I had never seen any AI video like this. Even the different shots showcase continuity in the short film. Before seeing this, I thought AI still had a long way to go before being truly usable in professional cinema. It opened my eyes to how current AI can be seamlessly used as a tool in filmmaking, and it likely already is.

Filmed this video for fun, thought I would share it

The opening scene for shameless feels very chaotic, while at the same time purposefully showcasing certain information to lead the viewer to an understanding of its characters. The camera shots are typically close ups, with multiple things happening at once, which leads to a very claustrophobic feeling in some moments. We see characters running past the camera many times, which leads us to believe they are in a rush and enhances the stressful feeling. The camera also moves around during shots, which adds another layer of movement to the chaos. Continuity is used to help keep the story together and keep the viewer from becoming confused. If these clips were not filmed the way they were, the story would be incredibly difficult to follow. 

While things are going on in the background, the camera focuses on specific things like items or characters. With doing this, it is able to quickly convey relationship dynamics between the characters, their current situation, as well as information about each person’s life.

For example, many of the shots highlight the family’s financial situation. Even without dialogue, you can see issues such as the broken washing machine, the kids passing cash around, things like that. We also get information like who is likely the parent figure in the house from the way the camera follows the character around the house as she completes tasks. 

Overall this scene does a good job at using continuity to maintain a solid storyline and convey information even during chaotic moments. 

The scene I will be using as an example of continuity is the train scene from Duel. This scene uses a lot of continuity edits, but in particular mostly cut in/match on action shots and shot reverse shots.

In the beginning extreme long shots are used to showcase the setting (a train track). To start the action, a shot reverse shot is done to get the initial reaction of the main character when the truck hits his car for the first time. We see him being jolted by the hit, then a cut to the front of the truck against his car, and then back to the main character as he begins yelling.

From then on, there are a lot of cut-in shots, which are used in multiple different ways. For one, we get shots close to the car window so we can focus on the main character, and then cuts to longer shots that allow us to see the rest of the car. This allows us to see what is going on both with the main character and outside of the car, where the truck is hitting. It is also used to get a close up of the certain areas of the car being affected. For example, a long shot is done on the car, then a zoom in onto the wheels which are being pushed towards the train. This helps the viewer understand the truck’s intentions of pushing him into the moving train. 

We see a lot of shots of the main character also turning around, or looking outside his window, to then immediately cut to the truck hitting him, his car wheels struggling to move the car, or the train getting closer, and then back to his face (shot reverse shots). 

Overall these continuity shots help the viewer understand the intentions of the truck driver and the dangerous situation the main character is in.

For a little context, this scene takes place at the end of the movie. A serial killer these detectives have been tracking has turned himself in and led them to a remote location. At that remote location a package is delivered (a box). One detective separates from the other (who is watching the killer) to open the box. At this point the viewer likely already has theories of what might be in the box before it is opened.

Find the entire clip here:

Medium (waist up). I also think this shot is using the rule of thirds. He is holding a knife to cut the box open.

Medium close up (on the box + his hands)

Close up (face), you can see him concentrating on cutting the box open.

Close up (top of box + his hands), he gets the box cut open

Close up (face), Cuts to the other detective (who is watching from afar) and the killer. Also maybe using the rule of thirds.

Extreme long shot. As it has just cut from the other detective watching, it implies this is what he sees.

Close up (top of box again), this time the detective opens it. The close up allows you to see the blood on the cardboard better.

Close up (face) a quick shot to get his immediate reaction (shock)

Medium close up on the now open box

Close up (face). The detective is now standing up, notice the slightly low angle so we know he is looking down at the box.

Close up on the open box

Close up (face) again

Close up (face), a cut to another character in a helicopter, watching the detectives to ensure their safety. I didn’t screenshot the part where he had binoculars on, but even without that since he is above them you can assume he saw what was in the box as well.

Close up (face), now the detective is looking over his shoulder.

Extreme long shot, showing us the detective was looking over his shoulder at the other detective.

Close up (face), he is looking at the contents of the box again.

Close up (box)

Close up (face)

Before the box is even opened the viewer has theories of what could be in it. The blood on the top of the box, as well as the detectives reaction (looking back at the other detective) really hints that whatever is in the box has something to do with a person close to the other detective. In my opinion the back and fourth between the detective and the box does a good job showing he is unsure how to handle the situation next.