Hollyoaks- a modern love scene

This image is from a recent episode of the soap 'Hollyoaks' I used this screen-shot to compare the differences in love scene between the 1930’s/40’s and the modern day.

In this scene there is a clear sign of love in the signifier, the rose. The content of the image i.e. the kiss, signifies the rose showing that the characters love each other.

The positioning of the characters is central, showing the audience that their embrace is the most important part of this shot, because it shows their love. You can apply the golden triangle to emphasis the composition of this shot the top of the triangle meets at the characters head’s drawing our eyes to their kiss.

In many ways, love scenes have not changed since the 1930’s/40’s because they still use the compositional elements that prove to the audience that these characters are in love. However; unlike the Clark Gable screenshot, the female in this image seems to be more in control with her hands covering his face. This shows how females have grown to be more dependant since the early films.

Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939)

This love scene is from the 1939 film 'Gone with the wind'. I am using this shot to show where i got the inspiration for my music video from an old-fashioned love scene. The female is always looking up at the male figure showing to the audience that the male is more in control than the female in the embrace. The dark colours of the character's clothing stands out against the pale curtain background to give emphasis to the characters. The characters are central in the framing of this shot showing their importance this signifies to the audience thier love.

Composition in my own work

For my A2 media coursework I created a music video for the song Clarke Gable, by The Postal Service. With the 1930's/40's film scene as inspiration I developed a film about a male in modern day who keeps closing his eyes and wishing love was as easy as it appears in the movies. This shot tells the audience a lot about what is happening, with the train in the background and the flowers it shows the couple are being re-united after a long journey. The cliche heel flick by the girl shows the love she has for him. With the couple being central in the shot, the audience are drawn to them and feel happy for them. Also the black and white presentation, and clothes the characters are wearing, gives the image a period feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNhmdgQhiag

Which way is up?

The positioning of the object in the picture is important in composition as it helps the viewer to understand what the image is supposed to be telling them. For example if we are looking up at the object from a low angle, it suggests the image is the more powerful and shows authority because they are looking down on us. Where-as if the viewer is looking at the object from a high angle then they are the one who feels more in power. This is important in composing camera shots because the audience needs to know the position of the character within a storyline, enabling them to feel sorry for a character or scared by their power.

The begining

I will begin my blog by using a painting by Paul Cezanne called 'Mont Saint Victoire' to illustrate what i have learnt from my lectures about composition. Firstly the colour and tone of this painting are separated into three horizontal blocks, starting with the dark green at the bottom which then merges into a lighter green and yellow block in the middle which i interpret as a town or village that the viewer is looking down on. The eye is then drawn to the top third of a light blue mountain which seems to be at eye level which suggests the painter is on a hill opposite this mountain because they are not looking up or down on the mountain. Because of the way the painter has used block colours in the painting it means the viewer is drawn to the mountain top because it, unlike the rest of the painting, is a triangular shape. The things I have learnt so far about composition will enable me; as a television production student, to compose shots in a way that will make the viewer understand immediately what is happening.