Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery

Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery

     For the last two weeks I've been woking on a music meant to mimic the stylistic choices of an already made music video. My group and I began to search for a video that had a style we found interesting, but also was simple enough that we could re-create it with our limited resources. Eventually we decided on Let's Go by Matt and Kim, because we knew we had access to a green screen and could get ahold of a few actors.

     Once we had decided on the video we were going to re-create we began assigning which costumes each of us would be in charge of bringing to the shoot. Then we began texting as many people as we could asking if they would be interested in acting in our film. Once we had the video completely planned out we began production. We set up the camera in front of the green screen and began messing with the lighting until it was just right. Once that was done we began dressing our actors in their costumes. After filming was complete we began editing which took a decent amount of time due to all of the backgrounds we needed to insert.

     This was the first time I had used the green screen and I learned a lot about the importance of lighting in a video, especially one that involved key framing. It was also one of my first experiences in directing actors and I learned how important it is to give your direction clearly and concisely to get exactly want you want.

     If I were to do something different I would have found a group of more reliable actors. Most of our actors were just looking to get out of class and weren't actually interested in helping create our video.

Overall I feel the journey was a little rocky, but I am happy with the result.

- Daniel

   

Here is the original

Here is our version

North by Northwest

North by Northwest

    In this 1959 classic directed by Alfred Hitchcock we follow the story of a middle-aged Madison Avenue advertising executive, Roger O. Thornhill, as he is dropped into a world of government agents and foreign spies after being mistaken for CIA agent George Kaplan who is wanted for murder. 

    Director Alfred Hitchcock captures the suspense perfectly, utilizing continuity editing techniques including establishing shots, reverse shots, and match editing, as well as discontinuity techniques. One part he is lacking in is the sound department, many of the scenes lacked foley sounds that could have been added easily. When there were foley sounds it was very over the top and blatantly obvious. 

   In this classic suspense film finds New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) pursued by ruthless spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) after Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent. Hunted relentlessly by Vandamm's associates, the harried Thornhill ends up on a cross-country journey, meeting the beautiful and mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) along the way. Soon Vandamm's henchmen close in on Thornhill, resulting in a number of iconic action sequences.

    
Stylistically the film is done very well, but there are some aspects of the film I am not a big fan of.  The plot to me feels too muddled and confusing to easily follow. Like always, Hithcock does suspense perfectly and does a great job of giving the movie the tone of a classic spy movie. 

    Overall I enjoyed the film, but I felt there were pieces of the film that I could have done better, but that is very easy to say about a movie that was made in 1959.