Okay - yes, I agree with you: the chasm thumbnail has potential - but moving that composition into the 16:9 aspect gives you more possibilities; you should consider an asymmetrical approach - moving the upright of the chasm over to the left or right of the composition - I think it might feel more impactful then, and it also means you can carve some statuary into the chasm walls - more of which will be visible now because of the perspectival shift away from the centre.
I like the 'ramped up' perspective on the Shunned House, but again you need to exploit the 16:9 ratio - what is happening on either side of that door - whatever it is, it should be an opportunity for you to give us more information about the house - even if you need to take a lot of artistic licence and sprinkle it liberally. Don't be afraid of enriching your scene with details that maybe come from a different part of the house - I don't know, like rotted wallpaper or sticks of furniture - you certainly need more in this composition to feed the eye and the mind.
Okay - so the exterior of the shunned house could be great, but I'd avoid the 'wolf smoke' detail - just because I think it steal focus from everything else. Also, I see you're swerving the Poe story? This isn't necessarily an issue, but I'm left wondering why... The Masque of the Red Death is a hugely theatrical, colour-specific piece, and I just think you shouldn't kick it to the kerb just yet. I'd like to see some thumbnails please! Go on - have another eureka moment!
In regards to your essay - yes, Avatar is a good choice because of its emphasis on the production design of Pandora - not so sure about the compare/contrast structure and the idea of using 'stock photos' of earth is a definite no-no. Your essay should include within it a definition of both 'production design' and 'visual concept' generally before you deal with Avatar - you need to demonstrate your understanding of these terms and their importance by the way you use them to 'unpack' why Avatar looks the way it does. I think your structure is as simple as that - but therein lies the challenge - define terms, apply them.
OGR 08/11/2011
ReplyDeleteHey Ami,
Okay - yes, I agree with you: the chasm thumbnail has potential - but moving that composition into the 16:9 aspect gives you more possibilities; you should consider an asymmetrical approach - moving the upright of the chasm over to the left or right of the composition - I think it might feel more impactful then, and it also means you can carve some statuary into the chasm walls - more of which will be visible now because of the perspectival shift away from the centre.
I like the 'ramped up' perspective on the Shunned House, but again you need to exploit the 16:9 ratio - what is happening on either side of that door - whatever it is, it should be an opportunity for you to give us more information about the house - even if you need to take a lot of artistic licence and sprinkle it liberally. Don't be afraid of enriching your scene with details that maybe come from a different part of the house - I don't know, like rotted wallpaper or sticks of furniture - you certainly need more in this composition to feed the eye and the mind.
Okay - so the exterior of the shunned house could be great, but I'd avoid the 'wolf smoke' detail - just because I think it steal focus from everything else. Also, I see you're swerving the Poe story? This isn't necessarily an issue, but I'm left wondering why... The Masque of the Red Death is a hugely theatrical, colour-specific piece, and I just think you shouldn't kick it to the kerb just yet. I'd like to see some thumbnails please! Go on - have another eureka moment!
In regards to your essay - yes, Avatar is a good choice because of its emphasis on the production design of Pandora - not so sure about the compare/contrast structure and the idea of using 'stock photos' of earth is a definite no-no. Your essay should include within it a definition of both 'production design' and 'visual concept' generally before you deal with Avatar - you need to demonstrate your understanding of these terms and their importance by the way you use them to 'unpack' why Avatar looks the way it does. I think your structure is as simple as that - but therein lies the challenge - define terms, apply them.