Introduction
I’m analyzing the first twelve shot s of The Grand Budapest Hotel . For brevity I ’ll refer to the film and hotel as TGBH. This sequenc e sets the location and structure for nested stories that will unfold . The opening s hot s take us, along with the Student, into her story . The Student walks through a cemetery and reaches a monument to the second important character, the Author. She turns over her book , TGBH , and in doing so , turns over the story to Author, who tells of his experience s, which lead to the story of the bulk of fi lm.
Th e first twelve shot s outline the film . I propose the director use d aspect ratio, sound, color, movement, framing, and comp osition to impart clues about the story, immerse us in the world …show more content…
The opening song gives the viewer a sense of place and time, one that has changed or is changing. It continues through the first several shots and conjures up images of alpine yodelers and the romantic and mysterious remoteness of the Alps. Being a real song from a little known real place helps create the illusion that the Republic of Zubrowka is actually a real place with real people and real folk customs, including songs. The music begins to transport the viewer to a place that seems happy and upbeat while at the same time feeling nostalgic and wistful. This is the perfect way to introduce the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. This sense of something lost from long ago and far away is one of the major themes of this film. The zauerli has been playing for a few seconds, and just as the Student appears on screen, additional layers of sound gather, providing more information about what is happening. Almost as if to say “action”, the bell begins tolling as the Student begins her walk to the center of the frame. The tolling bell is a familiar sound to most Western ears, and brings a sense of authority and tradition, from a time when the bell shaped the rhythm of community life, setting the …show more content…
Lighting: It’s a bright cloudy day, the shot is high key, moderate contrast. The lighting is natural outdoor light, a bright overcast late morning or early afternoon in fall or winter. There are no harsh shadows, in fact, there are almost no shadows at all. The sharpest contrasts are between the snow and the brick wall at the cemetery entrance and between the sky and the treetops and buildings in the mid and background. Because of this there may be two contrast styles for the shot, one high (sky, brick, trees, snow) and one moderate (everything else). Color Usage: Colors in this shot, range from grimy brick red, white, blue, and teal, to black, yellow, grey, and tan. The grimier colors convey decrepitude and decay, while the darkness of the forest conveys a sense of mystery, and the bright colors of the buildings in the background convey charm and romance. The bright teal and white color on the van suggests some remnants of an older time are still around and unsullied by the pollution of the modern age. The Student’s coat is tan, suggesting a school uniform, or a communist or fascist society where everyone has to blandly conform. The Europunk is wearing pants that have one black leg and one brown leg, a black jacket with different patches with some red and white highlights. As
I’m analyzing the first twelve shot s of The Grand Budapest Hotel . For brevity I ’ll refer to the film and hotel as TGBH. This sequenc e sets the location and structure for nested stories that will unfold . The opening s hot s take us, along with the Student, into her story . The Student walks through a cemetery and reaches a monument to the second important character, the Author. She turns over her book , TGBH , and in doing so , turns over the story to Author, who tells of his experience s, which lead to the story of the bulk of fi lm.
Th e first twelve shot s outline the film . I propose the director use d aspect ratio, sound, color, movement, framing, and comp osition to impart clues about the story, immerse us in the world …show more content…
The opening song gives the viewer a sense of place and time, one that has changed or is changing. It continues through the first several shots and conjures up images of alpine yodelers and the romantic and mysterious remoteness of the Alps. Being a real song from a little known real place helps create the illusion that the Republic of Zubrowka is actually a real place with real people and real folk customs, including songs. The music begins to transport the viewer to a place that seems happy and upbeat while at the same time feeling nostalgic and wistful. This is the perfect way to introduce the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. This sense of something lost from long ago and far away is one of the major themes of this film. The zauerli has been playing for a few seconds, and just as the Student appears on screen, additional layers of sound gather, providing more information about what is happening. Almost as if to say “action”, the bell begins tolling as the Student begins her walk to the center of the frame. The tolling bell is a familiar sound to most Western ears, and brings a sense of authority and tradition, from a time when the bell shaped the rhythm of community life, setting the …show more content…
Lighting: It’s a bright cloudy day, the shot is high key, moderate contrast. The lighting is natural outdoor light, a bright overcast late morning or early afternoon in fall or winter. There are no harsh shadows, in fact, there are almost no shadows at all. The sharpest contrasts are between the snow and the brick wall at the cemetery entrance and between the sky and the treetops and buildings in the mid and background. Because of this there may be two contrast styles for the shot, one high (sky, brick, trees, snow) and one moderate (everything else). Color Usage: Colors in this shot, range from grimy brick red, white, blue, and teal, to black, yellow, grey, and tan. The grimier colors convey decrepitude and decay, while the darkness of the forest conveys a sense of mystery, and the bright colors of the buildings in the background convey charm and romance. The bright teal and white color on the van suggests some remnants of an older time are still around and unsullied by the pollution of the modern age. The Student’s coat is tan, suggesting a school uniform, or a communist or fascist society where everyone has to blandly conform. The Europunk is wearing pants that have one black leg and one brown leg, a black jacket with different patches with some red and white highlights. As