Realism or fantasy??

 

Why is having a clear setting important?

Hi readers, welcome to week 3. Last class I was supposed to be in the first group meeting, the group meeting was to share your ideas and inspirations to your classmates, and then get feedback on what to change or what to incorporate in the film opening, so this blog was going to be about a reflection and my opinion on the meeting. However, I was not able to make it to the meeting, so this blog I am going to be researching about the importance of a setting in a movie.

Based on Rangshila. (n.d.). Location is everything: How the right setting elevates filmmaking. This article highlights on the concept on how setting a location can have the "power" on transmitting the story to the audience by creating an atmosphere that represents the characters personality or background story. This is crucial because with the different types of settings throughout the movie, it can build a connection over the mood and tone of the film, for instance, a movie in a hospital creates a sorrowful tone, while being at the beach or a sunny day creates a happier and cheerful environment for the movie. Moreover, using realistic places, like streets or houses, instead of building a set or using green screens, makes the movie more relatable and understandable to the audience. 

Midnight in Paris is a 2011, romantic film written and directed by Woody Allen. What I researched about the movie is that it is about a writer who visits Paris, who out of the sudden transports back to the 1920s, which allowed him to meet famous artists who inspired him to rethink life, such as his relationships and what makes him happy. This movie is located in Paris, creating a crucial understanding over where the story will take place, creating a contrast over the difference between the present and the past. Using different props, costumes, and locations makes the story feel realistic, showing the way people lived and behaved on that specific time period, building a magical, nostalgic and fantasy tone over the film. 

Another example is Mamma Mia!, it is a 2008 musical/ romance movie, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson. The movie is about a young bride to be, who invites three men to her weeding, with the chances that one of them might be her father. This movie takes place on the island Skopelos, Greece, the set portrays a small town/village representing how the place looks like. The movie creates a playful tone over the fact that it is a musical, however, the different stages and locations it takes place, builds a relatable and understandable atmosphere over the story's tone, for example portraying the days with blue skies and sunny, emphasizing a friendly movie.

For my film, I probably won't have the opportunity to explore different settings that allow people to connect to the story, however, having a realistic setting such as a house or a playground, will create realism to my story. I hope that I can achieve to evoke different emotions towards my film, by engaging a real set.