Blog investigation 12/12

 Work log- Recorded voiceovers for my film and finished editing. 

Film Investigation "1917" 

This week I wanted to take a look at a film I saw a few months back that I really enjoyed. Not only did it have a suspenseful and interesting plot, but it used a technique that set it apart from other films. The film was "1917" directed by Sam Mendes and it was shot to look like it was all done in one shot. 

Plot- 

Before discussing what set the film apart from other films. I first wanted to discuss the plot because the story and characters are really well written. 

The film takes place during the First World War and is set on the western front. We follow two British soldiers (William and Tom) who have been ordered to deliver an important message to a colonel who is preparing an attack. The purpose of the message is to call off the attack because it is a trap and will jeopardize the lives of soldiers. William and Tom only have until the next morning to deliver the message. During the film, we follow their journey to deliver their message. While the race against time, and avoid the dangers of war. 

One-shot effect- 

What made "1917" special was the cinematography and the editing which created a film that looked like it was done in one shot. The purpose of this was to create a sense of immersion and make the audience feel like they were in the trenches with the characters. The film crew used specific camera movements and shots to create this look. The camera never stems away from the main characters and they are almost always in a medium shot. There are 34 cuts in total in "1917" compared to the 1,045 cuts in an average movie. The film crew not only had to worry about planning out a way to shoot a movie made to look like one shot, but they also had to worry about weather and lighting. The majority of the movie was shot outside. To keep that continuous look the crew could only shoot on certain days. This meant the days they could shoot everything had to be executed flawlessly. 

"1917" is a really well-made film. From the plot, set pieces, characters, and one-shot look. All the aspects of the film work together to create a breathtaking cinematic experience. The work put in by the crew really showed itself and I respect their hard work.