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flamencanyc (flamencanyc) wrote in making_qaf,
@ 2009-02-25 05:25:00

Entry tags:

119, cinematography, locations

Scenic QaF scenes
I am always struck by the incredible beauty of the scene in 119 of Jack's burial in the snow-covered cemetery. They not only got very lucky with the unusual weather, but the director and DP did a great job of shooting it so as to optimize how gorgeous it looked.

Anyone else have a favorite scene wherein you think the scenery or the skill of the director and/or cinematographer made for a particularly beautiful tableau?

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vl_redreign
2009-02-25 10:22 am UTC (link)

Oh, now you're hitting my thing: cinematography.

I totally agree about that scene, and how gorgeous it filmed.

Let's see...of course, driving along a country road and pulling up to Britin. Brian and Lindsay strolling through the park in 512 in the snow. The Liberty Ride arc, 413 & 414. Even though it was winter, the shot of Totonto at night as they arrived, the "real" hustle and bustle of Church Street, the ride itself. OMG, Emmett and Ted in the woods having the NA meeting...the cow!!! lol

Also, most of the scenes shot on Liberty Ave were great. It's hard, I'd imagine, filming on real city streets, with regular people coming and going. Maybe someday they'll come do that down in the Castro. That would be fun.

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	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:06 pm UTC (link)
	Lol. Seems like we both love snow! I couldn't agree more about the Liberty Ave shots. And as I recently said to a friend while we were watching that episode, isn't that just one of the most photogenic cows ever? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:23 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, and come back here and talk about the cinematography, or anything else relevant to the comm, anytime! Post away! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

vl_redreign
2009-03-13 02:51 pm UTC (link)

Oh, you bet!! I think I'm gonna marathon again. I was up to 311, but maybe I should start over. Watch closely.

We had a discussion many moons ago, I think at coffeeclub, about the directors. Of course, everyone chose Kelly Makin as their favorite, but there are a few others that I liked as well. Starting over again, I can pay closer attention to those things, since I know what's gonna happen. lol

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flamencanyc
2009-03-13 03:42 pm UTC (link)

Sounds good to me. :) I'm on 402 in this go round.

Okay, now I'm really confused. I was given to believe that coffeeclub was only for discussing fic and occasionally the storylines of the show and actively discouraged discussion of the non-fictional aspects of the show and its production because people didn't want to be "taken out of the story" there?

That's why I started this comm in the first place, because people kept saying that there was nowhere on IJ appropriate for discussion of the non-fictional aspects of the show and its production. Is this comm just a waste?

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vl_redreign
2009-03-13 05:25 pm UTC (link)

No!! Not at all! I think that one came out of a different discussion. If anything, we went off topic. lol

I like the idea of having this one, because knowing what's going on behind the scenes, for me, enhances my viewing pleasure. Remember, I'm the one that watched every single hour of the extra dvd's in my LOTR trilogy. I've always loved the cinematic process, and now we have extras that explain it all.

BTW, when you rewatch 314, watch the one with the commentary. That's where Kelly explains the colors of the rainbow theme. And each color represents the mood of the characters. Ted=green=sickness, Emmett=red=anger, Brian/Justin=blue=hope, Mel/Linds=yellow=rebirth, Michael/Ben=orange=fear, hurt (and Hunter's mom's hair was red, too!),purple=Deb=life, joy, purpose...plus, it's a color of royalty, so just call her the "queen mother." rotfl

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	flamencanyc 2009-03-15 04:09 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, okay then. Good. Perhaps in time people will start utilizing the comm a bit more. How the hell did I miss that? I could have sworn I'd watched all the commentary episodes years ago when I first found QaF, and I'd think I would have remembered that! I'll have to scrounge it up and check it out. Thanks! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	vl_redreign 2009-03-15 04:16 pm UTC (link)
	The thing is, Kelly Makin talks about the colors, but not really what they signify. But when you watch...don't they fit? So based on what he says and what we see, that's what I came up with. Come back after you watch and tell me what you think. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	vl_redreign 2009-02-25 10:24 am UTC (link)
	I can't believe I forgot to mention this!!! Kelly Makin's absolutely stunning ending to 314, with the color bleeding back into the scene, one rainbow color at a time. The aerial shot of Liberty Ave, with the people spilling into the streets, a logistical nightmare, to be sure, but pulled off with stunning accuracy and vision. Kudos to the DP and editing staff. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:07 pm UTC (link)
	Absolutely! In fact that's what I was thinking of in your comment above. :) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	vl_redreign 2009-03-13 02:53 pm UTC (link)
	And how he assigned colors to each person, or couple. How those colors are in sharper relief in each shot. It's a neat trick, and Makin is a master. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 03:40 pm UTC (link)
	I'm definitely going back to watch it again this weekend. I'm not sure if I ever noticed the couples thing or not. I think I need to pay more attention to who directed which episodes. I know most of the directors and DPs, but I need to better associate who's who with what I'm watching. (Reply to this) (Parent)

brianslave68
2009-02-25 04:25 pm UTC (link)

I know I've heard fans grumble in the past over how Bruce McDonald liked to use the really close up shots of faces. I actually like those scenes a lot. The first ones that come to mind are 311 during Brian & Debbie's talk after he loses his job and then two scenes in episode 308, when Brian & Justin discuss his internship at Vanguard and of course the reunification scene at the end. Oh also, the close up of Justin at the end of 306 is beautiful.

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	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:09 pm UTC (link)
	Much of the time I like them too. Every once in awhile it seemed more distracting than intensifying, but overall I found them very effective too. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	circadia 2009-03-01 01:16 pm UTC (link)
	The beginning of 313 always gets me. The dark loft, the backlight, the shadows, the orange glow and curls of smoke coming off of Brian as he looks out the window and smokes. I find that one absolutely stunning. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	butternutsquash 2009-03-06 03:44 pm UTC (link)
	My thought exactly! I keep trying to make an icon from that scene, but it doesn't work well in the 100x100 constraints for me. I love it so though! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:11 pm UTC (link)
	I couldn't agree more. With the cityscape in the background, etc. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	besamislabios 2009-03-03 12:13 pm UTC (link)
	The end of 202, I love the light and how you see Brian and Justin's profile, like silhouettes. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:12 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, it's really lovely, isn't it? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ahaw9913 2009-03-04 10:20 am UTC (link)
	Although it breaks my heart...I love the cold desolation of Brian releasing his father thru the bowling ball scene in 119. And then the warmth of the hug from Mikey...Bittersweet. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:13 pm UTC (link)
	I definitely loved the direction there too. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	sra_black 2009-03-08 09:45 am UTC (link)
	I love Brian and Justin's last scene together on 513. The big windows behind them, the lights reflected on their bodies, the song, the emotion of the scene... It gets to me every time. On that moment, words aren't really necessary. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:18 pm UTC (link)
	I had mixed feelings about that one. I preferred the song used in the screener to the one used in the final cut, and thought the projections of prior scenes on their bodies was unnecessary, distracting, out of character for the show's directoral style, and frankly a bit silly. (But then I know others who loved both.) But otherwise, I thought it was quite well done too. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	jule1122 2009-03-10 11:40 am UTC (link)
	My favorite has to be the color coming back to Liberty Avenue at the end of 314. I think I burst into tears the first time I saw it. I also think the ending of 202 is stunning. No surprise there:) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-13 02:20 pm UTC (link)
	I loved that scene in 314. It's beautiful and even kind of magical. Plus, I'm always amazed at how, even after multiple viewings, you don't even see those cars until the color comes back to them. It's like they appear out of nowhere. (Reply to this) (Parent)

pendulumchanges
2009-03-15 03:03 pm UTC (link)

First, what's a DP?

Second, I love 309, the cha cha dance scene... but that might be the editing, not the cinematography? (I don't know anything about this stuff...) I like the way we see Brian and Justin through the glitter and just glimpses of them between the other people and when the lights hit them at first. And then the way it's all set to the music and we get to really see them when the music picks up. So I guess I like the way everything came together - the acting, the framing, the effects, the music, and the editing :)

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	pendulumchanges 2009-03-15 03:09 pm UTC (link)
	lightbulb Director of Photography - I'm just a little slow sometimes :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	flamencanyc 2009-03-15 03:49 pm UTC (link)
	You beat me to it! And yes, you're right, all those elements come in. And I totally agree, it's lovely. :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

bellaaurora
2009-03-15 03:50 pm UTC (link)

I love the party scene at the opening of Kinnetik for some reason. I really like design, and I suppose that's it, but something about it all just feels like everything is coming together for Brian and I think that the set and the prop use reflects that well. I also love the way Brian and Justin and Lindsay are all up on the stage. I suppose that would fall under direction, maybe?

Oh, and while looking for an icon I found the Brian finding the Kinnetik building scene. OMG, so very very very gorgeous, and I think the way it is shot shows us a lot about Brian's creative process. Plus I love the use of photography. It makes me feel like we're seeing the world through Brian's eyes.

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	flamencanyc 2009-03-15 04:02 pm UTC (link)
	Ooh, yeah, I love that scene with Jen and Brian touring the old bathhouse too! Beautifully shot. (Reply to this) (Parent)