Blog Entry #2

Question: In our book, Nicholas writes, "An Attentive viewer must also be familiar with the repertoire of choices a director faces to recognize her decisions as choices rather than as simply the product of the camera's mechanical ability to record images". What do you think Nicholas is trying to say in this statement and what are your thoughts?


I think what he means when he talks about this is that it is not only just the camera who is defining what is going on in the scene as to where it is the director who decides the emotion and physical appeal of the characters. The director is the person who will decide what the scene will depict towards the viewers who may be able to relate to the characters position in this scene or maybe even others.


 Although the camera does a lot it is usually up to the director whether something will stay in the movie or it will be cut from it and cast aside. This is usually a process that the director will follow where they will shoot one scene multiple times only to just leave it for the next day.


My personal thoughts on this statement is that it is almost an equal bout on which is more important. Because, without the camera would the directors really be able to make these wonderful works of art that take so much time and work just to make one scene? The fact is that without both roles that the camera and the director par take in movies really would not be the same without them.

Engaging Cinema

I thought of the text that we read was very interesting. I think that studying the subject of film will be an interesting subject to go through, and pick apart everything that goes into making a modern day film. There is so much visual effects that go into making movies it is almost unreal from the man made explosions to guns that fire of dummy rounds to make it look so real.

Are movies a social danger or social benefit?

I think in a sense they are both a danger and a benefit to the social ways we have today. Movies can teach many things other than just crime and murder like some horrific horror movies like "Saw" and also the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The movies can teach how beautiful nature is and just how propelling love can actually be; it shows the possibilities on how men and women can overcome struggle for the better of their lives and their loved ones. Movies are such a powerful form of entertainment they make people feel invincible, and quite literally the people who view these movies actually think they are. Seeing a movie that has someone coming from the slums and attaining success is a real motivation for you to actually do something with your life. But, in my opinion in the end it is only up to the people to do good or bad with what they learned from the movie.

My first blog

As the second semester to my senior year heads on its way; I am taking classes that will prepare me for the college life. Also known as the real world to others. I have taken many classes but none like the one I am about to take. I will be taking History Through Film a seemingly fun class that will offer a different view on some historic events.

The things I wish to learn in this class are simple: I want to find out if some of the historical events portrayed on screen are accurate, and if not how much of the movie is actually real, I want to have fun doing a blog fore I have never used one before, and finally I wish to learn more about some of the historical events that I did not know about.

I have a strong knowledge of some history, but it can be a little foggy at times. I can do really good in subjects that interest me, and history is one of those subjects. History intrigues me; it makes me want to learn more, and the more I know the more I want to learn.