Low-key Lighting
Low-key lighting is a style of lighting for photography, film or television. It is a necessary element in creating a chiaroscuro effect. Traditional photographic lighting ( three-point lighting) uses a key light, a fill light and a back light for illumination. Low-key lighting often uses only a key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector. Low key light accentuates the contours of the subject by throwing areas into shade while a fill light or reflector may illuminate the shadow areas to control contrast. The relative strength of key-to-fill, known as the lighting ratio, can be measured using a light meter. Low key lighting has a higher lighting ratio, e.g., 8:1, than high-key lighting, which can approach 1:1. Examples in film The term "low key" is also used in cinematography and photography to refer to any scene with a high lighting ratio, especially if there is a predominance of shadowy areas. It tends to heighten the sense of alienation felt b ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Sony A77 II
The Sony Alpha 77 II (ILCA-77M2), stylized as the Sony α77 II, is an interchangeable-lens camera aimed at the advanced amateur. It replaced the Sony Alpha 77 model in June 2014. It is similar in design to its predecessor, including the use of a Sony SLT camera, SLT transparent mirror and electronic viewfinder. Specifications The successor of Sony Alpha 77 model, the Sony Alpha 77 II is similar in design to its antecedent, including the use of a SLT transparent mirror and electronic viewfinder. It features a BIONZ X image processor and is compatible with A-mount lenses. GPS has been dropped in favour of Wi-Fi and NFC. The focus area is wider and denser, with a class-leading 79 AF points including 15 crossing sensor combined with subject tracking and eye-focus capabilities. The SLT design avoids the need to flip the mirror out of the way with every shot, allowing a rapid 12 fps burst speed for up to 60 frames in full resolution. Unlike most DSLR cameras, the phase-detect focus unit ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Film Noir
Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American film noir. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key lighting, low-key, black-and-white visual style that has roots in German expressionist cinematography. Many of the prototypical stories and attitudes expressed in classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Great Depression, known as noir fiction. The term ''film noir'', French for "black film" (literal) or "dark film" (closer meaning), was first applied to Hollywood films by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, but was unrecognized by most American film industry professionals of that era. Frank is believed to have been inspired by the French literary publishing imprint Série noire, founded in 1945. Cinema hist ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. Often described as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, David Fincher filmography, his films, of which most are psychological thrillers, have collectively grossed over $2.1 billion worldwide and have received List of awards and nominations received by David Fincher, numerous accolades, including three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director. He has also received four Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award. Fincher co-founded the production company Propaganda Films in 1986. He directed numerous music videos for the company, including Madonna's "Express Yourself (Madonna song), Express Yourself" in 1989 and "Vogue (Madonna song), Vogue" in 1990, both of which won him the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction. He received two Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Grammy Awards for Best Music Video for "Love Is Strong" (1994) by the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
The Batman (film)
''The Batman'' is a 2022 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Directed by Matt Reeves from a screenplay he wrote with Peter Craig, it is a reboot of the ''Batman'' film franchise produced by DC Films. Robert Pattinson stars as Bruce Wayne / Batman alongside Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell. The film sees Batman, in his second year fighting crime in Gotham City, uncover corruption with ties to his own family while pursuing the Riddler (Dano), a mysterious serial killer targeting the city's elite. A new ''Batman'' film for the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) franchise starring Ben Affleck as the character was announced in October 2014. Affleck signed on to direct, produce, co-write, and star in ''The Batman'' by 2016, but had reservations about the project and dropped out in January 2017. Reeves took over the following month and reworked the story, removing the DCEU conn ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Joker (2019 Film)
''Joker'' is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips from a screenplay he co-wrote with Scott Silver. Based on DC Comics characters, it stars Joaquin Phoenix and provides an alternative origin story for the Joker. The film follows Arthur Fleck, a failed clown and aspiring stand-up comedian whose descent into mental illness and nihilism inspires a violent countercultural revolution against the wealthy in a decaying Gotham City. Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Frances Conroy appear in supporting roles. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, ''Joker'' was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, Bron Creative and Joint Effort. Phillips conceived ''Joker'' in 2016 and wrote the script with Silver throughout 2017. The two were inspired by 1970s character studies and the films of Martin Scorsese, particularly ''Taxi Driver'' (1976) and '' The King of Comedy'' (1982); Scorsese was initially attached t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
There Will Be Blood
''There Will Be Blood'' is a 2007 American epic film, epic historical drama, period drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely based on the 1927 novel ''Oil!'' by Upton Sinclair. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor (actor), Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds, and Dillon Freasier. The film follows Silver mining, silver miner-turned-oilman Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis) as he embarks on a ruthless quest for wealth during the History of oil in California through 1930, Californian oil boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Development on ''There Will Be Blood'' began after writer Eric Schlosser purchased the film rights to Sinclair's novel in 2004. It was acquired by Paul Thomas Anderson, Ghoulardi Film Company, Paramount Vantage and Miramax, Miramax Films after Anderson completed the first draft of the film's screenplay. Day-Lewis immediately joined the project while Dano, who initially signed on for a smaller role, took on a starrin ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
German Expressionist Cinema
German expressionist cinema () was a part of several related creative movements in Germany in the early 20th century that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in Northwestern European culture in fields such as architecture, dance, painting, sculpture and cinema. Characteristics German Expressionism was an artistic movement in the early 20th century that emphasized the artist's inner emotions rather than attempting to replicate reality. German Expressionist films rejected cinematic realism and used visual distortions and hyper-expressive performances to reflect inner conflicts. History The German Expressionist movement was initially confined to Germany due to the country's isolation during World War I. In 1916, the government banned foreign films, creating a sharp increase in the demand for domestic film production, from 24 films in 1914 to 130 films in 1918. With inflation also on the rise, Germans ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Stranger On The Third Floor
A stranger is a person who is unknown or unfamiliar to another person or group. Because of this unknown status or unfamiliarity, a stranger may be perceived as a threat until their identity and character can be ascertained. Different classes of strangers have been identified for social science purposes, and the tendency for strangers and foreigners to overlap has been examined. The presence of a stranger can throw an established social order into question, "because the stranger is neither friend nor enemy; and because he may be both". The distrust of strangers has led to the concept of stranger danger (and the expression "don't talk to strangers"), wherein excessive emphasis is given to teaching children to fear strangers despite the most common sources of abduction or abuse being people known to the child.Does 'stranger danger' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Barbara Stanwick
Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career, she was known for her strong, realistic screen presence and versatility. She was a favorite of directors, including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang, and Frank Capra, and made 86 films in 38 years before turning to television. She received numerous accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for four Academy Awards. Orphaned at the age of four and partially raised in foster homes, she always worked. One of her directors, Jacques Tourneur, said of her, "She only lives for two things, and both of them are work." She made her debut on stage in the chorus as a Ziegfeld girl in 1923 at age 16, and within a few years was acting in plays. Her first lead role, which was in the hit ''Burlesque'' (1927), established her as a Broadway star. In 1929, she ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film leading man began in 1935, but his most renowned role was in Billy Wilder's film noir ''Double Indemnity''. From 1959 to 1973, MacMurray appeared in numerous Disney films, including ''The Shaggy Dog (1959 film), The Shaggy Dog'', ''The Absent-Minded Professor'', ''Follow Me, Boys!'', and ''The Happiest Millionaire''. He starred as Steve Douglas in the television series ''My Three Sons''. Early life and education Frederick Martin MacMurray was born on August 30, 1908, in Kankakee, Illinois, the son of Maleta (''née'' Martin) and concert violinist Frederick Talmadge MacMurray, both natives of Wisconsin. His aunt, Fay Holderness, was a vaudeville performer and actress. When MacMurray was an infant, his family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart as the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, greatest male star of classic American cinema. Bogart began acting in Broadway shows. Debuting in film in ''The Dancing Town'' (1928), he appeared in supporting roles for more than a decade, regularly portraying gangsters. He was praised for his work as Duke Mantee in ''The Petrified Forest'' (1936). Bogart also received positive reviews for his performance as gangster Hugh "Baby Face" Martin in William Wyler's ''Dead End (1937 film), Dead End'' (1937). His breakthrough came in ''High Sierra (film), High Sierra'' (1941), and he catapulted to stardom as the lead in John Huston's The Maltese Falcon (1941 film), ''The Maltese Falcon'' (1941), considered one of the first great Film noir, ''noir'' films. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe ( ) is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler who was characteristic of the hardboiled crime fiction genre. The genre originated in the 1920s, notably in '' Black Mask'' magazine, in which Dashiell Hammett's The Continental Op and Sam Spade first appeared. Marlowe first appeared under that name in '' The Big Sleep'', published in 1939. Chandler's early short stories, published in pulp magazines such as ''Black Mask'' and ''Dime Detective'', featured similar characters with names like "Carmady" and "John Dalmas", starting in 1933. Some of those short stories were later combined and expanded into novels featuring Marlowe, a process Chandler called " cannibalizing", which is more commonly known in publishing as a fix-up. When the original stories were republished years later in the short-story collection '' The Simple Art of Murder'', Chandler did not change the names of the protagonists to Philip Marlowe. His first two stories, "Blackmailers Don't Sho ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |