Singin' in The Rain Micro Elements
Scene: Opening, actors walking to the preview
The props included are mostly held by extras, like the planks of wood that Cosmo rides and 'swims' on, as well as gets hit with. It is important that they are moving, so that he can pretend these actions and get in the way of them, so they had to be held by others. The other prop is the mode on the sofa that Cosmo sits with, moves like it is alive, and then fights with. This is to add character to the scene, and again, bring humour to it.
The camera follows Cosmo throughout the dance, as he is the centre of attention in this scene, and the viewer wants to see the dance. Most of the scene is in wide shots, so to show the dancing and the set. It starts the scene with a two shot, showing Don and Cosmo in conversation, which is why the camera's closer to them, but as the scene changes to the song and dance, the camera moves back to use wide shots. Because of the dancing the shots are also longer, so that you're not distracted from the movement, and none is cut out. Amongst this, however, there are close-up shots to show his facial expressions - like when he is adjusting his face after running into the wall.
The lighting is not harsh or particularly soft in this scene, it keeps the whole set well lit. The lighting is meant to be the artificial, as it is lighting from a set. You can see different lights in the background at the beginning, which aren't currently in use for any sets. As, at the beginning, he is dancing behind the set, the lighting is less precise and flattering, there are vast shadows in the background from the wooden planks used to keep up the sets.
There are no outrageous colours in this scene, it's not bold or bright in anyway, emphasising that it's in between sets. Saying this, the films that that they were making would have all been in black and white, so the colours wouldn't need to be incredibly bright. The colours in the set are also very similar to the colours in Cosmo's outfit. This could be because his job is to play music behind the camera - blending in to the background. It could also be a link to how he can be ignored by others because of his job status, especially when he is with Don.
The sound is another important factor of the scene, as the song portrays the narrative of it, guiding the movement of the dance, and portraying its own humour. It is the musical version of him cheering up his friend, it is suitably upbeat and works well with the quick, clumsy dancing. The other sounds used are the diegetic sounds used for the planks of wood that Cosmo walks into, and when he falls over on the ground. These add to his actions, as they accentuate them, making them more funny. The other diegetic sound used is when he's playing the piano, showing that he's using his skills and his job to cheer his friend up. His job's purpose is to support the actors in their scene, conveying the correct mood, which is sort of what he is doing here, supporting his friend with piano playing.
Scene: Singin' in the Rain
The only costumes you see in this scene are those of Kathy, Don, and a Policeman. Kathy is wearing a fashionable hat, and a raincoat, which is appropriate for the weather. This shows her style, as she is a part of Hollywood, but also how she is more practical than Don, as he hasn't got a raincoat on, despite the rain. His outfit is similar to his usual ensemble throughout the rest of the film, a grey suit, tie, and hat. The colours used in his outfit don't make him stand out in anyway, but are used to make the scene appear more realistic, and perhaps how his happiness could have gone unnoticed to the passersby if it were in real life. The policeman's outfit is notable because it's what makes his judgemental look at Don as he's splashing through the puddles funny, and explains why when he realises his presence, he feels awkward and stops. The costumes worn by extras in this scene were made to make them look cold and unhappy about the weather, contrasting with the rest of the scene.
The set is of a street, you see curtains through windows, shop displays, and doors as he walks along, and it looks quite natural. The street doesn't take any turns, so that the camera can move in a straight line alongside Don, tracking his dancing. The set also provides for the dance, the lamp to jump up to and embrace, the window display woman for Don to strum his umbrella as if it were a guitar, the gutter letting out the great stream of water that he dances around and then soaks himself in, and the large puddle at the end of the dance. This makes the dance more interesting and varied, and makes it feel more involved with the surroundings; the dance could not have been done anywhere else. It also makes the dance appear more varied and partially spontaneous - like Don had seen the lamp as he walked by and just been urged to jump up to it with glee.
The only significant prop in this scene is the umbrella, he uses it to shelter Kathy from the rain, he uses it to dance with, and he gives it to a stranger who has no umbrella with them. The way he uses it shows his character as well as his feelings for Kathy. He cares for her and doesn't want her to be caught in the rain. He is then so happy that they are finally reciprocal in their affections that he dances a joyful dance, despite the rain. He'd prefer to use the umbrella as a prop in his expressive dance than use it to shelter him from the rain, which he simply has no care for anymore. When he gives it to the stranger at the end it tells the audience that he is kind, and knows that he has no need for it anymore.
The movement in this scene is probably the most important part when paired with the sound. Both components in isolation convey great joy, but when they are together it shows the true extent of his happiness, and it becomes a little infectious for the viewer, wanting to sing along and wishing they could dance in the same way. The movement of Gene Kelly's dancing show his happiness and his disregard for the rain, he takes joy in embracing the rain, playfully putting his umbrella down towards the beginning, and then has no care at all at the end when he is splashing in the puddles at the end. As mentioned earlier, his interaction with the set furthers the audience's understanding for his delight, as it is as if he cannot contain his urges to jump up to them and look at the painted woman in the shop display, as if informing her of how happy he is.
Most of the shots used last quite a long time, otherwise it would cut up the dancing. For the same reason the camera's movement is mostly following Don's journey up the street, so to keep him in frame and showing that he is making progress. Every now and then, when there is a longer note, or a pause in the dance (e.g. the lines "I'm ready for love" and "I've a smile on my face"), the camera zooms in to see his face in more detail. Even after the song has finished he waves goodbye to the policeman joyfully, despite the policeman remaining serious.
The lighting in this scene is not notably bold or soft, it's supposed to be coming from the moon, the streetlights, and windows, which you can see reflected in the rain in the wide shot. The lighting keeps Don well-lit throughout, however, so that his movements are not lost to shadows, and there were no sudden differences during the scene.
The most obvious part of this opening is the elaborate outfits all the actors are wearing as they walk up to the cinema. You can tell their personalities through the colours, fabrics, and shapes used in their dresses and suits. The woman at the microphone is wearing a fur cloak with a large collar, her hair is done up, and she has matching pearl earrings and pearl necklace, despite this ensemble it is hardly the most expressive outfit seen in this scene. You can tell that she is wealthy and has belonged to this profession for a while, as she fits in with the fancy dress that you see, but it is not as loud and obvious as the other outfits seen. Her character is not supposed to be the centre of attention, but more there to encourage the other characters to take up more of the focus.
The first to exit from their car is Zelda, who is wearing a short dress that is decorated with what looks to be feathers and fur, as well as being wrapped in a white fur coat. This outfit is stylish and glamorous, it shows her position in the film she is walking to, and her joyful confidence. The second to appear on the red carpet is Olga Mara, who is wearing a tight, sequinned, black dress, there is a spider web pattern across the front and back, and her headdress is largely expressive, with feather swirling out of it. Along with this she has a large fur coat, which she only seems to wear to take it off dramatically, making a bigger reveal on the rest of her outfit. This exposes her character more, as she seems to like making impressions, and gives the sense of a dark and moody personality. The woman at the microphone also mentions that she is with her "new husband", implying she has married at least once before, this gives some more character to her outfit, as she appears seductive, and almost like a classic Disney villain, with spider patterns and an envious green on the inside of her coat.When Cosmo appears he is wearing a humble blue coat and white scarf, he is not trying to make a big impression, and knows that he isn't the person the crowd is waiting for. This emphasises how his character may blend into the background compared to others. Then Don and Lena arrive, they are both wearing pale colour, Don in a white coat, shirt, bowtie, and hat. This could be showing his 'purity', especially compared to Lina. Lina is wearing a huge coat with a large fur colour, a silver headband, and a light green dress with silver tassels. These all reveal her over-the-top nature, she wants the focus to be on her, and she knows she is adored by the public. Don's outfit is a lot more simple compared to hers, maybe emphasising their differences.
The setting of this scene is made very clear by the establishing shot, and the woman at the microphone stating which cinema it is, and why we are there. The cinema looks very grand, with bright lit up letters, there are spotlights everywhere, and there is a large amount of red. The red implies opulence and grandeur, this matches well with the grandeur of the celebrities walking down the red carpet. It also establishes the event even further, alongside it beinge big enough to show the popularity of this event too, showing how many people were around just to catch a glimpse of these stars.
The lighting in this scene is all artificial, and most notably comes from the spotlights and the flashes of cameras. This dramatises the situation, as well as further informing us that the narrative will be based around movies and their stars. The lighting suggests glamour, spotlights bringing attention to important people, and the flashes of cameras doing the same. The cameras are all frenzied too, showing how the press are excited to be there and eager to grab the photographs they can.
Another way the personality of the characters is shown is through the vehicle they arrive in, and how they get out of it to move down the red carpet. Zelda arrives in a black car, which she joyfully hops from, followed by the man behind her, who seems far less enthusiastic to be there. The car is simple but formal, and the same sort of car that Olga Mara arrives in, just smaller. Her enthusiastic attitude seems faked because of its over the top nature, and the tired looking older man who is accompanying her makes a contrast hard go unnoticed. Olga Mara steps carefully from the car and quickly links arms with her husband, as well as dragging her own coat down towards the cinema. This establishes that she is the one that the crowds are here for, despite her husband's fine cloak and suit. She shows her confidence through the way she moves and holds herself. All her actions seem to tell the audience that she has little care for what others think of her. When Cosmo arrives he is in his usual car, and jumps out of it without the door having been opened. This makes him stand out from the others, who had all arrived in sleek black car, and gracefully made their exit. The crowd's reaction also embodies how many people react to him throughout the film, especially when compared to Don. Don and Lina arrive in the biggest car, which is lead and followed by motorcycles, emphasising their importance. You can then barely see it through the swarm of photographers and journalists. Don and Lina then go on to gesture at and look out to the audience a lot, making them applaud more.
The main uses for sound in this scene is the narration by the woman at the microphone, and the sound of the fans applauding and cheering. This tells both the people within the scene and the audience the goings on, and informing us who all the characters are.
The camera angles throughout this scene are generally wide shots for the actors coming out of their cars, and then turn to mid or close-up shots for when they are at the microphone, cameramen around them. It often only cuts to the actors once the woman announces their arrival too. This makes the audience follow the focus of the crowd, they would be listening to the announcer's voice, looking over when they hear the name of a star they love, looking at their outfit as they walk towards the cinema, and then focusing on their face as they looked in the cameras, or spoke to them.
Scene: Make Em Laugh
In the first look at this scene you see Don and Cosmo, you can see that Don has a more expensive and smarter outfit than Cosmo because of their different jobs and position in the studio. This shows how they have remained friends despite one of them becoming a bigger part of the film industry, and one of them staying at the level they began at. It reinforces the idea that this scene is Cosmo cheering up Don, he knows his friend is caught up in his thoughts and wants to change this, then going on to display the talents that he shares with Don - singing and dancing, which shows either one of them could be in each other's position. Whilst Cosmo is dancing about the set he also picks up a hat from a clothes rail being moved, he then uses this hat to portray different characters, e.g. his father and 'Samuel J. Snodgrass'. He also uses the hat to portray different moods throughout the piece, but still in a comical nature.
The movement in this scene is most notable, as it is the focus of the scene, along with his singing. His movement is often exaggerated, so to make his actions seem more comical. He moves in a way that makes him appear clumsy and happy, no matter the circumstances (like being hit with the plank of wood), and in a way to make others happy. He interacts with props and the set, showing the audience the surroundings as well as his familiarity with it.
The set is made to look like a film studio - people are moving props and costumes about, ready for another set for another movie. Cosmo moves from one movie set to another, showing how vast the studio is as well as enabling him to interact with different objects. The space is also quite large, not just for the different sets, but also so that Cosmo can move around in it freely - he needs enough space to dance.
The props included are mostly held by extras, like the planks of wood that Cosmo rides and 'swims' on, as well as gets hit with. It is important that they are moving, so that he can pretend these actions and get in the way of them, so they had to be held by others. The other prop is the mode on the sofa that Cosmo sits with, moves like it is alive, and then fights with. This is to add character to the scene, and again, bring humour to it.
The camera follows Cosmo throughout the dance, as he is the centre of attention in this scene, and the viewer wants to see the dance. Most of the scene is in wide shots, so to show the dancing and the set. It starts the scene with a two shot, showing Don and Cosmo in conversation, which is why the camera's closer to them, but as the scene changes to the song and dance, the camera moves back to use wide shots. Because of the dancing the shots are also longer, so that you're not distracted from the movement, and none is cut out. Amongst this, however, there are close-up shots to show his facial expressions - like when he is adjusting his face after running into the wall.
The lighting is not harsh or particularly soft in this scene, it keeps the whole set well lit. The lighting is meant to be the artificial, as it is lighting from a set. You can see different lights in the background at the beginning, which aren't currently in use for any sets. As, at the beginning, he is dancing behind the set, the lighting is less precise and flattering, there are vast shadows in the background from the wooden planks used to keep up the sets.
There are no outrageous colours in this scene, it's not bold or bright in anyway, emphasising that it's in between sets. Saying this, the films that that they were making would have all been in black and white, so the colours wouldn't need to be incredibly bright. The colours in the set are also very similar to the colours in Cosmo's outfit. This could be because his job is to play music behind the camera - blending in to the background. It could also be a link to how he can be ignored by others because of his job status, especially when he is with Don.
The sound is another important factor of the scene, as the song portrays the narrative of it, guiding the movement of the dance, and portraying its own humour. It is the musical version of him cheering up his friend, it is suitably upbeat and works well with the quick, clumsy dancing. The other sounds used are the diegetic sounds used for the planks of wood that Cosmo walks into, and when he falls over on the ground. These add to his actions, as they accentuate them, making them more funny. The other diegetic sound used is when he's playing the piano, showing that he's using his skills and his job to cheer his friend up. His job's purpose is to support the actors in their scene, conveying the correct mood, which is sort of what he is doing here, supporting his friend with piano playing.
Scene: Singin' in the Rain
The only costumes you see in this scene are those of Kathy, Don, and a Policeman. Kathy is wearing a fashionable hat, and a raincoat, which is appropriate for the weather. This shows her style, as she is a part of Hollywood, but also how she is more practical than Don, as he hasn't got a raincoat on, despite the rain. His outfit is similar to his usual ensemble throughout the rest of the film, a grey suit, tie, and hat. The colours used in his outfit don't make him stand out in anyway, but are used to make the scene appear more realistic, and perhaps how his happiness could have gone unnoticed to the passersby if it were in real life. The policeman's outfit is notable because it's what makes his judgemental look at Don as he's splashing through the puddles funny, and explains why when he realises his presence, he feels awkward and stops. The costumes worn by extras in this scene were made to make them look cold and unhappy about the weather, contrasting with the rest of the scene.
The set is of a street, you see curtains through windows, shop displays, and doors as he walks along, and it looks quite natural. The street doesn't take any turns, so that the camera can move in a straight line alongside Don, tracking his dancing. The set also provides for the dance, the lamp to jump up to and embrace, the window display woman for Don to strum his umbrella as if it were a guitar, the gutter letting out the great stream of water that he dances around and then soaks himself in, and the large puddle at the end of the dance. This makes the dance more interesting and varied, and makes it feel more involved with the surroundings; the dance could not have been done anywhere else. It also makes the dance appear more varied and partially spontaneous - like Don had seen the lamp as he walked by and just been urged to jump up to it with glee.
The only significant prop in this scene is the umbrella, he uses it to shelter Kathy from the rain, he uses it to dance with, and he gives it to a stranger who has no umbrella with them. The way he uses it shows his character as well as his feelings for Kathy. He cares for her and doesn't want her to be caught in the rain. He is then so happy that they are finally reciprocal in their affections that he dances a joyful dance, despite the rain. He'd prefer to use the umbrella as a prop in his expressive dance than use it to shelter him from the rain, which he simply has no care for anymore. When he gives it to the stranger at the end it tells the audience that he is kind, and knows that he has no need for it anymore.
The movement in this scene is probably the most important part when paired with the sound. Both components in isolation convey great joy, but when they are together it shows the true extent of his happiness, and it becomes a little infectious for the viewer, wanting to sing along and wishing they could dance in the same way. The movement of Gene Kelly's dancing show his happiness and his disregard for the rain, he takes joy in embracing the rain, playfully putting his umbrella down towards the beginning, and then has no care at all at the end when he is splashing in the puddles at the end. As mentioned earlier, his interaction with the set furthers the audience's understanding for his delight, as it is as if he cannot contain his urges to jump up to them and look at the painted woman in the shop display, as if informing her of how happy he is.
Most of the shots used last quite a long time, otherwise it would cut up the dancing. For the same reason the camera's movement is mostly following Don's journey up the street, so to keep him in frame and showing that he is making progress. Every now and then, when there is a longer note, or a pause in the dance (e.g. the lines "I'm ready for love" and "I've a smile on my face"), the camera zooms in to see his face in more detail. Even after the song has finished he waves goodbye to the policeman joyfully, despite the policeman remaining serious.
The lighting in this scene is not notably bold or soft, it's supposed to be coming from the moon, the streetlights, and windows, which you can see reflected in the rain in the wide shot. The lighting keeps Don well-lit throughout, however, so that his movements are not lost to shadows, and there were no sudden differences during the scene.
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