Shakespeare’s portrayal of Henry V is concerned with the nature of power and how it influences one’s morality. Henry must grow in his role as king, acting in a way that his newfound leadership demands of him. Our film reflects on Shakespeare’s suggestion that morality becomes obscured in relation to power. The first interpretation of Henry’s actions depicts him as remorseful of his obligatory punishment of the traitors, the second as ruthless and unapologetic. We drew inspiration from mobster movies, like The Godfather, and explored how cinematic elements can influence the viewer’s perception of the same characters.

In each interpretation, we altered lines to manipulate characters’ motives and the scene dynamic. In Take A, Henry is disappointed that Scroop and Cambridge are unforgiving toward the criminal. He wishes to show them mercy regardless of their betrayal but is duty-bound. In Take B, however, Henry is dark and ruthless towards the traitors, paralleled to his cold rejection of former companions. Actors also interpreted these script alterations. Henry is visibly sad, emotional and conflicted in Take A while being indifferent in B. Westmorland and Exeter also set a distinct tone for each take.

We used lighting, costumes, camera-angles, and sound to contrast character-traits and consequently, the mood of each scene. Take A’s lighting is bright and open; Henry is positioned against a glass background. B is contrasted using stark, closed-off paneling with heavy shadows. Costume changes depict characters as light or dark, which also containing visual symbols of their betrayal or virtue. We made use of camera angles to manipulate a power dynamic between Henry and the traitors. Low and high angle shots establish dominance and exchange of power. Melancholic or dangerous soundtracks evoke danger, emotion or a sense of injustice within the viewer.

Yup, I did my project on my own this semester! It wasn’t easy, but I did have loads of fun filming and editing. Since I was doing it on my own, I decided to pick the soliloquy from Act 3, Scene 1, which includes the infamous “To be, or not to be” intro.

For version 1 I went with an older theme, and for version 2 I went with something a little more innovative. I wanted both versions to look visibly different and incorporate diverse techniques in accordance with the guidelines on the rubric.

For version 1, I wanted to focus more on the words, so I thought the lines should be read out loud. I also incorporated a very dark and gloomy look into the scenes, as I wanted to portray the inner confusion, grief and sadness that Hamlet was experiencing. Additionally, I wanted everything to look like an old recording from a VHS tape, so the editing I did reflects this particular theme. I also moved from sequence to sequence, incorporating various effects such as zoom in, zoom out, dolly shot, crane shot, etc. I also used a soundtrack from an old film in the background, as I wanted it to look as vintage/old as possible. Shakespeare’s words in the act reflect a depressed and contemplative mood, so I had myself go around and stare at old pictures, stare into space, zone out, etc. Towards the end, I even had Hamlet look at some flowers while deep in thought, which symbolizes his inner conflict regarding life and its true purpose. All of the effects were done to reflect this uncertainty and cynicism, and many scenes fade out to black to further highlight this element.

For version 2, I wanted to take a more modern/innovative approach. While version 1 had black and white, film grain, scratches, etc. to reflect an older theme, version 2 was in color and featured more scenic/cinematic imagery. For this version, I decided to do a voice over instead so I could emphasize the visuals and make it more dramatic. My goal for this version was to make it look like a 21st century film/movie trailer with amazing shots and incredible scenery. For this version, I used a soundtrack with a piano playing in the background, which reflects a sad and contemplative mood, and I decided that the filming location would be a park close to my home where I could capture beautiful visuals. I used many effects such as close-up, zoom in, zoom out, steadicam, point-of-view shot, high angle shot, long shot, medium shot, wide angle shot, overhead shot, voice-over, pan shot, etc. This version used a wide variety of shots to really delve into the scene, and I especially loved the point-of-view shots that really make viewers feel like they are a part of the film. I also used black and white imagery on specific scenes where Hamlet was scared, angry, confused, etc. I wanted to create a very angsty mood with these black and white scenes, and lines such as: “The pangs of despised love” (Miola, p. 57) and “The undiscovered country from whose bourn / No traveler returns, puzzles the will” (Miola, p.57) are portrayed in black and white to reflect this. I also slowed down many of the scenes to highlight the inner turmoil and uncertainty that Hamlet faces. One of the scenes includes me (or Hamlet) falling down some stairs in slow motion, and the scene is also in black and white. There is also a scene where Hamlet reaches out towards a tree while lying on the ground, as if begging for someone to help him. This reflects the inner state and condition of his mind, as he is known to be quite mad throughout the play. The voice-over also shifts from calm, to aggressive, to almost deadly silent. I used different tones for various parts of the film, and also wore all black to reflect this component of the movie. I saw many costumes of Hamlet that were black, and I decided to create a modern version of him wearing all black and a pair of sunglasses. The scenic trees, grass, etc. add to the overall contemplative mood of the film, and the music further heightens this effect. Below, you will find a sample video from my film which illustrates the mood I was aiming for.

Hamlet (Version 2)

Additionally, here are some shots from the film!

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I had a great time filming this. Doing a soliloquy gave me the ability to get even more creative with how I filmed the scenes. I was able to interpret the text in two different ways, stressing different words in both versions and using a different tone. Using the rubric, I went through various cinematic effects I could use, and also incorporated distinctions in camerawork, montages, soundtracks, etc. I created different rhythms and appropriate moods for each version, and made sure that both were unique and didn’t utilize many of the same styles. This was a great project and experience, and I feel like I have a film producer career ahead of me! Just kidding — I still have a long way to go. 🙁 But hey, this is much better than anything I’ve filmed in the past, so I’m going to give myself a pat on the back!

By Manasi, Jay, Amanda, Sabrina, Jasmine and Ampee

Our two films are both set in the modern era, however they differ in their main communication to the audience. Our group decided to choose Act 1 Scene 5 from Romeo and Juliet, lines 91 to 108 with some lines taken from different scenes.

The first film we worked on was set at the University of Calgary and the love story was between students. We chose this because it is relatable to ourselves, as well as warrants more comedy into the story. Since we only had one male actor, we decided to make Romeo and Juliet lesbians in this scene. The rivalry between U of C and Mount Royal mirrors the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. The stigma of two women being together is also played upon. We added extra characters of friends for Romeo and Juliet to help with the comedy and set up essential plot points, such as Romeo being at U of C to meet Rosaline and the friend noticing the rival school logos.  We used continuity editing (link) to best portray a sequential story. We also took multiple shots from different angles to present different perspective to the audience. The camera was omniscient, and the camera directs where exactly we wanted the audience to look.

For comedic effect we decided to use slow motion to introduce Juliet as well as Romeo reaching out to her. Generally, this film uses a lot of physical/slapstick comedy. We also incorporated improvisation into both films. Both editors used iMovie to construct both films.

For the second film we used more visual storytelling than the first one, such as the use of black and white, limited speech as well as soundtrack to guide the audience. Where there is talking it is mostly in voiceover, a way to tell the story without character interaction. For this story we decided to have most of the scene over Tinder texting, as this also relates a lot to the lives of university students and how we meet people in recent times. This film is more similar to a feature film style, rather than in the first film, as there is a not conclusion to the conflict.

Our two film styles reveal how the same scene can be reproduced through time, and even integrate technology into it. It is our belief that Shakespeare wanted to show the magical realism of falling in love. Falling in love is a universal feeling, and expressions of love has remained throughout the ages, however forums of love have changed to become more inclusive (such as welcoming lesbian love as well as online dating).

For the group film project, we decided to focus on the interactions between Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio in scenes Act 1, Scene 1 and Act 2, Scene 4. We found these scenes other than a few lines to be completely transferable in a modern day scenario. It is essentially guys just getting together to talk about girls. Maybe a bit more emotional than usual, but overall regular guy talk. (Or so they say)

Because of this we decided to make one of our film takes a complete modernization of the text with a focus on the teenage aspect of the characters. Since they were written as 16 year olds, how would they sound as 16 year olds today? We also decided to add the technology of today in this version as it has taken over as such a prominent means of communication, especially amongst that generation.

Somewhat keeping with this theme of the age of the characters, and that Romeo and Juliet is so commonly taught to this age group in school, we then made our second film take as teenagers trying to act the scenes almost verbatim from Shakespeare’s play. They themselves are trying to relate and understand Shakespeare’s words as they were originally written.

We edited the script to keep the focus on the character’s age and interest in girls. We added music that also was reflective of the age group and the teenage romantic drama/comedies of today. Finally, we specifically filmed the use of technology as a means of communication especially in today’s dating scene.

 

Team D: Julian, Devin, Christine, Lety, Chelsea, Aja

For our first version of act 1, scene 1, we selected a ‘battle of the bands’ parody sequence which demonstrates in an overdramatized, satirical way, that the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues is based on almost nothing.  The feud between the two bands: one a stereotypical Taylor Swift pop band; the other a rock star heavy metal trio, is rooted in insignificant tension because these two bands would not be in competition for the same fans and have no real reason for their hatred and anger toward each other. This interpretation supports the idea that the actions taken by the Capulets and the Montagues against each other are far too violent and consequential for such trivial reasoning. The play barely speaks as to why the two houses are hostile towards each other in the first place and our purposefully silly battling montage highlights the energy that is wasted by both sides for no real purpose or reward. Our take on the dialogue, although adapted to our theme with a modern musical twist, stays true to Shakespeare’s original framework as it retains the witty pun-filled banter of Sampson and Gregory.

When brainstorming ideas for our second version of act one, scene one, we drew inspiration from the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets and how this animosity between the houses reminded us of the rivalry between the Griffindor house and the Slytherin house in the Harry Potter series. The wands used in Harry Potter parallel well to the swords used in the traditional interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. The conflict between Griffindor and Slytherin is one that many of us are familiar with, and adds a more modern twist to Romeo and Juliet. Our Harry Potter version of the scene also contrasts considerably with our Battle of the bands version. While our Rockstar interpretation is satirical, this version is more serious and does not make light of the dangerous conflict between the two parties involved. Our style and camera work also differed from our first version. We filmed it outdoors, making use of longer landscape and tracking shots, in contrast to the fast cuts typical in music videos. The musical score we used was drastically different as well. Whereas the music was overtly a major element in our first version, in our second, it was used more subtly under the action and dialogue to enhance the tension in the scene. We also used music to transition between our two interpretations.