Londonhua WIKI - User contributions [en]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T18:17:22Z

Pberetich: /* Color and Film */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 
{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:35em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|1000px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''"London"'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
__TOC__
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
Note how the changes in color correction change the mood of a video:
 
<mediaplayer width='640' height='360'>File:colorcorrectionchange_beretich.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T18:16:32Z

Pberetich: /* Color and Film */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 
{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:35em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|1000px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''"London"'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
__TOC__
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
Note how the changes in color correction change the mood of a video:
 
<mediaplayer width='1280' height='720'>File:colorcorrectionchange_beretich.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T18:16:10Z

Pberetich: /* Color and Film */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 
{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:35em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|1000px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''"London"'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
__TOC__
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
Note how the changes in color correction change the mood of a video:
 
<mediaplayer width:'1280' height:'720'>File:colorcorrectionchange_beretich.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

File:Colorcorrectionchange beretich.mp4

2017-06-22T18:14:37Z

Pberetich:

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T18:14:27Z

Pberetich: /* Color and Film */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 
{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:35em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|1000px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''"London"'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
__TOC__
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
Note how the changes in color correction change the mood of a video:
<mediaplayer>File:colorcorrectionchange_beretich.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T17:42:34Z

Pberetich: /* Stonehenge and Bath */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

==May 30, 2017==
===The Wallace Collection===
The Wallace collection is Sir Richard Wallace's house in London, that now serves as an art collection. It has many beautiful displays, but the house itself is a work of art, with its furnishings and decorations. I found the several collections of weapons very fascinating, and the armor displays were like something from a dream. I found it very interesting that Sir Wallace was the illegitimate son of the Marquess of Hertford, yet was left with such an incredible estate.
 

==May 31, 2017==
===The London Science Museum===
I did not have high hopes for the London Science Museum, especially after seeing the Natural History Museum, which was a disappointment. However once I got inside I was taken aback with the immense machinery on the ground floor, with numerous steam engines that were fascinating to read about and observe in action. The collection of spacecraft was also incredible, learning about the history of British space travel as I walked by rockets that hung across the entire room. I must have spent three or four hours there, but have no regrets.
 

==June 8, 2017==
===Stonehenge and Bath===
Our tour guide was great during this trip, and very entertaining (even though some of his facts were off about Henry VIII). Stonehenge was cold, but had the best atmosphere to see it, with fog and "spooky" weather. Bath was a great stop for Lunch, and the history about it was interesting. It is also a very beautiful city, I wish we got to spend more time there. The secret location was obviously very cool, and I liked being able to visualize medieval villages like the ones I had seen in movies and on TV.
 

==June 12, 2017==
===Windsor Castle===
I was a little disappointed with this trip, it might have been because I was sick, but there was not a lot to see at Windsor. The changing of the guard was nice, but the exhibits inside the castle just were not my style. Also since it is a residence, it makes sense there was not much to see, but I would not want to be the one to spend £20 to go see it.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]
[[Category:Advisor:Clark]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T17:42:17Z

Pberetich: /* May 31, 2017 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

==May 30, 2017==
===The Wallace Collection===
The Wallace collection is Sir Richard Wallace's house in London, that now serves as an art collection. It has many beautiful displays, but the house itself is a work of art, with its furnishings and decorations. I found the several collections of weapons very fascinating, and the armor displays were like something from a dream. I found it very interesting that Sir Wallace was the illegitimate son of the Marquess of Hertford, yet was left with such an incredible estate.
 

==May 31, 2017==
===The London Science Museum===
I did not have high hopes for the London Science Museum, especially after seeing the Natural History Museum, which was a disappointment. However once I got inside I was taken aback with the immense machinery on the ground floor, with numerous steam engines that were fascinating to read about and observe in action. The collection of spacecraft was also incredible, learning about the history of British space travel as I walked by rockets that hung across the entire room. I must have spent three or four hours there, but have no regrets.
 

==June 8, 2017==
===Stonehenge and Bath===
Our tour guide was great during this trip, and very entertaining (even though some of his facts were off about Henry VIII). Stonehenge was cold, but had the best atmosphere to see it,
with fog and "spooky" weather. Bath was a great stop for Lunch, and the history about it was interesting. It is also a very beautiful city, I wish we got to spend more time there. The secret location was obviously very cool, and I liked being able to visualize medieval villages like the ones I had seen in movies and on TV.
 

==June 12, 2017==
===Windsor Castle===
I was a little disappointed with this trip, it might have been because I was sick, but there was not a lot to see at Windsor. The changing of the guard was nice, but the exhibits inside the castle just were not my style. Also since it is a residence, it makes sense there was not much to see, but I would not want to be the one to spend £20 to go see it.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]
[[Category:Advisor:Clark]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T17:35:01Z

Pberetich: /* May 25, 2017 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

==May 30, 2017==
===The Wallace Collection===
The Wallace collection is Sir Richard Wallace's house in London, that now serves as an art collection. It has many beautiful displays, but the house itself is a work of art, with its furnishings and decorations. I found the several collections of weapons very fascinating, and the armor displays were like something from a dream. I found it very interesting that Sir Wallace was the illegitimate son of the Marquess of Hertford, yet was left with such an incredible estate.
 

==May 31, 2017==
===The London Science Museum===
I did not have high hopes for the London Science Museum, especially after seeing the Natural History Museum, which was a disappointment. However once I got inside I was taken aback with the immense machinery on the ground floor, with numerous steam engines that were fascinating to read about and observe in action. The collection of spacecraft was also incredible, learning about the history of British space travel as I walked by rockets that hung across the entire room. I must have spent three or four hours there, but have no regrets.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]
[[Category:Advisor:Clark]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T17:30:03Z

Pberetich: /* May 25, 2017 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===The Wallace Collection===
The Wallace collection is Sir Richard Wallace's house in London, that now serves as an art collection. It has many beautiful displays, but the house itself is a work of art, with its furnishings and decorations. I found the several collections of weapons very fascinating, and the armor displays were like something from a dream. I found it very interesting that Sir Wallace was the illegitimate son of the Marquess of Heretford, yet was left with such an incredible estate.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]
[[Category:Advisor:Clark]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T17:28:59Z

Pberetich: /* May 25, 2017 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===The Wallace Collection===
The Wallace collection is Sir Richard Wallace's house in London, that now serves as an art collection. It has many beautiful displays, but the house itself is a work of art, with its furnishings and decorations. I found the several collections of weapons very fascinating, and the armor displays were like something from a dream.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]
[[Category:Advisor:Clark]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T17:24:27Z

Pberetich: /* All of My Created Content and Edits */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]
[[Category:Advisor:Clark]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T17:21:15Z

Pberetich: /* Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit, and example of media bias */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.
 
My creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles led me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period before and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn, current leader of the Labour party, even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloids' coverage, as well as that of left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit, an example of media bias====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T17:21:04Z

Pberetich: /* An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.
 
My creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles led me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period before and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn, current leader of the Labour party, even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloids' coverage, as well as that of left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit, and example of media bias====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T17:12:54Z

Pberetich: /* History of Brexit */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.
 
My creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles led me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period before and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn, current leader of the Labour party, even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloid's coverage, as well as left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T17:10:13Z

Pberetich: /* Abstract */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.
 
My creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles led me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period before and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloid's coverage, as well as left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T13:25:01Z

Pberetich:

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 
{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:35em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|1000px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''"London"'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
__TOC__
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T13:24:04Z

Pberetich:

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 
{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''"London"'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
__TOC__
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

File:Colorchanging.gif

2017-06-22T13:23:11Z

Pberetich: Pberetich uploaded a new version of File:Colorchanging.gif

File:Colorchanging.gif

2017-06-22T13:19:10Z

Pberetich:

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T13:18:46Z

Pberetich:

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:colorchanging.gif|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''London'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T13:16:48Z

Pberetich:

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

{{Infobox
|title = British Filmmakers, Color and Style
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:infoboximage.jpg|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption = Color correction changes the mood of any footage.
|label2 = '''London'''
|data2 = by Peter Beretich
}}
=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T13:09:54Z

Pberetich:

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

<htmltag tagname="iframe" src='https://gfycat.com/ifr/DistinctRawDaddylonglegs' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='100%' height='100%' style='position:absolute;top:0;left:0;' allowfullscreen></htmltag>

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T13:07:24Z

Pberetich: /* Milestone 1 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:27em
|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.

My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T12:48:02Z

Pberetich: /* Abstract */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=
Within this project I explored the history of Brexit, the power of media coverage before the vote, and how the British people are coping with Brexit one year later. I contrasted the 1975 and 2016 referendum, how the party positions switched during that time, and how recent issues convinced a majority of Brits to vote to leave the European Union. I also observed a Post-Brexit conference, touted as a public discussion on the next steps following Brexit, and came to the realization of how important this issue is to some people, and how it affects the way of life of the British people. It was insightful seeing how lively people became during The Convention, and the experience broke many of the stereotypes of Brits I had originally perceived.
 
My Creative component involved writing down my personal observations during and after the vote, and what I have noticed are most important to the British peoples way of life, what makes them tick, and what makes them angry. I also looked at bias in media coverage, and how that could have changed the outcome of the referendum. The use of language in articles lead me to understand how certain publications understand that using anger to their advantage can help advance an agenda, and how this is applicable to many nations.
 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period before and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloid's coverage, as well as left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T12:40:04Z

Pberetich: /* Introduction */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=

 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period before and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloid's coverage, as well as left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Effects of Brexit

2017-06-22T12:36:37Z

Pberetich:

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

{{Infobox
|title = Brexit: One Year Later
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:britishflag_beretich.jpg|400px]]
|label2 = ''
|data2 = ''
}}

__TOC__

=Abstract=

 

=Introduction=
On June 23rd, 2016, the entire world was watching as the results came in for the Brexit referendum. In America, Donald Trump was the front-runner to receive the GOP nomination, already indicating the increasing desire for nationalism and less globalization in the United States. But the Brexit vote would was just as important for the future of globalization and relations between the United Kingdom and its allies. Through this project I will be observing and analyzing what led to the vote, the inconsistencies of polling, and how the Brexit referendum and its aftermath looked like through my eyes, those of an American college student. The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and have performed my own historical research out of my own curiousity. I plan on using what I have learned to demonstrate my thoughts during the period during and after the Brexit vote. While in London I received a better understanding of how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==History of Brexit==
The desire for a British exit from the European community dates back to 1975, where a referendum was held in order to determine whether the UK should remain in what was known as the European Communities. At that time the Labour party supported leaving the European communities,<ref>1975: Labour votes to leave the EEC. (1975, April 26). Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/26/newsid_2503000/2503155.stm</ref> and Jeremy Corbyn even voted to leave.<ref>Chorley, M. (2015, September 11). I voted for Britain to LEAVE Europe, Corbyn admits as fears grow in Labour that he will lead join the out campaign again. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3230499/I-voted-Britain-LEAVE-Europe-Corbyn-admits.html
</ref> However they were out of touch with the British people at the time, as the referendum led to the United Kingdom staying in the EEC.
 
The European Union has evolved since then, and it appears that the British people changed their minds along with it. The nation went through with preparing another vote as then Prime Minister David Cameron honored his campaign promise to put the referendum to a vote, which he believed was a way to keep the conservative party united. During his re-reelection campaign in 2015, Cameron expressed his disdain with the EU, but after the European Union agreed to give Britain more power over the regulations, he became in favor of staying in the EU. This sort of flip-flopping would prove to be the same with Brexit polls and the British people.
 

==Before the vote==
In the months leading up to the Brexit vote, one question was in the minds of people worldwide; why did British citizens want to leave the EU? If this referendum was even just being put to a vote, that meant there was a significant interest in leaving, and this worried the international community. The Brexit vote came along in response to a nationalistic movement that desired more sovereignty and trade and economic that was drafted with the British people in mind,.
 
The case for leaving is one to do with concerns over sovereignty. According to the House of Commons Library, between 15 and 50% of United Kingdom legislation is drafted by the European Union.<ref>Miller, V. (2010). How much legislation comes from Europe?. Economic Indicators, 7(10).</ref> Therefore, it is understandable why the relatively nationalistic British people were unhappy with their loss of power. Appealing to this nationalist sentiment was one of the driving factors towards the Brexit win.
 
[[File:HowThePollsHaveChanged.jpg|400px|thumb]]
Before the vote there was much uncertainty around what the result would be, because of inconsistent polls, and a media narrative that did not accurately represent the sentiment of the people. An article from Bloomberg magazine in April 2016 claimed the probability of Brexit was 20%.<ref>Hutton, R. (2016, April 20). Probability of Brexit Drops to 20% as Polls Move Against 'Leave' Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161010010708/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-21/probability-of-brexit-drops-to-20-as-polls-move-against-leave
</ref>
Then, less than a month later, the pendulum swung in favor of leaving, although only 3 percentage points ahead of the “Remain camp.”<ref>Beattie, J. (2016, May 31). Pound falls after shock poll puts Leave ahead in EU referendum. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pound-falls-after-shock-poll-8089662
</ref> This fluctuation could have been a sudden change in the sentiment of the British people, but more likely it was discrepancy in data collection.
 
A short term impact projection, released by the Her Majesty’s Treasury, predicted that the GDP would drop, unemployment would rise, and house prices would fall.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf Her Majesty's Treasury - Analysis of the Immediate Economic Impact of Leaving the EU]</ref> Chancellor George Osborne stated a Brexit would cause an “immediate and profound” shock to the economy of Britain. Brexit-supporters, including economist Patrick Minford, rebutted, pointing out how much money would be saved by leaving, specifically by “not being a member of the Common Agricultural Policy and not having to abide by EU regulation.”<ref>Treasury, H. M. (2016). HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU. May, Cm, 9292.</ref>
 
Historians also had their take on Brexit. In his book, “Britain’s Europe”, Brendan Simms makes the case that Britain’s future is not being cut off from Europe, because its past is deeply rooted in the continent. Britain has always fought to keep power from a single source, from The Napoleonic Wars to the World Wars.<ref>Simms, B. (2016). Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation. Penguin UK.</ref> Without taking a side, meaning can be found from these insights that support both “Stay” and “Leave.”
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
==An American's Observations on Brexit and Media Coverage==
It has been a year since the Brexit vote, and with the current conservative government pursuing a deal with the EU leaders before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, it is a good time to analyse the media coverage and its role in Brexit. I examined right wing newspapers and tabloid's coverage, as well as left wing papers. Conservative leaning papers include the Sun, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Telegraph. Labour-leaning papers consist of the Daily Mirror, The Guardian, and the Independent. What should be considered while reading this is that conservative papers constitute the majority of print papers in circulation. However, considering younger generations read news mostly online and through social media, and since television networks are not necessarily conservative biased, this could be somewhat irrelevant. This paper only looks at UK newspapers, which is just one facet of news consumption in the United Kingdom.
 
===Media Coverage and Bias===
====Barack Obama's Comments about Brexit====
An article by the Daily Mail in April of 2016 ran with the title "Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union."<ref>Correspondent, F. C. (2016, April 23). Obama infuriates the Brits as he threatens to send UK 'to the back of the queue' if they vote to leave the European Union. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html
</ref> The only example of a Brit furious with Obama's statement, however, was pro-Brexit advocate and at the time mayor of London Boris Johnson. This title and article are therefore somewhat misleading, and throughout the article there is a use of inciting anger in the reader-base. After all, if your fellow Brits are angry, shouldn't you as well?
 
In The Guardian, a Labour leaning publication, an article on Obama's same comments was also published. The Guardian did not attempt to incite anger from President Obama's comments, but did still mention Johnson's concerns as well as Cabinet minister Chris Grayling's comments, who states that Obama's speech was about "politics and not reality."<ref>Asthana, A., & Mason, R. (2016, April 22). Barack Obama: Brexit would put UK 'back of the queue' for trade talks. Retrieved June 21, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/22/barack-obama-brexit-uk-back-of-queue-for-trade-talks
</ref> The Guardian mentioned Obama's popularity in the United Kingdom, whereas the Daily Mail did not.
 
In his 2005 book "The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe," author David Ost claims that "Proponents of an alternative globalization, universal human rights, or "fair" rather than "free" trade are all more likely today to organize on the global rather than the domestic level."<ref>Ost, D. (2006). The defeat of solidarity: Anger and politics in postcommunist Europe. Cornell University Press.</ref> These are the pillars that left-wing parties have traditionally built themselves on top of, and according to Ost, this group of people is less likely to use the anger of the people in its favor. As we can see with the right-leaning publication the Daily Mail, they know how to use anger to evoke a reaction from their readers.
 

====The Convention, a discussion of post-Brexit Britain====
I had the opportunity to visit the Convention, which is self described as a "public debate on the deep impacts of Brexit and the Political Crash." I went there with an open mind, keen on observing how the British people - or at least those from the Greater London area - were reacting to what had happened almost a year ago at that point. This happened in early May, before the General election in June. I was not surprised to find that the majority of voices in the crowd were individuals not happy with the outcome of the vote. After all, why would Pro-Brexiters go to an event like this, since they had essentially already "won."
 
I only came for the second day, but what I noticed was the large selection of voices the Convention was hosting. There was still more keynote speeches from the Remain camp, but during panel discussions both sides were represented equally. I was very appreciative of this, considering that in America, most political conventions are more of an echo-chamber. However, I cannot draw conclusions about the politics of the British people, because it could have just been a well run convention, or they were hoping for clashing between the two sides, which they got.
 
A particularly insightful event was when Conservative Minister of Parliament Michael Gove went up to give his keynote speech. Despite a lengthy opening from the host, asking the audience to be tolerant and respectful, Gove entered the stage to a chorus of booing. I wanted the stereotype of polite Brits to apply to their politics too, but this issue must have really struck a chord with the people present. Which is completely understandable, considering they had lost certain opportunities and would have to change some of their ways of life. As hecklers took to shouting at the speaker, I was a little disappointed, but this sort of thing would likely have happened at any other political forum brave enough to show both sides of the argument in the United States, or anywhere for that matter.
 
<mediaplayer>File:HecklingatTheConvention.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
At the end of the day, however, I cannot help but feel like no plan of action was produced. After all, there was no realistic way to go back on leaving the EU, and even if they did so, the British government and its people would appear weak on the global stage. From what I can tell, the British people only have one choice, adapt to the changes being made. If not, Britain will lose many people seeking what the EU has to offer.
 

=Conclusion=
 
Through my observations on Brexit and the circumstances surrounding it, I have learnt more about bias in media coverage and the reaction Brits gave to Brexit. There was much talk at the Convention about conservative news bias, specifically through newspapers, and how it was responsible for the pro-Brexit win. If this is true, it is clear that through each publications use of language, one was more effective in reaching their audience and causing them to move in support of whichever cause was promoted. The conservative papers happened to be talented in this, using anger and the Brits' love of nationalism to enable a win for the Leave camp. While this is probably not the only factor behind the Brexit win, it is naive to believe it had no part in it.

At the Convention, I could see just how much the Brexit win affected those who wished to remain in the European Union. The emotion coursed through the assembly, which was at time frightening and sad, but not very hopeful. These people, many of whom were international, were making use of what Brexit had to offer and had now lost it. There is no other country with an English speaking majority in the EU that they could have turned to, so they either have to deal with Brexit, or learn an entire new way of life somewhere else. Once you understand this, you can empathize with their fear and anger.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T12:28:32Z

Pberetich:

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|title = Peter Beretich
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|image = [[File:Beretich_profile.jpg|600px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
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=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
-
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

File:Beretich profile.jpg

2017-06-22T12:27:16Z

Pberetich:

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T12:27:00Z

Pberetich: /* Conclusion */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
By analyzing the colors of each movie, you can tell which director puts the most thought into their color scheme and how it helps convey the emotions of each film. While each director used color changes to convey meaning, it appears to me that director Danny Boyle put the most effort into this aspect of the production. This is especially noteworthy considering he had the smallest budget of the three directors when creating this movie. His use of sharp, bright, and colors It was beyond the scope of this project, but an analysis of multiple films by each director would be very interesting, in order to determine which filmmakers purposefully use color in their productions most consistently.
 

=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T12:05:06Z

Pberetich: /* Activity Journal */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:Profilepberetich.jpg|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
-
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T12:04:49Z

Pberetich: /* British Directors */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:Profilepberetich.jpg|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
-
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
The activity journal represents an ongoing log of reflections gained through each and every project activity on the [[calendar]].
 

May 8th, 2017
 

==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T12:04:23Z

Pberetich: /* Milestone 2 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:Profilepberetich.jpg|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
-
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
-
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
The activity journal represents an ongoing log of reflections gained through each and every project activity on the [[calendar]].
 

May 8th, 2017
 

==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T12:04:04Z

Pberetich: /* Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
|header1 =
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:Profilepberetich.jpg|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
|label3 = '''Website'''
|data3 = http://peterberetich.com
}}

=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
-
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
-
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
The activity journal represents an ongoing log of reflections gained through each and every project activity on the [[calendar]].
 

May 8th, 2017
 

==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

User:Pberetich

2017-06-22T12:03:55Z

Pberetich: /* Milestone 2 */

{{Infobox
|title = Peter Beretich
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|image = [[File:Profilepberetich.jpg|320px|alt=Image ]]
|caption =
|label2 = '''YouTube'''
|data2 = https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterBeretich
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=Overview=
The aim of my project is to determine how the Brexit vote and measures being taken affect the British people, and comparing the media's coverage to the resulting vote. Previously I have taken Modern European History and Video Production, and plan on combining what I have learned in each to create an aesthetically pleasing visual medium to display my research on the stated topic. During my time in London I hope to better understand how social and economic factors play a role in globalization.
 
__TOC__
 

=Milestone 1=
 
===Brexit===
'''Objective:''' How has the Brexit vote and recent measures affected business owners?
 
-
 
[[Effects_of_Brexit|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 2=
 
===Henry VIII’s Personal Motivation Behind the English Reformation===
'''Objective:''' What were Henry VIII's personal and political motivations behind officially beginning the English Reformation, and what effects have lasted until today?
 
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.
Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 
[[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation|Read More]]
 

=Milestone 3=
 
===British Directors===
'''Objective:''' An examination of three British filmmakers and their directorial art styles.
 
-
 
[[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.|Read More]]
 

=Activity Journal=
The activity journal represents an ongoing log of reflections gained through each and every project activity on the [[calendar]].
 

May 8th, 2017
 

==May 8, 2017==
===Westminster Abbey===
We started the day at Westminster Abbey, where a tour guide led us through the nearly thousand year old building. As we walked through the abbey, we were told about the many bodies buried there, and the large number of memorials there. Famous individuals such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many politicians, aristocrats and royalty were buried there, but as the Abbey ran out of room they switched to storing cremated remains. The tour guide also showed us the Shrine of Edward the Confessor. Pieces of the shrine near the bottom had been removed, likely from individuals making pilgrimages to the shrine and keeping mementos.
 
===Tower of London===
The Tower of London was next on the itinerary. As we approached the entrance, the view of the castle and the Tower Bridge in the background was spectacular. To enter we crossed over the moat, where there was a trebuchet resting peacefully. A group of schoolchildren ran around the moat, with some running up to the walls in an attempt to scale the structure. As soon as we entered the western wall, a beefeater began to tell us the story of two princes who died in the tower. During the late 15th century, the two princes, one of whom was Edward V, who was supposed to be crowned King of England. However, after the two boys disappeared, their protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester was crowned Richard III of England. During the 1600s two bodies believed to belong to those children had been found.
 
 

==May 9, 2017==
===British Museum===
My group entered the British Museum at 10 in the morning, and from there we went on our way in smaller groups of 2 or 3. I began on the top floor with the ancient Egyptian exhibit with a collection of mummies that puts the museums in the United States to shame. As I continued through the museum, I followed a timeline of human history, seeing artifacts from the Vikings, Mesopotamians, Romans, and more. What was very intriguing was how some of the most interesting artifacts were discovered in some of the most mundane-seeming of places. For example, the Waterloo helmet, pictured below, was found near the Waterloo bridge, in the River Thames. And the Rosetta Stone, used as a part of a medieval fort in Egypt, was found by a Napoleonic campaign. The stone, which was simply used to declare the institution of a cult after the coronation of King Ptolemy V, around 200 BC. This rock, even with such a modest origin, provided the key to an entire language.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
Image:IMG_7547.jpg|Mummified remains
Image:IMG_7548.jpg|Sarcophagus
Image:IMG_7552.jpg|Helmet
Image:IMG_7558.jpg|Ceremonial chestplate
Image:IMG_7559.jpg|The Waterloo Helmet
Image:IMG_7570.jpg|An early chess board
Image:IMG_7582.jpg|The Rosetta Stone
Image:IMG_7585.jpg|Hoa Hakananai'a
Image:IMG_7596.jpg|4th century mosaic.
</gallery>
 
 

==May 10, 2017==
===St. Paul's Cathedral===
[[File:St. Paul's Cathedral from a distance.jpg|thumb|right|320px]]
We woke up bright and early to get to the Cathedral before 8:30. We got to the church, and after a short wait were able to enter. We received our tickets and tour guide handhelds and were set free. On the outside the building is magnificent, but on the interior it is even more so. Throughout the tour we learned interesting pieces of information, including how the organ was split in two once the screen blocking the main altar was removed, how the interior dome is actually separated from the outer dome by a brick cone, and how the English church struck down several of the architect Christopher Wren's initial plans because they were "too catholic." This last fact I found particularly interesting, and led me to write an article for this site on the topic.
 

==May 11, 2017==
===National Gallery===
Outside of the National Gallery, right before the doors open, homeless artists use chalk to create their work displayed on the ground daily. Inside the gallery, we browsed the artwork for a good two hours today, seeing some magnificent pieces. You can notice patterns in what artists find inspiration in when painting. There were many pieces on Christ and John the Baptist, from pictures of when the two were infants to later in each of their lives. Another common theme was the nativity of Christ, as well as pieces on Mary Magdalene. Also common were paintings of Greek mythology, including one by Luca Giordano on Perseus turning Phineas to stone.
 
On our way through the gallery we found art students sketching replicas of pieces there. A group of French schoolchildren were learning about the paint "The Ambassadors," by Holbein, which has incredibly detailed still-life components, as well as a famous anamorphic skull. This skull is only clear when viewed from the high right side of the painting or the low left side.
 
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:IMG_7695_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7703_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7701_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7716_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7717_compressed.jpg
File:IMG_7782_compressed.jpg
</gallery>
 
 

==May 12, 2017==
===Natural History Museum===
It took a 40 minute trip to get to the Museum, so needless to say we had high expectations for it. I did enjoy the Earthquake simulator, and the display of rocks and minerals in the museum, but it was not as good as the one in New York City, for a few reasons. It was obviously geared towards a younger audience, which is understandable, but it was not as enjoyable for college students. The dinosaur collection was not very diverse, but had several collections of the same dinosaur, which in itself was impressive. The overuse of fossil molds and poor layout of the museum was disappointing however. I will say that for a free museum it is still worth a trip.
 

==May 15, 2017==
===Tate Britain===
Went to the Tate Britain museum this morning. In the main hall of the gallery there is a beautiful light display with entrances leading each part of the timeline of British art. The timeline is an interesting concept, allowing you to walk through each decade, starting from the 16th century to the present. Personally, I prefer the older pieces, mostly because of my interest in the history from that time.
[[File:Tatebritainlightdisplay compressed.jpg|300px|thumb|center]]
 

==May 16, 2017==
===Victoria and Albert Museum===
The Victoria and Albert Museum is very large. When you first walk in you do not realize it, but as you continue through the maze of exhibits it feels never ending. I found many of the exhibits fascinating, and in general I found the museum more interesting than the other art museums I've visited. This likely has to do with the mixture of physical objects as well as paintings. There were more interactive exhibits than nearby museums, and they were not just geared towards a younger audience.
 

==May 17, 2017==
===Tate Modern===
The museum gives you the impression of a looming building from a dystopian society. Entering the building does not help this notion. Inside the basement, with the concrete and industrial design, you feel like you are in an evil lair. The almost alien exhibits make the space feel like something from a movie. The whole experience felt surreal. 
Some of the film exhibitions were very interesting, especially "How Not to Be Seen," by Hito Steyerl. The museum had a lot of interactive pieces, especially audio-centered exhibits like the "40 Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. I also enjoyed the viewing platform of the museum that allows you to see the London skyline.
 

==May 18, 2017==
===Museum Of London===
While the Museum of London isn't as big or as well-funded as museums like the Tate or Victoria and Albert museum, it was still one of my favorites. The hallways filled with Early human to Roman to modern artifacts, were not only informative, but inspiring, especially for my milestone work. There were exhibits about the plague that helped me learn a lot about the time period, and how devastating the disease was on the English people. Another interesting exhibit was the London Stone, which is a stone that has been in London for an unknown period of time, and has been shrouded in mystery.
 

==May 22, 2017==
===Museum Of London II: Docklands===
Continuing the Museum of London adventure, I went to the Docklands museum. They show the history of this site in London, where a large dock was built in order to protect the ships in the West India Docks. The docks ultimately closed down in 1980, and the museum opened in 2003. The museum had immersive recreated streets, like in the original museum of London, and gave good insight into the life of people who lived near and worked at the docks. There was also an interesting exhibit on slavery. It showed how enslaved peoples were badly treated, including one that was particularly wrong, essentially chaining them to a hamster wheel.
 

==May 23, 2017==
===Imperial War Museum===
The Imperial War Museum is any 10 year old's dream, tanks, fighter planes, and a wide assortment of weapons. However for me it was also a profound experience. The exhibits do not unrealistically glorify war, and do a decent job of showing the horrors of fighting in the World Wars and beyond. One of the more emotional exhibits was the Holocaust exhibit, two floors showing the horrors of Nazi rule. A model of Auschwitz guides you through the concentration camp, and ultimately the mass gassing and killing of innocent people. However, the museum showed hope at the end, showing the stories of those who had been rescued.
 

==May 24, 2017==
===Hampton Court Palace===
From the front entrance of the Palace you cannot tell how enormous the site really is. Once you enter, however, it is easy to get lost. I started with a tour through King Henry VIII's kitchens, which was a fascinating experience. Even five hundred years ago there was a supply chain process through the kitchens that had a goal of being efficient and effective. From the final stage of the cooking process, food could be served in under 30 seconds to the Great Hall, where guests would have been served. As someone studying industrial engineering, I found this particularly interesting. The next two tours, "Young Henry VIII" and "Henry VIII's apartments" gave a fascinating juxtaposition between the time when Henry was handsome, kind, and chivalrous, to when he became cruel and tyrannical. The latter two being the adjectives Henry VIII is known as today.
 

==May 25, 2017==
===Horniman Museum===
The Horniman Museum is located in a calmer and quieter part of Greater London, and the hilly area provides a great view of the London skyline. The museum itself is quite small, with only two open, free exhibitions, one being the natural history collection, and the other being an instrument exhibition. The natural history exhibition consisted of a large variety of stuffed animals and bones, as well as some pretty low quality sculpted models. The instrument exhibition was an interesting site, but did not take long to go through, especially since it was not very interactive. However, the gardens at the museum were very beautiful and relaxing, along with the sheep grazing there.
 

===My Complete Contributions===
[[Reformation#Effects_on_the_construction_of_St._Paul.27s_Cathedral_in_the_17th_century|St. Paul's; Reformation]] 
[[British_Museum#Great_Migrations|Great Migrations; British Museum]] 
[[The_National_Gallery#Georges_Seurat|Georges Seurat; National Gallery]] 
[[Natural_History_Museum#The_Museum_in_Popular_Culture|Museum in Popular Culture; Natural History Museum]] 
[[Reformation#Removal_of_St._Thomas_Becket_from_Medieval_Manuscripts|Removal of St. Thomas from Manuscripts; English Reformation]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Little_Boy|Little Boy; Imperial War Museum]] 
[[Imperial_War_Museum#Radar_Penetration_System|Radar Penetration System; Imperial War Museum]] 
 
====[[Special:Contributions/pberetich|All of My Created Content and Edits]]====
 
 

[[Category:Profiles]]
[[Category:2017]]
[[Category:Advisor:Manzo]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:55:44Z

Pberetich: /* External Links */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/
 
Examples by Reddit User /u/etherealpenguin:
http://imgur.com/a/1q9IO
 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:55:00Z

Pberetich: /* Average Color Timelines */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:54:49Z

Pberetich: /* Average Color Timelines */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 
To view examples by Reddit user /u/etherealpenguin, please see [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]].

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:51:49Z

Pberetich: /* Interstellar */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 
====The Reviews====
A review by The Telegraph says "Outside, there are enough wonders to fill an entire Dawn Treader cruise: frozen clouds that hang in the sky like weightless glaciers, tidal waves as tall and wide as mountain ranges, strands of pure time, tight and strummable as zither strings. The film is a feast of extraordinary ideas, each one depicted by Nolan’s cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, and his visual effects team with heart-swelling grandeur."<ref>Collin, R. (2015, September 03). Interstellar review: Christopher Nolan's best film. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/interstellar/review/</ref> Film Critic Scott Foundas described the film as "as visually and conceptually audacious as anything Nolan has yet done," but is "more emotionally accessible" than the director's other films.<ref>Foundas, S. (2014, November 22). Film Review: ‘Interstellar’. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-interstellar-1201338475/</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:37:21Z

Pberetich: /* The Reviews */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====
While New York Times film critic Janet Maslin was unimpressed with Trainspotting's narrative, she found "Mr. Boyle's savvy use of wide angles, bright colors, attractively clean compositions and a dynamic pop score" as enhancements to the film.<ref>Maslin, J. (1996, July 19). FILM REVIEW: Bad Taste in a Vile Story Doesn't Rule Out Fun. Retrieved June 22, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F07EEDA1F39F93AA25754C0A960958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes
</ref> However the film received positive reviews in almost every publication, a testament to Boyle's hard work under limited budget, while still bringing something new to cinematography and film.
 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:02:57Z

Pberetich: /* External Links */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====

 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
How to Create Average Color Timelines:
https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:01:26Z

Pberetich: /* Average Color Timelines */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [[An_Analysis_of_the_Art_Style_of_several_British_Filmmakers.#External_Links|External Links]] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====

 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
[https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/|A Tutorial on Creating your own Average Color Timelines - Reddit]

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:00:48Z

Pberetich: /* External Links */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [#External_Links|External Links] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====

 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
[https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/|A Tutorial on Creating your own Average Color Timelines - Reddit]

 
[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T11:00:37Z

Pberetich: /* References */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [#External_Links|External Links] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====

 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />
 
=External Links=
[https://np.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/3rb8zi/the_average_color_of_every_frame_of_a_given_movie/cwmqw2q/|A Tutorial on Creating your own Average Color Timelines - Reddit]

[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T10:58:36Z

Pberetich: /* Average Color Timelines */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [#External_Links|External Links] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====

 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />

[[Category:Art Projects]]

An Analysis of the Art Style of several British Filmmakers.

2017-06-22T10:58:29Z

Pberetich: /* Average Color Timelines */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]] 

__TOC__

=Abstract=
In this project I examined the visual elements from a single movie by each of three British filmmakers, Ridley Scott, Danny Boyle, and Christopher Nolan. I looked at the cinematography, color usage, and psychological reasoning behind the both of these. I have discovered that there is a wide range of psychoanalytical evidence behind the cinematography of film. The greatest filmmakers are the ones who understand this, and incorporate it into their work in order to convey their message through more ways than one. My prior evidence with film is through personal research and film creation, as well as taking a video production course at WPI. My aim with this project is to show that while the medium of film is an art, there is interesting psychology and science behind some of the most seemingly trivial things.
 

=Introduction=
 
Artist-researcher Ivan Magrin-Chagnolleau, Head of the Aesthetics of Performing and Spectacular Arts Department at Sorbonne, says that colors "usually convey emotions in a very subtle way, but also in a very uncontrolled manner," and that they "can be consciously used or not, depending on the artist and on the process."<ref>Magrin-Chagnolleau, I. (n.d.). The Use of Color in Theater and Film. Paris Sorbonne & C.N.R.S.</ref>
My goal through this project is to see how certain filmmakers utilize color throughout their film to evoke a psychological response in their viewers, and whether they pay specific attention to the usage. Using the original technique of generating an average color timeline to analyse color progression over a film's duration has not been done before. Viewing the average color of different scenes in a film allows for an easy way to tell if directors payed attention to color throughout the film, or only for small scenes. I chose these filmmakers because they are all well-known, and their films have been wildly successful. This project will show how much these directors think about their use of color throughout their films.
 

=Section 1: Background=
 
==Color and Film==
Research in the association between color and emotions has existed for a considerable amount of time, but within the past decade those similarities have been further analysed with respect to films. A 2004 study found that there was 80% accuracy for sorting films by "mood tone classification." Essentially, two films with a similar genre or sub-genre had such similar color schemes, as well as resulting moods, that these films could be shown as related.<ref>Wei, C. Y., Dimitrova, N., & Chang, S. F. (2004, June). Color-mood analysis of films based on syntactic and psychological models. In Multimedia and Expo, 2004. ICME'04. 2004 IEEE International Conference on (Vol. 2, pp. 831-834). IEEE.</ref> While this is particularly useful for sorting films by genre or mood, perhaps with a service like Netflix, this also shows how important choosing the right color scheme for a movie can help connect a viewer to the genre they are watching.
 
However, color can be difficult to implement exactly as the director wants it to be perceived, considering there are sometimes cultural differences in reactions to colors. A 1968 study found that red and blue were liked by American subjects, but not so much with individuals from other countries.<ref>Choungourian, A. (1968). Color preferences and cultural variation. Perceptual and motor skills, 26(3_suppl), 1203-1206.</ref> The challenge filmmakers face, should they decide to have color play a central role in their film, is deciding what audience is being targeted with the release of the film.
 
With this information in mind, even if color is not a significant consideration in the production of a certain movie, if the color palette is noticeably off, it can have an unsettling effect on the viewer. Whether or not the film feels like it follows generally with its sub-genre could have an effect on its reviews or whether the audience decides to recommend the film. Also, should the film use colors that unsettle the viewer, despite being a film without that intention, this can also leave the viewer feeling confused. The bottom line is that whether or not color plays a central role in a production, it should still be a focus of the filmmakers.
 
===Average Color Timelines===
Average Color timelines are a useful way to see the general color palette of a movie in a way that is easier to digest than watching a video. They can be created by using command line tools like ffmpeg and ImageMagick. Please see the [#External_Links|External Links] section for more information. These timelines provide the benefit of seeing the entire stretch of film in an easily digestible format. It is particularly useful in the examination of thoughtful color usage in scenes of films. However, this process has not been widely used before for analysis of films, and therefore has limited research and information surrounding it.
 

==Ridley Scott==

===Alien===
Alien, the film about an alien species being introduced to a ship and wreaking havoc on the crew, is widely considered one of Ridley Scott’s masterpieces. In the film he translates the traditional horror genre into a setting that it has rarely taken place, space. In the Nostromo, the ship that is the setting for most of the film, hallways are cramped, claustrophobic and poorly lit. When they are lit, lights are usually flashing, impairing the viewer’s vision. Psychological analyses have shown that "horror movies draw on primeval archetypes hidden deep in the subconscious; for example, shadows [and] the dark."<ref>Fu, X. (2016) "Horror Movie Aesthetics: How color, time, space and sound elicit fear in an audience." Northeastern University Department of Art and Design [https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:cj82n5571/fulltext.pdf (Link)]</ref> The titular alien is also designed to blend in with the textured paneling of each room, becoming a creature that can be in a scene without whoever is watching even noticing.
 
Scott used smoke uniformly dispersed across the set to create the mood that was achieved in the final product. Again impairing the viewers vision of what is happening, without the camera shake that many filmmakers use today in action sequences. As the writer for Alien said about Ridley Scott, “When it comes to texturing a scene, texture, mood, subtlety of mood and feeling and atmosphere, he really is superb. Without it, it would have been a much lesser picture.”<ref>Alien - Director's Commentary. 20th Century Fox, 1979. DVD.</ref> While Ridley Scott is a master at environment and atmosphere, perhaps because of his background in painting,<ref>Scott, R. Royal College of Art. Retrieved from https://www.rca.ac.uk/studying-at-the-rca/the-rca-experience/student-voices/rca-luminaries/sir-ridley-scott/</ref> the strength of the stories in many of his productions is not quite as impressive.
 
Communication between Director Ridley Scott and Jerry Goldsmith, writer of the film’s score, was minimal. Ridley Scott was taken by the avant garde components of the music Jerry Goldsmith had composed, but did not want any of the Romantic style pieces. The eery, minimalistic music that is in the final version is what Scott wanted. However, Scott cut the music in the final stages of editing, which lead to an angry Goldsmith.<ref>T. G. (2017, May 23). Why the Alien Franchise Has Such a Dramatic Musical Past. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/why-the-alien-franchise-has-such-a-dramatic-musical-past.html</ref> Despite the lack of communication and Goldsmith’s anger about the defilement of his work, the film has one of film history’s most iconic soundtracks.
 
====The Reviews====
English film critic, Derek Malcolm, writing for the Guardian, found Alien a fantastic horror film, even though the story was “basically just a mixture of The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Thing from Outer Space.” He also commented on how the close quarters of the ship, as well as the extreme close-up shots helped create a feeling of tension.<ref>Malcolm, D. (2009, October 12). Derek Malcolm's Alien review from 1979. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/13/derek-malcolm-alien-review</ref> A New York Daily News review also praises the horror film, with its use of "claustrophobic corners"<ref>Leogrande, E. (1979, May 25). A thoroughly creepy, scary, enjoyable 'Alien' New York Daily News, p. 5.</ref> in order to strike fear into the audience.
 
Alien received a wide range of similar reviews, all complementing the frightening, well-implemented use of classic horror cinematography and design, as well as the films ventures into uncharted cinematic territory. Obviously Scott's cinematography and art style was taken just as he had wanted it - in a way that scared the audience without the usual cheesiness of sci-fi films from the team. Alien stands up even today as a horror film that will still evoke fear from its audience, a sign of a well crafted film.
 

==Danny Boyle==
===Trainspotting===

Trainspotting is a film about a group of heroin users in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the way the drug affects their lives and the decisions they make. The Protagonist, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, constantly tries to break his addiction but usually finds himself using again. Throughout the film there is a wide use of mirrors in many of the shots in the film. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan noted how when an infant views itself in a mirror, it supplies itself with an imaginary wholeness, that in reality, does not exist.<ref>Lacan, J. (1949). The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience (pp. 57-62). New York: Routledge.</ref> In Trainspotting, Mark Renton can be compared to an infant, especially when his parents forcefully break his addiction from drugs by locking him in his childhood room. At the same time he is haunted by the infant who died because of the neglect by her heroin-addicted mother and friends.

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Mirror1 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror2 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror3 beretich.jpg
Image:Mirror4 beretich.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle placed a lot of thought into the use of colors in Trainspotting. Unlike many films, there are uses of bright colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The setting of many key moments of the film, Swanney or Mother Superior's flat, uses color to reinforce the sentiments characters feel in the movie. The bright red of the room where the characters shoot heroin represents the danger, risk, and reward of the pleasure of the drug. In the baby's room, the dominant color is yellow, which represents hope and optimism. However, when baby Dawn dies, she is atop a green blanket, with green generally representing sickness. The hallway leading to the outside is blue, representing the cold, and a place without the pleasures of drug use.<ref>[http://www.academia.edu/4365236/A_Case_Study_of_Danny_Boyle_s_Trainspotting_1996_ Lea Weller - A Case Study of Danny Boyle's Trainspotting]</ref>

<gallery mode=nolines>
Image:Yellow room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting.jpg
Image:Red room trainspotting 2.jpg
</gallery>
 
Danny Boyle purposefully made British pop culture references in the film, that help viewers, especially those who were not British, immerse themselves in the setting. To help the actors prepare for their roles as rebellious young adults, Boyle had them watch films like Clockwork Orange, and he references this by designing the Volcano night club in Trainspotting after the Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange. This reference to such a controversial film is especially appropriate for a movie discussing drug abuse.
 
Danny Boyle made many visual references to the Beatles, likely as a way to allow non-British viewers to more easily relate to the film. The opening scene of Trainspotting, where Renton and his mates are chased down the street, is very similar to the opening scene of The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," where The Beatles are chased by their fans. Also several scenes are reminiscent of The Beatles album covers, especially "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Abbey Road."

[[File:TheBeatles_Trainspotting.jpg|thumb|center|500px]]

 
====The Reviews====

 

==Christopher Nolan==
===Interstellar===
Interstellar begins by showing us a dystopian Earth where crops are dying, NASA has supposedly been defunded, and education has deteriorated. Eventually the main character, Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey, agrees to fly a mission with the goal of finding a new home for humanity, for a now secret NASA. Director Christopher Nolan and his directors of photography are known for making every shot meaningful. In Interstellar, he uses lighting to reveal information about each character, as well as meaning behind each scene.
 
When we are first introduced to Dr. Brand, the mastermind behind the trip out of Earth, he seems relatively respectful and smart, and there is nothing through Michael Caine's acting that would indicate otherwise. However, when he is at his desk trying to convince McConaughey's character to agree to fly the ship, Nolan's choice of lighting allows us to gain a better idea of Caine's character. He is lit from the top, in a way that would be considered bad lighting, in a way known as "steep frontal key lighting." This is described in the 3rd edition of Lighting for TV and Film as resulting in "black eyes, harsh modeling, long nose shadows."<ref>Millerson, G., & Safari Books Online. (1999;1991;2013;). Lighting for television and film (3rd, Paperback;3;3rd; ed.). Oxford;Boston;: Focal Press.</ref> This is indicating that Dr. Brand is deceitful at least, and possibly an antagonist at worst. As we learn later, he does not actually have a way for humans still on Earth to leave.
 
In another scene hinting about the importance of gravity to the story, on Cooper's farm there is a gravitational anomaly within the house, which is of course a crucial component to the story, as discovered later. In this scene Nolan uses a lens with a slight distortion, causing an almost unnoticeable circular effect to the footage. Since this could have easily been avoided using very simple editing tricks, or by using a different lens, it leads me to believe it was a way to represent gravity in the scene. Gravity can bend light, and as it does on earth, this can create what is called a gravitational lens.<ref>Einstein, A. (1936). Lens-like action of a star by the deviation of light in the gravitational field. Science, 84(2188), 506-507.</ref> This effect is usually circular, and so is the lens distortion in the film.
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
 
==Analysis of the average color of each film frame from several movies==
By using several command line tools, including ImageMagick and ffmpeg, I was able to convert a handful of films by the directors above in order to examine the colors of the entire movie, as well as each scene. This technique has not been widely used in detailed analysis of intentional color change throughout a film.
 
===Alien===
[[File:Alien barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Alien_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Alien (1979)</center>]]
The dominant colors are very dark shades of blue, and sometimes even near-black, demonstrating the ambience that director Ridley Scott was aiming for. However, there are occasional scenes of nearly pure white, which might seem odd. If you zoom into the center light strip, at the very end you can see a significant amount of red mixed in with the white. In this scene, the sterile-looking interior of the mess hall of the ship is sprayed with blood as the infamous "chest-burster" scene takes place. When first viewed, this scene is incredibly shocking and gruesome, and the contrast between the sanitary-looking white with the dark crimson has a significant place in helping achieve this effect.
 
There is a second major white band that can be visible. In this part of the movie, Ash has been revealed as being a "synthetic," essentially a robot, that appears identical to a human, and was tasked with bringing the alien back for research, at the chagrin of the crew. After attacking the human crew, he is torn apart, and again with the background of a sterile and sanitary looking room aboard the ship, his synthetic guts are strewn everywhere, a different kind of gore. Although another explanation for the good lighting could be to allow the audience to focus on what is being said, without being distracted by looking into the shadows.
 

===Trainspotting===
[[File:Trainspotting barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Trainspotting_still_beretich.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Trainspotting</center>]]
Immediately noticeable from Trainspotting's color barcode, is the use of bright, warm colors, with almost a pastel quality to them. This is likely meant to convey the feeling heroin gives the user. Although this color scheme continues throughout the movie, even through scenes that are dark or gruesome. Again, this could represent the filter that drug use puts over your life and modifies what you are seeing. In the movie, as the characters discover the dead, neglected baby while they are all on heroin, main character Mark Renton says, "I wished I could think of something to say. Something sympathetic. Something human."
 
This inviting and seemingly friendly color usage could be described as glorifying drug usage, but in my mind it requires the viewer to pull themselves out of a trance and see what is really going on, and how the drug usage is negatively impacting the characters. This is much like the process Renton must go through in the film, to wean himself off of drugs.
 
Author Patti Bellantoni describes the color red in her book "If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling," as "visual caffeine."<ref>Bellantoni, P. (2013). If its purple, someones gonna die: the power of color in visual storytelling. Burglington, MA: Focal Press.</ref> This is especially appropriate considering how both caffeine and heroin are drugs - although have nearly opposite effects on the human body. Danny Boyle used this color to display to the audience how invigorating drug use is, and the only way to illicit this response from the audience is through this color that can instigate many strong emotions.
 
Yellow, the color of the Baby's room, is also a color that instills varied emotions in a viewer. Bellantoni says that yellow can represent "powerful life energy" such as that from the sun, but at the same time can be cautionary and mean danger is approaching. In Trainspotting, this comparison is applicable as well. The Baby represents life and longevity, but when it dies from lack of care it shows the effects of heroin on family and yourself. The baby could also be a metaphor for the life of each of the characters, and how they are wasting theirs with their addiction.
 

===Interstellar===
[[File:Interstellar barcode beretich.png|1100px|center|thumb]]
 
[[File:Interstellar_still.jpg|320px|right|thumb|<center>A Still from Interstellar (2014)</center>]]
What surprised me when seeing this image after it was rendered, was how different it was to Alien's "barcode." After all, both are space movies, so shouldn't they be similar? However the warmer colors and softer hues compared to Alien signify a focus not on space, but on the interactions between humans throughout the movie. These color choices represent Nolan's desire to make the film an optimistic outlook on the future of the human race. This is further evidenced by Nolan's change of the ending of the film, from one where the main character sends data through the wormhole before it collapses, and is pulled through a black hole without surviving, to the theatrical ending, where he survives long enough to see his daughter and the future of humanity.<ref>Fitz-Gerald, S. (2015, March 21). The original ending to 'Interstellar' was much more depressing. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/interstellar-original-ending-2015-3</ref>
 
While Nolan uses color differently than Danny Boyle does in Trainspotting, color plays a large part in the visual information being displayed to the user. When we are shown the green corn crops, it seems that everything is all right on Earth, but after the dust storm, the initially vibrant greens are desaturated and depressing. This is an effective way of showing the audience that the Earth is dying. In the beginning of the movie, this green is the only vibrant color, and the audience realizes that, without it, there is only a sad scene.
 

=Conclusion=
 
In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).
 
=References=
<references />

[[Category:Art Projects]]

Henry VIII's Reformation

2017-06-22T10:53:56Z

Pberetich: /* Abstract */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]]
{{Infobox
|title = Henry VIII's Reformation
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:HenryVIII.jpg|320px|alt=image]]
|caption = Henry VIII
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Hans Holbein the Younger
}}
=Abstract=
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

Through my deliverable, I analyzed how by forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake. Henry's successful power grab is comparable to those of modern history, specifically Stalin and his government during the 20th century.
 

=Introduction=
This project focused on Henry VIII's initiation of the English Reformation, and why. There was a significant focus on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which was particularly relatable to today's issues, because it involves examining a tyrant's seizure and appropriation of land by force, and many times under the threat of death.
 
This project looked into Henry's reasons for commencing the English Reformation, and some of the hypocrisy of his actions, especially considering he was a staunch defender of the Vatican, in response to Martin Luther's 95 Theses. The deliverable component of this project examined some of the politics and history behind the dissolution of the monasteries, primarily by creating profiles of several priories and monasteries.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==Introduction==
===Reformation’s sweep across Europe===
The desire to reform the Catholic Church began in the 1400s, but it was not until the publication of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 is what caused the movement to gain traction. Luther’s main argument was against the selling of indulgences, which supposedly reduced the punishment after death for sins committed.
 
In 1521, the young Catholic king, Henry VIII, rebutted against Luther with his piece “Defense of the Seven Sacraments.”<ref>Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. (1688). Assertio septem sacramentorum: or, An assertion of the seven sacraments, against Martin Luther. London :Printed by Nath. Thompson ...,
</ref> For this, Pope Leo X granted the King the title of “Defender of the Faith.” King Henry had demonstrated his faith and loyalty as a devout Catholic.
 

===Catherine of Aragon===
Henry was not the first in succession to his father, Henry VII. That position belonged to Arthur, Henry VIII’s brother. Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the King and Queen of Castile. At the age of 15, Arthur died. This threw off Henry VII's negotiations for a marital alliance with Spain. When Henry VII died, the younger Henry agreed to marry Catherine.

However, as the years passed, Catherine was unable to produce a male heir to the English throne, and Henry became more distant to her. She would eventually only produce one child, the future queen Mary. Henry knew from the loss of his brother that life could end quickly, and without a male heir the kingdom could be thrust into chaos. He needed to find a way to dissolve their marriage, and find a wife who would be able to grant him a son.
 

===Cardinal Thomas Wolsey===
[[File:The Field of the Cloth of Gold.jpg|thumb|right]]
Much of Henry VIII's legacy can be attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Christ Church, a part of the University of Oxford, Hampton Court Palace, and the Palace of Whitehall are just some of the buildings initially built or improved upon by Wolsey, and then taken over by Henry VIII.
 
Wolsey himself was a brilliant negotiator and diplomat, and had the King's ear as Lord Chancellor for nearly 15 years. The meeting between King Henry and King Francis I of France, known as the "Field of the Cloth of Gold" was organized by Wolsey. This magnificent display of wealth held a summit between the two kings
 

==Attempts at Annulment==
===Through the Pope===
During the Italian War of 1521, the Holy Roman Empire, England, and the Papal States were allied against the French and the Republic of Venice. This was during the papacy of Leo X, who had entitled Henry Defender of the Faith in 1521. This alliance defeated France, but the Vatican, under the new leadership of Pope Clement VII, grew worried over the Holy Roman Empire's rising power, and its ability to control more of Italy. Because of this, the Papal States created the League of Cognac, becoming enemies with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with Pope Clement in order to attain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, England joined the League.
 
When the Imperial army took over Rome, the Vatican was ransacked, forcing Pope Clement to escape. With the Pope and Vatican so weak, it provided an excellent opportunity for Henry to become a significant ally to the Papal States. In exchange, perhaps they would grant him a favor, namely an annulment of his marriage to a wife that could not produce a surviving male heir. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's best efforts, the Pope would not budge. There was no chance for an annulment from him.<ref>Scarisbrick, J. J. (1997). Henry Viii. Yale University Press.</ref>
 
Because of Wolsey's failure, his fall from power was swift. In 1530, even after years of faithful service, and many of Henry's accomplishments attributable to Wolsey, he was ultimately charged with treason, and died before attending trial.<ref>Haigh, C. (1993). English reformations: religion, politics, and society under the Tudors. Oxford University Press on Demand.</ref> This would not be the first person dying after committing "treason" against the King.
 

===Circumventing the Vatican===
Henry had fallen for a new woman, Anne Boleyn, but she would not become just another mistress, like her sister had. In a secret wedding service, conducted by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. He had been approved by the Pope, who had no idea of the events about to take place. Within two years, Henry's marriage to Catherine was annuled, his marriage to Boleyn legitimized, and the King declared head of the Church of England.
 
The Pope excommunicated Henry and Cranmer. Henry, a lifelong devout Catholic, had abruptly abandoned the religion his nation had followed for centuries in an act of desperation.
 

==The English Reformation==
===Acts of Supremacy===
The 1534 Act of Supremacy did not have parliament give Henry VIII the power to be the head of the Church of England, but instead acknowledged what was his "God-given" power.

<blockquote>Be it enacted by authority of this present Parliament that the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors kings of the realm shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia.
 
— 1534 Act of Supremacy<ref>Henry, V. I. I. I. The Act of Supremacy. 1534. Documents of the English Reformation, edited.</ref>
</blockquote>
 

===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
 
<mediaplayer>File:Dissolution.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
{{Infobox
|title = Blessed John of Houghton
|bodystyle = width:20em
|image = [[File:BlessedJohnofHoughton.JPG|150px|alt=Image ]]
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Francisco de Zurbarán
|label3 = '''Year'''
|data3 = 1637-1639
}}
====Charterhouse====
In 1371, a piece of land previously used to bury victims of the Black Death was granted to Carthusian monks, in order to build a monastery.<ref>Cockburn, J. S., King, H. P. F., & McDonnell, K. G. (Eds.). (1976). A History of the County of Middlesex (Vol. 5). Institute of Historical Research.</ref> However, nearly 150 years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This act allowed the Crown estate to appropriate the income of priories, monasteries, and other Catholic buildings, which also resulted in the destruction of many of these.
 
Between 1535 and 1537, monks of the Charterhouse openly refused to accept Henry as head of the English Church, as demanded in the Act of Supremacy. The Prior of the London Charterhouse, John Houghton, was sent to the Tower of London, to await execution.
 
As John Houghton arrived at Tyburn, where he was to be executed, he embraced the executioner in order to pardon him for what he was about to do, and when asked whether he would submit to the King's laws in order to save his own life, he replied:
<blockquote>"I declare that I have refused to comply with the will of His Majesty the King, not from obstinacy, malice or a rebellious spirit, but solely for fear of offending the Supreme Majesty of God"<ref>Whatmore, L. E. (1983). The Carthusians Under King Henry the Eighth (Vol. 109). J. Hogg (Ed.). Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, Universität Salzburg.</ref></blockquote>
In total, 16 members of the Charterhouse were put to death under King Henry, including both monks and lay-brothers who would not accept the King as head of the Church.<ref>Plaque: Carthusian Martyrs. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/carthusian-martyrs</ref>
 

[[File:Westminster Abbey beretich.jpg|thumb]]

====Westminster Abbey====
For other Abbeys, there was less backlash against the King, perhaps for fear for their life or a real desire to split from the church. The Westminster Benedictine monks owned a large amount of land in Westminster under the Abbey. In an unfair trade, King Henry took a large portion of land in Westminster, including Covent Garden and Hyde Park, and in exchange gave the Abbey the lands of the Priory of Hurley, after he had dissolved it and appropriated the lands.<ref>[http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/benedictine-monastery Westminster Abbey History - Benedictine monastery]</ref>
 
The Abbot of Westminster, William Benson, soon became first dean of the cathedral, however, the Abbey in this form only lasted 10 years. Henry VIII turned the Abbey into a cathedral during this time. This is odd because there already was a cathedral nearby, St. Paul's.<ref>Hedges, J. (2012, September 11). Sermon given at Matins on Sunday 11 September 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/sermons/2011/september/sermon-given-at-matins-on-sunday-11th-september-2012
</ref> It is therefore likely that he did this to save the Abbey from the destruction other dissolved monasteries were facing at that time. It is probably why Westminster Abbey exists today as more than ruins.
 

====Lewes Priory====
The Priory was dissolved in 1537, and King Henry placed the destruction of the buildings under the supervision of Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry's right hand man after Cardinal Wolsey's fall from grace, and also orchestrated the dissolution of the monasteries. This land was granted to Cromwell. Cromwell hired an Italian engineer to destroy the priory, named Giovanni Portinari. Portinari came from London with his men and set about destroying the priory. This involved tunneling under the walls, setting wooden rods underneath, then burning the logs to have the walls collapse.
 
The materials of the priory were largely reused around the city. After the destruction was completed, "[l]ead from the roof was melted down on site in purpose-built portable furnaces, while the Caen and Quarr stone and flint were loaded onto carts, or barges at the quayside, and removed for re-use elsewhere in Lewes and its vicinity."<ref>Blaauw, W. H. (1850). On the Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, Its Priors and Monks. Sussex Archaeological Collections, 3, 205.</ref>
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
As a component of my deliverable, I also created a video profiling several monasteries during the time of the dissolution and what became of them. That can be viewed [[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation#Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries|here]].
 
==Alternative Reasons for the English Reformation==
While many historians enjoy analyzing Henry's scandalous divorces and women, there has been less talk about other advantages he may have considered during his reformation and takeover of the English Church. Admittedly Henry's sexual endeavors read like an HBO show, but some of his more horrible actions had little to do with his wives, namely the killing of monks, the executions of Roman Catholic protesters, and the diminishing of the rights of the people. All of these play as acts of suppression and tyranny, and were ways Henry could strengthen his grip over England.
 
===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
Henry's dissolution of the monasteries not only suppressed the spread and power of Catholicism but also gave Henry access to a newly accessible amount of money. Whether or not the granting of his divorce was his only initial reason for splitting from the Catholic church, it is likely that Henry or his advisors realized they could now use this excuse to gain access to the revenue of the monasteries, who were one of the biggest generators of revenue in the Kingdom. As recorded in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of the income of monasteries in 1535, the total monastic net income was £142,834<ref>Caley, J., & Hunter, J. (1825). Valor ecclesiasticus temp. Henr. VIII. auctoritate regia institutus, 5.</ref> in 1535 pounds sterling, over £142 million in 2017 pounds sterling, and about $180 million in today's dollars. Henry VIII had been warring with the French on and off during this time, and he needed funding for what would become the Italian War of 1542–46. Henry had been given a goose that laid golden eggs, and of course he would seize the opportunity. By dissolving the monasteries, and appropriating their income and lands, he has made an absurd amount of money for very little loss.
 
===Economic and Social Effects of the Dissolution===
Monasteries were one of the largest forms of social welfare at the time. Before the dissolution of the monasteries, they gave £7,218 (Now £7.4 million) to the poor, but afterwards there was minimal support for the poor.<ref>Rushton, N. S., & Sigle-Rushton, W. (2001). Monastic poor relief in sixteenth-century england. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 32(2), 193-216. doi:10.1162/002219501750442378</ref> As in Aesop's fable, Henry had killed the golden goose by dissolving the monasteries. This is true in multiple ways. For one, now that the church was not responsible for social welfare, that duty would have to be transferred to the state. Secondly, while Henry could have easily taxed the clergy, as the Valor Ecclesiasticus was supposedly intended to determine the Church's taxable earnings,<ref>BERNARD, G. (2011). The Dissolution of the Monasteries. History, 96(4 (324)), p. 396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.wpi.edu/stable/24429244</ref> he chose to instead get as much as he could at once. And finally, he had created a problem for his successors. Without the church aiding the poor, according to historian Paul Slack, the amount the church gave to the poor would not be "made good by private benefactions until after 1580."<ref>Slack, P. (1988). Poverty and policy in Tudor and Stuart England. Addison-Wesley.</ref> This could very likely have had an effect on the civil war that came in 1642.
 
===The Pilgrimage of Grace===
The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising against the King's break from the Catholic church. It was largely orchestrated by Nobility in Yorkshire, but had the backing of nearly 40,000 peasants. As expected, Henry suppressed this rebellion through numerous executions.
Over 200 protesters were executed, including both nobles and commoners.<ref>Childs, J. (2014). Henry VIII's Last Victim: The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Random House.</ref> A theme of Henry's rule over England seems to be the forceful quelling of rebellion or any dissent.
 
===Henry's Control over the Legislature===
Another way Henry suppressed dissent towards his new sect of Christianity was through the English Parliament and acts passed through them. The Act for the Advancement of True Religion took away the right commoners to read the bible, stating that "the reading the Bible is likewise prohibited, to all under the degrees of gentlemen and gentlewomen."<ref>Hansard, T. C. (1818). The Parliamentary History of England from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803 (Vol. 31). TC Hansard.</ref> This was put in place to stop drunkards from citing scripture, fearing that it would diminish the legitimacy of the works. Looking back on this in modern times, this was a blatant act of censorship, removing an opportunity from the common people to educate themselves. This was especially worrisome, considering Henry was changing the church and the people could not know whether they agreed since they had not read the scripture. However, the literacy rate in England at that time was less than 20%,<ref>Floud, R., & Johnson, P. (2004). The cambridge economic history of modern britain Cambridge University Press.</ref> so it is possible this law would not have had much of an effect.
 
===Censorship of St. Thomas Becket===
Thomas Becket's removal from churches and literature also shows Henry's attempts to maintain the power of the King. Becket is known as a Saint to Roman Catholics, for his defiance against King Henry II in the 12th century. During the English Reformation, Henry had the excuse of his removal with the movement of iconoclasm invoked by him. However, he had a particularly strong motivation to remove St. Becket from manuscripts and the names of churches. He issued a Royal Proclamation demanding that Thomas Becket should "no longer be named a saint," and that "his pictures throughout the realm are to be plucked down and his festival shall no longer be kept, and the services in his name shall be razed out of all books."<ref>'Henry VIII: November 1538 16-20', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 13 Part 2, August-December 1538, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1893), pp. 353-369. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol13/no2/pp353-369 [accessed 19 June 2017].</ref>
 
===Comparisons to other Regimes===
Many of the actions taken by Henry are eerily similar to those of more modern regimes, that many consider tyrannical. One regime in particular that mirrors Henry's in multiple angles is the United Soviet Socialist Republic under Stalin. Even though Henry was religious and Stalin was atheist, they each had vital roles in shaping the religious future of their nations. The USSR under Stalin developed anti-religious propaganda and atheistic education in schools,<ref>Pospielovsky, D. V. (1988). History Of Soviet Atheism In Theory And Practice And The Believer. Springer.</ref> and was responsible for the execution of thousands of religious figures.<ref>Yakovlev, A. M. (2002). A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia, trans. Anthony Austin.</ref> The Dissolution of the Monasteries bears obvious similarities to Stalin's gutting of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also to Stalin's first five year plan, which involved the collectivization of USSR agriculture. This involved land-owning peasants giving up their land to the Soviet government. In an event akin to the Pilgrimage of Grace, these peasants began revolting against the Soviet government.<ref>Fitzpatrick, S. (1996). Stalin's peasants: Resistance and survival in the Russian village after collectivization. Oxford University Press, USA.</ref> This was likely a factor in the Soviet famine of 1932-33, where millions of peasants died of starvation.
 

=Conclusion=
The English Reformation was not just Henry VIII's opportunity to divorce his wives, but a way for him to increase his power and wealth. By setting himself to a God-like level by professing himself to be head of the Church, his people feared disagreement with him should they lose their opportunity to go to Heaven. Dissolving the monasteries allowed Henry to quickly produce a large sum of wealth for his military campaigns, while removing any disloyal clergyman from power. And in order to really strike fear in his enemies, he needed to show that he was not afraid to bend the power of parliament to his will. He did this by drafting acts that furthered his agenda, and backed it up through fear of death. Should someone disagree with them, he could charge them with treason and execute them, so through this fear, parliament or his enemies remained quiet and submissive. Henry was so successful in doing this that similarly successful military takeovers, even in modern history, were analogous to his.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Henry VIII's Reformation

2017-06-22T10:50:00Z

Pberetich: /* Conclusion */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]]
{{Infobox
|title = Henry VIII's Reformation
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:HenryVIII.jpg|320px|alt=image]]
|caption = Henry VIII
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Hans Holbein the Younger
}}
=Abstract=
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

By forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake.
 

=Introduction=
This project focused on Henry VIII's initiation of the English Reformation, and why. There was a significant focus on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which was particularly relatable to today's issues, because it involves examining a tyrant's seizure and appropriation of land by force, and many times under the threat of death.
 
This project looked into Henry's reasons for commencing the English Reformation, and some of the hypocrisy of his actions, especially considering he was a staunch defender of the Vatican, in response to Martin Luther's 95 Theses. The deliverable component of this project examined some of the politics and history behind the dissolution of the monasteries, primarily by creating profiles of several priories and monasteries.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==Introduction==
===Reformation’s sweep across Europe===
The desire to reform the Catholic Church began in the 1400s, but it was not until the publication of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 is what caused the movement to gain traction. Luther’s main argument was against the selling of indulgences, which supposedly reduced the punishment after death for sins committed.
 
In 1521, the young Catholic king, Henry VIII, rebutted against Luther with his piece “Defense of the Seven Sacraments.”<ref>Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. (1688). Assertio septem sacramentorum: or, An assertion of the seven sacraments, against Martin Luther. London :Printed by Nath. Thompson ...,
</ref> For this, Pope Leo X granted the King the title of “Defender of the Faith.” King Henry had demonstrated his faith and loyalty as a devout Catholic.
 

===Catherine of Aragon===
Henry was not the first in succession to his father, Henry VII. That position belonged to Arthur, Henry VIII’s brother. Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the King and Queen of Castile. At the age of 15, Arthur died. This threw off Henry VII's negotiations for a marital alliance with Spain. When Henry VII died, the younger Henry agreed to marry Catherine.

However, as the years passed, Catherine was unable to produce a male heir to the English throne, and Henry became more distant to her. She would eventually only produce one child, the future queen Mary. Henry knew from the loss of his brother that life could end quickly, and without a male heir the kingdom could be thrust into chaos. He needed to find a way to dissolve their marriage, and find a wife who would be able to grant him a son.
 

===Cardinal Thomas Wolsey===
[[File:The Field of the Cloth of Gold.jpg|thumb|right]]
Much of Henry VIII's legacy can be attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Christ Church, a part of the University of Oxford, Hampton Court Palace, and the Palace of Whitehall are just some of the buildings initially built or improved upon by Wolsey, and then taken over by Henry VIII.
 
Wolsey himself was a brilliant negotiator and diplomat, and had the King's ear as Lord Chancellor for nearly 15 years. The meeting between King Henry and King Francis I of France, known as the "Field of the Cloth of Gold" was organized by Wolsey. This magnificent display of wealth held a summit between the two kings
 

==Attempts at Annulment==
===Through the Pope===
During the Italian War of 1521, the Holy Roman Empire, England, and the Papal States were allied against the French and the Republic of Venice. This was during the papacy of Leo X, who had entitled Henry Defender of the Faith in 1521. This alliance defeated France, but the Vatican, under the new leadership of Pope Clement VII, grew worried over the Holy Roman Empire's rising power, and its ability to control more of Italy. Because of this, the Papal States created the League of Cognac, becoming enemies with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with Pope Clement in order to attain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, England joined the League.
 
When the Imperial army took over Rome, the Vatican was ransacked, forcing Pope Clement to escape. With the Pope and Vatican so weak, it provided an excellent opportunity for Henry to become a significant ally to the Papal States. In exchange, perhaps they would grant him a favor, namely an annulment of his marriage to a wife that could not produce a surviving male heir. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's best efforts, the Pope would not budge. There was no chance for an annulment from him.<ref>Scarisbrick, J. J. (1997). Henry Viii. Yale University Press.</ref>
 
Because of Wolsey's failure, his fall from power was swift. In 1530, even after years of faithful service, and many of Henry's accomplishments attributable to Wolsey, he was ultimately charged with treason, and died before attending trial.<ref>Haigh, C. (1993). English reformations: religion, politics, and society under the Tudors. Oxford University Press on Demand.</ref> This would not be the first person dying after committing "treason" against the King.
 

===Circumventing the Vatican===
Henry had fallen for a new woman, Anne Boleyn, but she would not become just another mistress, like her sister had. In a secret wedding service, conducted by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. He had been approved by the Pope, who had no idea of the events about to take place. Within two years, Henry's marriage to Catherine was annuled, his marriage to Boleyn legitimized, and the King declared head of the Church of England.
 
The Pope excommunicated Henry and Cranmer. Henry, a lifelong devout Catholic, had abruptly abandoned the religion his nation had followed for centuries in an act of desperation.
 

==The English Reformation==
===Acts of Supremacy===
The 1534 Act of Supremacy did not have parliament give Henry VIII the power to be the head of the Church of England, but instead acknowledged what was his "God-given" power.

<blockquote>Be it enacted by authority of this present Parliament that the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors kings of the realm shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia.
 
— 1534 Act of Supremacy<ref>Henry, V. I. I. I. The Act of Supremacy. 1534. Documents of the English Reformation, edited.</ref>
</blockquote>
 

===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
 
<mediaplayer>File:Dissolution.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
{{Infobox
|title = Blessed John of Houghton
|bodystyle = width:20em
|image = [[File:BlessedJohnofHoughton.JPG|150px|alt=Image ]]
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Francisco de Zurbarán
|label3 = '''Year'''
|data3 = 1637-1639
}}
====Charterhouse====
In 1371, a piece of land previously used to bury victims of the Black Death was granted to Carthusian monks, in order to build a monastery.<ref>Cockburn, J. S., King, H. P. F., & McDonnell, K. G. (Eds.). (1976). A History of the County of Middlesex (Vol. 5). Institute of Historical Research.</ref> However, nearly 150 years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This act allowed the Crown estate to appropriate the income of priories, monasteries, and other Catholic buildings, which also resulted in the destruction of many of these.
 
Between 1535 and 1537, monks of the Charterhouse openly refused to accept Henry as head of the English Church, as demanded in the Act of Supremacy. The Prior of the London Charterhouse, John Houghton, was sent to the Tower of London, to await execution.
 
As John Houghton arrived at Tyburn, where he was to be executed, he embraced the executioner in order to pardon him for what he was about to do, and when asked whether he would submit to the King's laws in order to save his own life, he replied:
<blockquote>"I declare that I have refused to comply with the will of His Majesty the King, not from obstinacy, malice or a rebellious spirit, but solely for fear of offending the Supreme Majesty of God"<ref>Whatmore, L. E. (1983). The Carthusians Under King Henry the Eighth (Vol. 109). J. Hogg (Ed.). Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, Universität Salzburg.</ref></blockquote>
In total, 16 members of the Charterhouse were put to death under King Henry, including both monks and lay-brothers who would not accept the King as head of the Church.<ref>Plaque: Carthusian Martyrs. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/carthusian-martyrs</ref>
 

[[File:Westminster Abbey beretich.jpg|thumb]]

====Westminster Abbey====
For other Abbeys, there was less backlash against the King, perhaps for fear for their life or a real desire to split from the church. The Westminster Benedictine monks owned a large amount of land in Westminster under the Abbey. In an unfair trade, King Henry took a large portion of land in Westminster, including Covent Garden and Hyde Park, and in exchange gave the Abbey the lands of the Priory of Hurley, after he had dissolved it and appropriated the lands.<ref>[http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/benedictine-monastery Westminster Abbey History - Benedictine monastery]</ref>
 
The Abbot of Westminster, William Benson, soon became first dean of the cathedral, however, the Abbey in this form only lasted 10 years. Henry VIII turned the Abbey into a cathedral during this time. This is odd because there already was a cathedral nearby, St. Paul's.<ref>Hedges, J. (2012, September 11). Sermon given at Matins on Sunday 11 September 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/sermons/2011/september/sermon-given-at-matins-on-sunday-11th-september-2012
</ref> It is therefore likely that he did this to save the Abbey from the destruction other dissolved monasteries were facing at that time. It is probably why Westminster Abbey exists today as more than ruins.
 

====Lewes Priory====
The Priory was dissolved in 1537, and King Henry placed the destruction of the buildings under the supervision of Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry's right hand man after Cardinal Wolsey's fall from grace, and also orchestrated the dissolution of the monasteries. This land was granted to Cromwell. Cromwell hired an Italian engineer to destroy the priory, named Giovanni Portinari. Portinari came from London with his men and set about destroying the priory. This involved tunneling under the walls, setting wooden rods underneath, then burning the logs to have the walls collapse.
 
The materials of the priory were largely reused around the city. After the destruction was completed, "[l]ead from the roof was melted down on site in purpose-built portable furnaces, while the Caen and Quarr stone and flint were loaded onto carts, or barges at the quayside, and removed for re-use elsewhere in Lewes and its vicinity."<ref>Blaauw, W. H. (1850). On the Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, Its Priors and Monks. Sussex Archaeological Collections, 3, 205.</ref>
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
As a component of my deliverable, I also created a video profiling several monasteries during the time of the dissolution and what became of them. That can be viewed [[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation#Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries|here]].
 
==Alternative Reasons for the English Reformation==
While many historians enjoy analyzing Henry's scandalous divorces and women, there has been less talk about other advantages he may have considered during his reformation and takeover of the English Church. Admittedly Henry's sexual endeavors read like an HBO show, but some of his more horrible actions had little to do with his wives, namely the killing of monks, the executions of Roman Catholic protesters, and the diminishing of the rights of the people. All of these play as acts of suppression and tyranny, and were ways Henry could strengthen his grip over England.
 
===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
Henry's dissolution of the monasteries not only suppressed the spread and power of Catholicism but also gave Henry access to a newly accessible amount of money. Whether or not the granting of his divorce was his only initial reason for splitting from the Catholic church, it is likely that Henry or his advisors realized they could now use this excuse to gain access to the revenue of the monasteries, who were one of the biggest generators of revenue in the Kingdom. As recorded in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of the income of monasteries in 1535, the total monastic net income was £142,834<ref>Caley, J., & Hunter, J. (1825). Valor ecclesiasticus temp. Henr. VIII. auctoritate regia institutus, 5.</ref> in 1535 pounds sterling, over £142 million in 2017 pounds sterling, and about $180 million in today's dollars. Henry VIII had been warring with the French on and off during this time, and he needed funding for what would become the Italian War of 1542–46. Henry had been given a goose that laid golden eggs, and of course he would seize the opportunity. By dissolving the monasteries, and appropriating their income and lands, he has made an absurd amount of money for very little loss.
 
===Economic and Social Effects of the Dissolution===
Monasteries were one of the largest forms of social welfare at the time. Before the dissolution of the monasteries, they gave £7,218 (Now £7.4 million) to the poor, but afterwards there was minimal support for the poor.<ref>Rushton, N. S., & Sigle-Rushton, W. (2001). Monastic poor relief in sixteenth-century england. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 32(2), 193-216. doi:10.1162/002219501750442378</ref> As in Aesop's fable, Henry had killed the golden goose by dissolving the monasteries. This is true in multiple ways. For one, now that the church was not responsible for social welfare, that duty would have to be transferred to the state. Secondly, while Henry could have easily taxed the clergy, as the Valor Ecclesiasticus was supposedly intended to determine the Church's taxable earnings,<ref>BERNARD, G. (2011). The Dissolution of the Monasteries. History, 96(4 (324)), p. 396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.wpi.edu/stable/24429244</ref> he chose to instead get as much as he could at once. And finally, he had created a problem for his successors. Without the church aiding the poor, according to historian Paul Slack, the amount the church gave to the poor would not be "made good by private benefactions until after 1580."<ref>Slack, P. (1988). Poverty and policy in Tudor and Stuart England. Addison-Wesley.</ref> This could very likely have had an effect on the civil war that came in 1642.
 
===The Pilgrimage of Grace===
The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising against the King's break from the Catholic church. It was largely orchestrated by Nobility in Yorkshire, but had the backing of nearly 40,000 peasants. As expected, Henry suppressed this rebellion through numerous executions.
Over 200 protesters were executed, including both nobles and commoners.<ref>Childs, J. (2014). Henry VIII's Last Victim: The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Random House.</ref> A theme of Henry's rule over England seems to be the forceful quelling of rebellion or any dissent.
 
===Henry's Control over the Legislature===
Another way Henry suppressed dissent towards his new sect of Christianity was through the English Parliament and acts passed through them. The Act for the Advancement of True Religion took away the right commoners to read the bible, stating that "the reading the Bible is likewise prohibited, to all under the degrees of gentlemen and gentlewomen."<ref>Hansard, T. C. (1818). The Parliamentary History of England from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803 (Vol. 31). TC Hansard.</ref> This was put in place to stop drunkards from citing scripture, fearing that it would diminish the legitimacy of the works. Looking back on this in modern times, this was a blatant act of censorship, removing an opportunity from the common people to educate themselves. This was especially worrisome, considering Henry was changing the church and the people could not know whether they agreed since they had not read the scripture. However, the literacy rate in England at that time was less than 20%,<ref>Floud, R., & Johnson, P. (2004). The cambridge economic history of modern britain Cambridge University Press.</ref> so it is possible this law would not have had much of an effect.
 
===Censorship of St. Thomas Becket===
Thomas Becket's removal from churches and literature also shows Henry's attempts to maintain the power of the King. Becket is known as a Saint to Roman Catholics, for his defiance against King Henry II in the 12th century. During the English Reformation, Henry had the excuse of his removal with the movement of iconoclasm invoked by him. However, he had a particularly strong motivation to remove St. Becket from manuscripts and the names of churches. He issued a Royal Proclamation demanding that Thomas Becket should "no longer be named a saint," and that "his pictures throughout the realm are to be plucked down and his festival shall no longer be kept, and the services in his name shall be razed out of all books."<ref>'Henry VIII: November 1538 16-20', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 13 Part 2, August-December 1538, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1893), pp. 353-369. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol13/no2/pp353-369 [accessed 19 June 2017].</ref>
 
===Comparisons to other Regimes===
Many of the actions taken by Henry are eerily similar to those of more modern regimes, that many consider tyrannical. One regime in particular that mirrors Henry's in multiple angles is the United Soviet Socialist Republic under Stalin. Even though Henry was religious and Stalin was atheist, they each had vital roles in shaping the religious future of their nations. The USSR under Stalin developed anti-religious propaganda and atheistic education in schools,<ref>Pospielovsky, D. V. (1988). History Of Soviet Atheism In Theory And Practice And The Believer. Springer.</ref> and was responsible for the execution of thousands of religious figures.<ref>Yakovlev, A. M. (2002). A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia, trans. Anthony Austin.</ref> The Dissolution of the Monasteries bears obvious similarities to Stalin's gutting of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also to Stalin's first five year plan, which involved the collectivization of USSR agriculture. This involved land-owning peasants giving up their land to the Soviet government. In an event akin to the Pilgrimage of Grace, these peasants began revolting against the Soviet government.<ref>Fitzpatrick, S. (1996). Stalin's peasants: Resistance and survival in the Russian village after collectivization. Oxford University Press, USA.</ref> This was likely a factor in the Soviet famine of 1932-33, where millions of peasants died of starvation.
 

=Conclusion=
The English Reformation was not just Henry VIII's opportunity to divorce his wives, but a way for him to increase his power and wealth. By setting himself to a God-like level by professing himself to be head of the Church, his people feared disagreement with him should they lose their opportunity to go to Heaven. Dissolving the monasteries allowed Henry to quickly produce a large sum of wealth for his military campaigns, while removing any disloyal clergyman from power. And in order to really strike fear in his enemies, he needed to show that he was not afraid to bend the power of parliament to his will. He did this by drafting acts that furthered his agenda, and backed it up through fear of death. Should someone disagree with them, he could charge them with treason and execute them, so through this fear, parliament or his enemies remained quiet and submissive. Henry was so successful in doing this that similarly successful military takeovers, even in modern history, were analogous to his.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Henry VIII's Reformation

2017-06-22T10:48:05Z

Pberetich: /* Comparisons to other Regimes */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]]
{{Infobox
|title = Henry VIII's Reformation
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:HenryVIII.jpg|320px|alt=image]]
|caption = Henry VIII
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Hans Holbein the Younger
}}
=Abstract=
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

By forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake.
 

=Introduction=
This project focused on Henry VIII's initiation of the English Reformation, and why. There was a significant focus on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which was particularly relatable to today's issues, because it involves examining a tyrant's seizure and appropriation of land by force, and many times under the threat of death.
 
This project looked into Henry's reasons for commencing the English Reformation, and some of the hypocrisy of his actions, especially considering he was a staunch defender of the Vatican, in response to Martin Luther's 95 Theses. The deliverable component of this project examined some of the politics and history behind the dissolution of the monasteries, primarily by creating profiles of several priories and monasteries.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==Introduction==
===Reformation’s sweep across Europe===
The desire to reform the Catholic Church began in the 1400s, but it was not until the publication of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 is what caused the movement to gain traction. Luther’s main argument was against the selling of indulgences, which supposedly reduced the punishment after death for sins committed.
 
In 1521, the young Catholic king, Henry VIII, rebutted against Luther with his piece “Defense of the Seven Sacraments.”<ref>Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. (1688). Assertio septem sacramentorum: or, An assertion of the seven sacraments, against Martin Luther. London :Printed by Nath. Thompson ...,
</ref> For this, Pope Leo X granted the King the title of “Defender of the Faith.” King Henry had demonstrated his faith and loyalty as a devout Catholic.
 

===Catherine of Aragon===
Henry was not the first in succession to his father, Henry VII. That position belonged to Arthur, Henry VIII’s brother. Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the King and Queen of Castile. At the age of 15, Arthur died. This threw off Henry VII's negotiations for a marital alliance with Spain. When Henry VII died, the younger Henry agreed to marry Catherine.

However, as the years passed, Catherine was unable to produce a male heir to the English throne, and Henry became more distant to her. She would eventually only produce one child, the future queen Mary. Henry knew from the loss of his brother that life could end quickly, and without a male heir the kingdom could be thrust into chaos. He needed to find a way to dissolve their marriage, and find a wife who would be able to grant him a son.
 

===Cardinal Thomas Wolsey===
[[File:The Field of the Cloth of Gold.jpg|thumb|right]]
Much of Henry VIII's legacy can be attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Christ Church, a part of the University of Oxford, Hampton Court Palace, and the Palace of Whitehall are just some of the buildings initially built or improved upon by Wolsey, and then taken over by Henry VIII.
 
Wolsey himself was a brilliant negotiator and diplomat, and had the King's ear as Lord Chancellor for nearly 15 years. The meeting between King Henry and King Francis I of France, known as the "Field of the Cloth of Gold" was organized by Wolsey. This magnificent display of wealth held a summit between the two kings
 

==Attempts at Annulment==
===Through the Pope===
During the Italian War of 1521, the Holy Roman Empire, England, and the Papal States were allied against the French and the Republic of Venice. This was during the papacy of Leo X, who had entitled Henry Defender of the Faith in 1521. This alliance defeated France, but the Vatican, under the new leadership of Pope Clement VII, grew worried over the Holy Roman Empire's rising power, and its ability to control more of Italy. Because of this, the Papal States created the League of Cognac, becoming enemies with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with Pope Clement in order to attain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, England joined the League.
 
When the Imperial army took over Rome, the Vatican was ransacked, forcing Pope Clement to escape. With the Pope and Vatican so weak, it provided an excellent opportunity for Henry to become a significant ally to the Papal States. In exchange, perhaps they would grant him a favor, namely an annulment of his marriage to a wife that could not produce a surviving male heir. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's best efforts, the Pope would not budge. There was no chance for an annulment from him.<ref>Scarisbrick, J. J. (1997). Henry Viii. Yale University Press.</ref>
 
Because of Wolsey's failure, his fall from power was swift. In 1530, even after years of faithful service, and many of Henry's accomplishments attributable to Wolsey, he was ultimately charged with treason, and died before attending trial.<ref>Haigh, C. (1993). English reformations: religion, politics, and society under the Tudors. Oxford University Press on Demand.</ref> This would not be the first person dying after committing "treason" against the King.
 

===Circumventing the Vatican===
Henry had fallen for a new woman, Anne Boleyn, but she would not become just another mistress, like her sister had. In a secret wedding service, conducted by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. He had been approved by the Pope, who had no idea of the events about to take place. Within two years, Henry's marriage to Catherine was annuled, his marriage to Boleyn legitimized, and the King declared head of the Church of England.
 
The Pope excommunicated Henry and Cranmer. Henry, a lifelong devout Catholic, had abruptly abandoned the religion his nation had followed for centuries in an act of desperation.
 

==The English Reformation==
===Acts of Supremacy===
The 1534 Act of Supremacy did not have parliament give Henry VIII the power to be the head of the Church of England, but instead acknowledged what was his "God-given" power.

<blockquote>Be it enacted by authority of this present Parliament that the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors kings of the realm shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia.
 
— 1534 Act of Supremacy<ref>Henry, V. I. I. I. The Act of Supremacy. 1534. Documents of the English Reformation, edited.</ref>
</blockquote>
 

===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
 
<mediaplayer>File:Dissolution.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
{{Infobox
|title = Blessed John of Houghton
|bodystyle = width:20em
|image = [[File:BlessedJohnofHoughton.JPG|150px|alt=Image ]]
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Francisco de Zurbarán
|label3 = '''Year'''
|data3 = 1637-1639
}}
====Charterhouse====
In 1371, a piece of land previously used to bury victims of the Black Death was granted to Carthusian monks, in order to build a monastery.<ref>Cockburn, J. S., King, H. P. F., & McDonnell, K. G. (Eds.). (1976). A History of the County of Middlesex (Vol. 5). Institute of Historical Research.</ref> However, nearly 150 years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This act allowed the Crown estate to appropriate the income of priories, monasteries, and other Catholic buildings, which also resulted in the destruction of many of these.
 
Between 1535 and 1537, monks of the Charterhouse openly refused to accept Henry as head of the English Church, as demanded in the Act of Supremacy. The Prior of the London Charterhouse, John Houghton, was sent to the Tower of London, to await execution.
 
As John Houghton arrived at Tyburn, where he was to be executed, he embraced the executioner in order to pardon him for what he was about to do, and when asked whether he would submit to the King's laws in order to save his own life, he replied:
<blockquote>"I declare that I have refused to comply with the will of His Majesty the King, not from obstinacy, malice or a rebellious spirit, but solely for fear of offending the Supreme Majesty of God"<ref>Whatmore, L. E. (1983). The Carthusians Under King Henry the Eighth (Vol. 109). J. Hogg (Ed.). Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, Universität Salzburg.</ref></blockquote>
In total, 16 members of the Charterhouse were put to death under King Henry, including both monks and lay-brothers who would not accept the King as head of the Church.<ref>Plaque: Carthusian Martyrs. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/carthusian-martyrs</ref>
 

[[File:Westminster Abbey beretich.jpg|thumb]]

====Westminster Abbey====
For other Abbeys, there was less backlash against the King, perhaps for fear for their life or a real desire to split from the church. The Westminster Benedictine monks owned a large amount of land in Westminster under the Abbey. In an unfair trade, King Henry took a large portion of land in Westminster, including Covent Garden and Hyde Park, and in exchange gave the Abbey the lands of the Priory of Hurley, after he had dissolved it and appropriated the lands.<ref>[http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/benedictine-monastery Westminster Abbey History - Benedictine monastery]</ref>
 
The Abbot of Westminster, William Benson, soon became first dean of the cathedral, however, the Abbey in this form only lasted 10 years. Henry VIII turned the Abbey into a cathedral during this time. This is odd because there already was a cathedral nearby, St. Paul's.<ref>Hedges, J. (2012, September 11). Sermon given at Matins on Sunday 11 September 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/sermons/2011/september/sermon-given-at-matins-on-sunday-11th-september-2012
</ref> It is therefore likely that he did this to save the Abbey from the destruction other dissolved monasteries were facing at that time. It is probably why Westminster Abbey exists today as more than ruins.
 

====Lewes Priory====
The Priory was dissolved in 1537, and King Henry placed the destruction of the buildings under the supervision of Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry's right hand man after Cardinal Wolsey's fall from grace, and also orchestrated the dissolution of the monasteries. This land was granted to Cromwell. Cromwell hired an Italian engineer to destroy the priory, named Giovanni Portinari. Portinari came from London with his men and set about destroying the priory. This involved tunneling under the walls, setting wooden rods underneath, then burning the logs to have the walls collapse.
 
The materials of the priory were largely reused around the city. After the destruction was completed, "[l]ead from the roof was melted down on site in purpose-built portable furnaces, while the Caen and Quarr stone and flint were loaded onto carts, or barges at the quayside, and removed for re-use elsewhere in Lewes and its vicinity."<ref>Blaauw, W. H. (1850). On the Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, Its Priors and Monks. Sussex Archaeological Collections, 3, 205.</ref>
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
As a component of my deliverable, I also created a video profiling several monasteries during the time of the dissolution and what became of them. That can be viewed [[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation#Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries|here]].
 
==Alternative Reasons for the English Reformation==
While many historians enjoy analyzing Henry's scandalous divorces and women, there has been less talk about other advantages he may have considered during his reformation and takeover of the English Church. Admittedly Henry's sexual endeavors read like an HBO show, but some of his more horrible actions had little to do with his wives, namely the killing of monks, the executions of Roman Catholic protesters, and the diminishing of the rights of the people. All of these play as acts of suppression and tyranny, and were ways Henry could strengthen his grip over England.
 
===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
Henry's dissolution of the monasteries not only suppressed the spread and power of Catholicism but also gave Henry access to a newly accessible amount of money. Whether or not the granting of his divorce was his only initial reason for splitting from the Catholic church, it is likely that Henry or his advisors realized they could now use this excuse to gain access to the revenue of the monasteries, who were one of the biggest generators of revenue in the Kingdom. As recorded in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of the income of monasteries in 1535, the total monastic net income was £142,834<ref>Caley, J., & Hunter, J. (1825). Valor ecclesiasticus temp. Henr. VIII. auctoritate regia institutus, 5.</ref> in 1535 pounds sterling, over £142 million in 2017 pounds sterling, and about $180 million in today's dollars. Henry VIII had been warring with the French on and off during this time, and he needed funding for what would become the Italian War of 1542–46. Henry had been given a goose that laid golden eggs, and of course he would seize the opportunity. By dissolving the monasteries, and appropriating their income and lands, he has made an absurd amount of money for very little loss.
 
===Economic and Social Effects of the Dissolution===
Monasteries were one of the largest forms of social welfare at the time. Before the dissolution of the monasteries, they gave £7,218 (Now £7.4 million) to the poor, but afterwards there was minimal support for the poor.<ref>Rushton, N. S., & Sigle-Rushton, W. (2001). Monastic poor relief in sixteenth-century england. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 32(2), 193-216. doi:10.1162/002219501750442378</ref> As in Aesop's fable, Henry had killed the golden goose by dissolving the monasteries. This is true in multiple ways. For one, now that the church was not responsible for social welfare, that duty would have to be transferred to the state. Secondly, while Henry could have easily taxed the clergy, as the Valor Ecclesiasticus was supposedly intended to determine the Church's taxable earnings,<ref>BERNARD, G. (2011). The Dissolution of the Monasteries. History, 96(4 (324)), p. 396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.wpi.edu/stable/24429244</ref> he chose to instead get as much as he could at once. And finally, he had created a problem for his successors. Without the church aiding the poor, according to historian Paul Slack, the amount the church gave to the poor would not be "made good by private benefactions until after 1580."<ref>Slack, P. (1988). Poverty and policy in Tudor and Stuart England. Addison-Wesley.</ref> This could very likely have had an effect on the civil war that came in 1642.
 
===The Pilgrimage of Grace===
The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising against the King's break from the Catholic church. It was largely orchestrated by Nobility in Yorkshire, but had the backing of nearly 40,000 peasants. As expected, Henry suppressed this rebellion through numerous executions.
Over 200 protesters were executed, including both nobles and commoners.<ref>Childs, J. (2014). Henry VIII's Last Victim: The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Random House.</ref> A theme of Henry's rule over England seems to be the forceful quelling of rebellion or any dissent.
 
===Henry's Control over the Legislature===
Another way Henry suppressed dissent towards his new sect of Christianity was through the English Parliament and acts passed through them. The Act for the Advancement of True Religion took away the right commoners to read the bible, stating that "the reading the Bible is likewise prohibited, to all under the degrees of gentlemen and gentlewomen."<ref>Hansard, T. C. (1818). The Parliamentary History of England from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803 (Vol. 31). TC Hansard.</ref> This was put in place to stop drunkards from citing scripture, fearing that it would diminish the legitimacy of the works. Looking back on this in modern times, this was a blatant act of censorship, removing an opportunity from the common people to educate themselves. This was especially worrisome, considering Henry was changing the church and the people could not know whether they agreed since they had not read the scripture. However, the literacy rate in England at that time was less than 20%,<ref>Floud, R., & Johnson, P. (2004). The cambridge economic history of modern britain Cambridge University Press.</ref> so it is possible this law would not have had much of an effect.
 
===Censorship of St. Thomas Becket===
Thomas Becket's removal from churches and literature also shows Henry's attempts to maintain the power of the King. Becket is known as a Saint to Roman Catholics, for his defiance against King Henry II in the 12th century. During the English Reformation, Henry had the excuse of his removal with the movement of iconoclasm invoked by him. However, he had a particularly strong motivation to remove St. Becket from manuscripts and the names of churches. He issued a Royal Proclamation demanding that Thomas Becket should "no longer be named a saint," and that "his pictures throughout the realm are to be plucked down and his festival shall no longer be kept, and the services in his name shall be razed out of all books."<ref>'Henry VIII: November 1538 16-20', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 13 Part 2, August-December 1538, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1893), pp. 353-369. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol13/no2/pp353-369 [accessed 19 June 2017].</ref>
 
===Comparisons to other Regimes===
Many of the actions taken by Henry are eerily similar to those of more modern regimes, that many consider tyrannical. One regime in particular that mirrors Henry's in multiple angles is the United Soviet Socialist Republic under Stalin. Even though Henry was religious and Stalin was atheist, they each had vital roles in shaping the religious future of their nations. The USSR under Stalin developed anti-religious propaganda and atheistic education in schools,<ref>Pospielovsky, D. V. (1988). History Of Soviet Atheism In Theory And Practice And The Believer. Springer.</ref> and was responsible for the execution of thousands of religious figures.<ref>Yakovlev, A. M. (2002). A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia, trans. Anthony Austin.</ref> The Dissolution of the Monasteries bears obvious similarities to Stalin's gutting of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also to Stalin's first five year plan, which involved the collectivization of USSR agriculture. This involved land-owning peasants giving up their land to the Soviet government. In an event akin to the Pilgrimage of Grace, these peasants began revolting against the Soviet government.<ref>Fitzpatrick, S. (1996). Stalin's peasants: Resistance and survival in the Russian village after collectivization. Oxford University Press, USA.</ref> This was likely a factor in the Soviet famine of 1932-33, where millions of peasants died of starvation.
 

=Conclusion=
The English Reformation was not just Henry VIII's opportunity to divorce his wives, but a way for him to increase his power and wealth. By setting himself to a God-like level by professing himself to be head of the Church, his people feared disagreement with him should they lose their opportunity to go to Heaven. Dissolving the monasteries allowed Henry to quickly produce a large sum of wealth for his military campaigns, while removing any disloyal clergyman from power. And in order to really strike fear in his enemies, he needed to show that he was not afraid to bend the power of parliament to his will. He did this by drafting acts that furthered his agenda, and backed it up through fear of death. Should someone disagree with them, he could charge them with treason and execute them, so through this fear, parliament or his enemies remained quiet and submissive.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Henry VIII's Reformation

2017-06-22T10:47:46Z

Pberetich: /* Section 2: Deliverable */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]]
{{Infobox
|title = Henry VIII's Reformation
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:HenryVIII.jpg|320px|alt=image]]
|caption = Henry VIII
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Hans Holbein the Younger
}}
=Abstract=
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

By forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake.
 

=Introduction=
This project focused on Henry VIII's initiation of the English Reformation, and why. There was a significant focus on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which was particularly relatable to today's issues, because it involves examining a tyrant's seizure and appropriation of land by force, and many times under the threat of death.
 
This project looked into Henry's reasons for commencing the English Reformation, and some of the hypocrisy of his actions, especially considering he was a staunch defender of the Vatican, in response to Martin Luther's 95 Theses. The deliverable component of this project examined some of the politics and history behind the dissolution of the monasteries, primarily by creating profiles of several priories and monasteries.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==Introduction==
===Reformation’s sweep across Europe===
The desire to reform the Catholic Church began in the 1400s, but it was not until the publication of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 is what caused the movement to gain traction. Luther’s main argument was against the selling of indulgences, which supposedly reduced the punishment after death for sins committed.
 
In 1521, the young Catholic king, Henry VIII, rebutted against Luther with his piece “Defense of the Seven Sacraments.”<ref>Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. (1688). Assertio septem sacramentorum: or, An assertion of the seven sacraments, against Martin Luther. London :Printed by Nath. Thompson ...,
</ref> For this, Pope Leo X granted the King the title of “Defender of the Faith.” King Henry had demonstrated his faith and loyalty as a devout Catholic.
 

===Catherine of Aragon===
Henry was not the first in succession to his father, Henry VII. That position belonged to Arthur, Henry VIII’s brother. Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the King and Queen of Castile. At the age of 15, Arthur died. This threw off Henry VII's negotiations for a marital alliance with Spain. When Henry VII died, the younger Henry agreed to marry Catherine.

However, as the years passed, Catherine was unable to produce a male heir to the English throne, and Henry became more distant to her. She would eventually only produce one child, the future queen Mary. Henry knew from the loss of his brother that life could end quickly, and without a male heir the kingdom could be thrust into chaos. He needed to find a way to dissolve their marriage, and find a wife who would be able to grant him a son.
 

===Cardinal Thomas Wolsey===
[[File:The Field of the Cloth of Gold.jpg|thumb|right]]
Much of Henry VIII's legacy can be attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Christ Church, a part of the University of Oxford, Hampton Court Palace, and the Palace of Whitehall are just some of the buildings initially built or improved upon by Wolsey, and then taken over by Henry VIII.
 
Wolsey himself was a brilliant negotiator and diplomat, and had the King's ear as Lord Chancellor for nearly 15 years. The meeting between King Henry and King Francis I of France, known as the "Field of the Cloth of Gold" was organized by Wolsey. This magnificent display of wealth held a summit between the two kings
 

==Attempts at Annulment==
===Through the Pope===
During the Italian War of 1521, the Holy Roman Empire, England, and the Papal States were allied against the French and the Republic of Venice. This was during the papacy of Leo X, who had entitled Henry Defender of the Faith in 1521. This alliance defeated France, but the Vatican, under the new leadership of Pope Clement VII, grew worried over the Holy Roman Empire's rising power, and its ability to control more of Italy. Because of this, the Papal States created the League of Cognac, becoming enemies with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with Pope Clement in order to attain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, England joined the League.
 
When the Imperial army took over Rome, the Vatican was ransacked, forcing Pope Clement to escape. With the Pope and Vatican so weak, it provided an excellent opportunity for Henry to become a significant ally to the Papal States. In exchange, perhaps they would grant him a favor, namely an annulment of his marriage to a wife that could not produce a surviving male heir. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's best efforts, the Pope would not budge. There was no chance for an annulment from him.<ref>Scarisbrick, J. J. (1997). Henry Viii. Yale University Press.</ref>
 
Because of Wolsey's failure, his fall from power was swift. In 1530, even after years of faithful service, and many of Henry's accomplishments attributable to Wolsey, he was ultimately charged with treason, and died before attending trial.<ref>Haigh, C. (1993). English reformations: religion, politics, and society under the Tudors. Oxford University Press on Demand.</ref> This would not be the first person dying after committing "treason" against the King.
 

===Circumventing the Vatican===
Henry had fallen for a new woman, Anne Boleyn, but she would not become just another mistress, like her sister had. In a secret wedding service, conducted by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. He had been approved by the Pope, who had no idea of the events about to take place. Within two years, Henry's marriage to Catherine was annuled, his marriage to Boleyn legitimized, and the King declared head of the Church of England.
 
The Pope excommunicated Henry and Cranmer. Henry, a lifelong devout Catholic, had abruptly abandoned the religion his nation had followed for centuries in an act of desperation.
 

==The English Reformation==
===Acts of Supremacy===
The 1534 Act of Supremacy did not have parliament give Henry VIII the power to be the head of the Church of England, but instead acknowledged what was his "God-given" power.

<blockquote>Be it enacted by authority of this present Parliament that the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors kings of the realm shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia.
 
— 1534 Act of Supremacy<ref>Henry, V. I. I. I. The Act of Supremacy. 1534. Documents of the English Reformation, edited.</ref>
</blockquote>
 

===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
 
<mediaplayer>File:Dissolution.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
{{Infobox
|title = Blessed John of Houghton
|bodystyle = width:20em
|image = [[File:BlessedJohnofHoughton.JPG|150px|alt=Image ]]
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Francisco de Zurbarán
|label3 = '''Year'''
|data3 = 1637-1639
}}
====Charterhouse====
In 1371, a piece of land previously used to bury victims of the Black Death was granted to Carthusian monks, in order to build a monastery.<ref>Cockburn, J. S., King, H. P. F., & McDonnell, K. G. (Eds.). (1976). A History of the County of Middlesex (Vol. 5). Institute of Historical Research.</ref> However, nearly 150 years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This act allowed the Crown estate to appropriate the income of priories, monasteries, and other Catholic buildings, which also resulted in the destruction of many of these.
 
Between 1535 and 1537, monks of the Charterhouse openly refused to accept Henry as head of the English Church, as demanded in the Act of Supremacy. The Prior of the London Charterhouse, John Houghton, was sent to the Tower of London, to await execution.
 
As John Houghton arrived at Tyburn, where he was to be executed, he embraced the executioner in order to pardon him for what he was about to do, and when asked whether he would submit to the King's laws in order to save his own life, he replied:
<blockquote>"I declare that I have refused to comply with the will of His Majesty the King, not from obstinacy, malice or a rebellious spirit, but solely for fear of offending the Supreme Majesty of God"<ref>Whatmore, L. E. (1983). The Carthusians Under King Henry the Eighth (Vol. 109). J. Hogg (Ed.). Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, Universität Salzburg.</ref></blockquote>
In total, 16 members of the Charterhouse were put to death under King Henry, including both monks and lay-brothers who would not accept the King as head of the Church.<ref>Plaque: Carthusian Martyrs. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/carthusian-martyrs</ref>
 

[[File:Westminster Abbey beretich.jpg|thumb]]

====Westminster Abbey====
For other Abbeys, there was less backlash against the King, perhaps for fear for their life or a real desire to split from the church. The Westminster Benedictine monks owned a large amount of land in Westminster under the Abbey. In an unfair trade, King Henry took a large portion of land in Westminster, including Covent Garden and Hyde Park, and in exchange gave the Abbey the lands of the Priory of Hurley, after he had dissolved it and appropriated the lands.<ref>[http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/benedictine-monastery Westminster Abbey History - Benedictine monastery]</ref>
 
The Abbot of Westminster, William Benson, soon became first dean of the cathedral, however, the Abbey in this form only lasted 10 years. Henry VIII turned the Abbey into a cathedral during this time. This is odd because there already was a cathedral nearby, St. Paul's.<ref>Hedges, J. (2012, September 11). Sermon given at Matins on Sunday 11 September 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/sermons/2011/september/sermon-given-at-matins-on-sunday-11th-september-2012
</ref> It is therefore likely that he did this to save the Abbey from the destruction other dissolved monasteries were facing at that time. It is probably why Westminster Abbey exists today as more than ruins.
 

====Lewes Priory====
The Priory was dissolved in 1537, and King Henry placed the destruction of the buildings under the supervision of Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry's right hand man after Cardinal Wolsey's fall from grace, and also orchestrated the dissolution of the monasteries. This land was granted to Cromwell. Cromwell hired an Italian engineer to destroy the priory, named Giovanni Portinari. Portinari came from London with his men and set about destroying the priory. This involved tunneling under the walls, setting wooden rods underneath, then burning the logs to have the walls collapse.
 
The materials of the priory were largely reused around the city. After the destruction was completed, "[l]ead from the roof was melted down on site in purpose-built portable furnaces, while the Caen and Quarr stone and flint were loaded onto carts, or barges at the quayside, and removed for re-use elsewhere in Lewes and its vicinity."<ref>Blaauw, W. H. (1850). On the Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, Its Priors and Monks. Sussex Archaeological Collections, 3, 205.</ref>
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
As a component of my deliverable, I also created a video profiling several monasteries during the time of the dissolution and what became of them. That can be viewed [[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation#Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries|here]].
 
==Alternative Reasons for the English Reformation==
While many historians enjoy analyzing Henry's scandalous divorces and women, there has been less talk about other advantages he may have considered during his reformation and takeover of the English Church. Admittedly Henry's sexual endeavors read like an HBO show, but some of his more horrible actions had little to do with his wives, namely the killing of monks, the executions of Roman Catholic protesters, and the diminishing of the rights of the people. All of these play as acts of suppression and tyranny, and were ways Henry could strengthen his grip over England.
 
===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
Henry's dissolution of the monasteries not only suppressed the spread and power of Catholicism but also gave Henry access to a newly accessible amount of money. Whether or not the granting of his divorce was his only initial reason for splitting from the Catholic church, it is likely that Henry or his advisors realized they could now use this excuse to gain access to the revenue of the monasteries, who were one of the biggest generators of revenue in the Kingdom. As recorded in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of the income of monasteries in 1535, the total monastic net income was £142,834<ref>Caley, J., & Hunter, J. (1825). Valor ecclesiasticus temp. Henr. VIII. auctoritate regia institutus, 5.</ref> in 1535 pounds sterling, over £142 million in 2017 pounds sterling, and about $180 million in today's dollars. Henry VIII had been warring with the French on and off during this time, and he needed funding for what would become the Italian War of 1542–46. Henry had been given a goose that laid golden eggs, and of course he would seize the opportunity. By dissolving the monasteries, and appropriating their income and lands, he has made an absurd amount of money for very little loss.
 
===Economic and Social Effects of the Dissolution===
Monasteries were one of the largest forms of social welfare at the time. Before the dissolution of the monasteries, they gave £7,218 (Now £7.4 million) to the poor, but afterwards there was minimal support for the poor.<ref>Rushton, N. S., & Sigle-Rushton, W. (2001). Monastic poor relief in sixteenth-century england. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 32(2), 193-216. doi:10.1162/002219501750442378</ref> As in Aesop's fable, Henry had killed the golden goose by dissolving the monasteries. This is true in multiple ways. For one, now that the church was not responsible for social welfare, that duty would have to be transferred to the state. Secondly, while Henry could have easily taxed the clergy, as the Valor Ecclesiasticus was supposedly intended to determine the Church's taxable earnings,<ref>BERNARD, G. (2011). The Dissolution of the Monasteries. History, 96(4 (324)), p. 396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.wpi.edu/stable/24429244</ref> he chose to instead get as much as he could at once. And finally, he had created a problem for his successors. Without the church aiding the poor, according to historian Paul Slack, the amount the church gave to the poor would not be "made good by private benefactions until after 1580."<ref>Slack, P. (1988). Poverty and policy in Tudor and Stuart England. Addison-Wesley.</ref> This could very likely have had an effect on the civil war that came in 1642.
 
===The Pilgrimage of Grace===
The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising against the King's break from the Catholic church. It was largely orchestrated by Nobility in Yorkshire, but had the backing of nearly 40,000 peasants. As expected, Henry suppressed this rebellion through numerous executions.
Over 200 protesters were executed, including both nobles and commoners.<ref>Childs, J. (2014). Henry VIII's Last Victim: The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Random House.</ref> A theme of Henry's rule over England seems to be the forceful quelling of rebellion or any dissent.
 
===Henry's Control over the Legislature===
Another way Henry suppressed dissent towards his new sect of Christianity was through the English Parliament and acts passed through them. The Act for the Advancement of True Religion took away the right commoners to read the bible, stating that "the reading the Bible is likewise prohibited, to all under the degrees of gentlemen and gentlewomen."<ref>Hansard, T. C. (1818). The Parliamentary History of England from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803 (Vol. 31). TC Hansard.</ref> This was put in place to stop drunkards from citing scripture, fearing that it would diminish the legitimacy of the works. Looking back on this in modern times, this was a blatant act of censorship, removing an opportunity from the common people to educate themselves. This was especially worrisome, considering Henry was changing the church and the people could not know whether they agreed since they had not read the scripture. However, the literacy rate in England at that time was less than 20%,<ref>Floud, R., & Johnson, P. (2004). The cambridge economic history of modern britain Cambridge University Press.</ref> so it is possible this law would not have had much of an effect.
 
===Censorship of St. Thomas Becket===
Thomas Becket's removal from churches and literature also shows Henry's attempts to maintain the power of the King. Becket is known as a Saint to Roman Catholics, for his defiance against King Henry II in the 12th century. During the English Reformation, Henry had the excuse of his removal with the movement of iconoclasm invoked by him. However, he had a particularly strong motivation to remove St. Becket from manuscripts and the names of churches. He issued a Royal Proclamation demanding that Thomas Becket should "no longer be named a saint," and that "his pictures throughout the realm are to be plucked down and his festival shall no longer be kept, and the services in his name shall be razed out of all books."<ref>'Henry VIII: November 1538 16-20', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 13 Part 2, August-December 1538, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1893), pp. 353-369. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol13/no2/pp353-369 [accessed 19 June 2017].</ref>
 
===Comparisons to other Regimes===
Many of the actions taken by Henry are eerily similar to those of more modern regimes, that many consider tyrannical. One regime in particular that mirrors Henry's in multiple angles is the United Soviet Socialist Republic under Stalin. Even though Henry was religious and Stalin was atheist, they each had vital roles in shaping the religious future of their nations. The USSR under Stalin developed anti-religious propaganda and atheistic education in schools,<ref>Pospielovsky, D. V. (1988). History Of Soviet Atheism In Theory And Practice And The Believer. Springer.</ref> and was responsible for the execution of thousands of religious figures.<ref>Yakovlev, A. M. (2002). A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia, trans. Anthony Austin.</ref>
 
The Dissolution of the Monasteries bears obvious similarities to Stalin's gutting of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also to Stalin's first five year plan, which involved the collectivization of USSR agriculture. This involved land-owning peasants giving up their land to the Soviet government. In an event akin to the Pilgrimage of Grace, these peasants began revolting against the Soviet government.<ref>Fitzpatrick, S. (1996). Stalin's peasants: Resistance and survival in the Russian village after collectivization. Oxford University Press, USA.</ref> This was likely a factor in the Soviet famine of 1932-33, where millions of peasants died of starvation.
 

=Conclusion=
The English Reformation was not just Henry VIII's opportunity to divorce his wives, but a way for him to increase his power and wealth. By setting himself to a God-like level by professing himself to be head of the Church, his people feared disagreement with him should they lose their opportunity to go to Heaven. Dissolving the monasteries allowed Henry to quickly produce a large sum of wealth for his military campaigns, while removing any disloyal clergyman from power. And in order to really strike fear in his enemies, he needed to show that he was not afraid to bend the power of parliament to his will. He did this by drafting acts that furthered his agenda, and backed it up through fear of death. Should someone disagree with them, he could charge them with treason and execute them, so through this fear, parliament or his enemies remained quiet and submissive.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]

Henry VIII's Reformation

2017-06-22T10:29:02Z

Pberetich: /* Censorship of St. Thomas Becket */

by [[User:pberetich|Peter Beretich]]
{{Infobox
|title = Henry VIII's Reformation
|bodystyle = width:25em
|image = [[File:HenryVIII.jpg|320px|alt=image]]
|caption = Henry VIII
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Hans Holbein the Younger
}}
=Abstract=
My aim was to analyse King Henry VIII's personal agenda behind initiating the English Reformation in the mid-16th century. Starting out as a devout Catholic who would consistently defend the Pope and the Vatican, it is curious how he changed his mind so quickly when he wanted to divorce or annul his marriages. His greed and extravagant expenditure indicate ulterior motives when taking over the land owned by monasteries and appropriating their resources.

By forcefully exerting his will on many pre-existing institutions, Henry was able to bend the people to his will and quell even the thought of violence against him. By executing his enemies with limited evidence, he showed them as well as his allies that he was not afraid to kill in order to pursue his agenda, and he had the power to do so. Not even those who had been loyal to him for years were safe if they committed any mistake.
 

=Introduction=
This project focused on Henry VIII's initiation of the English Reformation, and why. There was a significant focus on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which was particularly relatable to today's issues, because it involves examining a tyrant's seizure and appropriation of land by force, and many times under the threat of death.
 
This project looked into Henry's reasons for commencing the English Reformation, and some of the hypocrisy of his actions, especially considering he was a staunch defender of the Vatican, in response to Martin Luther's 95 Theses. The deliverable component of this project examined some of the politics and history behind the dissolution of the monasteries, primarily by creating profiles of several priories and monasteries.
 

=Section 1: Background=
==Introduction==
===Reformation’s sweep across Europe===
The desire to reform the Catholic Church began in the 1400s, but it was not until the publication of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 is what caused the movement to gain traction. Luther’s main argument was against the selling of indulgences, which supposedly reduced the punishment after death for sins committed.
 
In 1521, the young Catholic king, Henry VIII, rebutted against Luther with his piece “Defense of the Seven Sacraments.”<ref>Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. (1688). Assertio septem sacramentorum: or, An assertion of the seven sacraments, against Martin Luther. London :Printed by Nath. Thompson ...,
</ref> For this, Pope Leo X granted the King the title of “Defender of the Faith.” King Henry had demonstrated his faith and loyalty as a devout Catholic.
 

===Catherine of Aragon===
Henry was not the first in succession to his father, Henry VII. That position belonged to Arthur, Henry VIII’s brother. Arthur was betrothed to Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the King and Queen of Castile. At the age of 15, Arthur died. This threw off Henry VII's negotiations for a marital alliance with Spain. When Henry VII died, the younger Henry agreed to marry Catherine.

However, as the years passed, Catherine was unable to produce a male heir to the English throne, and Henry became more distant to her. She would eventually only produce one child, the future queen Mary. Henry knew from the loss of his brother that life could end quickly, and without a male heir the kingdom could be thrust into chaos. He needed to find a way to dissolve their marriage, and find a wife who would be able to grant him a son.
 

===Cardinal Thomas Wolsey===
[[File:The Field of the Cloth of Gold.jpg|thumb|right]]
Much of Henry VIII's legacy can be attributed to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Christ Church, a part of the University of Oxford, Hampton Court Palace, and the Palace of Whitehall are just some of the buildings initially built or improved upon by Wolsey, and then taken over by Henry VIII.
 
Wolsey himself was a brilliant negotiator and diplomat, and had the King's ear as Lord Chancellor for nearly 15 years. The meeting between King Henry and King Francis I of France, known as the "Field of the Cloth of Gold" was organized by Wolsey. This magnificent display of wealth held a summit between the two kings
 

==Attempts at Annulment==
===Through the Pope===
During the Italian War of 1521, the Holy Roman Empire, England, and the Papal States were allied against the French and the Republic of Venice. This was during the papacy of Leo X, who had entitled Henry Defender of the Faith in 1521. This alliance defeated France, but the Vatican, under the new leadership of Pope Clement VII, grew worried over the Holy Roman Empire's rising power, and its ability to control more of Italy. Because of this, the Papal States created the League of Cognac, becoming enemies with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Perhaps in an attempt to gain favor with Pope Clement in order to attain an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, England joined the League.
 
When the Imperial army took over Rome, the Vatican was ransacked, forcing Pope Clement to escape. With the Pope and Vatican so weak, it provided an excellent opportunity for Henry to become a significant ally to the Papal States. In exchange, perhaps they would grant him a favor, namely an annulment of his marriage to a wife that could not produce a surviving male heir. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's best efforts, the Pope would not budge. There was no chance for an annulment from him.<ref>Scarisbrick, J. J. (1997). Henry Viii. Yale University Press.</ref>
 
Because of Wolsey's failure, his fall from power was swift. In 1530, even after years of faithful service, and many of Henry's accomplishments attributable to Wolsey, he was ultimately charged with treason, and died before attending trial.<ref>Haigh, C. (1993). English reformations: religion, politics, and society under the Tudors. Oxford University Press on Demand.</ref> This would not be the first person dying after committing "treason" against the King.
 

===Circumventing the Vatican===
Henry had fallen for a new woman, Anne Boleyn, but she would not become just another mistress, like her sister had. In a secret wedding service, conducted by the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. He had been approved by the Pope, who had no idea of the events about to take place. Within two years, Henry's marriage to Catherine was annuled, his marriage to Boleyn legitimized, and the King declared head of the Church of England.
 
The Pope excommunicated Henry and Cranmer. Henry, a lifelong devout Catholic, had abruptly abandoned the religion his nation had followed for centuries in an act of desperation.
 

==The English Reformation==
===Acts of Supremacy===
The 1534 Act of Supremacy did not have parliament give Henry VIII the power to be the head of the Church of England, but instead acknowledged what was his "God-given" power.

<blockquote>Be it enacted by authority of this present Parliament that the king our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors kings of the realm shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia.
 
— 1534 Act of Supremacy<ref>Henry, V. I. I. I. The Act of Supremacy. 1534. Documents of the English Reformation, edited.</ref>
</blockquote>
 

===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
 
<mediaplayer>File:Dissolution.mp4</mediaplayer>
 
{{Infobox
|title = Blessed John of Houghton
|bodystyle = width:20em
|image = [[File:BlessedJohnofHoughton.JPG|150px|alt=Image ]]
|label2 = '''Artist'''
|data2 = Francisco de Zurbarán
|label3 = '''Year'''
|data3 = 1637-1639
}}
====Charterhouse====
In 1371, a piece of land previously used to bury victims of the Black Death was granted to Carthusian monks, in order to build a monastery.<ref>Cockburn, J. S., King, H. P. F., & McDonnell, K. G. (Eds.). (1976). A History of the County of Middlesex (Vol. 5). Institute of Historical Research.</ref> However, nearly 150 years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This act allowed the Crown estate to appropriate the income of priories, monasteries, and other Catholic buildings, which also resulted in the destruction of many of these.
 
Between 1535 and 1537, monks of the Charterhouse openly refused to accept Henry as head of the English Church, as demanded in the Act of Supremacy. The Prior of the London Charterhouse, John Houghton, was sent to the Tower of London, to await execution.
 
As John Houghton arrived at Tyburn, where he was to be executed, he embraced the executioner in order to pardon him for what he was about to do, and when asked whether he would submit to the King's laws in order to save his own life, he replied:
<blockquote>"I declare that I have refused to comply with the will of His Majesty the King, not from obstinacy, malice or a rebellious spirit, but solely for fear of offending the Supreme Majesty of God"<ref>Whatmore, L. E. (1983). The Carthusians Under King Henry the Eighth (Vol. 109). J. Hogg (Ed.). Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, Universität Salzburg.</ref></blockquote>
In total, 16 members of the Charterhouse were put to death under King Henry, including both monks and lay-brothers who would not accept the King as head of the Church.<ref>Plaque: Carthusian Martyrs. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/carthusian-martyrs</ref>
 

[[File:Westminster Abbey beretich.jpg|thumb]]

====Westminster Abbey====
For other Abbeys, there was less backlash against the King, perhaps for fear for their life or a real desire to split from the church. The Westminster Benedictine monks owned a large amount of land in Westminster under the Abbey. In an unfair trade, King Henry took a large portion of land in Westminster, including Covent Garden and Hyde Park, and in exchange gave the Abbey the lands of the Priory of Hurley, after he had dissolved it and appropriated the lands.<ref>[http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/benedictine-monastery Westminster Abbey History - Benedictine monastery]</ref>
 
The Abbot of Westminster, William Benson, soon became first dean of the cathedral, however, the Abbey in this form only lasted 10 years. Henry VIII turned the Abbey into a cathedral during this time. This is odd because there already was a cathedral nearby, St. Paul's.<ref>Hedges, J. (2012, September 11). Sermon given at Matins on Sunday 11 September 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2017, from http://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship/sermons/2011/september/sermon-given-at-matins-on-sunday-11th-september-2012
</ref> It is therefore likely that he did this to save the Abbey from the destruction other dissolved monasteries were facing at that time. It is probably why Westminster Abbey exists today as more than ruins.
 

====Lewes Priory====
The Priory was dissolved in 1537, and King Henry placed the destruction of the buildings under the supervision of Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry's right hand man after Cardinal Wolsey's fall from grace, and also orchestrated the dissolution of the monasteries. This land was granted to Cromwell. Cromwell hired an Italian engineer to destroy the priory, named Giovanni Portinari. Portinari came from London with his men and set about destroying the priory. This involved tunneling under the walls, setting wooden rods underneath, then burning the logs to have the walls collapse.
 
The materials of the priory were largely reused around the city. After the destruction was completed, "[l]ead from the roof was melted down on site in purpose-built portable furnaces, while the Caen and Quarr stone and flint were loaded onto carts, or barges at the quayside, and removed for re-use elsewhere in Lewes and its vicinity."<ref>Blaauw, W. H. (1850). On the Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, Its Priors and Monks. Sussex Archaeological Collections, 3, 205.</ref>
 

=Section 2: Deliverable=
As a component of my deliverable, I also created a video profiling several monasteries during the time of the dissolution and what became of them. That can be viewed [[Henry_VIII%27s_Reformation#Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries|here]].
 
==Alternative Reasons for the English Reformation==
While many historians enjoy analyzing Henry's scandalous divorces and women, there has been less talk about other advantages he may have considered during his reformation and takeover of the English Church. Admittedly Henry's sexual endeavors read like an HBO show, but some of his more horrible actions had little to do with his wives, namely the killing of monks, the executions of Roman Catholic protesters, and the diminishing of the rights of the people. All of these play as acts of suppression and tyranny, and were ways Henry could strengthen his grip over England.
 
===Dissolution of the Monasteries===
Henry's dissolution of the monasteries not only suppressed the spread and power of Catholicism but also gave Henry access to a newly accessible amount of money. Whether or not the granting of his divorce was his only initial reason for splitting from the Catholic church, it is likely that Henry or his advisors realized they could now use this excuse to gain access to the revenue of the monasteries, who were one of the biggest generators of revenue in the Kingdom. As recorded in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of the income of monasteries in 1535, the total monastic net income was £142,834<ref>Caley, J., & Hunter, J. (1825). Valor ecclesiasticus temp. Henr. VIII. auctoritate regia institutus, 5.</ref> in 1535 pounds sterling, over £142 million in 2017 pounds sterling, and about $180 million in today's dollars. Henry VIII had been warring with the French on and off during this time, and he needed funding for what would become the Italian War of 1542–46. Henry had been given a goose that laid golden eggs, and of course he would seize the opportunity. By dissolving the monasteries, and appropriating their income and lands, he has made an absurd amount of money for very little loss.
 
===Economic and Social Effects of the Dissolution===
Monasteries were one of the largest forms of social welfare at the time. Before the dissolution of the monasteries, they gave £7,218 (Now £7.4 million) to the poor, but afterwards there was minimal support for the poor.<ref>Rushton, N. S., & Sigle-Rushton, W. (2001). Monastic poor relief in sixteenth-century england. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 32(2), 193-216. doi:10.1162/002219501750442378</ref> As in Aesop's fable, Henry had killed the golden goose by dissolving the monasteries. This is true in multiple ways. For one, now that the church was not responsible for social welfare, that duty would have to be transferred to the state. Secondly, while Henry could have easily taxed the clergy, as the Valor Ecclesiasticus was supposedly intended to determine the Church's taxable earnings,<ref>BERNARD, G. (2011). The Dissolution of the Monasteries. History, 96(4 (324)), p. 396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.wpi.edu/stable/24429244</ref> he chose to instead get as much as he could at once. And finally, he had created a problem for his successors. Without the church aiding the poor, according to historian Paul Slack, the amount the church gave to the poor would not be "made good by private benefactions until after 1580."<ref>Slack, P. (1988). Poverty and policy in Tudor and Stuart England. Addison-Wesley.</ref> This could very likely have had an effect on the civil war that came in 1642.
 
===The Pilgrimage of Grace===
The Pilgrimage of Grace was an uprising against the King's break from the Catholic church. It was largely orchestrated by Nobility in Yorkshire, but had the backing of nearly 40,000 peasants. As expected, Henry suppressed this rebellion through numerous executions.
Over 200 protesters were executed, including both nobles and commoners.<ref>Childs, J. (2014). Henry VIII's Last Victim: The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Random House.</ref> A theme of Henry's rule over England seems to be the forceful quelling of rebellion or any dissent.
 
===Henry's Control over the Legislature===
Another way Henry suppressed dissent towards his new sect of Christianity was through the English Parliament and acts passed through them. The Act for the Advancement of True Religion took away the right commoners to read the bible, stating that "the reading the Bible is likewise prohibited, to all under the degrees of gentlemen and gentlewomen."<ref>Hansard, T. C. (1818). The Parliamentary History of England from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803 (Vol. 31). TC Hansard.</ref> This was put in place to stop drunkards from citing scripture, fearing that it would diminish the legitimacy of the works. Looking back on this in modern times, this was a blatant act of censorship, removing an opportunity from the common people to educate themselves. This was especially worrisome, considering Henry was changing the church and the people could not know whether they agreed since they had not read the scripture. However, the literacy rate in England at that time was less than 20%,<ref>Floud, R., & Johnson, P. (2004). The cambridge economic history of modern britain Cambridge University Press.</ref> so it is possible this law would not have had much of an effect.
 
===Censorship of St. Thomas Becket===
Thomas Becket's removal from churches and literature also shows Henry's attempts to maintain the power of the King. Becket is known as a Saint to Roman Catholics, for his defiance against King Henry II in the 12th century. During the English Reformation, Henry had the excuse of his removal with the movement of iconoclasm invoked by him. However, he had a particularly strong motivation to remove St. Becket from manuscripts and the names of churches. He issued a Royal Proclamation demanding that Thomas Becket should "no longer be named a saint," and that "his pictures throughout the realm are to be plucked down and his festival shall no longer be kept, and the services in his name shall be razed out of all books."<ref>'Henry VIII: November 1538 16-20', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 13 Part 2, August-December 1538, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1893), pp. 353-369. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol13/no2/pp353-369 [accessed 19 June 2017].</ref>
 
===Comparisons to other Regimes===
Many of the actions taken by Henry are eerily similar to those of more modern regimes, that many consider tyrannical. One regime in particular that mirrors Henry's in multiple angles is the United Soviet Socialist Republic under Stalin.
 

=Conclusion=
The English Reformation was not just Henry VIII's opportunity to divorce his wives, but a way for him to increase his power and wealth. By setting himself to a God-like level by professing himself to be head of the Church, his people feared disagreement with him should they lose their opportunity to go to Heaven. Dissolving the monasteries allowed Henry to quickly produce a large sum of wealth for his military campaigns, while removing any disloyal clergyman from power. And in order to really strike fear in his enemies, he needed to show that he was not afraid to bend the power of parliament to his will. He did this by drafting acts that furthered his agenda, and backed it up through fear of death. Should someone disagree with them, he could charge them with treason and execute them, so through this fear, parliament or his enemies remained quiet and submissive.
 

=References=
<references />
 

[[Category:History Projects]]
[[Category:2017]]