Dogme 95: The Vow of Chasity (abridge)

Dogme 95: The Vow of Chasity (abridge)

20/6/13
MWE

Dogme 95

Dogme 95 are sets of rules designed to celebrate the traditional values of story, acting and theme without the use of technology or special effects. The film makers focus is only on the performance of the actors and the story. They believe this approach may better engage the audience, as they are not alienated or distracted by overproduction. To this end, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg produced ten rules to which any Dogme film must conform. These rules, referred to as the "Vow of Chastity," are as follows:

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).
2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot.)
3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted.
4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).
5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)
7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now).
8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm.
10. The director must not be credited.

"WASP"-Andrea Arnold

For todays lesson we studied an extract form Oscar winning short film "WASP". We looked for any use and violation of the Dogme 95 in this extract:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN6BSVl1zQY


Through observation we learned what techniques were used into making the film effective. The shaky handheld camera movements, the lack of SFX and filters. They all contributed in adding realism in the text. Furthermore, the importance of sounds and Misc-en-scene was heavily emphasised; the rev of the engine, the importance of the time of day and costume are all crucial. Since artificial light is forbidden in the rules, the timing of filming was crucial to ensure there was light in the shot. The costume made the characters relatable and more real. The diegetic sound motif also contributed alot into making the film believable. This really illustrated the importance of paying close attention to the detail. How the dog and speeding car all helped construct the threatening atmosphere for the children, suggesting that the mother was not maternal at all. The tiniest things in the misc-en-scene taught me that they're all crucial for conveying messages and themes.

After studying the extract, we were assigned to design  a storyboard for a scene in the film. How we would direct it. We were to make a storyboard for showing the mother and her children making their way to the pub and what happens from there. I focused on the family leaving the flat and travelling to the pub.

1st Frame: Leaving the flat

Mic-en-scene

The scenario will be set in the flat where it's poorly lit and kept. The flat will be dingy and dark and the brown carpet floor will be cluttered with toys and magazins. The costumes will be casual, the eldest child will be wearing dirty jeans and stained shirt, the middle child will be wearing a similar outfit and youngest of all will be wearing a flowery dress that's stained. Overall the children will be made to look like slobs to show poor care of them. The mother on the otherhand will be better groomed. However, no shots will be shown of the full body of the characters here for it will only be of frantic actions of the mother as she rush to get ready. Perhaps running late for her date.

Camera

The camera will be handheld, trying to be kept steady as it's in level of a small table which holds the keys and an ash tray. It will take up the 1/3 of the shot on the left side in line with the window from the background. On the 3/3 of the frame will be the open chipped wooden door. The mother will be entering the frame, her hand will be seen grabbing the keys, she will then move towards the window and shut the curtains, cutting  the source of light abruptly after this she will then move by the door with her handbag, beckoning the children to hurry. Shortly afterwards, the children will also enter the frame and the mother will be shown grabbing her children and pushing them out of the door.

Sounds

Dialogue will be improvised and will mostly be of the mother hurrying her children, yelling expletives in an aggressive and irritated manner. The childrens voices can be heard as the eldest child caters her sibling,encouraging the middle child to hurry up. The jingle of the keys will also be present and the rushed footsteps.

Editing

No SFX or filters will be used. here wil be no cuts either.

2nd Frame: Leaving the flat

Camera

The camera will continue to be handheld, it will film the woman facing the door from the outside as he shuts it close. It will show the audience her stressed facial expression as he slams the door shut.

Misc-en-cene

The light will come from outside behind the mother.

Sounds

The background noise of the environment, perhaps the cars and people chatting and the children talking as the walk down. The keys jingling will continue to be present and the slamming of the door can be used as a sound bridge.

3rd Frame: Walking towards the pub

Misc-en-scene

The setting for the frame will be just of an ordinary neighbourhood. To show that the character belong to the environment. Lighting will be provided by the susnsetting.

Camera

The previous scene will then cut to an over the shoulder shot from the POV of the eldest child, it will present the mother walking ahead as the children trails along behind her. The frame cuts to a pair of holding hands, belonging to the children. Handheld tracking shot from behind will then be used to show the three children behind their mother, the youngest child will be holding a dangling doll with her free right hand. This will then show the group approaching the dingy pub from the POV of the children. In effect, this will make the audience sympathize them and feel remorse for the mother.

Sounds

Sounds will be dominated by the sound motif. Car enging from a far and footsteps against the pavement. The mother heels clicking as she struts and the children dragging their feet. The mic may pick up sound of the wind blowing.

4th Frame: Walking towards the pub

Camera

Handheld tracking shot from the front will be used in which 3/3 of the frame will be of the mother and the rest will be of the children. In the background, there will be another family which juxtaposes the main characters. Another mother will be walking across the background looking contempt with a baby buggee.

Misc-en-scene

There will be two conlicting lights illuminating the frame. Harshlight from the street lamp will shine upon the main characters and there will be the soft warm glow from the sunset will emphasis the maternal icon in the background of the other family.