Film
The film, cinema, or motion picture is one of the most popular forms of art and
entertainment in the Philippines. The terms are completely interchangeable,
and their use is purely a matter of personal preference. Film is a photographic
medium. Film images are the result of light creating chemical changes on a
strip of film (Bordwell and Thompson, 2001). Film is essentially the art of
moving picture.
Types of Film
Documentary Film-A documentary film purports to present factual
information about the world outside the film. For example, Primary asks us
to take it as a factual account of John Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey
campaigning to win the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination. The
documentary comes with a label. Ex I am Ali and The law in these parts.
Experimental Film- Another basic type of filmmaking is willfully non-
conformist. In opposition to the “dominant” and “mainstream” cinema, some
filmmakers set out to create films which challenge orthodox notions of what a
movie can show and how it can show it. These filmmakers work independently
of the studio system, and often they work alone. Their films are hard to
classify, but usually they are called experimental or avant-
garde. Experimental filmmakers have tinkered with the medium in myriad
ways. Example: They have presented cosmic allegories, such as
Stan Brakhage’s Dog Star Man, and highly private japes, as in Ken Jacob’s
Little Stabs at Happiness. The experimental filmmaker may tell no story,
creating poetic reveries like Willard Maas’ Geography of the Body or pulsating
visual collages like Ballet Mécanique (Mechanical Ballet), one of the earliest
abstract films ever made. Experimentalists have also used staging to express
distinct feelings and ideas.
Animation and Special Effects
Animation is another tool that expands the filmmaker’s range of
possibilities. The word animation means “bringing to life,” and that is
precisely what the filmic animator does with drawings of people, animals, and
inanimate objects. The classic method of animation was perfected by Walt
Disney Studios in the late 1920s. You can appreciate how time- consuming
this was if you realize how much your body moves just in walking two steps,
and consider how many drawings it would take to capture that movement. If
the motion is not to seem jerky and unnatural, every shift of position by the
merest fraction of an inch requires a new drawing. The smoothest animation
therefore, demanded about 24 different drawings per second or some
130,000 drawings for a feature-length film. In its heyday, the 1930s and
1940s, Disney Studios employed armies of illustrators.
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King Kong was not the first film to employ special effects, but it was
certainly one of the memorable. Made in 1932, King Kong is an adventure
story concerning a giant gorilla, some 50 feet tall, which is captured in Africa
and somehow transported to New York for display as a curiosity. Also, the film
is somehow an odd kind of love story, because when Kong inevitably escapes
from his captors, he falls in love with a normal sized woman and carries her
around with him. Mostly though, King Kong was an opportunity to try some
of the most imaginative and startling visual effects yet attempted on film.
Today computers have simplified the mechanics of animation. Modern
animation is accomplished directly at the computer terminal, using light
rather than paint. The artist draws an original picture on the display screen
and then programs the computer to “draw” the changing images that simulate
action. Images and colors can be varied at will, live action can be combined
with animation, and the possibilities are literally endless.
One of the most critically acclaimed animated films is Walt’ Disney’s
Beauty and the Beast (Figure 68), released in 1991. Although some think it is
meant for children, the film offers much to engage and delight adults.
Through sophisticated animation, all sorts of objects come to life and sing and
dance – a teapot, a clock, a feather duster, a footstool, an entire set of
silverware. In a sly tribute to the pioneers of film, Beauty’s animated
candelabrum is named Lumiére, a double play on words indicating its light-
giving nature.
In 1926, Hollywood silent pictures were shown in the Philippines.
In 1927, the Silos brothers made The Three Tramps, a short comedy,
where Miami Salvador, Manuel Silos, and Enrique Espinosa played the
principal roles.
In 1929, Carlos Vander Tolosa wrote and directed Collegian Love, which
was produced by Angel Garchitorena under Araw Movies. The stars were
Naty Fernandez and Gregorio Fernandez (Salumbides, 1952).
One of the first Filipinos to make movies was a photographer who sold
his profitable photo studio so he could go into filmmaking. His name was
Jose Nepomuceno, whom historians of the Filipino film industry were to tag
as "Father of Philippine Movies." Nepomuceno's first film was based on a
highly acclaimed musical play of the day, Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden)
by Hermogenes Hagan and Leon Ignacio. Since sound had not yet been
incorporated into motion pictures in 1919 even in the United States,
Nepomuceno had to resort to what must have been quite a novelty at the
time. During screenings of the movie, the singer-actress Atang de la Rama
stood behind the screen to sing the theme song "Nabasag ang Banga" (The
Clay Pot Broke).
The National Artist in Philippine Cinema is Lino Brocka, director for film and
broadcast arts here and abroad. Brocka has left behind his masterpieces,
bequeathing to our country a heritage of cinematic harvest; a bounty of
stunning images, memorable conversations that speak volumes on love,
betrayal and redemption, pestilence and plenty all pointing towards
the recovery and rediscovery of our nation. To name a few, Brocka's
films include the following: "Santiago”(1970), "Wanted: Perfect Mother"
(1970),
"Tubog sa Ginto" (1971), "Stardoom" (1971), "Tinimbang Ka Ngunit
Kulang" (1974), "Maynila: Sa Kuko ng Liwanag" (1975), "Insiang" (1976),
"Jaguar" (1979), "Bona" (1980), "Macho Dancer"
(1989), "Orapronobis" (1989), "Makiusap Ka sa Diyos" (1991).
In 1982, the Philippine government sponsored the First Manila
International Film Festival as aknowledgment of the significant role of film in
the improvement of humanity. One of its objectives is to improve the quality
of movie industry in the Philippines and to challenge the ingenuity of the
Filipino in movie making.
Elements of Film Making
1. Music and Musical Director. Music has been indispensable in films since
the very beginning. During the era of silent movies, every film company
employed musicians who played music that suited the tempo and varying
moods of the scenes as they were projected on the screen while others used
phonograph records for economy. In first class theaters, the musician was
required to see the picture and make musical arrangements that suited the
tempo and moods of the different scenes. To make silent movies lively,
terrifying, or humorous, appropriate background music was used.
The musical director deals with the aspects of music, composes new
songs and writes their orchestration, prepares background music, creates
musical scores, and supervises all recording and the rerecording to be done.
2. 2. Make-up, Coiffeur, and Costumes. The make-up and hair of the actress
should suit the part she plays in the picture. Before, actors were required to
furnish their own attire. However, if they did not have particular attire or
costume which the script required, the producer takes care of the costumes at
his own expense.
3. Acting and the Stars. Acting is the art of portraying or impersonating a
character. A performer should forget his own personality and live the life of
the character he is portraying. Moreover, the imitation must be complete and
perfect. The costumes, hair, make-up, body movements, mannerisms, and
way of speaking, the expression of the eyes and other parts of the face, the
gestures of the hand, etc. are the factors that help the performer in perfecting
the role he is portraying.
4. 4. Color in the Movies. Color is an important element in film. Color in
local movies was attempted in 1941 by LVN Pictures, Inc. in Ibong Adarna. At
present, all the local pictures are already colored. The late Dona Narcisa Vda.
De De Leon and Dr. Ciriaco Santiago should be commended for pioneering an
important branch of movie technology.
5. Set and Art Directors. Beautiful setting gives beauty to the picture and
pleases the eye. Art directors should know the natural setting and build
artificial sets. They should get inspiration from liberal producers.
In Hollywood, setting appropriations set no limit for it reaches the million-
dollar mark. In the Philippines today, good pictures are invested with similar
funding.
6. Sound, Cameras, and Technicians. Sound plays an important part in
films. Technicians exert efforts in making the dialogue clear and music of fine
quality. They eliminate background noise which is not part of the scene.
Recording is the process where an orchestra playing the music or song is
being recorded in the sound track through the recording apparatus. This is
done in a sound-proof studio
Playback is the method employed when an actress or actor borrows the voice
of another. For example, if an actor couldn’t sing well, the voice of a
professional singer is used.
The use of camera and the functions of the technicians are indispensable in
cinematography.The camera man is responsible for exact framing, sometimes
for screens of more than one type. He also decides the use of masking, the
choice of lens, the camera angle, and the control of the camera movements.
Module 5 Sculpture
Sculpture is a visual art in which hard or plastic materials are
worked into three-dimensional art objects. The designs may be
embodied in freestanding objects, in reliefs on surfaces, or in
environments ranging from tableaux to contexts that envelop the
spectator. An enormous variety of media may be used, including clay,
wax, stone, metal, fabric, glass, wood, plaster, rubber, and random
“found” objects. Materials may be carved, modeled, molded, cast,
wrought, welded, sewn, assembled, or otherwise shaped and combined.
The word sculpture came from the Latin term sculpere meaning to carve.
However, there are several methods of sculpting other than carving. Before the
20th century, sculpture was considered a representational art. However, its
scope has been extended to include nonrepresentational forms. 3 dimensional
objects: furniture, pot, building
. In the Philippines, Guillermo Tolentino is considered as the “Father of
Philippine Sculpture.” His most outstanding work is the monument of Andres
Bonifacio (Figure 71) which can be found in Manila. The said monument was
built in the 1930s. Napoleon Abueva, a pupil of Guillermo Tolentino, is the first
modern Filipino sculptor. His studies in the United States are reflected in his
works. Among the early innovations Abueva introduced in 1951 was what he
referred to as "buoyant sculpture"- sculpture meant to be appreciated from the
surface of a placid pool.
Sculptural Techniques
Sculpture can be made from almost any organic or inorganic substance.
Working on a sculpture entails two specific techniques, namely: subtractive
and additive. The subtractive technique refers to the process of cutting away
from a block of wood or stone and gradually revealing the desired shape. For
example, the ice sculptures in Star City were created through this sculptural
process. The additive technique, on one hand, refers to the method in which
the clay modeler adds lumps of clay to a core and works out the desired
shape. Another example of a sculpture, which employs the additive technique,
is the creation of a papier-mâché figure such as an animal. The field of
sculpture has broadened in the 20th century which included new techniques
such as welding and assemblage and by other new materials like neon tubing
which are products of modern technology.
1. Carving is a technique of sculpting since prehistoric times. The artist
usually substracts or cuts away unnecessary material until the desired form is
reached. It involves a time-consuming and painstaking process because the
material is usually hard and weighty. The design is compact and the nature of
the material dictates the form to be created by the artist.
2. Modeling is a technique of sculpting in which materials are added to create
a form. The materials used in modeling are generally soft and yielding and can
easily be shaped, enabling rapid execution. This provides the sculptor to
capture and record fleeting impressions in much the same way a painter does
in a quick sketch. Since ancient times, clay or claylike substances are usually
baked to achieve increased durability.
3. Casting involves a manufacturing process by which a liquid material is
poured into a mold, which contains a hallow cavity of the desired shape and
allowed to solidify. The solid casting is ejected or broken out to complete the
process. Casting is used to form hot liquid metals or various materials that
could set after mixing of components. It is most often used for making
complex shapes that are generally difficult to be made using other sculptural
techniques.
The beauty and durability of bronze alloys have made them one the most
popular materials for cast metal sculptures throughout history. Indeed,
bronze sculptures have been found among the ruins of ancient civilizations in
China, India, Greece, and Rome, and bronze casting has remained a preferred
practice among sculptors to this day. Its resistance to breakage allows artists
to sculpt elongated forms in virtual “action,” and due to natural or chemically
induced patinas, bronze can take on various gorgeous, earthy shades of the
artist’s choice. Also through casting, the sculptor can achieve smooth rounded
shapes and a glowing reflective surface, such as we see in Sphere Win. The
most common method for casting metal is called lost-wax process, sometimes
known by its French name, cire perdue. Dating back to the third millennium
BCE, the concept is simple and ingenious. A sculpture cast in this way is
unique, for the wax original is destroyed in the process. Important traditions of
bronze
4. Construction and Assemblage is the technique of using various materials
found in the immediate environment that are pieced or assembled together to
form a sculptural design. These methods originated from collage. The French
painter Jean DuBuffet to refer to his own work, which he made out of collage,
coined the term assemblage. At this modern time, the said term is sometimes
used interchangeably with the term construction. However, for the purpose of
distinction, assembling is a process by which individual pieces or segments or
objects are brought together to form a sculpture; that is, certain parts of the
sculpture are simply placed on or near each other. Constructing, on one hand,
involves a process by which individual pieces are actually joined together.
Numerous techniques are employed for joining these components, most of
them derived from crafts other than traditional sculptural ones; for example,
metal welding and brazing, wood joinery, bolting, screwing, riveting, nailing,
and bonding with new powerful adhesives (Pagay, 2013).
Materials in Sculpture
The principal materials used in sculpture are the following:
1. Stone - carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone
are shaped by the controlled removal of the stone. Examples of stones are
basalt and diorite (black and hard), marble (finely-grained, crystalline sparkle),
granite (tough, coarse-grained), and sandstones (softer). The earliest societies
indulged in some forms of stonework because of its permanence as a material.
In using stone as a material, there are techniques implemented to achieve the
desired outcome such as those described below.
a. Petroglyphs (rock engravings) – the figures are created by removing
part of a rock which remains in sites through incising, pecking, carving, and
abrading.
b. Monumental Sculpture – it covers large works and architectural sculpture
which is attached to buildings.
a. Hardstone Carving – this is carving for artistic purposes of semi- precious
stones such as jade, agate, onyx, rock crystal, sand or carnelian, and a
general term for an object made this way. Engraved gems are small-carved
gems, including cameos originally used as seal rings. Ex. Ancient roman cameo
of Agustus and Mughal Dagger Hit
2. Wood – the artist usually used a cutting tool to create, for example, a
wooden figurine or a sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object. Wood is
lighter and softer. Its grains have a charm of texture which challenges the
sculptor to use its lines in determining the form. It also invites intricate carving
and concavities which are not possible in stone. The advantage of wood is that
it is cheap, available, and easy to cut. It also polishes well and has a smooth
shiny surfaces and beautiful color. However, it is limited in size, discolors,
decays, and burns easily.
3. Terra Cotta – the clay is shaped, glazed, and baked. This is the most tender
of sculptural materials. It yields to even the slightest pressure, and can be
worked and reworked until the artist has achieved the desired form.
4. Bronze – the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures, specifically large-
scale forms. Common bronze alloy contains unusual and desirable property of
expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold.
Their strength and lack of brittleness is an advantage when figures in action
are to be created, especially when compared to various ceramic or stone
materials. The disadvantage of bronze is the difficulty and intricacy in casting
it. Furthermore, most large bronze statues are hollow because using a solid
metal would make the statue heavy and very expensive. There is also the
tendency for it to crack when cooled.
5. Clay – is a very soft material. The artist can create many designs. If he
makes a mistake, he can remove the error quickly. However, clay must be kept
workable. The sculptor must cover his work with damp rags every day, and
from time to time he must add water to the unused clay in the bin and pound
it. In addition, when modeling is finished, the statue is by no means ready for
exhibition for clay does not last long.
