This week focuses on the technological shift from anlogue to digitial cinema and progress in audiovisual media, and also presents the concept of post ciname. Under the influence of digital technology and new media, the traditional film form has shifted from the way of film production and viewing, from shooting to post-production, and digital technology has provided more possibilities.

It is worth mentioning that, in Rodowick’s understanding, the long lens highlights the difference between analog and digital. Especially in a digital context, long shots can only be “fake” (Rodowick, 2007). However, the long take in digital movies bring audiences a new visual aesthetic experience under digital technology, which can not be judged by “fake”. For instance, the Russian ark mentioned by Rodowick is a historical epic told through a single lens. The director used an extremely long single shot to present the whole story. It is worth mentioning that the long shot of this film is reflected in the movement, and almost all of it is completed in the movement. From beginning to end, using the perspective of a French diplomat, this film leads the audience to enjoy various aspects of Russian architecture, culture, history and art. I had a very strong sense of immersion, The whole story unfolds in a coherent scene provides a strong sense of immersion so that the audiences seem to travel through time with the characters and witness the historical events in frames. The control of film sound effects makes the audience more sensitive to experience the changes in ambient sounds, dialogue and music, which makes the audience more emotionally resonant. The film contains different historical periods, and the audience may experience multiple time and space transitions in a single shot. This wonderful sense of time and space transformation through the further enhancement of sound and visual effects, may provide the audience with a more unique aesthetic experience. Due to the use of long lens shooting method, the audience may have a sense of visual pressure. This continuous, unbroken picture can be a visual challenge, and make the audience more focused on the development of the story. Additionally, the whole story takes place in the same setting, and the connection between the audience and the characters and plot of the story will be close. This gives viewers the opportunity to obtain a deeper understanding of the characters and history as they have been in the same environment all along.

Overall, the innovation of digital long lens in the audio-visual aesthetics of movies can provide audiences with a unique new movie-watching experience. In the film Russian Ark, this technical approach combined with the film’s historical subject matter to create an immersive experience, while enhancing the audience’s emotional resonance with the story through sound effects and visual effects.

By Chaowei Zhi

Reference:

Rodowick, D. N. (2007). The virtual life of film. Harvard University Press.