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SCOD - Faramir in action!



One Ringer
Tol Eressea


Oct 9 2013, 12:12pm


Views: 550
SCOD - Faramir in action!



For today's screencap we have a shot of Faramir in the heat of battle at Osgiliath.

1.) Any thoughts on the balancing and focus of this shot? There's three layers to this scene: 1. Faramir. 2. The close-quarters fight behind him. 3. The fleeing/cowering soldiers in the background. How does this benefit to the soul of the scene? Is it too much or too little or just right?

2.) What do you read in David Wenham's performance here? Considering everything that's taking place around him, what specific emotions might we draw from his face?

3.) Any other thoughts?

"You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear, and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain."


Old Pilgrim
Rivendell


Oct 10 2013, 6:01am


Views: 376
My answers

1.) Any thoughts on the balancing and focus of this shot? There's three layers to this scene: 1. Faramir. 2. The close-quarters fight behind him. 3. The fleeing/cowering soldiers in the background. How does this benefit to the soul of the scene? Is it too much or too little or just right?

I really like this scene because it shows us in general what is happening in Osgiliath at that moment. We are not concentrated only on Faramir but also on other things, which may seem smaller but are very important. For example from fleeing soldiers we can guess that the battle is turning against them, orcs are everywhere and there are fights on every street. It is not too much or too little, but just right in my opinion.

2.) What do you read in David Wenham's performance here? Considering everything that's taking place around him, what specific emotions might we draw from his face?

He is certainly conserned but there is something else in his face. I might say a war spirit, his desire to kill any orc he meet on his path and will enjoy in doing so. Also he is in constant movement because of battle and is thinking where should he go next or what order should he give to his men. After all he is their commander at that moment and it is up to him to motivate his men or give them an order to retreat. Very big responsibility.

3.) Any other thoughts?


I believe this scene is one of those that tell us without any word just how grave situation at that time really is. Lost of Osgiliath was a terrible blow because Minas Tirith is now open to attack and hope is fading.


Werde Spinner
Rohan


Oct 11 2013, 8:30pm


Views: 295
Ooh, pretty!

(1) Faramir is attacking from the left to the right. If I recall a bit of cinematic commentary I read somewhere, film makers like to show characters moving from left to right on screen to denote action. Passive characters stand on the right, facing their doom (or whatever) coming from the left. This emphasis on Faramir in action further outlines him as the hero and the protector of his men. I think it works.

(2) To me, Faramir shows a lot of fierce determination - the desire to save his men, to get them back to Minas Tirith in one piece, to protect his City against the legions of orcs. He also looks a bit angry, and I can't blame him. You'd be angry too if orcs attacked in the morning before you'd even had your first cup of coffee. Tongue

(3) What's with the dudes in the background? The one in the yellowish shirt... is that an orc or a Gondorian or what? I am mightily confused. The clothes look like something out of the American Civil War almost (Southern side), not like the rags you'd expect an orc to run around in. Crazy

I obviously need to rewatch my EE ROTK.

"I had forgotten that. It is hard to be sure of anything among so many marvels. The world is all grown strange. Elf and Dwarf in company walk in our daily fields; and folk speak with the Lady of the Wood and yet live; and the Sword comes back to war that was broken in the long ages ere the fathers of our fathers rode into the Mark! How shall a man judge what to do in such times?"

"As he ever has judged. Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house."


Meneldor
Valinor


Oct 11 2013, 11:13pm


Views: 316
What I see

in Faramir's face is intense concentration. In a confused melee like that one, you have to be aware of everything going on around you if you want to survive, and as a leader you also have to be aware of everything happening to your men. At the end of a confusing battle like this one, the mental exhaustion can be as deep as the physical, and I think Faramir is displaying the intense focus and draining dedication he'll need to get out of this with his men and his own skin more or less intact.


They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.


Darkstone
Immortal


Oct 14 2013, 4:48pm


Views: 302
"You can observe a lot by just watching."

1.) Any thoughts on the balancing and focus of this shot?

A magnificent use of various depth cues. Who needs 3D?


There's three layers to this scene: 1. Faramir. 2. The close-quarters fight behind him. 3. The fleeing/cowering soldiers in the background.

There’s also the dawning light from the east, and the dead tree behind the fighting soldiers. This means something!


How does this benefit to the soul of the scene?

This exemplifies Faramir’s thought processes: Having been fighting since night his soldiers are exhausted, the enemy just keeps on coming, his front line has broken, so how long does he provide cover for his retreating soldiers in this rear guard action before he falls back to a prepared position?


Is it too much or too little or just right?

There’s quite a lot of information and symbolism to take in. As Yogi Berra said, "You can observe a lot by just watching."


2.) What do you read in David Wenham's performance here?

Calculating and recalculating the ever-shifting odds.


Considering everything that's taking place around him, what specific emotions might we draw from his face?

All business.


3.) Any other thoughts?

Note after he gets as many of his soldiers out as he can he deliberately uses himself as bait and leads the orcs into a pre-prepared ambush of archers.

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I met a Balrog on the stair,
He had some wings that weren't there.
They weren't there again today,
I wish he would just fly away.