German Expressionism

27/11/2017
                                                    German expressionism timeline

1914
WW1 began and People were using expressionism as a way to use self-expression.
































 1916
The import and export ban had been introduced and the anti-German feeling started to decrease.


1918
WW1 had just ended and Germans had lost and took the blame for it, they became isolated the value of money was decreasing. The German government then banned foreign films so the demand to make films in Germany increased. For example, in 1914, 24 films were made and then in 1918, 130 films were made.


1922
International audiences started to appreciate the expressionism movement.


They use to paint on the stages because they had a lack of budget. they would paint on props, light and shadows.


1930
Hitler started to rise to power and German film makers, artists and writers fled abroad. They all emigrated to Hollywood because the Americans appreciated there work.


This had a massive effect on the style on movies.

     
                                                 Summary of German Expressionism
Nosferatu
Nosferatu was shot in low key so it could add to the eerie mood, it was also used to create a contrast in pleasant scenes. Count also shows high contrast to emphasise his pale and hideous face. Also his long claws go against the shadows and dark clothing. This might help to symbolise the relationship between light and dark. Stop animation is used to give of demonic speed and make it seem creepy. Stop motion also helps to show the fearful concept of death, disease and pestilence, These are dire feelings of distress. The darkness in this film helps to show the danger and evil that is associated with it, this differs to how the daylight represents family, happiness and light heartedness. There are a lot of wide angle ranges and long shots to show the characters and the picture overall.

The cabinet of Dr. Caligari
 This demonstrates the duality of humans inner or subconscious mind, this changes ambiguously between the dark and light side. The buildings in this film have been constructed in a strange/ slanting composition that is projected through painting and drawing on highlights. The floors and walls are in a high - coloured tone to differentiate the accented light from the normal one. Usually the character stands in the scene to keep the audiences attraction on the highlighted position. There is an exaggerated  contrast between light and shadow, this is called chiaroscuro technique. On the characters face there are sharpened edges to represent the dark side and a man malicious inner mind. In every scene, there seems to be symbolically streams of expression into inner unstated mind of protagonists and it tells a message to the audience indirectly ( Anxiety, disharmony and terror ). The characters were designed to have distorted behaviours. For example, there acting will be exaggerated, unrealistic and irrational.

Metropolis
The buildings underground/below the city are colourless and look the same, just like the workers as well, but the upper class people are high above with beauty  and opulence abound. To get the visual effect of a large set they use drawings/miniatures up close to the camera. This is known as the schufftan process. The costumes, the structures of the doorway and the lighting help to create a feeling of oppression   and dehumanisation of man. This creates a blurring line between man and machine. The posture of actors and the way they the workers sway back and forth as they walk shows how it is great effort and this helps to unfold the story. This film was shot entirely on a constructed set, designed with abstract and disproportionate dimensions. They are able to manipulate a highly subjective and psychological space to create a nightmarish vision of distortion and chaos. This film also explores how dystopic values result in loss of humanity.

01/12/17                                                        

                                                   German expressionism essay
German expressionism originated in Germany but reached a peak in the 1920's in Berlin. The art style of German expressionism is dark, monochromatic and high contrast. It also uses a lot of shadows. German expressionism influenced many things such as films, dance, games, sculpture, theatre, architecture and art. German expressionism mainly started because the Germans had just lost WW1 and foreign films were banned for them so they started to feel isolated. In many German expressionism films, there was a lack of budget for props so instead of paying for props and lighting they would paint them on but they made them look fantasised with extreme angles and perspectives giving an impression on space and depth. German expressionism looked into emotional themes such as, anxiety, death and disease. This related back to how many Germans felt after losing the war and the events that took place after WW1.

In 1922, the import and export ban had begun and the anti-German feeling had decreased. This led to international audiences starting to appreciate the expressionism movement. In 1930, it was the rise of Hitler and German film makers, artists and writers fled abroad and most of them was Jewish as well. They decided to immigrate to Hollywood because the Americans really wanted to work with them and this had a massive effect on style.

For example, In the German expressionism film Nosferatu, it is shot in very low key so it adds the eerie mood and is also used to add contrast in pleasant scenes. In this silent film, Count Orlock is in high contrast to emphasise his pale hideous face and his long claw like hands against the shadows and the dark clothing. This could also symbolise the relationship between light and dark. A common thing used in most of these movies is the use of stop motion animation. I think stop motion is used to give off the creepy effect and make it seem more like a horror. This film also uses a lot of wide angle ranges and long shots so we can get a view of the characters and the whole picture overall. A use of shadows in German expressionism also help to create the dark and mysterious mood.

                                                    

                                                  German expressionist style character

The character i created fits with the German expressionism style because it is very monochromatic with a burst of accent colour mixed in with it. It also has some suspense and mystery behind it as it looks so eerie.
                       
                                    10 modern examples influenced by German expressionism

1) Oxenfree.


 
Oxenfree is similar to the original concept of German expressionism because it creates an eerie mood to make it seem more like a horror. Also the game uses a wide range of angles and long shots so you can get a view of the picture overall and a view on the characters.

2) We happy few.


We happy few is similar to the original concept of German expressionism because it relates back to the war and how people take drugs to become happy. This is similar to how unhappy the Germans were after the war had ended and how they were blamed for it and isolated from everyone.

3) Little Nightmares


Little nightmares is similar to the original concept of German expressionism because the shape dynamics are very triangular and square/rectangular. The triangles help to express the danger throughout the whole game.

4) Inside


Inside is similar to the original concept of German expressionism because it is very monochromatic and it is silent as well, so the eeriness of the atmosphere and the wide range of angles and how distorted the buildings and characters/objects are.

5) L.A. Noire


L.A. Noire is similar to the original concept of German Expressionism because when Hitler rised to power German film Writers fled abroad to america where they started to create film noire that is about gangsters and detectives.

6) Thief


Thief is similar to the original concept of German Expressionism because it is very monochromatic and that helps to give it an eerie and dark atmosphere.

7)Limbo


Limbo is similar to the original concept of German Expressionism because it is very monochromatic and has a lot of sharp shapes and edges.

8)Sin city


Sin City is similar to the original concept of German Expressionism because it is very Monochromatic with a slight pop of the colour red, every so often. Also because it has noir tales within it which relates to when a lot of Jews fled to america and started a new film genre.

9)The evil within 2


The evil within 2 is similar to the original concept of German Expressionism because it is very monochromatic and it shows scenes of mental illness and insanity throughout the game.

10)Split


Split is similar to the concept of German Expressionism because it shows us the different sides to everyone and how people are affected mentally. there are also a lost of monochromatic scenes throughout and in the film there is an example where the monster realises the girl is depressed and decides to leave her be because she hasn't been privileged just like him.

04/12/17
                                       Mind map of ideas for German Expressionism

Mood boards

Catacombs

                                       Urban                                           

Volcanoes

War

Ruins

Silhouettes 

The 10 silhouettes i have created follow the rules of the golden spiral and the rule of thirds as the focal point is either on the crosshairs or the centre golden spiral.

Analysis

Sketch overs

I much prefer the first sketch over i created because it looks aesthetically pleasing for me and there are a lot of other ways i could branch off and create.

29/01/18

                                                                      3 Week plan

Presentation

      I was unable to do my presentation as i wasn't in at the time.

16/02/18

                                                                         Colour Sketch over

                                                                      Final concept

16/02/18

Animation

For my animation i started off with the lights flickering to give it an eerie affect, then it slowly transitioned into a blinding light which made it tense/suspicious. it then ends by transitioning back to normal but the walls are contrasted and the only thing you can see is the figures on screen.

Evaluation

During my project, i did a lot of experiments with Photoshop by using the warp tools and fading in colours to give my work depth. I also did a lot of research into what German Expressionism is, The movies and artists that are linked to German expressionism and some modern examples of German expressionism. To plan out my environment i used the Golden spiral and the rule of thirds grid, this was used to find where my focal point would be and then i was able to place my subdominant forms, dominant forms and leading lines around the focal point. The new techniques i learned in Photoshop is how to use the motion work space, i also learned how to warp a set of brick drawings to make it look like the wall was on the side and was going smaller as it went further into the tunnel, creating an image of depth. The research i used was from the artist Lesley oldaker and from the film split. This helped me to experiment with the two ideas by adding creepy areas in some of the silhouettes but making sure that they are in an urban environment, with or without characters. The references i used were for the trees in the one silhouette that i took a picture of and another reference was of the tentacles and lanterns. The Tentacles helped centre in on my focal point because its a a pop of colour which stands out, plus it looks realistic. I learned to animate so i was able to bring my work to life and i learned this by duplicating many layers and adding small changes to each of them, experimenting with what i could do. I am satisfied with my 2D work because i was able to animate it to a good standard and i have been able to make progress since my last project. To do better i could of added more detail to the child in my piece since she is the centre of my whole piece. I am satisfied with my animation because it flows and it doesn't look really basic and boring. To do better, i could of done more animation such as making the tentacles move.