First up, I've been needing to broaden my horizon in regards to what types of narrative styles and genres I can be applying my drawing skills to. So far, I have slugged around the waters of Animation, some cinematic, some parodies, and others an entirely separate brand of style in their own right. But to truly understand Storyboarding, I need to understand the Language of Film and the Genres that come with it. So let's take a look at two of my favourite and most defining cinematic genres and/or styles.
Westerns.
Westerns, much akin to Film Noir, can be labelled as both genre and style, with the prominence of certain film makers who have forever stamped their own flair to the formula. This genre of film making is inherently American in its origin, and is one of the most flexible and oldest narrative moulds in cinema. Ironically so, the most famous of installations over the years was by Italian director Sergio Leone who's cinematography and flair, among several other Italian directors who rose through this genre, has lead to the term 'spaghetti western'- now considered a sub-genre in its own right. It is of these films that have a direct influence over my framing style when storyboarding, and of which I will examine further here.
My personal favourites, perhaps unoriginally (so forgive me!), are 'The Man with No Name' trilogy installations; 'A Fist Full of Dollars' (1964), 'For A Few Dollars More' (1965), 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly' (1966)
Extreme wide angles, extreme close ups, and obscure figure framing during pistol duels are all hallmarks of these films, and offer a rich depth to the visual narration and the language of film, so much so, that nearly all westerns now feature predominantly a tip of the hat to these cinematography elements.
Film Noir.Now, technically speaking, Film Noir is not defined as a film genre, but rather a style within certain genres. Examples are Noir hybrids with other formulaic films such as Unforgiven, a Noirish Western, Sin City, a dark and gloomy comic book made to silver screen, and
even comedys such as Dead Men Don't Wear Plaids. Officially speaking, however, Film Noir is classed as a specific period in Cinema History, linked specifically with the post-war aura that surrounded the 40's onwards, and then being spurred on by the coming of the Cold War.
There are certain cliques that are synonymous with the Noir style, in terms of narrative. Femme Fatals, Damsels in Distress, and solitary bleak men wrapped up in a conspiracy are rife. My concern, however, is more the cinematography of this 'mood' of filming, and how I can translate that to my drawings.
Noir cinematography has its roots in German expressionism within the arts prior and during the height of the first world war. Examples of their work are:
The Student of Prague (1913)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Nosferatu (1922)
A case in point is the critically acclaimed Nosferatu, a dark and brooding tale of the original vampire, Dracula, albeit unauthorized in book rights to be official. Despite this, it is considered a genre defining film, and is often cited in regards to the Film Noir movement.
