- Identify the names of the artists involved in the film’s production: the director, the production designer, and the art director.
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Enemy at the Gates, Director
Wolf Kroeger
Enemy at the Gates, Production design
Dominic Masters
Neil Lamont
Peter Francis
Steven Lawrence
Enemy at the Gates, Art director
- Describe in separate paragraphs each artist’s role in the overall design process.
Enemy at the Gates, Director
The duties of a director in a film are not an easy task. In fact, various film companies have different thoughts regarding the precise job a director must do. Below are the standard duties of being a film director.
- He carefully interprets the script and makes the script into a wonderful film. His job includes planning the perfect locations, proper pacing, incredible shots, and styles in acting, almost anything that are needed that affects the entire movie.
- He makes it possible to oversee the cinematography and the technical aspects as well.
- He coaches the actors, directs them as to what to do in their character or performances.
- He coordinates to the staff on set, directs the timetable of every shoot, and ensures that the deadlines are done in due time.
The director of the film has an exemplary work; the film is an excellent piece of work with great technical skills. The scene shows the real story and every shoot is perfectly polished. The path chosen by Annaud is least resistant since he created a script that convinced viewers in every detail made and the extraordinary story has its effort of the simplification of interests and complex characters that serve the plot mechanics. Annaud created a version of bleakness yet well – designed, framed and photographed beautifully, and ended up a banal relationship and excruciating war suffered with a heroin chic that bears to the ruin of real heroin addiction.
Enemy at the Gates, Production design
He is responsible for the visual concepts of a film; he is conscious enough about the design style on the set, the locations, its graphics, different props, lighting, costumes, camera angles while he work closely with the director and the producer. After the concept is agreed and decided, he appoints and manages an art department that includes the design and construction team, respectively. The team forms a strong relationship or partnership with the director he works with on many productions. He works as a freelancer and one of the important parts of his work is to market his skills and experiences, to contact and brief agents. Usually, it also includes clarification and agreement o a suitable fee and timescale. Activities include:
- Reading the scripts to further identify some factors that indicates a visual style
- Considers a written or oral production briefing
- Meets the producer and the director to discuss the concepts or production requirements
- Research art history, backgrounds in politics, history information, and design ideas
- Plans and monitors the design budget
- Provides the scale drawings or models on the sets
- Produces design ideas for wigs, props, costumes, make-up, special effects, and graphics
- Presents ideas in the production such as camera operators and actors
- Hires and manages an art department teams
- Instructs the scenic artists, the set construction company, and special effects specialists
- Communicates with the director of photography and the costume designer, at the same time the lighting, props, and sound directors
- Attends progress meetings, rehearsals, and filming and advise on visual presentation
As a production designer, Kroeger provides a stunning backdrop for the story with his great work. The scene shows the product of his hard work as a production designer. His creative role helps in the creation of the motion pictures a great output. With the collaboration with the director and the director of photography, he establishes the visual feel and its specific aesthetic necessity of the film such as the beauty of every character in the film. In addition, Kroeger performed a delicate but astonishing work in the film; he established promising skills in terms of technical aspects and good rapport to the production team.
Enemy at the Gates, Art directors
They act as project managers for the biggest department on any film, the art department. They assist the production designer for all the locations and sets that provide the unique visual identity of the film and its creative visions. They are responsible for the budget, schedule of work in their department, and assist the production designer in maximizing the amount allocated. The art directors are more often requested by the production designer. They are responsible for the assistant art director, the draughts men, the art department assistants, and all the construction personnel. They must possess essential knowledge and skills in terms of interior and architecture design and practical knowledge on building and construction, and computer literate. In addition, they must have the following skills:
- Good eye for decorations and its details
- Ability to conceptualize ideas
- Ability to think visually
- Has the methodical approaches to work
- Good leadership
- Ability to co-ordinate effectively and see the broader picture
- Sensible and diplomatic when working with artists and crews
- Has appropriate knowledge of the relevant health and safety legislation and procedures.
These four art directors play an important role with the production designer in the implementation of the scenic elements of the film. Personally, I commend their hard work in the film; it is indeed a great film. Every scene is well conceptualized and done with exceptional skills. Obviously, the budget is huge and it really shows in every aspects of the film.
- Explain how the artists utilize lighting in the scene. How does the lighting affect our emotional understanding of certain characters?
The lighting in the scene helps create the mood in a scene; it makes the scene feel happy, mysterious, sad, or even dangerous. In the selected movie clip, the lighting adds drama and intensifies the emotions of the characters that attribute the actors or the actions. Most especially when Vassili shoots the officers, the lighting is perfect; it is very clear on his face the intense emotion that reflects from it. The light quality is superb in the scene “Do you know how to shoot?”
- What sort of mood does the lighting evoke? How does lighting influence the overall story the filmmaker is attempting to tell?
The mood has a soft lighting, it is clear to see the emotions of the characters on the movie clip. It really influence the overall story, the scene shows its simplicity yet outstanding effect on the emotions of every character.
- Describe the setting, including the period, location, and culture in which the film takes place.
The setting is perfectly made for a perfect film; it conveys the real location and culture of the 1942 war in Stalingard, Germany.
- Explain what costuming can tell us about a character. In what ways can costuming be used to reflect elements of the film's plot?
The costumes are very significant to show the real character of the person. In the movie clip, Danilov shows his costume as a political adversary while Vassili’s costume really shows being a private military man. The other characters in the movie clip are perfectly showing their actual character in the film. The costumes of every character reflect the age of the character, generation, and location. The reflect elements of the plot give an idea of what the main conflict is based on age and generation.
Description of Costuming, Makeup, and Hairstyles
Total: 2.00
Distinguished - Provides exceptional description of costuming, makeup, and hairstyles in the scene. Clearly connects these elements to story and character.
Proficient - Provides a description of costuming, makeup, and hairstyles in the scene. Connects these elements to story and character. Some ideas could be more fully developed.
Basic - Provides brief description of costuming, makeup, and hairstyles in the scene. Connects these elements to story and character on a basic level.
- Explain how hairstyle and makeup can help tell the story. What might hairstyle and makeup reveal about the characters?
The hairstyle and makeup reveal emotions, and help tell the story and offer significant visual clues about the characters. The costume and hairstyle of Danilov shows the true character in the story, superior in nature and confident and his makeup is real like the blood flowing from his eyes. On Vassili’s costume and hairstyle, it is done according to his level as a private soldier and his makeup makes him look simple as what is really
- Discuss your opinion regarding the mise-en-scène. Do the elements appear to work together in a harmonious way?
The director is the one that oversees the whole mise-en-scène and all the elements. Every detail done in the scene is very effective, conveys reality to the viewer and the overall emotional impact is present in the scene. Personally, I feel every emotions portrayed by every character in the scene. In the pre – production, the director sits down with the set designers, location managers, prop masters, scenic artists, and costume designers to determine the best results. Mise-en-scène is the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing – actors, lighting, décor, props, and costume; it evokes lasting feelings not just for selected scenes but also throughout the movie. The creations of every artist go beyond their expectations because as observed in the scene it really shows the superb outcome. Everything is determined and the elements appeared as comprised together in a harmonious way, it break down everything in the work down to every element and consider how every element work as one in the work intended. It is an excellent work done by every artist in the film.
- Does the scene seem discordant? Do you think the design elements are congruent with the filmmaker’s vision for the scene? No, it is not. The scene is harmoniously done in accordance to the filmmaker’s vision. The movie clip “Do you know how to shoot?” has the elements shows compatibility of the artists’ vision. They are really showing the importance of the character in the scene, the intensity of every movement of the character, and the entire setting is excellently visualized like the actual location of the war.
Reference
Dannenfeldt, D. (2012). How Stuff Works: “What is a Movie Director, Retrieved from
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/movie-director1.htm
Elley, D. (2001). Variety Review: Enemy at the Gates, Retrieved from
http://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/enemy-at-the-gates-1200466918/
Henne, P. (2013). Film Journal International: Enemy at the Gates, Retrieved from
http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000696829
Movie Clips. (2001). Enemy at the Gates: Do you know how to Shoot? Retrieved from
http://movieclips.com/WDJS-enemy-at-the-gates-movie-do-you-know-how-to-shoot/
