The art of filmmaking

VISUAL LANGUAGE – Color, metaphor and subtlety.

In Part 2 of a series of articles on visual langauge, I wanted to look at subtlety and using your actors to motivate the scene. It is not always neccesary to have a whole lot going on in a scene to get even the most intense moment delivered.

“I know it was you Fredo.”

Those famous lines from the Acamemy Award winning The Godfather: Part II gave us a powerful moment in the film when Michael lets Fredo, his brother, know that he’s done, with a kiss of death. But an even more powerful scene is the reveal that Fredo betrayed Michael and the family. This is the scene that sets a huge story plot into motion that finally culminates with a fishing trip. If you haven’t seen this film, run and get it now.

I want to look at a few elements in this great scene from the film.

1. Using your talent in subtle ways; using the eyes to communicate without so much head wobble.

2. Metaphors and action in a scene that can symbolize the bigger picture.

3. Minilmism. Less really is more.

4. Color signs.

5. Blocking and placement of key characters.

6. Contrast.

I’ll address these thoughts at the end of the article. Let’s get started by becoming more familiar with the source material based on the novel by Mario Puzo and adapted for the screen by by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola.

INT. 'SUPERMAN SHOW' - MED. VIEW - NIGHT

A large room with a succession of platforms arranged step-
like around a circular area which becomes a stage.

There are a hundred or so people, practically all men,
tourists and business men, standing on the different levels,
forming the audience.

In the center of the stage is a thick, telephone type pole,
to which is tied a young Cuban girl, in a flimsy white
sacrificial slip.  A small band, mostly drummers, play some
Latin music.

MED. VIEW

Fredo's party standing on the ramp, looking down at the
spectacle.  They're a little woozy from the drinks and late
hour.  Michael is with them, but now we sense he is using
this time, with all exhausted and drunk, to come to some
important conclusions.

				QUESTADT
		Why do we have to stand?

				FREDO
		Everyone stands.  But it's worth
		it, watch!

VIEW ON THE ARENA

Now two high priestesses, scantily clad, bring in a tall and
muscular Cuban, done up in chains and loin cloth, as though
he were a captured slave.  This is SUPERMAN

VIEW ACROSS THE MEN TO THE STAGE

				FREDO
		That's him; that's Superman!

Some preliminary pornographic proceedings go on, as the
priestesses lead the slave to the virgin tied to the post.
The music is percussive and wild.

MED. VIEW ON THE MEN

				SENATOR GEARY
		Ohmygod.  I don't believe it.

				QUESTADT
		It's got to be fake.

				FREDO
		That's why they call him Superman.
		Johnny Ola told me about this; I
		didn't believe it.

CLOSE on Michael turning away.  Not because of the spectacle
which he finds disgusting, but at what his brother is saying.

				FREDO (O.S.)
		... but seeing is believing.  Ole
		Johnny knows all the places.  I
		tol' you... can you believe it?

If Michael would ever allow himself to cry, it would be now.

				FREDO
			(continuing)
		The old man Roth, would never come;
		but Johnny knows these places like
		the back of his hand...

							FADE OUT.

Now that you’ve read the script segment, take a moment to imagine how you would shoot this scene. How would you block it ? How many setups ?

What I take and what you take from the scene can be a completely different perception and meaning, but these are my thoughts.

1. Using your talent in subtle ways; using the eyes to communicate without so much head wobble.

The performances from Al Pacino and John Cazale are wonderful. Not over the top or scene stealing, but subdued. Pacino gives us an insane range of emotions thoughout. Subtle. His eyes communicate everything from his emotions to dictating where the camera will be placed next.

It is this subtelty that gives such power to the scene. Michael realizing the betrayal is the peak of the scenes emotional scale and it is all played out from the start, at the bottom of this scale. It builds slowly, like a snaily chreshendo.

Tone down the talent; relax them. Let their eyes communicate.

2. Metaphors and action in a scene that can symbolize the bigger picture.

The Superman stage show starts with some nice looking ladies bringing out the virgin and tying her to the stakes. This performance, that our party has gathered to watch strikes me as a metaphor of their own reality. Michael is the virgin, and as he realizes the truth, so does the girl as Superman drops his cape revealing an off-screen organ from hell and like Michael, she just got punkd.

3. Minilmism.

Less really is more. 6 Set ups. I can’t even imagine a film today using only 6 setups for a scene in club, with sexy girls, party people, a stage show and a revealing moment such as this one; betrayal. 6 Set ups. 17 Cuts. In visual storytelling, show only what you must and save the fluff coverage for your music videos.

4. Color signs.

The presence of orange in the Godfather films have long been debated. Fredo’s escort girl wears an orange dress but it is not until the final shot where we get our most focused and prominent view of her. She stays hidden behind the crowd and then slowly inches her way into the frame as Michael reaches realization.

5. Blocking and placement of key characters.

I’ve addressed this just above, but keep in mind, when shooting a scene, we have got to see your talent. Place them according to the frame where they can all be scene, unless of course sneaking in a woman wearing orange as a sign.

6. Contrast.

Another visual note I did not address in the image example is the classic move to a close up. The scene starts with nice wider shots, relaxing the frame and then starts into the closer shots as Michael realizes what is happening. The closer we get, the more intimate we get, the more focused, the more important. Keep that in mind all of you close up shooting frame muddlers.

I hope you enjoyed this analysis and breakdown of THE GODFATHER PART II and the use of various elements to communicate in film using Visual Language. Next time you set out to make a film, keep these ideas in mind. In order to break rules and create your own techniques you have to understand them from the beginning. Otherwise you’ll end up with the fishes,

A couple of quotes from our masters.

Hitchcock said “If it’s a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on.” And that, my friends is visual language.

“A number of images put together a certain way become something quite above and beyond what any of them are individually.” – Francis Ford Coppola

© 2008 Cineobscure.