Films Harry Potter and the Avengers - Essay Example

Films Harry Potter and the Avengers Introduction Film production is a hectic process that involves the use of numerous techniquesin order to enhance the communication objectives of films and their producers. The different employment of the unique features helps distinct films besides enhancing the difference in the plots. Films have specific storylines, which are the major feature that differentiates them hereby portraying the uniqueness and originality in two or more films. Besides the storyline, that follows a strategic narrative structure, film producers infuse numerous other film production techniques in order to enhance the effectiveness of the films, film producers employ numerous emblements including lighting, camera movement, transitions and editing features among many others in order to portray each film as both unique and original (Nelmes, 2003). The discussion below thus analyses the difference in the structures of two films; Harry Potter and The Avengers by analyzing the difference in both the storylines and the unique film production techniques the developers of each film employs. This way, the discussion portrays the similarities and difference in the two films. As stated earlier, films have definite story lines often in a form of narration. This refers to the action and series of events that occur in the film. Just with any other type of literary construction, the film must have a definite structure and flow chronologically in a manner that provides a logical flow of ideas and stories. Film narratives thus have characters who must exhibit appropriate characteristics in order to complement the original ideas of the stories. Among the major and equally distinctive features of the two films is their genres, Harry Potter is a series of eight fantasy films and are film adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s novels of the same tittle while The Avengers is a series of comical films. Fantasy films just as the name suggests are films based on imaginary stories (Serkis, 2003). The author of the novel therefore develops imaginary stories a feature that requires effective construction of conflicts in a logical manner. Logical conflicts help validate the storyline thus enhancing the satisfaction of the audience. The avengers on the other hand is a comical film, this implies that the films main objective is to cause humor. The storyline of the two films thus differ since each strives to achieve different objectives. While The Avengers strives to humor, Harry Potter strives to convenience the audience of the logical nature of the hyperbolic narrative. The Harry Potter’s narrative is an imaginary with the developers adopting a unique science fictional format. The Avengers begins with heightened conflict as the imaginary characters Loki and the Other both of who are leaders of different factions present their views thus interest (Hjort, 2001). The action packed beginning is an essential technique that the developers of the film employ in order to engage their audience from the beginning. It helps engage the audiences by building a logical conflict that will help sustain the flow of the narrative. In doing so, the developers ensure that the differences arise from logical differences in the personalities and backgrounds of the two characters. This way, the conflict arises naturally in the narrative. The unique imaginary feature exhibited by the developers of the Avengers manifests itself in the fictional Harry Potter. The developers introduce Harry Potter as an orphaned boy living with his unfriendly Uncle and Aunt. Just as is valid in the Avengers, the introduction of Harry Potter does not only introduce the characters but also introduces the conflicts as the developers validate the social composition of their imaginary societies. Harry Potter learns of the heinous murder of his parents at the age of eleven. He also learns that he is a wizard and therefore begins his first year at a school of witchcraft to perfect his art. The developers introduce unique issues in the two films all of which they strive to validate by the strategic employment of the different film production techniques. Characterization is a fundamental film development future that every film developers consider. As explained earlier, the appropriateness of a character to the particular roles in a film enhances the success of the film. The renowned developers of the two films exhibit an understanding of this as they scout and employ the best professional characters in the market. Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson among many others. The professional characters fit their different roles perfectly thus contributing to the film’s success. They exhibit the natural characters of the imaginary Harry Potter among many other characters in the film. This way, they contribute to the originality of the film. The same applies to The Avengers, which stars Robert Downey, Jr. as the Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers the Captain America and Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner the Hulk among many others. The effectiveness of the characters helps present the film naturally besides enhancing the comical genre of the film. Narratives in films refer to the sequential flow of action and events in the film. Just as with the narrative in literary development, the developers of film employ distinct literary techniques in composing their narratives, key among such techniques that the developers of both The Avengers and Harry Potter employ are suspense. This refers to a unique style in which the scriptwriters develop heightened conflicts but leave such unresolved with the promise of resolving them in other parts of the film. This heightens the interest of the audience who continues to watch the films with the view of watching the solution of the conflicts in subsequent plots. The two are serial films a feature that requires heightened yet equally logical conflicts. In Harry Potter for example, the developers introduces the young Potter living with his mean uncle and aunt. They do not explain this bizarre living arrangement until later in the film when half-giant Rubeus Hagrid visits to inform him of the demise of his parents. This further heightens the suspense as Harry Potter strives to perfect his skills in witchcraft with the view of avenging his parents’ death. The developers of the Avengers employ similar technique as he introduces different conflicts but do not resolve them in order to evoke the audience’s concentration. Just as suspense sustains readership in literature so does it sustain viewership in films. Besides the developers of the two films, employ other different production features and techniques including the set design. In film production, the set refers to the stage where the action takes place. The design of the set for the two films differed owing to the difference in their genres thus plot. The placement of the Avengers is in the contemporary modern American society. This required the developers to design the set uniquely in order to fit the features required by the action. The principle photography of the Avengers began in state of New Mexico before extending to other parts of the country. The set designers thus developed strategic sets for each scene in order to sustain the chronological flow of action in the film. In designing the set, the developers consider the specific features of the narrative thereby selecting and designing the set appropriately. Other areas that constituted the film’s set included the East Ninth Street in Cleveland Ohio and the Park Avenue in New York. Designing the set in Harry Potter was more difficult than in the Avengers owing to the structure of the film. The fictional film required a fictional setting a feature that influenced the strategic construction of the numerous sets in strategic locations. However, most sets in the film were in the studio. This required the developers to design and reconstruct the studio sequentially in order to sustain the flow of action in the narrative. Among the first sets in the film constructed in the studio was the Great Hall of Hogwarts. In designing the set, the developers of the film followed the structure and design of the Hall of Christ Church located in Oxford, England. The production designer of the film, Stuart Craig considered the action and the narrative of the film thus designing effective sets. However, since films just as any other element of art is a representation of the society, Craig admitted that he gained most of his inspiration in the set designs from the existing features of the society such as the Hall of Christ Church among other iconic features that befit the action in the film. Effective set designs complement the action in the film thus enhancing the sequential flow of action. This requires creativity that must represent the uniqueness of the film. The design of the different sets in the two films thus help place the films in different societies thus portraying the difference between the films. Cinematography is a compounded topic in film production that refers to the different features of the actual film. The use of cameras help capture the action in the set, however, the effectiveness of camera images relies on numerous factors that are elements of cinematography. The developers of the two films portrayed understanding of the factors that influence the effectiveness of photography. Such factors as lighting, camera movement and camera angles are fundamental in the development of the film since they enhance the communication attributes of the different scenes in a film. While the primary objective of light is to illuminate the stage, light performs other communication roles that enhance the effectiveness of the film. Light for example communicates the time. The type of illumination of a scene readily creates the ambiance of either daytime or night. Additionally, light helps create the ambiance of openness as in outdoor events or in enclosures. The developers of the two films thus use light differently but with the view of enhancing the clarity of the films’ communication. They lit the different scenes appropriately thereby portraying the different illusions that they seek. As discussed earlier, numerous scenes in the Avengers are shot in the streets; the developers thus relied on the natural light of the day and must portray this in the film. Most scenes in Harry Potter on the other hand are created in studios. This requires effective lighting in order for the film to portray the numerous lighting features. By manipulating the lighting of the film effectively, the developers do not only display their genius in film development but also enhances the effectiveness of the films. Directors of photography in the two films worked in collaboration with other directors in order to enhance the success the two films enjoy. Among the features they consider in photography are color contrasts and lighting. This implies that the costume designers must portray their understanding of color combination in order to enhance the contrast of the colors. This way, the resultant film is seamless. Camera movements, camera shots and variation of camera angles are yet other important features that contribute to the effectiveness of photography. Camera shots for example help portrays the nature of both the set and the characters thereby communicating varied details required in particular scenes. Directors of photography vary the numerous shots in order to add diversity in the films (Hammond & Scull, 1995). A long shot for example establishes a shot while a close up helps portray the details in a scene. The developers of the two films portrayed effective understanding of the different techniques as they vary the different camera shots and angles thereby making conspicuous particular features of a shot. Such strategic features help enhance communication in films. Editing is an essential postproduction operation in film production that seeks to eliminate errors besides infusing diversity in the film. Editors work alongside other major stakeholders in film development as they eliminate errors using effective video editing tools. Photographers take numerous shots of the different scenes that the editors thus fuse effectively in order to develop a seamless piece of the same quality (Hjort, 2005). The two films employed numerous film developers who succeeded in eliminating all the errors from the scenes. In the development of both scenes, the developers infuse graphics to the natural raw feed at strategic parts in order to enhance the plot. The unification of different shots requires the use of appropriate transitions. The editors ensure this this thereby contributing to the diversity in the film. Transition is the change from one scene or shot to another. The editors of the two films use such techniques as swipe, fade in, cut and wipe out among others in strategic parts of the film thus enhancing the quality of the film by sustaining diversity. In a summary, the development of a film is an all-inclusive process that requires the collaborative effort and contribution of different professionals. The developers of both the Avengers and Harry Potter portray this as they develop every episode of the serial films. The developers employ different techniques in the creation of the two films a feature that contribute to some of the difference and similarities discussed above. The use of music for example heightens suspense in a film besides contributing to the development of appropriate ambiance in the films. The two films have different soundtracks that fit the numerous settings. Alan Silvestri composed songs for the Avenger while John Williams alongside other artists composed for Harry Potter. The films use numerous other effective visual effects that enhance their effectiveness. References Hammond, W. & Scull, C. (1995). J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Hjort, M. (2001). "Susanne Bier." The Danish Directors: Dialogues on a Contemporary National Cinema. Ed. Mette Hjort and Ib Bondebjerg. Oxford: OUP. Hjort, M. (2005). Small Nation: Global Cinema: The New Danish Cinema. Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press. Nelmes, J. (2003). An introduction to film studies. London [u.a.: Routledge. Serkis, A. (2003). Gollum: How we made Movie Magic. New York: Harpercollins. Read More