Elements of Design: Thor by Kenneth Branagh - Essay Example

Welch was in charge of making sure the costume designer, hair and makeup stylists, director of special effects, and location managers were able to perfectly blend their visions for the sake of the complete vision. If one of the aforementioned elements were out of place, Welch would have been the one to step in and make sure that aspects were properly altered to keep the film true to the vision of the director.

The art director was a combination of talents by Pierre Buffin, Kasra Farahani, Luke Freeborn, Sean Haworth, A. Todd Holland, and Maya Shimoguchi. Their jobs involved assigning tasks to members of the Art Department, who would then follow through accordingly. The art directors also kept track of the art department budget and made sure that construction, special effects tasks, graphics, and the locations department were all on schedule. Anything that required keeping some form of artwork or another on track was tended to by the art directors.

In the “I cast you out” scene from Thor, the way that the artists utilized lighting helps to express fear and uncertainty, as well as anger. In this scene, Thor is cast out of Asgard by his father Odin. The shadows that are cast on Odin’s face by the dim, flickering light in the room evoke anger as he banishes his son. These same shadows appear on Thor’s face, though they convey fear about what is about to take place. As the action unravels, the overall feel of the film is gloomy, which is accomplished in large by the lighting.

The story that the filmmaker is attempting to tell is that Odin is upset by his son’s disobedience, and Thor is nervous about the new life that awaits him. The setting of the film is the mythological Asgard, a place that is overrun by the gods and goddesses of Norse mythology. It is a mystical land with massive golden palaces of the most unique architecture; the very sight of the land screams ethereal. A good portion of the movie also takes place in a modern-day, podunk town of New Mexico. The period is set in the present, and the two cultures are the humans of Earth and the royal gods and goddesses of Asgard.

Costuming can reveal a character’s heritage and culture, as well as their social background and position in society. Costumes can also enhance a character’s personality. In the case of Thor, costumes help to contrast the differences between the humans and the mythological gods; humans wore basic shirts and pants, while the Asgard gods and goddesses wore elaborate outfits and various types of armor. Costuming can reflect elements of the film’s plot by helping to remind viewers of the time and place that the movie is in.

This holds especially true for Thor, which jumps back and forth between a mystical world and the mundane world. By noting the differences between Thor’s and Jane’s clothing, we are reminded of the contrast between the two worlds and the changes that Thor is going through as he adapts to the human world. Hairstyle and makeup have a similar role as costumes. Hairstyle and makeup can give insight into the type of person that a character is. Thor’s hair is long and tidy; Loki’s hair is long and slicked back formally.

Both of these hairstyles suggest professional positions. These are well-kept and clean-cut young men of very fashion-conscious people. The ragged and windswept hair of the humans suggests chaos, which is further reflected as they hurry about trying to solve the mystery of Thor’s presence. The makeup in the film is minimal, which suggests very natural beings, whether gods or humans. The elements of this particular scene worked very well together. The costumes reflected the setting and the position of power that each individual in the scene held.

I also believe that the design elements are congruent with the filmmaker’s vision of the scene. Branagh was aiming for an elaborate location occupied by men of not only high status but legendary status. He wanted to make it known that these men were gods to every extent of the word. Since the scene was an emotional one, Branagh helped to convey this through lighting. Branagh did not have to sacrifice any one aspect to get the look that he wanted for the scene.