Finding Visual Techniques - Life is Beautiful

key words/focus:
camera angle (low, high, eye-level), vectors, lighting, composition

(4:20) How are camera angles used when Joshua says 'Thank you' (not in German)? Which angles are used to view each of the characters? What does each of these angle signify?
The use of a high angle shot of Joshua represents his lack of power and strength in the situation. The Low angle of the German waiter shows the distribution of power within the room (showing the German waiter has more power)
(4:45) What shot distance and angle is used to show Guido's concern for Joshua when the German waiter leaves the room? Describe the composition)
Eye level shot with a medium distance  to show his concern for Joshua.
(4:46) How is shot of Guido contrasted to the shot of the German waiter walking away to tell someone what has just happened? Describe the composition and compare it to the previous shot of a concerned Guido.
The use of symmetry in the hallway with geometric shapes on the hallway the German waiter walks down to is juxtaposed to the asymmetrical shot of Guido with a looking concern this represents the lack of control that Guido and his emotions.
(5:02-05) How is the shot of the German's contrasted to that of Guido teaching the children to say 'Thank You'?
The long shot of Guido teaching the children show how disorderly this is also shown in physical structure of the Nazis being straight and rigid compared to Guido who is bending down. The children are shown with Guido juxtaposed to the Nazis who are in the scene alone this represents the distribution of power. The movement that Guido uses juxtaposed to how the Germans who move little while talking to the children show the lack of empathy towards the children.

Heroes and Villains in Life is Beautiful

Describe what is happening in this scene.


Guido is describing the camp rules by 'translating' the rules form German to Italian even though Guido does not speak German. He volunteered to to this to create the game for his son. This scene depicts the German rules and creates humour through the use of Juxtaposition of the harsh German language to the flowing Italian.

Who are the heroes and villains in this scene? Why are they heroes and villains?


The heroes in this scene would be Guido as he is creating the game for his son and standing against the Germans who are depicted as being the villains. The Germans are depicted as being the villains as they are associated with dark colours of their uniform, harshness of their voice and the feeling of them being in omnipotent control over the Jews.

For the hero/es and villain/s, describe techniques used in this shot which highlight their opposing role and how they connect with the audience.


The use of the harsh sounding sounds from the German officer creates a sense of control over the Jews. The low lighting in the scene creates a gloomy dirty atmosphere within the scene emphasising the conditions that the Jews are living in this allows the audience to feel compassion towards the Jews. The juxtaposition used in the language between the German harsh words compared to the flowing Italian language highlights the German's strictness and power over the Jews this creates even more compassion towards the Jews. Guiodo's 


HW: How do the characters in 'Life is Beautiful' represent an engaging and unique presentation of the Holocaust experience?


'Life is Beautiful' represents an engaging and unique presentation by taking the view of Joshua by highlighting his childhood innocence. This childhood innocence is represented by the game created by his father which highlights his innocence of Joshua as the audience sees the irony of what Joshua does and how his father creates this game.


'Life is Beautiful' represents an engaging and unique presentation of the holocaust through the representation of the characters. Guido is an interesting as a Hero as he is represented as being weak and scrawny by the way he stands when he is translating for the German guards. This representation of Guido makes him into a different and interesting Hero as he does not follow the standard conventions of Heroes but is seen as a Hero because of him standing up against the oppression of the Germans by creating the game that Joshua follows.


The subtle use of shapes and lighting when associated with characters further increases the engagement the film produces with the audience. This sue of lighting and shapes when associated with characters makes the audience link certain characters with feelings. This is best shown in the translation scene where the Germans are represented as being well uniformed and disciplined juxtaposed to the Jews who are seen in a mess in the camp. The subtle use of placing the Germans in the doorway represents how the Jews were trapped in the camp and what was keeping there were the Nazis.


'Life is Beautiful' represents an engaging and unique presentation of the holocaust by taking the view of Joshua by highlighting his childhood innocence. This is shown throughout the film as he follows the game his father creates this game highlights his innocence of the havoc that was around him.


'Life is Beautiful' creates an engaging and unique presentation of the holocaust as it highlights the childhood innocence. This unusual thesis of the movie creates a unique film about the holocaust and emphasises the atrocities that had taken place around these characters.

Holocaust Unit: Key Question and 'Life is Beautiful'

What is a tragedy?

A tragedy is a play or movie that touches on evocative messages. Often tragedy's end with an 'unhappy' or unpleasant ending.


How is Life is Beautiful a tragedy?

Life is Beautiful focuses on the holocaust and the deaths of millions and towards the end of the movie the meaning of the movie becomes more dark towards the final part where Guifdo is murdered.


Could it also be a comedy?

Life is Beautiful could be a comedy as it has some comedic elements but these comedic elements highlight the deaths of the holocaust and adds a larger impact to the audience.


What is a villain? What is a hero? What is a victim? Give examples of each both from real life and from fiction.
Who are the villains, victims and heroes?

Villains are considered to be people who have committed a crime or that are punishable. Examples would be Hitler and the ideologies of the Germans as highligted in the movie.
A victim is a person who has been harmed injured or killed as of a result of a crime or accident victims usually are the people most effected but did not start the conflict. Examples, Bystanders harmed in riots and in the movie the Jewish people.
A Hero is regarded as legend or person who shows examples of selflessness for the greater good. It is often related to being against an evil power or villain. Examples would be in the film would be the Americans or Guido, a person who defends their country

What value do each of these characters play in the movie? What role do they play in the plot? What role do they play in connecting the movie to history? What role do they play in evoking a reaction from the audience? (List the important characters in the movie and label them as either villains or heroes. Then, in dot points, list the important role they play in regards to plot, history, and to the audience.)

Guido should be considered as being a main character and both a victim and a hero as he creates the game which his son follows. This game Guido creates evokes a positive response by providing a comic relief upon the audience but also highlights the historical facts of the atrocities created by the Nazis. Through Guido's mocking of the German highlights the outlandish the behaviour of the Nazi party.


Joshua is the central character throughout the film he is a victim as he is persecuted for being Jewish. Through the use of long shots Joshua is portrayed as being a small and insignificant character because he was overlooked by all the Nazis. He represents innocence and childishness and the audience is able to sympathise with him. His role as a young Jewish boy relates to history as being an inferior race.


The Americans are portrayed as being Heroes at the end of the film through the use of patriotic music and the waving of the American flag. This is as they are able to liberate the Jews similar how historically the Americans defeated the Germans in World War 2. The American soldier placing his helmet on Joshua's head represents his acceptance and of the Jewish peoples' liberation.


The Germans are portrayed as villains because throughout the second part of the film they held the family captive. They are associated with dark colours and ominous music so the audience fears and resents them. The concentration camps in the film are historically accurate and the violence and brutality of the Nazis let the audience know about the truth of the concentration camps.

Notes

Skilful interpretation of the question and use of language features, form, and structure to craft an exposition

• Exposition is explanatory
• Take a side/ position/ opinions
• Argument -> Thesis
• Form
• Examples

Evaluates how the text sustains or challenges established cultural assumptions

• Cultural Assumptions
• Natural inclinations about how we view the world
• Controlling information and therefore fear
• The fear of the unknown or of the other cultures (xenophobia)
• Fear of death
• Fear of conflict
• Fear of the apocalypse
• Failure

Analyses the composer's choice of languages modes, forms and features and structures to shape meanings

Thesis/i

The fear of not being superior to the buggers propels the human race to unite to form one unified world.
The fear of failure propels Graff to force Ender into isolation to create a better leader to defeat the buggers.
The fear of the unknown and lack of power propels the human race to destroy the bugger race

Time line

Assessment Task Notes

Science Fiction
genre
conventions
technology
other worlds
...
Progress
Technological
species
live on other planets
human capabilities
societal progress
internet
Propelled
Pushing forward