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Introdução
Neste projeto propus-me a realizar uma análise em profundidade ao género Neo-Noir e a
expor essa mesma pesquisa sob forma de vídeo. Sendo assim um dos objetivos da
exposição deste projeto é: dar a conhecer este género de cinema de uma forma mais
lúdica, onde não só o “espectador” mas eu mesmo irei estar a aprender, sem retirar o seu
aspeto mais dirigido para o entretenimento.
Filmes assistidos e analisados dentro do género:
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Prazos pensados para a execução:
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Guião utilizado para dar voz à personagem:
A detective is hired by a wealthy family to solve a case. A woman spy that needs to monitor
her Nazi friends. There is murder, blood, love and possible “kidnappings”. These are the
Noir plotlines of “Notorious” (1946) and “The Big Sleep” (1946). What would happen if Noir
was “revived” in today’s century?
Neo-Noir would happen.
The whole premise of the Noir, at surface level, goes around crime and mystery types of
narratives. Usually at the beginning of the film a question is set. A question along the lines
of “Who killed Captain Alex?” or “Who’s conducting the crime wave downtown?”. The
mystery, the question left in the air is only solved at the end of the film.
The protagonists are usually violent or related to violent and dangerous backgrounds, and
no, not all of them have a Bruce Wayne background, but usually anti-heroes, the
protagonists have some sort of conflicted idea of what is right or wrong, often alienated
from society with a fatalistic outlook on life. They also exhibit an existential acceptance of
random, arbitrary occurrences as being the determining factors in life.
Other narrative tools used are, for example, the voice-over narrators which are by Paul
Haake, a “melancholic voice-over” as means of “communicating memories of violence, loss,
and guilt through first-person narrative discourse”. Which is different from the “voices in
film, radio. and literature”.
The traumas of World War II and the Great Depression are a big explanation of how we can
find character and style archetypes since most of the films are a representation (being it
direct or metaphorical) of the historical context.
The femme fatale was also a big part of Noir, with the sexual, social and ideological unrest.
The main goal of this archetype of character, was for example, to be part of a romance with
the protagonist or to assist murders by making use of her sexuality. The Big Sleep (1946),
Point Blank (1967), and Something Wild (1986) are examples of films that have this
particular “narrative tool”.
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Visually, the genre used a particular painting technique, Chiaroscuro. Basically chiaroscuro is
an italian technique in painting that means a sharp contrast between light and dark. Citizen
Kane (Orson Welles, 1941) is a fine example of its use. With faces that are enveloped in
shadows and night scenes that are all manipulated with planned lighting.
As time went forward, Hollywood diluted the notion of the film noir by extensive marketing
and “mainstreaming” attempts, by labeling the films as “thrillers”, “mystery thrillers”, along
with other genres that fit into the psychological theme.
Its modern counterpart is the, aptly named, “Neo-Noir”.
Neo-Noir is a very expansive genre that comes from “Noir”. From Ridley’s Scott Blade
Runner to David Fincher’s Se7en, they are aesthetically a completely different movie but,
regardless of that at their very core, they are both considered a Neo-Noir movie.
Why? How?
Just like Riz Ahmed said in an interview: (...)
By other words, “Neo-Noir” can be considered the “Noir” in modern day aesthetics/visuals
and context. You can see it as a today's date version of it, but don’t mistaken it by a genre
that completely obsoletes its original roots.
Although it’s not always the case, there is a new narrative tool that is how the protagonist’s
journey ends. Which usually is in a bittersweet ending.
As we watch these films we get familiarized with a dark side of the characters, there even
are cases where the context of society itself, the grim reality where they live affect their
personality. It’s not always a path for redemption.
Sometimes, our anti-hero will follow on his path to damnation and self-corruption.
Conscious, or Unconsciously. Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn is an example of a one way
ticket ride to perdition, where his coat symbolizes the psychological degradation of the
Driver.
Or let’s grab the example of Nightcrawler by Dan Gilroy. Where Louis Bloom (the
protagonist) has the ambition of going up in life through journalism. Through the movie we
get to know the length and the true colors of our anti-hero which ends in a very sour note.
With no punishment at all and a very disturbed feeling inside of our heads.
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Another big characteristic is the world building and what are its consequences on both the
protagonist and the characteristics people around him. In most of the movies that fit into
the genre, the reality lived by the characters pulls them into a rabbit hole that eventually
will affect them directly or indirectly, positively or negatively.
In Laeta Kalogridis’ Altered Carbon series, you can see this perfectly. The crushing reality of
a super corporate capitalist society, where there are high concentrations of private wealth.
As a big consequence the world itself has a huge inequality, excessive materialism and so
on.
Right on the first episode of Altered Carbon. The director chose to invest not only on
exposing the protagonist but also to demonstrate the reality where he is currently living in.
In the first 10 minutes, it is shown a 13 year old girl that was brought back to life in the
body of a 40 year old biker, hugging her 80 year old grandmother in a young woman’s
body. It’s a perfect way to immediately address the extreme drawbacks of this archetype of
society.
In David Fincher’s films there’s a huge attention given to the color, lighting, camera
movement and so on. For instance, in nighttime scenes, usually it’s tinted to an
unsaturated yellow that gives you an uncomforting feel.
If the scene is dipped in yellow, and most of the characters are dressed in tones of yellow
and green while one of them is dressed in a blue suit. The blue suit will stand out like a
thumb. “Gone Girl” is a prime example.
The point of investing highly on the pure raw aesthetics of the film, is to push forward and
further enhance that something is unsettling. That something just doesn’t feel right. Be it
the anti-hero, the world around him or both.
And this feeling we get, is indeed (but not always) something that comes glued to a
Neo-Noir movie.
The main point is that there are so many diverse aesthetics used, so many choices done in
all departments, from the soundtracks to the cinematography itself.
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But all in all, Neo-Noir has brought a lot of iconic shots that are praised by fans and even
recognized by movie critics.
Be it, The depressed look on K’s face as he stares into the pink hologram. Be it John Wick
letting hell break loose in a nightclub. The driver walking with a hammer and a bullet in his
hands. Mills having a cigarette while talking to Somerset under the rain.
And that’s a wrap. Neo-Noir is a genre that is expanding more and more, being
experimented more and more all over the world and that successfully is creating more and
more fans.
Also a fun fact, Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "The world is a fine place and worth fighting
for."
(END)
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Experiência de Realização sobre Voice-Acting e toda a produção em geral:
Foi uma grande experiência em termos profissionais. Com trabalho variado em todos os
aspetos. Desde questões de Departamento de Arte, como “qual o design do personagem
que vai ser o porta-voz?”, ou “qual o local onde este está a trabalhar?” a questões relativas
ao próprio mix das vozes. Um “será que uso um De-Esser aqui? Será que há alguma
frequência “chata” na voz do ator que vale a pena equalizar?” e foi um trabalho que se
estendeu por tantos departamentos que me fez pensar no quão interativos ,estas
“divisões” dentro da produção, podem ser até em projetos de menor escala como por
exemplo do meu projeto. Um vídeo lúdico de estética semi-corporativa, de edição.
DaVinci Resolve 16.1 Studio - Montagem, Edição, Correção de Cor e mínima correção de
áudio.
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Referências utilizadas:
● Infographics Show;
● Kurzgesagt;
● Film Riot;
● Studio Binder;
● Diversas entrevistas a vários atores e realizadores.
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Relatório pessoal e auto-avaliação:
Um pouco como disse anteriormente foi um projeto que me deu imenso prazer em ser
feito. Desde a escrita, à direção de um ator de voz, à ragdoll do personagem e à sua devida
animação e posteriormente à montagem.
Apesar de tudo foi um trabalho puxado a suor, sangue e lágrimas que me orgulho imenso
de achar um dos meus melhores trabalhos no que é ao aplicável ao cv. A felicidade que eu
tenho para com este trabalho é de um tamanho do qual não consigo descrever.
E uma vez não tendo havido uma "produção/pós-produção" bem delineada possibilitou um
maior investimento na pré-produção e pesquisa em todos os aspetos do projeto e assim
sendo, consigo sentir e ver qual o impacto dessa pesquisa no que toca à qualidade do
projeto em si.
Foi uma longa viagem, com imensas dificuldades e obstáculos que foram sendo
ultrapassados e agora não resta nem mais nem menos do que um sentimento de
satisfação e de ter atingido o objetivo e a qualidade com que sempre imaginei que o output
efetivamente teve.
Assim sendo e considerando toda a dedicação dada ao projeto, toda a paixão e atenção
dedicada a cada porção do caminho desde a sua pesquisa até à sua concretização,
auto-avalio o meu trabalho entre 17 a 18.
E mais uma vez, um grande Obrigado a todos os que tornaram este projeto possível a este
calibre.
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