Does Presentation Affect Meaning?
By Lydia Breckon
Unfortunately, it appears that Hollywood doesn’t agree with my point of view. Nowadays we value a movie with a lot of famous actors and CGI effects rather than valuing its overall meaning. And even if Brad Pitt isn’t close at hand, Indie films rely on psychedelic camera footage and cinematography to bring in good reviews. Often one is caught up with the presentation rather than focusing on the intentions of the creative piece.
I believe it is possible to create a strong piece of drama with a production value of €50 or less that is better than any generic Hollywood title; proof lies in the growth of art in street drama and on Youtube. I have seen low-budget Shakespeare productions performed in a black costumes on a dark stage that have been more enrapturing than any high budget attempt at the same title.
But maybe I’m wrong about this idea of simplicity. Maybe this degree of minimalism only functions on an intimate level between an actor and a room full of viewable people or a Youtube-user and their viewers. Still, the Oscars are a brilliant representation about how today’s acting society values fame and favourable presentation above all else and how we’d all apparently rather see [insert hot actor/actress here] take their shirt off while we suffer through a terribly written script rather than experience something simple, unique, and wonderful.
Gorgeous cinematography is quite probably what I love most about cinematic pieces and I am often astounded by what a camera can capture. However, as an aspiring actress, I wondered if all the time and money put into the detailed scenery and costumes of this year’s Oscars was taking away from what the actor was trying to offer. Good looks and a decent production team can get you far in the film business, but a good film, in my opinion, should be valued on its content rather than its cinematography. An actor’s ability to portray the intentions and feelings of their character and the script which the author has chosen to write should be the most important elements of a movie.