Project 3 QT from Joe Aquino on Vimeo.

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When I went to the museum of the moving image, my favorite section was probably the special effects.  Ever since I was a little kid, I have always been interested in how they make movies and seeing the displays and reading what they were used for was amazing.  What I really liked about the section is they didn't only have pieces from newer movies, they had puppets and other pieces from older movies when the technology wasn't as advanced.  To be honest I liked looking at the older pieces more than the newer because it really shows the kind of imagination you needed in order for the scene to work.  For example with the Freddy Krueger sweater, they made an oversized replica to fit actually people in so there heads can move out of it to create such a terrifying scene.  If that scene was done today, the makers of the film would've probably used technology instead of thinking outside of the box to get the job done.  Another section of the museum that I really found fascinating were the tiny replicas and models of the set for the film.  They had 3D models of the entire set for the movie so they can have a clear understanding on how to block the scene.  Once again in modern times people can make models on there computers, but then they would make an actual model.  What I learned was that some film makers still use those 3D models instead of having everything on their computer.  For me personally it was easier to look at them in model form than if I was to see them on a computer screen.

Soundwalk

Everyday when I go to school, I walk to my local train station without any music playing.  I live in Westchester, New York, which is a lot different compared to the city.  When I'm walking, I listen to neighbors talking to one another, I hear birds chirping, the wind blowing, it is very peaceful.  This is why I don't listen to my music on the way to the train station because as soon as I get into the city, I can't even hear myself think.  The train ride into the city is usually the time where I can actually enjoy my music.  When I get off the train, it turns into total chaos, but the sounds are so real and fast past that it is entertaining if you actually listen.  Going through the subway at Grand Central to get on the 6 train uptown, there is always someone playing live music, hearing people having their own conversations and living their own lives, cars honking at each other and screeching, they are the sounds of shear craziness, but it's what makes the city so great.  After a while you learn to tone down or even ignore the sounds, but taking one second to let everything in was really great.  There are so many layers in the city that all the sounds put together create the orchestra or the background music for New York City.

I have always been a fan of Quentin Tarantino but when I saw the movie Reservoir Dogs, my love for his movies grew so much greater.  One of my favorite scenes in the movie has always been when Mr. Blonde, played by Michael Madsen, dances to the song Stuck in the Middle with You, by Stealers Wheel.  I thought the audio during this scene is absolutely phenomenal.  What I really enjoy about the audio in this scene is the fact that the music is all diegetic.  When Mr. Blonde turns on the radio and starts listening to the background music, that music playing is in the world of the film which makes it diegetic sound.  I feel that the music was chosen perfectly because it shows how psychotic Mr. Blonde really is.  Later in this scene the camera moves away from Mr. Blonde and the cop that he is torturing so the audience can't see what is going on, but you can hear the screams and the agony the police officer is going through which gives the audience an idea of what is going on.  I think this was edited beautifully because sometimes the audience doesn't have to actually see what is going on, and sometimes it is more dramatic.  The way this scene was filmed was very simple, which is why it is so dramatic.  Tarantino didn't make this movie with the largest budget, which affected the way it was filmed.  The cinematography in Reservoir Dogs is not very complicated, which enhances the skills of the actors in the film.