Artistic or Visual Design Assignment

I decided to do my assignment on the movie, "The Wizard of Oz." I thought this movie had lots of visual effects and lighting that changed often.

1. I think the overall set/location is very important to this movie because Dorothy is at her home and then is dropped in the middle of nowhere, into this magical land of munchkins. She was in a place, where she knew everything and how everything worked, and now is suddenly somewhere, where she doesn't have a clue what is going on. Dorothy just wishes she was at home, and home is the most important set that she wants at this point. In the end, Dorothy even asks the wizard to let her go home.

2. I think this film was shot at these sets because it is a Magical land, where it makes you think you are a kid again and realize that everyone really does like home. Even though sometimes kids wish to be in a land with chocolate or fantasy, they don't know what they have until they are gone. Dorothy was familiar with home and that is all she wants.

3. I think the art director is trying to tell everyone that the Wizard of Oz is all about fantasy as you can tell from their costumes. From the lion to the tin man, even to Dorothy's outfit, and the good witch's costume, it is all about happiness and a magical land that a kid might dream about.

4. I believe the lighting for the film was the correct amount. The lighting was both harsh and direct at times, but soft at other times, depending on how Dorothy feels about different things and where she is(at home or in the magical land.) When Dorothy is at home the lighting was soft because Dorothy was happy. But when the storm came along the lighting soon changed to a harsh effect. Also, during sad times during the film it was harsh, such as when the apes came after Dorothy and her friends.

5. I think the Director is trying to tell me that the lighting helps to tell the audience when something good is happening in the movie, as well as when something bad is happening in the movie. Good things have soft and diffused lighting when Dorothy is happy, and bad things have harsh and direct lighting when Dorothy is sad.