To further study neo-noir and to research visual sources for my film poster I looked at photography, another art form than film.
Murder My Sweet (1944)
Laura (1944)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Sources: http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/film_noir.html
ROBERT FRANK:
Frank was born in Zürich, Switzerland, is an important figure in American photography and film.
His most notable work, the 1958 photobook titled The Americans, was influential, and earned Frank comparisons to a modern-day de Tocqueville for his fresh and skeptical outsider's view of American society.
Frank later expanded into film and video and experimented with compositing and manipulating photographs. Frank's first film "Pull My Daisy" (1959) was a short film and was narrated by Jack Kerouac.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pull_My_Daisy
http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/the-photography-of-robert-frank-the-americans-50th-anniversary-tribute/
WEEGEE:
Weegee was the pseudonym of Arthur Fellig, an American photographer and photojournalist. He is known for street photography of crime scenes or emergencies.
"Booked on suspicion of killing a policeman"
Weegee worked in the Lower East Side of New York City as a press photographer during the 30′s and 40′s, and he developed his signature style by following the city’s emergency services and documenting their activity.
"The critic"
"Woman with a broken umbrella"
Much of his work depicted unflinchingly realistic scenes of urban life, crime, injury and death. Weegee published photographic books and also worked in cinema, initially making his own short films and later collaborating with film directors such as Jack Donohue and Stanley Kubrick.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weegee
NEO-NOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
ALEX PRAGER:
Alex Prager is an LA-based photographer who is famous for her unusual photography.
Prager was born in Los Angeles and Prager’s personal experiences have given her insight into several walks of life. In her teens, the artist worked a variety of jobs—from selling knives in Switzerland to working at a carwash. It was only after attending living photography legend William Eggleston's show at the Getty that Prager set out on a self-taught course in photography. “I was really moved by his work," Prager reflects. "I didn’t really understand why because I was just looking at something so seemingly ordinary.”
In 2010, Prager wrote and directed a short film entitled "Despair".
Prager says that when she is exploring new ideas for her photography, she considers the concept of an emotion rather than a particular plot. This is how she filmed her short film "Despair", as she originally wanted to show a continuation of a photograph, which was created upon the emotion of despair. Prager further said, "And from there colours and shapes make out or mould this emotion... I look at the film more as a moving picture, or a series of moving pictures".
This unusual approach to constructing photography can be translated to my film poster task. The inception of the image of my film poster could be based upon an emotion I intend to imploy to the audience and not the plot. Once established, I would brainstorm colours and shapes which are associated with a particular emotion and their connotations.
This approach to an art form can also be applied to my short film. Prager explained that inspiration for her photography does not only originate from other photographers but also musicians, painters and film makers. Expanding, she said, "When I'm coming up with different ideas in my studio and I have certain kind of music on, then it also kind of moves me to a certain emotion" and feels she gets "an emotional impact" through her work.
Below is an interview with Alex Prager where she discusses her beginnings with photography and her influences.
HELEN K. GARBER:
Helen K. Garber is an American photographer known mostly for her black and white urban landscapes of cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Paris, Amsterdam and Venice.
Her images are in the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum, Museum of the City of New York, Portland Art Museum, Yale University and the George Eastman House.
Mario Testino:
Mario Testino is a Peruvian fashion photographer. Although he is not usually associated with film noir photography, some of his photography appears to be influenced by film noir. Similar to the way in which Alex Prager conveys emotions, Testino appears to do this also in his work; the emotion is a more prominent element of the photograph than the clothing.
Above, Madonna is wearing a simple shirt - nothing which is particularly fashionable - and looking directly at the camera. With the addition of biting her thumb, the viewer can connote that a feeling of fragility is being portrayed.
Jessica Simpson is looking out the window - this is clear as this is the source of light in the photograph - with a facial expression which conveys sadness and a longing for something in the outside world. This portrayal of a desire for escapism and sadness is also portrayed in the photos of Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga and Kate Moss below. This emotion strongly contrasts with the setting of the photographs and their fashionable clothing, which presents the celebritys more humanely and relatable.
In addition to his fashion photography, Testino has published seven books of his work and edited one other dedicated to contemporary art and artists from his native Peru. He has had many successful exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Testino
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