Author and filmmaker Steven Benedict has clearly spent a lot of time studying the work of the incomparable Martin Scorsese. And with good reason. Benedict prefaces “The Journeys of Martin Scorsese” with the following thesis, “Not only does [Scorsese’s] cinema explore the human experience; his films expand cinema’s ability to express that experience.” By that, he rightly means that Scorsese is one of those exceptional artists and filmmakers who not only manages to tap genuinely into the complexities, intricacies, and wildly varied emotions in life, but who does so while also adding depth to his chosen art form. Benedict’s 'Journeys' is a circumspect and studious look at the director’s body of work and influences. Now, considering “The Journeys of Martin Scorsese” is about, obviously, Scorsese, you might find yourself surprised to quickly recognize shots from a number of non-Scorsese films early into the video. Benedict includes shots from...
- 9/30/2015
- by Zach Hollwedel
- The Playlist
When Gordon Willis passed away last May at the age of 82, it was hard not to look back and marvel at the man’s long and illustrious career. He was the cinematographer behind such films as “The Godfather” trilogy, “All the President’s Men,” and “Annie Hall.” The man helped define the look and feel of 1970s American cinema. His bold creative choices and fruitful collaborations made him a favorite of directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Alan J. Pakula, and Woody Allen. And now, thanks to a video essay by Steven Benedict from Press Play, we can get a closer look at just what made Gordon Willis such a special Dp. Not a word is spoken in this 8-minute video. Instead, Benedict lets the images do the talking. The video selects specific images from nearly every single film Willis worked on, from “Klute” back in 1971 to “The Devil’s...
- 4/1/2015
- by Ken Guidry
- The Playlist
Last spring Filmmaker Iq took us through the history of movie trailers from all the way back in 1913, but this time it's Steven Benedict giving us a more in-depth look at the evolution of the integral piece of movie marketing. Benedict has put together a video essay called American Trailers, and as you may have guessed, it focuses on just the evolution of trailers in the United States. It's just under 20 minutes, and it examines the function of movie trailers, beyond more than what we already know, and also how they've been used throughout the history of cinema. So if you've got time, take a journey through movie trailer history. Here's American Trailers, a video essay from Steven Benedict (via The Playlist): As the video's Vimeo page explains, "This extended video-essay charts the origins, development and possible future of the trailer in American cinema. Beginning in 1912, moving through to...
- 2/17/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
For a couple of years, I wanted to be a movie trailer editor. There's an art to cutting a trailer, and there's something amazing about seeing a perfectly crafted one that conjures excitement and anticipation without giving away the entire film. Eventually my love for writing about film and television overtook my desire to edit trailers, but I still love that rare sensation of seeing the perfect trailer. (The one for Cloud Atlas stands out as a recent example of one of my favorites.)
The Playlist points us to a video essay from Steven Benedict that tracks the evolution of film trailers throughout the years, from the very first movie advertisements all the way up to the proliferation of red-band trailers. It's an interesting watch, and certainly contains information that I didn't know before. Check it out and let us know what you think.
The Playlist points us to a video essay from Steven Benedict that tracks the evolution of film trailers throughout the years, from the very first movie advertisements all the way up to the proliferation of red-band trailers. It's an interesting watch, and certainly contains information that I didn't know before. Check it out and let us know what you think.
- 2/16/2015
- by Ben Pearson
- GeekTyrant
Film advertising has changed dramatically since the birth of cinema. While early films traveled through the country and relied on flyers and word of mouth, nowadays we have promoted tweets and website ad banners. The single best signifier of how far the film industry has come is in the evolution of trailers throughout the decades. Focusing on that evolution is a new video essay from Steven Benedict called “American Trailers.” Running just under twenty minutes, Benedict’s video essays deconstructs what trailers are and what function they served through the history of cinema. It starts with the first film poster ever – 1895’s “L’Arroseur Arrosé” – and ends with what is arguably the best non-“Star Wars” trailer from last year. It’s as an exhaustive look at the art form – and it is an art form – as you can watch for free. Watch Benedict’s “American Trailers” below.
- 2/13/2015
- by Cain Rodriguez
- The Playlist
Steven Benedict has created a fascinating little video essay exploring the characters and themes of the films from Joel and Ethan Coen as the characters banter across films exploring what Benedict refers to as the "Coens' dominant concerns: identity, miscommunication and morality." My only wish is that he had cut the music after John Turturro's Pete Hogwallup from O Brother, Where Art Thouc says, "That don't make no sense." It comes almost right at the minute mark and sort of offers a perfect turning point in the video. A small criticism, it just seemed like the music could have shifted from that moment forward, but otherwise this is a pretty impressive bit of work. Beyond what true glimpse into exploring the work of the Coens it offers, just how long it must have taken alone is impressive and entertaining. Just another reminder of how weird, wacky, dark and disturbing...
- 2/6/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
We're going to have to wait until 2016 to see the next effort from the Coen Brothers, the star-studded, classic Hollywood-era comedy "Hail, Caesar!" And while you could spend that time catching up with their extensive filmography, you may not have the time for the fifteen plus movies in their catalogue. So here's the next best thing. Steven Benedict has put together the pretty nifty "Coen Country" supercut. Running just a shade over five minutes long, it's a cleverly cut look at all the Coen efforts, and it highlights a few recurring motifs in their films — syllable challenging character names; existential worry; protagonists caught up in situations way over their heads — while matching back and forth dialogue and scenes from different movies into a pretty seamless watch. Check it out below.
- 2/6/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
I think it’s safe to say that director Alfred Hitchcock has inspired a hell of a lot of directors over the years, especially with his style of storytelling and the visual techniques he used to bring his stories and characters to life. Steven Benedict edited together a wonderful video essay that is basically a montage of techniques that Hitchcock used to make his films. Here’s a explanation from the the editor:
This short video-essay examines various themes and techniques Alfred Hitchcock developed throughout his career. Using 40 titles, it includes every feature film Hitchcock made from 1934 right through to his retirement in 1976. Of the several themes on display here (falling, ascending and descending staircases, opening curtains, reading newspapers, poisoning drinks, women's hairstyles, shoes, train compartments, sleeping and dreaming, pulling away from and dollying in on the action, overhead shots and characters looking directly into the camera), there are yet...
This short video-essay examines various themes and techniques Alfred Hitchcock developed throughout his career. Using 40 titles, it includes every feature film Hitchcock made from 1934 right through to his retirement in 1976. Of the several themes on display here (falling, ascending and descending staircases, opening curtains, reading newspapers, poisoning drinks, women's hairstyles, shoes, train compartments, sleeping and dreaming, pulling away from and dollying in on the action, overhead shots and characters looking directly into the camera), there are yet...
- 1/11/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Using 40 movies from almost 40 years of filmmaking, director and author Steven Benedict has stitched together a visual list of Alfred Hitchcock‘s style-securing elements. The stuff he returned to repeatedly. The stuff that made a film, you know, “Hitchcockian.” No sugar or spice, stairs and trains and stabbings are what his movies were made of. There’s no voice over edification here; Benedict allows the raw juxtaposition (and the sheer number) of the images make the statement. The editing here is beautiful, gracefully creating a sense that we’re watching a series of images that were meant to be a singular series instead of snippets from several dozen different movies made a half-century apart. The video is also the latest, best reminder of just how many movies Hitchcock was able to make during his career, and it makes a strong companion to the Rear Window timelapse. Source: IndieWire
"This Supercut Shows The Elements That Hitchcock Shot Again...
"This Supercut Shows The Elements That Hitchcock Shot Again...
- 1/8/2015
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
In a display of ambitious editing, author, filmmaker, and Vimeo user Steven Benedict has compiled a video essay that studies common themes found in Alfred Hitchcock’s work. The essay—which Benedict describes as analyzing “falling, ascending and descending staircases, opening curtains, reading newspapers, poisoning drinks, women's hairstyles, shoes, train compartments, sleeping and dreaming, pulling away from and dollying in on the action, overhead shots and characters looking directly into the camera”—is comprised of clips from the 40 feature films Hitch directed between 1934 and 1976. Watching the essay, Hitchcock’s style and tastes become readily apparent. Fingers grasping for life and slipping. Deadly falls. Knife murders. Eyes. Eyes. Eyes. It’s hard to deny Hitch was inclined toward certain images. We’re not sure “overhead shots” constitutes a theme, so much as a cinematic technique, but Benedict’s point is well made. With over 40 years of Hitchcock films back-to-back, it’s.
- 1/6/2015
- by Zach Hollwedel
- The Playlist
Here is a rather comprehensive look at the visual motifs apparent throughout the formative years of Alfred Hitchcock’s illustrious career, from 1934’s The Man Who Knew Too Much to 1976’s Family Plot. Whether staging action around a staircase or riffing on the illusion of free fall, Hitchcock revisited and realigned techniques from one decade to the next. This compilation from Steven Benedict breaks down the visual grammar of 42 of the filmmaker’s features, stitching together his preferred still images with his swooping camera techniques, including a personal favorite: Gregory Peck’s Pov as he drinks a glass of milk in Spellbound.
- 1/5/2015
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Here is a rather comprehensive look at the visual motifs apparent throughout the formative years of Alfred Hitchcock’s illustrious career, from 1934’s The Man Who Knew Too Much to 1976’s Family Plot. Whether staging action around a staircase or riffing on the illusion of free fall, Hitchcock revisited and realigned techniques from one decade to the next. This compilation from Steven Benedict breaks down the visual grammar of 42 of the filmmaker’s features, stitching together his preferred still images with his swooping camera techniques, including a personal favorite: Gregory Peck’s Pov as he drinks a glass of milk in Spellbound.
- 1/5/2015
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
This following look at Blade Runner isn't entirely ground-breaking, but I particularly enjoyed the commentary on how Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture in the film hints at clues to the narrative. The video's creator, Steven Benedict, clearly was able to pick up on some clues most of us wouldn't be able to pick out without the proper knowledge, and adding any kind of new layer to this film is alright in my book. I do, however, have one little nit to pick over his comment on the eyes, especially as it pertains to Deckard. It's the general consensus that Deckard is a Replicant and all the Replicants eyes glow differently than those of humans, but it's not entirely consistent throughout the film and if I remember correctly Deckard's eyes don't glow, or at least nowhere near as consistently as Roy, Rachael, Pris, et. al. It's been some time since I watched the film,...
- 2/4/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
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