Sadness can be converted into both ambition and anger. Sadness at times defines love, loss and the relationship between life and death. Most characters are better off with some sort of weak point, and I don't mean something that is easily summon able. I mean something that needs well planned maneuvers, unpredictability and great timing to create. This time, I am going to go with an example from the shield. The tv series. Two characters, one who is the boss of a gang called the one niners and the captain of the Farmington police district. Antwon is the gang member.
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Antwon: Because just like you he had shit on me! You had to know it. Your boyfriend cheated that evidence. So what does it make him, huh? You for knowing?
Captain: Do you wanna talk about indiscretions? Secrets in the dark? How about when you where a kid? 13, 14? Fat, not very popular. Burying your head under the covers to drown out the screams of your baby sister. Your 6 year old sister that your daddy raped night after night. You could not stop it could you? too much of a coward to confront your old man, but not your mama. She emptied two loads of buckshot into his gut. So daddy's dead, baby sister's in the psych ward and your mama is doing life in chino. All because you couldn't come out from under the covers, but, oh, boy you are making up for it now. Yeah, you're real street tough. You’re a gangster, full of cop-killing rage, but you are still too much of a coward to save your own son...... Cuff him.
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Even the worst of antagonists have their feelings, at least in the sense of humanity. Praying on a weakness by dialogue can produce some very interesting results. This is an example on how even someone who is very tough gets cracked. Not so that he spills open, but that it creates a dimension of weakness that can be opened if done so correctly. Having a weakness does not mean it is easily summon able. It does however mean that the character can add more depth to the story. Some characters are more easy to break than others, but 99% of the time it is good to let someone have a weakness.
Sadness corresponds in music, dialogue and environmental tones. It can affect different characters in different ways. Don't forget that the audience also are more or less experienced when it comes to cinematography. If something is off, they will notice even though they are not professionals. The movie industry is one that has a target audience where the majority has seen a ton of great movies, so it's no use trying to convince them with something that is half done. They will either fall asleep, turn off the tv or change the channel. If one gets all the elements right, then one can create an aura of sadness that affects the show in different ways. Depending on what the result one wishes to create.
In about a week or so I will try to go through some of my cinematography philosophy in greater detail. Hopefully by then it will be easier to illustrate what I am talking about. Until then, this example here serves as a single pointer.
Hey! Nice post. It's all true. I can especially relate to music in movies. You can notice if the composer or producer has done a great job in scoring if you never notice the music in the first place because everything seemes to fit so well.
SvarSlett