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The Future Analysing the Film Architecture of Metropolis and Blade

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Back to the Future Analysing the film architecture of Metropolis and Blade Runner by recreating contemporary set designs by Katharina Kühne Summer Semester 2020 Bachelor Thesis BA Interior Design, Berlin International University of Applied Sciences First Advisor: Professor Adrian von Starck Second Advisor: Professor Yüksel Pögün-Zander 3rd of August 2020 2 Contents 1 Introduction 5 2 Film Architecture 7 2.1 The relationship between set design/plot and film architecture/message . 7 2.2 The importance of film architecture . 7 3 Analysis of spatial characteristics 9 3.1 Metropolis . 9 3.1.1 Set 1: Fredersen’s Office . 9 3.1.2 Set 2: Maria’s Church . 11 3.1.3 Set 3: Rotwang’s Laboratory . 13 3.2 Blade Runner . 17 3.2.1 Set 1: Tyrell’s Office . 17 3.2.2 Set 2: Tyrell’s Private Quarters . 21 3.2.3 Set 3: J.F. Sebastian’s Apartment/Laboratory . 23 3.3 Similarities . 25 3.4 Contrast . 25 4 Comparison of visual elements between Blade Runner and Metropolis 27 4.1 The City Scape . 27 4.2 The "New Tower of Babel" . 31 4.3 The Picture Telephone . 33 4.4 The Artificial Intelligence (Robot vs Android) . 35 4.5 The Scientists/Creators . 39 5 Evolution of special effect technology in Film Set Design – from hand made to CGI 41 5.1 Stop Trick/Stop Motion and Miniature . 41 5.2 Debris Camera . 45 5.3 Schüfftan Process . 46 5.4 Matte Painting . 47 5.5 The Picture Telephone . 49 5.6 Multiple Exposure . 51 5.7 CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) . 54 5.8 Retrofitting . 54 3 6 Design Proposal 55 6.1 Fredersen’s Office . 55 6.2 Maria’s Church . 57 6.3 Rotwang’s Laboratory . 58 7 Conclusion 59 4 Chapter 1 Introduction People have always been fascinated by science-fiction, time travel, and the exploration of the unknown. With the development of the medium film, the role of set design in the making of a movie increased in importance. It became more of a focal point in order to support the plot of the movie and create a better understanding for the viewer. This thesis aims to compare and contrast the visualization of one or various probable futures through the means of film architecture and production design by looking at the films Metropolis (1927) and Blade Runner (1982) as well as the evolution of technology in set design and special effects (SFX). Hence, my practical part aims towards developing a set design for a 2020 remake of Metropolis. Methodically, the two films will be analysed in regards of their sets and the special effects, which were used. Additionally, a meticulous study of literature, books, academic expositions and internet research will be conducted and summarized. The thesis structure explains the actual essence of set and production design as well as film architecture. To be able to explain the aspects of production design, three key scenes from Metropolis and Blade Runner are chosen and compared with each other. These set analyses follow a detailed investigation of the most important special effects used in both movies. Taking all these findings into consideration, it is the intention of this work to be able to develop a possible set design for a Metropolis remake. 5 6 Chapter 2 Film Architecture 2.1 The relationship between set design/plot and film architec- ture/message What is the difference between Architecture in Film and Film Architecture? Architecture in Film can simply be explained as films about architecture. The architectural design and/or creation is their main motif. In contrast to Architecture in Film, set design, or Film Architecture, is the overall notion of designing a world, a concept for a scope of action, meaning the plot of a film. 2.2 The importance of film architecture According to Dietrich Neumann in “Film Architecture: From Metropolis to Blade Runner”, there are "three major roles of film architecture. A reflection of commentary on contemporary developments, a testing ground for innovative visions, and as a realm in which a different approach to the art and practice of architecture can be realized. At the same time it intends to demonstrate the compelling visual power and informative quality of set designer’s sketches, paintings and models, which are usually seen as mere byproducts of the artistic process." “The set in order to be a good set, must act. Whether realistic, expressionistic, modern, or historical, must play its role... The set must present the character before he appears, must indicate his social position, hist tastes, his habits, his lifestyle, his personality.” wrote French architect and set designer Robert Mallet-Stevens in 1929 (Le Décor moderne au Cinéma). "In recent years, a renewed interest in set design, and especially film architecture, has become apparent. The fantastic or visionary designs of unrealized projects by architects have long been recognized as important contributions to the history of architecture." Architectural set designs deserve to occupy a similar position. As Luis Buñuel said after seeing Metropolis in Madrid in 1927, architects have not been replaced by set designers, but film has indeed – on numerous occasions – faithfully translated the boldest dreams (and worst nightmares) of architecture.” (Neumann 1996, 5-7) Compared to real-life architecture, Film Architecture does not have any limits other than the designer’s imagination. To quote Terry Meyer Boake in regard to her understanding of Film Architecture: ”Much the same as visionary works of art and architecture, films, and in particular the fantasy and science fiction 7 genres, have been used to provide societies with a means to escape reality. Unlike architecture, film spaces have never had to be realistic, functional, nor have they been obliged to possess a conscience. Yet, in architectural education, we can use these “expensive”, ready-made images of both, past and future worlds, to centre critical discussions about our world and to raise issues of conscience.” (Boake 2006) 8 Chapter 3 Analysis of spatial characteristics In this chapter, spatial characteristics are analysed in regard to lighting, materiality, geometry, scale and ornamentation by selecting three example sets. 3.1 Metropolis In 1927 Fritz Lang along with his film architects Otto Hunte, Erich Kettelhut and Karl Vollbrecht created two opposing worlds: "a skyscraper modernized utopian upper and a dystopian suppressed “City of Workers” under-ground world. The dichotomy of the movie plot highlights the differences between day and night, above and underneath, black and white, quick and slow and all this is subject to architectural encryption." (Lindner 2007) According to Jack Gillmer: “Metropolis (Lang, 1927) for example illustrates numerous contemporary issues relevant to the society of its era. The issues contained in the film include economic, social, generational, and technological control and separation.” (Gillmer 2015) 3.1.1 Set 1: Fredersen’s Office The city of Metropolis is overlooked by the “New Tower of Babel”. It is from there that Joh Fredersen rules over the two worlds. As being the most powerful man, he can be described as a domineering father, political commander and an innovative creator. In a more biblical sense, he can also be seen as a god-like figure as he is defined not merely as a builder, but more like a maker and creator of the city of Metropolis. As described in the Bible “the construction of the Tower of Babel is a parable of the human hubris, to stand on the same level as God and to compare with him. Hence, God’s punishment was the confusion of speech between the people.” (Eisenschitz et al. 2010) Fredersen’s office, his centre of power is based at the very top of the “New Tower of Babel”. His tremendous office consists of double-height ceilings and oversized, heavy doors. A large half-round work desk is placed almost in the centre of this vast room (see figure 3.1). For the year 1927, it is well equipped with highly modern objects which symbolise the power of communication and complete control, such as a Morse telegraph, several control panels, different time clock’s (one 24-hour clock and one clock for the 10- hours shift of the workers), a considerable amount of luminous dials and a picture telephone mounted to one side of the office. For its time an almost futuristic and modern office chair on wheels provides J. Fredersen with high flexibility and quick interactions at his desk. Opposite to this large office desk, a gigantic square window offers a superior view of the city of Metropolis. This window is 9 furnished with a blackout curtain, which is drawn when unprivileged people, like the heart-machine guardian Grot, enter the room. According to Fredersen, they are not worthy to share this view. Located between the desk and the window is an additional smaller sitting arrangement consisting of two comfortable seats and a small round table. The futuristic mood of the movie is again symbolized by another modern object on this table. This more comfortable setting contrasts the otherwise large and vast open room, but also provides a place of peace and quiet for a moment of rest for Fredersen. Figure 3.1: View out of J. Fredersen’s Office (Lang 1927) Figure 3.2: Sideview of J. Fredersen’s Office (Lang 1927) 10 3.1.2 Set 2: Maria’s Church A provisional church is located at the very bottom of the over two-thousand year old catacombs, based under the “City of Workers”. Here Maria preaches to the workers about hope and a mediator that will arrive one day to unite the two worlds. The church is an old cave which lies underneath the “City of Workers”.
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