Elements of Design in The Avengers - Essay Example

? Elements of Design in The Avengers Full Joss Whedon’s The Avengers features a cast of great actors and actresses like Robert Downey, Jr. who played Tony Stark or the Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers or Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner or The Hulk, Chris Hemsworth known as Thor, Scarlet Johansson as Natasha Romanoff or the Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton or the Hawkeye. The aforementioned stars form the team of the Avengers who fought against the villain Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston who wanted to take control of the earth. Samuel Jackson acted as the director of the peacekeeping organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. who brought together the heroes when the world was in danger. The story is written and directed by Joss Whedon who brought the movie into reality with the assistance of the production designer James Chinlund and the art directors like Benjamin Edelberg, Jann K. Engel, Gregory Hooper, Billy Hunter, Richard Johnson and Randy Moore. The trailers of the movie (movieclip.com) show the main characters of the story in action, depicting their attributes. For instance, the Ironman describes himself as playboy, billionaire and genius. One could see how confident he is about himself with the way he talks and walks so that viewers cold almost dislike his character. He also says he is not a team-player, unable to work with others, when he and the other members of the team were called for their mission. However, as any other hero, the Ironman has a soft spot and that is, having the heart to do whatever it takes for him to be a part in saving the world. In addition, his claim to being a billionaire is not just a matter of talking but the truth of it is shown through his lifestyle and the gadgets used for his armor. Viewers cannot help but be amazed at how Ironman’s suit is undressed and kept by machines as he walks in his home. His residence is full of highly advanced technology like touch-screen, thin, transparent and sleek computers. His cell phone is one that is not yet seen in the market today. This makes the film quite futuristic because it demonstrates gadgets that may be produced in the future. In contrast to the character of Ironman, Captain America is the humble and quiet type of guy. His costume makes viewers easily detect him because of the star and colors of the American flag used in his attire. Thor portrays a warrior. His clothing shows he is not of this world but from somewhere where they are not as modern as the humans on earth. Hawkeye is the mortal hero with an exceptional skill in archery. His simplicity makes every viewer easily connect to him. The only female member of the team, the Black Widow, is a beautiful young Russian spy who is skilled and witty. She bears the soft side of any woman and portrays it well in her character as the one sent to convince the Incredible Hulk to join the team in retrieving the powerful tesseract from the antagonist, Loki. When the scientist asked her what she would do if he said no to her, the woman answered that she will persuade him. Unlike the other heroes, she does not have superpowers but she is endowed with exceptional skills that make her essential in the team. She is a warrior, a symbol of courage who will not say no to any war. Her physical built is not only aesthetically useful in her role but it also shows how appropriate her role is. Lighting effects are largely used in the movie especially that it is an action-science fiction that portrays highly advanced technologies. For instance, the suit of Ironman makes him able to fly and appear in a flash. This necessitates the use of lights from the suit to show how fast he travels. Without the light, he would not be recognized from afar not until he gets near the camera for a clear view. However, with a spark of light that becomes larger as it gets nearer, the Ironman is presented in a more realistic manner that makes viewers awed. Another role of lighting seen in the movie is; it attracts the viewer’s eyes to important matters the director wants to emphasize. For instance, when the tesseract, an unknown thing to most viewers was introduced, it was blinking so that even if it was behind the actors conversing, it was noticeable. Lighting in the movie for the most part made it interesting. Lighting is also important in portraying the setting of scenes. For instance, when Loki was talking to ‘The Other’, the lighting was made dim that it made an illusionary feeling of the setting like they were in a cave. Bright lights on the other hand brighten the area and make certain characters and things clearly seen. When the director needed middle shots in order to describe the situation and characters involved in a scene, lighting helped make clear the character’s facial expressions that define further their unspoken roles and feelings. Costume is another important element in movies because they bring to life the characters and emphasize what makes them different from others. The simplicity of the costumes of Hawkeye and the Black Widow makes viewers understand that they are just ordinary heroes with extraordinary skills. On the other hand, the costumes of the superheroes are somewhat out of this world that allows them to fly and do extraordinary things only heroes can do. Costumes help tell what kind of character a person portrays. For instance, Loki was already dressed to make him look evil. His spear is makes him look armed and dangerous. When he got the attention of a group of people, he had a change in costume, depicting him in a horned helmet that can be likened to the portrayal of the Devil. Like Satan, he is powerful and dangerous. His horns symbolize evil while his spear acted as his scepter. He was an authority that he commanded the people to kneel before him. When Captain America came to the rescue, Loki’s costume changed to the original one which shows that he again, has been diminished to someone who can be matched in strength and power. In addition to costumes, the importance of hairstyle and makeup is undeniably important because they tell parts of the story. The hairstyles of Thor and Loki tell they are from a back-numbered place, similar to ancient characters. The other heroes’ hairstyles on the other hand show modernity. In the character of Hulk, makeup is essential to bring about the image the director wants to be portrayed that will show an entirely different character from his human form. Also, the use of makeup helps depict the feelings and attributes of characters. For example, the rings around Loki’s eyes were darkened to show how desperate he is. They also add to his evil descriptions. The different designs in the movie complemented each other to create a wonderful and believable story. Although it is obviously fictitious, the movie certainly takes the viewers to another world where they can almost feel everything they see is true. The mise-en-scene, from the cast to the costumes and settings, perfectly worked together to complete the portrayal of heroes that would please modern viewers who do not believe in superheroes anymore. The different scenes, especially those that show how the heroes were called, all make up a smooth flow of the story. I think the movie was produced as the filmmaker wanted it to be, a modern version of the stories of the superheroes older generations loved. Today, the characters captivated the hearts of adults and children alike again on a level acceptable to the modern generation. Reference D’Esposito, Louis, & Whedon, Joss. 2012. The Avengers. USA: Marvel Studios & Paramount Pictures. n.a. 2012. The Avengers. Movieclips, Inc. Retrieved from http://movieclips.com/search/?q=the%20avengers#p=1 Read More