Comments on: The windshield: TV’s second screen http://cultureby.com/2007/10/the-windshield.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 23 May 2012 20:32:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mary W http://cultureby.com/2007/10/the-windshield.html/comment-page-1#comment-2444 Mary W Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:05:13 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=401#comment-2444 Robert McKee (the screenwriter -- his workshop and his book are great btw) would probably say that windshields are a convenient tool for a director to use for whatever image systems (ongoing visual metaphors) s/he is employing throughout the movie/show. As you say, a windshield can be portrayed as a mirror (reflection/reflective, visual/psychological), or as a wall/separation/curtain (between people inside and world outside), or as a container for friendship/family/intimacy, or as a kind of magic layered-meaning machine that shows intentionally-chosen reflections overlaid on the people inside. Sunglasses, being a kind of portable windshield for the eyes, also are used by directors a lot. Aside from communicating character traits (via their design, or the way the character uses them), they can also be used as part of an ongoing image system -- ie when sunglasses are repeatedly used as a visual indicator to convey a meaning such as hiding, or emotional remoteness, or authority. Sorry for the long post...you can tell I like getting all meta over movies/TV. ;-) Robert McKee (the screenwriter — his workshop and his book are great btw) would probably say that windshields are a convenient tool for a director to use for whatever image systems (ongoing visual metaphors) s/he is employing throughout the movie/show.

As you say, a windshield can be portrayed as a mirror (reflection/reflective, visual/psychological), or as a wall/separation/curtain (between people inside and world outside), or as a container for friendship/family/intimacy, or as a kind of magic layered-meaning machine that shows intentionally-chosen reflections overlaid on the people inside.

Sunglasses, being a kind of portable windshield for the eyes, also are used by directors a lot. Aside from communicating character traits (via their design, or the way the character uses them), they can also be used as part of an ongoing image system — ie when sunglasses are repeatedly used as a visual indicator to convey a meaning such as hiding, or emotional remoteness, or authority.

Sorry for the long post…you can tell I like getting all meta over movies/TV. ;-)

]]> By: LK http://cultureby.com/2007/10/the-windshield.html/comment-page-1#comment-2443 LK Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:18:16 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=401#comment-2443 Are objects on windshield closer than they appear? Just wondering... Are objects on windshield closer than they appear?

Just wondering…

]]> By: botogol http://cultureby.com/2007/10/the-windshield.html/comment-page-1#comment-2442 botogol Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:38:54 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=401#comment-2442 Now, Grant, there you go again: darn well *noticing* things. Very good, yes. It's one of things that I feel I almost knew myself, but didn't quite notice. A third window? Look no further than the wing mirror. Ok, you're right: it's not used in the same license-to-be-arty way; more prosaically it's normally device for showing the audience something that the character can't see. Because it's behind him. Perhaps one day we'll have GoogleAI where we can search for car passenger +"image on windscreen" +"mirror refelction Until then I guess an example of the window within a window within a window...will be hard to find. Now, Grant, there you go again: darn well *noticing* things.

Very good, yes. It’s one of things that I feel I almost knew myself, but didn’t quite notice.

A third window? Look no further than the wing mirror.

Ok, you’re right: it’s not used in the same license-to-be-arty way; more prosaically it’s normally device for showing the audience something that the character can’t see. Because it’s behind him.

Perhaps one day we’ll have GoogleAI where we can search for car passenger +”image on windscreen” +”mirror refelction

Until then I guess an example of the window within a window within a window…will be hard to find.

]]>