Primary Colors Are Not Real

In his short film, Life Lessons, Martin Scorsese shows off his directing skills and techniques in a variety of ways. Throughout the film, he utilizes stylized camera techniques to enhance the story and make it visually interesting. Those camera techniques combined with his direction produces a very compelling and entertaining film. One scene, in particular, stands out as a great example of the directing skills of Scorsese. In that scene, we see Paulette go from being determined to leave New York to her falling back under Dobie’s spell and deciding to stay. This scene stands out due to the fact that rather than dialog, it utilizes visuals and music to successfully convey Paulette’s decision to remain with Dobie in New York. Approximately halfway through the film, we are shown a conversation between Paulette and her mother. Paulette wants to come home because she feels that she has no future as a painter after Lionel cannot compliment her work. Towards the end of the conversation,...

Through the Iris By: Cassie Galonsky “There is no such thing as simple.  Simple is hard.” This is a famous quote by Martin Scorsese.  In the short film Life Lessons , Scorsese captures idea perfectly.  He makes purposeful choices with the cinematography to make the audience view the piece in a specific way.  He does not choose the “easy way out,” but rather finds the way that is going to best engage his audience. Throughout the course of the film, Scorsese chooses to use iris shots to connect the main character to the audience, and make them see his point of view in an effective way. Life Lessons , is one of three films that make up the anthology film New York Stories .  Life Lessons centers around a famous artist named Lionel Dobie, and his significantly younger assistant, Paulette.  Paulette is working to become a better artist herself, and she wants to learn from him because of his success. The entire film takes place over ...

With all the muscular camerawork, soundtrack, and use of the iris transition, one facet of the filmmaker’s toolbox appears to be somewhat overlooked when analyzing Martin Scorsese’s 1989 film, Life Lessons : Set Design. The set design in this film really fades into the background even though it’s instrumental in translating the emotions of the scene to the viewer. Although this film appears to be relatively realistic in it’s set design, there are ways in which the abstract nature of Lionel’s loft proves that it isn’t simply a large room for the characters to communicate.   Life Lesson’s set design, particularly the design of Paulette’s room in Lionel’s loft is used to expose the inner workings of Lionel and Paulette’s relationship. In scenes throughout the film, that set evokes themes of boundaries and idolization, themes that are subliminally transmitted to the viewer through the essence of the set design and how it works in accordance to the other techniques in S...

Life Lessons and the Art of the Camera by: Eve Robitshek         “It's art. You give it up, you were never an artist in the first place.” According to critically-acclaimed painter, Lionel Dobie, art and painting his way of life. With an art gallery in three weeks, Dobie must have his painting finished in time. His muse and painting assistant, Paulette, left for a vacation with another man and is just now returning. In order to have inspiration to finish his painting, he needs Paulette back. She agrees, but on the condition of abstinence. With her as his muse once again, Dobie finishes his painting. After not receiving the reassurance for her paintings from Dobie Paulette desires, she returns home. Dobie finds a new muse and the circle continues on. Like the quote expresses, painting is a crucial aspect of Dobie’s life. In order to display this, Martin Scorsese uses the camera as a device to further support this notion. Through the cinematography, Scorsese is ab...

From the start of Martin Scorsese’s film “Life Lessons” , the visual effect of a camera iris collapsing in on shots, leaving behind a black circle framing one section of the previous shot, is used to create a striking point of view. Throughout a surface level viewing, it would be quite easy to simply see this as an intriguing visual effect that draws attention to certain objects. However, this camera technique does far more than add unique aesthetic value. The amount of focus provided by it creates an effect similar to a spotlight on the stage, creating a hyperfocus on a singular object and/or section of the frame. Furthermore, it allows for the emotional layer story, a story about an established artist’s need to have a live-in muse that he needs to mentally torture so that he can have inspiration, and forces the audience into viewing the world through his eyes. Due to this the entire film is seen through a veil of obsession and objectification, making his disturbed relationship...