Entertainment

Guillermo Del Toro, Andrew Opryshko, Jane Campion, And The Power In Mute Performances

Published

3 years ago

December 6, 2021

Whether it is The Kid or City Lights, what Charlie Chaplin conveyed mutely may not perhaps be told by hundred thousand vocal words loudly audible to the ears of the viewers.

Here, the mute magic comes to play!

No wonder, some mute films create intellectual storms as they are uniquely expressive in their own way.

Here, the creativity of movie directors comes to the fore with all their scenic depiction craftsmanship bringing to the screen the performance of actors and actresses who convey the meaning mutely making them supremely meaningful.

Talking about this, it becomes a prerequisite to mention Guillermo del Toro whose creativity was at its best in “The Shape of Water”, a film that bagged the Oscar Best Picture Award in 2018. It is a sci-fi fantasy romance movie that brought in a new era of cinema.

Starring Sally Hawkins, the film faced tough competition but emerged as the final choice of the Oscar selectors. The movie’s script has rolled into the film history with its theme which is a marked departure from other films.

A fantasy thriller, “The Shape of Water” is set in the 1962 cold war in which a mute cleaning woman, a memorable role played by Sally Hawkins, suddenly comes across a strange kind of aquatic-human hybrid in a water tank at a well kept secret laboratory of the government.

Sally Hawkins fully justified the difficult role of that cleaning woman named Elisa Esposito. She was mute and communicated through sign language and body movement.

A difficult role indeed!

But Sally Hawkins performed it with supreme ease and it made a lingering effect on the viewers. Her facial expression, gestures, and body movement turned out to be extraordinary. In the history of the mute movie genre, she made an indelible imprint.

The mute Elisa Esposito’s gestures, facial expressions, the flick of an eyebrow, tender smile, and sign language were most realistically played by Sally Hawkins.

“The Shape of Water” is simply unique in its own right. It gave the global audience something that they had been waiting for long. Such movies are rarely made. They find their way into the theatres in 10 years or more.

The mute cleaning woman who had fallen in love with the creature finally helps it to escape from the laboratory.

“The Shape of Water” fought a close Oscar award war competing with such entries as Get Out, Lady Bird, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing to become the Best Picture. It was the most-nominated film in the Oscar-winning four categories which were: Production Design, Original Score, and Director.

“The Shape of Water” is a tribute to the “Power of Cinema” in silent format. Guillermo Del Toro created the film’s universally acclaimed script. The mute performance of Sally Hawkins also created history.

It is more so as the film proved the Best Award in Oscar can be won without even saying a single word. And Sally Hawkins has proved this amply. Naturally, she was greatly appreciated by Director Guillermo Del Toro.

In the genre of mute movies, the one-minute movie titled “+380” directed by Andrew Opryshko also merits a special mention. This Ukrainian director was at his best while directing Troy Bronson in this path-breaking movie.

Troy Bronson, playing the role of a young influencer on Instagram, posts a brief one-minute movie in Ukrainian to honor all the talent that goes unseen from the mainstream. Hollywood remains a very distant dream for them yet they are talented.

His mute performance brought to fore the fact that silence can be a powerful mode to express a lot of things, it is more so when the issue relates to intellectualism. Troy was very expressive even without uttering a single word.

It was a role that needed mastery to depict the emotions, inner conflicts, and dissociation of the world due to trauma in their real perspective. Troy Bronson appeared to have entered into the persona of the lead character as the role he played made it appear so.

His character was special as it involved the job of a spy and mercenary. Even in talkie–vocal films – such roles turn out to be very difficult. The role of spies and mercenaries requires certain special traits. Troy showed all such traits including facial expressions and gait.

“The Piano”, a 1993 period drama revolving around romance, has been directed by Jane Campion. It is a path-breaking mute movie considered as one of the greatest ever directed by a woman. She was the first woman from New Zealand to direct a mute film.

It stars Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin. The mute performance of Holly Hunter is a history, which was critically acclaimed by film critics.

In the film, the mute woman Ada McGrath does not utter a single audible word yet her silent expressions and acting spoke volumes about her not-so-happy life. Anna Paquin’s role as Ada was remarkably well.

Conclusion

The silent movies continue to raise intellectual storms all across the world. In fact, the history of creativity never dies. No wonder the films that began in silent mode decades ago continue unabated even today and will continue in the future also.

The mute moves like The Shape of Water, “+380 and The Piano create ripples in the human brain more than the talkies.

This is due to the reason that in a talkie, you find the characters are vocally interacting. But in mute movies, everything is transacted by gestures, smiles, cries with drops of water rolling down from the eyes, laughter, and different other gestures.

Since The Shape of Water bagged the Oscar and became a filmy buzz internationally, we find that the mute movies have tremendous scopes in the future. As this is the season of film awards, the critics are going to review all the entries. Here, the silence power of mute characters needs to be given proper evaluation. We know a message conveyed through facial expressions, looks and body movement happens to be far more important than vocal elements.

The jury of the award committees must be reminded that mute acting is more difficult than talkie as the actor or actress is expressing the meaning without any sound. This is just like you discover a meaning from a piece of graphic art. You read between the lines drawn on the canvas.

The argument for this emanated from the fact that the mute roles, being marked departure from the talkie-roles, evoke more interest among the audience as they find the element of novelty in it.

Mute roles make the celluloid ventures the most powerful craft of the art of film-making. Such silent roles have lingering effects on the minds of the people for decades together which a character talking on the silver screen may not be able to impact so.

“The Shape of Water” (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA

“+380” (2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWogJMND03G/

“The Piano” (1992) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyTn4XIYH8M

Entertainment

Getting to Know Adeia’s Fingerprints on Entertainment Evolution

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Jonathan Grilli

Photo courtesy of Adeia

By Joy Reyes

Behind every streaming recommendation, smart TV search, and seamless device switch lies hidden technology powering your modern entertainment experience. Although people might not know Adeia, they have likely used its technology many times. The company’s inventions are embedded in the modern entertainment experience, from sophisticated content recommendation systems to seamless multi-device streaming capabilities.

“Our basic inventions shape the way millions of people explore and experience entertainment and improve billions of devices in an increasingly connected world,” says Serhad Doken, chief technology officer (CTO) at Adeia.

Building upon this foundation, “we create tools that make watching shows easier and more fun. These tools work on televisions (TVs), phones, and other devices, no matter where or how you watch. They help organize your entertainment in a way that feels just right for you,” Serhad Doken adds.

Connecting Traditional and Modern Media

At the heart of today’s entertainment landscape lies a crucial challenge: bridging the gap between traditional television and modern streaming platforms. One of Adeia’s key strengths is its ability to connect traditional linear television with the new age of streaming services. The company licenses its patented media inventions for traditional linear television in North America and internationally through its extensive portfolio of patents.

This comprehensive approach ensures seamless integration with over-the-top media service (OTT), direct-to-consumer, and social media services that provide access to entertainment inside and outside the home on a broad array of devices. The result is a unified entertainment experience catering to traditional viewers and digital-first consumers.

“We believe the continued growth of video consumption, the changes in how consumers explore and experience video, and the need for content storage and high-performance computing present new opportunities for us to continue to develop patentable inventions,” Serhad Doken explains.

Improving Content Discovery

In an age where the average viewer can access thousands of shows and movies across multiple platforms, finding what to watch can be as challenging as creating the content itself. To address this content overload, Adeia has been solving this problem by developing new solutions for content discovery that make the viewing experience more intuitive and personalized.

At the forefront of these innovations is Adeia’s universal search capability, which allows for unified discovery across live, recorded, on-demand, and streaming content sources. This groundbreaking solution means viewers no longer need to jump between different apps or platforms to find what they want to watch — Adeia’s universal search brings it all together in one place.

Moreover, the company improves content discovery further with its personalized discovery experiences. Using sophisticated algorithms and machine learning, this includes personalized recommendations, predictive results, and popular and trending content suggestions. By analyzing viewing patterns and preferences, Adeia presents viewers with content that matches their interests and viewing habits.

Recognizing the growing prominence of voice-controlled smart home devices, Adeia has also developed a conversational interface to interpret voice commands and requests. This technology supports natural, conversational dialogue and interaction with smart responses, making it easier for viewers to find and control their entertainment.

Improving the Viewing Experience

Modern viewers expect a seamless entertainment experience across all their devices, and Adeia’s technologies make this possible. Their multi-device experience technology allows viewers to start watching a show on one device and smoothly transition to another without missing a beat.

To enhance the binge-watching experience that has become synonymous with modern streaming, Adeia has developed technologies that connect viewers with entertainment on their terms. These include features that automatically play the next episode or remember where viewers left off across different devices.

Perhaps most exciting is Adeia’s work in immersive content. “We are creating unrestricted entertainment experiences that are more engaging and gratifying than ever before,” Serhad Doken says. “This includes dynamic advertising, gaming, wagering, and even shoppable video integrated into content.”

Impact on Semiconductors

While Adeia’s influence on the entertainment industry is substantial, its inventions are not limited to this sector. According to Serhad Doken, the company also leads in semiconductor technology, developing solutions that expand the possibilities in electronic devices.

“With the rising cost of advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, the sector is looking beyond Moore’s Law toward advanced packaging and three-dimensional (3D) integration technologies,” Serhad Doken explains, adding that its skilled team and labs in California and North Carolina create advanced 3D integration methods. These methods, like hybrid bonding, help make future electronics work better, faster, and smaller.

The Future of Entertainment Technology

As the entertainment landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, Adeia will continue to play an important role in shaping it. With its extensive research and development capabilities and broad portfolio of patented technologies, the company is well-positioned to address the needs of both content providers and consumers.

This positioning has recently been reinforced by a significant development in Adeia’s business. The company has entered into a multi-year agreement with Amazon, covering Adeia’s media intellectual property portfolio. This partnership with one of the world’s largest and most innovative companies underscores the value and relevance of Adeia’s technologies in the digital entertainment space.

Paul E. Davis, Adeia’s chief executive officer, emphasized the importance of this agreement, stating, “Amazon plays a massive role in today’s innovation society. This collaboration validates Adeia’s technological prowess and promises to expand our developments’ reach and impact.”

“We are excited about the future of entertainment technology,” Serhad Doken concludes. “As video consumption continues to grow and change, and as new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) become more common, we will be there, developing new inventions that improve the way people explore, experience, and enjoy entertainment.”

In addition to the significant agreement with Amazon, Adeia has also recently renewed its long-standing partnership with Sharp Corporation. This renewal extends a relationship that has lasted for over 25 years.

Mark Kokes, Adeia’s chief licensing officer and general manager of media, commented on the renewal, highlighting Sharp’s reputation as a global leader in entertainment technology and its expertise in display technologies.

The renewed agreement covers Sharp’s smart TVs and consumer electronics, further solidifying Adeia’s position in the media technology sector.

These recent developments underscore the momentum in Adeia’s business, showcasing its ability to retain long-term partners like Sharp and attract new, influential clients like Amazon.

With its growing list of high-profile partnerships and ongoing innovations, Adeia is well-positioned to continue shaping the future of digital entertainment. The company’s advanced R&D efforts consistently result in fundamental innovations that power next-generation products, delivering breakthroughs in digital experiences for both consumer and enterprise applications.

Through its innovative solutions and forward-thinking approach, Adeia’s influence can be felt throughout the development of the entertainment industry, from the fundamental technologies that power our devices to the intuitive interfaces that help us discover and enjoy content. As we move into an increasingly connected future, Adeia’s technologies continue to shape how we interact with and experience digital entertainment.