We've been given the task of creating a schematic and an artefact based around the film Citizen Kane (1941). I am in the same group as I was for the last project so it's Leon, Veronika, Viola and myself again! So what actually is a schematic? 'A schematic, or schematic diagram, is a representation of the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic usually omits all details that are not relevant to the information the schematic is intended to convey, and may add unrealistic elements that aid comprehension.' (Source) Good examples to look at are maps for buses or train lines. A layout for a movie however is going to look a lot different. I also looked at schematics that where in a circular shape as I thought this would be a cool way of laying out our final schematic but I'm not sure how well it would work and it might get a bit clustered.
I tried making sure the characters got there own paths on a separate bit but the only character I didn't manage to do this for was Bernstein as he appears a lot throughout different sections of the movie. So I'm hoping the rest of the team can help me fill in this gap. I thought the story was interesting in relation the Voglers theory as well. Considering I did a whole bit on Circular story form I think Citizen Kane ties in perfectly with it. Our opening scene to the movie shows a sign saying 'No Trespassing' is also our ending scene so we come back to the place we started. 'No Trespassing' opening and ending scene. Source: Citizen Kane A lot of objects are also recovered near the end of the movie. This was the part I was talking about previously where the character breaks the fourth wall by talking to the camera, basically the audience. When Kane writes about protecting the interests of the people Leland keeps the original declaration he wrote out and signed because he thinks it will be important in the future. Later near the end of the movie when Leland and Kane are no longer friends, Kane fires Leland and at this point has become some what corrupt in the way he shares the news. Leland then sends Kane the original declaration in a letter- possibly to remind him of what he once believed in and stood for? Another thing that stood out was the trophy that's given to Kane when he returns from his travels in Europe. Nothing is really mentioned about it in the movie, Kane takes it and it's not spoken about again until it is later shown in one of the final scenes of the movie. The trophy is sat amongst all his other possessions- characters liked to imply that Kane was a hoarder but it could possible be that he attached sentimental value to everything and each thing had a memory attached to it. Finally that brings us the the meaning or discovery of 'Rosebud'. At the beginning we are shown Kane on his death bed as he speaks his final words 'Rosebud', he then drops a snow globe onto the ground that smashes into pieces. Near the start of the movie we are shown a younger Kane playing in the snow on a sled while his mother signs him and his fortune away. In the ending scene the camera pans across the crates and finds the sled with the word Rosebud stencilled on it. In the final scene, men are tossing trash into an incinerator. Raymond says, "Throw that junk in, too," and in goes the sled Rosebud. In the beginning and throughout the movie it's talked about Rosebud as they investigate what this word means, we are shown Xanadu and how the snow globe come into play until the very end. Which brings to story to an end, full circle. In the end our reporter Thompson explains to the other reporters that he never found the meaning of Rosebud, but that it doesn't matter. "I don't think it explains anything. I don't think any word explains a man's life. He was a man who got everything and then again lost everything, Rosebud must've been something he lost or something he wanted but never got"- Thompson. My thoughts: If Kane had possibly grown up with his parents he could have lived a better life? He even says in the movie that maybe he would be a great man if he lead a different life. I think the sled symbolises his loss of childhood and family. He grows up to be successful and wealthy but it soon starts to crumble the more power he gets. He becomes so invested in his empire that he starts to become self-centred and numb to actual feelings. In the movie we are told that his first wife and son die in a car crash but we are never told what happens or how Kane reacts. He never seems to recall them or shows signs of grief- has he become completely emotionless and a narcissist? He ends wanting to control what people say and think. Had he grown up living with his parents would this be any different? I'm unsure. I think this was story about a man who wanted ownership which only lead to tragedy and himself drowning in his own ego. Rest of groups blogs:
Viola https://blog.schantalls.net/ Veronika https://riverincamelot.wordpress.com/ Leon https://leonlyleweir.wordpress.com/
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