Ok this is going to be very specific about screen composition regarding two fanmade videos of dark souls.
First of all, i love ThePruld's work. I just think those two videos are some of the best examples of how little changes in composition and timing can ruin the emotion of a scene.
The two vids are the SAME scenes with liiiittle differences, and what kills me is that the most recent one fails where the old one hits just right. AND I NEED TO TALK AB IT
You can justify any compositions with any arguments, those are just mine and my personal opinion.
Now why i think the 2015 intro is brilliant regarding lore & story. Dark souls is about dying, again and again, everytime waking up to that damn fire, and how much time you have left before loosing your sanity from this endless circle. Thats why insisting on the fire in every shot is important to me, it is part of the story.
The acting and characterization is also very good and subtle, the first guy you see has the ingame acting of a hollow, and then by discovering the 2nd guy with same clothes, you understand they're the same. The first one being what the 2nd one fears the most : loosing his sanity. No violence here, just the haunting feeling of smth you can't escape.
In the 2019 one, it looks like he's scared of the npc hollows or being attacked in his sleep, he isnt loosing himself.
The shot of firelink shrine :
IM MAD HOW THIS SCENE IS EFFICIENT, it shoes with subtility what matters the most to Solaire : the nameless king (statue), the sun, and his motivation (tabard symbol). He is loyal, he is a servant, what matter isn't him but his convictions.
Also subtle regarding characterization, the first thing we learn ab Solaire ingame thru his dialogues, is that he's searching the sun.. while facing it. He is not REALLY searching it, he is seaking smth else. And here, Solaire is under the sun, but isnt looking at it.
We understand here that the suns is important to him, or is it because it reminds him of Anor londo ? Less clear, he is the focus and he is looking at the sun like an antagonist.
Raaaaaaaaaaaah these compositions are so beautiful. Oscar is ingame the first character you meet, he's the one freeing you from your cell. Despite being on the edge of loosing his sanity, Oscar tried saving others till the end. That's why a compo where he takes so little space while all his acting is drawn toward the player is beautiful to me.
(meant tarkus not darkus sry) JUST HOW COOL IS THIS SCENE ok now regarding lore, Tarkus is kinda a legend, he was the first ever undead to defeat Sen fortress and go to Anor Londo. He had an imposing armor and heavy weapon, and the player can summon him for Sen fortress' boss. I think how he appears in this scene works very well, protag summons him without being scared, and Tarkus immediately appears as imposing while he keeps getting taller as the shots continue. He is strong, important, and a legend.
The Solaire summoning scene :
Nice, characterization, Solaire is a sunbro, he's kind and here to help, acting is welcoming. Lothrec is a traitor, and is shown foreground with menacing shape, in contrast with Solaire.
OK BYE THATS ALL FOR MY INSANITY, THANK YOU IF ANYONE READ TILL HERE, ANAIS I KNOW YOU DID KISSY NOISES
