Textures

It may or may not have been evident in my design practice posts but for this project I wish to use textures in some way. Only very recently have I discovered how to create this effect in Illustrator, but it definitely a skill that I will take forward and try to execute to the best of my ability. In order to create interesting textures you first need to have a library of stock images. This I was finding hard as all the images I could find where quite generic and samey, however then I found lostandtaken.com. Its got an incredibly large gallery full of all sorts of interesting textures. Below is just one example of what I mean.

Final Ten Images

Below is the final collection of ten images that directly relate to my self created list. They appear in chronological order below, and will also appear this way in my titles sequence. Doing a simple calculation reveals that 10 images in a 50 second sequence means they will be able to on screen for a maximum of 5 seconds, not taking into consideration the first and final frames which will hopefully be stand alone.

Finalised Top Ten

More4

I'm thinking that my compilation of top ten Forrest Gump moments would be broadcast on a Channel 4 off shoot, ideally More4. So in order to fully understand my target audience and gain an insight into what visuals are expected I researched into the channels logo and the importance of the typeface in general. I found a PDF document that details the channels style and what the layout of every ident or commercial promotion broadcast on the channel has to look like. Below is that PDF.

Below is the logo found in the top corner of the screen whenever More4 is on. Its simple but effective, a similar approach to all other Channel 4 offshoots such as E4 and Film 4. The green is pretty important and is synonymous with the channel, much like purple with E4 and red with Film 4. However the colour does not match with what I am designing therefore I think I might try a few experimentations with my chosen colour scheme.

Below are a few personal interpretations of the More4 logo using my red, white and blue colour scheme.  I also combined a few textures with the logos to add more depth and a vintage feel, again closely linked to the 60's and 70's vibe of Forrest Gump.

Five USA and More4

After it coming to my attention that would have to pick an actual channel for my 'Top Ten...' programme to be broadcast on I brainstormed a few viable options. The two channels that seemed the most likely to be interested in this particular film orientated installment would be Five USA and More 4. So thats when I did a little research into what the identities of these channels look like and the vibe they where trying to communicate. Below is a video taken from youtube that acts as a filler when programming runs dry on Five USA. It not only serves as an entertaining time filler but takes the viewer on an virtual tour of New York.

The other channel that I have considered is More4. Below are more videos taken from youtube that summarise the feel of the channel and the type of programming it shows. It is obvious from the two clips that there is a clear colour scheme and animation style used, something that I can incorporate into my idents, not so much the title sequence. I think out of the two channels there is more scope with More4 as it probably the better known and more critically acclaimed channel. The videos from below are quite a few years old now so they seem a little out of date, but to gain a better understanding into the look of the channel now it is available through every freeview box.

Reviews of Forrest Gump

Positive reviews from Rotten Tomatoes:

It's been awhile since we've had a movie that offered so much and generally managed to deliver on all counts.

This film is both serious and funny, entertaining and thought-provoking and it could make people laugh and cry with equal degree of ease.

The good-natured humor is wonderful in the film, but the thing that makes it so entertaining is how it hits all the human emotions dead-center without resorting to cheap melodrama.

Unashamedly sentimental, this is a technically triumphant tear-jerker.

A picaresque story of a simpleton's charmed odyssey through 30 years of tumultuous American history, Forrest Gump is whimsy with a strong cultural spine.

There's only one word to truly describe Forrest Gump: magical.

Clever, sweet and frequently very funny. I think it's a darn good movie.

Skillfully adapted by screenwriter Eric Roth, the story belongs in the company of such sweet classics as Rain Man and Harvey.

Hanks is superb, reemploying the childlike presence he brought to Big.

Forrest Gump has an intricacy and depth that is more rewarding while still being enormously engaging.

An enchanting and creative parable about a contemporary holy fool whose brand of selflessness is free of reason's madness and the ego's frivolous grandeur.

A movie heart-breaker of oddball wit and startling grace.

It could be said that Forrest Gump is the definitive American movie.

Negative Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes:

For all its ambition, the movie ends up using great historical events in the service of a dubious sentimentality.

The wearisome Forrest Gump won six Oscars.

It sure seemed great at the time, but Gump is aging, and not very well.

A vile, irresponsible film whose massive success says some very frightening things about America.

Stupid is as stupid does, and this movie is, indeed, stupid.

Judging by the the movie's enduring popularity, the message that stupidity is redemption is clearly what a lot of Americans want to hear.

Gets my vote for the most offensive, morally repugnant film ever made.

Forrest Gump has the elements of an emotionally gripping story. Yet it feels less like a romance than like a coffee-table book celebrating the magic of special effects.

As this mawkish conservative movie ultimately goes to prove: ignorance is bliss.

Critic Reviews from MetaCritic:

Chicago Sun Times, Roger Ebert, 100: What a magical movie.

Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington, 100: Clean up the language, and this little roach of a movie could play the bottom half of a double bill with Rowan and Martin's “The Maltese Bippy.”

ReelViews, James Berardinelli, 100: Passionate and magical, Forrest Gump is a tonic for the weary of spirit.

Rolling Stone, Peter Travers, 90: A movie heart-breaker of oddball wit and startling grace.

Film.com, John Hartl, 90: This is an ambitious movie that attempts too much rather than too little.

Variety, Todd McCarthy, 90: Manages the difficult feat of being an intimate, even delicate tale played with an appealingly light touch against an epic backdrop.

Washington Post, Rita Kempley, 90: Zemeckis, an undisputed master of film technology, shows off an equal aptitude for vivid storytelling.

Chicago Reader, Jonathan Rosenbaum, 90: The results are skillful, highly affecting, and ultimately more than a little pernicious.

Austin Chronicle, Robert Faires, 89: A remarkable balance of sentimentality and harshness, darkness and light.

USA Today, Mike Clark, 88: Doesn't sound like a very prepossessing title, but prepare to be taken aback by "what's in a name."

Mr. Showbiz, Joseph McBride, 80: The film's technical brilliance and sentimental kick seduced many viewers unsuspecting of its polemical intent.

Time, Richard Corliss, 80: It's a long drink of water at the fountain of pop-social memory.

Washington Post, Desson Thomson, 80: This is a captivating experience.

San Francisco Chronicle, Edward Guthmann, 75: At its best, Forrest Gump is a gentle, elegiac fantasy about love and trust.

Everything there is to know about Forrest Gump

Brief Outline:
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Gary Sinise. The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump, a simple Alabama man who travels across the world, sometimes meeting historical figures, influencing popular culture, and experiencing firsthand historic events of the late 20th century.

Forrest Gump the Novel:
Forrest Gump is a 1986 novel by Winston Groom. The title character experiences adventures ranging from shrimp boating and pingpong championships to thinking about his childhood love. The Vietnam conflict and college football are all part of the story. Throughout his life, Gump views the world simply and truthfully. Throughout the course of the book, he really doesn't know what he wants to do in life. Author and narrator Groom uses intonations that capture Gump's personality. Gump is full of wisdom, but is considered an "idiot" because of his low IQ and disability. According to him, he "can think things pretty good," but when he tries "sayin or writin them, it kinda come out like Jello". He is also physically strong and falls into amazing adventures.
The novel was turned into a film by Paramount Pictures in 1994. The film version, placing Tom Hanks in the title role, won several Academy awards and became, at the time, the fourth highest-grossing film ever. The novel contains many plot lines not included in the movie. The novel was republished by Pocket Books (an imprint of Paramount's then-sister company Simon & Schuster) to tie in with the release of the film.

Plot:
In 1981, Forrest Gump begins to tell the story of his life to a woman who is sitting next to him at a bus stop in Savannah, Georgia. As his story progresses, the listeners at the bus stop change regularly throughout his narration, each showing a different attitude ranging from disbelief and indifference to great interest and fascination.

Although Forrest has well below average intelligence, his mother is able to get him into a public school by sleeping with the principal. On his first day of school, he meets a girl named Jenny whose life at times is followed in parallel to Forrest's. Having discarded his leg braces (used to straighten his spine), his ability to run incredibly fast gets him into the University of Alabama on a football scholarship. He becomes a star kick and punt returner and ends up becoming an All American, which leads him to go to the White House and meet President John F Kennedy. After his college graduation, he enlists in the army. There he makes friends with Bubba, who convinces him to enter the shrimping business with him when the Vietnam War is over. He also meets Jenny again, when he sees her in Playboy magazine. He then goes to find her and discovers that she is a stripper working at a bar. He goes to the bar and attacks two customers who give her trouble. In 1967, Forrest and Bubba are sent to Vietnam, and after several months of patrolling with the 9th Infantry Division their platoon is attacked. Though Forrest rescues many of the men in his unit, Bubba is fatally wounded and dies by the river where Forrest brought him to safety, and Lt. Dan Taylor, the platoon's commanding officer, is wounded in both legs, requiring amputation. Forrest is wounded in the buttocks during the battle, and is awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Forrest discovers an uncanny ability for ping pong while in recovery for the bullet wound in his buttocks. He starts playing for the U.S. Army team, gaining popularity and rising to celebrity status. He eventually plays competitively against Chinese teams and wins against the Chinese. He goes to the White House for a third time and is awarded by President Richard Nixon and is accommodated at the Watergate hotel. At night, he calls hotel security after he witnesses the Watergate scandal. At an anti-war rally in Washington, D.C. Forrest reunites with Jenny, who has been living a hippie counterculture lifestyle while Forrest was away and is engaged to another man. The other man appeared to be abusive toward Jenny; Forrest witnesses the man slapping her after a short argument. An enraged Forrest attacks the man in order to defend Jenny (an instinct he has gained long ago when he got to know her).

Upon leaving military service and returning home, Forrest accepts an offer to endorse a company that makes ping pong paddles in exchange for an endorsement fee of $25,000. He uses the money to buy a shrimping boat that he named after Jenny and fulfill his wartime promise to Bubba. His commanding officer from Vietnam, Lieutenant Dan, joins him as first mate to fulfill a promise he jokingly made to Forrest some time before. Initially Forrest has little success, but after finding his is the only surviving boat in the area after Hurricane Carmen hits the Gulf states, he begins to pull in huge amounts of shrimp. He buys an entire fleet of shrimp boats, and "Bubba Gump" shrimp becomes a household name. He returns home when his mother falls ill; she dies soon afterward. Lt. Dan takes over operations of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and invests the earnings in then-fledgling Apple Computer (which Forrest refers to as "some sort of a fruit company") and Forrest, Dan and Bubba's families become financially secure for the rest of their lives.

In 1976, Jenny returns to visit Forrest, and after some time he proposes marriage to her. She declines, though feels obliged to prove her love to him by sleeping with him. She leaves early the next morning. On a whim, Forrest elects to go for a run. Seemingly capriciously, he decides to run coast to coast across the country several times, over some three and a half years, becoming famous again.

While finishing his story, Forrest reveals that he is waiting at the bus stop because he received a letter from Jenny who, having seen him run on television, asks him to visit her. Once he is reunited with Jenny, Forrest discovers she has a young son, also named Forrest, and Jenny says Forrest is the boy's father. Jenny tells Forrest she is suffering and dying from an unknown virus which has no known cure. Together, the three move back to Greenbow, Alabama where Jenny and Forrest finally marry. Jenny dies soon afterward, leaving their son in Forrest's care. Forrest talks to Jenny's grave and tells her how well their son is doing in school. On his son's first day of school, Forrest sits with him at the school bus stop. Forrest's first bus driver is shown to also be his son's first bus driver. The movie concludes with Forrest sitting on the same tree stump his mother did, waiting for Little Forrest to come home from school.

Characters:

• Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump: though at an early age his school principal determines young Forrest possesses an IQ of 75, he has endearing character and devotion to his loved ones and duties, which brings him into many life-changing situations. Along the way, he encounters many historical figures and events throughout his life. John Travolta was the original choice to play the title role, and admits passing on the role was a mistake. Bill Murray was also considered for the role. Hanks revealed that he signed onto the film after an hour and a half of reading the script. He initially wanted to ease Forrest's pronounced Southern accent, but was eventually persuaded by director Bob Zemeckis to portray the heavy accent stressed in the novel. Hanks agreed to take the role only on the condition that the film was historically accurate. Michael Conner Humphreys portrayed the young Forrest Gump.
• Robin Wright as Jenny Curran: Gump's childhood friend who enters his life at various times in adulthood, eventually becoming mother to his son and later marrying Gump. Zemeckis reflected on Wright's portrayal of the role, "Robin exudes a kind of strength and, at the same time, a vulnerability. She doesn't bring any of her stardom to the role. You don't look at her on-screen and think that this is Robin Wright's interpretation of the character. She's a real chameleon."[8] Hanna R. Hall portrayed the young Jenny Curran.
• Gary Sinise as Lieutenant Dan Taylor: Gump and Bubba's commanding officer during the Vietnam War. After losing his legs in a climactic attack, he falls into a deep depression. He then later serves as Forrest's first mate at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (although he gave most of the orders), regaining his will to live. By the end of the film, he is engaged to be married and has even received "new legs" (titanium alloy prosthetic legs) allowing him to walk again.
• Mykelti Williamson as Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue: Gump's friend whom he meets upon joining the Army. Throughout filming, Williamson wore a lip attachment to create Bubba's protruding lip. David Alan Grier, Ice Cube, and Dave Chappelle were all offered the role before turning it down. Chappelle claimed he believed the film would be unsuccessful and has also admitted that he regrets not taking the role. Bubba was originally supposed to be the senior partner in the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company but due to his death in the line of duty in Vietnam, his commanding officer Lieutenant Dan Taylor took his place. The company posthumously carried this name.
• Sally Field as Mrs. Gump: Forrest's mother, who raises him after his father abandons them. Field reflected on the character, "She's a woman who loves her son unconditionally. ... A lot of her dialogue sounds like slogans, and that's just what she intends."
• Haley Joel Osment as Forrest Gump, Jr.: Forrest and Jenny's son. Osment was cast in the film after the casting director noticed him in a Pizza Hut commercial.
• Peter Dobson as Elvis Presley: a house guest Forrest encounters. Although Kurt Russell was uncredited, he provided the voice over for Elvis Presley in the scene where Presley met Gump.
• Dick Cavett as himself. Cavett played the 1970s version of himself, with makeup applied to make him appear younger. Consequently, Cavett is the only well-known figure in the film to play a cameo role rather than be represented through the use of archival footage.
• Sam Anderson as Principal Hancock: Forrest's elementary school principal.
• Richard D'Alessandro as Abbie Hoffman: A hippie at a Vietnam War rally who gives Forrest a chance to speak about the war.
• Geoffrey Blake as Wesley: A member of the SDS group and Jenny's abusive boyfriend.
• Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Dorothy Harris: The school bus driver who drives both Forrest, and later his son, to school.
• Sonny Shroyer as Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant: Forrest's football coach of the University of Alabama.
• Grand L. Bush, Conor Kennelly, and Teddy Lane Jr. as the Black Panthers: Members of an organization that protests against the Vietnam War, President Lyndon B. Johnson, and anti-black racism.
• Bill Roberson as Fat Man on Bench: An older man who sits on the bench next to Forrest in Savannah, Georgia and listens to Gump's stories.

Filming:
Filming began in August 1993 and ended four months later in December. Although the majority of the film is set in Alabama, filming took place mainly in Beaufort, South Carolina, as well as parts of coastal Virginia and North Carolina, including a running shot on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Additional filming took place on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, although that footage does not appear to have been used. The Gump family home set was built in Savannah, Georgia and the nearby land was used to film Curran's home as well as some of the Vietnam scenes. Over 20 palm trees were planted to improve the Vietnam scenes. Forrest Gump narrated his life's story in Chippewa Square as he sat at a bus stop bench.

Visual Effects:
Ken Ralston and his team at Industrial Light & Magic were responsible for the film's visual effects. Using CGI techniques, it was possible to depict Gump meeting deceased personages and shaking their hands. Hanks was first shot against a blue screen along with reference markers so that he could line up with the archive footage. To record the voices of the historical figures, voice doubles were hired and special effects were used to alter the mouth movements for the new dialogue. Archival footage was used and with the help of such techniques as chroma key, image warping, morphing, and rotoscoping; Hanks was integrated into it.
In one Vietnam War scene, Gump carries a wounded Bubba away from an incoming napalm attack. To create the effect, stunt actors were initially used for compositing purposes. Then Hanks and Williamson were filmed, with Williamson supported by a cable wire as Hanks ran with him. The explosion was then filmed, and the actors were digitally added to appear just in front of the explosions. The jet fighters and napalm canisters were also added by CGI.
The CGI removal of actor Gary Sinise's legs, after his character had them amputated, was achieved by wrapping his legs with a blue fabric, which later facilitated the work of the "roto-paint" team to paint out his legs from every single frame. At one point, while hoisting himself into his wheelchair, his legs are used for support.
The scene where Forrest spots Jenny at a peace rally at the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., required visual effects to create the large crowd of people. Over two days of filming, approximately 1,500 extras were used. At each successive take, the extras were rearranged and moved into a different quadrant away from the camera. With the help of computers, the extras were multiplied to create a crowd of several hundred thousand people.

Critical Reception:
The film has received mostly positive reviews. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 70% of critics gave the film a positive review based on a sample of 53 reviews, with an average score of 6.9/10. At the website Metacritic, which utilizes a normalized rating system, the film earned a favorable rating of 82/100 based on 19 reviews by mainstream critics.
The story was commended by several critics. Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "I've never met anyone like Forrest Gump in a movie before, and for that matter I've never seen a movie quite like Forrest Gump. Any attempt to describe him will risk making the movie seem more conventional than it is, but let me try. It's a comedy, I guess. Or maybe a drama. Or a dream...The screenplay by Eric Roth has the complexity of modern fiction...[Hanks'] performance is a breathtaking balancing act between comedy and sadness, in a story rich in big laughs and quiet truths....what a magical movie." Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote that the film "...has been very well worked out on all levels, and manages the difficult feat of being an intimate, even delicate tale played with an appealingly light touch against an epic backdrop." In addition, the film received notable pans from several major reviewers. Anthony Lane of The New Yorker called the film "Warm, wise, and wearisome as hell." Owen Gordinier of Entertainment Weekly said that the film "...reduces the tumult of the last few decades to a virtual-reality theme park: a baby-boomer version of Disney's America."
Critics had mixed views on the main character. Gump has been compared to various characters and people including Huckleberry Finn, Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan, among others. Peter Chomo writes that Gump acts as a "...social mediator and as an agent of redemption in divided times". Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called Gump "...everything we admire in the American character — honest, brave, loyal...". The New York Times reviewer Janet Maslin called Gump a "...hollow man..." who is "...self-congratulatory in his blissful ignorance, warmly embraced as the embodiment of absolutely nothing." Marc Vincenti of Palo Alto Weekly called the character "...a pitiful stooge taking the pie of life in the face, thoughtfully licking his fingers."
The film is commonly seen as a polarizing one for audiences, with Entertainment Weekly writing in 2004, "Nearly a decade after it earned gazillions and swept the Oscars, Robert Zemeckis's ode to 20th-century America still represents one of cinema's most clearly drawn lines in the sand. One half of folks see it as an artificial piece of pop melodrama, while everyone else raves that it's sweet as a box of chocolates."

What Matters Most

Below is an example of poster design that features the red, white and blue colour scheme. I think this is probably my favourite of all the pieces I have found, minus the Shepard Fairey creations obviously. I like the choice of font but I also like the faded texture, giving it an almost vintage feel. This could come in handy in my own work as the film famously takes place in decades previous to ours, most prominently the fifties, sixties and seventies.

Speeches

This post deals again with more graphic design using a strict red, white and blue colour scheme. Below are several images of a typographic poster based on Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. It was also featured on Creative Review's Blog as part of their D&AD New Blood coverage.

Specifics: 3 colour screen print on Tyvek 55gsm stock, 1176x696mm, folded finish.

Colour Scheme

After asking a few basic questions to people to gather some first hand research for this project I was struck by one of the answers to my questions. When asked to name an object that best represents the film one person replied; 'an American flag'. I thought this was a great response and led me down a path to explore; a red, white and blue colour scheme. I think its incredibly appropriate as most people think of Forrest Gump as an all-American film and Forrest himself is quite the patriot, having fought for his country in the Vietnam war. Below are great examples of design that use the same colours and communicate the right message, the same message I am aiming for.

Obviously when I began to search for graphic design that predominantly features the three colours red, white and blue, the first artist that came to mind was Shepard Fairey. An artist who is best known for his 'hope' and 'progress' promotional posters for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The posters above are all his creations and show the visual variations that can be created with just three colours. All the posters below are other examples of non Shepard Fairey designs, but the majority are still politically orientated.

Forrest Gump Design

I've found it hard to find existing design that relates for Forrest Gump. Below are the only two examples that were apparent and available over the internet. The first is a purely typographical piece of design that interprets one of the films most famous quotes in its own unique way. To be perfectly honest I'm not exactly sure why such a bright yellow background has been chosen and why the two different typefaces have been layered on top of one another. All I do know is that the poster is striking and visually effective with a definitive design flare. Something that needs to be present in my own work. 

The next piece of design I have found is a vectorised image of Forrest sitting at the infamous bench featured throughout the film. Again there are certain aspects of the poster that baffle me, for example why Forrest's suit has been made pink I will never know. However I do like the minimalist approach and how even though the surrounding scenery has been removed and there is absolutely no type present, about 95 per cent of the population would know what film is being represented. I think I might try to create some vectorised images using illustrator to get my design ideas flowing.

Forrest Gump Trailer

Below is the original 1994 release trailer for Forrest Gump. The footage comprises pretty much most of the subplots in the film and features some of the most iconic lines. If anyone where not to have seen Forrest Gump, I'm pretty sure they would be able to gage the vibe of the film from the trailer below, and sense the vast range of content. I think the tone of the trailer is pretty much what I'm aiming for with my title sequence; incredibly emotional but with a humourous undertone. Watch it to find out more.

Second Hand: Top 10 Moments

Below is a list of the top ten best moments from Forrest Gump compiled by an online blogger. The list is entirely subjective and therefore opinion and not fact. The site can be found here with accompanying images and video where necessary, but the basic top ten can be found below. All writing found below is pasted directly from the website so all spelling and grammatical errors are their own. 

10. Shrimp Conversation – This scene is of course wonderful because of Bubba. He’s Forrest’s best good friend in the army, and it’s hard to pick a favorite scene, because I think all the one’s he’s in are great. It was a toss-up between the shrimp scene and his death scene. I chose shrimp because it’s more upbeat, and also what I find to be a unique depiction of life in the army. It really demonstrates just how mundane life in the army can be. Bubba prattles on and on about all the types of shrimp and Forrest listens while they assemble guns, wash floors and shine shoes. Maybe in movie time the speech is only two minutes long, but you know in “real” time this conversation spanned days. What an incredible way to show life in the army.

9. I Just Felt Like Running – This is what Forrest says in response to all the reporters questioning him on why he continues to run across America. They push possible reasons down his throat: “Are you doing it for world peace?” “Are you doing it to fight hunger?” “Are you doing it for animals?” Forrest’s response is at once the most simple and the most genuine. He just felt like running.

8. Lt. Dan Pushes Drunk Chick Off Him – I don’t remember the chick’s name, despite having seen the movie [insert ridiculous number here] times, and I think that’s kind of the point. She’s some plastered hussy ready to give Lt. Dan some action which, considering his attitude, one would assume he doesn’t get too much. That in mind, and especially after all the terrible things he has said and done to Gump, Lt. Dan’s impulse to push this woman off of him for speaking negatively of Gump speaks volumes.

7. Forrest Jumps Off His Boat When His Momma is Sick – There are two moments when Forrest jumps off his shrimping boat. The first is when he sees Lt. Dan on the dock. He abandons ship completely just to say hello. But I think the second time, after he hears his mother is sick, is even more effective. I think it’s because when Forrest jumped for Lt. Dan it wasn’t a very far swim to the dock. When Forrest hears his mother is sick, there is no land nearby. The land that can be seen is far in the distance. But Forrest doesn’t take that into consideration. I’m a bit envious of how easy decisions are for Forrest. Mama is sick. So he goes to her. And that’s that.

6. Lt. Dan Comes to Forrest’s Wedding – Another Lt. Dan moment. What can I say? He’s an incredible character, and the one who I think changes the most throughout the film. And this moment is the one in which we can see the ultimate result of all those changes. He walks into that wedding with his titanium legs. “Astronaut” goes back to the time when Lt. Dan said to Forrest, “The day you become a shrimping boat captain, that’s the day I’m an astronaut.” One gets the sense that Lt. Dan is finally content with being alive. He’s no longer angry with Forrest for rescuing him in Vietnam.

5. Fat Southern Man Laughs Off Forrest About Shrimp Company – the man in question, the very round one at the bus stop, has listened to Forrest’s stories about Vietnam and about his shrimping days. But when Forrest explains that he’s the owner of BubbaGump shrimp, the man laughs hysterically and walks away, refusing to believe it. After he’s gone, Forrest shows the woman on the bench a picture of Lt. Dan, which is in fact the cover of a Fortune magazine, which proves that Forrest was being truthful the whole time. This moment reminds me of how clear things are to Forrest. He knows the truth, and that is enough for him. It doesn’t matter who believes him or who doesn’t. He doesn’t challenge the man; he just lets it go. How many of us can do that, when someone doubts we’ve been involved with something we’re proud of? I know I wouldn’t be able to let that man go.

4. Forrest Names His Boat – I have to admit, I like this part of the movie because it’s the part where I feel most involved. When that man whose name I forgot tells Forrest it’s bad luck to have a boat without a name, and then Forrest says, “There was only one name I could think of,” I was like…I know what it is! I know what it is! It feels good to know the answer before your told, and that’s why I love this moment. Also because it’s a reminder of how pure Forrest’s devotion is to Jenny. He will never forget her. She will never not be on his mind. Don’t we all want someone to care about us that unyieldingly?

3. Lt. Dan Makes His Peace With God – there have been a few shoutouts to Lt. Dan already, but this scene is my absolute favorite of his. Just after the great storm on the shrimping boat, Lt. Dan admits that he never thanked Forrest for saving his life. (About 5:00 on the video below) He then throws himself into the ocean. And Forrest can understand exactly what is happening: “I think Lt. Dan finally made his peace with God.” Lt. Dan looks so comfortable in all that water, so natural in that great sea, that whenever I see the scene I kind of feel like I’ve made my peace with God too.

2. Forrest Doesn’t Open Little Forrest’s Letter – Since the scene takes place at Jenny’s grave it’s already a tearjerker. But when he says, talking about their son, “he wrote you a letter. He says I can’t read it so I’ll just leave it here,” I can’t help but go into ugly cry. This line illustrates so clearly how much Forrest cares for his son. He would never do anything to hurt him, or betray his trust.

1. Forrest Asks If His Son is Smart - Forrest doesn’t get to finish what comes after the ellipses because Jenny assures him that little Forrest is smart. I haven’t seen all of Tom Hanks’ movies, but I dare anyone to find a moment where Tom Hanks acts better than this. This is Forrest’s first concern when he finds out he’s a father, and Tom Hanks is able to capture the sheer volume of his anxiety. The way he stumbles back before he asks the question, and the relief he exhibits when he hears the answer… it’s just astounding. This is why he won the Oscar for best actor.

After reading the list above I am struck by how similar this blogger's opinions are to mine. There are a few moments that I wouldn't have included in my own personal list, most notably when the man laughs at Forrest on the bench or Lt. Dan pushing away the woman on top of him. This isn't because those aren't great moments, they are, but just not my favourites. However I couldn't agree more with the number one spot. The emotion captured in Tom Hanks face is totally believable and utterly heart wrenching, the best moment in the film. Giving it a run for its money in my opinion would be the scene when Forrest jumps off the boat when Mrs. Gump is sick, also mentioned in the list. Incredible.

First Hand Research

I decided to ask a variety of people some simple questions in regards to Forrest Gump. The questions are pretty generic and deal with subject matter such as characters and quotes. Below are the scans from my notebook from which I recorded the answers I received.

Top 30 Forrest Gump Quotes

Jenny Curran: Run Forrest! Run!
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Forrest Gump: My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
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Forrest Gump: You died on a Saturday morning. And I had you placed here under our tree. And I had that house of your father's bulldozed to the ground. Momma always said dyin' was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't. Little Forrest, he's doing just fine. About to start school again soon.
I make his breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. I make sure he combs his hair and brushes his teeth every day. Teaching him how to play ping-pong. He's really good. We fish a lot. And every night, we read a book. He's so smart, Jenny. You'd be so proud of him. I am. He, uh, wrote a letter, and he says I can't read it. I'm not supposed to, so I'll just leave it here for you. Jenny, I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan.
I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time. I miss you, Jenny. If there's anything you need, I won't be far away.
-
Forrest Gump: Lieutenant Dan, what are you doing here?
Lieutenant Dan Taylor: I'm here to try out my sea legs.
Forrest Gump: But you ain't got no legs, Lieutenant Dan.
-
Bubba: Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it.
-
Forrest Gump: Stupid is as stupid does.
-
Forrest Gump: You know it's funny what a young man recollects? 'Cause I don't remember bein' born. I don't recall what I got for my first Christmas and I don't know when I went on my first outdoor picnic. But I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world.
-
Lieutenant Dan Taylor: Where are you boys from in the world?
Forrest Gump, Bubba: Alabama, sir!
Lieutenant Dan Taylor: You twins?
Forrest Gump: No, we are not relations, sir.
-
Forrest Gump: Lieutenant Dan got me invested in some kind of fruit company. So then I got a call from him, saying we don't have to worry about money no more. And I said, that's good! One less thing.
-
Jenny Curran: Were you scared in Vietnam?
Forrest Gump: Yes. Well, I-I don't know. Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out... and then it was nice. It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bayou. There was always a million sparkles on the water... like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny, it looked like there were two skies one on top of the other. And then in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn't tell where heaven stopped and the earth began. It's so beautiful.
Jenny Curran: I wish I could've been there with you.
Forrest Gump: You were.
-
Forrest Gump: What's my destiny, Mama?
Mrs. Gump: You're gonna have to figure that out for yourself.
-
Jenny Curran: Do you ever dream, Forrest, about who you're gonna be?
Forrest Gump: Who I'm gonna be?
Jenny Curran: Yeah.
Forrest Gump: Aren't-aren't I going to be me?
-
Lieutenant Dan Taylor: Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?
Forrest Gump: I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir.
-
Forrest Gump: [in the Watergate hotel; on phone with security] Yeah, sir, you might want to send a maintenance man over to that office across the way. The lights are off, and they must be looking for a fuse box, 'cause them flashlights, they keep me awake.
-
Lieutenant Dan Taylor: I never thanked you for saving my life.
-
Forrest Gump: She got the cancer and died on a Tuesday.
-
Forrest Gump: Will you marry me?
[Jenny turns and looks at him]
Forrest Gump: I'd make a good husband, Jenny.
Jenny Curran: You would, Forrest.
Forrest Gump: But you won't marry me.
Jenny Curran: You don't wanna marry me.
Forrest Gump: Why don't you love me, Jenny? I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is.
-
Mrs. Gump: You have to do the best with what God gave you.
-
Forrest Gump: Her dream had come true. She was a folk singer.
-
Forrest Gump: Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running!
-
Forrest Gump: I'm sorry I had to fight in the middle of your Black Panther party.
-
Jenny Curran: His name's Forrest.
Forrest Gump: Like me.
Jenny Curran: I named him after his daddy.
Forrest Gump: He got a daddy named Forrest, too?
Jenny Curran: You're his daddy, Forrest.
-
Lieutenant Dan Taylor: That's what all these cripples down at the VA talk about: Jesus this and Jesus that. They even had a priest come and talk to me. He said God is listening and if I found Jesus, I'd get to walk beside him in the kingdom of Heaven. Did you hear what I said? WALK beside him in the kingdom of Heaven! Well kiss my crippled ass. God is listening? What a crock of s**t.
-
Jenny Curran: Have you ever been with a girl, Forrest?
Forrest Gump: I sit next to them in my Home Economics class all the time.
-
Forrest Gump: We was always taking long walks, and we was always looking for a guy named "Charlie."
-
Mrs. Gump: Vacation's when you go somewhere... and you don't ever come back.
-
Jenny Curran: You can't keep trying to rescue me all the time.
Forrest Gump: They was trying to grab you.
Jenny Curran: A lot of people try to grab me.
-
Forrest Gump: He was from a long great military tradition. Somebody from his family had fought and died in every single American war. I guess you could say he had a lot to live up to.
-
Jenny Curran: Why are you so good to me?
Forrest Gump: You're my girl!
Jenny Curran: [pause] I'll always be your girl.
-
Forrest Gump: You could come home with me, to my house in Greenbow, Jenny, you and little Forrest. If you're sick I'll take care of you.
Jenny Curran: Will you marry me, Forrest?
Forrest Gump: Okay...

Gump Kinetic Type

Forrest Gump Screencaps

Below is a collection of key scenes from the film Forrest Gump. I browsed through hundreds of options and tried to narrow them down as much as possible. However I did find that the film has so many key moments and iconic visuals that it was hard to get it down to 10 images, at this moment in time anyway. 

Coalition of the Willing

“Coalition of the Willing’ is a collaborative animated film and web-based event about an online war against global warming in a ‘post Copenhagen’ world.

‘Coalition of the Willing’ has been Directed and produced by Knife Party, written by Tim Rayner and crafted by a network of 24 artists from around the world using varied and eclectic film making techniques. Collaborators include some of the world’s top moving image talent, such as Decoy, World Leaders and Parasol Island.

The film offers a response to the major problem of our time: how to galvanize and enlist the global publics in the fight against global warming. This optimistic and principled film explores how we could use new Internet technologies to leverage the powers of activists, experts, and ordinary citizens in collaborative ventures to combat climate change. Through analyses of swarm activity and social revolution, ‘Coalition of the Willing’ makes a compelling case for the new online activism and explains how to hand the fight against global warming to the people.”

35 mm

“35mm is a shortfilm about cinema itself. We picked 35 of our favorite movies and tried to simplifly them as far as possible. The outcome is a 2 minute journey through the history of film.”

Markus Wagner

Ken Gunn Lee

I thought these where great examples of professional looking storyboards.

Colin Day

The Gettysburg Address

Review: Once in awhile, a piece comes along that speaks to you in so many different ways that you just want to listen, afraid that any written response will not adequately capture your sentiments. Personally, this is one of those times, so this will be a quick writeup…

Adam Gault and Stephanie Augustine continue their string of successes with another amazing personal project, Gettysburg Address – easily my favorite work of the year.

Along with an evocative reading by Mitch Rapoport and deeply layered sound design of Chris Villepigue, this subtly powerful illustration of Lincoln’s famous speech portrays a smooth ebb and flow between rich metaphors; each composition aptly reflecting a historical attitude as well as the content’s transcendence – one easily appropriated to the strife that exists in many areas of our current society as much as it did in 1863.

Motionographer Author Simon Robson recently caught up with Adam, who was kind enough to elaborate on the work:

“I’m glad you like the Gettysburg project. We’ve been plugging away at the piece for some time, so it’s nice to finally have it wrapped up and out there.

Words… Well, the irony is that when we decided to attempt this project it didnt really occur to us that the Gettysburg Address is one of the great speeches of all-time. It’s words… carefully chosen words that work really well on their own. The speech doesnt really need pictures. But once we started brainstorming we were determined come up with imagery that would compliment the words. We wanted to use simple and subtle metaphors that would give the speech context and create evocative compositions without trying to add meaning. Hopefully we’ve done the writing some justice.

The actual production process was pretty fluid, as these personal pieces tend to be. The assets are a mixture of photographs, hand painted elements, and digital illustrations. All of the animation was done in After Effects.

One of the challenges with the animation was to keep the motion interesting despite its slow pace. To combat dullness, we tried to keep things moving at all times, whether it was the textures inside the lines, or the drifting of the camera. We also setup the overall structure to move back and forth between light and dark compositions, and tried to make the transitions between the sections as surprising as possible.

The approach for the sound design was similar to the picture. The voice recording needed to be the main focus, with everything else complimenting it. I think Chris did an excellent job of getting it “just right”. His effects are subtle but still moving. They set the mood without demanding too much attention. The clinking of the rope on the flagpole at the end is so lonely and sad. It’s just perfect.”

Buck

Legwork Studios