Dance Video: Notes on "Pina" by Wim Wenders

These are the following notes I made whilst watching "Pina" by Wim Wenders.

• Dedicated to Pina, a choreographer. 
• Spoken in German, English and French. Probably produced and created in Germany. 
• Takes after Berkeley's idea of synchronised movement of an entire group. 
• Fresh soil is poured onto the stage. 
• Plays with the idea of perspective in the second dance (on the soil). Especially because one dancer is closer to the camera on the ground, whilst the other dancers are far away in the background. This is interesting.  
• The dancers seem to be very aware of the shapes they are creating on the soil with their footprints, seen through the cross shape they started off with me. Maybe not, as that the rest of their dance becomes chaotic. 
• Love their use of panning down from the dancers to the red cloth. Perspectives make the viewers feel really distant. 
• Shows the backstage choreography sessions with Pina. Very interesting to see a break in the time frame. 
• It shows cuts back to the choreographer, which shows this film to be more a Dance Film than a musical or theatrical film. 
• It has close up shots to show interaction between certain dancers. It breaks up the monotony of seeing a group of dancers. Variation is good. 
• Breathing becomes a movement that is emphasised by lighting. 
• The lover's garden duet is filmed in one continuous camera shot. 
• Interesting cut between a replica of a stage and the actual dance scene - using miniature dancers in editing. 
• Spotlight lighting in the chair towers piece is very crucial. It gives the dance a sense of seriousness, or a dramatic undertone for a very slow dance. 
• Lots of panning or moving shots. Very seldom does Wenders use a still shot (when it's not a close up). This probably contributes towards the idea of a dance is movement. This time it's not only the dancers, but perhaps the cameras as well. 
• Wenders shows movement of transport as well, as shown by the train. Very peculiar. Later furthered by a robotic dance. A movement within movement. It's like Shakespeare's "a play within a play" from MacBeth. 
• Frozen frame in the middle of a flash from a polaroid photo. Feels so surreal, but such a natural part of photography! Wenders uses it as a moment to explain a story, whilst the frame is frozen. 
• In the Japanese woman's dance, the end of her routine/spin is slowed down for visual significance. Probably to make the piece feel more complete, rather than just an awkward ending. Could consider this when I'm stuck with choreography. 
• White background would be amazing for a dark subject matter and sparse lighting. Gives off a sense of eeriness. Gives amazing opportunity to work with silhouettes as well. 
• For the duet with a yellow dress in an indoor space, the camera follows the dancer's falling movements by swaying side to side. It involves the viewer in the dancer's movements, which is quite engaging. 
• There's a final shot by the camera where they pan quickly towards the dancers, then around them. It gives the shot a sense of closure despite being a still gesture. 
• There's an artificial rain dance that eventually grows into an ocean. Another way of considering water as a prop.