Films for thought.

The Youth in Us - Joshua Leonard - 2013

http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2013/04/16/the-youth-in-us/

This short film, was quite a nice example of how something very effective could be produced on a low budget using simple story telling techniques, with an emphasis on acting. The film opens using a vintage filter to show a couple having fun on a bicycle, music plays over and the audience know that this represents nostalgia, the opening seems quite dim and bleak, as if this is a fond memory that has been tinged with sadness. As you continue the couple are lying in bed together, close ups of the couple keep the film very tight with no establishing shots to give the audience an overview of the room all the shots are static,  you feel claustrophobic, trapped and the rest of the room becomes a mystery but you are kept intrigued by the dialogue used, the male character tells a dreamlike story about putting a female deer out of its misery, this is a twist already in the tale as the audience have been led to believe that the story was to be about losing virginity. The significance of this story becomes apparent when the camera allows a little room, and you see that the girl is actually lying in a hospital bed, seemingly very ill and the film is actually about  her actually saying goodbye to her boyfriend.  I thought this film was good, the content is not the style i am looking for but i liked the use of the close ups to keep the audience trapped until the director is ready to reveal the nature of the story. I like the pace of the film it was well edited and scripted and it had flow and rhythm that keeps the audience interested. I may reflect back on this film as the opening scene was interesting to me, as i had already picked up this was going to be a sad film before it had started just because of the use of colour and music, even though the content was quite cheerful, its quite interesting for an audience because your waiting in suspense.

About a girl - Brian Percival - 2001

http://write-shoot-cut.com/2012/07/21/short-film-29-about-a-girl-2001-brian-percival/

About a girl follows the story of a teenage girl from a council estate talking about her life to date, she walks with the camera, talking as she takes a walk along a run down area, she is carrying a plastic bag but there is no particular emphasis on the bag at first but as the story unfolds what is inside is of great significance. I really empathised for this character the script was brilliantly written, it was extremely realistic, as the girl narrates her life it becomes apparent that she is a sweet girl, who dreams of becoming a pop star, wants to see her father more and is trying to make sense of the world around her. She talks about her mother and father in a way that makes you feel that we as the audience are understanding more about her situation than she is, as she seems very naive. She looks like the stereotypical media portrayal of a council estate girl, this is juxtaposed by how nice she is. The tragedy comes when you find out what was in the plastic bag, after seemingly having an abortion or miscarriage she throws her dead baby into the river. The opposition between how cheery she is and how dramatic that scene is reinforces her as a character full of hope despite her circumstances. Techniques i liked were the 'invisible interviewer' technique, it works by making the audience feel like they have just peered through a momentary window into somebody's life. The film uses flashbacks, but in a unique way, for example the character talks about how she sits outside the pub when her dad goes for a drink, but while we are introduced to this dialogue the character is physically sat outside the pub telling the story, as if it is happening. This creates scope for different locations and for different levels of storytelling. As i am developing my own idea i feel that this is a good technique for the type of drama i am thinking of creating.

Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson - 2012

Moonrise Kingdom, is a feature length film, its a highly stylised and exaggerated piece about youth and love. I love the use of colours within the film, the dry humour in the scripting and in the way it is filmed reflects the storyline. The film really captures an era, 1960s america, even though a decade is never established, the 'Island of New Penzance' feels like it has been isolated and trapped in a decade. The film reminds me of a dolls house, the cinematography and the tracking camera in the opening shots give you an overview of the house as if it has no front and you are looking in on the characters. The costumes and props are so stylised that they all look like they have been purposely put their, giving the film a sense of fun and distorted realism and reminding you of the directors intentions and style. For Alice Wybrant's script which our group has chosen for the drama this film is an ideal model for researching and learning how to capture a childlike spirit through a large range of mediums. Script, costume, camera technique and character development. I think our actors style will be quite similar to that of Jared Gilman who plays Sam in the film. 

Submarine - Richard Ayoade - 2010

Submarine, is another coming of age film about an awkward quirky teenager who comes from a slightly odd parental background who is trying to find his place in school as he has an odd confidence that other kids don't understand, he falls in love with a girl from his school, and he is trying to understand these feelings and grow up and mature into adulthood . He is on a mission to have sex as many boys of his age are, the story follows him as he tries to manage the situations he is in, such as his mum cheating, his dads depression and his girlfriends mum having cancer. The character declares that he wishes a documentary film crew was following his every move, which is idiosyncratic because to the viewer it is almost like a documentary about his life, but the character who is unaware of the camera by nature states this unknowingly. But to the audience it makes the film seem more realistic like this is a real representation of a boy with a high intelligence level trying to find his place or his niche, This type of film making suggests it is something an audience of a similar age can relate to, but also for an older audience to watch and gain nostalgia from, something i am hoping to achieve with our drama. The film looks as though it has been shot through a filter, making it look a bit more gritty and airbrushed than natural, which i think enhances the story line as it reflects the characters outlook on the world. The editing in the film is composed of jump cuts and non conventional cuts to cu to show the characters emotions, the editing also works for comedic effect in a similar way to moonrise kingdom as the edit cuts into a relatively blunt shot, to show a characters reaction to an action but the bluntness of it gives it a very dry british humour. Again the humour of this piece is something we would like to bring across to our own drama, style wise it is pretty much spot on.

Everything is Illuminated - Liev Schreiber - 2005

Everything is illuminated is a story featuring Elijah Wood, he plays Jonathan who is a jewish boy from america, who collects odd objects that relate to his family, he is on a mission to find out more about his                                 grandmother, his mission takes him to russia where he embarks on an adventure with two equally odd individuals. The main character is extremely awkward, his dress sense and mannerisms convey this, before he even speaks. I really liked the way the camera was used in the scene in the bed and breakfast where Jonathan asks for a meal that does not contain meat, he receives a lone potato. The camera remains static only providing 4 different shots throughout the whole scene, it has a medium shot of each individual at the table and a long shot of all of them. But the comedic tension is built by intercutting between the characters, as they discuss the meal. The background is dark and the scene feels like they are lit by spotlight more like a theatre production. I like the way that this creates an isolated scene only focusing on the characters dialogue and relationships. The emphasis on the journey is key in this film, and for Alice's script i feel that there are some good story telling techniques to be looked at within the film, such as quick static flashbacks or objects while the character is talking, which  connotes that these are the images the character is thinking about when he is talking.