Friday 27 September 2013
Wes Anderson // From Above
4)
This would be a good piece of evidence as it highlights Anderson using a particular shot, the overhead shot, throughout his films, showing a particular visual style which enables the audience to gain an insight to the characters, allowing for a better visual narrative style. Moreover, it is a useful piece of evidence as it allows for the discussion of his cinematographic style and the influence of it on his films.
DP/30: The Fantastic Mr Fox, director Wes Anderson
5)
This will be a useful piece of evidence as it explains his process when approaching a film, explaining how the visual narrative style of the film is developed. For example, he immersed himself in the Roald Dahl world, writing the script at Dahl's house, and basing much of the mise en scene on Dahl's furniture and house, but also the setting of Fantastic Mr. Fox is inspired by the landscape surrounding his house too. However, he also discusses how he doesn't actively try and keep to a particular style, saying he simply does what he likes.
Notes on interview
- Wrote script at Roald Dahl's house
- Design of film comes from house and film (furniture in film based on furniture in his house)
- Fox not wanting to lose contact with wild
- Just does what he likes in films, doesn't actively try to keep to his "style"
- Different voice recording style-on location eg. if scene was outside, they recorded outside, enabled accidents and spontaneity
- edited script and added scenes as they went
- Can't start next film until current is completely finished and distributed everywhere
Thursday 19 September 2013
Does the visual narrative style of wes anderson make him an auteur?
Does the visual narrative style of Wes Anderson, make him an auteur?
Films
1. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
I'm using this as it is Anderson's latest film and will be good to see how his visual narrative style has developed and the direction it is taking. As well as that the film's narrative can be seen as a change in Anderson's normal narrative motifs, focusing on two children, rather than on adults, who act like children. However, it is a clear and excellent example of his clear, distinctive visual narrative style. Furthermore, it easily can be seen culmination in his work, using techniques he has explored and experimented in his previous body of work.
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
I chose this film as one of my focus films as it shows Anderson's clear visual narrative style transferred to stop motion animation. Moreover it keeps to the same aesthetic style, with elaborate, detailed sets, and includes similar cinematographic techniques and shots. Also Anderson uses chapters to progress the narrative like in his live action films. In addition, Mr Fox is a typical Anderson main character holding similar qualities with other characters in his films. Also it illustrates Anderson interpreting an existing narrative, and making it his own.
3. Rushmore (1998)
I've decided to choose Rushmore as one of my chosen films as it's visual narrative style is typical Anderson, and can be seen as establishing his style. It is an useful source of Anderson's auteur style as it introduces many of his key motifs and styles, like long tracking shots, and the idea of a 'man-child'; but he also has created a 'heightened reality' in the film, which would become a staple of Anderson's films.
Interviews
4. DP/30 Interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9OuK--xC4M0
This will be a useful piece of evidence as it explains his process when approaching a film, explaining how the visual narrative style of the film is developed. For example, he immersed himself in the Roald Dahl world, writing the script at Dahl's house. Also basing much of the mise en scene on Dahl's furniture and house, but also the setting of Fantastic Mr. Fox is inspired by the landscape surrounding his house. However, he also discusses how he doesn't actively try and keep to a particular style, saying he simply does what he likes. This source is very useful to understand how his auteur style is created.
5) Grantland Interview http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/52048/wes-anderson-explains-how-to-make-a-wes-anderson-filmhttp://
This is a useful piece of evidence to say Anderson is an auteur because of his visual narrative style because in the interview, Anderson himself explains how he makes a film. Moreover this gives clues to how the style of Anderson's films are created and how this might make him an auteur. Also, there is a useful quote within the article which makes his auteur approach clearer.
6) Guardian Interview http://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/19/wes-anderson-moonrise-kingdom?newsfeed=true
This is a good piece of evidence as the interview helps to explain how the themes in Anderson's films affect his visual narrative style, showing how he views certain characters and why he decided to focus on their story. Moreover it supports the idea that Anderson is an auteur, suggesting that his style is influential over everything in his films therefore making it a useful piece of evidence.
Video evidence
7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PNpVURAgG5g
This is a good piece of evidence as it highlights Anderson using a particular shot, the overhead shot, throughout his films, showing a particular visual style which enables the audience to gain an insight to the characters, allowing for a better visual narrative style. Moreover, it is a useful piece of evidence as it allows for the discussion of his cinematographic style and the influence of it on his films, using it in my presentation to prove his style.
8) Rushmore Video Essay http://vimeo.com/77015707
This is a good piece of evidence as it highlights the different visual techniques Anderson employs in Rushmore, like the curtain pulling at the start of each month. Moreover, it shows the influence on Anderson of other directors, like Bill Melendez and Francois Truffaut, referencing them both. I will therefore use it to support the theory behind Anderson's films.
This helps explain some of the technical reasons why Wes Anderson can be regarded as an auteur, explaining how some of his films have a colour palette and scheme, like the "yellow, green and pale blue in Moonrise Kingdom. But also explains how the soundtrack adds to the visual style, behaving like another character, which clearly shows an auteur approach.
10) http://waystomakeyousee.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/wes-anderson-the-auteur-of-our-generation/
This piece would be a good piece of evidence, as it explains why Anderson can be regarded as an auteur, showing how his auteur style has been influenced by other filmakers like Truffaut, and other Nouvelle Vague auteurs.
11) Telegraph article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6387593/Wes-Anderson-interview-for-Fantastic-Mr-Fox.html
In the article, it discusses how Anderson's meticulous approach to film creates his detailed worlds, resulting in his distinctive visual narrative style illustrating why he can be regarded as an auteur. Also showing his impact on every stage of production in his films, and how his style is created.
12) NPR Transcript http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=153913922
This is a particularly good piece of evidence, as in the interview, Anderson explains how his visual narrative style is influenced, or example mentioning the affect of theatre on his films, and in Moonrise Kingdom how he wanted to create a fable like feel to the film, and making it appear like a "storybook".
Books
13) Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman
In the auteur chapter, he argues against the auteur theory's existence in films, citing that a film is authored by all those involved. He says that films are much more a collaborative effort, and that without screenwriters, producers and cinematographers etc, some of the most popular and successful films would not be as good. Adding that a director is not an author as he does not create everything in a film. I will use this to counter argue and develop the debate of the presentation.
14) Teach Yourself Film Studies by Warren Buckland
This is a useful source of evidence as it helps to establish the theory and explain how Anderson can be regarded as one. Moreover, it gives a background to the theory and enables me to have a criteria to compare and explain the theory in my presentation and would be very useful to use quotes to argue for the existence of auteurs.
Images
15) Image of Wes Anderson found at http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/5/16/1337173461558/Wes-Anderson-001.jpg
Rejected items:
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2013/jan/31/wes-anderson-worlds/
I've rejected this piece because it was just an extract of an introduction for a book on Wes Anderson and was just comparing him to other individuals who share his level of detail. Moreover as it was just introducing his piece, it didn't include much information or evidence on why Anderson could or couldn't be regarded as an auteur.
pitchfork interview http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/8877-wes-anderson/1/
Films
1. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
I'm using this as it is Anderson's latest film and will be good to see how his visual narrative style has developed and the direction it is taking. As well as that the film's narrative can be seen as a change in Anderson's normal narrative motifs, focusing on two children, rather than on adults, who act like children. However, it is a clear and excellent example of his clear, distinctive visual narrative style. Furthermore, it easily can be seen culmination in his work, using techniques he has explored and experimented in his previous body of work.
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
I chose this film as one of my focus films as it shows Anderson's clear visual narrative style transferred to stop motion animation. Moreover it keeps to the same aesthetic style, with elaborate, detailed sets, and includes similar cinematographic techniques and shots. Also Anderson uses chapters to progress the narrative like in his live action films. In addition, Mr Fox is a typical Anderson main character holding similar qualities with other characters in his films. Also it illustrates Anderson interpreting an existing narrative, and making it his own.
3. Rushmore (1998)
I've decided to choose Rushmore as one of my chosen films as it's visual narrative style is typical Anderson, and can be seen as establishing his style. It is an useful source of Anderson's auteur style as it introduces many of his key motifs and styles, like long tracking shots, and the idea of a 'man-child'; but he also has created a 'heightened reality' in the film, which would become a staple of Anderson's films.
Interviews
4. DP/30 Interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9OuK--xC4M0
This will be a useful piece of evidence as it explains his process when approaching a film, explaining how the visual narrative style of the film is developed. For example, he immersed himself in the Roald Dahl world, writing the script at Dahl's house. Also basing much of the mise en scene on Dahl's furniture and house, but also the setting of Fantastic Mr. Fox is inspired by the landscape surrounding his house. However, he also discusses how he doesn't actively try and keep to a particular style, saying he simply does what he likes. This source is very useful to understand how his auteur style is created.
5) Grantland Interview http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/52048/wes-anderson-explains-how-to-make-a-wes-anderson-filmhttp://
This is a useful piece of evidence to say Anderson is an auteur because of his visual narrative style because in the interview, Anderson himself explains how he makes a film. Moreover this gives clues to how the style of Anderson's films are created and how this might make him an auteur. Also, there is a useful quote within the article which makes his auteur approach clearer.
6) Guardian Interview http://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/19/wes-anderson-moonrise-kingdom?newsfeed=true
This is a good piece of evidence as the interview helps to explain how the themes in Anderson's films affect his visual narrative style, showing how he views certain characters and why he decided to focus on their story. Moreover it supports the idea that Anderson is an auteur, suggesting that his style is influential over everything in his films therefore making it a useful piece of evidence.
Video evidence
7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PNpVURAgG5g
This is a good piece of evidence as it highlights Anderson using a particular shot, the overhead shot, throughout his films, showing a particular visual style which enables the audience to gain an insight to the characters, allowing for a better visual narrative style. Moreover, it is a useful piece of evidence as it allows for the discussion of his cinematographic style and the influence of it on his films, using it in my presentation to prove his style.
8) Rushmore Video Essay http://vimeo.com/77015707
This is a good piece of evidence as it highlights the different visual techniques Anderson employs in Rushmore, like the curtain pulling at the start of each month. Moreover, it shows the influence on Anderson of other directors, like Bill Melendez and Francois Truffaut, referencing them both. I will therefore use it to support the theory behind Anderson's films.
Articles
This helps explain some of the technical reasons why Wes Anderson can be regarded as an auteur, explaining how some of his films have a colour palette and scheme, like the "yellow, green and pale blue in Moonrise Kingdom. But also explains how the soundtrack adds to the visual style, behaving like another character, which clearly shows an auteur approach.
10) http://waystomakeyousee.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/wes-anderson-the-auteur-of-our-generation/
This piece would be a good piece of evidence, as it explains why Anderson can be regarded as an auteur, showing how his auteur style has been influenced by other filmakers like Truffaut, and other Nouvelle Vague auteurs.
11) Telegraph article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6387593/Wes-Anderson-interview-for-Fantastic-Mr-Fox.html
In the article, it discusses how Anderson's meticulous approach to film creates his detailed worlds, resulting in his distinctive visual narrative style illustrating why he can be regarded as an auteur. Also showing his impact on every stage of production in his films, and how his style is created.
12) NPR Transcript http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=153913922
This is a particularly good piece of evidence, as in the interview, Anderson explains how his visual narrative style is influenced, or example mentioning the affect of theatre on his films, and in Moonrise Kingdom how he wanted to create a fable like feel to the film, and making it appear like a "storybook".
Books
13) Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman
In the auteur chapter, he argues against the auteur theory's existence in films, citing that a film is authored by all those involved. He says that films are much more a collaborative effort, and that without screenwriters, producers and cinematographers etc, some of the most popular and successful films would not be as good. Adding that a director is not an author as he does not create everything in a film. I will use this to counter argue and develop the debate of the presentation.
14) Teach Yourself Film Studies by Warren Buckland
This is a useful source of evidence as it helps to establish the theory and explain how Anderson can be regarded as one. Moreover, it gives a background to the theory and enables me to have a criteria to compare and explain the theory in my presentation and would be very useful to use quotes to argue for the existence of auteurs.
15) Image of Wes Anderson found at http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/5/16/1337173461558/Wes-Anderson-001.jpg
Rejected items:
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2013/jan/31/wes-anderson-worlds/
I've rejected this piece because it was just an extract of an introduction for a book on Wes Anderson and was just comparing him to other individuals who share his level of detail. Moreover as it was just introducing his piece, it didn't include much information or evidence on why Anderson could or couldn't be regarded as an auteur.
pitchfork interview http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/8877-wes-anderson/1/
I've rejected this interview as it briefly focused on the musical aspects of Anderson's film, and was more about his personal opinions when it came to music. Also it didn't produce any useful evidence i could use for my presentation.
This wasn't useful and i rejected it because it was a brief piece and didn't really discuss how these films affected Anderson's visual narrative style. Moreover it didn't allow me to support any points i could make about whether he is an auteur.
I rejected this piece again because it simply documented what Anderson has directed and didn't comment or provide any supporting evidence on Anderson's particular visual narrative style.
http://flavorwire.com/383699/exclusive-illustrated-floor-plans-for-wes-anderson-films/4/
I've rejected this item as it is an unofficial illustration for a blog inspired by Anderson's films. This isn't useful as it is just an illustration and as it is created by a third party, it doesn't particularly show Anderson's visual narrative style and doesn't suggest he is an auteur.
http://flavorwire.com/383699/exclusive-illustrated-floor-plans-for-wes-anderson-films/4/
I've rejected this item as it is an unofficial illustration for a blog inspired by Anderson's films. This isn't useful as it is just an illustration and as it is created by a third party, it doesn't particularly show Anderson's visual narrative style and doesn't suggest he is an auteur.
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