Reflective Analysis

For our new wave inspired film, we decided to use Chungking Express as our influence, using similar cinematographic styles.  We used handheld shots throughout, creating a slight documentary style film to it, like in Chungking Express, but also added some stylised shots. I thought this worked well as we captured the ever moving life of the college, and portrayed it as one moving 'body' with the use of the smudge motion, blurring the people together, and taking their identity away which contrasted with the main character, like in Chungking. However, our film appeared greyer in palette, opposite to Chungking. We could have improved this by filming in better locations with more colourful settings; however I believe that the lack of colour added to the film, emphasizing the lack of excitement and perhaps the dullness of the setting, illustrating why he wanders the corridors for no particular reason. 

Moreover, I believe the lack of a narrative worked well too, highlighting the lethargic nature of the character; but also illustrating the isolation.  Moreover, the character tying the two pieces of broken metal in the fence, could be seen as showing his obsessive nature, a key element in Chungking Express. One thing I believe we could have improved on is the editing. We used effects and overlays in our urban story-inspired film, which could be seen as making it seem cheap and amateurish, as well as that, urban stories do not tend to use many effects, resulting in our film losing its documentary feel

How far can it be argued that your chosen films provide a 'realistic' representation of the people and places they focus on?

 How far can it be argued that your chosen films provide a 'realistic' representation of the people and places they focus on? 

In the 2002 film, City Of God, directed by both Fernando Meirelles and Katie Lund, it can be argued that the representation of the people of the favela is realistic and highlights how their environment effects their lives.

The film opens with extreme close ups of a knife sharpening, suggesting that in the favelas, weapons hold the power. This is supported by the fact that the knife appears in the centre of the shot, and takes a dominating position. This is similar to the riot scene in La Haine, where the policeman's gun is the focus of the shot, also holds the power in the scene, controlling the rioters at the projects. However, the focus on the knife could also illustrate how life in the favelas for its people is on a knife's edge, and you can be killed easily, and life is not guaranteed  Moreover the scene contains loud diegetic music and people talking, highlighting the busy and bustling nature of the favelas. In addition, the fast editing mirrors the fast lifestyle of the favelas, where power is  changes quickly, creating a realistic representation of life in the favelas. 

We see Li'l Ze and his gang chasing a chicken through the streets with fast cuts, again showing the fast paced nature of the city of god. But also, the chicken it can be suggested provides a realistic representation of the people of the favela. It illustrates how the people can never escape from crime, but also could show they cannot escape the favela itself, without being threatened with its death. The scene then ends with Rocket between the hoods and the police, highlighting  his desire to be neither, but illustrating how the people of the favelas will always be trapped between the battle between the police and the hoods. This is shown by how the police and hoods never share the same shot, and are separated by editing. I found this scene effective as it illustrated, with the long wide shots, how the police and outside world keep their distance from the city of god, but when they do confront it, they are aggressive towards the people, shown by the police immediately pulling out their guns.

Overall, City of God provides a realistic representation of the people and places of the favela, using film techniques to illustrate the power, and the conflict in the favela. But also uses it to explain life in the favela and why some things occur.

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  

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.

               Articles

9)    http://andragroza2013.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/wes-anderson-auteur-theory/

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/

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. 

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/moonrise_kingdom/news/1925324/1/five_favorite_films_with_wes_anderson/

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. 

http://flavorwire.com/388538/everything-wes-andersons-ever-directed-ranked/19

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.  

Auteur & Wes Anderson

Auteur & Wes Anderson

6)    analyses thing

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.


7)    auteur of our generation article

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.

Reject:  pitchfork interview
         

8)   grantland interview



"Favourite" films interview

NPR transcript

everything he's ever directed

9)    Guardian interview

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.


10) Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman

In the auteur chapter, he argues against it's existence, citing that a film is authored by all those involved