Great action is not shooting random footage and piecing it together.
Its got to be meticulously designed.
Most of the bigger budget films now employ teams of previs artists who, a lot like Saul Bass (guy who designed Hitchcock's most memorable sequences and opening credits), plan every little detail out before a frame of film is shot.
Action scenes are essentially suspense scenes. The hero is in peril, and has to survive a formidable enemy (machine gun fire, crashing plane, big brute, ex-girlfriend) while trying to achieve his goal.
Let me reiterate. SIMPLER IS BETTER.
If you make things confusing or too complex, the audience can no longer follow and they will lose interest. Because action isn't about chaos, its about clarity. (I'm talking to you Michael Bay)
BASIC INGREDIENTS
-Who the hero is (which should be set up earlier in the film) (NOTE: the more we root for our hero, the more engaged we are in his struggle).
-What he is going after or striving for (rescuing the girl, getting the McGuffin, running for his life, etc).
-Who the forces of antagonism are (villains, evil torture devices, IRS agents).
-What is the geography where the action is going to take place.
-Cause and effect. A leads to B, which leads to C. Good action is not random. Story must always be present!
TYPES OF SCENES
-Chase scene (car chase, foot chase, aerial dogfight)
-Fight scene (bar brawl, army battle)
-Suspense scene (hero locked in a room and has a small amount of time to escape)
TOOLS IN THE ACTION TOOLBOX
LEADING THE EYE (Don't let the eye ask for directions)
The most important thing to know is how to lead the eye to exactly where you want it.
Once you start cutting things quickly, if the eye placement hasn't been carefully preplanned you run the risk of losing the audiences' focus on each cut. You want them looking here, and they're looking over there.
The general rule is that if the eye has to jump its focus less than 1/3 of the screen over a cut, you're in fine shape. But having the eye looking at the far edge of screen left to a cut that requires the eye to look far screen right...you've lost the audience. Every time you lose them, even if its just a little bit...they slowly start to check out.
USING DIAGONALS TO CREATE TENSION (Be aware of the subliminal cutting of images)
Another cool technique is to design strong diagonals into your cuts. In other words, shot A would have a strong compositional element of diagonal line, then cut to shot B which would have the opposing diagonal. Therefore you create these cool opposing lines which creates tension. And since an action scene is simply a suspense scene you're just amping the audience up even more.
LIGHTING EFFECTS (The Cameron Principle)
Another technique is to have some sort of strobing light effect. Psychologically this makes humans tense. So once the shit starts hitting the fan, you can craft some reason narratively why the lights go on the fritz. Check out any scene by James Cameron to see this technique in play.
(its a video off a TV, but you get the idea)
ESTABLISH GEOGRAPHY (Think like Steven)
Spielberg is the master at this. He shows you very clearly what the geography is that the characters will be dealing with. Once that's established, you can cut in and make things as crazy as possible. Great set design will make sure that there are landmarks sprinkled throughout the set that the audience can easily recognize. You don't see a lot of action scenes where characters fight in a giant nondescript room. That would be a confusing mess.
Look at this clip from 1941 (Spielberg). Notice how he takes his time setting up the geography of the set before things get nutty. You always know exactly where you are.
CLEARLY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS (Its confusing to have identical twins fight)
One of the most confusing things in Transformers (besides how the hell Megan Fox can outrun a 50ft tall robot in heels) is that all the characters looked the same. So when the fighting is going on, we're left to ponder 'who is fighting who?'. Also in Quantum of Solace, half the action scenes the director (Mark Forrester) had the heroes and villains dressed in similar colored clothes, with similar haircuts, driving similar cars. I'm sure he knew what was going on, but I sure didn't. Make things as visually diverse as you can! (This is why you'll never see two sports teams wearing the same colored jerseys...you'd be utterly confused as to who is who).
Here is a scene from Quantum of Solace. Both cars look alike. Retarded choice guys! (Million bucks says they were forced to do this for the product placement...sigh).
MULTIPLE ARENAS OF ACTION
Most action scenes are simple, hero wants A. But to really heighten the effect, you can layer in another arena of action. For example, instead of our hero fighting our villain, you have them fighting on a speeding train (filled with passengers) that is about to crash. You have them fighting off the queen alien while trying to rescue someone else AND having to get off the planet before it explodes.
Check out this great fight scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, Steven Spielberg):
Note how every beat leads to the next and raises the suspense.
1) Indy wants to get in the plane
2) Indy has to fight big guy
3) Marion maneuvers the plane, which knocks the gas tank, she gets locked in.
Now Indy has to fight big guy, avoid the propeller AND try to save Marion before the gas (ticking clock) blows up the plane.
Its a perfect action sequence.
As for pure visceral action, here is a clip from The French Connection (1971, William Friedkin).
Note the simple geography. Hackman is always driving under the elevated subway tracks. Its a straight path. The camera is mounted inside the car, low to the ground which amps up the sense of speed. Its almost musical in the editing...they'll cut to crazy driving action, then longer more removed shots of the killer on the subway. THEN SMASH, they cut right back to a visceral driving POV shot (must be a 17.5 mm lens). Its very effective. There is always movement, which adds a sense of urgency. The filmmakers were simply trying to place the audience in the same emotional space as the hero. His heart is pounding, and ours is too.
The cinematic baby cousin to that scene is Spiderman 2 (2004, Sam Raimi).
This could have been a thrilling fight between Dok Ock and Spidey, but they chose to have multiple arenas of action. And it paid off in spades.
And because you can't really learn until you see how NOT TO DO IT:
The camera is so close that I have no idea who is who and what's going on. Sure it looks cool, but as a story BEING TOLD its confusing. Gotta love Bay.
And this is just slow and boring. The camera is so far removed from the action that it has no emotional impact (please don't hurt me Trekkies)!
Recap:
1) Make sure we love the hero and root for them.
2) Establish geography
3) Establish what hero wants
4) If its a 'chase scene', make sure its visceral.
5) Make sure there is cause and effect. A leads to B leads to C (each time it gets harder for our hero).
6) Start simple, then complicate the action as the scene progresses (arenas of action). Things need to build!
7) Know when to stop. After 5-10 minutes, people need a break!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Comedic Protagonists
What makes for a great comedic protagonist?
How does the actor need to portray him?
-Find the truth
-make quirky behavior come from a psychological need, not because its written as quirky.
-Never play the funny
-play the opposite
-playing the funny becomes obvious and the audience tunes out.
-Highest stakes possible..that's what makes it funny.
-getting worked up over what essentially is a minor problem is funny.
Can comic characters have an arc?
-Most comic protagonists don't arc. That's what makes them funny. They don't learn from their mistakes.
-Not much of an arc: Ferris Beuller, Alvy (Annie Hall), The Geek (16 Candles), Bugs Bunny, Bill Murray, Groucho Marx
-Big arc: Michael Dorsey (Tootsie), Tom Hanks (Big), Jack Lemmon (The Apartment)
Therefore, 2 types of comedic stories. Farces (Animal House, Stripes, Airplane) and tales (The Apartment, Election, Big).
What is the main source of antagonism for a comic protagonist?
-Bumbling characters are their own worst enemy (Inspector Closeau, Michael Dorsey, The Geek, The Jerk)
-Smart Ass characters fight the world (Bugs Bunny, Groucho, Ferris)
-Wimpy guys/boy-men usually fight off A) bullies who are manlier than them or B) The establishment which is riddled with bullies (Animal House, Blues Brothers, SuperBad)
How does the actor need to portray him?
-Find the truth
-make quirky behavior come from a psychological need, not because its written as quirky.
-Never play the funny
-play the opposite
-playing the funny becomes obvious and the audience tunes out.
-Highest stakes possible..that's what makes it funny.
-getting worked up over what essentially is a minor problem is funny.
Can comic characters have an arc?
-Most comic protagonists don't arc. That's what makes them funny. They don't learn from their mistakes.
-Not much of an arc: Ferris Beuller, Alvy (Annie Hall), The Geek (16 Candles), Bugs Bunny, Bill Murray, Groucho Marx
-Big arc: Michael Dorsey (Tootsie), Tom Hanks (Big), Jack Lemmon (The Apartment)
Therefore, 2 types of comedic stories. Farces (Animal House, Stripes, Airplane) and tales (The Apartment, Election, Big).
What is the main source of antagonism for a comic protagonist?
-Bumbling characters are their own worst enemy (Inspector Closeau, Michael Dorsey, The Geek, The Jerk)
-Smart Ass characters fight the world (Bugs Bunny, Groucho, Ferris)
-Wimpy guys/boy-men usually fight off A) bullies who are manlier than them or B) The establishment which is riddled with bullies (Animal House, Blues Brothers, SuperBad)
Shooting Comedy
Let's talk about how to shoot comedy. There's a right way, and a wrong way.
CAMERA WORK
I'm gonna pick on 1941 again. It tries so hard to be funny and that's where it fails.
Here are the problems with the way its shot:
1. Its too busy. The wind blowing, the smoke, the camera moves. It doesn't FEEL like a comedy.
2. Camera moving on the jokes. If you move the camera, the joke gets lost.
3. Lighting is dark (actors reactions sometimes in shadows).
NEVER move the camera on a punchline. NEVER.
NEVER obscure a reaction from camera (frame and light actors CLEARLY).
Check out this clip from Curb:
It works because the camera work is simple. Its only to service the performers. The lighting is high-key, and though the camera is 'shaky', it never moves during a funny bit. Overall, the humor is supported by the filmmakers as opposed to being trampled.
What about night scenes? If most comedies are high-key lighting (brighter) then how does one pull off a night shot?
Annie Hall:
Notice that Walken is partially obscured by shadows, which adds a creepy flavor to his character...which is the the joke. But the laugh comes on Woody's reaction to him. Which is very well lit. In both reactions from both scenes.
REALISM OF THE WORLD
Here's the opening of DATE MOVIE:
Its tonally 'silly'.
Which means its more akin to animation, which excels at characterizations.
When you do this in live-action, you take away any sense of reality. The characters are doing silly things, trying to be funny, and it doesn't work. Why? Because they haven't explained why the characters act this way.
In the clip above from Airplane!, they play it totally straight.
Its a silly world, but they don't mug for the camera. The actors always have big stakes, they REALLY want to do what they're doing.
The reason Airplane is a classic and Date Movie is in the bargain bin, is that right off the bat with Date Movie, it doesn't make sense. Why is this chick dancing?
In Airplane, they set it up right away...the stewardess wants to do something nice for the sick girl. We can all relate to that, so we're down.
If you're going to have a comedic stylized world, HAVE IT BE BASED IN TRUTH.
PRODUCTION DESIGN CREATES TONE
How you design the world will inform the audience of what the tone is.
Pluto Nash:
What's the tone???? Everything is muddled. There's no style or charm. And if the audience can't figure the tone out instantly, they check out. Why? Cause they figure you (as a storyteller) aren't doing your job. So why listen to you?
A great world that supports the characters is The Muppet Movie.
Its whimsical and stylized and perfectly compliments the characters. They shot it at real locations, but they picked props (the Studebaker) that have a sense of fun. And since they've introduced puppets as the leads, they can do wacky things like have it snow for one shot.
Once they set up those rules, and stick to them, we buy it.
Annie Hall:
Notice how Woody keeps it fairly toned down. Its silly, he pulls a character from offscreen. But the acting is realistic and you know what the motivations are. Also the camera work is fairly minimalist. Even the lighting looks natural.
Beetlejuice:
Here is a really stylized world. Its consistent. And the camera work leads you to the jokes. Burton will reframe quickly and then lets his camera settle.
Here is a list of comedies that visually range from stylized to more naturalistic. Notice how they all have simple camera work, very defined visual palates, and consistent rules (talking to camera, pulling things offscreen).
Also, even near the 'naturalistic' side of things, they're fairly stylized (both Annie Hall and Ferris Beuller break the 4th wall.)
1. Grease
2. Airplane
3. Muppet Movie
4. Dr. Strangelove
5. Friday
6. Ferris Beuller
7. Annie Hall
8. Tootsie
9. Sixteen Candles
All the above films have in common:
1. They respect the main characters. They laugh with, but never at.
2. They set the world up in the beginning and then never break their rules.
3. The stakes are big for the characters, so the harder they keep trying (and failing) the more we laugh.
4. The emotions are all real. Nothing wacky.
CONCLUSION
The number 1 rule to shooting comedy is let the world/camera work/production design support the characters.
The tone should support the personalities of the characters.
Never let the camera move on a punchline.
Never have a reaction in shadow or obscured from camera.
Never have the world be too unrealistic that we can't relate or are confused.
Never be inconsistent with your tone. DON'T BREAK THE RULES OF YOUR WORLD.
CAMERA WORK
I'm gonna pick on 1941 again. It tries so hard to be funny and that's where it fails.
Here are the problems with the way its shot:
1. Its too busy. The wind blowing, the smoke, the camera moves. It doesn't FEEL like a comedy.
2. Camera moving on the jokes. If you move the camera, the joke gets lost.
3. Lighting is dark (actors reactions sometimes in shadows).
NEVER move the camera on a punchline. NEVER.
NEVER obscure a reaction from camera (frame and light actors CLEARLY).
Check out this clip from Curb:
It works because the camera work is simple. Its only to service the performers. The lighting is high-key, and though the camera is 'shaky', it never moves during a funny bit. Overall, the humor is supported by the filmmakers as opposed to being trampled.
What about night scenes? If most comedies are high-key lighting (brighter) then how does one pull off a night shot?
Annie Hall:
Notice that Walken is partially obscured by shadows, which adds a creepy flavor to his character...which is the the joke. But the laugh comes on Woody's reaction to him. Which is very well lit. In both reactions from both scenes.
REALISM OF THE WORLD
Here's the opening of DATE MOVIE:
Its tonally 'silly'.
Which means its more akin to animation, which excels at characterizations.
When you do this in live-action, you take away any sense of reality. The characters are doing silly things, trying to be funny, and it doesn't work. Why? Because they haven't explained why the characters act this way.
In the clip above from Airplane!, they play it totally straight.
Its a silly world, but they don't mug for the camera. The actors always have big stakes, they REALLY want to do what they're doing.
The reason Airplane is a classic and Date Movie is in the bargain bin, is that right off the bat with Date Movie, it doesn't make sense. Why is this chick dancing?
In Airplane, they set it up right away...the stewardess wants to do something nice for the sick girl. We can all relate to that, so we're down.
If you're going to have a comedic stylized world, HAVE IT BE BASED IN TRUTH.
PRODUCTION DESIGN CREATES TONE
How you design the world will inform the audience of what the tone is.
Pluto Nash:
What's the tone???? Everything is muddled. There's no style or charm. And if the audience can't figure the tone out instantly, they check out. Why? Cause they figure you (as a storyteller) aren't doing your job. So why listen to you?
A great world that supports the characters is The Muppet Movie.
Its whimsical and stylized and perfectly compliments the characters. They shot it at real locations, but they picked props (the Studebaker) that have a sense of fun. And since they've introduced puppets as the leads, they can do wacky things like have it snow for one shot.
Once they set up those rules, and stick to them, we buy it.
Annie Hall:
Notice how Woody keeps it fairly toned down. Its silly, he pulls a character from offscreen. But the acting is realistic and you know what the motivations are. Also the camera work is fairly minimalist. Even the lighting looks natural.
Beetlejuice:
Here is a really stylized world. Its consistent. And the camera work leads you to the jokes. Burton will reframe quickly and then lets his camera settle.
Here is a list of comedies that visually range from stylized to more naturalistic. Notice how they all have simple camera work, very defined visual palates, and consistent rules (talking to camera, pulling things offscreen).
Also, even near the 'naturalistic' side of things, they're fairly stylized (both Annie Hall and Ferris Beuller break the 4th wall.)
1. Grease
2. Airplane
3. Muppet Movie
4. Dr. Strangelove
5. Friday
6. Ferris Beuller
7. Annie Hall
8. Tootsie
9. Sixteen Candles
All the above films have in common:
1. They respect the main characters. They laugh with, but never at.
2. They set the world up in the beginning and then never break their rules.
3. The stakes are big for the characters, so the harder they keep trying (and failing) the more we laugh.
4. The emotions are all real. Nothing wacky.
CONCLUSION
The number 1 rule to shooting comedy is let the world/camera work/production design support the characters.
The tone should support the personalities of the characters.
Never let the camera move on a punchline.
Never have a reaction in shadow or obscured from camera.
Never have the world be too unrealistic that we can't relate or are confused.
Never be inconsistent with your tone. DON'T BREAK THE RULES OF YOUR WORLD.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Comedy
I've rolled my sleeves up for the last 6 months and analyzed the f#ck out of comedy structure. Even went so far as to take a stand up comedy class. My findings:
COMEDY IS HARD
1. Set the joke up CLEARLY. If the audience isn't 100% clear on what the concept behind the joke is, the punchline is meaningless. Just like a feature film, you can spend a little longer up front making sure everything is clear.
2. Keep it real. If the joke isn't based in fact, then the people who like Gallagher and Carrot Top will think you're great. But the other 98% of the population will be lost. Look at John Hughes movies (the early ones). They work because all the humor comes from real life, things we can relate to. As soon as you strip that away you're fighting an uphill battle.
3. Keep it simple. Economy of words/thoughts/time. If the audience forgets what the set up was cause you've led them down some tangents or took your sweet time...you've killed the joke.
4. Have a strong attitude. I found that the delivery is more important that the joke. Let me restate that...how you tell it is as important as what you say. Case in point, Robin Williams. 80% of the jokes he tells aren't funny on the page...but when he acts them out...its funny.
5. Suspense. Listen to a great joke..its like a mini-story. The audience wants to know 'what happens next?'. If you pause for a bit, right before your reveal, the tension is released and the laugh is bigger.
6. Target. Who is the joke aimed at? If you don't aim a joke at a target, then it probably will only get a minor laugh. Always have a target. Ex wives and bosses always make for great fodder.
The interesting thing here to note is that all those principles of telling a joke apply to storytelling.
Jokes are, as stated previously, little tiny stories. And those principles that work for stand up are the foundation of all larger jokes (ie, bits in movies).
Most film comedies, or at least the ones I like, exist in an honest world. Annie Hall. Tootsie. Ghostbusters. Superbad. Obviously those aren't realistic in relation to reality, but in the world they've set up, they make perfect sense.
Comedies that don't work so well are the ones where the world is 'wacky'. 'Meet the Spartans', 'Little Nicky', 'She's all That.' Funny is not mugging for the camera and shocking the audience. Comedy that stands the test of time let's the humor come from the character.
Watch this clip and make note of where you laughed.
In the above clip from Animal House the joke works because
A) Clear target. The pansy with the guitar.
B) Clear setup. Belushi, a rebel rouser, will undoubtedly hate this guy.
C) Suspense. The minute Belushi stops, we wait to see what will happen.
D) Punchline. Its not when Belushi destroys the instrument...its the reactions. The guy taking his guitar is funny, but Belushi, in character, sweetly saying 'sorry' is the capper.
Look at the shot structure.
1) guy with guitar.
2) LS, Belushi stops and reacts.
3) CU of Belushi, somewhat pokerfaced, so we're not sure what his reaction will be.
4) cut back to guitar guy....who is clueless. This creates suspense.
5) Cut back to CU of Belushi. Pause. Then he reacts...
6) Cut to a LS of him destroying the guitar. Note that this if violent, but because no one gets hurt or screams, it stays comic.
7) CU of guitar guy reacting. Its an honest reaction...he's a little in shock.
8) CU of Belushi reacting to his outburst. He does the opposite of what you'd expect (expressing anger) and he simply shrugs. This is where the big laugh, at least for me comes. Primarily because I didn't expect that reaction.
Check out this clip from Spielberg's 1941:
Not funny at all? Why?
What's the target? The gas station? Targets should be people or ideas that need lampooning.
What's the setup? It should be that the station owners are fixing up their business, and right when they've got it perfect Belushi rolls up and destroys it all. This could have been a quick shot of them finishing up a coat of paint on something.
Suspense? Not really.
Punchline. NOT FUNNY. Why? There is so much going on in the frame that we're not looking at the actresses reaction. And once she says her line, she moves. We don't get to process the joke.
COMEDY IS HARD
1. Set the joke up CLEARLY. If the audience isn't 100% clear on what the concept behind the joke is, the punchline is meaningless. Just like a feature film, you can spend a little longer up front making sure everything is clear.
2. Keep it real. If the joke isn't based in fact, then the people who like Gallagher and Carrot Top will think you're great. But the other 98% of the population will be lost. Look at John Hughes movies (the early ones). They work because all the humor comes from real life, things we can relate to. As soon as you strip that away you're fighting an uphill battle.
3. Keep it simple. Economy of words/thoughts/time. If the audience forgets what the set up was cause you've led them down some tangents or took your sweet time...you've killed the joke.
4. Have a strong attitude. I found that the delivery is more important that the joke. Let me restate that...how you tell it is as important as what you say. Case in point, Robin Williams. 80% of the jokes he tells aren't funny on the page...but when he acts them out...its funny.
5. Suspense. Listen to a great joke..its like a mini-story. The audience wants to know 'what happens next?'. If you pause for a bit, right before your reveal, the tension is released and the laugh is bigger.
6. Target. Who is the joke aimed at? If you don't aim a joke at a target, then it probably will only get a minor laugh. Always have a target. Ex wives and bosses always make for great fodder.
The interesting thing here to note is that all those principles of telling a joke apply to storytelling.
Jokes are, as stated previously, little tiny stories. And those principles that work for stand up are the foundation of all larger jokes (ie, bits in movies).
Most film comedies, or at least the ones I like, exist in an honest world. Annie Hall. Tootsie. Ghostbusters. Superbad. Obviously those aren't realistic in relation to reality, but in the world they've set up, they make perfect sense.
Comedies that don't work so well are the ones where the world is 'wacky'. 'Meet the Spartans', 'Little Nicky', 'She's all That.' Funny is not mugging for the camera and shocking the audience. Comedy that stands the test of time let's the humor come from the character.
Watch this clip and make note of where you laughed.
In the above clip from Animal House the joke works because
A) Clear target. The pansy with the guitar.
B) Clear setup. Belushi, a rebel rouser, will undoubtedly hate this guy.
C) Suspense. The minute Belushi stops, we wait to see what will happen.
D) Punchline. Its not when Belushi destroys the instrument...its the reactions. The guy taking his guitar is funny, but Belushi, in character, sweetly saying 'sorry' is the capper.
Look at the shot structure.
1) guy with guitar.
2) LS, Belushi stops and reacts.
3) CU of Belushi, somewhat pokerfaced, so we're not sure what his reaction will be.
4) cut back to guitar guy....who is clueless. This creates suspense.
5) Cut back to CU of Belushi. Pause. Then he reacts...
6) Cut to a LS of him destroying the guitar. Note that this if violent, but because no one gets hurt or screams, it stays comic.
7) CU of guitar guy reacting. Its an honest reaction...he's a little in shock.
8) CU of Belushi reacting to his outburst. He does the opposite of what you'd expect (expressing anger) and he simply shrugs. This is where the big laugh, at least for me comes. Primarily because I didn't expect that reaction.
Check out this clip from Spielberg's 1941:
Not funny at all? Why?
What's the target? The gas station? Targets should be people or ideas that need lampooning.
What's the setup? It should be that the station owners are fixing up their business, and right when they've got it perfect Belushi rolls up and destroys it all. This could have been a quick shot of them finishing up a coat of paint on something.
Suspense? Not really.
Punchline. NOT FUNNY. Why? There is so much going on in the frame that we're not looking at the actresses reaction. And once she says her line, she moves. We don't get to process the joke.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Coke Spot, Locations
Locations and sets are key to telling a great story. They set the stage and support the actors on it. Think about it. If the sets and locations aren't right, it pulls you out of the tale. Cheesy sets, a la Land of the Lost, tell you up front its a cheap production and even if the acting is top notch, we have already made our minds up that its cheese.
For the Coke spot I need to create a nostalgic feel. Locations were scouted for 3 days all over L.A. and we ended up taking the first place I heard about. The Quality Cafe. Tons of movies have shot there, specifically because its got an old 1940's vibe. Wood walls, red leather booths, large front windows. The hard part is going to be dressing it. As of now its empty inside. I've got to pick the right salt shakers and ketchup bottles and silverware. I've got to go to real diners and see what kind of people eat there. See how the mood is. What's the level of activity? I then need to recreate all the on film so that it feels like a slice of life.
The second day of shooting we're requiring a greenscreen stage. So my team and I need to locate a stage and find the best rate. There's nothing artistic about that. Its ironic that one location is so important and the other isn't.
For the Coke spot I need to create a nostalgic feel. Locations were scouted for 3 days all over L.A. and we ended up taking the first place I heard about. The Quality Cafe. Tons of movies have shot there, specifically because its got an old 1940's vibe. Wood walls, red leather booths, large front windows. The hard part is going to be dressing it. As of now its empty inside. I've got to pick the right salt shakers and ketchup bottles and silverware. I've got to go to real diners and see what kind of people eat there. See how the mood is. What's the level of activity? I then need to recreate all the on film so that it feels like a slice of life.
The second day of shooting we're requiring a greenscreen stage. So my team and I need to locate a stage and find the best rate. There's nothing artistic about that. Its ironic that one location is so important and the other isn't.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Coke Spot, Mood
Mood and Tone are the top two things a good director thinks about. Within 30 seconds of seeing a film (opening credits aside) I can tell if its going to blow me away or suck a big one. The first impression is everything, and the movies that are great throughout have great openings.
Why?
Because the tone and mood are clearly defined.
Think about it.
E.T.
One of my favorite films. The music is somber and downplayed. The lighting is very natural. Its dark, a little scary and a little magical. We can sense something is afoot. The table is set tonally and nothing in the film bumps on it. Spielberg knew his tone and mood and stuck to it.
In the trailer to E.T., they're flat out selling the tone and mood. Notice how they tease the audience with the mood. Spielberg knew at the end of the day he had a cheesy kid film about an alien and family dysfunction. So instead of making it all shiny and happy and sanitized, he made it dark and scary and mysterious. Check out all the shots of mist and fog in there. Look at all the use of black as a color. The tone and mood contrast the lighter points of the story that could have turned into Velveeta.
Princess Bride
Just watch the very opening. First thing we hear is a coughing kid. Then we see him playing a lame video game. Fred Savage is glum and mom sets up Grandpa is coming. Fred states how Gramps is old fashioned and then they get a big joke. Grandpa is full of life and dashes into the room and pinches Fred's cheek. Its screaming at you to laugh at it, but its still funny. Its charming. Rob Reiner kept that tone throughout.
BAD TONE:
Van Helsing
Whew...It opens with black and white of villagers storming Frankensteins castle. Its very dramatic, and a little scary. But the rest of the film is a Gothic video game. There are no physics and lots of comedy. I didn't get that from the first minute. Inconsistent tone.
Chicken Little
It starts out as a farce on Disney storybook films, then veers off into Airplane style jokes, then sentimental subplots with a father and son, then aliens attack in an action bonanza. NO ONE knew what the film was meant to be. I know half the people who worked on it, and they still don't know. Had they stuck to a tone and mood and edited out every idea that didn't support that, it could have worked (aliens in chicken movies...why?)
Labyrinth
Check the opening out. It starts as some Ren Faire piece, then has cheesy acting, then some groovy David Bowie song. No humor, just cheese. I'm a huge Jim Henson fan, but I hate this film. I don't think he had a good handle on the tone. He wanted it to be dark but couldn't resist having the pun filled colorful humor he's known for. The Muppet movie keeps its tone (heart on the sleeve, vaudeville inspired jokes), but Labyrinth...its all over the place. It just doesn't work.
So as a storyteller, if you don't set the table and then stick to it, you're gonna lose your audience. You don't serve Mexican food, then halfway through dinner switch it up to French. That'll just piss off everyone, especially the French.
So for the Coke spot, the only way the magical aspect will work is if the world is grounded. If its a wacky, stylized world then the girl in the painting will just seem like a given. But if the world is natural and somewhat mundane, then the magical aspects have something to contrast with. Spielberg did this well with ET, Close Encounters, Poltergeist and Jaws. He stylized the world in a Norman Rockwell way. Made it feel mundane and then when the fantasy happened...it popped.
In college I asked Brad Bird (director of Incredibles and Iron Giant) how he maintained a tone and mood throughout the piece. He looked at me and simply said 'you just do'. I think it comes down to really understanding the story. My favorite films adapt a film making style that is essentially the POV of the main characters. Annie Hall has a film making style that's eccentric and neurotic, much like Alvy Singer. Heavenly Creatures is fast and spastic, much like the main teenage girls in that. Grease is bubblegum and sexual, just like the teenagers discovering sex depicted in that film.
A great story adapts to the mood of the protagonists.
In the Coke Spot, I'm going to aim for really selling the charm and magic of the world. The protagonist is the Coke. Its nostalgic and wholesome and American. Its a Norman Rockwell painting. So the mood needs to be charming, a celebration of day to day working class American life. I can accomplish that with lots of faded colors and antiques. I plan on using vintage props and bathing the set in a diffused glow. I see dust in the air. I see light beams streaking throughout the place. I hear the hum of the fans...the sizzle of the stove...the passing of cars and trucks outside. Its got to feel hot and realistic but with a slight bit of style and whimsy. Balancing all that comes down to feeling the story and the tone and the mood.
Why?
Because the tone and mood are clearly defined.
Think about it.
E.T.
One of my favorite films. The music is somber and downplayed. The lighting is very natural. Its dark, a little scary and a little magical. We can sense something is afoot. The table is set tonally and nothing in the film bumps on it. Spielberg knew his tone and mood and stuck to it.
In the trailer to E.T., they're flat out selling the tone and mood. Notice how they tease the audience with the mood. Spielberg knew at the end of the day he had a cheesy kid film about an alien and family dysfunction. So instead of making it all shiny and happy and sanitized, he made it dark and scary and mysterious. Check out all the shots of mist and fog in there. Look at all the use of black as a color. The tone and mood contrast the lighter points of the story that could have turned into Velveeta.
Princess Bride
Just watch the very opening. First thing we hear is a coughing kid. Then we see him playing a lame video game. Fred Savage is glum and mom sets up Grandpa is coming. Fred states how Gramps is old fashioned and then they get a big joke. Grandpa is full of life and dashes into the room and pinches Fred's cheek. Its screaming at you to laugh at it, but its still funny. Its charming. Rob Reiner kept that tone throughout.
BAD TONE:
Van Helsing
Whew...It opens with black and white of villagers storming Frankensteins castle. Its very dramatic, and a little scary. But the rest of the film is a Gothic video game. There are no physics and lots of comedy. I didn't get that from the first minute. Inconsistent tone.
Chicken Little
It starts out as a farce on Disney storybook films, then veers off into Airplane style jokes, then sentimental subplots with a father and son, then aliens attack in an action bonanza. NO ONE knew what the film was meant to be. I know half the people who worked on it, and they still don't know. Had they stuck to a tone and mood and edited out every idea that didn't support that, it could have worked (aliens in chicken movies...why?)
Labyrinth
Check the opening out. It starts as some Ren Faire piece, then has cheesy acting, then some groovy David Bowie song. No humor, just cheese. I'm a huge Jim Henson fan, but I hate this film. I don't think he had a good handle on the tone. He wanted it to be dark but couldn't resist having the pun filled colorful humor he's known for. The Muppet movie keeps its tone (heart on the sleeve, vaudeville inspired jokes), but Labyrinth...its all over the place. It just doesn't work.
So as a storyteller, if you don't set the table and then stick to it, you're gonna lose your audience. You don't serve Mexican food, then halfway through dinner switch it up to French. That'll just piss off everyone, especially the French.
So for the Coke spot, the only way the magical aspect will work is if the world is grounded. If its a wacky, stylized world then the girl in the painting will just seem like a given. But if the world is natural and somewhat mundane, then the magical aspects have something to contrast with. Spielberg did this well with ET, Close Encounters, Poltergeist and Jaws. He stylized the world in a Norman Rockwell way. Made it feel mundane and then when the fantasy happened...it popped.
In college I asked Brad Bird (director of Incredibles and Iron Giant) how he maintained a tone and mood throughout the piece. He looked at me and simply said 'you just do'. I think it comes down to really understanding the story. My favorite films adapt a film making style that is essentially the POV of the main characters. Annie Hall has a film making style that's eccentric and neurotic, much like Alvy Singer. Heavenly Creatures is fast and spastic, much like the main teenage girls in that. Grease is bubblegum and sexual, just like the teenagers discovering sex depicted in that film.
A great story adapts to the mood of the protagonists.
In the Coke Spot, I'm going to aim for really selling the charm and magic of the world. The protagonist is the Coke. Its nostalgic and wholesome and American. Its a Norman Rockwell painting. So the mood needs to be charming, a celebration of day to day working class American life. I can accomplish that with lots of faded colors and antiques. I plan on using vintage props and bathing the set in a diffused glow. I see dust in the air. I see light beams streaking throughout the place. I hear the hum of the fans...the sizzle of the stove...the passing of cars and trucks outside. Its got to feel hot and realistic but with a slight bit of style and whimsy. Balancing all that comes down to feeling the story and the tone and the mood.
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