(34) Directorial Style Planning
What is Directorial/Film Style?
Film style refers to the recognisable techniques adopted by certain filmmakers to give specific value to their work. It's how they choose to tell the story. For example, if two directors produced a film based on the same narrative structure, the two films would still be different because of the techniques used by the distinct filmmakers.
A film's style can be dictated by all the techniques that encompass filmmaking and how they are used by the director. These techniques may branch from some of the largest components of filmmaking: sound, mise-en-scène, cinematography, attitude and editing.
Film styles are usually developed by individual filmmakers, however, there are certain film styles that transcend individuals, for example, musical film.
Film Movements
Film Movements refer to eras in which specific film styles were commonly used by filmmakers at the time. It can even refer to a specific set of filmmakers who were tied together because of their similar film styles. Examples of film movements include German Expressionism, Poetic Realism, French New Wave, Cinéma Vérité ('Film Truth'), Postmodernism and so on.
Is There A Particular Directing Style You Want To Use?
Because of the simple narrative structure of my film that likens to the formulaic nature of classic Hollywood cinema, my film style will be predominantly simple (not conforming to a particular movement) and be entirely my own original style. Below, I have listed some of the components of filmmaking. I have explained how I intend to extend on them and what techniques I will use to tell my story.
Mise-En-Scène
Mise-en-scène is a huge part of the visual aspects of a film, so it isn't surprising when directors organise extensive set and costume designs that are extremely flamboyant and eye-catching. Many directors coordinate their mise-en-scene according to their own visual style through the use of colour, arrangement, general appearance and so on. For example, Tim Burton films are often identifiable by their gothic and quirky production and costume design, unique to Burton's own style. The use of dark colour palettes and costumes akin to the Gothic era are distinct in Burton's style.
My film's mise-en-scène will be far more neutral than those known for their distinctive or unusual styles. For example, I won't rely on the use of set design and props but instead feature natural, bare environments. My costume designs are relatively unique in that they are a medley of various styles akin to different eras. Neutral lighting will be used predominantly and the colour palette will be fairly muted, particularly the outfits (any colours will be subdued). The neutralness of my mise-en-scène will contribute to my film style that relies on naturalism and simplicity.
Sound
Sound is something that often goes unnoticed in a film, however, when paid attention to, each director has their own unique sound design. Layering sound and choosing to adopt certain foley, non-diegetic and diegetic sound all contribute to a director's own sound design style. For example, some directors choose to use exaggerated sound design, in which the foleys used are dramatic and unrealistic. Others choose to incorporate distinctive music that is unique to their own style - this is often done by recurringly hiring the same film score composer. A director renowned for having a unique sound style in their films is Christopher Nolan. Often credited with the inception of the foghorn noise seen in most modern trailers since 'Inception', Nolan films are famous for their dramatic soundscapes. The emphasis on foleys effectively create tension and maintain the believability of his films. However, the thing he is most famous for is his epic scores. Christopher Nolan is not one to shy away from using the same composer multiple times, as can be seen through his creative relationship with Hans Zimmer. It can even be argued that the use of Zimmer's orchestral scoring is what makes Nolan films so distinguishable from others, as they help to create tension and add that dramatic yet classical touch.
My film's sound design will be far more humble than most directors recognised for their sound. While I intend to layer foley sounds to create a convincing atmosphere and incorporate diegetic sounds (dialogue), I want to also adopt the use of silence. I don't necessarily mean complete silence as this would be very unnerving for the viewer because of the rarity of complete silence in film. However, I want to effectively subdue the diegetic/foley sounds, particularly dialogue, in certain scenes to pull the audience away from the action, as it compliments the desperation and nature of certain scenes. In terms of scoring, I intend to use cinematic music that is subtle. Many directors have very flamboyant and epic styles that extend to the type of music they use in their films. I intend to use calmer music to reinforce the simplicity of my film style and not overdo it.
Cinematography
Cinematography is one of the key methods directors use to enforce their own style on their films. The use of composition, shots, angles and movement can be combined to both effectively tell a story and contribute to a director's visual style. For example, the extensive use of close-ups or panning in one film will affect the visual style of the said film. A director known for their unique cinematography is Wes Anderson, who is best known for his composition and framing that has a storybook-like quality to it. Anderson has a fondness for symmetry, a technique often avoided by most directors because of its unrealistic effect. Similarly, Wes Anderson is known for his quirky camera movements, this can be seen through his extensive use of whip pans, whip zooms and tilts. Other directors tend to avoid these techniques too because they break away from any serious vibes, however, Wes Anderson uses them effectively to create comedy and break convention. Another element unique to Anderson's visual style is pastel colour palettes which contribute to his overall quirky style.
My visual style will be far more natural. I intend to use close-ups and mid-shots to establish a strong sense of character and avert the audience's attention to the human experience, my preferred topic of film. I intend to hold the camera itself to film as opposed to mounting it to a stabilizer of some form. By doing so, it creates a shaky effect which fits my own simplistic director's style. Smooth shots, in my opinion, take away from the naturalism of a scene - shakiness feels more human which is the overall style I'm trying to achieve. In terms of composition, I intend to predominantly have the subject take up most of the frame, as again, this focuses on the experiences of the characters. However, in order to subvert this idea and create a withdrawn effect in certain scenes, I will place the characters as a minor aspect of the frame.
Editing
Editing is a very important aspect of a director's style. The use of chronology (or manipulation of chronology), pacing and transitions help create a certain style for a film. For example, complex transitions may be used to detract realism or contribute to an unconventional style, whereas simple transitions don't distract the audience and create a neutral effect. An example of a director that has their own unique editing style is Edgar Wright. Sharp cuts and short takes are a key part of his editing style. They help create visual comedy and add his own personal touch. Similarly, Wright is renowned for his use of creative transitions. The use of movement within a frame make his transitions far more noticeable and he is often noticed to use wipes to seamlessly blend one scene into another.
My editing will be simple, like most of the aspects of filmmaking that contribute to my own directing style. Ideally, I would opt for long takes, however, this depends on the ability of the cast. Though I prefer the use of long takes as it keeps the pacing slow and calm. Simple cuts will suffice as transitions - fancy editing will take away from the simple message of the film. In terms of chronology, I will edit according to linear time as I don't want to complicate anything.
Acting
How you direct your actors and the acting style you opt to use can contribute to your directorial style. There are two main types of acting style: realistic/naturalistic and unrealistic. Unrealistic may mean overexaggerated performances or perhaps even underexaggerated/emotionless performances. Most directors choose to adopt naturalistic acting because of its professional and convincing nature. An example of a film that utilised unrealistic acting to contribute to its absurdist style is 'The Lobster' by Yorgos Lanthimos. The actors' delivery of lines is often deadpan to accentuate the dark comedy genre and absurdist style. It is effective in creating an unnerving atmosphere and original style.
Not only does the acting style contribute to a director's unique style, but the methods director's use to direct their actors helps too. For example, some director's allow their cast to improvise in order to obtain a more natural feel to the film - they allow the actors to have a large creative voice in the production of the film. Others assume the role as the only creative voice and refuse to listen to what the actors have to contribute.
In terms of my film, I wish to use naturalistic acting as it is the most simple and convincing acting style to use, which contributes to my overall simple and natural aesthetic. As my preferred film style is oriented around the focus of the human experience, I want to use realistic acting styles to enforce this. In terms of directing the actors, I have written a script, however, on set I am willing to listen to the actor's opinions on how they would feel comfortable to perform the lines. This will be an effective method of drawing realistic and accurate performances from them.
Are there any particular directors you are inspired by?
While there aren't any directors I have directly drawn inspiration from at the moment, there is a particular film that I would compare my preferred film style to: 'Dallas Buyers Club' by Jean-Marc Vallée.
The reason for this comparison is that 'Dallas Buyers Club' is deeply rooted in the human experience: its focus on characterisation is key in representing a failing society based on money and prejudices. While my film has a wider message, the story is driven by the character's ideologies and voices and explores many sociological issues prevalent in society. As the film has a similar narrative structure to mine, it is unsurprising that our stories can be told in similar ways.
I think the techniques used in 'Dallas Buyers Club' are effective because of their simplicity; the cinematography is very stripped back and natural-feeling and the simple editing helps avert the audience's focus to the experience of the characters rather than stylish techniques. Similarly, even the sound design comes together to represent the character's pain - the sound design is something I would most likely take inspiration from, particularly the use of non-diegetic sound, as it effectively helps to tell the story and reflect the character's inner battles while also creating a mood for the film.
These are the reasons I would compare my film style to that of Dallas Buyers Club - its use of simple techniques come together to effectively tell a story, something I had always planned to do with my film. However, I would still say that my own style is distinct from this - for example, I am not reliant on mise-en-scène but root my film in natural/bare environments. Whereas, this film, being set in an established civilisation, has extensive sets that look realistic.
Would you take inspiration from Lucas Martell, the director you previously researched?
The reason I chose to produce a documentary about Lucas Martell in the first place is that his style, while enjoyable, is so different to my own preferred film style. His use of caricatures, bold colours and lack of serious themes makes his style lighthearted. This differs to my own dramatic or serious style which takes no inspiration from Martell's work.
However, something of Martell's that does inspire me is his determination as an independent filmmaker. While this isn't necessarily representative of his directorial style, it is something that inspires me to work hard as a filmmaker. This is because he entered the industry as entirely an amateur but is now working on his own feature film.
Film style refers to the recognisable techniques adopted by certain filmmakers to give specific value to their work. It's how they choose to tell the story. For example, if two directors produced a film based on the same narrative structure, the two films would still be different because of the techniques used by the distinct filmmakers.
A film's style can be dictated by all the techniques that encompass filmmaking and how they are used by the director. These techniques may branch from some of the largest components of filmmaking: sound, mise-en-scène, cinematography, attitude and editing.
Film styles are usually developed by individual filmmakers, however, there are certain film styles that transcend individuals, for example, musical film.
Film Movements
Film Movements refer to eras in which specific film styles were commonly used by filmmakers at the time. It can even refer to a specific set of filmmakers who were tied together because of their similar film styles. Examples of film movements include German Expressionism, Poetic Realism, French New Wave, Cinéma Vérité ('Film Truth'), Postmodernism and so on.
Is There A Particular Directing Style You Want To Use?
Because of the simple narrative structure of my film that likens to the formulaic nature of classic Hollywood cinema, my film style will be predominantly simple (not conforming to a particular movement) and be entirely my own original style. Below, I have listed some of the components of filmmaking. I have explained how I intend to extend on them and what techniques I will use to tell my story.
Mise-En-Scène
Mise-en-scène is a huge part of the visual aspects of a film, so it isn't surprising when directors organise extensive set and costume designs that are extremely flamboyant and eye-catching. Many directors coordinate their mise-en-scene according to their own visual style through the use of colour, arrangement, general appearance and so on. For example, Tim Burton films are often identifiable by their gothic and quirky production and costume design, unique to Burton's own style. The use of dark colour palettes and costumes akin to the Gothic era are distinct in Burton's style.
My film's mise-en-scène will be far more neutral than those known for their distinctive or unusual styles. For example, I won't rely on the use of set design and props but instead feature natural, bare environments. My costume designs are relatively unique in that they are a medley of various styles akin to different eras. Neutral lighting will be used predominantly and the colour palette will be fairly muted, particularly the outfits (any colours will be subdued). The neutralness of my mise-en-scène will contribute to my film style that relies on naturalism and simplicity.
Sound
Sound is something that often goes unnoticed in a film, however, when paid attention to, each director has their own unique sound design. Layering sound and choosing to adopt certain foley, non-diegetic and diegetic sound all contribute to a director's own sound design style. For example, some directors choose to use exaggerated sound design, in which the foleys used are dramatic and unrealistic. Others choose to incorporate distinctive music that is unique to their own style - this is often done by recurringly hiring the same film score composer. A director renowned for having a unique sound style in their films is Christopher Nolan. Often credited with the inception of the foghorn noise seen in most modern trailers since 'Inception', Nolan films are famous for their dramatic soundscapes. The emphasis on foleys effectively create tension and maintain the believability of his films. However, the thing he is most famous for is his epic scores. Christopher Nolan is not one to shy away from using the same composer multiple times, as can be seen through his creative relationship with Hans Zimmer. It can even be argued that the use of Zimmer's orchestral scoring is what makes Nolan films so distinguishable from others, as they help to create tension and add that dramatic yet classical touch.
My film's sound design will be far more humble than most directors recognised for their sound. While I intend to layer foley sounds to create a convincing atmosphere and incorporate diegetic sounds (dialogue), I want to also adopt the use of silence. I don't necessarily mean complete silence as this would be very unnerving for the viewer because of the rarity of complete silence in film. However, I want to effectively subdue the diegetic/foley sounds, particularly dialogue, in certain scenes to pull the audience away from the action, as it compliments the desperation and nature of certain scenes. In terms of scoring, I intend to use cinematic music that is subtle. Many directors have very flamboyant and epic styles that extend to the type of music they use in their films. I intend to use calmer music to reinforce the simplicity of my film style and not overdo it.
Cinematography
Cinematography is one of the key methods directors use to enforce their own style on their films. The use of composition, shots, angles and movement can be combined to both effectively tell a story and contribute to a director's visual style. For example, the extensive use of close-ups or panning in one film will affect the visual style of the said film. A director known for their unique cinematography is Wes Anderson, who is best known for his composition and framing that has a storybook-like quality to it. Anderson has a fondness for symmetry, a technique often avoided by most directors because of its unrealistic effect. Similarly, Wes Anderson is known for his quirky camera movements, this can be seen through his extensive use of whip pans, whip zooms and tilts. Other directors tend to avoid these techniques too because they break away from any serious vibes, however, Wes Anderson uses them effectively to create comedy and break convention. Another element unique to Anderson's visual style is pastel colour palettes which contribute to his overall quirky style.
My visual style will be far more natural. I intend to use close-ups and mid-shots to establish a strong sense of character and avert the audience's attention to the human experience, my preferred topic of film. I intend to hold the camera itself to film as opposed to mounting it to a stabilizer of some form. By doing so, it creates a shaky effect which fits my own simplistic director's style. Smooth shots, in my opinion, take away from the naturalism of a scene - shakiness feels more human which is the overall style I'm trying to achieve. In terms of composition, I intend to predominantly have the subject take up most of the frame, as again, this focuses on the experiences of the characters. However, in order to subvert this idea and create a withdrawn effect in certain scenes, I will place the characters as a minor aspect of the frame.
Editing
Editing is a very important aspect of a director's style. The use of chronology (or manipulation of chronology), pacing and transitions help create a certain style for a film. For example, complex transitions may be used to detract realism or contribute to an unconventional style, whereas simple transitions don't distract the audience and create a neutral effect. An example of a director that has their own unique editing style is Edgar Wright. Sharp cuts and short takes are a key part of his editing style. They help create visual comedy and add his own personal touch. Similarly, Wright is renowned for his use of creative transitions. The use of movement within a frame make his transitions far more noticeable and he is often noticed to use wipes to seamlessly blend one scene into another.
My editing will be simple, like most of the aspects of filmmaking that contribute to my own directing style. Ideally, I would opt for long takes, however, this depends on the ability of the cast. Though I prefer the use of long takes as it keeps the pacing slow and calm. Simple cuts will suffice as transitions - fancy editing will take away from the simple message of the film. In terms of chronology, I will edit according to linear time as I don't want to complicate anything.
Acting
How you direct your actors and the acting style you opt to use can contribute to your directorial style. There are two main types of acting style: realistic/naturalistic and unrealistic. Unrealistic may mean overexaggerated performances or perhaps even underexaggerated/emotionless performances. Most directors choose to adopt naturalistic acting because of its professional and convincing nature. An example of a film that utilised unrealistic acting to contribute to its absurdist style is 'The Lobster' by Yorgos Lanthimos. The actors' delivery of lines is often deadpan to accentuate the dark comedy genre and absurdist style. It is effective in creating an unnerving atmosphere and original style.
Not only does the acting style contribute to a director's unique style, but the methods director's use to direct their actors helps too. For example, some director's allow their cast to improvise in order to obtain a more natural feel to the film - they allow the actors to have a large creative voice in the production of the film. Others assume the role as the only creative voice and refuse to listen to what the actors have to contribute.
In terms of my film, I wish to use naturalistic acting as it is the most simple and convincing acting style to use, which contributes to my overall simple and natural aesthetic. As my preferred film style is oriented around the focus of the human experience, I want to use realistic acting styles to enforce this. In terms of directing the actors, I have written a script, however, on set I am willing to listen to the actor's opinions on how they would feel comfortable to perform the lines. This will be an effective method of drawing realistic and accurate performances from them.
Are there any particular directors you are inspired by?
While there aren't any directors I have directly drawn inspiration from at the moment, there is a particular film that I would compare my preferred film style to: 'Dallas Buyers Club' by Jean-Marc Vallée.
The reason for this comparison is that 'Dallas Buyers Club' is deeply rooted in the human experience: its focus on characterisation is key in representing a failing society based on money and prejudices. While my film has a wider message, the story is driven by the character's ideologies and voices and explores many sociological issues prevalent in society. As the film has a similar narrative structure to mine, it is unsurprising that our stories can be told in similar ways.
I think the techniques used in 'Dallas Buyers Club' are effective because of their simplicity; the cinematography is very stripped back and natural-feeling and the simple editing helps avert the audience's focus to the experience of the characters rather than stylish techniques. Similarly, even the sound design comes together to represent the character's pain - the sound design is something I would most likely take inspiration from, particularly the use of non-diegetic sound, as it effectively helps to tell the story and reflect the character's inner battles while also creating a mood for the film.
These are the reasons I would compare my film style to that of Dallas Buyers Club - its use of simple techniques come together to effectively tell a story, something I had always planned to do with my film. However, I would still say that my own style is distinct from this - for example, I am not reliant on mise-en-scène but root my film in natural/bare environments. Whereas, this film, being set in an established civilisation, has extensive sets that look realistic.
Would you take inspiration from Lucas Martell, the director you previously researched?
The reason I chose to produce a documentary about Lucas Martell in the first place is that his style, while enjoyable, is so different to my own preferred film style. His use of caricatures, bold colours and lack of serious themes makes his style lighthearted. This differs to my own dramatic or serious style which takes no inspiration from Martell's work.
However, something of Martell's that does inspire me is his determination as an independent filmmaker. While this isn't necessarily representative of his directorial style, it is something that inspires me to work hard as a filmmaker. This is because he entered the industry as entirely an amateur but is now working on his own feature film.
Comments
Post a Comment