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Overview
La La Land Notes.odtFor his second major production, Chazelle took on a full blown musical in the style of golden age phenomenons that inspired him to enter the ring. La La Land follows two dreamers in LA in pursuit of different industries who fall for each other and attempt to make their contrasting lives work together. Mia works in a coffee shop on the film set and dreams of becoming an actress while Seb keeps the word of jazz music alive in hopes of opening his own club. This pair challenge each others ideals and ultimately end up separating when their working dreams appear to become reality. The film is accompanied by beautiful music written by Justin Hurwitz that accentuates the plot in becoming a successful broadway style musical, the plot perfectly fitting into an act 1 and 2 structure.
Unlike Whiplash, this film is more targeted at families, giving it a 12 certificate. People of all ages can connect with the central theme of domestic and work life crossover. Additionally, Chazelle continues to preserve the conversation of Jazz music as Seb can’t let go and brings Mia into that world, a central drive of the feature. It presents the evolution of Jazz as a genre, giving way to me exploring its influence over the clarinet, the instrument I will be using in my short film. Instruments involved in jazz music have changed throughout history and Seb is a mouthpiece for Chazelle to bring this to light. On the other hand, Mia, who begins as the main protagonist, highlights the struggles of being an unknown in the industry and the difficulty to break in. She begins as the barista and ends visiting the shop as an accomplished figure due to her dedication, proving that dreams can come through if you stick with and work for them. This is shown in a different direction to Whiplash’s obsession. Finally, the Hollywood setting gives the film a great fundamental backdrop to tell this as a larger than life story that treats itself like a fairytale production.
Influences
As mentioned briefly on my director research page, Chazelle was heavily inspired by golden age musicals such as Singing in the Rain and Sunset Boulivard along with french new wave media. This is particularly important as his parental heritage on his father’s side bought about this french new wave connection when Damien was a child. This intrinsically ties all of his work to french new wave. An example of a new wave film I was able to see as research was Elevator to the Gallows, a noire crime film from 1958. The film shares themes with La La Land as it follows two people who act as outsiders to society who will do anything to end up together and accepted. It’s versatile use of mise en scene and black and white colour palette is striking along with the gritty jazz score that sets a darkened tone. Much like Chazelle’s work, it is able to stand higher due to the score.
Returning to musical theatre, Chazelle wasn’t a fan as a child until his parents introduced him to it during his college years. This came a passion of his due to the way theatre can highten emotions and use the music to tell a story more intimately. La La Land is packed with references to films of this era and shot in 2.55:1 Cinema scope to capture the period and feel like a timeless classic. During the epilogue, La La Land even features painted flat backdrops to pay homage. For example, the meeting scene of the film between Mia and Sebastian reflects the meeting of lead characters Don and Kathy in Singing in the Rain. Along side this, Chazelle also draws from musicals such as An American in Paris for set design and costume design of black t-shirts with white collars, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg during Mia and Seb’s reunion at her parents house and many of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals including but not limited to Top Hat, Swing Time and Isn’t it a Lovely Day. There are several more on top of these as Chazelle’s intention was to reference the old style and bring it to a modern audience who are more appropiated to the cinema blockbuster.
Moreover, Chazelle’s bold production design brings back his thriller and high American influence from Quentin Tarantino, predominantly with Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction uses block colours and purposeful clothing choices to reflect mood. For example, the colour palette during the diner scene twist with the characters wearing swav black and white dress to appear unassuming will the backdrop pops and distracts. Chazelle commonly uses colour for this purpose but none as heavily as La La Land. During the opening long shot on the freeway, while the public are in sporadic bright palettes to reflect the joys of living in LA, Seb’s car and clothing are in retro and out of place browns to reflect his passion of Jazz as an antique. Meanwhile, Mia’s car and clothing are white to represent her more bland and currently corporate life style, colourless and without the joys she wants from the state. When Mia and Sebastian meet for the first couple times, their palette are primary clashing colours whereas when the get to know one and other their clothing becomes complementary greens and purples. However, by the end when they split, their palettes refer to the opening but are seen in locations and clothing styles that allow them to fit in. This comes from Tarantino’s influence and is an area I must focus on in my short film to be a successful piece.
Scene Analysis
The scene I have chosen to be influenced by from La La Land is the Audition scene towards the end of the film. Previous to this, Mia hit rock bottom with her One Woman Play not successful. However, a casting director saw it and would like to see what else she can do. Seb returns to support her and she has nothing to lose during the scene.
We begin with full room lighting with comfortable placing between Mia and the directors which makes us and Mia feel comfortable and wanted. Mia is wearing a blue jumper which again feels comforting and relates to connotations of freedom, sensitivity, confidence and imagination, telling us she is in the zone to own this audition. After a couple of static one and two shots from Mia and the directors to set the atmosphere and blocking, the shot becomes a long take with several aspects that adjust during her audition. Chazelle didn’t want to draw attention away from the lyrics and Stone’s performance so alters the lighting from room to spotlight, removing the backdrop and location. This alludes to Mia feeling in her element in telling the story of her grandmother. Throughout the song, the framing travels to close up and wide shots so the audience connects with Mia’s words and emotion. The camera also circles Mia, turning this long take into a tracking shot, slightly dizzying the audience but confirming that connection with Mia. This also makes the room feel like Mia’s stage to tell her story to the masses. Finally, the shot ends by resettling to reality with the room lights returning, bringing the audience and Mia out of her head and pure emotion. There is no further dialogue in the scene as we cut away. This allows the scene to be Mia’s alone and not distract with further shots of the directors, also keeping the pace of the film moving.
Overall, I have chosen this scene due to solo performance it portrays. In my short film, I would like to focus on a singular clarinet performance and wish to incorporate the spinning shot to really bring the audience into the music. As well as looking at the framing of that long take, I am inspired by the lighting changes to express the mood and atmosphere so will attempt to use the spotlight effect. However, I don’t think my version of this shot will be a one take through the performance as montaging is my priority doing this short film. However, I will bear this in mind for my FMP as I believe I will continue to study Chazelle and this particular type of shot in industry.
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