Research Evaluation

By researching into auteur directors that I admire, I have found out what makes their style so unique and the effectiveness of the techniques they use. For example, Edgar Wright perfectly times action to the music, which is why his action sequences like the Baby Driver car chase is recognised as one of the most exciting and action-packed scenes in film. In the previous FMP, the group and I used Edgar Wright’s style in our action-comedy short film; things leaving and entering the frame in a funny, action synchronised to the music, perfectly timed sound effect and matching scene transitions. It worked really well because it complements the action-comedy genre and it creates an exciting and engaging experience for the audience.

Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson are other directors that I am influenced by, I am keen to use their styles in my FMP. Therefore, I have researched into their techniques and analysed their work. From Tarantino’s style, I would like to use crash zooms to create a cartoonish effect and soundtracks that go against the norm; Tarantino used a R&B song in a western. Wes Anderson’s use of colour and symmetry is aesthetically pleasing to watch and captivates the audience. I would like to use vibrant visuals and a style that mimics the 70s/80s because I find watching films with this style gives me comfort and it’s pleasing to the eye, which instantly grabs my attention and makes me want to watch the film.

Considering that I want to create vibrant and aesthetically pleasing visuals, I researched into aesthetics and the powerful effect that they can have on the audience. Looking into colour, lighting, patterns, symmetry and composition has developed my understanding on how to effectively use these elements and utilise their purpose. Colour is a powerful tool, which I can use to symbolise a message, display a character’s persona or make the audience feel a certain way. If there is a shift in mood or tone, transitional colours can be used, e.g. if the film takes a dark turn, before the event occurs, it might be bright and colourful and when the event takes place, it looks dull and ominous. Lighting shares a similar effect that colour has on the audience. For example, it could distort the face of the character to create an uncomfortable feeling (evokes emotion and shows the character’s persona), red lighting signals that danger lurks (symbolism), low key lighting adds suspense and drama (sets mood and tone.) Researching the psychology behind symmetry and patterns, I have found that it has a therapeutic effect on us because it represents order. On the other hand, irregular patterns and asymmetry creates an uncomfortable feeling, which would be better suited for a horror themed film. Composition also can be used to symbolise a message and it is important to use to engage the audience and guide them. I learnt about blocking and staging, which I have never heard of before, and I think it will be great to use to keep continuity and lead the audience’s eyes by tracking the character’s movements in one shot, instead of lots of cuts in a scene. 

I found out the definition and purpose of a variety of camera shots, focus and movements, in order to use a range of shots in my film to make it look interesting and engaging. By learning about the popular camera techniques, I will have a broader understanding on what shot will suit a particular scene the most, which will help to create a cleverly crafted scene that uses stylistic shots and not just basic ones. I would like to use the crash zoom in my film, Tarantino’s technique, to create a dramatic and intense action scene so I have looked into up the definition, its purpose and examples of when it is used in Tarantino’s films.

By looking into audio, I acknowledge how important audio is to tell a story, set the mood and immerse the audience. Following what I previously stated about Tarantino’s use of sound, I want to use a soundtrack that will be memorable for the audience and when they think of the song, they think of that particular scene that used it. Learning more about audio has helped to better my understanding of how to place it within a scene for a powerful effect and how I can use it to convey the message, mood or emotion that I want to get across.

Covering the genres that I am interested in basing my film project on (Sci-Fi, action, comedy and their subgenres), I learnt what the storyline tends to follow and the common themes in each genre. I looked into pre-existing films that follow my chosen genres and gathered information on their success, audience, statistics, marketing strategies and competitors. I also analysed storyline of films to understand why they were successful films, why they were an exciting watch and techniques used in the films to visually tell a story.

I looked into popular media theories to understand common themes and structures of storylines. Following these theories will create an equilibrium to keep the narrative in control. A balanced equilibrium will make the audience feel comfortable. If the equilibrium is broken, it is usually restored in the ending so the audience are satisfied. The equilibrium is usually broken in horror to create a feeling of anticipation and to enhance the intensity.

Given that I want to produce a film that follows a retro style, has meaningful visuals and a cleverly created storyline, I analysed recent films that I have watched that follow this style. I’m Thinking of Ending Things and White Noise are mind twisting, aesthetically pleasing films and I have analysed their storyline and the key message that is displayed in the films. I was really captivated by the visuals used in the films so I researched the cinematographers that worked on I’m Thinking of Ending Things and White Noise; Lol Crawley and Lukasz Zal. I found statements that they made when being interviewed about the creativity and ideas behind the film, I discovered the equipment they used to achieve the look they wanted, the process of making some of the scenes in the film and the message that they wanted to be perceived, which will help me to create a film that follows a similar style.