Auteur theory - The theory of filmmaking in which the director is viewed as the major creative force in a motion picture
Notable auteurs
Wes Anderson
When it comes to distinctive style, there’s probably no better modern example than Wes Anderson, the director of Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums, and last year’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. The writer-director is one of the best examples of a modern auteur, with a whimsical visual style all his own and narrative tendencies that remain consistent across his body of work.
Chances are that if you know of Anderson and his past films, you can spot whether a movie is directed by him within five seconds of watching one his works or viewing a trailer for an upcoming film. With a distinct colour palette that links everything from a the production design to the outfits, Anderson adheres to a meticulous set of visual flourishes that give the director’s films the specific fantastical feeling that all Anderson films have.
When it comes to framing, Anderson is known to keep his camera mostly stationary, preferring to shoot scenes in straight-on fashion — something most directors avoid because it prevents the scene from taking on a three-dimensional feel. This is what Anderson prefers, and the net result is a series of a shots that often feel as if they are part of a painting rather than a three-dimensional, moving image.
Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese is one of the most prolific American film directors ever. While Scorsese’s career has been marked by a concerted effort to make films in varying genres — even if the crime genre seems to be his favourite — there have been several stylistic flourishes that are associated with the director.
When it comes to Scorsese’s visual style, the three things that immediately come to mind are his frequent use of slow motion, long tracking shots, and the use of popular music. Beginning with his first film, Who’s That Knocking at My Door (1967), slow motion has often been used as a way to heighten a moment, particularly during scenes of psychological duress. Tracking shots, on the other hand, are often used for the opposite reason: to ground a moment or scene in reality — such as the long, extended shots in Taxi Driver and Goodfellas.
Music, too, has been a consistent factor in Scorsese’s directing career, with his use of The Rolling Stone’s Jumpin’ Jack Flash in Mean Streets becoming one of the most famous scenes in his career. And Gimme Shelter, another song by the Stones, has appeared in three of Scorsese’s films: Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed.
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