Research - Influential Films

Due to the project being in the early planning stages, I will be doing continuous research for a while on similar films so that I can shoot in an informed way. This means that this post will be updated quite a few times until we start filming.

It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

This romantic comedy is about a boy that finds love after he is admitted to an adult psychiatric ward (to receive treatment for depression). I love the way it is filmed due to the voiceover that the main character has throughout the film. The action freezes and he explains what is happening in his mind (or what is about to happen in front of him) and I like the way the audience get an insight into what the character is actually feeling at this moment in time. I also like the fact that the cinematographer hasn't steadied the camera in any of the shots used in the film (maybe using a handheld camera, rather than a steady-cam), I think this keeps a sense of unease throughout the film as the audience is never allowed to 'settle into' the shot.

Fight Club (1999)

In Fight Club, there is also a voiceover that runs throughout the film. I like this for the same reasons as before - it give the audience a clear insight into what the character is thinking/feeling, and puts the spectator in the character's shoes.

Voiceover
I will have a voiceover in my film, however, the action will not freeze like in 'It's Kind of a Funny Story'... But it will not continue as normal like in 'Fight Club'. Instead, I will slow the action slightly to allow time for the audience to take in more details about what is happening onscreen, as well as in the voiceover. Sort of like the fight sequences in Sherlock Holmes (2009), but instead of it being super-slow motion, it will be just a slight slow of the footage as our cameras won't be good enough to film at that frame rate, and I think it is unnecessary for the nature of the film.

Shooting Style
I really like the sense of unease that the camera makes in 'It's Kind of a Funny Story', so I will film it with a handheld camera without a tripod, to help get this feeling across to the audience. I think Mark in my film will be affected by depression a little, which is why I want to create this sense of unease - to try and put the spectator in his shoes.

Openings for Similar Films
In many different similar films to mine, the opening sequences feature similar techniques - this is why I have incorporated them in my idea. For example the voiceover technique is featured in the opening to Silver Linings Playbook (2012) where the film starts with a black screen and the main character, Pat, then opens with the lines "What, are you kidding me? Sundays? I love Sundays..."

Adventureland (2009) starts with a comical scene at a party to introduce the main character, then a scene to introduce the main plot of the film. I have used this layout when planning my film, as my film starts with a comical introduction to Mark, then a montage of shots elaborating on Mark's character (containing the titles), then finally a scene with his friends where the main body of the plot starts to develop.

To back this idea up, the film She's Out of My League (2010) starts with the main character performing a speech to his friends about trying to get back together with his ex-girlfriend. This speech is also quite comical and gives us an insight into his character, before the main body of the plot is revealed in the following scenes.

I will refrain from using a tripod as much as possible when filming, this is because the tripod will steady the shot, whereas I want the spectator to be slightly on edge throughout the viewing experience. This is due to the fact that Mark's character is slightly on edge in his everyday life and so I hope this contributes to putting the audience in his shoes a little.