This all started when my good friend Jeffrey Davis, writer and teacher of all things Wonder, wrote me an email saying, “Some day, I want a lesson in "How to Watch a Movie Like a Director" from Aaron Weisblatt.” It game me pause. Then I thought, “I’ve been wanting to write a blog… why not this?”
What follows is my email response to Jeffrey and the beginning of a journey…
That is an interesting proposal about how to watch a movie like a director.
For the most part I watch things first hoping to be sucked into an emotional ride with interesting characters and plot twists before I even think about looking at something through the eyes of a director. That usually comes about when I see either a false performance or a series of shots within a sequence that I don't like because they either make me uncomfortable or don't tell the story visually the way I think I would do it. Take for instance the series An Anatomy of a Scandal. The pilot starts out with a really energetic opening, quick cuts, powerful music all to introduce an attorney going to work. It really made me uncomfortable and I started to ask myself why would a director do that? What's the point? It made no sense. Later in the series there are many flashbacks. They intercut out of focus shots with in focus shots. Again, why? It didn't make any sense.
And lastly they would do these weird slow "dutch angles" where the frame tilts to the side. These often didn't work and drew attention to themselves.
But take a show like Better Call Saul. I'm in the middle of it now and each episode is brilliantly acted and directed. I am so sucked into the plot and the characters that I can not help but study almost each shot! Which is kind of the opposite from what I said earlier. But as someone who has directed and wants to direct more, I study the craftsmanship of this show like it was a bible. I love the slow pace of it. I love the specific details the closeups show us. Like for instance, there is a scene where Jimmy is brushing his teeth - a normal routine in life. But when he finishes he places his toothbrush in a cup next to a second toothbrush. This is shown in a tight close up. And what it says is he is with his girlfriend. Next shot is them together in bed talking. And prior to this as an audience we were wondering if they were going to be together. It's these normal, tight close ups the directors use to say something more than what we are seeing.
The directors also uses fantastic wide shots perfectly composed to tell a story in a single shot. And they use overhead shots that are really interesting like the one in Jimmy's office where the camera is pointing down through a drop ceiling frame work that has missing tiles that say not only is this place a shit hole but also there is a box hiding up there containing something that is important.
So there you go. My treaties on how I watch things!
And that’s how this all began. I look forward to writing more about the aesthetic of film and story telling.
OK- found it . . . using Better Call Saul was helpful cuz as we discussed, I too watch that show and find it top notch. What I find interesting about this show in particular is that they have used many directors, including many of the principal actors . . . who may or may not have much directorial experience, but, they know their characters intimately and therefore seem to be focused (see what I did there?) on advancing the story, which is the most important thing right? Thanks for the post . . .