MY METHOD OF WORKING pt10

This week has been very enlightening for me – I feel a little less stuck and confused. I feel a bit more pro-active now – with actually setting legible tasks to do. I can discuss films and I can set goals to do. I think doing my own research and reflecting on films is helping me a lot. I am teaching myself how to critique films, point out what I like and what I don’t like. It also gives me a chance to watch different kinds of films, some that I may not usually watch.

The next research task I am going to do is researching drama/acting school and participate in a class. I don’t really know how they work, but I guess thats why I need to research. Personally I want to get over my fear of performing in front of people and stop being curious about acting and discover if I actually enjoy it – by doing it. By doing this – I also want to gain a perspective into a ‘performers’ point of view. Because I know that I am completely nervous doing any sort of performance, and to be able to direct an actor do we need to relate to them?

Although in saying all this – I still want to do exercises as a director with actors. I think this is where the list of actors may come in to place. I not only want to experience acting/performing but I want to further my skill set in directing and directing actual actors. So with these two sides, I want to explore them both. Along with researching films and directors, and performers – I think I will build research into something maybe like a case study or even an investigation.

I want to include the production side as well – so while directing (with the scripts we are given…?) and working with actors, I want to work with other people in our course. There will be someone using the camera, someone doing sound etc (if they would like to). I also may want to perform in their scene? Maybe. I think if I am going to commit to doing drama/acting outside the course, I need to put it to practise. That is – if anyone will take me. But I also want to help others with their projects if they need help.

MY METHOD OF WORKING pt9

Boyhood (2014)

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Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014)

Genre –
Drama (IMDb)
Richard Linklater Film History – (25 Films)
Known for –
Before Sunset (2004) (Want to watch)
Boyhood (2014)
Before Midnight (2013) (Want to watch)
Dazed and Confused (1993) (Want to watch)
Actors –
Ellar Coltrane – Mason
Patricia Arquette – Mom
Lorelei Linklater – Samantha
Ethan Hawke – Dad

My View / Critique

I was writing an essay and thought I would watch this at the same time – my essay didn’t get done. I was totally engulfed in this film. It blew me away. I found myself becoming personally attached with the characters. I was transfixed. Watching the characters age just blew my mind. The concept of this film it so very cool and so very addicting to watch.

Ethan Hawke felt so real to me. His performance felt very real and I loved his advice to the kids throughout the years… It’s stuff I wanted to hear when I was young. It was an understandable film and very relatable. Mason’s acting was just so consistent – even though he was growing older, he was never that different to what he started off like. With the 12 years difference – everything related and everything shown related to final character resolution. Watching Patricia becoming older sort of blew me away – how her was shorter, and body shape changed. All characters had different journeys and each one I could recognise with something throughout my childhood.

The way it was filmed – was equally at fantastic. The way that they were growing up almost gave it that documentary-like feel. It felt like I was a part of their life, or learning about their life. Sometimes throughout watching the film I would forget that it wasn’t a real story and it made me almost angry because it just felt so real. Except the scenes in the car where there were multiple camera shots and it wasn’t realistic (to be a ‘live’ documentary). My favourite shots were the medium-long shots of Mason. Within these shots Mason at his age is really capture – environment included. The miss-en-scene and Mason were completely  attached, colour wise, and it gave a really homely feel (images below).

So I really enjoyed this film – the way it was structured and the personalisation of it all. I think Time is such a huge theme – watching it pass and seeing someone age 12 years in a few hours is a little scary. It made me feel reminiscent of my childhood – the good and bad. It also made me think how TIME has just gone by – and I think about all the things Mason overcame and went through, and I think about all the things I overcame. Everything he did lead him to his ending position – so it makes you think that everything has happened for a reason and everything that happened, the good and the bad, creating who I am today and where I am. Watching anyone age and go through life’s obstacles is relatable as it really is life.

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