Closer

Clive Owen originated and played the role of Dan (Jude Law’scharacter) in the stage play

The ending of the play was changed for the film.

The original ending shows Dan and Anna talking about how Alice was hit by a car and killed.

Owen and Portman won Golden Globes for their roles.

Story and Writing

Difference between story and plot

Story: General subject matter

Difference between story and plot

Story: General subject matter

Plot: How the story is told (the structuring of the scenes)

Romeo and Juliet (1968) Franco Zeffirelli

Romeo and Juliet (1996) Baz Luhrmann

The screenplay is the skeleton of the film

The screenplay is the skeleton of the film

the inner thoughts of the character are often omitted

A figurative technique: “An artistic device that suggests abstract ideas through comparison, either implied or overt” (Gianetti)

Motif: so much a part of the film (almost) an invisible symbol

Motif: so much a part of the film (almost) an invisible symbol

A Motif: technique/object: that is repeated and doesn’t call too much attention itself

Examples:

Water

The Graduate

Symbol: Objects placed in a film for purpose of communicating an idea (symbolic meaning)

Homage: The deliberate reference to another film

Who is telling the story?

First person: Narrator tells personal story (the entire film is seldom told this way)

First person: Narrator tells personal story (the entire film is seldom told this way)

Omniscient point of view: narrators are not participants (all-knowing observers)

First person: Narrator tells personal story (the entire film is seldom told this way)

Omniscient point of view: narrators are not participants (all-knowing observers)

Third person: a nonparticipating narrator tells the story from the consciousness of a single character

First person: Narrator tells personal story (the entire film is seldom told this way)

Omniscient point of view: narrators are not participants (all-knowing observers)

Third person: a nonparticipating narrator tells the story from the consciousness of a single character

Objective point of view: does not enter the consciousness of any character

Literature into Film

Three types of literature to film adaptation

Literature into Film

Three types of literature to film adaptation

1.Loose: an idea , situation or character used from source

Literature into Film

Three types of literature to film adaptation

1.Loose: an idea , situation or character used from source

2.Faithful: attempt to re-create/ as close to original as possible

Literature into Film

Three types of literature to film adaptation

1.Loose: an idea, situation or character used from source

1.Faithful: attempt to re-create/ as close to original as possible

2.Literal: usually restricted to plays and subtler in their modifications

Documentary

NON-FICTION FILM

NON-FICTION FILM

- Early Lumiére films basic documentary

NON-FICTION FILM

- Early Lumiére films basic documentary

- Recordings of actual events

NON-FICTION FILM

- Early Lumiére films basic documentary

- Recordings of actual events

- No actors, no screenplay

NON-FICTION FILM

- Early Lumiére films basic documentary

- Recordings of actual events

- No actors, no screenplay

-However, they lacked any type complex narrative

MODERN DOCUMENTARIES

- Deal with real people

MODERN DOCUMENTARIES

- Deal with real people

- Places and events

MODERN DOCUMENTARIES

- Deal with real people

- Places and events

- No actors, no screenplay

MODERN DOCUMENTARIES

- Deal with real people

- Places and events

- No actors, no screenplay

-Documentarians like fiction filmmakers superimpose a narrative structure over the footage

Can a documentary tell the TRUTH?

• 500 Days of Summer

• dir Mark Webb (2009)

• Joseph-Gordon Levitt• as Tom

• Zooey Deschanel• as Summer

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