N.23 | "American Fiction" (establishing primary theme through dialogue, action and humor), Scorsese on the value of a shot plus more

JOURNAL ENTRY

Jan 19, 2025: Filmmaking takes a long time — no matter how small the project. I’m working on a nano solo project inspired by a scene of Hot Fuzz and it’s taking longer than expected.

I must continue with these little projects. I keep doing these shitty little films because I’m taking the Robert Rodriguez approach. In the book Rebel Without a Crew, he says: “…everyone has at least a dozen or so bad movies in them…” before they start making the good stuff. That’s what I’m doing right now.

I’ve got 4 shitty projects under my belt. So, it’s another 8 to go.

FILM STORYTELLING

American Fiction (establishing primary theme through dialogue, action and humor)

American Fiction has a great example of how to introduce the primary theme of the film through humor, dialogue and action — watch 1 min 10 sec clip here.

The director Cord Jefferson wants us to understand how fed up with the industry the character is. Monk (Jeffrey Wright) is tired and sick of how the industry establishment is profiting from “black” entertainment. Monk is a novelist who doesn’t fit into the standard expected of him as a black author.

Pay close attention to the conversation between Monk and his agent, as well as what happens at the end.

With this scene, director Cord Jefferson begins the investigation of the film’s primary concern. The film is mainly about the precarious path that black authors and creatives are often forced to walk when they’re trying to find success.

The scene sets the theme of the film and the dialogue keeps it punchy all along. Plus, there’s a funny accent in the finale of the scene. Here, Monk hails a taxi that doesn’t stop but goes past him to get a white customer instead.

TIDBIT I’M PONDERING

The value of a shot

I’m listening to Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking on Masterclass — and I’m taking a lot of notes. Here’s an interesting point.

Scorsese went to NYU to study film in the early 60s. His teacher was Armenian-American professor Haig Manoogian.

Manoogian wanted his students to truly understand the potential value of both the moving image (shot) and the cut.

The professor stressed a lot about the value of a shot. Scorsese — who didn’t understand the meaning of it immediately — says:

When you are in the editing process, you could be using one shot in a way you didn’t think about previously. You could be shooting one shot thinking it’ll be a good fit for a specific place in the storyline, but using it somewhere else.

And you’ll find that that shot will serve the story anyway — even if it was meant to tell something else.

Source: From Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking on Masterclass (paraphrased and/or quoted).

FILM STORYTELLING

At Eternity’s Gate (two-shot example)

When two characters are visible together in the frame, you have a two-shot.

The orientation of the characters to one another can vary. But to be considered a two-shot, both faces must be clearly visible.

The two-shot is all about creating a visual relationship between two characters. The relationship might be affectionate, contentious and anything in between.