N.8 | The cinematography of "Fargo" by Roger Deakins, do not introduce the character plus more

JOURNAL ENTRY

Oct 7, 2024: I had a very busy week. I wasn’t able to edit the film that we shot on Sep 22. I went to Alexy’s place last Sunday, and got the s-log3 files, but I haven’t been able to touch them yet. I’m lucky though, we have a long weekend here in Australia. With Monday off of work, I’ll edit the micro film in the next 2-3 days.

After that, I’ll send it to my friend Giancarlo, so that he can work on the music score and sound effects I need. Hopefully the final result will be something similar to the scene of the film Leon: The Professional I was inspired from.

I’m a bit late on my schedule, considering I want to shoot the third micro film before Christmas. I have a semi-worked script already. I’m late because I’m having some minor health issues and was not able to work every day on filmmaking in the last few weeks.

I must remind myself there’s no rush with these mini projects though. These are small, shitty projects for me and the others involved to get our hands dirty. I keep reminding myself what Robert Rodriguez says in Rebel Without a Crew: …everyone has at least a dozen or so bad movies in them…”.

FILM STORYTELLING

Fargo: the Cohen Brothers and the cinematography of Roger Deakins

I watched Fargo again this week for the 100 millionth time. Instead of stopping and analyzing one single scene, I simply enjoyed the movie. The cinematography by Roger Deakins is beautiful.

When the Cohen Brothers work with Deakins, they really create special films. I’m a big lover of simple filmmaking, which is something that the Cohens and Deakins are able to do very, very well.

It’s interesting that when I was a teenager — not yet interested in films and cinema — I always was instinctively attracted by Cohens’ films that they made in collaboration with Deakins. And even before I knew who any of them were.

TIDBIT I’M PONDERING

You never have to establish the character

I’m reading On Directing Film again. Mamet says something that totally goes against what I’m reading in another book I have, which is Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland.

In Weiland’s book, there’s a whole chapter on introducing characters and the importance of creating an emotional connection between the audience and the characters in the book or film.

But then, you have Mamet’s take on this — which is the opposite. He says that you never really need to establish the character at all. Mamet explains how they always talk about the character in Hollywood, but there’s no such thing.

The audience will find the story interesting, only if the progress of the protagonist is interesting. It is the objective of the protagonist — the superobjective — that keeps the audience in their seats.

So … who’s right? Mamet or Weiland? I don’t know, but while I write this, the film Amélie comes to mind. In Amélie, there’s Weiland’s “introducing the characters” at the start film, and then Mamet’s “progress of the protagonist” as the story moves forward.

Mamet goes on saying in the book:

Source: From On Directing Film, by David Mamet (paraphrased and/or quoted).

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS

Team Deakins → Season 2 - Episode 108 - Tim Black Nelson - Actor / Writer / Director

Tim Blake Nelson was “always attended by a measure of doubt” trying to be an actor as a young man. But that happened nonetheless. He says:

The importance of having an agent

The internet has democratized the way we’re exposed to people, connect with people and create an audience for ourselves. But having an agent is essential to be an actor. Back in the day, the only way to get an audition was through an agent.

Good moments of encouragement

Nelson recalls several moments of encouragement that helped him move along through the years.

The first one, when he was able to get on MTV just by doing street theater. This got him more exposure and eventually also got him an agent.

The second moment, when he was invited by a dramaturg to workshop in a local theater on the very first play Nelson wrote.

The third moment, when he was involved at the Sundance Institute.

Nelson says that these moments — whatever your role might be — are good moments of encouragement without which you wouldn’t continue.

At the age of 60, Nelson still looks forward to moments like these to happen.

The long marathon of directing movies

Talking about his experience directing movies, Nelson reveals what it takes to be a director, and why so many people don't want to do it.

You have to work with actors, and know enough about the other departments to be able to communicate effectively. You have to be good with people to create a thoughtful and cohesive entity so everyone is on the same page. You have to be ready to work for 12-16 hours per day, and do both pre- and post-production.

It’s a long marathon only for the ones who have endurance.

Nelson also adds that he prefers to direct when he has written the script.

The great inspiration of Sergio Leone

As a young man, Nelson was very inspired by the work of Sergio Leone. Leone’s westerns of the 60’s and 70’s helped Nelson begin to understand filmmaking as an art form. In Leone’s work, everything conspired to work in a cohesive way to tell the story, both visually and soundly.

Learning the part well in advance of shoot day

Nelson developed the habit of knowing the part very well way before showing up on set — no matter how significant the role.

By knowing the role so well, you come at it in any way you want from every direction possible.

If you do that, you don’t even need to know what scene you’re shooting on a particular day. You know the script so well, you can shoot any scene, and know where you are in the scene, where the other characters are, what the trajectory is for the character in the movie and more.

Old Henry is a perfect example of when Nelson applied this technique.

Getting movies financed has changed

Nelson admits that the way to get movies financed these days is a bit of a mystery — most of all for independent art films. He brings up the example of Asleep in My Palm, directed by his son Henry Nelson. The film was entirely financed by the same people that financed Old Henry.

But the landscape has changed.

Nobody knows where to put art films. And because of that, it’s very difficult to get them financed. But audiences out there are still interested in watching these art films. The industry needs to figure out how to reach that market.

Source: From SEASON 2 - EPISODE 108 - TIM BLAKE NELSON - ACTOR / WRITER / DIRECTOR of The Team Deakins podcast (paraphrased and/or quoted).

FILM STORYTELLING

The closeup

The closeup is probably the most powerful visual weapon you have to highlight a change in emotion. The closeup is about empathy.

It is often arranged at eye level. You give your audience a front-row seat for the character's thoughts and feelings.