TASK 3 //
RESEARCH INTO ICONIC DIRECTORS
From this task, I have learnt what it takes to be a successful short film director. I have understood what makes certain directors, such as Ken Loach, be distinctive from ordinary directors. His uniqueness was created through his camerawork. For example, his handheld, unsteady shots were what allowed him to stand out from the ordinary film. He also managed to cover delicate topics, such as domestic violence. This task has also allowed me to view the works of directors who have proven to be very successful in the industry. I can use the viewings of their work to inspire me and help me when planning my own coming of age short film. Furthermore, this task has allowed me to see what is already available in the coming of age genre, such as films about pregnancy and low-income households, as well as what topics successful directors tend to shy away from. I have been able to identify which conventions of the genre have been followed by these particular few films, as well as what ones have been subverted. For example, in each film, there is often a hero/heroine who faces an obstacle and overcomes it within the film with the help from one of their friends or family members.
Ken Loach
Andrea Arnold
Jason Reitman
To look further into the directors I have chosen to research, I have attached extra links I stumbled upon. These links are the social media profiles of these directors, as well as news sources which have reported the release of some of their latest work. For Ken Loach, his Twitter profile is run by his film association he owns, however he occasionally tweets himself to update his fans on upcoming work, such as 'I, Daniel Blake'. On the other hand, Andrea Arnold does not own any social media websites. She relies on news outlets, such as The Guardian, to notify her audience when she is releasing new content. For instance, she is directing an upcoming film, being released in 2016, called American Honey. Due to Jason Reitman's younger audience, he tends to be really active on social media to capitvate his audience's attention where they may spend a lot of their time: the internet. His upcoming work can easily be shared with his audience through this form of communication. Similar to Andrea Arnold, Michael Lennox does not keep up to date on his social media page. His last tweet was in 2013. However, I was able to find a news article which covers the review and interview of his latest release 'A Patch of Fog'. Click on the links listed below to be directed to another website, where information is available on the directors.
To view my research into iconic directors, use the scroll bar located above, to the right. I have chosen to research into the work of Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold, Jason Reitman and Michael Lennox.
Michael Lennox