The document discusses J.J. Abrams' directorial style and how he can be considered an auteur. It notes that Abrams frequently uses mysteries in his storylines that are gradually revealed throughout films. He also features unlikely heroes who prevail through determination. Abrams is known for using shaky camera work during action scenes and lens flares to add nostalgia and heighten tension. Overall, the document argues that Abrams has developed a unique visual style through techniques like mise-en-scene, lighting, and storytelling that stamp his films as his own and qualify him as an auteur.

1. J.J Abrams as an Auteur
In this LO1 film studies assignment, I am exploring JJ
Abram’s as an auteur, and how he stamps his directive,
visual storytelling style on a range of films.
One thing JJ Abrams does very well, is the link of mystery
into storylines of all of his films, using the ‘mystery box’
theory, which is when the film features something which
has origins unknown to the audience. Throughout the film,
it is pieced together, and the audience learns more and
more as the characters do.
Each film utilises main characters who would not usually be
typical heroes, but they prevail and survive through
determination and skill gained from their prior situations.
These themes are common in J.J Abrams’ films, and have
almost worked to give him his own unique style, which can
be argued gives him the status as an Auteur. JJ Abrams is
widely known for his use of this theme in his movies, as it
allows him to create a vast and detailed storyline
throughout the movie while still keeping back the
important parts for big reveals later in the story.
The mystery can vary between the films as the audience,
mood, and size of a movie can influence the mystery he
uses in the script. For example, in 10 Cloverfield Lane the
mood from the start to the end is of a dystopian version of
Earth, and so the mood is negative throughout. The
'mystery box' adds to this theme, as the audience and the
protagonist are both unaware of who Howard is, and how

2. Michelle ended up in his bunker, before the mystery is
resolved before the ending. Mystery is a key theme that JJ
Abram’s gets across through his films, to set the tone and
mood.
With regards to JJ’s visual techniques, One of the scenes in
10 Cloverfield Lane opens with the main character sat in the
centre of the shot in-between the 2 other characters in the
story. The way the shot is laid out, gives the impression that
the main character, Michelle, is trapped between the 2
opposing characters, who throughout the story have
various disagreements. The way the set was laid out helps
to add to this idea, with a clear symmetrical influence on
the set design, helping to give visual cues on how the scene
is going to play out without needing it verbally established.
The camera placing Michelle in the centre of the frame gives
clues to that she is clearly trapped, and is unable to escape.
The wallpaper of the room acts as jail bars, which further
elude to the current situation that Michelle finds herself in.
This proves just how important every part of his work is to
the overall storyline, even if its not immediately noticeable
by the audience.

3. The difference between the 2 characters shown and their
lighting also helps to give a visual cue as to how the scene
and the story will play out. Michelle, the main character is
lit in a fairly flattering way, and is wearing white, which
helps to visually distinguish the 2. Howard on the other
hand, is barely lit, appearing much darker in this particular
part of the room, where only his face is really visible. He is
also wearing black, which creates a visual divide between
them both. This is known as binary opposition, and create a
clear clue to what can occur later in the film. The techniques
used in this particular scene comprise of clever camera
angles. Close ups of John Goodman further add to his
menacing appearance and his paranoia of Michelle’s
actions, whilst we receive negative space next to Michelle,
potentially giving the impression that she may be looking
for a method of escape, or to try and exit the frame.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has a wide variety of
mysteries, but due to the size of the franchise a lot of these
secrets are left untouched and only hinted at. A major

4. example of a mystery to the audience and characters in the
film is the identity of Rey's parents, which has still not been
revealed to fans yet, despite the sequel to The Force
Awakens being released already. JJ Abrams makes use of
Shaky Camera shots during the action scenes of these 3
films. He is well known for using a wide range of camera
angles that work well with the tempo and flow of the scene,
and there are clear examples of this on each film. He uses
these to heighten the sense of chaos and danger, which
works in his favour as they come off really well in the film
and make the audience feel more involved and drawn into
the setting. He also makes use of Lens Flares in the first 2
films, but they are much more subtle in 10 Cloverfield Lane,
as they wouldn’t match the setting and mood of the film as
much as they do for the other 2 films.
Abram’s made use of lens flare in Super 8 to give across a
sense of nostalgia. With old film, there were imperfections,
unlike digital counterparts today. Abram’s used lens flares
as a visual garnish and a way of adding nostalgia to films,

5. emulating a ‘filmic’ effect. This is something we see
particularly with Star Trek, especially with CGI moments (to
help blend the action between camera and CGI). Flare is an
imperfection, but a side-effect that mediates between the
film and real world. Everyone has experienced lens flare at
some point in their life, such as driving towards the sun. By
adding this visual effect in the film, it helps to emulate this,
and create further storytelling, giving you a glimpse of what
it would feel like to be there, within the film.
Super 8 lens flares are a personal stamp of JJ Abram’s. It
allows him to create an ownership of his films, similar to
how Michael Bay is known for his explosions, Quentin
Tarantino for his blood, or Edgar Write for his catchy
editing.
It is widely known throughout the industry that JJ Abrams is
a fan of using various camera techniques, in order to help
the audience stay with the scene. For example, in the film
Super 8 there are many lens flares used throughout the film,
which are included for various reasons. Some argue he used
lens flares to add to the nostalgic techniques he had already
implemented when filming the movie, while others believe
it adds an extra sci-fi element to the film and makes it more
awe inspiring for the viewer. An argument can be made for
the use of shaky cam angles as well, as in Star Wars: The
Force Awakens there are various examples of a shaky cam
being used to add to the scene's effect on the audience.
During the space battles there are many shots that utilise
the chaotic effect of shaky cams, which help to create an

6. epic scene, which the audience enjoys more than a scene
with stationary shots.
With Super 8, Abrams was responsible for both the
screenplay and also the directing role, which meant he had
complete control over the content, feel, and style of the
film. Super 8 has JJ Abrams’ trademark style, with a dark
overall theme which allows him to use his visual clues to his
advantage. JJ Abrams filmography consist of various films,
such as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Mission Impossible, which
shows how he has recently found his true niche within
filmmaking and directing, as the majority of his films are
Action Thrillers, which make use of a tense storytelling. The
question posed; is JJ Abram’s an auteur? I would argue that
given his recent years of directing and storytelling, he could
certainly be classed as an auteur. He has produced some of
the highest rated and grossing films of all time, despite his
age of 51. JJ Abram’s has a clear trademark style in terms of
how he stamps his visual style on films, predominantly
through clear cut storytelling, mise-en-scene and his way of
lighting scenes, actors and creating action fuelled lens
flares. He constructs his scenes in simple yet clever ways,
which certainly credit his style and ability as a director.