1. Narrative
Focal Films:
• All four of my Focal Films follow an anti-narrative.
• Cross-cutting is present in all the focal films other than Memento. However, all films use
flashbacks.
• Memento and Insomnia heavily employ Enigma Code. Inception and TDKT use Action Code.
• Most of Nolan’s films don’t fit narrative theory, usually due to the vague endings. It’s rare that
audiences really get a definitive conclusion to his characters, making it hard to place them in
Syd, Vogler or Todorov’s structure.
My Short Film:
• I intend that my short film will follow an anti-narrative. Cross-cutting won’t be present, as I
intend to keep the cast to a minimal, although flashbacks will be used. In line with Nolan (and
to reduce the need for acting talent), almost the entire mode of address will be through visual
means or voice over.
• I don’t intend to use an enigma code, although an action code will be used as I intend to have a
chase scene. Like Nolan’s earlier work, I won’t try to stay within the bounds of narrative theory,
I want a protagonist that doesn't have an old equilibrium or “ordinary world.”
2. Themes
Focal Films :
• Identity: Nolan’s characters struggle with who they are.
• Memory: Memory loss or altering memories.
• Time: Either altered passing of time or loss of ability to follow time.
• Revenge: Protagonist usually fuelled by it.
• Dreams: Lack of sleep.
• Mental Stability:
• Lies: Someone is always lying for the greater good.
• Morality: The greater good.
My Short Film:
• Identity: In an uncivilised world, has my character lost sight of who he/she is?
• Memory: Can they remember the civilised world. Do they want too?
• Time: Only daylight is safe.
• Mental Stability: Living in total isolation?
• Morality: Killing to survive.
3. Representation
Focal Films:
• Women: Nolan has been criticized for his treatment of female characters.
All of his protagonists (which are all male) have a dead wife, or a wife
who dies during the film. There are some strong female characters, such
as Ariadne and Selina Kyle, but these are exceptions to the rule.
• Men meanwhile are always strong and confident, yet somewhat damaged
on some level.
My Short Film:
• Women won’t feature in the film as cast, but may play a role in the back-
story of the protagonist.
• A young male will lead the narrative, who will follow the same basic traits
of Nolan’s past protagonists - strong but flawed.
4. Messages & Values
Focal Films:
• Importance (or unimportance) of truth: Leonard lies so he can be happy. Dormer lies
to seek justice. Cobb’s lies kill his wife.
• Does reality matter as long as we’re happy: Cobb doesn’t care if he is dreaming or not
when he is reunited with his family.
• Do whatever it takes: Leonard lies so he can be happy. Dormer changes evidence to
convict criminals. Cobb performs Inception to be with his family. Batman sacrifices his
own image for the greater good.
• Importance of family & love: Cobb doesn’t commit suicide to stay with his family.
• Society’s sense of morality is twisted: The Joker suggests that society says its okay
that someone dies as long as it’s “planned”.
My short film:
• Importance of family: My protagonist finds a photo of the belongings in the man’s
possessions. Questions morality. His own place in the world.
• Do whatever it takes: Killing rather than helping. He needs the supplies.
5. Style
Film Noir: Nolan’s most obvious inspiration is noir. His dark style has become iconic to a
point that similarly darkly toned films are referred too as “Nolan-esque”:
• Nobody can be trusted.
• Dark lighting
• Black & white
• Urban environments
• Suits
• Smoke
• Shadows
• Reflections
As such, my film will take inspiration from many of these elements, however there will
be some changes. I don’t intend to shoot in an urban location for example, for it will be
too busy, and won’t match the post-apocalyptic setting I had envisioned. Likewise, a suit
wouldn’t make much sense either.
6. Cinematography
• Point Of View Shots: Nolan uses point of view shots throughout Memento to bring the audience in line with
Leonard, to understand his view of the world through his fractured memory. In his other films, they add tension,
particularly those wielding a gun.
• Close Up Shots: Nolan uses Close up Shots for different reasons. In Inception they highlight important objects,
whilst in The Dark Knight the shots of feet are edited together to increase the tension during action sequences.
• Tracking Shots: Tracking shots add movement to chase sequences to increase the pressure of the scene.
7. Cinematography
• Extreme Long/Long Shots: These massive shots add to the gravity of the world. Cinema on a grand scale.
• Overhead Shots: These massive shots add to the gravity of the world. Cinema on a grand scale.
• Canted Angle: The world tipped upside down to highlight the character’s confusion or control.
8. Mise-en-scene
• Forest/Mist; typical of film noir, and used within one of Insomnia’s most stylish scenes to add huge amounts of
tension.
• Urban; typical of film noir again, the vast majority of Nolan’s films are at least somewhat within urban settings.
• Clocks; in line with Nolan’s theme of time, clocks are a frequent prop.
9. Mise-en-scene.
• Minimal Blood; Nolan uses blood minimally, despite the genre, when it is seen it’s shocking.
• Black and White Colour Filter; Noir inspirations become clear again, works well to balance out Memento’s
flashbacks.
• Mirrors/Windows; Identity being a key theme for Nolan, it’s no surprise all his characters are frequently being
reflected to show their dual personality/identity crisis.
10. Sound
• Voiceover; the typical mode of address used by Nolan, gives the audience
insight into the character’s mental state, as well as making sense of the anti-
narrative.
• Soundtrack/Original Score; Nolan normally works with Hans Zimmer to score
his films. I personally don’t have the resources to score my own film, although I
can perhaps find something that matches Zimmer’s style.
• Sound Effects; a particular iconic moment is the synthetization of the Joker’s
laugh during his final scene.
11. Editing
• Non-continuity Editing – Flashbacks; Nolan’s most obvious stylistic trait is his
obsession with flashbacks, which are used to confusing extremity within
Memento to convey the anti-narrative. I intend to use them to a lesser extent,
more like the brief cuts to the past during Dormer’s inspection of the body in
Insomnia.
• Cross-cutting; most of Nolan’s films boast huge casts with various characters
and plotlines. This is particularly true for Inception, that works on multiple
dream layers, where the film literally couldn’t function without the use of
cross cutting.
• Jump Cut; In Insomnia, the jump cut is used particularly well to highlight the
passage of time, and convey Dormer’s inability to speak.
12. Character Profile
Name: Adrian
Gender: Male
Age: 18-25 (Youth helped to survive)
Occupation: Student before the event. Now scavenges for supplies daily.
Appearance: Well built but slim. Average height. Unshaven. Dresses thick
due to cold temperatures. Covers face with bandana and hat.
Personality: Isolated. Time has had it’s toll since the event. Still shows
traces of guilt and morality.
Grow as a character: Keeps on fighting. Hold’s on to hope.
