2. What is an Auteur?
An Auteur is know to be a film director who influences their films so
much that they rank as their author.
In film criticisms, the auteur theory holds that a director's film
reflects the director's personal creative vision, as if they were the
primary "auteur" In spite of and sometimes even because of the
production of the film as part of an industrial process, the auteur's
creative voice is distinct enough to shine through all kinds of studio
interference and through the collective process.
3. Baz Lurhman
In this power point I will be focusing on one of many Auteurs; Baz
Lurhman and the films he’s produced. Baz lurhmanman is an
Australian film director, screenwriter and producer famously known for
many of films also including the remake of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and his
most recent creation ‘The Great Gatsby’.
The films that I will be focusing deeply on is the following:
i.
‘Romeo and Juliet’
ii.
‘The Great Gatsby’
iii.
‘Australia’
4. Opening Analysis- Romeo and Juliet
The opening of the film starts off with a pitch blank back-round but the
scene is then introduced with a news bulletin. We are introduced with the
female narrator which gives the events a feeling of immediacy through her
clear and serious tone of voice. We are further shown in the opening flashforwards and highlights, rapid shots of the crime that will take place
further in the film. This is also perceived to the audience through the usage
of fast-paced, dramatic music fitting in with the pace that the images are
moving at. As a result making the audience feel anxious therefore creating
anchorage on the audience, urging them want to watch the rest of the film.
Luhrmann emphasizes the setting as he repeatedly shows the audience
shots surrounding it. An example of this would be the camera zooming
forward to scenes of Verona, with the words "IN FAIR VERONA" flashing
on the screen. Luhrmann presents Verona as a modern city, dominated by
scenes of chaotic urban violence. This is shown through the use of Aerial
shots panning across the cityscape as police cars and helicopters dart
about, and human casualties are strewn across the ground. shots of a city
divided by violence sets the scene for the following action of the film.
In the opening watching impassively is an enormous statue of Jesus. This
could give the audience a first impression of the conflict surrounding
religion when that isn’t the actual reason for the arising conflict.
5. The Great Gatsby
As we can see in the opening extract of ‘The Great Gatsby’, Lurhman
opens the film with a pitch black background. Using a black backround will enable the audience to feel a sense of tension furthermore
also generating the mood of the film creating a sense of mystery, which
is further built on through the usage of sound as eerie music was being
played which fits into the genre of the film as most drama’s start with
slow paced eerie music to set the mood.
We’re also shown in the extract a shot when there is green light slowly
emerging on screen. We are then presented with a male narrator who
then introduces the main character and protagonist Gatsby. The green
light then returns on screen when Gatsby is introduced, this
foreshadows to the audience that Gatsby is a significant character
within the film and has positive stereotypical traits of a protagonist in a
film drama.
Furthermore, we’re also shown in the opening the time period of the
film that Lurhman set. This is shown through the institution of the
film as it looks like it was set during the 1920’s through the usage of
black and white colours and further shown when the narrator is first
introduced and talks about how much alcohol he and others consumed
as this was common is the ‘jazz period’.
