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Presentation - Caruso draft 3
- 3. Focus films Main Film : Disturbia 2007 Two Related films : Taking Lives 2004 I Am Number Four 2011
- 4. How does D.J Caruso portray identity in his films? “I always lean towards character and theme”
- 5. AUTEUR THEORY “A true film auteur is someone who brings something genuinely personal to his subject instead of producing a tasteful, accurate but lifeless rendering of the original material”
- 6. I am number four – school scene „John Smith‟
- 8. CHARACTER
- 9. ACTORS Alex Pettyfer Angelina Jolie Shia Labouf
- 10. “Stevens love of science fiction and endearing characters is, of course, present. I feel like the dark room scene – where four uses his hand to light Sarah‟s face – is very Spielberigian” INFLUENCES
- 11. COLOUR „I always lay out the colour palettes of my movies and so I do it with pictures, like ill just put it around my office‟
- 12. SOUND & EDITING
- 13. PROTAGONIST
- 14. CARUSO UNUSUAL COSTUME
- 15. CONCLUSION “How does D.J Caruso portray identity in his films?”
Editor's Notes
- D.J. Caruso –Auteur
- Daniel John Caruso was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. He was born in 17 January 1965. He married holly Kuespert on July 6, 19991 and they have 5 children. He graduated from Norwalk high school in 1983 and then Pepperdine University with a B.A in film and television. He is of an Italian descent. Caruso started working in film as an associate producer for a number of John Balham films such as Point of no return (1993) another stakeout (1993). [9]
- My focus film is I Am Number Four (2011) and my two related is Taking Lives (2004) and Disturbia (2007) they have all the same genre of thriller, drama and suspense which link with the theme of Identity that I will be exploring. His storylines are linked by the killers trying to hind who they are so that their identity is not found. The narrative has a strong main character that has been through a lot like a death which has accrued in most of his films, like the death of kales father in Disturbia and the loss of his parent of four in I Am Number Four. His films have characters who have a power which in I Am Number Four, four’s power is through his hand and in Taking lives her power is in her mind how she tries to sold the mystery. The storylines are about solving a mystery or a problem they have to face. I was looking for a somewhat family friendly science fiction film like the great ones in the 80's that I grew up watching like Back to the Future.’ [1] which shows his love for science fiction films, and also Back to the future is also linked with his films in the sense of going to the past and his characters mostly have a bad past. They are also teenagers which links with the film also. [6] [7] [8]
- “How does D.J. Caruso portray identity in his films?” is my problematic because in his films he makes the main characters not having a true identity they try to hind who they are in order to achieve what they need in life. They have lost someone which made them loses a part of them. “I always lean towards character and theme” This interested me as he had talked about putting his characters before the narrative storytelling which he establishes each character. He adds his identity into the films by having the characters have interests in sport which he plays tennis. The identity of each character is unique to the storyline because they have been through a hard time. ‘We all feel or felt like outsiders at some points in our lives. I was more of an observer then a participant in high school. I was a decent student who played sports, but never hung out with the jocks exclusively.’ [1] this quote is linked with his childhood with the characters as they are not truly accepted in the society they live in which makes us feel that maybe he was that kind of person who didn’t truly know who he was or had.
- The term auteur originates from France which translates as author, which means that a director’s film reflects their creative vision. The Auteur theory was introduced in the 1950’s by French film directors like Francois Truffaut who advocated a focus on the contribution directors made on the style and form of film, he quoted... “A true film auteur is someone who brings something genuinely personal to his subject instead of producing a tasteful, accurate but lifeless rendering of the original material” An auteur is a film maker whose style and practise is distinctive which creates a signature auteur status for them. It is also a film maker who has a personal, signature style and keeps creative control over his or her work. I think my director is a auteur by his style in which he uses his identity in his character and creates personal feelings in his films which have been linked through his childhood and his hobbies to create the character that links with him. His style is a thriller drama genre which he adds his own creativity and his own personal views of the narrative. He is influenced by many different people around him as he develops understanding in his films like Steven Spielberg who he truly respects. He can add tension and drama in his films which gets you blood flowing in a taut drama or thriller, his car crash is his signature as he adds his open style to his films. He believes that camera work is most important to create the best shot because it gives the effect of perfection, even if the scene is perfect without the right shot it wont be seen to the audience as he talks about..
- I am number four scene at 22:42 – 24:41 2 minutes on the scene of ‘John’s Smith’ first day in the new high school this scene shows how we as a audience are watching him D.J. Caruso wanted us to be a voyeur and watch him without dialogue just soundtrack with lyrics “hide away” “can you hear when I say I have never felt this way” “can I make it better with the lights turned off”. These lyrics helped establish his character as four because of him always trying to be invisible, not be seen and to show this my director added non-diegetic soundtrack. “As a director, you're a voyeur” [4] I felt like we were the ones observing the scene with the panning shots, long shot and Point of view shots to show how he is an outsider and not fitting in. this scene told a story to the audience without dialogue but with soundtrack and camera movements. ‘I loved that John had to sacrifice what he loved and wanted for the greater good. I also loved that he stepped in and stopped the bullying that was happening with Sam.’ [1] in this scene we see Sam getting bullied and as four comes to help we see how he is a good character fighting the bad ones even though he knows that it could have consequences in the future. This scene also had the element of romance and love, of the mysterious girl the unknown that the viewers are drawn towards. “Once you accept who you truly are, you become empowered to great things with your life. In his quest for normality and true live he learns that his destiny calls in him to sacrifice the things he truly wants. He must become selfless.” [10] this quote is powerful in describing the character of Four in I am number four it shows he values what he truly needs than what is just there.
- The directing style of D.J. Caruso is shown frequently in his films. One feature is the way he uses a car crash scene in his films, which shows his signature sign. We see a car crash in Taking Lives and also in the beginning of Disturbia, which establishes the characters. This is linked with the identity as he wants to show to the audience about the vulnerability in his characters. The car crash also connotes to the audience that this a D.J. Caruso film. Another style is bringing the sports side of him into his films, for example having the main character in I Am Number Four being a sports boy. He played tennis and loves sports having the element of his identity into his films shows that he wants to have the main characters more like himself. ‘I felt completely liberated because I wasn’t constrained by what people loved or didn’t love about the book.’ [3] they style and narrative of I am number four wasn’t influenced by the people around him because of the books like most films but instead he had his own flavor and own style to create the drama and suspense.
- D.J Caruso is very focused towards the characters and how he wants them to be. “I always lean towards character and theme” he is more towards how a character should be then the actual storyline because he has mentioned that once the characters are set in his mind he can then focus on the Narrative and where it will take him, putting the identity of each person which forms the narrative and the film. He added his sports side to the I Am Number Four character four, “I feel like playing sports and competing helped me to prepare to become a filmmaker. I attack each shoot day like a game that I must win”[1] he is putting himself into the film. His own identity as he loves sports he wants that element into the characters. “I was looking for a somewhat family friendly science fiction film like the great ones in the 80’s that I grew up watching like Back to the future. I felt that I am number four had qualities that I could tap into that would satisfy that desire.” [1] he wanted a film that will link with his past and help him reunite with his past and how he felt when he watched Back to the future. He wanted a friendly science film because he has children who are teenagers he wanted them to be related to his childhood. ‘He wants to be normal’ [2] End up a warrior’ [2] the characters in his films are mentally strong as they have been through rough upbringings and deaths that has surrounded them. This is links with how D.J. Caruso plays sports to fit in as his characters are trying to fit into the society to even if they are abnormal to their surroundings. ‘I wanted to develop the characters, because if you look at the movies today in this genre, they're necessarily not that good; I wanted to get a character that was real,’ [4] he believes that having good character will make you narrative and narrative arch much more realistic to the world around us which I truly believe because the character gives us the drama and tension in a film. That makes us want to go see that film and buy it. ‘Teens tend to be narcissistic by nature and I loved that John had to sacrifice what he loved and wanted for the greater good. I also loved that he stepped in and stopped the bullying that was happening with Sam.’ [1]
- “I like working with young actors because they haven’t developed old habits. They’re open to trying new things or new ways of reaching the potential of a scene or character” he has younger children and with having young actors like Alex Pettyfer and Shia Labouf shows his child side into his film. He wants that element of young and this shows his identity by his younger children he wants to be closer to them. “I have five children between the ages of 3 and 16. Initially, all my films were rated R and, now, the last few have been PG 13. I wanted some that they could see and hopefully enjoy” [11]we see that he is attached to his children and by this he has used younger actors that they can relate to. He is interested in films that will be suitable for his family. “Unity is vital in order to create. I always try to bind in a way that helps actors understand that we’re partners” [1]he enjoyed working with Angelina Jolie because she was very well experience and he learnt a lot form her character. ‘I think there's a lot of Kale in DJ. As a director, you're a voyeur. I always think back to my childhood and I remember being back and watching everyone, watching their behavior.’ [4] he feels that the character Kale that was played by Shia Labouf links with him as well as in taking lives Angelina Jolie's character was also looking others behave, he added that element in his films as the main characters are mostly interested in others movements and there businesses .
- “Stevens love of science fiction and endearing characters is, of course, present. I feel like the dark room scene – where four uses his hand to light Sarah’s face – is very Spielberigian” [10] he is influenced by Steven Spielberg having him be the producer of Disturbia and adding the darkroom to have the effect. As he had spoken about he talks about his interest in science fiction and thriller which is influenced by Spielberg. He has also been influenced by Del Toro as he has meet him and he was very interested in his works. ‘Just this passionate, passionate guy, he gets into each frame.’[5] he said that his work is very influential to my director in the sense of his camera work which “The job of directing is demanding. When I’m shooting out of state, it’s very difficult to be away from the family. But I am 100% there in between project so they get their full doses of dad.” [11] He has used the father figure in his films as the one being lost by death as in I am number four, four losses the person he truly sees as a father, and also the loss of Kale’s dad in Disturbia which shows the link that D.J. Caruso has lost his father and through that he wants to show that losing someone is very hard and powerful which links which his identity.
- “I always lay out the colour palettes of my movies and so I do it with pictures, like ill just put it around my office” [5] in the three films I have chosen the colour palette is very dark when the action is taking place this shows the different sides of the characters to the audience which shows us a new identity as the colours turn from bright to darkness. There are similarities as the scene in Taking lives of the bedroom which the detective looks into shows the characters identity by the pictures and dreams and the scene of the Disturbia as the killer comes into his room as it shows his dreams and hobbies to the audience by the close up shots.The colour tone in the film Taking lives changes as the killer is seen the screen colour is more dark and mysterious like in Disturbia as he is trying to save his mother he goings into his house which is pitch black which helps emphasis the tension but also the show the darkness within the character which shows us the identity of being alone with no love or happiness. Especially in I am number four the colour’s are very different in the way the blue and red are contrasted with each other to show the bad and the evil as the character of I am number four his powers are shown with the colour blue to connote calmness which is the opposite of the situation that the character is in which is very interesting.
- ‘I love lacing in great music for the young audiences as well. I'm still a teen, musically (ha ha).’ [1] his films are aimed at younger audience and having soundtracks which will interest the audience and there genre is hard he still believes that he is a child he enjoys listening to teenage music.The uses of sound in his films are shown through the diegetic, silence that adds to the tension of thriller. The scene where detective Scott in Taking Lives has entered the room the silence give it a more dramatic scene as the built up by the minimum of sound used which shows his style of creating suspense and tension by the sound. This is also used in the scene where kale in Disturbia is in the house looking for his father which is also use of silence to show that the characters are very frightened because the lack of non- diegetic sound doesn’t dhow the characters as brave but sacred and normal.
- “I was more interested in a character piece about a guy who falls in love with the girl next door… particularly with falling in love with the girl next door, I always looked through the trees. … I was a little shy. I think I talked to her at the bus stop, that’s about as far as we ever got. I definitely had a voyeuristic relationship with her.” [11] This is shown through the narrative of Disturbia as Kale the main character falls in love with the girl next door which links which his life and the shy type was also brought up by the main character shy to even talk to her. In the film he has shown his identity through the narrative and the characters. “Inspiration comes from those who exceed my expectations. A desire to discover universality in my characters that help the audience to understand that they are not alone when they experience pain or joy” [12]
- The costume of the Main characters are causal clothing to show there identity of there youth and there personalities. He has children who are near the age of teenage which influenced his style in helping the costume. “I wanted the Mog look to be very strong in silhouette. I loved the old black western duster jackets. Their membrane eyes and gill-like breathers were of course alien inspired. Finally, the Tattoos were a tribal ranking system that we developed for each Mog.” [1] TheMogadoriancostumes were influenced by the tattoos and the big boots and black coats the show they are danger and unwanted. Black connotes danger but also death. [13] in the end, D.J. Caruso chose a design in which all the Mogs were bald, so the detailed Mogadorian military ranking tattoos could be seen.
- To conclude my director and my problematic I believe I have portrayed identity in his films by showing each issues and showing how he added identity in his films. I added this with his childhood and his family but also how he is a person his own identity in his films. I believe he adds the element of himself into his films and he does this by sports, four being good at soccer adding that element has made the character link more with my director. Romance is also added by his past relations and experiences. Thank you for watching.