Art 1601 :: section 01 :: Spring 2008

The scene I will be recreating comes from the movie, “American Beauty.� It’s the scene in which Ricky brings Jane to his house for the first time. He introduces her to his catatonic mother, shows off his dad’s World War II memorabilia, and finally asks to show Jane the most beautiful thing he has ever seen/recorded.
As it turns out, the most beautiful thing he has seen is footage he taped of a bag being blown around in the wind. Ricky talks about the day that it occurred and the feelings it invoked in him but suddenly cannot seem to talk anymore as he has been moved again. Jane grabs Ricky’s hand and then kisses him.
I chose this scene as it was one that moved my brother to tears. I decided on it over a few other scenes as it’s one that I’ve connected with in the past, although was never moved to cry. It’s full of incredible emotion and what I believe to be very poignant beliefs (the idea that beauty is everywhere.) Unfortunately, my brother has not yet told me why it moved him so much.
I would like to shoot the scene as accurately as possible, so I plan to shoot a bag moving in the wind and then have that playing in the scene in which Ricky talks to Jane. For my role in the scene, I’m thinking of playing the bag and choreographing that while having the opportunity to direct the rest of the scene. In addition, I’m looking to acquire the score to the movie so that I can keep my scene faithful to the movie and because the music plays a large role in creating the feeling.
Each shot will be recorded as closely as possible to the original source material. I aim to use the movie as a blueprint for how I will frame up everything, including when I will cut and when I will zoom or pan. Aside from that, I hope to find an actor and actress willing to put everything they can into the roles of Ricky and Jane. I am avoiding playing Ricky myself as I feel that it creates a sense of egotism. I think it’s wrong to insert myself into that role.
The only concern I have will be lighting as much of the final part of the scene is illuminated by the TV but also has very subtle lighting in the background. I am unsure as of now how I can achieve the subtle glow that surrounds Ricky and Jane both from the TV and from the lights in his room.

Posted by gritt018 at 1:03 PM | Permalink

My project is inspired by a number of movies involving the guy chasing the girl after some kind of conflict. In addition, my love of music has also influenced it in a substantial way. The storyline starts with a man waking in bed to find that his lover has left him and left a note stating that she no longer would like to be with him. Grief-stricken and looking for solace, we see the man wake up and sit on the edge of the bed trying to think of some kind of solution.
The man is then struck by inspiration and the scene cuts to another room, presumably in the same house. We see guitars appear in his hand and he attempts to make a good sound with each. Each time the guitar creates some kind of cacophony to which the man expresses his distaste. Finally, he finds the “right� guitar and is able to create a sound that is pleasing. He then is seen recording and burning a CD.
The man is then shown leaving his house and appearing at another, the house of his former lover. In a scene reminiscent/inspired by Say Anything, we see him standing outside with a boombox blasting the song that he just created. His lover pops her head out and is touched by the effort he made. She invites him in and we see them fall asleep in the same kind of position that the man woke up. The scene fades out only to fade in showing that the woman has left again, implying that this is a routine for the couple.
The first “trick� will involve real-time motion as the man finds the “right� guitar and strums in a fluid motion. This use of real-time will show that this guitar is different from all others aside from its good melody. The second “trick� is the idea that this event/conflict is a daily occurrence for the couple, which leaves the viewer to make their own conclusion about the couple.
The project is my way of exploring the common guy gets the girl clique but with my own twist. I feel that many times Hollywood does not portray these relationships as real as possible, because the general public does not want to see this reality and be reminded of their relationship’s own shortcomings. Instead, they fantasize about a relationship as ideal as the one on film. The idea of a romance that is a cycle of hurt and love seems far more real to me than one of pure happiness.

Posted by gritt018 at 1:47 PM | Permalink