Film Staging

Moving Pictures: Let The Right One In

Posted on:  September 21, 2009

I‘ve already given my two cents about this film back in January so I won’t be redundant. I did mention then how impressed I was at the way this movie was shot. It’s a true study of composition and a great example of how films can achieve an the extra level of richness by adding a visual subtext to the narrative. Overall the look of this movie is reminiscent of the late eighties Polish mini-series called The Decalogue by acclaimed director Krzysztof Kieslowski

Isolation, desolation and the dark side of humanity are at the heart of this film. It is enhanced further visually in a photography and production design sense. It is set in the early 1980′s just outside of Stockholm, Sweden during winter. The cold weather, the desaturated winter colors give out a very foreboding and bleak essence. The sharpness of the intersecting horizontal and vertical lines exude feelings of imprisonment and captivity. All of these intelligently designed elements help make this genre-busting film elevate itself from the glut of vampire films that have come before and after it. (I think you know which ones I am talking about)
And at it’s core is a story that features simplicity in setting and complexity in character. It is more about people and less about vampirism. Which is why i’ll be watching this one over and over for years to come.
(A word about about subtitles: If you click on the comments section, you can follow the discussion about the rather mediocre dub and english subtitles on the DVD. This was something that I was aware of beforehand but was rather negligent to point out. So to make things clear, the North American release of LTROI does not contain the original english theatrical subtitles, which follows closely the swedish dialogue in the film. And for reasons unknown, Magnet and Magnolia films decided to go with a totally newer set of subtitles in the North American version.

But let not the clamour of the natives be under-estimated! Apparently the folks at Magnet and Magnolia Pictures are responding to the public backlash and will be releasing a new version with the original english subtitles. The full subtitle thread and update is HERE

Having seen both the theatrical and North American DVD versions, I have to admit that a considerable amount of subtlety is lost. But in my opinion, the film can still be enjoyed and appreciated viewing the DVD version so the choice is up to you. Either way…… don’t watch it dubbed!

Thanks to artist Benton Jew for the help!)



























Copyright 2008 Magnolia Pictures

Running time: 115 minutes – Country: Sweden
Director: Tomas Alfredson – Cinematographer: Hoyte Van Hoytema
Production Design: Eva’ Noren



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Jim Bissell: Production Designer

Posted on:  March 4, 2009

Today I had the privilege of attending a lecture by renowned production designer and director Jim Bissell, whose credits include E.T. the Extraterrestrial, The Last Starfighter, The Boy who Could Fly, The Rocketeer, Goodnight & Good Luck, Leatherheads, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and most recently, 300.  He is currently the production designer on Brad Bird’s live-action account of the great earthquake of San Francisco called 1908.
He played us a montage of his best work and talked about what the role of a PD is:  Before the cinematographer can capture the best photography, the production designer has to create the best opportunities for good photography.  
Mr. Bissell is an old school artist who still has a passion for building models and miniatures. But he had to admit that using digital pre-visualization revolutionized the industry and that he had found a happy medium from which to use both traditional and CG to fit his needs.  The technical methods between designing The Rocketeer and 300 where vastly different, but his approach is the same:  Make things clear and entertaining.  
During the Q & A, someone asked him what was the most challenging about his work.  He responded by saying that each film brought it’s own baggage and its own challenges.  But in the end, it’s about whether he chose to “play it safe” or take a chance.  He obviously emphasized the need to push your ideas because the pay-off is so much bigger and so much more fulfilling:
“When it comes to design, you can keep playing it safe but at some point you’re going to have to go out on a limb and take a chance, to do something outside your boundaries…..”
….Spoken like a true artist.
Jim Bissell on IMDB.

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Tension & Suspense

Posted on:  May 21, 2008

Recently I was going through that rolodex of movie scenes in my head just for the heck of it and one of my favorites is a scene from the 1997 film BOOGIE NIGHTS, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

In this scene, a trio of mentally unstable and desparate friends, Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg), Reed Rothschild, (John C. Reilly) and Todd Parker (Thomas Jane) visit the home of Rahad (Alfred Molina) to make a drug deal. Clearly these guys are overmatched and way over their head. But times are tough and their own personal addictions have not only created a need for money but it has clearly clouded their judgement. By this time, Dirk has gone way down the deep end and at the end of his rope. A far cry from his days as the top male performer in adult films.

In a filmmaking sense, this is a study in creating and staging tension. Notice how this scene slowly escalates and builds to a nerve busting climax.

(WARNING: Viewer discretion advised due to language, violence and drug use)

This scene is not only uncomfortable for the three characters in the film, but P.T. Anderson does an amazing job of making us in the audience feel uncomfortable as well. The other brilliant elements he used are the loud music and the exploding firecrackers which heightened the tension and made you really feel jumpy. At around 05:27 mark, notice how the camera stays on Dirk for an uncomfortable 28 seconds. This not only added more suspense and tension, but you could almost see what Dirk is thinking here as he takes stock of the situation, and perhaps his life.

It’s just another perfect example of how staging, editing and effective use of camera can make or break a scene. It’s also a good demonstration on how to incorporate details without making them dominate the scene.

…. oh and I loved Rahad’s prophetic vision of something we now know as iTunes…..

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