Voice and Auteur Theory

Director Federico Fellini 

Las Strada (1954)

Juliet of the Spirits (1965)

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EDIT (3/27/17) :

After today's class discussion I realized I misinterpreted the prompt, " Do you believe in authorship." I understood authorship as whether I not do you believe one can distinguish a directors "voice or style" rather than do you think a director has "sole" authorship over the direction of a film. My answer is I do not believe in "authorship" as film is an extremely collaborative effort. Although the director does have massive influence over the look of a film, there are other roles that deserve just as much credit as the director.

We talked about the influence of screen writers, actors, and producers and their impact on the voice of the film. In America, both actors and directors are glorified and recognized for their efforts , while casting a shadow on other significant contributors such as the screen writer!  Speaking of the "look" or feel of the film, lots of this is achieved by the technical crew or VFX artist. Nowadays, live action and animated films are so heavily dependent on great special effects, that there is not a scene that has not been touched up, wether we realize it or not. A scene as simple as a character looking into their reflection requires VFX, to cover up the reflection of the camera.

So I believe that "sole authorship" is false and the celebration of directors as "authors" is disproportionate to the amount of influence they have on the film. Media and People have a tendency to forgot or ignore that film is a collaborative production  and there should greater recognition of screen writers, producers, and VFX artists as potential "co-authors."

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Within the two films I have watched by Fellini, I find similar archetype he uses for his  protagonist. They are female characters with ignorant personalities who learn the cruelties of life. Their immunity to the injustice of the world crumbles as they are forced to face reality.  Both films happen to use the same actress as the protagonist,  Guiletta Masina; who I found out is also Fellini's wife. Both film's protagonist lack independence as they are both oppressed by a dominating male figure.  In La Strada,  Gelsomina was forced to be Zampano's side show assent. In Juliet of the Spirits,  Giulietta lived for her husband. In some ways both women were able escape and gain some form of freedom in the end. This basic pattern  of ignorance, realization, and action may be a signature of Fellini.

Another note that characterizes the director's style is the sharp disorienting cuts he uses to jump from scene to scene. However this is more likely due to his lack of skill....

Director Jim Jarmusch

Deadman (1995)
Mystery Train (1989)
Down by Law (1986)

All of these films have several themes in common that speaks to Jarmusch's interests and signature. They all include travel and outlaws. Each film also includes either protagonists or major characters that with foreigners.
The settings of all the films are set in old western towns.  Characters also share similar dynamics. In all three of these works, they are stories about conflicting but inseparable duo. As the story progresses the audience and the pair  learns more about themselves as they progress through challenges in their journey. By including foreigners, it allows for and element of surprise as the foreigner goes against the audience and other character's expectations.
Characters also share similar goals, they are seeking escape. In Deadman, a guilty accountant wishes to escape death, Mystery Train is about a couple seeking new experiences , and Down by the Law would escape from imprisonment.
The films point of view is from an outsiders perspective.  Deadman including Native Americans, Mystery Train includes has tourists as protagonists, and Down by law centers around criminals. Jarmsuch's work also has as similar tone and story format. The audience also treated as an outsider as well, we are never allowed into he character's head but serve as silent observers.  There is a wondering feeling about his stories as they do not appear to be plot driven. All of his character come from low income backgrounds and the character explore those impoverished areas. Characters also are together not out of choice but of circumstance and are forced to stay together because of these circumstances. 

The Graduate

This was a pretty wild story. 

Costume Designer
As a costume designer I would attempt to dress the characters to subliminally reflect not       only their age and social status but their character as well. 

Benjamin Braddock: Geek. I would try to convey a feeling of awkwardness and introversion. I imagine he wears ill fitting suits to that need to be tailored. For a day to day look I imagine washed out graphic t-shirts with loose high wasted jeans secured with a belt.

The ultimate home wrecker. A legend, the one who gets both the mother and daughter. He dressed as expected, classic geek. 

Mr. Braddock: Slim man who wears fitted grey suits to formal events and polos and cacky's for casual wear. 

Classy ignorant dad who has no idea what is going on in hi son's life. 

Mrs. Braddock: I imagine she wears cardigans and flow t-shaped skirts with pumps. A gentle demeanor with natural make up. 

A mother with good intuition and a classy dresser as well. 

Mrs. Robinson: A classy lady who wears velvet dresses and pearl necklaces. I imagine a Breakfast at Tiffany's look with dramatic eyeliner and mascara. 

Ms. Robinson's wardrobe was sleek and sultry. Her evening outfits were usually knee length skirts and dresses with signature translucent stockings. Her appearance and demeanor were fare more depressed then I had expected. She appeared to be a worn out women filled with regret and desperately trying to rekindle her youth, a vain attempt to take back her college years.

Mr. Robinson: A burley gentlemen who wears  large camel colored suits with ties. I imagine he golfs not the weekend and wears loose polos with cacky colored shorts

Mr. Robinson dressed up as the classy gentlemen I imagined him to be. Even though Mr. Robinson was distraught about his wife's affair I felt that he too may have been guilty of cheating as well. In the first act, he abandoned his wife at Braddock party and seemed indifferent and oblivious to his wife's activities.

Elaine Robinson: Preppy smart look. She wears short button up shirts with plaid skirts. 

She dressed a little more casual and was a lot dumber than I expected. For an academic with a solid level of intellect she has a terrible taste in men.

Carl Smith: Smart Jock. Fitted Polo shirts and washed out jeans. Bomber jacket and sneakers

I got Carl all wrong. He dresses very smart with a full suit and tie. A classy young man.  A guy with brains, manners, and a bright future, I have no idea why Elaine would choose Benjamin over him. Why would she choose the creep who took her to a strip club on the first date and slept with her mom???? 

The Goose Father

Theoretical Screenplay Outline: Essential Moments

Personal Commentary

This was fresh read with a  protagonist that differs from the usual adventure and fantasy books I read. A story about a older man facing both a mid-life crisis and identity crises was quite interesting. It had a nice ending where as the boy helps our protagonist learn to accept himself and start living life on his terms. 

Contributors: Amanda Jow, Ga Young Choi , Natalie Palumbo

Gilho is sent his family in America so they could live a better life

He has stayed back in Korea to support his family as an accountant

He is lonely and searches for his roommate

Introduction to Wuseong and the goose

Gilho is baffled and insulted by the Goose b/c of the reference to “Goose Fathers”

Gilho is going out to the balcony to relax but is assaulted by the Goose

Gilho goes to the kitchen and is surprised by a lavish home cooked meal

Wuseong mentions he has read Gilho’s first poetry book

Wuseong says he is not fond of people but likes Gilho

Wuseong is gifted has many interests and talents but dropped out of college

Expansion of Wuseong character, cleans the floor with sponge

Gilho claims that the goose is his mother’s reincarnation

Conversation about Re-incarnation

Guilho’s disinterest in women and it hints at his sexuality

Gulho and Wuseong go to the Karaoke

*Wueseong leans in to kiss Guilho, but Guilho slaps him

Wueseong leaves the apartment without any notice

Gilho calls up his friends to go drinking

Gilho steps out and is approached by two prostitutes, and one of them reminds him of Wueseong

Gilho and friends go out to eat BBQ with his friends

The reminesnce about the past, criticize the young for having it easy but envy them as well

Gilhos looks over at the owner’s pet pig and wonders if the animal smells his own kind’s flesh

The old men are all facing similar family situations

Gilho goes back to his apartment carrying his drunken friend and sees Wuseong

There is a scuffle as his friend had tried to pluck one of the Goose’s feather

Gilho goes out apphrend the Goose and defend his friend

He grabs the Goose by the neck and contemplates killing the Goose

He goes back to sleep and wakes up to a full moon

Last Scene

Gilho goes out to the Balcony and sees Wueseong and the Goose.

However when he looks at the Goose he momentarily sees a spiritual form of women hinting that Wuesong is not crazy

Gilho finally accepts himself and embraces his sexuality and self

Shows Gilho gently putting his hand on Wuesong face and fades to black

Ready Player One

Ready Player One seemed like an accurate glimpse into the short future, a future that will problem arrive even sooner then the books predicts. We are encountering worsening states of poverty, global warming, and energy shortages. The obsession with escaping reality is already prevalent today. Before the internet, people did drugs, now people play games like SIMs, and in the future virtual reality will make escaping the real world all the more easier.   The book was a great read with lots o social commentary that I found both amusing and horrifyingly true.  Particularly Wades opinion on politics, I found having already come into fruition," Besides, now that everyone could vote from home, via the OASIS, the only people who could get elected were movie stars, reality TV personalities, or radical televangelists. (p.202) "

Set Designer

The Book did a superb job in providing plenty of visual commentary for Wades world. I can clearly imagine the overcrowded trailer park Wade grew up in. I an envision clear walls dividing the poor from he rich. I imagine somewhat of post apocalyptic-cyber world with near non-existant middle class, just the wealth, the poor, and the homeless. I imagine mounds of trash and junk metal surrounding low income communities, wastelands of trash.  


Wade's stacked trailer home apartment may look like this but there would be dozens of them, packed as close together as possible, similar to a metropolitan city ...




When Wade was describing the homeless communities he passed by while relocating to a apartment complex I immediately thought about America in the 1930's. This time period was the 21st century version of The Great Depression and the Dustbowl. I envision cyber Hoovervilles surrounding the outskirt of every city. 

For the evil IOI headquarters, I can see this obnoxious sky scraper standing piercing the sky. It be surrounded by a smaller but high rise buildings where the rest of wealthy percenters would work and live.

Stephen Zweig's Influence on West Anderson

I read the first three stories of the short story collection of Stephen Zweig and see a clear visual interpretation of his work in West Anderson's films. 

Zweig is not cheap when it comes to the details, his work is incredibly descriptive, waiting a clear picture of his characters and the world's they inhabit. Like Zweig, Anderson also ensures the audience has a clear visual understanding of the film's world, through numerous open wide shots showcasing the spaces the character inhabit.  Anderson composes his shots as if they were illustrations rather then moving film, each frame is shows a flat dynamic compositions more suitable for a painting rather than a movie.

Besides the Visual content of the film, The Grand Budapest Hotel also draws resemblance to Zweig's story format. All of his character appear to live in an ignorant and happy state of being only to have reality hit them and end their stories with a bittersweet note, which makes his work very appealing. I greatly enjoy Zweig's stories and their endings as they are not a hundred percent sad or happy. His stories have a nice dosage of reality to them, which makes them incredibly satisfying to read. 

Forgotten Dreams

In the Snow

The Miracles of Life

Dew Breaker

What does the work reveal about the ooperations (economically, politically, socially, or psychologically) of patriarchy?

I read the first four stories of the Dew Breaker and am beginning to connect the dots between the three stories. The first story ( The Book of the Dead) was about a family. In terms of social dynamics the father appeared to be in control although his power was not overbearing. He treats his daughter gently but asserts his dominance when need be. He appears to be withered man, with a violent past that he has tried to separate himself from both geographically and psychologically.

The second Story (Water Child)  was maybe about the husband from the previous story, before the couple had their daughter. The husband plays the leading role in their relationship.  A foreigner in America, and without a job, the wife is completely reliant on her husband.

With the  third Story (Seven), I had trouble relating to the character  but pity her as she lost a child that she cannot publicly grieve for. Considering the baby was conceived out of wedlock, she would only receive backlash from her co-workers and parents. Her cold personality makes me think she may suffer from depression as she appears to have no hobbies or interests and is just going through the motions in life.

The fourth story (Book of Miracles) was interesting to see the mother's perspective on family. The first story was through the daughter's viewpoint. The internal struggle the father and mother go through, fugitives whose identity they must keep hidden to both the outside world and too their own daughter is both intriguing and tragic



- WIP