Directions Unit - Contextual research into selected Drama Series - The Wire

For my 5-6 minute film, I have selected the hit TV series The Wire, more specifically I have chosen the introduction to the series where Baltimore PD Det. James 'Jimmy' McNulty is seen speaking to a witness about a murder of a man named "Snotboogie."

Despite not having any dialogue or any real screen time in the series, Snotboogie's character sets the basis of the following episodes from season 1 right the way up to season 5 and almost looms over every episode. A character with a constant runny nose and a tendency to snatch and run, Snot is as laughable as he is poor but his importance to the series makes him a very haunting character, looming over every murder case to follow.

Critically, this scene like so many others in this series is a very well played out scenario, focussing on every minor and major detail that goes on. This scene plays out as the backbone to the rest of the series as it picks out a lot of important details like what the characters are like, what the tone is and what the area is like generally. An example of a minor detail added for great effect is the group of kids sitting by watching the police investigate the situation with the body on show. I like this shot in particular as it shows how unfazed the younger generation are of the horrific sight they are currently seeing. Though I would like to change as much as possible about this scene to add my own interpretation, this is one shot I would like to be able use and replicate myself or perhaps the exact opposite.

In the series, the scene is set on the corner of a street in West Baltimore which is where the majority of the episode features. The area is full of grotty housing blocks that tower over the street. The shot I mentioned previously about the kids sitting by watching the whole investigation take place without a care in the world is one of the first shots in the episode and really sets the tone of the series and gives a great interpretation of what this area of West Baltimore is like. I am still in the planning stage of what I will be doing in my drama film but a couple of ideas I had was an interrogation scene with flashbacks to the event or a similar scenario on the side of the street only it will be a busy area of town and in broad day light.

Snotboogie's dead body lying in front of the witness (left) and Det. McNulty (right)

Screenwriter research 1 - Vince Gilligan

Vince Gilligan is a producer as well as a writer known for writing a number of TV series such as The X-Files, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul as well as the film Hancock.

Gilligan grew a passion for screenwriting at an early age, regularly attending his Grandfathers bookstore, picking up comics and sci-fi paper backs as well as expressing his love for classic movies, and on his bedroom wall he would display a variety of different movie posters. He would also go out and create short films with his younger brother using a super 8 camera supplied by family friends.

Vince Gilligan's talent for screenwriting was first discovered when Gilligan wrote the screenplay for Home Fries, which won a Virginia Governors Screenwriting award. Producer Mark Johnson was one of the judges and also became Vince Gilligan's mentor and introduced him to The X-Files creator Chris Carter. Gilligan then became the writer on the show for which he was nominated for multiple awards. Since then Gilligan has gone on to win 2 Emmy Awards, both for Breaking Bad which has also gone on to be regarded as one of the greatest TV series ever made.

His style of writing is somewhat unique, the idea of getting to know the character as the series progresses at a similar rate to the audience is fairly common amongst many screenwriters but the idea of embracing curveballs is something many writers like to avoid. It is risky business writing for a TV series, in series 2 of Breaking Bad, one of the actors dropped out after just one episode meaning Gilligan had to create a whole new character, Gustavo Fring.

"If you’re too rigid in your thinking you may miss some wonderful opportunities for storytelling." Vince Gilligan

Gilligan's work has influenced mine greatly as it was his show Breaking Bad that gave me the idea of creating a film based around drugs. The difference between his idea and mine is that his character, Walter White, is trying to get into the drug trade while my character, Reece, attempts to move away from the drug trade.

TV Drama review - Luther

Luther is a British crime drama starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther, a brilliant yet damaged cop who is torn between his separated wife whom he still feels attached to and solving serial killings. The creator and writer of the series is Neil Cross and is produced and broadcast by the BBC. Neil Cross has explained that Luther's character is influenced by both Sherlock Holmes and Columbo. There are currently 14 episodes split into 3 series with two more episodes lined up in December for series 4.

I have seen a number of crime dramas before such as American series like NCIS and The Wire as well as British series like New Tricks and Inspector George Gently but I was willing to give Luther a try having never seen the show previously. I decided to watch episode 1 from the first season hoping that it have a hold on me and persuade me to watch the rest of the series, which it has. Though I do enjoy watching crime dramas, I do feel that they are very repetitive in style, for example NCIS is just a new criminal and a new case every episode with a quick snippet of backstory eventually leading to the season finale which ties up all the loose ends in the series creating one amazing episode and many ok ones. Luther on the other hand is different. There is a really immersive storyline throughout the episode that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what's going to happen next.

The storyline
"After a 7 month suspension, DCI John Luther returns to duty. With the assistance of DS Justin Ripley, he investigates a home invasion that resulted in the murders of Douglas and Laura Morgan who were found by their daughter Alice. After questioning her, Luther is convinced that she killed her parents and as much as tells her so. He has no physical evidence however and the police have not been able to find the gun. Alice is highly intelligent and is quite prepared to play psychological games with him. Luther meanwhile tries to repair his relationship with his wife Zoe from who he has been separated. She has met someone and has begun a new relationship news that doesn't go down very well." Written by garykmcd - IMDB

The dialogue is very well written and Luther's body language tells the story very well, the inclusion of Ruth Wilson as the genius, narcissist, sociopath Alice Morgan as the subject that John Luther attempts to catch is very well done. Ruth Wilsons character is the perfect match for John Luther, she is a seemingly uncatchable killer that Luther goes to great lengths to catch and in this episode, he does not catch her. This is a sense of originality that the series does not repeat with the same idea every episode and there will always be a twist to keep the audience engaged. Will Alice Morgan ever be proven guilty of her crimes?

This episode is very influential to my work as the show introduces the characters very well capturing every necessary detail and allows the viewer to really get into and understand what the characters are about. The meeting between the two characters DCI John Luther and Alice Morgan is very well done and is certainly something I would love to be able to replicate in the future.

Here is an inside look at the first episode of Luther

Short film review 3 - The Fly

Where as the other two films I reviewed are very dramatic and serious, The Fly is a very dark comedy about a getaway driver waiting outside of a bank robbery who must get through 3 minute of waiting for his crew to return from the scene. The getaway driver is put to the test when a fly enters his car and what starts as waving the fly away turns into a scenario of absolute mayhem.

The film is sort of like a slap-stick silent film as it is without any actual dialogue besides the odd grunt or argh and you really get a sense of joy from watching this dark comedy. Director Olly Williams really goes the distance with just how far this character goes with his tantrum involving this fly. The film is a classic example of show not tell as it relies heavily on the action rather than the dialogue as there is no dialogue.

The film was so much more than just the physical performance, the shots used were very clever and almost told the story on its own. An example of this is the dolly shot of the bank door every time the character looks over, conveying how impatient the character is in this situation. There were shots taken from almost every possible angle to capture every action and every viewpoint of every scenario in the film.

Though limited, Olly Williams is very well known in the short film community with his first venture into film making ending up as arguably the most successful short film to date (The Black Hole) which has raked up over 19 million views on YouTube and is studied by film students on a global scale.

The meeting in this film is a very clever and very subtle as the meeting is between the character and the fly. I had never thought about the idea of the meeting being between a character and a subject such as a fly and is certainly a good idea for the future. I could also implement the element of show not tell in my writing by using a scene that does not require any dialogue and tells the story through physical actions.

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/09/21/the-fly/

Short film review 2 - Run

Run is a short film about an emotionally detached gang member named Marcus who is put in a difficult situation where he must put his trust in a young, rival gang member named Dean in order to survive. The film is directed by Trevor Stevens, a young actor/director/writer in what is his fifth and most recent short to date. It is reasonably long for a short at 17 minutes but it really develops the story and once it really gets going, it really gets going as it captures the relationship and trust that is formed between the two characters.

I feel that the characters themselves are very undeveloped and that the secondary characters are very one toned, there doesn't seem to be much change in character in any of the characters. However the short as a piece is very compelling with long takes, interesting locations and all round brilliant cinematography, it really grabs the viewer and keeps their eyes glued to the screen. It's not the smartest film in terms of development but it is a very watchable and enjoyable film none the less.

I especially like the ending, where Marcus eventually shoots Dean after Marcus' gang arrives with his son. The shot is done inside the car where you can see Marcus and his gang about to shoot Dean on the outside through the window and Marcus' sons reflection in the rear view mirror. It portrays the loss in trust the son has when Marcus shoots Dean despite the fact that it's clear he never wanted to shoot him.

I found the film very relatable to mine as it featured a drug dealer (Marcus) trying to escape the tense situation he's been placed in and the young drug dealer (Dean) who clearly feels out of place in his gang and wants to escape the gang life entirely. All this is featured in what is approximately 11 minutes of just 1 continuos shot (maybe edited in areas to give that effect) of them crossing paths with one another, escaping the gang war and eventually Marcus shooting Dean. The camera shots used were very clever and it is something I would love to be able to implement in future films.

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/10/07/run-3/

Short film review 1 - Standing8

Standing8 is a short film about a boxer who must confront his biggest enemy after killing his opponent in a title winning fight, himself. The film is 15 minutes long and is written and directed by Michael Minard, a stunt coordinator turned director in what is his second short and first script.

Abdul is a skilled, up coming boxer with a big mouth and even bigger punch, dealing with the consequences of killing an opponent in the ring. The beginning of the film shows Abdul in an interview discussing his viewpoint on what went down in the ring. You get the sense that he doesn't care the slightest bit what he did exclaiming "I was just trying to win" with a big grin on his face. From this point onwards you notice that he is struck with guilt when he least expects them, often making him feel faint and during his pre-fight checkup, there are concerns that his past punishment is catching up to him.

I really admire this film-short, Minard really packed a lot into this film, a death, brain damage concerns, a confrontation with the dead boxers widow amongst other things. I feel that to get the most from this film, the film would need to be a bit longer as it feels a bit overcrowded, however it does flow very well and there is enough detail to keep you from getting confused as to what's going on.

Though the characters and scenarios are very exaggerated and melodramatic, Abdul's character is very realistic and can be very relatable to the right person, as is the boxing. With director Minard being a former boxer himself, he brings a unique depth and understanding of the culture and science surrounding the world of boxing, giving the short a realistic feel to it.

I do feel that I can take some ideas from the film such as the change in character and the many obstacles Abdul must overcome. The idea of Abdul trying to battle his own self issues is similar to the battles my characters must overcome in my short film. The meetings in the film are very short and to the point and there is a long list of characters so I do not feel I can take any meeting ideas.

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/11/06/standing8/

Soft Review

Soft is a short film created by Simon Ellis in 2006 about a father who rediscovers his fear of confrontation at a very crucial time. The film follows a father and his son who have both encountered the same gang of people on the same day at different times. When the father discovers that his son was attacked by the same gang as the group he encountered earlier on, he almost begins to shrivel up and became too scared to approach the situation. Having just talked to his son about learning to stand up for himself, he finds himself in an ironic situation where he becomes afraid to approach the gang causing the son, Scott, to lose respect for his father.

I thought that this film was very well made and the characters were left in the right place, their faces told the story very well which is a great example of showing the story as a supposed to saying it. I also liked the camera shots they used. The camera crane shot was used to great effect, especially at the end when the neighbours walk out after the asbo was hit with the cricket bat. This is a great interpretation of how 'soft' and afraid the neighbours were to approach this scene and makes you wonder if trouble caused by the group is a regular occurrence in the area. Another camera trick I liked was the use of the low quality phone camera to film the gang beating up Scott. This adds an element of realism to the scenario and allows you to really engage with the situation.

I felt like I took a lot from this short film as there was a meeting between the two main characters of the story, the father and the son and it adds an element of irony to the situation with the father telling his son to stand up for himself while he struggles to approach major situations himself. There was also a lot of foreshadowing in the film that I feel I can use in the future, such as the cricket bat being visible at the beginning of the film with the father tripping over the bag that the bat was concealed in as a hint of what the character (his son) gets up to a well as what's about to come in the film.