Film Director

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

BASIC INFORMATION (AWARDS AND INFLUENCES)

• Nolan was born on 30 July 1970

• Best known for his cerebral, often nonlinear story-telling, acclaimed writer-director. Over the course of 15 years of film-making, Nolan has gone from low-budget independent films to working on some of the biggest blockbusters ever made such as: The Dark knight in 2008, inception in 2010 and memento in 2000.

• In 2010, Nolan captivated audiences with the acclaimed sci-fi thriller Inception, which he directed and produced.

• Nolan is a British-American film director, screenwriter, and producer.

• Nolan has won many many awards in his years of being a director, such as; Best action movie for inception in 2010, Best action movie for The Dark Knight from critics choice awards and was also nominated for the Golden globes and BAFTA’S

• He also has 4 children.

• Directing career - Nolan's major film debut, Following, was a black-and-white, small-budget work about a lonely writer who's obsessed with following strangers and then partners with a burglar. The film's unconventional, non-linear narrative scheme helped garner interest in Nolan's work and propelled him to his next film, Memento.

• Christopher’ doesn’t talk about people that influenced him but about characters and work that influenced him. The filmmaker discussed artists including Francis Bacon and how they influenced his work in an interview with The Tate Britain. Heath Ledger played the anarchic, villainous clown in Nolan's 2008 film and was given a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the role.

• http://www.nolanfans.com/bio

EXAMPLES OF FILMS

Memento(2000)

Inception(2010)

The Dark knight(2008

The Dark Knight Rises

(2012)

The Prestige(2006)

Insomnia(2002)

INCEPTION • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VXkUzf1et4

• Inception was produced and in cinemas in 2012, which became one of the best and most exciting thrillers ever made.

• Inception is a complex thriller, which with holds confusion, excitement and mind games.

• Leonardo Dicaprio plays Cobb and Joseph Gordon Levitt plays Arthur, they both are the main characters in Nolan's movie

• “Christopher Nolan's typically tricky brain-twister casts Leonardo DiCaprio as head of an industrial espionage crew. Peter Bradshaw admires the film's dizzying flourishes” The Guardian only gave Inception a 3 star rating out of 5.

• Where as The empire gave Inception a 5 star rating and describe it as “Christopher Nolan’s exquisite equation of dreams and death... and shit blowing up”.

NARRATIVE• During this movie we witness many different characters and especially in the opening. We are

first to meet Cobb (Leonardo) laying on the beach and being found by a guard.

• Key feature's that I noticed frequently during the opening was the suspense, tension and mystery. During this whole film we see a lot of confusion on who's the protagonist and antagonist, as everyone is committing different crimes such as: shooting, murders, drugs and kidnapping. We see the complex character Ariadne which we see as being the ‘good guy’ however turns out she’s trying to kill and catch Cobb.

• We see that a key convention in Thrillers is to have Crime and reengage occurring as a theme.

• A key event we see frequently happening is the ‘dream’ we are never sure when they have woken up form, what we can suppose is a dream. We are seeing them waking up and the audience are thinking they have come back to reality when actually were fooled and there still in this dream world of fighting.

• We also see the main key convention of a thriller is to not give anything away in the opening and Inception does this very well as we are confused on what's happening

CAMERA

Pov, is making us feel like were the character and we witness this when were looking out of Arthurs eyes at the crowd.

Over the Shoulder which is used to show us the riots out side and so we can feel apart of the action

alongside Arthur.

Close up’s which is significant of the spinner, this is to highlight the importance. The camera is

focused on the top of the spinner it suggests that the top also

plays an important role in the film, however we are unable to

conclude what the top represents.

Pan is also used to make the action fast paced and to help us as the audience feel apart of the action when Cobb is running in

the building into the room.

SOUND AND EDITING

The music isn’t just adding intense it adds a mystery to the scene as we also hear a key song

which: ishttps://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=XsKgXZHofRo

Exaggerated sound on the ticking of the clock

and this therefore highlights that time is

against them.

As the action develops the sound becomes

louder and more intense

Slow Motion is used to show the difference between the “dream”

world and reality

We also see face p[ace being used a lot during to the fighting scenes taking

place.

MISE EN SCENE

Opening location is a washed up beach, which is

confusing because it doesn't’t seem to fit the

plot?

Gun’s are a recurring prop. This shows crime is

happening and we see everyone with guns

therefore this doesn't’t help us figure out who's good and who's bad?

Lighting is extremely dark in places as we

see a lot of dark shadows.

The costumes are mainly classy clothing, as we see Copp and Arthur in suits

most of the time this therefore could mean they are possibly spy's. As its

stereotypical to hace a spy in a suit

DARK KNIGHT RISES• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

• Dark knight rises was produced in 2012 and was apart of a trilogy of many films.

• Dark knight rises is a simple but exciting and effective thriller filled with lots of crime and revenge.

• ‘Christopher Nolan brings the curtain down on his grim Batman trilogy with Wagnerian confidence – but Heath Ledger's absence is sorely felt’ This is from the Guardian and they gave this film a 3 out of 5 stars.

• Empire gave a 5 star rating and called it ‘Unmissable’

• Our 2 main characters are Christian Bale playing Batman and Tom Hardy who plays Bain.

• It has been argued that this film is not a thriller film and contains a action adventure part of it also. However this film does contain many features a key conventions of a thriller therefore in my opinion it is a thriller.

NARRATIVE• During this opening we witness seeing the villains such as Bain, we are introduced into a

fight scene with Bain and his side kicks.

• This thriller is a exciting, tension rising and simple thriller compared to many others.

• However still withholds many key conventions such as Crime and revenge takes place as a main theme throughout.

• We see that Bain already is playing to take down the government and commit crime

• We also see darkness and a certain edge of mystery during this film as we never seem to find out what Bain is planning. This adds to the tension and suspense, as its annoying for the audience to not know what's going on.

CAMERAWORK

Over the shoulder is used straight away to bring us

into the audience while the cop/agent is talking to someone boarding the

plane

Wide shot is used on the location we see them

boarding the plane and this creates a exciting view for us to see where they are.

Also showing us the attack that’s about to take place

Mid shot on Bain as we are seeing him kneeing down this is done to show us the

relationship between characters and his body

language.

Close up on Bane as this is to highlight the mask is a

important feature on Bane

SOUND AND EDITING

The music starts clam then brings suspense into

the fight scene straight away, we see this use as

non-diegetic.

Fast pace is used a lot in the opening as it’s a quick

action with bane over taking the plane. This

creates a sense of excitement also.

Slow pace is used in the first couple of minutes to show the action growing and not much is going on the we get the contrast of the face pace which hits

us suddenly

Exaggerated sound is used a lot in the opening

for the guns and for banes voice by making it louder

then it should be to highlight the action

MISE EN SCENE

Everyone is the opening is wearing dark and dull clothing throughout this and especially

Banes men are all in black this is hinting to us that in

thrillers there are dark clothing

Guns are also a essential prop to this opening because

it’s the main weapon used and also shows us that crime is taking place. Everyone has

them

The mask is also a costume and a prop for bane however this is a essential look and key feature on bane as we

learn the history later on.

The location is mainly in the sky throughout this scene and

this creates a sense of aloneness which means no one can hear them or see them therefore making it a

good place to attack