5 Films That Helped Shape My Wedding Videography Style!
Ever since studying films as an A-level student, and then at University, I have been an avid cinemagoer, and still try to see at least one film a week- some of them are good, some of them are downright terrible and a few end up having a long-lasting effect on me. One way that this can manifest itself is in influencing and inspiring my own filmmaking. Whether it is the way the story is constructed, the way a shot was angled or the way music was used, I am always looking to the great auteurs to help influence my work. Below is a list of five films I have watched, or rewatched, in the last 12 months that helped shaped my filmmaking style.
For tone and look: Cold War
If there’s one film in the last few years which matches the tone and look I go for in my films the most, it is the Polish film Cold War. I can’t say it really influenced me, as I think I was already going for this style before I saw it, but it reinforced my love of black and white cinema, of nostalgia, of a bittersweet soundtrack and the juxtaposition of happiness and sorrow that pervades a great love story. It also has a timelessness quality to it, like all classic cinema, which I strive to emulate as best I can in my work.
For Music: Phantom Thread
My favourite film of 2018, by possibly my favourite director of all time (Paul Thomas Anderson), is Phantom Thread. The film explores the ideas of love and devotion in a beautiful way and I fell in love with the cinematography from the opening moments- it harks back to a bygone era of classic cinema, which I greatly admire.But I am citing the film's soundtrack as its main influence on me and my work: written by Jonny Greenwood, guitarist from my favourite band Radiohead, the music plays such an important part in setting the tone of the film, which is something I always strive for when choosing the correct soundtrack for my films. The score is minimalist, mainly strings and piano, with a simple yet stirring quality, which is a style of music I always use in my films, as I believe it suits my minimalist style of filmmaking. You can hear some of that soundtrack in the film's trailer.
For Composition: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson is famous for his setting up of perfectly composed shots, normally filled with beautiful symmetry and purposeful camera movements which give his work a distinct look. As I like to shoot my work with nothing more than a camera and tripods (I do not use any extra gadgets or gizmos, preferring to keep things simple) this allows me time to think about and setup well composed static shots and also to think about what movement is happening inside the frame, rather than worrying about making complex camera movements, which often take multiple attempts and can cause you to miss vital moments in a fast paced setting such as a wedding.
For pure and simple emotion: A Ghost Story
A Ghost Story is a beautiful film the manages to tell a heart breaking story of love and loss with little to no dialogue- as the main character is a man in a sheet. I love how the film subtly uses music and long takes, with minimal camera movment, to create a sense of time passing. The film is also shot in a beautiful Polaroid-like square frame creating a sense of it being nothing but a series of memories/moments which very much appeals to my atheistic.
For inspiring me to become a filmmaker: Donnie Darko
I remember when I first saw this film, at a screening on my university campus. I knew nothing about it and just bought a ticket (for £2!) on a whim, but was subsequently captivated by it from start to finish. I always know when I’ve truly enjoyed a film, as it makes me want to go out and film something, anything, myself, and this was probably the first movie that made me realise filmmaking was to be my number one passion. I caught an anniversary screening of the film at my local cinema last year, and felt those same emotions flooding back. I made my first short film with a camera that took VHS tapes when I was about eleven, and the fact I now get to make a living playing with cameras, in a job that allows me the freedom to go to the movies whenever I like, is something I am very grateful for!If you have any comments or suggestions of other films that you think I may like, feel free to share them below.