"There are no good and bad films, just good and bad directors" - Francois Truffaut
Welcome!
This elective will let you indulge in the world of cinema - more specifically, you will indulge in the visual style of your favourite film directors. Directors with a recognisable visual style are called 'auteurs'
What is an 'Auteur?'
An auteur is a French word meaning ‘Author’ – meaning the author of the film who has full creative control. Imagine when you write a book, you have full creative control over the text from start to finish. Because films a big collaborative projects, the director often shared creative control and vision with many other people (writers, studios, producers, etc). Yet there are some directors that have an instantly recognisable visual style. They are the auteurs we will be studying in this course
'Auteur Theory' was an idea first suggested by many French film critics... although most recognisably by famous French film director, François Truffaut, in his book ‘A Certain Tendency in French Cinema’ (1954). Truffaut came up with this concept after developing a deep interest in the visual style of the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, as well as directors such as Jean Renoir, Orson Wells and Howard Hawks.
Andrew Sarris was an american author who first coined the term 'Auteur theory' in his essay titled 'notes on The Auteur Theory on 1962'
'Auteur Theory' was an idea first suggested by many French film critics... although most recognisably by famous French film director, François Truffaut, in his book ‘A Certain Tendency in French Cinema’ (1954). Truffaut came up with this concept after developing a deep interest in the visual style of the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, as well as directors such as Jean Renoir, Orson Wells and Howard Hawks.
Andrew Sarris was an american author who first coined the term 'Auteur theory' in his essay titled 'notes on The Auteur Theory on 1962'
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You can find more videos (including a documentary on Francois Truffaut) on the TPSMediaStudies YouTube channel here
How do you identify an auteur?
well, if you can check off 3 or 4 items from the list below you have probably got yourself a film auteur.
1.Common themes in each film
2.Character stereotypes
3.Reoccurring motifs (motifs are dominant or reoccurring ideas or objects in film)
4.Use of the same actors (a muse)
5.Similarities in location and setting (including time and place)
6.Similarities with the nuances of the dialogue spoken by characters
7.Familiar fonts and typography
8.Similarities in soundtrack, soundscapes and film score
9.Commonalities in plot, storyline and narrative
10.Reoccuring cinematography including camera angles and movement
11.Familiar Mise-en-scene (what we see in the frame of a shot) including colours and the visual composition (placement) of mise-en-scene
12.Familiar Editing techniques (eg: freeze frame, montage, jump cuts, etc)
1.Common themes in each film
2.Character stereotypes
3.Reoccurring motifs (motifs are dominant or reoccurring ideas or objects in film)
4.Use of the same actors (a muse)
5.Similarities in location and setting (including time and place)
6.Similarities with the nuances of the dialogue spoken by characters
7.Familiar fonts and typography
8.Similarities in soundtrack, soundscapes and film score
9.Commonalities in plot, storyline and narrative
10.Reoccuring cinematography including camera angles and movement
11.Familiar Mise-en-scene (what we see in the frame of a shot) including colours and the visual composition (placement) of mise-en-scene
12.Familiar Editing techniques (eg: freeze frame, montage, jump cuts, etc)
TASK 1 - The Auteur presentation:
Here is an example i made for a powerpoint presentation on an auteur:
Baz Luhrmann
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The greatest auteurs in film history
Quick research!
Do some research to find out:
- Background information (birth, death?, family? Country? Etc.)
- What movies have they made?
- What common things do they do in each movie? (themes, techniques, actors, etc)
- Why are they so famous? What makes them important to film?
TASK 1: The Auteur Presentation
Time to research and explore!
In class, you will lucky dip the name of one of the Auteurs above. You may get someone you know. You may get someone you don't. Thats the exciting part. No matter who you get, you will need to research and discover all you can about them and what makes them an auteur.
Here is the information that must be presented at some point:
1. Personal details including name, age, nationality, education, etc.
2. A brief description of their early life/childhood.
3. Their notable filmography including any awards nominated/won.
4. A detailed analysis on what defines this director as an auteur according to the 12 listed criteria above.
5. A brief conclusion summing up their contribution to film history.
FORMAT:
you can present this information in any way you choose. you can make a video like the one i have inserted below. You could give an oral presentation with a PowerPoint/Keynote to highlight your key points. You could use an online presentation tool like Prezi. It is completely up to you!
In class, you will lucky dip the name of one of the Auteurs above. You may get someone you know. You may get someone you don't. Thats the exciting part. No matter who you get, you will need to research and discover all you can about them and what makes them an auteur.
Here is the information that must be presented at some point:
1. Personal details including name, age, nationality, education, etc.
2. A brief description of their early life/childhood.
3. Their notable filmography including any awards nominated/won.
4. A detailed analysis on what defines this director as an auteur according to the 12 listed criteria above.
5. A brief conclusion summing up their contribution to film history.
FORMAT:
you can present this information in any way you choose. you can make a video like the one i have inserted below. You could give an oral presentation with a PowerPoint/Keynote to highlight your key points. You could use an online presentation tool like Prezi. It is completely up to you!
Here are some examples made by past students:
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| auteur_table.docx |
