If you’ve followed us for a time you’ll know that we’re never ones to shy from the influence of other media on our productions. It’s inevitable, no matter how original you might try to be with a project. And we’re keen to wear our hearts on our sleeves (as you can see from previous examples – Anhedonia Influences). Below are seven inspirations which helped to form the style and story of our next film ‘STILL LIFE‘. As always, we hope we’ll transcend rather than merely reference the following.
1. The films of Roy Andersson
Creating moving paintings, the way in which Swedish maestro Roy Andersson works is completely unique – crafting scenes as vignettes and tying them together with overarching themes, though seemingly disconnected at first. The documentary ‘Being a Human Person’ highlights not only his impeccable attention to detail, composition and technique, but also the way in which he crafts his scenarios in a small (one room) studio to incredible effect, using miniatures, forced perspective and for lack of a better phrase – magic tricks. The vignette style was not only an influence, but the absurd humour and scenarios of films like ‘A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence’ was one of the first starting off points for our next film.
The writing for ‘STILL LIFE‘ began not in a structured, linear way as usual, but started with free-associative writing of skits and scenarios, later forming into a cohesive structure. It’s been a very different way to work but one of the most uniquely creative experiences for us yet.
2. Synecdoche, New York
Another absurd comedy about life itself (getting the theme here?). Writer/Director Charlie Kaufman’s masterpiece jumps progressively forward in time with every cut between scenes and covers the length of an entire adult life in approximately two hours. That’s the goal with our film too. Not only a challenge for continuity and production design but for our performers as well, playing three decades of their characters lives. Will it be as weird, labyrinthine and head-scratchy? You’ll be glad to hear, if you’ve seen this arthouse oddity, no, not quite so challenging.
3. Slaughterhouse Five
‘Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time’ goes the line from this brilliant novel – a line which has stuck with us since first reading. How have we taken this as influence? Well our character is stuck in one spot with time continuing all around him. Kurt Vonnegut has been a favourite for a couple of decades now, and his opus has had a big influence. The novel jumps around in timelines, something our film will also do. But it is also as entertaining as it is humane and thought-provoking, another goal with the next film.
4. Brian Eno and Ambient Music
The creative approach (look up Oblique Strategies) and music of Brian Eno, as well as ambient music in general, have been a constant since the beginning of the writing process. As someone who struggles with insomnia on occasion, ambient has been there as a calming and helpful resource during those times.
Ambient music itself is a genre of music that emphasizes mood and atmosphere over traditional musical structure and rhythm, this is something to expect from our film also, as it jumps between time, from tone and even genre at times. Again, the goal is to encapsulate life itself, leaving space for the audience to project their own thoughts and feelings on the final film experience.
5. A Ghost Story
A character unable to leave a location and watching time pass on without them. Yep, there’s a very close correlation with this one. But that’s about as far as the similarities go as our film has less of a fantastical element at the centre. As great as the film is, one thing that is occasionally lacking (pacing issues aside) is the human connection, as you can’t experience what the central character is feeling in as clear a way as you would if they weren’t underneath a sheet. So you’ll be pleased to hear you’ll be able to see our actors faces throughout.
6. Big Train
One of, if not the best, comedy sketch shows of all time. This was a firm favourite growing up and the sketch/vignette nature, switching tones frequently, but maintaining audience attention, has been a huge inspiration upon a revisit. With an early background writing and performing comedy sketches, it was strangely comforting to return to comedy as a genre and having the freedom to write scenarios that varied wildly then find ways to reorder the scenes to flow as a cohesive whole.
7. I Am Easy to Find
And finally, the biggest inspiration (especially emotionally) of all – the short film which accompanied the album of the same name by The National, directed by Mike Mills. A profound and moving study of life itself – the ups and downs, the mundane details, the life changing moments that happen to all of us. Every age of a human being played by one actor from start to finish. To discuss it would be to spoil it, just go watch it (and bring your tissues, it will get you choked up).
And there we have it, seven influences (though there’s hundreds) on the creation of our next feature film ‘STILL LIFE‘