There’s many things that make a good movie and there’s a lot more that make a great movie. One of the deal breakers between a movie going from good to great or falling away from good to a waste of the audiences time is the ending.
Sometimes it feels like the writer just ran out of ideas or had gotten the film’s plot so convoluted that when he realises the run time has breached the two hour point the ending is suddenly cobbled together and rushed through.
Perhaps the worst possible end to a film, and indeed any story, is for the main character to suddenly wake up and find it was all a dream. So we sat there and got involved in a story for nothing? What was the writer trying to say?
There’s other cardinal sins in ending films: losing the big game or fight (Tin Cup); after a film-long build up the bad guy goes down ridiculously easily (Rocky 3); the whole thing is resolved by something completely outside of the story line so far (Raiders of the Lost Ark); the writer doesn’t know how to explain things clearly (Revolver) and leaves the plot so confused that numerous viewings still leave you thinking “what?!!”
I’m not going to look to heavily here at those films which are obvious set-ups for the sequel as I still hold these as a waste of time – films that are franchises rather than installments in a series a-la Godfather.
One of the real irritants in a bad movie is when the character receives absolutely zero pay off for the struggle they’ve been through in the previous two hours of film.
Castaway, with Tom Hanks, is a prime example. We, the audience, spend the majority of the film watching Tom Hanks struggle to live on an island, losing weight, growing a questionable beard, developing an eerie relationship with a volleyball and desperately struggling to get back home to his loved ones and, specifically, his wife. When he does make it home he finds everyone has given him up for dead and his wife has married and had a child. So what does Tom Hanks’ character do? What is our payoff for watching this story? It’s Tom Hanks staring at a truck going down a road and smiling. Well that was worth all that struggle. Good have been a good film but ruined by one of the biggest let downs in cinema.
A great film can also be demoted to a mere good film by a let-down of an ending. Take The Sixth Sense. A child psychologist, Bruce Willis, trying to help an annoying little kid who can see dead people. The director, M. Night Shyamalan, masterfully builds up suspense throughout this film as the psychologist encourages the kid to help the dead people. Parodied many times but a pretty good film bordering on the great, until the ending where we find out that Bruce Willis’ character is dead.
Bit of a let down and a poor twist – how had anyone not wondered why he was wearing the same outfit throughout the film? Oh, and the kids mum finally believes the kid can see dead people.
As a small point, Shyamalan is one of the biggest perpetrators of bad endings on pretty good films. Signs, for example, masterfully built up and then the aliens turn out to be allergic to water. I haven’t even seen Unbreakable simply because so many people have told me how bad the ending is.
Some bad endings are so bad they can kill an entire trilogy. Godfather 3, for example, nearly killed the trilogy just by it’s mere existence. A hugely and overly convoluted plot bought shuddering to a series of questionable scenes finalised with Michael (set sometime in the future from the plot) sitting in a chair in an Italian garden, he puts on his sunglasses then dies, a dog sniffs him and the screen fades. Great way to end what had been once billed as the greatest saga.
Speaking of great sagas, there’s the end (or endings) of the Lord Of the Rings trilogy. What could have been a huge film in terms of battle, resolution and final feel good factor is ruined by not knowing when to end. Something like a dozen endings follow the films logical conclusion point (Frodo waking up and being greeted by all the survivors) one of which seems to be there only as an attempt to quash the questioned homosexual relationship between Frodo and Sam, thus ruining a film which could have been the best of the trilogy.
So, for all those budding screen writers and the film makers that keep committing cardinal sins when wrapping up films, here are some tips.
Don’t rush the end but know when to leave it alone – we don’t want to know what the character did for the rest of their life just the end of the story you’re telling us. Don’t make it too confusing, if you can’t explain it clearly don’t attempt to be clever – for every The Usual Suspects there’s a Revolver.
Don’t make your main character to something completely against grain and nature just to wrap things up or attempt a twist – “oh he turned out to be evil” is not a twist.
Give the audience a payoff, they’ve spent upwards of two hours on an uncomfortable chair watching this story they don’t want to see someone merely shrug the events off as an attempt at a symbolic gesture and try not to kill your lead too easily if you must kill them at all.
Look at Pulp Fiction: John Travolta’s character gets killed ridiculously easily halfway through the film but thanks to some clever sequencing, is still alive when the credits role as the films money-rollers knew that’s what the audience wants to see. Nobody wants to spend the films duration relating to and liking a character only for them to get hit by a car at the end and die.
I’m not saying all films end badly, there are many, many great endings that make a film even greater.
My own personal favourite ending is Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. A great film with a great ending. The characters don’t suddenly change, they don’t die on screen. They may well die but we don’t see it. They remain true to their friendship and attitude, deciding they can shoot their way out not knowing that while they’ve been planning the entire Bolivian army has gathered outside to await them with a hail of gunfire. We don’t see that though, what we see is our film’s hero’s bursting out smiling and then held in position as the credits end.
When you roll those credits, do it well.
Archive for good film
Filmmaking is not only an interesting, enjoyable and fulfilling career but very lucrative as well. Unfortunately, realizing the big Hollywood dream entails hard work, commitment and great amount of skill, right attitude, guts and some luck, too. While it is true that you’re not in full control of your fate, the initial steps toward being a successful filmmaker depend on you. Choosing the right or the best film school where you would hone your talents, develop more interest and learn more knowledge in filmmaking is your first step. Your decision to choose a particular film school is very crucial to your success as a filmmaker since that film school shall equip you with or shall help you gain more knowledge, skills, techniques and experiences, which are essential to a filmmaker. Those are his tools in filmmaking that cannot be bought but are earned and cultivated through time.
1. Know What You Want
First of all, you have to know what you want. Ask yourself what realm of filmmaking do you want to venture in or what kind of films do you want to work on in the future? Do you want to be an independent filmmaker or a simple film artist? There are so many film schools in the country as well as in other parts of the globe and each has its own expertise. Knowing what you want in the first place would allow you to focus your research and thus refine your choices for good film schools. Also, this would help you save time and effort in searching for schools as you have already eliminated those that may not fit your interest and criteria.
2. What Are Your Considerations?
After deciding on what area you want to concentrate, you should also identify your major considerations in choosing a particular film school.
- the affordability of film courses
- the facilities of the film school
- the accessibility and proximity of the school
- the film school’s reputation and quality of education
3. Don’t Skimp On Your Education
Remember that a good film education is really expensive so do not just choose a film school that offers the cheapest film courses. It is important to consider the quality of education and the reputation of the school above all else. Remember that with that school, you are building a career that is supposed to be a life-long profession. Short-term film courses, say a 2-yr filmmaking course may be a lot cheaper than a 4-yr course and is quite helpful as most provide hands on training and a lot of project work. If you want to really excel in this field, however, you might opt for a longer course as it is more comprehensive.
3. Identify Where You Want To Study
Knowing where you want to cultivate your skills and intensify your interest in filmmaking is essential in selecting the right film school for you. This would refine your search as well since you would have to concentrate in looking for film schools only in one particular area or locality. New York is one of the best places to study film. It has the most developed art scenes for film and a number of reputable film schools. If affordability of the film course is one of your major considerations, you can choose a film school in Chicago and Milwaukee, which are known for having the most affordable film schools in the country. If you want to make it to Hollywood, better start your search for the best film school there in Los Angeles and nearby cities. There are lots of renowned film schools there that offer short and long term film courses.
4. Explore Colleges and Universities
Now that you have refined your criteria: the area in filmmaking you want to concentrate in, your major considerations such as the affordability of the courses, the school’s reputation and the place, you can now do some research. As you explore your options, consider the things you have identified earlier. It would be better if you list down every film school’s advantages and disadvantages so you can easily compare and contrast them. Also, as you examine the school’s film courses and their special attributes, you can add some more considerations to your list and see which of the film schools you have considered meet the most of your requirements.
5. Narrow Your List
After going through several colleges and universities, narrow now your list by eliminating those that do not meet your criteria. With your short but well researched list of the best film schools, you can be more confident now of making a right decision. But before you finally select the film school, seek for other people’s advice and recommendations, especially those who are well familiar with filmmaking.
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Once you have decided that film school is the way forward for your career the next big hurdle is deciding which film college will best suit you. This is no easy task, as more and more people seek training in the art of film making more and more film making schools appear to fill the gap and one is not as good as the other. There are some major considerations you should take into account when you are deciding which film school best suits your aspirations.
Firstly, the standard of the faculty they employ at the school for film. You will be learning from your lecturer’s experience. If they have very little in the way of hands on experience then their lessons may not be the best you can get. As a deal the faculty of your chosen school should have a lot of experience in top Hollywood productions. If the school you are looking at does not boast a distinguished, experienced faculty then it may be better to look somewhere else. The last thing you want to do is waste your money on sub standard training when there are good film colleges that will set you up for life.
The next thing you must look into is the film school curriculum? Is there real depth in what they are proposing to teach you? This is going to be the stuff you are relying on to educate you in all aspects of the film industry. If the film college you choose has a curriculum that is light on content or does not suit what you want to learn it will not provide you with the basis for a successful career in film and television.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly of all, do some research into what the school for film former pupils are actually doing now. There could be no greater recommendation of a film college than the success past students have had in the industry.
One film college that satisfies all of these criteria and is gaining an increasingly widespread reputation in the film industry is IAFT. This school for film and television boasts an impressive faculty that counts Hollywood movies among their many successes. They certainly don’t lack for experience they can pass on to you. Their curriculum also has a satisfying depth and diversity that is bound to please you whether you are look for a school for director, actor, or producer. There are many programs to choose from including the crazy filmmaker program which offers you the opportunity to work on real productions including feature films for Bigfoot Entertainment.
And their students really are making a name for themselves, recently former student of IAFT; Steven Flor had two films selected for the New York Short Film Festival. Another former pupil is Alan Lyddiard, a well known name in theatre circles who is starting to emulate that success in feature films. Visit IAFT’s impressive website to learn more http://www.filmschool.ph
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If you are someone who wants to become a filmmaker, film school should be a place of joy for you. Because it not only equips you with the basic film making skills, but it also serves to shape your passion. Besides, it gives you the thrust and direction to produce your own film with new and fresh ideas.
There are several well reputed film schools in the country. Well, if California is always going to boast of highest number of film schools, followed closely by New York, you still have lot of other film schools in rest of the country.
Let us first talk about the most sought after “Top of the Pie” film schools which are dream of every aspiring filmmaker. The foremost would be the AFI. It was established in 1967 and is known for speciality in traditional narrative films. It offers six areas of study to the students — Screenwriting, Directing, Production Design, Production and Editing.
Next in line is the California Institute for the Arts which was established in 1961 by Walt Disney for focus on animations. Then there is the San Francisco State University, also set up in the sixty’s. The then prevalent political landscape has greatly influenced its course content. Now move on to UCLA and USC. Enter New York and you find Columbia University School of Arts and the New York University. Both schools have long list of film writers and directors who owe their training to them. For instance, Spike Lee reminds me of New York University.
It appears that if you wish an entry into the “golden gates” of any of these symbols of academic fame, you are going to need the of grace of God and his miracle making powers! So, better start praying right from now. And if despite your best efforts (and prayers!) you fail to make your proud entry inside any of the heavenly gates, no need to despair. Rather than staring at the blissful faces in there, turn around and you will find a lot of other film schools across the country with good programs.
There are several film schools in the Pacific Northwest. There is a very good film school in the University of Washington. Another interesting option is the Evergreen State University. It is famous (or infamous!) for its kind of liberal style of education. In place of grades, they have a system where both students and teachers evaluate every thing — themselves as we as the program. They are known as Greeners and they take pride in their critical thinking. Their program, known as MediaWorks, has produced severel radical and cutting edge filmmakers.
You will have to consider a few things before you pick a film school. The first thing is the cost of education. This is the ground reality, because if you are going to take loan for your education, you must consider how soon you will be able to repay it after finishing school. To answer this question, consider the kind of internships they offer. You can learn about it from past students who recently graduated from the schools you are considering.
Film school is the confortable launching pad for your rocket of burning aspirations. It provides you the opportunity to put your hands on all types of equipments and facilities required for film making. For instance, you will learn how use a camera, recording devices, editing equipments, sound studios and edit bays. Another unique aspect of filmschool is the pool of talent — other students. Students crew for each other. You have all this while you are at school. Once you are out, you can only envy what you had at the school.
So, whichever film school you choose to attend, try to enjoy it fully. It is a place where you have freedom to experiment and facilities to work out your projects. Rather than thinking of sleep at night, plan on falling in love with pizza and Top Ramen.
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The British Film Industry has seen many peaks and troughs since it began around the turn of the 20th century. Cinema began in the UK with William Friese Greene’s producing the first known projected moving image on celluloid film. In the following 119 years there have been many successes and failures that have influenced not only the film industry but British culture.
Film fans will have their only favourites that have thrilled, inspired and entertained them throughout various times in their lives and this list is exactly that. I have been watching British films for nearly thirty years now and have seen the likes of Gandhi (1983), The Full Monty (1997) and The Queen (2006) impact world cinema while various others have just tasted success in the UK.
There is no particular formula to a successful British film, although my choices for the ‘Five British Films That You Must See’ do tend to have a distinctively British feel. Whether it is the location, accent, dialect or cultural references – each of my top five British films is a quintessentially British production.
A Clockwork Orange ( 1971 )
Directed by Stanley Kubrick and set in a futuristic London, A Clockwork Orange is based on the novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The film received critical acclaim on its release including gaining four nominations for Academy Awards. However, following a string of so-called copycat crimes, Kubrick withdrew the film after receiving several anonymous death threats.
It was only on the film’s re-release in 1999 that the British public were legally able to watch this celluloid masterpiece in almost 27 years. The film appears timeless as the futuristic setting hasn’t aged at all in almost three decades on the shelf. The characters speak in a blend of cockney and Russian that adds additional dimensions to the dystopian reality. Heavily influencing pop-culture from a Blur music video to Bart Simpson’s halloween costume, A Clockwork Orange remains one of the most influential and controversial films of all time.
Trainspotting ( 1996 )
Directed by Danny Boyle, Trainspotting follows the story of Mark Renton and a group of his ‘friends’, most of whom are heroin-addicts. Set in Edinburgh, the story shows explicitly the problems associated with intravenous drug use and far from glorifying it, ensure the audience condemn the characters’ actions.
The role of Renton helped to launch the career of Ewan McGregor as he escapes his parasitic friends and makes a new life for himself heroin-free. The unpleasantness that envelopes the film and its characters make each scene unmissable as Renton continuously attempts to break free and ‘choose life’. As the protagonist succeeds and the closing credits roll you will feel like you’ve just watched a very special film.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels ( 1998 )
1998 saw the arrival of the modern British gangster movie with Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Cool, dirty and classy, the film was a smash-hit when British gangster films were virtually non-existent. The film also introduced ex-footballer Vinnie Jones as an actor as well as Jason Statham. Combining an uber-cool soundtrack with cockney accents and sharp suits and you have the perfect London gangster film.
Based around the theft of drugs and cash, the plot weaves together multiple stories into a climatic shoot-out that results in almost everyone being killed. The film sparked a flurry of interest in Brit-flicks and many other films tried to replicate its success, however, Guy Ritchie came closest when he reused a lot of the cast for a similar film called Snatch. The modern British gangster film was back, 26 years after Michael Caine set the standard in Get Carter.
28 Days Later ( 2002 )
The only true horror film on the list, 28 Days Later broke the mould when it exploded onto the silver screen in 2002. Seemingly influenced by the George A. Romero ‘Dead’ films, the second Danny Boyle film on the list was predominantly shot on digital video. This however was not the major talking point when the film was released, for a new zombie was born. A highly contagious virus has spread throughout the UK and infected the majority of the British population, but in contrast to Romero, Boyle’s zombies are fast, aggressive hunters.
The plot follows Jim as he awakes from a coma to find the streets of London deserted. These dramatic, beautiful scenes where Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street are completely empty were achieved as police helped temporarily block off areas of London for short intervals. The result is truly breathtaking and adds a haunting solitude to Jim’s plight as he searches for fellow survivors. The film clearly influenced the 2004 remake of Romero’s Dawn of the Dead as the zombies behaviour bears an uncanny resemblance to that of those in 28 Days Later. Zombie films would never be the same again, and I must mention the other Brit-Zombie film ‘Shaun of the Dead’ that again changed the face of modern horror with its comedy twist on the classic zombie movie.
Dead Man’s Shoes ( 2004 )
Possibly my favourite performance by any single actor in any film, Paddy Considine exacts perfect revenge as Richard in Dead Man’s Shoes. Set in the Midlands, as with all of Shane Meadows’ films, Considine returns to his home town after a period serving in the British army. The audience quickly begins to realise that Richard is looking to avenge a group of bullies that have tormented his brother. Considine’s performance is mesmerising as he shifts from psychotic to fraternal in the blink of an eye.
As the story progresses, the film shows various flashbacks to when Richard’s brother Anthony was victimised by a group of local petty criminals. Anthony is played superbly by Toby Hebbell in his breakthrough film role. Richard dispatches of each member of the gang one by one until it is just him and the more passive bully left. He pleads to be killed so he can lay with his brother and after threatening the man’s children suffers a fatal stab-wound to the heart.
This is an amazing film with some of the best performances from some low-profile actors. Shane Meadows has written and directed other films that come extremely close to the Top 5 including A Room For Romeo Brass and more recently This Is England. Meadows is a rising star in British cinema and has the potential to be one of the world’s most prestigious directors.
So that is the Top Five British Films To See Before You Die. Agree or disagree, you must ensure that you watch these films and you won’t ever feel that Hollywood is the only place that good films are made. The British have been making fantastic films for many years and will continue to do so for many years to come.
