interweaving ideas
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Meaning in “Citizen Kane”
The introduction and conclusion of “Citizen Kane” serve as bookends to the many observations of a man’s life. They encapsulate the film’s dark tone, and emulate the varied aspects of power and wealth. The two sequences also offer two perspectives of the same material in life and death. Moving up from the “No Trespassing” sign…
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Developing Lawrence of Arabia
David Lean and Robert Bolt undertake the monumental task of developing T.E. Lawrence in their epic film, a man eluding simple explanation. An outsider among British and Arab cultures alike; Lawrence is a loner, a thrill seeker, headstrong, yet intelligent and idealistic. He is enigmatic. A man racing along the English countryside gives us our…
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Creative Commons Screenplay: “Smalltime”
Download a free PDF of this screenplay. Logline: Shane is a young rebellious soul who didn’t want to go to college, but since he’s there, he’s going to make the most of it, and takes up selling marijuana to pay his tuition and living expenses. Estimated Running Time: 102 Minutes Smalltime by Ryan Somma is…
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Creative Commons Screenplay: “Detail of a Life”
Download a free PDF of this screenplay. Loglines: Spring Dawn: A child prodigy seeking freedom in a world of adult expectations. Summer Day: A young man seeking true love in a flashy world without substance. Autumn Twilight: A middle-aged man dares to dream in a world where dreaming is insanity. Winter Night: An old man…
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David Lean and Jean Renoir
David Lean and Jean Renoir are directors of equal caliber, but give drastically different scales to their film’s visions. Their cinematography also contrasts, between Lean’s distanced, observing camera and Renoir’s mobile, intimate camera shots. Both directors make use of symbolism, a crucial tool for giving meaning to the action on a deeper level. In contrast…
