Articles for tag: Directing, Inspiration, Narrative, Society

May 7, 2025

Jeremy Towsey-French

Tension & Tone

In today’s class, we analyzed a scene from Taika Waititi’s 2019 film, Jojo Rabbit, where Stephen Merchant’s character, Captain Herman Klenzendorf, arrives to inspect Jojo’s home. The resulting scene showcases Waititi’s use of context and tone to build a subtle tension that builds rapidly with each character beat. In the events before the scene unfolds, Jojo has recently discovered that his mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), is secretly harboring a young Jewish girl, Elsa Korr, in the family’s attic. Jojo is grappling with this discovery, torn between his ingrained Nazi beliefs and the reality of Elsa as a person. He’s been

May 2, 2025

Jeremy Towsey-French

Trailers in Transition

In today’s class, we highlighted some of key differences in trailer design and intent, comparing methods from the 1980s with current methods. We first reviewed the trailer for Top Gun (1986), which showed a straightforward presentation of the film’s narrative, including a clear establishment of the characters (Maverick, Iceman, etc.), the setting (the elite fighter pilot school), and the central conflict (competition, achieving greatness). Music was featured throughout and was indicative of the soundtrack, but not the specific top-40 songs from the film. The editing was paced to build excitement but with a more gradual rhythm than today’s trailers. We then compared

April 29, 2025

Jeremy Towsey-French

Direct by Design: The Coin Toss

Today’s class kicked off with an analysis of the coin toss scene in No Country for Old Men (2007 –directed by Ethan and Joel Coen). This specific scene stands out as a masterclass in tension building and character establishment through masterful filmmaking. The Coen brothers utilize a minimalist approach, letting the dialogue and the actors’ performances carry the weight of the scene. Javier Bardem’s portrayal of the chillingly unpredictable Anton Chigurh is immediately captivating, his calm demeanor juxtaposed with the inherent threat of his actions. The seemingly innocuous conversation initiated by the gas station attendant quickly devolves into a life-or-death gamble, highlighting

March 10, 2025

Jeremy Towsey-French

Directing Art + Science

Today’s class kicked off with an excerpt from the 2019 film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, directed by Céline Sciamma, leading us into a discussion on the captivating world of film and television directing. Directing is a fascinating dance between artistic vision and meticulous execution. Imagine a conductor leading an orchestra, but instead of instruments, they’re shaping performances, camera movements, lighting, sound, and every other element that culminates in the stories we see on screen. At its heart, directing is about translating a written script into a living, breathing reality, imbuing it with emotion, rhythm, and a unique point