Creative Question

Sep 02, 2008 00:55


I'm watching MATRIX REVOLUTIONS and this thought came to mind...

How important is 'styling' and 'production design' to the creative process and at what point is it no longer an artistic choice but the artists aesthetic choice?

Think about it, You can easily recognize Baz Lurhman or Julie Taymors work, because of the production design ... but does it ( Read more... )

Leave a comment

thewetuski September 2 2008, 06:35:24 UTC
Whatever they decide will have an effect on how the work comes out, and how it is received - if they decide nothing, that will have an (often deleterious) effect.

Little things may escape notice, but every color, every shadow and every spark, every sound and every silence will affect, often dramatically, the 'look' and therefore the 'feel' of the work.

Shooting movies with few lights - a budgetary concern - led to the development of an entire genre of film that has dramatically influenced works in every medium for a near century afterwards.

Imagine Wizard of Oz with the beginning in color. Or Dick Tracy in gritty realism. So obviously it matters to one work, but I guess your question drives at a body of work with similar features. Well, why not? Certainly there can be stories for which an auteur's personal style would be ill-suited - but are they likely to make those films? Most importantly, if these decisions make them more comfortable, that can probably only be good for the production.

Finally, in answer to the question itself, I counter: does it matter?

If a person lets their personal style dictate their work, is that inherently worse than if they tried to do things differently each time? Certainly it's more limiting, but how many people are likely to make a masterpiece in one style and then duplicate the feat in an entirely different one?

Reply


Leave a comment

Up