CCR - How does my project use conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
To answer this question, I made a podcast. Here is the link and trancription:
Magnus: Hello,
everybody and welcome to Salamandra podcast. Today I am with you, Magnus Schneider,
and our guest, director and producer of movie Path Forward, Dmitry Shevyrev
Dmitry: Hi!
I’m happy that I got your invitation! I never was on podcasts!
M: Really?
Then let’s make debut podcast as memorable as possible! It’s not a big surprise
that today we are going to talk about your last movie, Path Forward. This film
is, indeed, a huge source of topics about which we can speculate. But, during viewing,
I mentioned a few details that certainly have a message from you to audience. I’m
talking about trains, which appear a lot in film opening.
D: I’m glad
that you notice that. To be honest, I think that codes are a significant part
of art. In childhood I was a member of Youth art critic’s club, in which we
were studding symbolism. Is it amazing to communicate with audience trough
details?
M: Absolutely!
D: Yes! Of
course, there no guarantee that audience will get message that creator prepared,
because each object has different symbolic meanings, but it’s not necessarily
bad - codes helps director to create a movie in which viewer is going to find
something interesting, even from different perspective. And trains with trams
are not an exception.
M: Wow! Indeed,
it’s very important. Moreover, your movie is drama, and in your opening, I
assume, you are trying to discuss how people can overcome difficulties. You are
aware that despair is a danger that everyone has to face soon or late, and there
are a lot of topics about creator can talk about, and you can’t do this just trough
characters and storytelling. Can you tell us more about how you used codes in your
movie?
D: Of
course! You right about overcoming – it’s a complicated topic, but I want to
discover not only it. It’ll became clearer on examples. In the beginning
protagonist is separated from viewer by tram. In this case, train may have a
meaning of barrier that separates individuals, or, as in case of Path Forward, from
audience, from res of the world. This feeling is passing to viewer through the long
shot of protagonist staying in the crowd – separateness transforms into sense
of self-loss. Moreover, another though appear – protagonist is very small
compare to huge world around him, what is his place in it? And is this world
cares about him? But why protagonist have this negative feeling? In the close shoulder
shot of protagonist looking in the back of statue viewer gain more deeper connection
to character, and may start to think about him, because viewer’s perception of
subject and the environment has been influenced by these codes. Viewers start
to think about why protagonist is staring on statue. Maybe because statue is symbol
of recognition? Or because protagonist was dreaming before actions of movie about
creating something significant? Or he just try to understand his mistakes,
looking on legacy of past? Some viewers will remember that shot in scene with
protagonist seating in the same pose as monument next to him, both are shoved
in face to camera, which brings an idea that protagonist understood what he was
wrong about and he find strength to go forward, became open for new feelings
and actions. He finally gets a confidence in way how he walks.
M: Oh, then
the next scene, in which protagonist is walking through narrow alley, is a
representation of his wish to find a way out from stagnation by discovering
courage and persistence on himself! And graphite – is a symbol of protest
against his fears!
D: Yes! And
then walks in the same direction of train passing over the bridge. Protagonist
know that he is moving forward, and train gains a meaning of movement. And bridges,
which train and protagonist are trying to cross this and in the last scene, can
be decoded a symbol of development and overcoming a challenge. Effect is
increased by appearance of post-winter nature – protagonist came back to life,
to rebirth mentally. Still, we can’t see the end where is he going, because the
only way to find out – is to make a step forward. This work with a lot of other
codes: Cathedral as symbol of
faith and test of believes; soft focus encourage to think about all actions on
the screen as representation of protagonist’s mind; scenes of close shot on how
protagonist is typing on keyboard without any passion and deleting what he just
wrote can tell audience more about protagonist everyday life – he may be for example someone who didn’t reached success
and know wasting time on writing short articles for small magazine publishing
house; building in Modernism style can represent that wealth and success or repetitiveness
or protagonist naïve stereotypes of office work; change of shade from dark to
brighter are another tool to show overcoming challenge and development.
M: How curious! But if we started to talk about codes, may I
ask you to tell us about conventions in Path Forward? After all, no genre can appeal
to audience without applying established practises.
D: Precisely. In drama it there are a lot conventions that
directors using to make a connection with audience deeper. My film main messages
are about internal conflicts, which generate suspense and emotional engagement.
Also, as many other drama directors, I use a lot of visual clues to
characterise protagonists traits, motivation and relationship. Also, offscreen
monologues with slow wordplay can more often be find in drama than in other genres.
M: Thank you very much for response, Dmitry. And thank you
for choice of Salamandra Podcast. See you next time!
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