I have a few questions for all of you Directors. How many of you are familiar with the works of Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg? The reason why I am asking is this. As I understand it, because of George Lucas' work in creating Star Wars, a lot of new technologies were created as a result and are still used today. Stanley Kubrick, from what I hear, is considered one of the greatest directors because of such works as 2001: A Space Odyssey, and he inspired such people as Steven Spielberg, who directed Saving Private Ryan.
What I would like to know is this; I know that every Director has his or her own style, and some, such as Kubrick, inspired other people, such as Spielberg, I would like to know is whether if the styles of such people as Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg could work together or if there is the danger of it becoming sloppy.
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Spielberg did a movie called AI: Artificial Intelligence which had been developed by Kubrick before he died and you can feel a lot of Kubrick still in it. Lucas and Spielberg have collaborated (with Lucas Producing and Spielberg Directing).Lucas took a lot from Kurasawa. Spielberg in his long tracking shots is rooted in classic Hollywood directors like Henry King and John Ford. I think that any good director collects techniques and ideas from those who've come before then innovates and discovers a unique voice. DW Griffith pioneered a lot of the cinema techniques we still use today, particularly breaking away from proscenium style shooting and getting closeups and big epic tracking shots.
Ultimately, you have to decide how best to tell your story in a way that pleases you. I like Wes Anderson and have emulated his work for specific shots, but I could never do a whole film like that. I like Orson Welles, especially his God's Eye perspectives from up high, but he also chooses a lot of weird angles I wouldn't try, because they pull me out of the story. Taking ideas from other directors doesn't necessarily lead to sloppiness. Applying stylistic choices without understanding them will though. You just have to know why you're doing the shots you're doing and understand how they'll cut together to achieve the effect you're looking for to keep it from becoming a god awful mess.
Just my 2 cents.
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Never heard of them.
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You do know Kubrick died 20 years ago? Also, Lucas and Spielberg have worked together on many projects.
STANLEY KUBRICK
Born: July 26, 1928, New York City, New York, USA
Died: March 7, 1999, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, UK
70 years, 7 months, 10 days.
I would like to thank everybody for their input. The reason why I specifically mentioned those three is because, (A) I have seen most of the Star Wars movies and cartoons, (B) I have seen Saving Private Ryan, and (C) I simply found "How Kubrick made 2001: A Space Odyssey" fascinating, even though I do not care much for documentaries.
Here are the videos on "How Kubrick made 2001: A Space Odyssey" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgNyCluIRhA&list=PLGciYgiR4atGcBOIuOmLQB...
Too many Alpha Males... who'd make the command decisions? Would they take turns? I'd let each of the three make the same script in their own vision. 3 facets, same diamond.
Brian, I was not necessarily talking about all three working together. I was thinking about their styles.
For example, in the clip “How Kubrick Made 2001: A Space Odyssey - Part 2: The Floyd Section” starting at the 24:57 mark, the narrator explains how methodically Kubrick did certain scenes on the space station.
In the video clip “Saving Private Ryan’s Omaha Beach - Art of The Scene”, it is explained how Steven Spielberg worked it all out. For example, he used no storyboards and the way he put the camera placements gave it that “you are right there” look to it.
I did did not find it boring. As to your other statement, while everybody has their own opinions on the movie, everybody has their own opinions on the movie be they the movie goer or the people who work in the industry.
Yes, opinions.
Last September, the University of Michigan's School of Engineering screened 2001: A Space Odyssey with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's live accompaniment. Goosebumps.
Brian, you think they might try to design that ship in such a way that it might actually work?
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2001 boring? Absolutely not; I remember it back in the days - You'd drop a tab and went on a far out psychedelic trip (well, so I've been told).
As far as putting them together - I'm again' it. Each has/had a unique perspective that is/was worth studying on it's own and I think that blending them would be harmful to each.
In 1998 at The Bodhi Tree in LA, I took an art class. Person A made a piece of art. Gave it to Person B who altered it. Then Person C changed it. Back to Person A to complete it - a lesson in letting go.
Too many directors want to have a style, or they want to emulate someone else’s style, like Kubrick or Altman. Just tell your story and be honest with it. Make sure your talents are acting and not pretending. Think about the psychology of the scene and discuss it with the cinematographer. Don’t worry about what someone else is doing.
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KC Allen....what you said applies to any process in the storytelling. as a writer, everything you said about directing? I strive to follow those parameters every time i put characters on the page. To be honest, the characters make me do it. I'm just the typist.
I'm not a Director but I would assume any Director known or otherwise wants to create their own style of film making.