Replacement Stylistic Research

As Replacement is a Black Comedy, I thought what better way to do my DOP research than to watch some movies, ahh it's a hard life!

Black Comedy

“Comedy that uses black humor; the juxtaposition of morbid and farcical elements (in writing or drama) to give a disturbing effect.”

Big Nothing (2006) - Jean-Baptiste Andrea

• Comedy is introduced quite early. He just misses stepping in the puddle, then the car window breaks causing him to drop his lunch and keys into the puddle.
• Gus’ use of swearing about the customer is amusing.
• You feel sympathetic of Gus when you learn that his daughter is going blind.
• Contrast between humour alongside depressing/violent scenes works well.
• Quick paced shots used a lot.
• Accentuated audio, very basey.
• Whip pans used, could work really well for Replacement.
• Very face driven, lots of close up shots of characters.
• Funny/lively/upbeat music is key.
• Split screen - I really like this, could work really well for Replacement, showing facial expressions of everyone when Monica is getting angry? Showing how efficient Kathleen is (making breakfast etc).
• I like the use of drawing when they are discussing the plan, it is a very effective way to illustrate something that has not happened yet.
• Everything keeps going wrong for them, their plan is not working out how they would like. (Funny)
• Shot from outside the house - audio of gunshot and flash of light to illustrate the gunshot without showing it. 
• Music is very important to the feel of the film, we need to make sure we find great music, upbeat and contrasting against the content.
• People getting the wrong end of the stick, crossed wires.
• Things spiral horribly out of control - Replacement, bath etc.
• The ceiling is leaking and it drips onto Jesus, it makes it look like he is crying. This could be something quite amusing to use in Replacement for when the ceiling is leaking?
• Amusing language is used throughout in quite inappropriate places, “Holy Moley!”, “Who says ‘Holy Moley‘?“, “Is it important right now?!”
• Funny useless facts from Charlie throughout.
• Lots of twists and surprises in the plot.

Fargo (1996) - The Coen Brothers

• Things keep going wrong.
• Music is upbeat
• Black comedy - things do not go according to the protagonists plan.
• In 2006 it was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and inducted into the United States National Film Registry.

Keeping Mum (2005) - Niall Johnson

• Shows back story - 43 years earlier. Amusing that she is on a train with bodies in her trunk, she shows no remorse.
• Upbeat music
• Dysfunctional family
• Makes the audience think, has she killed the dog? Everyone loves that it is quiet. The owner is searching for his pet.
• Football match, funny because he is hopeless at being goal keeper.
• Grace sabotages the kids bikes. We, as the audience know that it is wrong that she has done this but it is funny, especially with the use of the ‘magic word‘ broccoli.
• Rev looking at the jokes online to improve his sermons - amusing.
• The family’s dysfucionalism is getting better thanks to Grace’s meddling, “My son is rid of his bullies, my husband is a comedian and my nymphomaniac daughter has discovered cooking. It’s coming along.”
• Man looking for his dog, witnesses Grace burying it and meets an untimely death. The way it is shot is amusing, you see the old lady brandishing the spade and then just audio (which is almost a comedy noise).
• Shot like a normal comedy.
• Comical to see an old lady kill.
• “Mum’s the word dear.”
• It’s wrong that she has killed people but she has sorted the family out.
• At the end it pans down and you see the water men dead in the pond with the other bodies - like Mother like Daughter.
• The comedy aspect allows you to accept the black side more than you would normally - you empathise with the protagonist. It almost makes the terrible acts seem ok.

Shaun of the Dead (2004) - Edgar Wright

• First Rom Com Zom
• Quick cuts - getting ready, making breakfast. Zooms in on action/object (is it done in post?) Would work really well with Replacement when used for Kathleen.
• Nice use of vibrant colours, more so in the beginning. Reds show up a lot, need to choose a colour for a theme for Replacement. 
• Comedy is very obvious in this film, it is not as serious as some black comedies. 
• Shaun is oblivious to the Zombies and blood when he goes to the shop - amusing.
• Music is very upbeat - duke box playing Queen.
• Sound effects used with camera movements, swooshing etc.
• Touching moments between Shaun, his Mum and Step Dad.
• People die which shows the depressing part.
• Whip pans used quite a lot.

Visual Style

4.3.2.1 (2010) - Noel Clarke

         

I really like the colour used in this piece and think it would work well for replacement. I like how the natural colours are accentuated and ‘pop’ with quite a bit of contrast. Hopefully I will be able to re create  a look similar to this.

Magic (2011) - John Williams

I think that the colour grade on this ‘coming up’ TV drama would work for Replacement, the colours are vibrant and this fits the style of black comedies.

Fresh Meat (2011) - Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong

This popular TV series about freshers at University uses camera angles realy well, it uses a lot of character driven angles which would work well for Replacement. I also think the colour is quite nice, it looks very natural.