Genre…what genre?

 For now, beyond the production process, I have found that brainstorming is a particularly grueling routine. Not only have I ran into issues with perhaps over depending on my influences but I’ve also faced some mighty roadblocks concerning enjoyability—will my cast even enjoy acting this out? A while ago, I watched the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ and something that stood out to me was how fun it looked to act in. Those plain conversations Jordan and his pals would act out looked exhilarating and not only was the acting phenomenal, but it just seemed to come so naturally. In short, that’s an environment I want to emulate for my actors. 

But it’s difficult to try to come to grips with my admittedly more serious inclinations and the fact that my actors gravitate towards comedies and comedies of the lowest common denominator too. Whenever I’ve tried to pitch an idea, conversation always devolves into nonsensical discussion—“what if I’m a therapist killer?” 

“What if we’re both killers and then she’s a bully girlfriend?” 

Needless to say, it’s a little…hard to deal with. But I’m going to stick to my instincts and shoot my most comfortable genre: Drama. 

I’ve come to the conclusion recently that with this film opening, I want to really play with lighting and simple but symbolic framing of the subject. Some of my favorite dramatic movies do this and my favorite example of this is from ‘The Godfather 2’

I'm a sucker for mafia movies as it is (my favorite TV show is The Sopranos!) and The Godfather opened up this entire world of presentation to me. From the chiaroscuro lighting to the contrasting warm and cool color palettes, The Godfather made me fantasize about the dramatic portrayal of my own characters. What kind of lighting can I employ to capture that moment, just as Coppola did when Don Corleone mourns Sonny. Or what about the tension as Michael stares down two other mobsters in the diner? 

That kind of masterful directorship and camerawork is something I feel all filmmakers are trying to capture. Choosing my genre has not just helped me realize what kind of story I want to create but also the techniques necessary. I can visualize myself returning to The Godfather many times in the future for much needed inspiration.