Taken from the Week 2 Reading ‘Slogans for the Screenwriter’s Wall”, here are two points that I have found intriguing and completely new to my perception of screen production.
Firstly, comes the rules of the “Beware’s” for the screenwriter. Beginning with Beware of Sympathy between characters, the writer warns the reader of sympathy’s ability to ‘end’ the drama. On top of this, the writer must also be aware of flashbacks, dream sequences and visions, which apaprently weaken the dramatic tension, dubbed to be more suitable to ‘lyrical’ material.
The second point that appealed to me was the relationship of the director with his actor, and the latter’s responsibility on set. The director is tasked with instructing the actor of his interpretation of the piece, providing the actor with a starting point on how to develop his/her character. Despite initial presumptions that actors were only fed with information and had to follow on point, they have the responsibility to perform a continuous internal ‘soliloquy’ which underlines the external lines with internal meanings. This is improved upon by an example provided of three different consciousness to a similar line, illustrating how just as in real life, words spoken are not necessarily true to its intention.
The short fim “Rolling” had a wonderfully-paced timing in its plot, from the introduction of the hero to his encounter with the leading lady. Going for the “How it all started” technique, it made perfect sense to begin with a shot of the piles of toilet paper. However, I believe that from a comedic standpoint, it would have been better to reserve this for last and prevent spoiling the brunt of the film joke. The casting was excellent with commendations to the actor who played the main character. I believe, however, that the filmmakers should have spent more time plotting its cinematography as it seemed too messy at times, disobeying the rule of thirds, etc. Overall, the piece was amusing and had an overall charm to its genre.