Yes.

I have finally, FINALLY, found a director I feel like I understand.

Since re-watching Black Swan – I have been watching interview after interview, reading articles – it is amazing. I have been wanting this drive the whole semester – I have been craving this feeling, and it’s happened by watching a film that previously inspired me. I have been watching lots of films as of recently, ones recommended by people around me, but I went with my gut feeling – and as I walked into that video store, I knew Black Swan was something I felt like watching.

This has proven to me that I should believe in my own instincts. I became so stuck with what other people in the course thought of me, what I believed was expected of me as a film student and what I thought I needed to do to make films.

I am going to was Aronofky’s films – all of the feature films her has created. After listening to his point of view, what I have read about him, and the visions he has – I like the way he seems to work. I say seems, because I need to keep reading and seeing. Or alternatively work with him… But the way he works with his actors and what he gets out of the actors is mesmerising.

One of my favourite scene’s in the Black Swan is the dance club scene. It gave me shivers. It’s where you understand that she is morphing into the black-swan (in my perspective) – the lights flash so quickly, and at times it seems are though the two separate bodies (Nina and Lily) are one. Bloody breathtaking. It’s also so interesting and different about it. 

The characters played are out of this world – they are extremes yet so damn relatable. You have an understanding of them, and you need to understand why they do what they do, and it all seems so natural. Aronofky’s says in one of his interviews, “I just want them [actors] to feel free”. This stood out to me – and it’s sticking in my mind. The characters are so emotive, so connecting and addicting to watch – it’s as though they have been pushed to their limits. For me, it seems that actors working with Aronofky’s are actors that want to really prove their abilities and talent to act. They want to see how far they can go – and he gives them that support to do so. Again, this is from what I have read and what I have seen. But it’s as if being in this film with him gives them this chance to push themselves to boundaries to what they usually wouldn’t go to. They may get that creative length to make what they can of the role and give it their own signature which only they can accomplish.

“It’s the same thing with actors – like you can have an idea what the scripts telling you but it doesn’t mean anything until an actor tries it on and sees what comes out of them and then you have to work with that because you cant force what they are doing into a mould because you will suck the life out of it.”

Another thing Aronofky mentioned is that he can have a view and perception of what they film may look like but he needs to the actors on set to really gather an understanding of what can be brought to the table (loosely quoted and paraphrased).

“Actors have to be free and your collborarators have to be free to express ideas and come up with ideas “

After watching ‘behind the scenes’ videos, Aronofky’s seems as though he is a very ‘hands on’ director – very interactive.

“Working with actors is all about trust”

“I work hard with actors – telling them im there to protect them and let them explore and to really go for something “

“A story that only you can tell “

http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1167

http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/6-filmmaking-tips-darren-aronofsky.php