Research on film makers (BDM 311)

I went to see Whiplash yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised. The story centres around a music student who want to be a great drummer and the abusive teacher that teaches with an iron fist.

It was written and Directed by Damien Chazelle. The role of the music student is played by Milles Teller and J.K. Simmons plays the music teacher.

Milles Teller is second from the left and J.K.Simmons is second from the right.

Simmons won an Oscar as best actor of  his role in 2015 and deservedly so.

Now it was a free showing of this film at Centre stage so me and Callum went. I admire the acting of Simmons since I watched him in the HBO series OZ one of the earlier series that HBO produced before the hype of Games of Thrones http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118421/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_117 where in he played the part of Vern Schillinger

My interest in watching this film is that the Director; Damien Chazelle made a short film in 2013 based on the same story. Which is also called Whiplash that got him the funding for a feature film. Simmons plays the same role in both the feature length and the short film. Here is a link to that short film  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2iigh0

With the 3d year project being considered as a proposal or teaser that is just what this short film is. The quality of the acting and story is really good that it got made into a feature film. The running time of the short is 17:57. The same scenes features in the film also and its a great introduction to the 2 main characters. If I had the time I would have checked the scenes and running time of both the film and short. To maybe come to the conclusion that they are slightly in tune.

I have also talked to some music students at SIT and their opinion is; drumming so hard that you're hands start to bleed is nearly impossible. And that might be considered an exaggeration in the film or just to show how hard the student is trying. In an interview with the Director he mentions anxiety and depression while in music school. So the film is very autobiographic in nature.

The 3 act structure set up in the film is very well done and the ending is exciting and unexpected. The drum sequences are very well edited and the little details of how musicians behave during performances is quit insight full. Like lowering their Saxophone so the water (spit) can get out.

The film has more background about the characters but the set up in the short makes the viewer believe in the characters. The performances make that happen especially J.K Simmons who impresses and grounds the character from the first introduction.

After watching the Avengers part II this was a breath of fresh air and I can learn more from this film than the CGI feast that was the Avengers II.

Blog out.