Prior to this year’s Oscars ceremony, many commentators expected the coming-of-age epic Boyhood to walk away with the award for Best Picture. On the night, however, it was Birdman that took the Oscar. The two films do, however, have one thing in common – each has a gimmick which has drawn the attention of reviewers and critics.
The Film: Boyhood
The Gimmick: It was filmed over twelve years, with lead actor Ellar Coltrane growing up alongside his character.
Director Richard Linklater began filming Boyhood in 2002 without a completed script, and without the stars signing contracts; California’s De Havilland Law makes contracts of over seven years illegal, and the intention always was to film over a twelve year period. He did have basic plot points for each character and a general storyline in mind, but each year’s script was written after rewatching the previous year’s footage, and all the major actors participated in the process.
The result, however, was a film that garnered universal acclaim, including an Oscar for Patricia Arquette (Best Supporting Actress) and Best Film/Motion Picture at the BAFTAs and Golden Globes.
The Film: Birdman
The Gimmick: Aside from a few shots at beginning and end, the film appears to be a single shot.
Directed, co-written and co-produced by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a black comedy drama following a faded Hollywood actor attempting to mount a Broadway production. From its initial conception, it was intended to be made as a continuous sequence. As a result, scripting it took a year and a half, in order to make filming feasible. The few cuts in the main sequence are unnoticeable thanks to clever cinematography – for which it also received a well-deserved Oscar.
Of course, Boyhood and Birdman are not the first films to use a gimmick or cinematic conceit, and in part two we’ll look at other movie-making gimmicks including The Blair Witch Project and the found footage phenomenon.
Whether such gimmicks appeal to you or not, here at Cheap TVs we offer not only an insight into the world of modern entertainment but also a fantastic range of affordable TVs from top brands. For more information, contact us on 0121 3273273 today.
