Initial ideas for my film

Having looked at the influences and inspirations for modern film makers. The sense that I could create an idea for an original short film seems daunting yet challenging.
I began by looking at scenes from films in which a reaction is provoked. The most accessible film I looked at with a graphic idea is in a scene from American History X where the lead role Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) brutally kicks a mans face against a curb having shot him after the man was attempting to break into Vinyard's truck.



Obviously, the concept of this scene is very hard to recreate and is almost inhumane which makes it all the more shocking.

Films with scenes which test and challenge the audience's morality and nerve are in my opinion some of the most successful ever made. One film scene in particular which has stuck vividly in my mind since I first watched it is the 'Russian Roulette' scene from 'The Deer Hunter' 1978. I first heard about this film when my Dad recommended me watching it to draw me away from becoming to naive towards mainstream films. The film was one of the most exceptional pieces of film making I felt I'd ever seen and what I find most inspiring is how the characters communicate feelings onto the camera. To me, this is the height of film making, producing and directing a film which seems so natural and reflective of a different culture and people is to my mind one of the greatest achievements mankind has produced in modern day society.

With this I feel I am going to try and capture the audience's reaction to certain film scenes in an effort to distinguish what exactly the film is trying to do. This I find will justify what the director was hoping to achieve. Films I am considering using for this idea are;

- American History X (1998) : Edward Nortons brutally horrific actions in the 'curb stomping' scene. I hope to exploit the graphic and striking reality of neo-nazi extremism by making my mother view the entire scene.



- The Hurt locker (2008) : Kathryn Bigelow's account of the bomb disposal team in Iraq features an eye-opening emotive scene of desperation and the innocence of people involved in war.



- The Deer Hunter (1978) : Russian Roulette Scene which provokes panic and fear amongst the american soldiers.



- Pulp Fiction (1994) : Adrenaline to the heart scene to revive the overdosed Uma Thurman.



I have purchased a tape to film the reactions to these scenes and have borrowed a camera from college to use for filming. I am deabting using my sister as a subject to film as I am aware that she hasn't seen the films, which would act as an advantage for the reactions. I will post the success of these tests in a future post.