TONE

TONE

TONE: IT IS VERY SLIPPERY

VERY OFTEN WE HAVE A SENSE OF TONE BUT IT’S HARD TO PUT IN WORDS

THERE ARE MOVIES WITH ACCEPTED TONES AS THERE ARE HOUSES WITH ACCEPTED STYLES. BUT THESE STYLES AND TONES COME AND GO AND CHANGE.

TONE OR MOOD NEEDS TO BE CONSISTENT. A SHIFT IN TONE RARELY SUCCEEDS.
FROM DUSK TIL DAWN, SHALLOW HALL


TYPES OF TONES

1. REALISM – CHANGES GENERATION TO GENERATION, BUT WHAT “WE” THE CURRENT GENERATION FEELS ACCURATELY REFLECTS OUR SOCIETY.
A. SYRIANA, BLACKHAWK DOWN, ERIN BROCKOVICH, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

2. ARTIFICIAL – VERY OFTEN AWARE OF IT’S FAKENESS
A. AUSTIN POWERS, SPIDERMAN, TOY STORY, TRANSFORMERS, HARRY POTTER, LORD OR THE RINGS

3. STYLIZED – IMPLIES ARTIFICIALITY; DISTINCTIVE STYLE THAT DEPARTS FROM REALISM
A. COHEN BROTHERS, WES ANDERSON, P.T ANDERSON

4. MANNERED – STYLIZED IN WAY THAT IS NOT PLEASING
A. DUSK TIL DAWN

5. PLAUSIBILITY – DEPENDS ON WHETHER A PIECE IS STYLIZED OR REALISTIC.
A. PLAUSIBILITY OF ACTION: THE RULES OF THE SCRIPT’S WORLD
B. WE ALWAYS WANT SOMETHING PLAUSIBLE – WHETHER THE AUDIENCE BUYS IT OR NOT, MANY DIFFERENT TONES ARE PLAUSIBLE.
C. WHAT’S PLAUSIBLE IN ONE MOVIE MAY NOT BE IN ANOTHER. EACH HAS ITS OWN RULES FOR THE WORLD IT CREATES.

6. SATIRE – TONE SAVAGE AND CRITICAL, GOES AFTER POWERFUL INSTITUTIONS
A. BULLWORTH, NETWORK, SOUTHPARK

7. PARODY - THE OBJECT IS A OFTEN A WORK OF ART
A. CHRITOPHER GUESS - BEST IN SHOW, SPINAL TAP, WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, A MIGHTY WIND


EXERCISE: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE FILMS? ARE THEY SIMILAR IN TONE?

IS THERE A FILM LIKE YOURS IN TONE?

THINK SIMPLE AT FIRST: DARK, LIGHT, REALISTIC, AND STYLIZED


POLARITIES OF TONE

REALITY VS. ARTIFICIALITY

MEN OF HONOR, MILK VS. CHARLIE’S ANGELS, AUSTIN POWERS, BUGS BUNNY

ALSO A BLEND: STYLIZED: BIG LABOWSKI, ROYAL TENNENBAUM’S


HEAVY VS. LIGHT

SEVEN VS. JERRY MCQUIRE


SERIOUS VS. COMIC

MICHEAL CLAYTON VS. DUMB AND DUMBER


SUBTLE VS. BLATANT

AMERICAN BEAUTY VS. NAKED GUN

INTENSE VS. RELAXED

SIXTH SENSE VS. CHARLIE’S ANGELS


DISTURBING VS. CHARMING(FEEL GOOD)

JERRY MAGUIRE VS. LEAVING LAS VEGAS

TAUGHT VS. LAX

BORNE IDENTITY VS. DAZED AND CONFUSED

FAMILIAR VS. EXOTIC

CLERKS VS. CASABLANCA