DZ-35: Driving Characters or Character Driven?

How can films maintain audience interest without stakes or plot questions?

Continuing their focus on “character”, Stuart and Chas take a close look at films that may be considered character-driven… or rather character studies… or just plot-lite films? Whatever you call them, these films —CHEF, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, and AMOUR — let their plots take a back seat to a closer examination of their characters. Stuart and Chas dive in to investigate how, without plot driving the story forward, do these films maintain our interest? We talk Mike Leigh’s ‘Running Condition’, Character Choice, SceneWork and the myriad other techniques the filmmakers use to keep us interested.

PS: There is no backmatter this episode.

PPS: Note that all these films are writer/directors. Hmm.

EPISODE LINKS

• CHEF by Jon Favreau
  • Watch it on iTunes or find it on JustWatch
• HAPPY-GO-LUCKY by Mike Leigh
  • Watch it on iTunes or find it on JustWatch
• AMOUR by Michael Henke
  • Watch it on on iTunes or find it on JustWatch
• ScreenOnline: On Mike Leigh http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/461294/

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