Frames of Reference

Directing (Singin’ in the Rain | La La Land)

Mark and Joseph look at one of Hollywood’s most unique and theatrical genres in this musical special all about directors.  The two pictures are a cult classic about the end of the silent era, Singin’ in the Rain, directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelley, accompanied by Damien Chazelle’s modern masterpiece, La La Land.  As the creative lead for a movie, directors are at the heart and soul of our favorite films.  Our hosts discuss topics like traditional and modern roles of a director, directors' shared filmography, directors' intent, and so much more!  We hope you enjoy this final episode of our Elements series.

Editing (It's A Wonderful Life | The Holdovers)

In this Christmas Special, Mark and Joseph discuss the elemental glue that holds together your favorite films.  Editing, the art of shot transitions, is the penultimate step in turning a screenplay into a cinematic masterpiece.  Mark and Joseph discuss the technology, philosophy, and execution of editing.  The film selection for today’s episode is It’s A Wonderful Life, a Christmas staple with Hollywood’s timeless invisible editing style, pitted against the newcomer, The Holdovers, a modern movie intentionally edited to feel like a holiday classic your family has watched for many years.  Thank you so much for listening, and have a merry Christmas!

Acting (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | True Grit)

In this episode, Mark and Joseph are joined by a special guest to discuss the lifeblood of film itself: the actors.  They critique the progression of acting from theatrical expressiveness to understated realism by studying two iconic westerns.  1962’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance starring the legendary John Wayne and James Stewart directed by John Ford, and the 2010 remake of True Grit with Hailee Steinfeld in a breakout role alongside Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin, and directed by the equally talented Coen brothers.  Thank you so much for listening!

Animation (Sleeping Beauty | Tangled)

Today, Mark, Joseph, and a special guest, look at classic Disney animation.  Animation is more than just a genre, it is an entirely different medium than traditional film, but the elements apply just the same.  Join our trio of hosts as they discuss topics related to animation studios, the role of storytelling, and the process of creating animated content.  The film selection for today’s episode is the classic Brother Grim tale, Sleeping Beauty (1959), and a contemporary take on Rapunzel, Disney’s Tangled (2010).  Thanks for listening!

Halloween Special: Production Design (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari | Shutter Island)

Happy Halloween! In this special episode Mark and Joseph take a look at the production design of two iconic horror movies.  First, our oldest selection to date, 1920s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, is considered by most to be the first horror movie of all time.   Comparing that to Martin Scorceses neo-noir thriller Shutter Island sets the stage for a terrifying showdown.  They cover topics like setting, character design, costume and makeup, and even the idea of art direction itself.  Thanks for listening!