Director's Statement of Intent - Film 6

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT: BARTON FINK

1.     What is the story--the beginning, middle, and end--of this scene in three or four sentences? In other words, what happens in this scene as it starts, as it progresses, and as it ends?

Barton Fink enters an empty hotel lobby. The strange and awkward Clerk, Chet, checks Fink in and makes him uncomfortable. Fink exits to his room.

2.     What, specifically, must the audience understand narratively? How do you intend to communicate that information?

The audience must understand that Barton is uncomfortable in the new situation. I will do this by enveloping him in his setting—making him appear small. Barton is a transplant in a new place and not confident in his ability to fulfill the role he has decided take. To communicate this, I will consistently place Barton in uncomfortable framing.

3.     If this scene is from a longer piece, what is the narrative, emotional and thematic purpose of the scene in the larger story?

This helps establish the location where Barton will meet Charlie Meadows. Barton develops a severe case of writer’s block and the hotel is a character that helps unsettle Barton even more.

4.     What emotion do you want to communicate in this scene? How do you intend to do this?  

I absolutely want to communicate discomfort. I intend to do this by purposefully negating continuity, placing Barton in bizarre framing within the hotel, and communicating formalistic acting methods to my actors.

5.     What is the first image of the scene? What is the final image of the scene?

The first image of the scene is of Barton standing alone in a hotel lobby. The last scene of the film is of Chet standing at the counter.

6.     Why is this scene personal to me? What previous personal experience(s) does it remind me of? Why do I need to make this scene?

I like the strange and bizarre, and I find speaking with lobby clerks to be incredibly awkward at times. I never know what to say, and I’m always worried they will think I’m crazy. I need to make this scene because it makes the clerk the fish out of water in the situation in addition to the man checking in. Equal playing fields.

7.     What two visual elements (line, shape, space, tone, color, rhythm, movement) will you use to help communicate the emotion of the scene? (Be sure these elements apply to the assignment as listed on Learning Suite; only choose elements that you have read about or that we have covered in class.)

I will use vertical lines to create a sense of domineering architecture, and these lines will separate Barton from Chet in dramatic ways. I will also use browns and greens to convey a sense of sickness. Flat space will also contribute to the quirky nature of Chet, whereas deep space will help illustrate Barton’s foreboding sense of doom.

8.     What are two or three potential obstacles to creating a successful scene? How can you be prepared to overcome these? Be specific!

For one, the scene is not very exciting and not a whole lot is discovered about the characters. I chose this intentionally to practice creating subtext and meaning out of lines that seemingly mean nothing more than their face value. There is a lot of stress behind Barton’s character, and I want to convey that without the actors saying it. To accomplish this, I will really have to focus on the differentiation of their framing and performance. I also am worried about finding a location for Monday night. To ensure I have a check-in desk, I have three locations that I plan on approaching in the next few days.