“A true story that might not have happened” (Peter Stormare)



Cinematography & Reality
What is the film?
What was x is its purpose?

Film as an illusion of reality



What reality?
•
•“PROJECTIVE ILLUSION” (Richard Allen)
•we experience the film as a “fully realized world”, the active spectator voluntarily enters this
illusion and participates on the experience
•SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF – a typical feature of media based on vision and sound, but especially
film (we do not think about the film as a lie, we approach it with an intention to believe what is
being shown
•potential danger – propaganda, misrepresentation of history
•
•Real emotional and physical consequences – our immersion into the “illusion” of film reality (how
far can the filmmakers go & how far are we willing to follow = suspension of disbelief in practice
on both sides)
•

•What is the relationship between the film and reality?
•Documentary “objective reality” ???
•Biography
•Fiction (real-world setting)
•Fiction (fictional-world setting)
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?

Fargo – documentary or fiction?
•Trailer
•Disclaimer
•Setting
•Plot
•Characters
•Minimalist filmmaking
•Camera work
Official MGM Trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju75Sd4yAZw
“A reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. […]”

Camera work - invisible filmmaking in Fargo
Observational / objective
personalized / amidst the action
position of the camera

FRAMING as a central technique in Fargo
WHAT/WHO is in the frame and WHERE


Creating the desolation of place



Characterization of the actors



Isolation and desperation of a character (Jerry)



Support and involvement (Marge)



Shot – reverse shot “over the shoulder”
typical for conversations


showing relationships through conversations



That’s it… Really? … Yeah!



Sources and other interesting materials:
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW0NG-CGGRM - Fargo: The Coen Brothers and Frances McDormand
interview (1997)
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EFV_xyXH9I - reality in Christopher Nolan’s films
•https://books.google.cz/books?hl=cs&lr=&id=6CtsiAEqemIC&oi=fnd&pg=PP15&dq=films+perception+reality
&ots=JTAivAPZpn&sig=oKKavj8H643QyyhHkUn8YAL8pdc&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=films%20perception%20realit
y&f=false
•Projecting Illusion: Film Spectatorship and the Impression of Reality: Richard Allen
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjUtWpsbggo - 4 screenwriting secrets in Fargo
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rasAbD3Y60c - 7 Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Fargo!
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju75Sd4yAZw - MGM official trailer
•https://youtu.be/WxD0zbJV-VM- the interview where the actors and the directors discuss the reality
of the film
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-vVdxt_xtQ -  Lewis Bond for The Cinema Cartography
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO7DuX56lXg - Fargo – Discussing Minimalist Cinematography with
Roger Deakins