UNIT XII.
A Sense of Pride.
The theme to which our specialist study, and in turn this year's FMP, must adhere is 'a sense of pride'. Similarly to how I usually approach my exploration of a theme, I'd like to craft conflict within the narrative I choose to write by exploring the dichotomy between two, or more, conflicting interpretations of the subject matter, in this case pride. In a stroke of good fortune this is a very good theme to explore within a genre with which I've been hoping to experiment for some time; Westerns.
I always enjoy producing period pieces; I find that they provide a lot of opportunity to experiment with different aesthetics, both tonally and in terms of mise en scene. They also add an extra element to the performance, in that an actor has to replicate the accent, presence, and mannerisms of a person or people whose precise nature is unknown to us today. That, in turn, creates a fun challenge in the writing process; trying to cater to a modern audience while still maintaining authenticity in the narrative and characters as a product of a completely different time and environment, both visually and socially.
The Western genre, more specifically the Spaghetti Western, provides the perfect opportunity to explore the morality and pride of a range of different character archetypes. As an entire genre set at the inception of the American frontier, the motivations of most all the character archetypes are defined by a sense of pride in their country and a desire to build a better one. These archetypes are specific enough within the genre to create characters significantly different from one another and wholly recognisable to almost any audience, while still leaving enough room within the variety and range of the genre, as well as the nature of period pieces being open to a lot of creative license, to create unique and original iterations. With this, I'm given the opportunity to craft original and compelling characters who still fit a mould that's well enough known in the mainstream that an in-depth character study that explores the vulnerability and precise sensibilities of these archetypes is compelling to an audience.
Right away it's worth noting that transforming the modern world into a set that looks like it would be in its place over 100 years ago is a significant undertaking in terms of both effort and budget; something I learned all too well when filming the Highwayman in my first year, and There Was a Crooked Man several months ago.
The Western genre has existed in cinema for over 100 years, and has a specificity to it that separates it from other genres. An action movie can be set any time, any place. So can a fantasy, a romance, a drama, even a sci-fi. But a Western must be set in a specific region; the American West, and usually within the mid-to-late 1800's to the very early 1900's at the latest. Within this time span, there is a lot of variation in the portrayal of the West and the aspects of it that are romanticised. Westerns set in the earlier years of that time usually put focus on the aftermath of the American Civil War; how the characters and the country around them was affected by it, and how they're going to rebuild. Films set in the middle-range tend to focus on romanticising the period, whether that be by glorifying the actions of an outlaw or a lawman varies. Westerns set towards the later end of the spectrum serve as a farewell to those times, exploring how gunslingers, outlaws, and frontiermen are having to adapt to the newly tamed and civilised America.
Evolution of the Western.
A factor of the Western having existed as a very niche genre for over a century is that its portrayal has had to evolve, both with the evolution of cinema and with the evolution of the audience. There are several examples of remade, or 'revisionist', Westerns that demonstrate the evolution of the genre, such as True Grit and the Magnificent Seven, but - despite this particular remake being arguably the worst of the three - I've decided to examine the differences between the original and the remade the Lone Ranger. I've chosen this because its remake is more recent than that of True Grit, and its ancestor is much much older, having been released in 1956. It's worth noting that there was a Lone Ranger TV series as far back as 1938, but that series was in black and white so, while it defends my justification of the original and reboot being further separated by time, it's better for my purposes to use the earliest iteration of the franchise published in colour, as colour and tone is a huge aspect of the evolution of the Western.
Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger in the Lone Ranger (1956)
Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger in the Lone Ranger (2013)
The titular Lone Ranger is undoubtedly an iconic character, from his mask to his catchphrase. His mask and hat underwent little change from 1956 to 2013 (though it is worth noting that in the 1938 series his mask also featured a black veil that obscured the rest of his face). Significant changes to his wardrobe, namely the muddied waistcoat in place of the baby-blue jumpsuit, aside, what interests me more is the representation of how the character is portrayed and, in turn, how he is meant to be perceived by the audience.
Clayton Moore's iteration of the character from the 1956 version is approachable, friendly, well-known and beloved by law-abiding folk. After his action-packed introduction, he gets right into conversation with the person he rescued, meeting them at eye level and greeting them with charm.
Armie Hammer's version of the character in the reboot, however, is significantly different. Unlike the 1956 film, the 2013 version is an origin story, and as such we spend a great deal of the movie with John Reid before he becomes the Lone Ranger, watching him suffer and seeing him as the butt of many a joke before he finally grows into a hero and is deified in the eyes of the movie's civilians.
While the aspect of Hammer's version being treated as the buffoon is certainly of note, and admittedly amusing to watch, what interests me is how it plays into the audience's perception of the Ranger. In the original we are introduced to a cool and confident man, and told through dialogue that he is to be revered and respected, and he demonstrates over the course of the film that this is indeed true. In the reboot, we watch a blundering, emotional man be broken down only to gradually gain confidence. Unlike the original, we see the moment that the Lone Ranger accepts his role, stands imposingly over the villain, and triumphs.
I think what's interesting about this is that we actually see the Ranger's journey and characterisation through the eyes of the villain. While the Lone Ranger's villain, Butch Cavendish, isn't present for as much of Reid's journey as the audience, he is present when it begins, with Reid as a hapless lawyer, and is present when it concludes; beaten by the Lone Ranger.
Probably the most significant difference in the portrayal of Tonto, the Lone Ranger's trusty companion, over the years is his transition from an archetypal wise and majestic Native American, to a character more befitting the moniker of 'comic relief'.
Jay Silverheel's 1956 version of Tonto is cool, collected, wise, and infinitely respectful of the Lone Ranger. He is never to be laughed at, but instead taken very seriously, and his advice and remarks are to be heeded with gravity. Johnny Depp's Tonto in the remake, however, is the funniest part of the film.
This isn't to say that Depp's version doesn't offer valuable insight, or isn't portrayed as a deeply wise and spiritual person, but in the 2013 version these aspects of his character are played for laughs. John Reid doesn't yet have his deeply founded respect for Tonto, so he laughs off Tonto's musings as nonsense, and the audience is encouraged to agree about their absurdity, despite our inside knowledge of Tonto's true wisdom.
I think that this is significant, not because of the change it represents of Tonto's character (it was obvious that the reboot would show Tonto very little respect the moment they white-washed him), but because it's indicative of the change that was undergone by the Hollywood landscape. In heavily promoted blockbusters the wise man is no longer to be heralded; he's now the rambling old fool, whose gibberish often proves true, but is to be laughed at for its flamboyance.
While the 2013 iteration of the Lone Ranger does play a lot more like a family-friendly action movie than a Western, I feel this is because contemporarily produced Westerns have gone the avenue of trying to replicate the feeling of a traditional Western rather than the intention of them. The 1956 version doesn't have nearly the pacing or writing style of a modern action movie, but neither does any action movie from so long ago. I feel that many older Westerns share a feel more similar to action movies of a similar era than they do of modern-made Westerns, and this is an important thing to keep in mind when deciding how to represent the Old West.
Jay Silverheels as Tonto in the Lone Ranger (1956)
Johnny Depp as Tonto in the Lone Ranger (2013)
The Lone Ranger (1956) - dir. Stuart Heisler
The Lone Ranger (2013) - dir. Gore Verbinski
Character Archetypes.
Earlier I mentioned that characters in Westerns, both old and new, are very archetypal, meaning that any Western character will almost always have significantly similar counterparts in movies across the entire genre.
The Lead.
Clint Eastwood as 'Joe' in a Fistful of Dollars
Daniel Craig as Jake Lonergan in Cowboys & Aliens
Roger Clark as Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption II
Patrick Wilson as Arthur O'Dwyer in Bone Tomahawk
Whether a Western features a distinguishable main character or an ensemble cast, it will more often than not feature a male lead who fits the mould of the stereotypical 'cowboy' archetype.
The term 'cowboy' has undergone something of a definition change as the Western has been popularised, and has come to simply represent this particular type of male lead to the general public, rather than to specifically identify a wrangler of cows. As an example of this, in Sergio Leone's Man With No Name trilogy (if you consider it to be so; Leone himself said the films were intended to be standalone), Clint Eastwood's characters; 'Joe', 'Manco', and 'Blondie', are sometimes referred to as "cowboy" mockingly, by other characters making light of his demeanour and wardrobe. Back in earlier Westerns, characters weren't sincerely referred to as "cowboy" unless they truly were one.
However, if we look at films such as Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens and the Coen Brothers' the Ballad of Buster Scruggs, we see examples of the term 'cowboy' being used simply to represent the archetypal male lead of the Western. In the case of Cowboys & Aliens, none of the main cast are true cowboys; the ensemble is made up of an outlaw, a retired army colonel and his employees, an alien, and a saloon owner. In the Ballad of Buster Scruggs there are shots of pages being turned in a fictional book between each of the film's segments, and before the segment Near Algodones the book begins with 'the cowboy looked at the bank'. The character in question isn't a cowboy, however, but an outlaw intent on robbing the bank. I should note that he is later rescued by a cattle-rustler who enlists his help with some stolen cows.
Nevertheless, whether the lead is a true cowboy, an outlaw, a bounty hunter, or anything in-between, he's the character that the audience is meant to look up to, and through whose eyes we are meant to experience the story. Inherently likeable, inherently good-natured regardless of profession, and inherently moral in line with contemporary ideas of morality despite the realities of the old West.
The Villain.
The purpose of the villain in a Western is really to serve as a direct contradiction to the morality and sensibilities of the lead or the main cast. This can be seen, however, in a variety of ways. In the case of Eli Wallach's Tuco in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, he isn't really antagonistic towards Eastwood's lead, Blondie, but instead resorts to working alongside him towards a common goal; finding Bill Carson's gold. His contrast to Blondie comes in the form of his motivations. Blondie isn't opposed to the big payday, certainly, but at the start of the journey Blondie is using the gold as an opportunity to stay alive, as Tuco had been close to killing him but couldn't until Blondie had led him to the gold. Once the gold is found, Blondie uses it as an opportunity to have his revenge on Tuco. By contrast, Tuco pursues the gold purely out of greed, and in pursuit of self-gratifying wealth. He's double-crossing, he's snivelling, and he'll put anybody's life on the line other than his own, no matter how cowardly the act, to ensure that he gets his hands on the gold.
Another archetypal Western villain are those who serve more of a direct opposition to the lead's morals. There could be a debate as to whether Tuco is good or evil; he does put Blondie's life in danger, but he also saves it, and exhibits several signs of a genuine connection with Blondie along their journey. These characters, however, would never consider such cooperation. They're malicious, they're selfish, and they take no prisoners. Lee Van Cleef's 'Angel Eyes' in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly is shown to torture and abuse prisoners of war while working in a Civil War outpost. William Fichtner's 'Butch' Cavendish is shown cutting out the hearts of his victims and eating them raw, and touching a woman without her consent. These characters exhibit behaviour that the lead wouldn't dream of, and set out in search of selfish goals leaving death in their wake.
Eli Wallach as Tuco in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Lee Van Cleef as 'Angel Eyes' in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
William Fichtner as 'Butch' Cavendish in the Lone Ranger (2013)
The Sheriff.
John Pickard as Sheriff Sam Kimberly in the Lone Ranger (1956)
John Bartha as the Sheriff in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Keith Carradine as Sheriff John Taggart in Cowboys & Aliens
Kurt Russell as Sheriff Franklin Hunt in Bone Tomahawk
The Western Sheriff is a character archetype just as iconic as the 'cowboy' lead, but what I find interesting about this one is that there is a distinctly identifiable evolution of the archetype over time, whereas the lead has remained more or less the same with the only distinguishable change being his sensibilities corresponding with modern beliefs.
While the lead's beliefs tend to depend on the time in which the movie was made, always lining up with contemporary liberality while the rest of the aspects of the character remain the same, the Sheriff's beliefs have remained more or less the same over time while the other aspects of his character have changed.
The Sheriff's beliefs, as one would hope and expect, are a steadfast commitment to justice and the rule of law. It's worth noting, of course, that 'justice' in the Old West more often than not meant putting a bounty on someone and then hanging them, but that's an unavoidable product of the time period, not a villainous aspect to the Sheriff character.
In earlier Westerns, the Sheriff isn't considered a main character. Like a shopkeeper or a saloon bartender, he is simply an amenity of a town, rather than a fleshed-out character who contributes to the plot. Whether he is the Sheriff of a city or dusty shanty town, he's seen as a part of the government; a representation of the increasing civilisation in the West; he is a lawman before he is an individual.
More recently however, as the genre has been so refined by the public popularity of these archetypes over the decades, the Sheriff has become as recognisable and iconic a mascot of the Wild West as the 'cowboy' has and, as such, is much more of a refined and individually interesting character.
Keith Carradine's Sheriff John Taggart in Cowboys & Aliens isn't present for most of the film's duration, but we still see him bonding with characters, standing up for himself, and defending his integral beliefs despite it putting him in danger. Though he isn't a major character, he is established as a developed individual, rather than merely a proxy for the law.
In one of my favourite Westerns from recent years, Bone Tomahawk, Kurt Russel's Sheriff Franklin Hunt is a major character, second after Patrick Wilson's lead Arthur O'Dwyer, and with even more screen-time, if I'm not mistaken. We see in depth his friendship with his deputy, his relationship with his wife and home-life, his devotion to his duty and to his town, and his sympathy towards other characters. He's a very well developed character, probably more so than Arthur O'Dwyer, and he is shown to be an individual, with deep-rooted and empathetic motivations, rather than a one-dimensional representation of the law and the taming of the West.
The 'Tough as Nails'.
An archetype that wasn't particularly present, if at all, in earlier Western movies, but has emerged prominently in recent years is the 'tough as nails' female lead, and it's certainly a welcome and much needed addition to the genre. Female leads with any semblance of similarity to this archetype only existed in earlier Westerns more along the lines of characters like Calamity Jane, and weren't so much a direct counterpart to the male lead archetype as they were a crude feminisation of it. Characters like Calamity Jane didn't fill the same kind of narrative role as the male lead did, they fit with a 'cowgirl' archetype; the Robin to the cowboy's Batman, rather than his direct counterpart.
The newly refined female lead, however, is defined by her ability to match the male lead archetype in guts, combat ability, and stoic charm. She is not his companion, she is not the 'girl version' of the 'cowboy', she is his equal.
More often than not the female lead dons a wardrobe similar to that of the male lead, rather than one similar to other female characters in the Western. Most women in westerns are confined to the role of wives, maids, or the elderly, and are usually outfitted in formal attire; large skirts, decorative dresses, bonnets, etc. The 'tough as nails', however shares an aesthetic with the male lead, donning more typical cowboy-esque clothes, the clothes and the stetson. Often times a female lead will retain the skirt, but will no longer ride side-saddle.
One way in which the female lead differs to the male lead is that she doesn't share his jaded, brooding nature. She's often more outspoken; while the male lead will only interject with tough, dominant monologues and witty one-liners, the female lead will talk down anybody who stands in her way or disrespects her. Perhaps this comes simply out of necessity, as women are disrespected by antagonistic characters more than men are in Westerns, but something of note is the fact that when a male lead is disrespected he will respond by proving how tough he is, whereas a female lead who's been disrespected will respond by belittling the person who insulted her.
Alex McKenna as Sadie Adler in Red Dead Redemption II
Natalie Portman as Jane Hammond in Jane Got a Gun
Olivia Wilde as Ella Swenson in Cowboys & Aliens
Helena Bonham Carter as 'Red' in the Lone Ranger (2013)
The Old Man.
Stephen Root as the Teller in the Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Richard Jenkins as 'Chicory' Kory in Bone Tomahawk
The old man is not a hero. He may be a component of an ensemble cast, but he is not the main character. To the audience he's comic relief; the feeble idiot who can't keep up with the rest of the characters. But to the characters themselves, he's a burden. He talks too much, usually senseless rambling, he can't fend for himself, and he's kept around either out of pity, or because he's a part of the family and the characters care about him despite their better judgement, or he's simply featured as a minor character.
The utilisation of this character hinges on the fact that the Wild West is not the place for people who can't contribute. If you're too weak to fight or to farm then you're relegated to a desk job. If you're old and your mind is going, you aren't even capable of doing that, and you're simply the useless old man who can't contribute. However, it's this lack of ability to contribute that makes the old man an aid to the plot. He adds an extra obstacle to the protagonist's journey in the Western; a person who needs to be taken care of.
The Learned Wife.
Back in the 1800's women were infamously shown very little respect. What this has led to is women being very under-utilised in the Western, at least until the introduction of the female lead, though that archetype is still hardly at the forefront of the genre.
In both Bone Tomahawk and Cowboys & Aliens, two of the very few Westerns that feature a wife in a prominent role, the wife is abducted by the movie's villains in the first act of the story. For the time that the characters are on-screen they are treated with significant dignity; Lili Simmons' Samantha O'Dwyer in Bone Tomahawk proving herself to be an authoritative wife and a skilled doctor, and Ana de le Reguera's Maria in Cowboys & Aliens proving herself to be devoted and loving, and more sure of herself and her husband than he himself is.
There is something to be said for the fact that both women are used by the plot as motivation for the male characters, but the journeys on which their husbands embark are motivated purely by their love for their wives, and I personally find that a 'damsel in distress' type narrative that's driven by a deep and loving relationship, rather than simply a woman being in trouble, is a very human motivation for a character, and gives the male character a sympathetic aspect that many male leads lack.
It's also worth noting that this isn't an entirely one-sided archetype. Many of the female leads in the 'tough as nails' archetype are motivated by the abduction or loss of their husband. Alex McKenna's Sadie Adler in Red Dead Redemption II is motivated by a desire to kill the members of villain Colm O'Driscoll's gang, as they murdered her husband. Natalie Portman's Jane Hammond in Jane Got a Gun pursues the criminals who shot and injured her husband. By that merit I'd argue that the wives of the male leads are actually treated with more respect than the husbands of female leads, but of course that doesn't excuse the generally lacklustre treatment of most female characters in the genre.
Lili Simmons as Samantha O'Dwyer in Bone Tomahawk
Ana de la Reguera as Maria in Cowboys & Aliens
Julie Jesneck as Mary Linton in Red Dead Redemption II
Kayli Carter, Merritt Wever, Tess Frazer, Audrey Moore & Samantha Soole as Sadie Rose, Mary-Agness McNue, Callie Dunne, Sarah Doyle & Charlotte Temple respectively in Godless
The Wise Man.
Grainger Hines as Mr. Arthur in the Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Clancy Brown as Father Meacham in Cowboys & Aliens
Not only wise, but also knowledgeable, the wise man knows better than anyone the workings of the world, and only speaks when he has some valuable information or insight to offer.
Often times in a Western the wise man appears in the form of a preacher, but in many cases the wise man is what becomes of the lead. Perhaps he was a cowboy once, or a gunslinger, and now he knows the struggles and trials of that life and he lives the consequences of them.
The wise man's purpose in a narrative is to guide the protagonists. He mostly speaks very little but, unlike the advice of other characters, such as the ramblings of the old man or the cryptic messages of a Native American chief, the wise man's advice is significantly more straightforward, presented not in the form of a puzzle, spirituality, or prophecy, but instead as a clear piece of advice and direction to a friend or person in need.
Perhaps the wise man isn't as amusing as the old man, as likeable as the lead, or as awe-inspiring as the chief, but he has a knowledge that is indispensable.
Mise en Scene of the Western.
The Landscape.
For something so iconic and so stereotyped, the representation of the desert landscape in the Western has changed significantly over the years.
Despite how recognisable they are and how instantly they might be associated with the genre, towering sandstone plateaus and saguaro cacti are present in very few Western movies. John Ford's the Searchers from 1956 is one of the only classic Westerns to feature a desert comparable to those featured in today's Westerns, and even still that's mostly only down to the plateaus. The majority of desert featured in the Searchers is similar to other deserts in earlier Westerns; a less detailed landscape occupied by finer sand and lots of shrubs.
Deserts in older Westerns tend to either see a lot of plant-life or very little plant-life whatsoever, while the desert in more recent Westerns occupies a middle-ground. I think the reason for this is because newer Westerns do their utmost to try and replicate the feel of the Western genre as it's stereotyped, whereas the older Westerns stood on their own merit to establish the aesthetic of the genre rather than to copy it.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that; after all early Westerns were the originators. They didn't intend on establishing that aesthetic, that's just the inevitable consequence of them being the earliest versions of it. And similarly it's not the modern Western's place to try and alter or re-establish aspects of the genre, and it would likely be unsuccessful in doing so. Of course, it's great to see a movie break the mould and establish new techniques, but there's nothing bad about staying the course, and to the average movie-goer the modern version of the Western desert, which picks and chooses from the most iconic and recognisable aspects of the originals, is probably more instantly associated with the Western than an older representation of the American desert would be.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - dir. Sergio Leone
Bone Tomahawk - dir. S. Craig Zahler
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - dir. the Coen Brothers
The Shanty Town.
Valentine from Red Dead Redemption II
LaBelle from Godless
Bright Hope from Bone Tomahawk
Frenchman's Gulch from the Ballad of Buster Scruggs
The Wild West ain't no place for civilised folk, so such folk must tame the desert and turn it into a decent home for decent people. The shanty town is where true settlers build for themselves a functioning home and society on the American Frontier, and everything from its look down to the specific functions of each building has been refined to a point over decades of Westerns media.
Whether the town was built for farming cattle, mining coal, or working the railroad, the shanty town is small, it's wooden, and everybody knows everybody. The latter aspect introduces an interesting and common theme for exploration; if everybody knows everybody, what do the townsfolk do when a stranger comes to town? And, conversely, if that character has a bounty on their head, is in some trouble, or has suffered an injury of some kind, can they trust the townsfolk, or perhaps even rely on them?
The shanty town usually serves one of two purposes in a narrative; either to introduce some new characters in the form of townsfolk, or to give the established characters an obstacle to overcome in the form of an unwelcoming or cautious population.
When introducing new characters, the shanty town affords two benefits; one being that there is a more diverse range of professions present in a large group of people in a functioning town than there are in the types of characters found in the wilderness, providing opportunities to introduce more niche characters such as doctors and sheriffs. The second is that townsfolk, in their pursuit of civility, are significantly different from a traveller character such as an outlaw or cowboy, which is an opportunity to add a character with distinctly converse traits to said traveller, providing an interesting dynamic; something always important in writing a compelling rapport between two characters, whether they be a hero and villain, an alliance, love interests, or so on.
The shanty town also provides an opportunity for a travelling character, protagonist or antagonist, to gain access to resources or personnel that they otherwise wouldn't come across, such as provisions, weaponry, artefacts, or specifically skilled subordinates. Of course the presence of those things in a shanty town is plot-dependant, and they could be put anywhere in the world of the film by the writer, but the dynamics and change of scenery provided by the shanty town are an additional piece of world building that benefits the narrative of the film and the story and significance of whatever or whomever is located there.
The Saloon.
No shanty town is complete without its saloon. Life on the American Frontier is tough, and finding leisure in the harsh environment isn't easy, so saloons provide townsfolk and passing visitors with a place to relax, drink, or perhaps catch a show (wink).
The all-access nature and social environment of the saloon make it an ideal way to have a character make connections and gather new comrades or plot devices, as it's a location that anyone - even the stranger to an unwelcoming town - can access.
The saloon is also the best setting in a town to establish the exact nature of the society and culture of said town. For example, a film could feature a busy, bustling saloon, full to bursting with jovial patrons. This does well to exhibit the popularity and prosperity of the town. Conversely, a saloon could be quiet and empty, a lonely bartender desperately trying to make himself busy despite the lack of demand and the waining interest of the townsfolk. This can show that a town has a very small population with no time for recreation, which implies to the audience that the town sees little prosperity, or it can show that something negative has befallen that town, and that the townsfolk haven't the spirit to engage in leisure and socialisation.
Frenchman's Gulch Saloon - the Ballad of Buster Scruggs
The Learned Goat Saloon - Bone Tomahawk
The Wardrobe.
Clint Eastwood as 'Blondie' in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
James Franco as the Robber in the Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Matthew Fox as John Brooder in Bone Tomahawk
Samuel L. Jackson as Major Marquis Warren in the Hateful Eight
The wardrobe is up there with the most crucial elements of making an aesthetically recognisable and historically consistent Western. Any character can end up in a desert, but put a character in a desert wearing a waistcoat and a stetson, and you've got yourself a cowboy.
In any genre and any time period the wardrobe of an individual character has to be identifiably unique. Costume design is one of the most crucial parts of film making, and the right clothing can make or break the believability of a character. As such, while the basic building blocks of a Western outfit remain consistent across most characters, the subtleties and nuances of exactly what style of each item a character chooses is influenced by their personality and presentation.
In the scorching desert sun everybody needs a hat, but whether that be a stetson, fedora, bowler hat, etc. depends on that character, and as such the wardrobe can tell us a lot about a character before they utter a single line. The iconic waistcoat and poncho worn by Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone's Man With No Name trilogy tells us immediately about the nature of Eastwood's characters. He usually wears his poncho completely covering him, like a robe. A character being cloaked like this tells us that he's secretive, he's put up walls around himself; he's not a vulnerable character.
Intimate details about these kinds of characters have to inferred from plot points and context clues, they're never stated explicitly in dialogue. When he slings his poncho over his shoulder we're given new information. He only does this to free his shooting arm and reveal his gun. The veil of invulnerability is lifted away, but beneath it is revealed a waistcoat made from an animal pelt. This Shows the audience that he's a hunter, or at the very least that he's comfortable wearing the trophy of a kill. As such, while he should be more vulnerable because his cloak is lifted, he instead becomes more intimidating, as we see implied by his wardrobe that he's proficient, or at least comfortable, with the firearm he's just revealed.
Matthew Fox's John Brooder from Bone Tomahawk wears a crisp all-white suit and a bowler hat. This tells us enough on its own, let alone contrasted with the dark and muddy colours worn by the rest of the people in Brooder's town. We infer from this that Brooder is a man of wealth, but more importantly that he is dedicated to displaying his wealth, and consequently his status. White clothes are dirtied easily, so we infer from this that he's not a man of manual labour. This way, without Brooder every giving any details about his profession, we know that he's not a cowboy, a rancher, or any kind of lawman. We can presume that he's a businessman; he works a desk and makes a lot of money, and is likely more educated than the other townsfolk. Brooder states in the film that he has killed many Native Americans. This, combined with the nature of his wardrobe, informs us that he was a military man, and so his neat and meticulous nature lets us know that he likely served in a high-ranking position.
All the tiny details in a character's costume come together to provide so much of a characters non-explicit backstory and personality, so when faced with a wardrobe as iconic and recognisable as that of the Western one must take into account the delicate balancing act of making a character's outfit unique and personal, while still maintaining the uniformity of the genre.
Editing the Western.
Colour Grading.
At this point in my research I've come to realise it would be naive of me not to acknowledge that my own experience with Westerns and my perspectives of them have been very heavily influenced by my age. When picturing the Western my mind instantly goes to images inspired by more recent additions to the genre. A large aspect of this is the way that I envision the Western in terms of colour and lighting.
What's interesting when examining this is that for the vast majority of the Western's history there were very few - if any at all - colour filters put over the image. The introduction of heavy warm tones in Westerns is a surprisingly recent addition and, while it could simply be because more recent Westerns are trying to adhere to the way that the modern mainstream seems to favour the genre, I've pinpointed what I'm sure is the reason for the significant change in colouring: the digital camera.
It goes without saying that early Westerns such as Sergio Leone's trilogy, and less distant ones like Dances With Wolves, were shot on film, as the digital camera didn't exist during the days of Leone's trilogy and was barely in its infancy in 1990. Digital cameras didn't really gain momentum in the industry until the early 2010's, and this is the point that the significant change in appearance of the Western occurred.
In the films shown to the right the first screenshot with the noticeable presence of a colour filter is that of the Coen brothers' True Grit. Of course colour correction is present in any movie, but there's a shift in colouration from Dances With Wolves to True Grit. However, True Grit wasn't shot digitally, but was shot on 35mm film, but it shows the beginnings of the change in colour scheme, and I believe that through their significant presence in the Western genre, the Coen brothers are largely responsible for the direction in which the colouration of Westerns has headed. When comparing True Grit with another film of theirs, No Country for Old Men (not pictured) which released three years prior, one can see a subtle evolution in the colouration that paved the way for the drastic change to come.
Django Unchained was shot on 35mm film, which makes it clear that directors other than the Coen brothers who were creating Westerns around this time and weren't shooting digitally were not concerned with adding the brown, warm-toned filters with which the Coens were experimenting.
No onto more recent Westerns, Bone Tomahawk was shot digitally using a RED Epic Dragon camera. The significant difference between shooting digitally and shooting on film is that digital cameras capture a lot more information to be manipulated in post-production, as they have a lot of special features, as opposed to film which - while newer film cameras do have more functions than older ones and are significantly advanced - can do little more than simply capture what they see. Film and digital also interpret and capture light differently. This leads to editors being able to do more to a digital image while still maintaining quality.
From just looking at the shot provided from Bone Tomahawk, one can see exactly what has been done. It's clear from the colour of the sky that the warmth of the image has been significantly increased, and the image has been tinted a golden-brown colour. There's also significantly higher contrast and black value in this shot than in the shots from Westerns that were shot on film, though this can partially be attributed to the time of day.
This shot from the Ballad of Buster Scruggs, shot digitally on an Arri Alexa, shows the extreme to which the colour grading of Westerns is now being taken. Another movie by the Coen brothers, once can see just how heavily their style has continued to evolve while simultaneously influencing the style of other Western directors in recent years. Again, one can tell from the colour of the sky that the warmth of the image has been significantly increased from the footage's raw form, even more so than Bone Tomahawk. It's not as obvious in this shot as it is in close-ups, but the image has also been significantly sharpened and a grain effect has been added. The grain effect has two benefits; one is that it can make a film look less sleek and therefore older, almost replicating the feel of shooting on film, and the other is that it adds to the aesthetic of the Western, as photography from that time period was not advanced. I also think that this attempt at replicating the feel of 1800's photography is part of what led to the introduction of the warm brown colouration in Westerns, as it was a popular trend in those days to have photographs printed in sepia tone.
A Fistful of Dollars - dir. Sergio Leone
1964.
Dances With Wolves - dir. Kevin Costner
1990.
True Grit - dir. the Coen Brothers
2010.
Django Unchained - dir. Quentin Tarantino
2012.
Bone Tomahawk - dir. S. Craig Zahler
2015.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - dir. the Coen Brothers
2018.
As a point of reference, I've taken the shot from the Ballad of Buster Scruggs and decreased the temperature of the image to bring it to a cooler, more neutral tone as an approximation of how the footage would likely have looked before it was colour-corrected. It's not perfect, as obviously the colour grading process is more than just altering the temperature, but the image on the left is a closer match to the sky's colour in reality, whether you're in the mid-West of the USA or not, and that helps as a reference of just how drastic the colour alteration is in recent digitally-shot Westerns.
Raw Footage Approximation.
Release Version.
Preliminary Ideas.
OPTION A: A veteran Wild West shootist who is to be hanged for his crimes tells tales of his exploits to his cellmate, a budding outlaw, and how much he regrets them.
OPTION B: An outlaw visits a doctor after taking a bullet in a shootout, and at first he is proud of his exploits, but as the doctor begins to question his motivations and their outcomes, doubt is cast upon the outlaw's pride.
Strengths.
- Requiring only one set makes this option simple to set-up and shoot, as well as cost-effective.
- This option requires only two characters.
- Dialogue-reliant plot will make this option incredibly easy to shoot.
Weaknesses.
- While easy to film, 'bottle' style single-set films can become very monotonous.
- Serves as a character study, but doesn't provide a lot of opportunities for world building and genre exploration outside of dialogue.
- The single set and dialogue-heavy nature limit opportunities for a large amount of more cinematic shots.
Opportunities.
- 'Budding outlaw' character has great potential for meaningful character development.
- Potential for a lot of depth and character building.
- The nature of the two characters provides an opportunity to share the ugly truths of the Old West and have a character react to them with a similar perspective to the audience.
Threats.
- The dialogue will have to be incredibly strong to execute the premise with quality, and maintain audience interest.
- An 1800's jail cell is a very niche specification and it may not be particularly easy to find a location for the shoot.
- An 1800's doctor's office has a similar issue, though not as severe.
- The shootist/doctor version of the plot requires a significant prosthetic wound, and I've no skill or experience with special effects makeup.
A group of cowboys on the trail are ambushed by natives, but they are able to barter a deal: the natives will leave the rest of the group in peace, as long as one of them is given as a sacrifice. Around the campfire, with time running out, the cowboys debate their value as each tries to defend why he shouldn't be the sacrifice.
Strengths.
- While Westerns have often employed witty lines, they're rarely overt comedies. A comedy Western opens the doors to a larger target audience.
- Comedy also allows for less subtlety in expositional dialogue without seeming ham-fisted.
- This is also single-set, but unlike the bottle nature of Love Nor Money, this is set outdoors with more dynamic lighting, providing more cinematic potential.
Weaknesses.
- Once again, this serves as a character study. While a larger and more varied cast than Love Nor Money provide more opportunities for world-building, it will be through dialogue and thus still limited.
- While it's consistent with the parlance of the time, it would be ignorant not to acknowledge the technical inaccuracy and politically incorrect nature of the title. I just liked the pun.
Opportunities.
- Up until this point, the Genuine Article is the most experimentation I've done with comedy. This film is an opportunity to experiment with more overt and consistent comedy.
- The conversational nature of this option is an opportunity to develop better skills of cutting together dialogue.
- Opportunity to write an ensemble cast of individually nuanced characters.
Threats.
- Shooting at night makes a fire necessary, which requires very specific lighting and often tricky special FX. Setting it during the day would require a large, open environment consistent with the Western setting and devoid of people, which could be difficult to find.
- There will be lots of dialogue to memorise for a large ensemble cast.
A group of criminals are on a train being transferred to a new penitentiary. One of the criminals assures that his crew will target the train to rescue him, and encourages the other felons to keep themselves in his good graces if they want to accompany him. Eventually, a posse raids the train, but it's the posse of a different criminal, one whom the other frequently antagonised. The posse robs the train and sets free all of the criminals except the antagonistic one, leaving him alone with the guards.
Strengths.
- The title. It's great. It's a great pun.
- This story features a twist, and - when executed properly - such a twist adds a lot of drama and a lot of payoff to a story.
- Once again, a setting that makes expositional dialogue acceptable, but this introduces a more open world in its finale, which provides even further opportunities for world-building.
- Another ensemble cast. When written well, it's always enjoyable to see the dynamics as ensembles of varied characters bounce off one-another.
Weaknesses.
- Despite the ending introducing a visible open-world, the story never really travels there, so this is another 'bottle' style plot.
- The criminals being transferred from one penitentiary to another implies that they will be outfitted in prison garbs, which eliminates a big aspect of the Western; the wardrobe. A slight change can be made to the premise to fix this issue: the criminals having only just been arrested, and now being on their way to trial.
Opportunities.
- This is the first of my options to have a more fast-paced scene, and the action-packed third act allows for a lot of exploration of special FX and cinematic shots.
- Expanding on that; the entirety of the film will require some exploration with green-screening and camera techniques, so as to make it appear as though shot on a moving train.
- A lot darker than the previous options, an opportunity to experiment with more sinister and heavy dialogue.
Threats.
- Requires a set that can replicate the interior of a cargo locomotive from the 1800's, which likely will be hard to come by.
- Requires an ensemble cast, which adds strength in writing, but causes difficulty when casting, especially from a college.
- The climax requires significant special effects, namely horses and their riders being superimposed into a passing landscape and running alongside a train. I know from making the Highwayman last year that it's doable, but it is a considerable undertaking.
Years after a nuclear disaster the world has been significantly set back, and the survivors in the wasteland must live off their wits and what's left in the barren desert. A settler known as the Deacon leads a group of disciples, and is fixated on rebuilding the world as it was. The Deacon plans on razing Las Vegas to make foundations for their new utopia. Two travellers and a group they met in a settlement there dedicate themselves to stopping the Deacon, as there are still survivors in Vegas who will be killed if the Deacon's plan succeeds.
Strengths.
- More settings, plot points, and a stronger 3-act structure than previous options.
- More traditional Western story: lone gunmen in a lead role, and a real skewed-good vs righteous-evil dynamic between the heroes and villains.
- The blend of traditional Western with modern and futuristic elements will make costuming and finding shooting locations less demanding and specific.
Weaknesses.
- Without careful consideration taken into the characterisation and the twist (which will remain known only to myself for the time being) this plot risks being fairly cookie-cutter.
- The concept of a dystopian future with a characteristically Western aesthetic may seem contrived just for the sake of applying the plot to the genre.
Opportunities.
- The combination of the 19th Century and contemporary settings could also be a good opportunity to combine the Western with the action-adventure.
- Not only is this a chance to experiment with the historical Western, but also a chance to experiment with futuristic and dystopian elements, something I haven't yet explored.
- It's always fun to explore the dichotomy of motivations and beliefs between a traditional and defined hero and villain.
Threats.
- The nature of the plot leaves little time for exposition based on dialogue - which is fine; I prefer exposition to be slow and environmental - but I hardly have the time or resources to make this feature-length, which further limits the amount of character and world building that can be included.
- Lots of expansive and specific sets and landscapes will require extensive digital composition.
A group of soldiers who made a tontine at the inception of the American Civil War reunite while going to collect the money only to find that they all survived. Eager to provide for their families and build their futures on the American frontier, they decide to settle the tontine immediately over a poker match. As they play they share tales of their exploits in the war and of what awaits them in their new beginnings, but things turn sour as each soldier grapples with the fact that they can win the tontine by killing the others.
Strengths.
- The premise of the tontine creates a consistent air of tension between the characters, which adds another layer to the performances and dialogue, as well as adding tension to the film as a whole.
- Additionally to adding to the film as a whole, tension between the characters is also a very traditional aspect of the Western.
- Games like poker are iconically symbolic of power plays and exchanges of dominance in movies.
Weaknesses.
- Yet again, this is another example of a 'bottle' style setting, though the climax does offer more potential for transitioning to other sets than my other bottle ideas. It's worth noting at this point that I came up with a lot of bottle ideas intentionally so I wouldn't have to search for lots of 19th Century sets.
- Poker and tontines aren't exclusively associated with the Western so, beyond the performances and the visual aesthetic, this premise doesn't provide a genre-specific story.
Opportunities.
- Lots of experimentation with dramatic tension and implicational dialogue.
- A chance to explore the subtle differences between individuals in a group of similar characters.
- Using poker as a symbolic device representing the tension and power struggle between the characters provides a lot of opportunity for interesting writing.
- An opportunity to learn how to play poker, something I really ought to have known before I came up with this idea.
Threats.
- There's a chance that the nature of the non Western-related premise could distance the film from the genre if the aesthetic isn't executed properly.
- Representing the ambiguity of the quality of each character's deck as perceived by the other characters will require inscrutable expressions and, additionally, maintaining tension throughout the development of the plot will require excellent and subtle performances.
A bounty hunter arrives in the shanty town of Brimstone Ridge to collect a fugitive, but finds that the populous are all oddly behaved. A preacher in a nearby church warns him of a curse upon the town, and the bounty hunter investigates. As he uncovers the truth that the town's occupants were all killed in a mining accident, he comes to discover that a witch doctor has raised the townsfolk from the dead and is puppeteering them as a means to continue mining further in the pursuit of gold.
Strengths.
- One of the biggest benefits this option has going is that it's among my favourites.
- I have several ideas for dialogue exchanges between the bounty hunter and the preacher that I really enjoy.
- The addition of the supernatural element adds an extra bit of depth that consistently benefits the genre, but is surprisingly under-utilised.
- This plot explores both the morality and limits of a bounty hunter, religion, a witch doctor, and a mining company, which is a much broader range than the previous ideas.
Weaknesses.
- The 'corporation was controlling the villain for economic gain' twist isn't particularly original.
- Additionally, greed is rarely a very interesting motivation for a villain, as it's rather one-dimensional. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, and it would be defeatist to suggest that I couldn't write a compelling villain with said motivation, but the mystery-solving element of the plot will occupy most of the run-time.
- On the topic of run-time, there are a lot of different elements and scenes required by this plot to fit into a short film.
Opportunities.
- Experimentation with some more traditional and mystically aestheticised supernatural elements.
- More diverse costume exploration than the previous options, with outfits needed for a bounty hunter, possessed townsfolk, a preacher, and a witch doctor.
- I'd like to experiment with lots of different types of lighting, as there are very varied environments in this plot. I'm specifically excited about lighting and shooting the gold mine.
- I'd like to play the bounty hunter myself, a role about which I'm very enthused.
Threats.
- While explicitly showing the entire populous could largely be avoided, the potential need to include the townsfolk could require a large cast of extras, if only for one scene.
- Requires multiple large, specific sets: an entire shanty town, a church, the interior of at least one building in the town, and the depths of a gold mine.
- Digitally composing background landscapes for so many sets each with a large number of shots will be an extensive and time-consuming process.
A traveller is injured by outlaws, but is found and rescued by a hermit, who takes him back to her cottage to nurse him to health. While she's out, the traveller explores her cabin and finds strange things; animal bones, belongings of missing persons, etc. Eventually, he discovers her peculiarium, a dungeon wherein she creates grotesqueries; sewn together blends of man and animal. She's nursing him back to health so that she can make him into one.
Strengths.
- The blend of Western with occult elements would give this film a very unique aesthetic.
- Plots wherein one character believes they have the upper hand over the second, when in fact the second has information that gives them the benefit, are rife with tension and suspense if written and executed properly, and make for very compelling dialogue.
- Only requiring two characters will make this option very easy to cast and shoot.
Weaknesses.
- The plot is very similar to the 'hermit character has a secret sinister room' trope that has been frequently explored in horror media. While there is a little more colour in it with the addition of the grotesqueries and the occult and supernatural elements, it's still not a unique premise.
- The lack of significant similarities or differences between the two characters, as well as the sinister motivations of the hermit, limits the amount of meaningful dialogue to be had between them.
Opportunities.
- The nature of the two characters being a traveller and a witch will allow for both the more traditional aspects of the Western and the more occult-style elements of 19th-Century based supernatural fiction to be explored simultaneously.
- While it would be an extensive task, outfitting and lighting the locations for this film would be an extensive education in set-dressing.
Threats.
- Will require a lot of specific and niche props and set pieces, as well as a very specific looking set in and of itself, to establish the hermit as a significant threat, and to exposit the nature of her activities without dialogue.
- This is potentially another plot that would require special effects makeup, for the traveller's wounds.
A pirate who washes ashore on a deserted island finds a grave marked only by a wooden cross. He follows clues to uncover the identity of the buried man, and who buried him. The buried man was another pirate, as vastly rich as he, and he learns a valuable lesson about the unimportance of his riches and the futility of his piracy.
Strengths.
- Could be something refreshingly different for the Western genre. Stories about pirates and castaways have been explored, but often with their own unique aesthetic, and usually set longer ago than Westerns or more recent.
- Beyond not traditionally being a part of the Western genre, pirate films simply aren't very common as whole.Probably because Disney has a bit of a monopoly on them but that's none of my business.
- A good mystery is a lot of fun to write and, if executed properly, to watch.
Weaknesses.
- The Western connection isn't very strong, and - while there are a lot of notable similarities between Western and pirate fiction - a considerable amount of liberties may need to be taken to keep this premise genre-consistent.
- The presence of only one character, while making this option considerably easier to shoot than any of the others, also severely limits any dialogue possibility.
- The title is boring and uninspired. Obviously I'll need to come up with a better one if this option goes ahead.
Opportunities.
- Would be huge chance to experiment with green-screening, with making a shooting environment appear to be something that it isn't in reality, and with CGI animals. While the difficulty of achieving these things has been listed in the 'threats' column, the opportunity to attempt them is worth acknowledging.
- The employment of the Western style in a pirate story is so uncommon that this is an opportunity to try a blend of aesthetics that's almost entirely unexplored.
Threats.
- I don't have access to a deserted island, and any similar environments are likely to be heavily populated or unreasonably far away.
- While it's obviously possible to tell a great story and deliver a great performance with only one character, it does limit the range of potential personalities, writing styles, and dynamics that could be explored.
- Besides the elements, there is little for a person to come into conflict with on a deserted island except for animals, and I don't have access to stage-trained predators.
A pianist in a Wild West saloon is renowned for his ability and talent in inventing new songs and stories, and people travel from far to listen to him. One day, however, he discovers that all of his stories come true, as the heroes and villains he's invented in all his wild tales turn up all at once in his saloon.
Strengths.
- I always enjoy a good ensemble cast, and the nature of this ensemble cast being fictional creations can make them more interesting and diverse than usual.
- This plot provides more of an opportunity than the others to make use of both up-beat and more dramatic scenes.
- The 'comic relief' character is very common nowadays, but less common is for them to be the main character. Focusing on the comic relief character, in the form of the pianist, as the character from whose perspective the audience views the film, isn't a widely explored concept.
Weaknesses.
- While starting with some more unique elements, the plot eventually descends into a relatively by-the-numbers good vs evil firefight.
- This may seem pessimistic, but it's unlikely that I will have time to explore all of the characters in-depth. Some of the characters are likely to end up pretty one-dimensional.
Opportunities.
- This option gives me an opportunity to try writing a few songs.
- Many of the characters being over-the-top fictional creations by the pianist provides an opportunity to write some really eccentric and unique personalities.
- This plot is a chance to experiment more with comedy, and in two different styles. In the film's first act, the pianist's songs can be quite amusing. In the second and third acts, the blundering, fish-out-of-water nature of the pianist under attacks from his fictional villains is another chance for comedy.
Threats.
- I am not good at writing songs, either lyrically or musically.
- While it could actually benefit the film to focus very closely on the pianist exclusively during the first act, the option to be a bit more cinematic and exhibit more of the saloon - which will benefit the Western setting - will require both a considerably niche set and several extras performing in the background.
- The pianist's characters need to be very unique and distinctive, which will require a lot of attention to detail in costume, and several good actors.
An explorer lost in the North Pole is taken in by a settlement of strange folk. They nurse him back to health and give him supplies and memorabilia, then send him on his way with their flying reindeer. A child spots him, so he gives the child one of the toys crafter by the strange folk to keep her quiet. He misses the strange folk, so he returns to them and they begin a yearly tradition of bringing the toys they whittle to children across the world.
Strengths.
- The story of Santa in this plot is rife with opportunities for character development.
- As stated in the 'weaknesses' column, the gritty Santa idea may not be wholly original, but it has consistently proven itself to work, and to be a very fitting version of the character.
- This is the only one of my ideas to be set in a snowy environment, which is something more characteristic or revisionist Westerns than spaghetti Westerns. This makes it a less common avenue for exploration.
Weaknesses.
- Obviously it's not particularly original. It's a new take on the lore, but ultimately it's just a Santa Claus origin story, and he's not a character of my creation and, as such, the outcome of his story is beyond my control.
- Let me first defend myself by saying I've actually had this idea under my belt for several years, but there has been a recent trend, with films such as Rise of the Guardians and the Christmas Chronicles of producing a grittier, more action-based version of Santa.
Opportunities.
- The strange folk (elves. It's just elves) provide an opportunity for one or more actors to play some more eccentric and alien characters.
- The reindeer provide an opportunity to experiment with some CGI, and for my actors to develop skills performing alongside digitally-composed creatures. Additionally, a lot of the backgrounds in the strange folk's workshop will likely require digital composition or alteration.
- It's a chance to reinvent an iconic character and provide a new contribution to his mythology.
Threats.
- While an exciting opportunity, the need for computer generated reindeer and digitally composed backgrounds is also a demanding one.
- Making the strange folk believable as devoted toymakers will require a large quantity of props, both in the form of toys and in the form of woodworking tools.
- I actually have no idea if the Santa Claus name and likeness is public domain. It probably is, but Googling it would mean I have to come up with something else to put in this column.
A consistently unsuccessful prospector sick of wasting away looking for gold decides to build himself a home and live off the land. What he doesn't realise is that he's building atop a sinkhole. Every time he makes progress on his house and leaves to gather more wood, he returns to find that the house has disappeared.
Strengths.
- Being of a very light-hearted nature, and one in which the audience is encouraged to laugh at the main character, makes this plot a great basis for a strong comedy.
- The lead character in this plot has a very personal, very relatable motivation.
- This is the only of my ideas to focus on a prospector, while the rest feature a more traditional adventurous lead in the starring role.
Weaknesses.
- While this isn't really of much consequence when writing a comedy, the premise of this option's central joke is very farfetched.
- I actually think that in this case the inclusion of only one character is a detriment more than a benefit. Obviously it makes shooting easier, but this premise may not be deep enough to survive with only one character.
Opportunities.
- Having a house that needs to be able to appear and disappear when needed will require digital composition, as will the sink-hole and the cave into which the sunken houses have fallen.
- Experimentation with comedy, and in this case very overt physical comedy.
Threats.
- The farfetched nature of the premise's central joke aside, it also risks becoming too repetitive if overused and if there isn't enough variation in the circumstances and the reactions of the prospector each time.
A lone shootist wounded in a duel drags his injured horse through the desert, determined to get the both of them to safety and a doctor, and completely opposed to the concept of putting down or leaving the horse. As he travels he sees mirages of all the people he's killed, and they bring him to consider the consequences of his actions.
Strengths.
- The connection between the shootist and his horse gives the story a very emotional core motivation.
- Additionally, the presence of the only other characters being deceased victims of the lead adds even more to the emotional heart of the story.
- The story features a significantly sized cast, but their roles as mirages makes their screen-time very minor which, along with there being only one main character, will make shooting very easy.
Weaknesses.
- There is only one lead, and the only dialogue he can really have is with his horse. The secondary characters, namely the mirages, can have dialogue with the shootist, but the nature of their intention could make them very one-dimensional and their dialogue very heavy handed.
- This premise is actually very similar in nature and message to that of my first listed idea; Love Nor Money. This isn't necessarily a problem, as I'll only end up producing one, but either or both might benefit from being melded into one concept.
Opportunities.
- This would be a huge opportunity to experiment and improve with both green-screening and CGI, as the expansive desert environment ,the constant presence of the horse, and the appearance of the mirages will require significant digital composition and stylisation.
- A chance to write a story with a really empathic leads and an emotionally founded core premise.
Threats.
- It requires a horse. A very physically present, very specifically performed horse. I do not have a horse.
- Thanks to the green-screen, this won't need to be shot in the desert as such, but the actor will have to be in sand or some small desert-like environment, which could be a nightmare to locate and to access uninterrupted for a lengthy shoot.
- While the emotional nature of the plot is enticing, it's also a huge demand that needs to be written nigh-on perfectly to land properly.
From here I think the first order of business is to whittle down the list somewhat. With twelve ideas, I find myself spoiled for choice, but as a consequence I also find myself fond of a great number of the options, and unable to choose.
The first idea I've come up with to help lower the number of choices is to combine Love Nor Money and Burning Daylight into one concept. I don't know yet which aspects of each concept to include and combine, or indeed which title should remain, but it's a start. Next, I think it's clear that the Wooden Cross and Brighter Prospects are the weakest ideas, so they shall be counted out. While they aren't enormous, there are some similarities between the concepts for the First Indian Takeout and the Tontine. I find that the Tontine is the idea out of the two that appeals to me the most, as I'm much more enticed by the idea of tension and suspense than of comedy, so the First Indian Takeout, too, shall be crossed out.
With eight options remaining, at this point it's a matter of simply eliminating some choices by necessity. I'm certainly interested in exploring the Love Nor Money/Burning Daylight idea, so that remains. I'm also dead-set on exploring both Burial Ground and the Pianist That Shouldn't've, so they're a guarantee. Realistically I think Solstice poses too many technical challenges against which to work, and it'll be nothing but a horrendous uphill battle, along with not being totally original, so I'll rule that one out.
While some aspects of it do pose significant technical challenges, I also feel that there are other aspects of the Once and Future West that will afford it a lot more ease to make than some of the other ideas while in those specific areas, so it's a very inviting premise and will remain on the list. Of the ideas remaining; All Abhorred, the Peculiarium, and the Tontine, I think that the Peculiarium is the weakest, so I'll eliminate that. Six remaining ideas is still a lot, but I feel that these options are all worth exploring, and some more in-depth pre-production work may help me to either change my mind about my favourites, or to encounter new reasons to further minimise the list.
So, pre-production will move forward for:
- Love nor Money/Burning Daylight
- All Abhorred
- The Once and Future West
- The Tontine
- Burial Ground
- The Pianist That Shouldn't've
Below are the links to the individual pages for each of the concepts progressing into pre-production.
After pre-production and deliberation I've decided to move into the FMP with the Pianist That Shouldn't've.
Below is the pitch slideshow, including the pitches for Burial Ground and All Abhorred.
