Film Independent: Director's Close-Up

The Director's Close-Up is a great forum to listen to top-notch filmmakers discuss their experience in the entertainment business. I attended the session where Jason Reitman and his creative team talked about the art of collaboration. Eric Steelberg (cinematographer), Dana E. Glauberman (editor) and Rolfe Kent (composer) worked with Reitman on his previous projects Thank You For Smoking, Juno and his latest Oscar-contender Up in the Air.

John August moderated the discussion and they showed clips from Juno and Up in the Air to analyze and compare the beautifully directed conversation scenes where: A.) Clooney, Kendrick & Farmiga talk "love" in the airport and B.) where Juno and her dad  first meet her baby's soon to be adopted family.

Reitman said that his goal is to make a scene as good as possible before adding a soundtrack instead of fully relying on music to convey the intended emotion. He wants the songs to sneak up on the audience "like a ninja."

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Next up on the Director's Close-Up panel is "Writing and Directing Comedy" featuring:

• Ruben Fleischer (director, Zombieland)
• Amy Heckerling (writer/director Clueless; director Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
• Don Roos (writer/director, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits; Happy Endings)
• Mark Waters (writer/director, The House of Yes; director, Mean Girls)
• Mike White (writer/director, Year of the Dog; writer, The School of Rock) 

For more info on Director's Close-Up visit www.filmindependent.org

The series runs Wednesdays Feb. 3rd to March 3rd at the Landmark Theater in West Los Angeles.