Thread by @looseyliu

Dovetailing off some previous thoughts on character POV, I wanted to do a dedicated #film study of 'Drive' (2011). specifically, the way camera & editing create a rich, cinematic POV -- and for a protagonist who rarely speaks! (that's one BIG directing challenge!) #feboardary

a quick recap on POV: it's important for board artists and filmmakers alike to shoot scenes with a POV, bc THIS is the movie magic that connects the audience to the story & makes them feel what the characters are feeling

https://twitter.com/looseyliu/status/1356356741357834240

Drive is about a man of few words, no name, & many talents: driving for movie stunts by day & getaway cars by night. He's a loner, at times shy, but a meticulous professional with a strict code. ppl talk at him or about him or for him, but this is undoubtedly HIS story

Here are some things I noticed about how Nicholas Winding Refn directed Drive, and what worked well for getting the audience to follow Driver and understand his world. The cam gives so much weight to Driver's silent actions, even when he's doing nothing!

Something simple yet effective: Place the camera where Driver is or pointing it at him, ESPECIALLY when the 'action' is happening SOMEWHERE. Here the 'action' is the babysitter's arrival. Driver's doing nothing, but he's the point of the scene; it's still HIS story

Or, cover an entire scene using a shot that was designed just for Driver, framing his performance jusssst the way you want it:

Then, even after Irene steps into frame, the key is to NOT adjust the camera! Don't pan, don't tilt, don't reframe to get a better look at her. STAY. ON. DRIVER.

This creates a sense that this is Driver's world, HIS shot, & others are simply 'passing thru'

This idea of 'other characters just passing thru' comes up again in this pretty iconic scene -- just 3 simple shots that say SO MUCH

Like the conventional shot-POV pattern, we get a shot of Driver, then cut to his POV overlooking what is (at first) just some diner ambience...

Whats SUPER neat is that we cover the rest of the action in that POV shot! The stranger approaches Driver at the counter, but notice how the camera makes NO adjustments for this other character (he’s just ‘passing thru’, tho interrupting, Driver’s world)

You can create this 'other characters passing thru' stuff with motion too, esp when Driver's movement singularly motivates the cam movement

There are also several brilliant moments where Driver LITERALLY upstages the other characters and steals the show without speaking a single word!

(Quick recap on ~literal actual literal~ upstaging:

This shot starts out as Bryan Cranston's. then Driver enters from far behind him, forcing Cranston to turn his back to us & direct our eye to Driver. Driver's movement then motivates the camera dolly to follow, seizing ownership of this shot!

And here, in a conversation between two OTHER characters, it's all about DRIVER! Thru upstaging AND editing, we box out Cranston from his own conversation to focus on Driver's million$ smile - the point of the scene!

And here, in a scene about SOMEONE ELSE's juicy plot deets, upstaging happens again.

Basically, Ryan Gosling is just repeatedly, silently stealing the show lmao. I mean, this stuff just SCREAMS, "hey, don't look over there, this is DRIVER'S story!"

Anyway, there's so much cool stuff in this film that's too good not to share!! so many other beautiful staging moments come to mind that are also not directly related to the character POV topic, so... to be continued...?