Inspired By: Werner Herzog

Although there are many filmmakers that I draw inspiration from, Beauty Day does have a few films to thank for some generous guidance throughout the production/editing process. The most obvious inspirations are definitely worn on the films sleeve; Errol Morris' Vernon, Florida/Gates of Heaven and Chris Smith's 'American Movie'. There are, however, some that might not be so apparent. Werner Herzog is one of my favourite filmmakers and it's no surprise that his work has also informed some aspects of this film, both in spirit and in style.

This past week I decided to revisit some favourite films of mine to gather some motivation/inspiration. After revisiting The Thin Blue Line and Goodfellas, I decided to sit down with Herzog's non-fiction, sci-fi fever dream 'Fata Morgana'. It proved to be a beneficial experience as one of the sequences ended up stirring my imagination and sent me rushing for my Mac. This would prove to be a minor, somewhat superficial inspiration, but a great starting point for what I think will be a promising sequence in my own film. The scene:



When Ralph first started discussing ideas for his 20th birthday special, I had one request to ask of him; total chaos. I wanted his skits to be tumultuous; total bedlam and as visceral as possible. I immediately drew from Herzog's filmography and his ability to put the viewer in the middle of chaos, giving you a sense that even the camera man is in danger. His wide angle, roaming handheld camera heightens the sense of pure disorder. This immediately came to mind:



Another great scene from the same film, along with a still from Beauty Day:





UPDATE: It seems as though YouTube has pulled my uploaded Even Dwarves Started Small clips due to copyright infringement. LAME.

SECOND UPDATE: The clips are currently back on line. I've disputed the copyright infringement, but I don't know how long it will last. Down with the man.