The Filmography of Damien Chazelle
Damien Chazelle is the director of Whiplash, La La Land, and Babylon, amongst other gems. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to make movies,” he says. Chazelle is a genius; he both writes and directs almost every movie that he makes. It is no surprise that his films are granted the prestige of high value and excellence, and conclusively, of literary nature.
He is a huge believer that originality in art is overrated. The greatest art to him is taking pre-existing art and adding his own spin to it, which is what he does with all his films. He also takes things that are very personal and honest to him into his scripts, which engages audiences and allures them into the vulnerable and honest nature of his works.
After watching his entire filmography, I have found similarities amongst them all. The common elements between his motion pictures are as follows:
1. The First Scene:
Chazelle likes to start off his movies with what he likes to call: “a short.” The first scene of each of his films immediately makes what the movie is about very clear, and he does that very purposely. For example, Whiplash begins with main protagonist, Andrew Neiman, playing the drums, and his teacher, Fletcher, walking in on him and asking him to audition for his band the next morning. This scene establishes the entirety of the movie: a passionate and hard-working drummer that is not that well-known, and his relationship with this teacher.
Another example is how La La Land starts off with a traffic scene busted by many strangers in their cars, which is where Mia and Sebastian (the main protagonists of the film) first meet. This first scene tells us that the movie that we are about to witness is a musical, it is about the connections between people that are so specific and intentionally fated, and it will be colourful, playful, random, and exuberant.
2. The Whip-Pan:
The whip-pan is defined as sudden movements of the camera from one object to another during when the image is blurred. I think the whip-pan technique is used by Chazelle, not just for visual pleasure and adherence, but also as a symbol for simultaneity in his films. The focus on one shot, then the immediate fast-paced transition to focus on the next shot, tells the audience that these characters all exist in the real world. If we see Whiplash’s Neiman playing the drums, that does not mean that Fletcher is not out there torturing another one of his students at the same time. The whip-pan acts as a reminder of this, and it elevates the characters’ dimensional nature. This technique is used in each of his movies with no exception.
3. The Ending:
Damien Chazelle’s endings are defined by their simplicity, silent nature, and emotional height. The ending makes the littlest things become extremely significant because of how calm they may seem. Everything is simple and set clearly for the audience to witness and understand without too much effort. This allows the room for audiences to feel rather than to think.
Moreover, due to the amalgamation of the qualities I mentioned, the audience members are on the edge of their seat, but the payoff is unexpected completely. There is tension because there is nothing really happening, and nothing really happens except for the emotional peak towards the very last scene. For films that are known for their use of music, his endings are distinctly silent. His characters never speak in the endings, and that silence is deafening. Finally, his endings are unusual alternatives of happy endings, and the credits roll after the emotional climax, leaving audiences in awe.
The Music:
Justin Hurwitz is the mastermind behind all of the soundtracks of Chazelle’s films. He has been his friend and bandmate since high school. Damien prioritizes the music in his films, so much so, that he titled Whiplash after the title of its score, and he started filming La La Land and Babylon AFTER composing the music for them. He is even known to be a “musical director.” The music comes first for him, always, and it is always jazz. Jazz is a powerful form of music, and in and of itself, can have its own studied interpretations. The soundtracks of his films are astutely made and vehemently capable of transporting your brain back to the film said soundtrack belongs to.
In conclusion, Chazelle is a genius and an inspiration, and his films are near and dear to my heart. His attention to detail and melodic methods are admirable. This is my take on Damien Chazelle. I bestow it upon you with an open mind and heart. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
