How did director Todd Phillips
build and evolve his antihero origin story
into a tense
and unforgettable showdown.
"- Not everybody - and I'll tell you this - Not everyone is awful.
- You're awful, Murray."
- Great directors make thoughtful and deliberate decisions
from script, to breakdown, to shot list.
Using StudioBinder's preproduction software
we can learn to see through Todd Phillips eyes.
"- Hey."
- The climax of Phillip's film is a jaw-dropping conclusion.
"- Check out this joke."
- It is a confrontation that's been building for the entire film.
"- When you bring me out, can you introduce me as Joker?
- What's wrong with your real name?
- That's what you called me on the show.
A joker.
Do you remember?
- Did I? - I don't know.
Well, if you say so kid, you know, Joker it is. That's good.
- Thanks, Murray."
- Before filming, it's important to identify the key moments,
so that you can make them stand out to the audience.
Social commentary plays a large part of Joker's narrative.
Isolation.
Mental health.
The media.
And the anger boiling under society's surface.
"- Is it just me or is it getting crazier out there?"
And at the center of it all is Arthur Fleck.
"- Please, help me welcome Arthur Fleck, y'all.
- Arthur toils to become a stand-up comic.
And he dreams of one day being a guest on the "Murray Franklin Show".
"- Come sit, it's starting.
- Stand up.
But that dream sours
when Franklin airs a clip of Arthur's routine
to mock and ridicule him.
"- Here's a guy who thinks you'd just keep laughing it'll somehow make you funny.
Check out this Joker.
- When I was a little boy
and told people I was going to be a comedian.
everyone laughed at me.
Well no one's laughing now.
- You can say that again, pal!"
And when he finally appears on Franklin's show,
it concludes the trajectory he has been on since the beginning.
"- But this is how he wanted to come out.
And honestly, I think we could all use a good laugh.
So please welcome, Joker."
- Now we can start thinking about how to shoot the scene.
We want to lean into the very public nature of this confrontation.
So let's intersperse shots from the TV camera's POV
with other shots
that foreground the television equipment.
A reminder that we're not alone.
Perhaps millions of others are watching too.
"- Are you all right, Doctor?
Well, that was quite an entrance."
In general, the shots in this first section
should be made wide and neutral.
"- You're okay?"
- But we can also slowly track and push in the camera.
"- This is exactly how I imagined it.
- Well, that makes one of us."
- And let's cover the scene from multiple perspectives
to keep the audience unsettled.
"- When we spoke earlier, you mentioned that this look
is not a political statement, is that right?
- That's right, Murray. I'm not political.
I'm going to just try to make people laugh.
- And how's that going for you?
So, I know you were a comedian.
You've been working on any new material? You want to tell us a joke?
When Joker opens his notebook,
his demeanor shifts.
"- He's got a book."
- So let's add in more subjective angles and framing.
And we can jump the 180-degree line.
"- Take your time. We got all night."
- To go behind Joker and Murray.
"- He's got a book.
A book of jokes.
Take your time. We got all night.
- Okay.
Here's one."
- This shift in orientation
helps mark the shift in mood and tone
by introducing dramatic backlighting
instead of the neutral frontal lighting.
Darkness is creeping into the TV program.
"- Okay. Here's one.
Knock, knock.
- Who's that?
- It's the police, ma'am.
Your son's been hit by a drunk driver.
He's dead.
- No, no, no, no. You cannot joke about that.
Yeah, that's not funny, Arthur.
That's not the kind of humor we do on this show.
- Okay. Um, yeah, I'm sorry.
It's just, you know...
It's been a rough few weeks, Murray.
Ever since I..."
- Then there's the turn.
Joker confesses.
"- ...killed those three Wall Street guys."
- We want to accentuate this pivot.
So we cut out to an extreme wide shot
showing the cameras,
the silhouetted audience,
and Joker sitting at the center.
We left the scene pause,
allowing Joker's confession to sink in.
We cut back in and break the 180 degree line again for this closeup.
"- Okay. I'm waiting for the punchline.
- There is no punchline.
It's not a joke."
- And we can repeat it across the line
as the scene spins out of control.
"- You're serious, aren't you?
You're telling us you killed those three young men on the subway.
- Mmm-hmm.
- And why should we believe you?
- I got nothing left to lose.
Nothing can hurt me anymore."
- As Joker becomes more intense,
we push the camera in closer
from mediums
to close ups.
"- Well, let me get this straight,
you think that killing those guys is funny?
- I do.
And I'm tired of pretending it's not.
Comedy is subjective, Murray.
Isn't that what they say?"
- All roads have led to this moment.
And the anticipation of what's going to happen is palpable.
"- Two policemen are in critical condition,
and you're laughing, you're laughing.
Someone was killed today because of what you did.
- I know.
How about another joke, Murray?
No, I think we've had enough of your jokes.
- What do you get... - I don't think so.
...when you cross a mentally-ill loner
with a society that abandons him
and treats him like trash?
- I'll tell you what you get! - Call the police.
You get what you f*cking deserve!"
- First, a quick close-up of Joker's reaction
and then come back out to a wide
to see his actions repercussions.
We sit with Joker
as he contemplates what he's done.
For the final shot,
Joker takes the camera into his hands.
"- Goodnight."
- He has literally taken control of the scene.
"- And always remember, that's..."
- From script to the editing,
Todd Phillips utilized each aspect of cinematic storytelling.
Costuming.
Production design.
Camera.
Sound.
All use to heighten Joker's climax
and to emphasize the conclusion of Arthur's character arc.
By paying attention to story elements and presentation,
Todd Phillips directed a shocking and memorable scene.
Want more analysis of classic scenes?
We have videos on everything from Stanley Kubrick's iconic opening scene
in "2001: A Space Odyssey".
To our "Directors Playbook" series,
where we focus on actor blocking
camera staging, lighting, and more.
Whatever your next project is,
StudioBinder is geared to help you out.
It's never been easier to make the next great movie.