(slow soft music)
- [Narrator] Taking a trip through the brilliant mind
of Charlie Kaufman, we used "I'm Thinking of Ending Things"
to show the trademarks he's best known for.
What's your favorite Charlie Kaufman film?
Let us know in the comments.
(soft lighthearted music)
To put it lightly,
Kaufman's films are a bit of a mind fuck.
Often dealing with the complex inner workings
of one's inner psyche, Kaufman always finds a way
to portray these internalized journeys
in a surreal, dream-like,
yet surprisingly accessible manner.
Oftentimes these are told
in the way someone might perceive the world
versus the way it actually is.
Many of Kaufman's characters are artists
and simply want to create something bigger than themselves.
Whether it's a talented, albeit troubled puppeteer,
a screenwriter with writer's block,
or a budding intellectual
that just couldn't get their voice heard,
this struggle often serves as a big motivator
for these characters and helps drive things forward.
You'll often hear someone describe a film
as Kaufman-esque.
While we think we have a good idea of what that means,
even Charlie himself has said he's not entirely sure.
In the three films he's directed
and the ones he's made with Spike Jones and Michel Gondry,
Kaufman often tells stories that are metaphysical,
introspective, and beautifully abstract.
Or, if you want to get really deep about it,
they're kind of a trip.
Time is usually a major focus in Kaufman films.
While usually represented
as something you never have enough of.
- She's a fucking four year old!
- She's almost over 11 now.
- [Narrator] Kaufman often shows time
as all at once and overlapping on itself,
as if being recalled imperfectly.
While this is normally shown through characters
at various ages and points in their life,
it's also displayed in some other ways, too.
- Excuse me?
- You don't have to go.
- I don't have to go where?
- Forward.
- [Narrator] Many times, you'll see a theme of flowers
in Kaufman's work.
Whether they're hanging out in the far corner of the screen,
the subject of a book, or the theme of your walls
and nightgowns, flowers can serve as a subtle reminder
of life, growth, and even death,
as well as show just how finite time can be.
- But why can't there be a movie simply about flowers?
- [Narrator] If you are a Kaufman character
and find yourself walking down a long hallway,
there's a good chance it isn't your first time.
That's because long corridors
tend to represent an endless loop
of a character's behavior,
as if doing the same thing over and over again,
yet expecting a different result.
It's kind of like when you had to walk
to the principal's office as a kid.
- Pleased.
- [Narrator] Well, maybe not that long.
Kaufman likes to think outside the box,
but many of his characters are another story.
By this, I mean they're often shown inside
of some kind of frame, such as a mirror
for personal reflection or one of the many doorways
and windows that can symbolize rabbit holes,
or proverbial thresholds that a character must cross.
(music drowns out dialog)
While there's little that stops him from doing so,
stepping outside of these boxes isn't always easy.
I need another trademark.
Come on.
Think, think.
- God help you if you use voice over
in your work, my friends.
It's flacid, sloppy writing.
- [Narrator] Okay, so the use of voiceover in a film
is a little controversial.
Though Charlie seems aware of this,
he often implements the storytelling mechanic
in a new, inventive way that gives the viewer a chance
to truly live inside someone else's head.
- [Man] Coffee would help me think,
but I should write something first
then reward myself with coffee.
- [Narrator] As well as experience inner thoughts
that only the character can hear.
As you may have gathered,
Kaufman's movies tend to involve people
with a lot going on upstairs.
- [Woman] What is your real self do you think?
- I don't know yet.
- [Narrator] These internalized struggles come from feelings
of anxiety, incompletion, and an overall lack of control.
While venturing inside one's own brain
can be a little uncomfortable,
there is one other way that Charlie's characters
like to deal with things.
Kaufman's characters usually have more
than one side to them.
And many times, they will project it onto another person.
- It's just projection anyway, right?
- [Narrator] Charlie has even done it before in real life.
Whether they're real or just a fabrication of the mind,
these projections serve as a new perspective
that can help a neurotic character
see things a little clearer.
Kaufman tends to include a lot of himself in his films,
but due to their abstract quality,
his work has natural subjectivity.
- [Woman] Soon this will all be a distant Memory.
Who is this? - It's me.
- [Woman] No, it was me.
- [Narrator] So, it's quite possible
that while someone may see "I'm Thinking of Ending Things"
as a metaphysical thriller,
it could also be viewed in plenty of other ways.
Having all the answers is pretty rare
and coming up with your own is a big part of life.
Charlie Kaufman is one of the few filmmakers
that gives you that opportunity.
Which director should we cover next?
Let us know in the comments.