Good Example Of Research Paper On Steven Spielberg: A Great Role Model And A Filmmaking Icon

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Abstract
Filmmaking occurs as one of the most widespread means to appeal to the public. Basically, the phenomenon of filmmaking is considered as an important part of modern cultural life; obviously, it entertains masses of people bringing an esthetic pleasure. The theme of filmmaking is indisputably worthy of notice, since it incorporates a wide spectrum of analytical studies within the area of making a film. All in all, as for this paper, it is mainly aimed at analyzing the creativity of Steven Allan Spielberg, one of the most outstanding American film directors, screenwriters, and producers, whose professional breakthrough as well as contribution to film industry can be vividly seen. Steven Spielberg turned to be a real virtuoso in terms of moviemaking; and, as a result, he can rightly claim to be a filmmaking icon.
Steven Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. The first 8mm film Steven Spielberg made in his early teens. In 1963, he directed an independent film; it was science fiction adventure, named Firelight. The budget of this film was about US $500. When he was thirteen, he won his first prize for the war movie that was entitled Escape to Nowhere. It is worth stating that Spielberg’s real career started when he came back to Universal Studios as the unpaid intern. Steven Spielberg is of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios, since in 1994 he decided to take a short pause and create a new studio. Among the most influential movies that Spielberg produced, it is necessary to make mention of such as The Color Purple, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Catch Me If You Can, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, and others.
Currently, Steven Spielberg is considered as an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Being often internationally valued for his tremendous breakthrough, Spielberg occurred as a real role model within the area of moviemaking. Due to his experience, he received numerous awards: he has gotten the prize at Venice Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival. His Jaws brought him fame and universal acclaim; a peculiar thing is that the Steven Spielberg won 126 awards, including 3 Oscars. Some of the contemporary film critics state that Spielberg became popular for his professional ability to perfectly depict one of his major themes; he was frequently targeted to display the image of resilient nature of humans in the face of constant hardship and adversity.
Basically, his movies are famous for their active usage of color. It is worth making mention that Steven Spielberg emerged as the “only filmmaker who makes entertainment that’s massively popular.” (Beggs, 2012) As for this essay, it is focused on investigating Steven Spielberg's unique film techniques on his way to becoming the international celebrated director as well as identifying his influence and contribution to American and international film industry.
Considering Spielberg’s film techniques, it is worth saying that he always draws special attention to sound that he regards as the most important aspect in moviemaking. In accordance with Steven Spielberg, although people can enjoy the visual materials, they cannot understand the entire message and plot, being devoid of proper sound. Due to the advances in sound recording, the filmmakers are seen to widely apply wireless sound recording on the set, placing the hidden microphones on actors and improving essentially the overall quality of sound. Many filmmakers usually focus all of their attention on video footage, whereas the general audience is mostly annoyed by the quality of sound, rather than by the poor cinematography. The result comes when the filmmaker is intended to use pro-sumer video cameras with areas, where it is possible to attach wireless microphones, boom microphones and higher quality directional microphones. Spielberg assumes that sound performs the direct narrative role. This way the sound effects are used to draw attention to the certain characters in particular film scenes. Additionally, sound allows spectators watching the movie analytically, demanding some emotional involvement in the material. Moreover, in some cases, sound can have the grammatical role, indicating the time when the action happens.
Spielberg’s influence on American film industry is more than fundamental. First of all, he has greatly shaped the national space. Revising its basic traditions and showing them to masses, he succeeded in becoming the film director. His creative and thrilling plots were always loved by the general audience. His movies opened the new vision in life, showing the similarity of characters to the majority of ordinary people. Most of his films became award-winners and he basically managed to popularize his culture worldwide. One of the greatest films that Steven Spielberg managed to produce is definitely an American thriller film Jaws with an amazing cast of Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and many others. It is worth saying that movie industry would suffer essentially if there were no thriller films. However, with the flow of years it is possible to observe the rapid shift in this area, where some movies have become entertaining and others simply frightening.
Currently, there are hundreds of thriller films one can choose from; however, our choice cannot always be justified. Thriller film is considered to be a movie seeking to elicit the negative emotional reaction from the viewers by means of playing some typical human fears. In most cases, the viewers are startled through various means of macabre and supernatural. As usual, thriller films deal with hidden fears, nightmares and terror of the unknown things. Most horror films contain ghosts, torture, vampires, Satanism, demons, zombies and serial killers. Thriller movies include numerous sub-categories like body horror, comedy horror, gothic horror, Kiddie horror, monster movie, natural horror, psychological horror, slasher film, splatter film and zombie film.
Jaws is a cult thriller film that was directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975, being based upon Peter Benchley’s novel. It is worth admitting that this film received an Academy Awards nomination (Barson, 2014). As for this film, it is possible to observe the mixture of horror and lack of knowledge making it “one of the highest-grossing films ever.” (Barson, 2012, p. 2). One should be aware that it appeals to senses and fears and display a scary picture. Before falling into psychological analysis of the film’s framework, it is necessary to come to understanding Spielberg’s mechanism of making thrillers really scary. Initially, filmmaker incorporates some elements of extreme. Secondly, Spielberg is aware that in order to produce a nice thriller film, it is mandatory to provide a good soundtrack. He follows the idea that all successful thriller stories are based upon the appropriate use of sound. Moreover, an American filmmaker argues that one more specific feature of truly thriller movies is that they always take place in strange locations and frightening environment. Finally, the human imagination should be used as the tool for generating the original ideas.
Spielberg’s thriller film Jaws evokes some kind of reaction (Eggert, 2012). One should be aware that it still “remains an idyll for blockbuster filmmaking.” (Eggert, 2012) Spielberg is conscious that the more violent the film really is, the more feelings it evokes. He demonstrates a “master’s understanding of what makes movies and moviegoers tick.” (Eggert, 2012) In accordance with Spielberg’s assertion, people are expected to be perceptive when watching thrillers, since they are prone to finding links between events and characters as well as search for the probable outcome of the story. In the film, where events are presented explicitly with violence, the viewers are scared and negatively affected by the plot.
Another Spielberg’s work to analyze is American epic war film Saving Private Ryan. It is necessary to understand that the discussion filmmaker managed to shoot “one of the best modern war movies.” (Yamato, 2008); it is a powerful story about the relationships between American soldiers and their sudden findings enabling them to re-evaluate the living principles. Taking a view of Saving Private Ryan, it becomes obvious that the film incorporates the feelings that the one usually goes through when the things that mattered emerge to be nothing. The movie attracts attention because of its incomprehensible horror, seen in the war. While watching the film set during the Invasion of Normandy in Second World War, the viewers plunge into the world of despair and anger. The bombs and gunshots are like the lightening, which terrifies the viewers and captivates them as well. Lasting one hundred and sixty-nine minutes, this movie comprises many interesting and thrilling scenes.
Speaking about the movie Saving Private Ryan, it is necessary to take into account the fact that Spielberg’s film depicts universal human passions. The movie received a lot of awards and was mostly successful. What is more, this film, after being released by DreamWorks Pictures, has gathered the sum of about $ 481,840,909.
As the result, it is possible to state that the movie Saving Private Ryan is one of the most successful American films. The screenplay as well as the play of actors, wonderful editing, and music resulted in successfulness of this movie. Although the climax of this film is regarded to be a good one, it anyway fails to meet the requirements of the general audience. Watching Ryan’s decision to stay on the battlefield despite his brothers’ death, the spectator could probably be subjected to pervasive flow. The absence of text is used intentionally in order not to distract the viewers from what is expected to happen. The viewers are deprived of any kind of influence, staying beyond the plot. This is quite sensible technique made by Steven Spielberg, who might have had the intention to let the spectators perceive the action by means of his senses rather than his consciousness. Saving Private Ryan received eleven Oscar nods, incorporating Spielberg’s win for Best Director as well as numerous critical acclaims for the cast (Yamato, 2008).
Looking into Spielberg’s films, it becomes apparent that the general audience does not have time to have a rest from the action. The climax moment is the moment of expectations with unfamiliar denouement. This episode is dubiously strong: it often comprises the effective technique of shooting films with the attention directed to the development of the plot. And, although it is not difficult to guess what comes next, the spectator would definitely have doubts when recognizing his truth.
Evidently, Steven Spielberg proves to be a role model and filmmaking icon today, since his contribution to the development of film industry is really huge. The thing is that Spielberg managed to produce his own film techniques enabling him to succeed in reaching the viewers’ acknowledgment and getting to know the variety of new unlimited opportunities in shooting films. Steven Spielberg emerges as a real master filmmaking, since the way he produces his films is definitely unique; the commitment as well as the professional skills he demonstrates when making a film proves him to be one of the greatest filmmakers ever.

References

Beggs, S. (2012). 6 Filmmaking Tips From Steven Spielberg. para.1-14. Retrieved from: http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/6-filmmaking-tips-from-steven-spielberg.php
Barson, M. (2014). Steven Spielberg. 1-4. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/559883/Steven-Spielberg/309042/2000-and-beyond
Eggert, B. (2012). Deep Focus Review: Jaws. The Definitives. para.1-13. Retrieved from:
http://www.deepfocusreview.com/reviews/jaws.asp
Yamato, J. (2008). Steven Spielberg's Ten Best-Directed Films. 1-3. Retrieved from:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1728796/1/steven_spielbergs_ten_best-directed_films/