The fourth wall is a convention used in theatre, literature and film involving an imaginary barrier between the audience and the characters. To maintain the illusion of film the actors in front of the camera pretend as if the audience and camera are not there - they cannot even make eye contact with the lens of the camera otherwise they break the fourth wall. Only what is involved in the set and in front of the camera is what they can acknowledge as that's what's involved in their fictional universe. This allows the audience to experience being 'the fly on the wall' - they get to view the scenes in the most 'candid', 'realistic' and 'pure' (obviously not literally as it is fictional and scripted) way because the actors aren't influenced by the audience. Moreover, it makes the actors more engrossed in their roles because they're completely fictionalised and are therefore not crossing the line between fiction and reality which distracts from them playing their role realistically.
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Breaking the fourth wall is when the actors shatter this barrier and therefore the illusion of film has been broken. When the fourth wall is broken, the audience tend to become detached from the characters and story - it breaks up their investment in the work and makes them see the characters as people acting in a film as opposed to real people doing real things. Obviously, breaking the fourth wall shatters the sense of realism. Breaking the fourth wall can be done in several ways - it can be done by the actors addressing the audience. This is when they look into the camera lens or even go as far as to speak to the audience. This is usually aside from the events in the story so isn't apart of the narrative - other characters tend not to be aware of it however this isn't always the case. Another method of breaking the fourth wall is not by physically involving the audience but by acknowledging their fictionality. For example, if the characters reference to the set being fake etc.
Breaking the fourth wall is done for many reasons. One of these is for comedic effect. Breaking the fourth wall may be humorous because it goes against convention and creates situational comedy - the character can acknowledge the fact they're in a situation. Moreover, breaking away from any serious events in the story automatically creates a lighthearted effect because the audience are taken away from the seriousness of the situation - this is why breaking the 4th wall is less common in serious films. Also, breaking the 4th wall is funny because the characters often make jokes to the audience. These jokes are often topical or refer to something in popular culture - or they make a remark about the characters or situation in the film.
Another reason for breaking the fourth wall may be to make the audience feel targeted/attacked - this may invoke a feeling or make them think about their lives or even just the story/characters more. This is most commonly used in films that reflect social beliefs as it makes the audience think/aware of social issues.
It may also be used for expositional purposes to allow the audience to learn details about the exposition without relying on visual information - this means the audience cannot interpret which means they understand it exactly how the director wanted them to. It also increases the chance they'll remember or even know as, when relying on visual information, the audience may not even observe things properly.
Breaking the fourth wall is commonly used to make the audience bias towards a character, even if they do bad things. This is because they treat the audience like their best friend - they're open with them etc. This obviously makes the audience like them and therefore ally themselves with them.
Examples of the 4th Wall Being Broken
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, John Hughes)
Genre - Teen Comedy
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is an iconic example of the use of breaking the fourth wall. Although throughout the film breaking the 4th wall is used for comedic purposes, its main purpose is for exposition. In Ferris' opening monologue after he's tricked his parents into letting him have the day off school, he confides in the audience, telling them that he will make the most out of this day and do something fun because he knows he wont get a chance to again. This reveals to the audience his intentions and therefore allows them to get a sense of what the film is about - it sets up what's going to happen and creates that exposition without using visual clues. It also allows the audience into his mind, allowing them to know him as a character far better. This plays on the idea that the characters make the camera and the audience their best friend, which makes the audience more inclined to like him as a character. The audience sees a side to him that the other characters do not. This makes them ally with him in the film and therefore root for him when he encounters obstacles through the narrative, despite what he is doing is wrong (truancy).
Filth (2013, John S Baird)
Genre - Crime
Warning! - Spoilers Ahead
As crime is typically a more serious genre, seeing an example of a crime film featuring 4th wall breaks is interesting, however, Filth is a very expressionistic film that breaks many conventions. Filth is an example of film that used it to make the audience think. At the very end of the film, the main character, a very crooked and shameless cop, breaks the fourth wall. This is a very heartwrenching moment because he is balancing from a chair with a scarf around his neck ready to kill himself - however the doorbell rings and there's a child and a woman at the door. This gives the audience hope, however, one wrong movement will kill him, which creates tension in the audience. The character then turns to the audience and utters, 'Same rules apply', when the chair suddenly breaks and he's left hanging from the ceiling. This makes the audience think - there have been many interpretations behind the meaning of the line 'same rules apply'. Some people argue that, because of the line before it ('Sometimes it takes a wrong doer to show you when you're doing wrong'), he means that all it takes to make someone aware of their own wrong doings, is to see someone else do wrong. It is argued that this line helps reflect the purpose of the character for the audience - he helps them realise their own wrong doings, although his character certainly would put their wrong doings to shame. Others believe this line is in reference to his games and that he has become a part of his own games - all of his wrongdoings have backfired on him. However, I believe that it reflects to the audience that they shouldn't be sad about his death, because he was incredibly bad. He's saying shame on the audience for possibly liking him. On the other hand, he is also making a joke at his own expense. He has been playing with people for so long but in the end it was his fate that got the last joke.
This isn't the only scene in Filth that breaks the fourth wall. It is also used to show his wife - breaking the fourth wall helps us get to know her. However, it comes as a shock when we find out that it is in fact the main character dressing up as his wife. This is effective because the person we have been getting to know was in fact the other side to the person we already knew.
Amelie (2001, Jean Pierre Jeunet)
Genre - Romance
In the opening scene to 'Amelie', Amelie is seen as a child playing with toys. She's constantly looking down the camera. This is an example of the character treating the camera like they're best friend so the audience allies with them. However, there's a very uncomfortable and isolated aura to this scene because of the colour grading etc. This theme of isolation suggests what Amelie is like as a character - which makes the audience wonder if they're her only friend as they seem to be the only thing she acknowledges and is technically with. This helps add to the exposition, as it gives the audience a sense of what the character is like without her even saying anything.
Is It Something You Would Contemplate In Your Own Coursework?
Yes, 4th wall breaks is something I would definitely consider in my own coursework. It is something I have already considered for a specific idea. 4th Wall breaks, although sometimes can't be taken seriously, if done well, have the ability to convey so much. Firstly, they can help add to the exposition - this is useful when we only have 2 minutes to get the exposition across and therefore 4th wall breaks can be used to help get relevant information across that otherwise can't be conveyed through visuals - or could be used to get additional information across when paired with visual cues. Moreover, they help set a mood - for example, in Amelie it created an unnerving effect whereas in other films, such as Deadpool, it creates a comedic effect. They help convey something about a character too. It can also have quite an expressionistic or artistic effect that denies conventions, which would be something that would be nice to achieve. However, 4th wall breaks can't just be used for the sake of it. It must be done professionally or subtly, otherwise it won't look very good.
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Breaking the fourth wall is when the actors shatter this barrier and therefore the illusion of film has been broken. When the fourth wall is broken, the audience tend to become detached from the characters and story - it breaks up their investment in the work and makes them see the characters as people acting in a film as opposed to real people doing real things. Obviously, breaking the fourth wall shatters the sense of realism. Breaking the fourth wall can be done in several ways - it can be done by the actors addressing the audience. This is when they look into the camera lens or even go as far as to speak to the audience. This is usually aside from the events in the story so isn't apart of the narrative - other characters tend not to be aware of it however this isn't always the case. Another method of breaking the fourth wall is not by physically involving the audience but by acknowledging their fictionality. For example, if the characters reference to the set being fake etc.
Breaking the fourth wall is done for many reasons. One of these is for comedic effect. Breaking the fourth wall may be humorous because it goes against convention and creates situational comedy - the character can acknowledge the fact they're in a situation. Moreover, breaking away from any serious events in the story automatically creates a lighthearted effect because the audience are taken away from the seriousness of the situation - this is why breaking the 4th wall is less common in serious films. Also, breaking the 4th wall is funny because the characters often make jokes to the audience. These jokes are often topical or refer to something in popular culture - or they make a remark about the characters or situation in the film.
Another reason for breaking the fourth wall may be to make the audience feel targeted/attacked - this may invoke a feeling or make them think about their lives or even just the story/characters more. This is most commonly used in films that reflect social beliefs as it makes the audience think/aware of social issues.
It may also be used for expositional purposes to allow the audience to learn details about the exposition without relying on visual information - this means the audience cannot interpret which means they understand it exactly how the director wanted them to. It also increases the chance they'll remember or even know as, when relying on visual information, the audience may not even observe things properly.
Breaking the fourth wall is commonly used to make the audience bias towards a character, even if they do bad things. This is because they treat the audience like their best friend - they're open with them etc. This obviously makes the audience like them and therefore ally themselves with them.
Examples of the 4th Wall Being Broken
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, John Hughes)
Genre - Teen Comedy
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is an iconic example of the use of breaking the fourth wall. Although throughout the film breaking the 4th wall is used for comedic purposes, its main purpose is for exposition. In Ferris' opening monologue after he's tricked his parents into letting him have the day off school, he confides in the audience, telling them that he will make the most out of this day and do something fun because he knows he wont get a chance to again. This reveals to the audience his intentions and therefore allows them to get a sense of what the film is about - it sets up what's going to happen and creates that exposition without using visual clues. It also allows the audience into his mind, allowing them to know him as a character far better. This plays on the idea that the characters make the camera and the audience their best friend, which makes the audience more inclined to like him as a character. The audience sees a side to him that the other characters do not. This makes them ally with him in the film and therefore root for him when he encounters obstacles through the narrative, despite what he is doing is wrong (truancy).
Filth (2013, John S Baird)
Genre - Crime
Warning! - Spoilers Ahead
As crime is typically a more serious genre, seeing an example of a crime film featuring 4th wall breaks is interesting, however, Filth is a very expressionistic film that breaks many conventions. Filth is an example of film that used it to make the audience think. At the very end of the film, the main character, a very crooked and shameless cop, breaks the fourth wall. This is a very heartwrenching moment because he is balancing from a chair with a scarf around his neck ready to kill himself - however the doorbell rings and there's a child and a woman at the door. This gives the audience hope, however, one wrong movement will kill him, which creates tension in the audience. The character then turns to the audience and utters, 'Same rules apply', when the chair suddenly breaks and he's left hanging from the ceiling. This makes the audience think - there have been many interpretations behind the meaning of the line 'same rules apply'. Some people argue that, because of the line before it ('Sometimes it takes a wrong doer to show you when you're doing wrong'), he means that all it takes to make someone aware of their own wrong doings, is to see someone else do wrong. It is argued that this line helps reflect the purpose of the character for the audience - he helps them realise their own wrong doings, although his character certainly would put their wrong doings to shame. Others believe this line is in reference to his games and that he has become a part of his own games - all of his wrongdoings have backfired on him. However, I believe that it reflects to the audience that they shouldn't be sad about his death, because he was incredibly bad. He's saying shame on the audience for possibly liking him. On the other hand, he is also making a joke at his own expense. He has been playing with people for so long but in the end it was his fate that got the last joke.
This isn't the only scene in Filth that breaks the fourth wall. It is also used to show his wife - breaking the fourth wall helps us get to know her. However, it comes as a shock when we find out that it is in fact the main character dressing up as his wife. This is effective because the person we have been getting to know was in fact the other side to the person we already knew.
Amelie (2001, Jean Pierre Jeunet)
Genre - Romance
In the opening scene to 'Amelie', Amelie is seen as a child playing with toys. She's constantly looking down the camera. This is an example of the character treating the camera like they're best friend so the audience allies with them. However, there's a very uncomfortable and isolated aura to this scene because of the colour grading etc. This theme of isolation suggests what Amelie is like as a character - which makes the audience wonder if they're her only friend as they seem to be the only thing she acknowledges and is technically with. This helps add to the exposition, as it gives the audience a sense of what the character is like without her even saying anything.
Is It Something You Would Contemplate In Your Own Coursework?
Yes, 4th wall breaks is something I would definitely consider in my own coursework. It is something I have already considered for a specific idea. 4th Wall breaks, although sometimes can't be taken seriously, if done well, have the ability to convey so much. Firstly, they can help add to the exposition - this is useful when we only have 2 minutes to get the exposition across and therefore 4th wall breaks can be used to help get relevant information across that otherwise can't be conveyed through visuals - or could be used to get additional information across when paired with visual cues. Moreover, they help set a mood - for example, in Amelie it created an unnerving effect whereas in other films, such as Deadpool, it creates a comedic effect. They help convey something about a character too. It can also have quite an expressionistic or artistic effect that denies conventions, which would be something that would be nice to achieve. However, 4th wall breaks can't just be used for the sake of it. It must be done professionally or subtly, otherwise it won't look very good.
No comments:
Post a Comment