How The French New Wave Changed Filmmaking Forever

Out of all of the film movements I’d say one of the most influential of them was the French New Wave. In this video I’ll outline four things from this film movement that are still present in how movies are made and thought about today, which were responsible for altering the course of filmmaking forever.

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Cong Fusion - 'The Plan'
Andreas Arvidsson - 'Something New'
Sean Williams - 'Let Go'
Keith Merrill - 'Envisage'
Cong Fusion - 'Rush'
Skyfall Sound - 'Dark Roast'
Michael Witt - 'The Glow Of The Afternoon'

0:00 Introduction
1:31 Auteur Theory
4:22 Sonata
5:38 Low Budget
7:37 Visual Style
9:16 Experimentation
11:23 Conclusion

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[impersonalbrand]

what's interesting (and by "interesting" i mean sad and depressing) is that big mainstream movies seem to be returning to the traditional pre-new wave model of being very studio- and producer-driven. the MCU being the prime example. directors are basically traffic cops there to keep the machine rolling.

[seschaitanya]

So glad that you used Agnes Varda as the face of this video, I am so exhausted listening to people talk about Godard. Varda doesn't get enough praise for her steller work.

[prayforpeace]

I guess I would have fit right in with French directors of the 50's and 60's. Everything I love about directing comes directly from French New Wave (albeit without knowing so until now). Thank you for this video. It gives me more confidence to keep pursuing my vision. Sometimes on film projects, I kept hearing little voices that would say "This should be lit better. There should be a bigger crew. The blocking should be more precise." And yet the time I tried the "studio approach", I made my worst film ever. And you know what? I think the same goes for writing. I've spent 10 years studying screenplays and the formulaic approach taught these days is so hard to swallow for me.

[RSpudieD]

Well said! We studied French New Wave in my film classes and it's an era that really got my interest. It really seemed like an almost pre-modern video style where rules were played with and everything was almost as close to a "run and gun" shoot as you could get. That's a lot like how I made films and how I'd like to in the future. It's amazing what they were able to do and how creative they were.

Also, something about Breathless's jump cuts stood out to me. Not only because they were so abrupt and obvious but also that it was different yet didn't detract from the film! It's really something and like you said, very much like modern youtubers! I didn't really know what to think but I remember writing "JUMPCUTS!!" in my notes and kind of smiling at how I had never seen a film do that before!

[truefilm]

I think it's a choice. The French New Wave is very important and I love it, but it's not the only form of great filmmaking. I also like carefully composed shots and smooth editing. It's a choice. Whatever fits best for a project.

[brownliketheearth]

This is such an necessary understanding for what one of the potential for art is, the ability to break norms within a stagnate medium. I hope anyone that sees this takes the initiative to create an environment that doesn't dictate how we break that stagnation but simply that we encourage the action of breaking it; it isn't the quality we should be concerned with but the action and intention in doing so. Get out there and make a film!!

[movielover]

I totally agree with the French New Wave because many well-known directors (i.e. Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Noah Baumbach, William Friedkin, Wes Anderson, etc.) are being influenced by the impact of the movement, as well as the films made by Truffaut, Godard, etc. It is the most important film movement that influenced people who wanted to be a filmmaker.

[Alexmary]

Not sure why but I felt emotional towards the end of this. I have felt placed into a box while studying film in college. The French new wave has unknowingly been my inspiration this whole. That is why I want to merge film and YouTube. This was beautiful thank you!

[oniriscope]

“La nouvelle vague” search for freedom is definitely an inspiring movement.
And its philosophy makes even more sense now.

Thank you for this masterclass.
Longue vie au cinéma français!

[Bella-Hunter]

Amazing video! Thanks for using Agnes Varda, so many people overlook her work and influence on cinema :)

[sinkbug]

I find this video so meta because I feel that videos like this on YouTube, analysis of cinema as a whole or a specific film, may start a new wave today. I firmly believe that in like 20 30 years were gunna have some amazing movies.

[medardbitangimana]

I was waiting for the moment where u talk about Breathless and the jump cut because I knew u had to 😄

[djsuckertash]

So fantastic to see. Thank you for this. It's amazing to look around and see the constant resonance of their groundbreaking work.

[greenaum]

Jump cuts make sense for Youtube since videos here are usually short, which is also a technical limitation. It comes partly from the Internet having a million other things you could be doing right now, so you don't settle down to concentrate, and often you're at a desk, which are preceding limitations.

Some Youtube jump cuts are visible and deliberate, others the person will try to hide, but not quite get perfectly. Which is from the limitations of time and amateur-grade editing facilities. Although in the case of Youtube nobody's written a manifesto for it, it just evolved.

[sunlightpictures]

Great video. The French New Wave has been and still is a huge influence on me as an indie filmmaker.

[harryfoulger]

Great video, I would do another one on German Expressionism.

[akshaysaiju]

I have an exam tomorrow on the subject Fiction and Film and this video was sent from above.

[iKINDREAD]

Waves created by ambitious youth. Notice how studios are saying the film industry is dead. I feel a new wave coming on. Let's bring it.

[ccd]

This was especially interesting. Thank you for a great video!

[dgillphotos]

Love this! I have seen many student films and shorts (on sets) over-rely on a locked down camera aesthetic which blows budgets, slows production and relies on crew over acting. I love the idea of story over production. But - don't tell anyone else. These are nice things to keep in one's pocket.