Circular Filmmaking — The Shape of Christopher Nolan’s Films

Christopher Nolan is one of the few filmmakers directing today who make films that need to be shown in IMAX. He takes filmmaking theory to a whole other level.

Our Video Essay will do a deep film analysis of Christopher Nolan movies, but instead of touching on his directing style or filmmaking tips, we’re going to look at the constant motif in his films — the use of the circle. Will his new film Tenet have that same modern film noir style that we’ve seen during Christopher Nolan’s directing career?

Christopher Nolan movies encapsulate the essence of filmmaking. They show how an intelligent person can become begin directing movies and become successful without the need for film school. He uses philosophy to define his films and takes us into areas of science fiction and thriller that most directors can’t seem to achieve.

#christophernolan #tenet #directing

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[StudioBinder]

What are some other filmmaking techniques that Christopher Nolan uses?

[ethanpierce]

You forgot one thing, hire Hanz Zimmer to write the score.

[ethanhall]

The reason Nolan’s films are so great isn’t because of his cinematography, actors, or even his directing, although they all play a role. They are so great because of his writing. He has mastered the art of telling stories. This really is the most important part of filmmaking. It doesn’t matter how good of a director you are, if the story sucks, so will the movie.

[yoannroig]

Christopher Nolan's approches of filmmaking:


1) Clues in motifs
He uses symbolic motifs, such as objects, less to support a theme, than to dangle a clue right at the audiences face.


2) Non linear stories
Nolan structures his stories in a very mathematical & geometrical point of view, with lots of diagrams, and then writes it in the same order the audience is gonna watch it. He hopes to create a more cohesive and organic rythme of the story.


3) Bookending
Where the beginning and ending of the movie share something identical. It can be the same line of dialogue, the use of the same prop, or even an entire scene. History repeats itself.


(I don't know for you, but writing that down help me to digest what it's all about, so i thought i'd share it...)

[akfilms]

I am genuinely gonna say that StudioBinder is ONE OF THE BEST FILMMAKING CHANNELS 🙌🏼

[MuchSwagFunzies]

Fav thing about Chris Nolan is how he makes us believe in magic each time. His imagination is beyond most people and he finds a way to share it.

[chalonhutson]

I never ever cry, and rarely show emotion in real life. But there is something (or everything) so overwhelming about his films, that even during this 9 minute breakdown I couldn’t help but shed more than one tear at the beauty of it.

[Michlwhtn]

Reasons to love StudioBinder:

1. Edit. Always precisely in line visually and audibly(quotable) with the script.

2. Ear Play. Sound design is their unsung hero. Every time!

3. Structure. It’s always stacked so beautifully.

4. A proper education.

5. Proof in casting. You find yourself another Voice Actor equivalent to JARVIS 🙌👏👏👏.

6. Proof in the pudding. 🤷‍♂️

7. Punchline. You will always have a relevant comment or pun based on a movie quote or scene.

8. Culture. Truly diverse.

9. Non-bias. Regardless of time, technology, or era ... truth in history of filmmaking is explored and explained.

10. It makes f*^king sense. 🤷‍♂️💪🔥

[SahilUpalekar]

I love the fact that, how Hans Zimmer's Interstellar soundtrack suits with every scene from Nolan's movies. The combination of these two is impeccably amazing !

the way you made the video is impressive, like always.

[priyanshsharma]

Interstellar score is probably the greatest piece of music in the entire history of filmmaking. The structure, the organ, the choir, everything fits so well, and more than that, the cinematic value that it brings to the narrative of the film is remarkable.

[johncj]

the way he ends his movie is very fascinating

[harrisont]

I think it’s phenomenal how well he grounds such fantastical concepts as superheroes, magic, spaceships or dream jumping into reality. Truly awesome films.

[josephspoon]

Nolan gives us three climax in a movie. He starts to tell a story from the most mysterious moment to most fascinating; and between them, we see third climax. For example, The Prestige, in the first scene Michael Caine talks about the magic. We see the climax as a mysterious moment while he talks, because we dont know anything rightnow. Then film tells us a story of two magicians but in a way of Nolan. Its not straight, flat... It is piece by piece, like a small delicious a cake you eat. And we see the first scene again, but rightnow, we understand whats going on. We have to see more, we cant stop here... That is the second climax for us. Remember the last scene, we see a lot of Hugh Jackman in a full of water box. Do you realise that we never stop exploring the story from the beginning to end. Every f*ckin scene gives us a new information. A new piece of cake. And the last one is the third climax. Because we have to see more...

[ripplebear]

He allows us to feel things.. nostalgic feelings. Happy and sad the same time. Bittersweet melancholic mind twisting emotional journey, for us. He doesn't force it, just puts it out in front of us, then lets us digest it. Absolutely my favorite filmmaker

[LycanVisuals]

Looking forward to his structural take on Tenet.

[EvKrik]

1. He manipulates time so brilliant in order to create drama.
2. He uses objects to make the story interesting.
3. His protagonists tend to have a dark past.
4. Sound scoring is the hidden narrator of the film.
5. Actors are shaping the script to the best possible way to share a story.

[debdipsamanta]

This man is a true genius. Looking forward to his next masterpiece TENET

[phill.]

When, at the end, you went "back in time", said and showed the same thing as the start of the video, just like Nolan would do... I had to hit the like and say: "OH MY GOD".

That was perfect, love this channel.

[Syrchek]

When a big studio spends something like 200 million $ on a movie, they want to make that movie "broad". It has to have action, humor, maybe a little romance, etc... A little bit of everything.

Chris Nolan is the only director today who can get that kind of money for a movie, but not make a broad, but a "specific" blockbuster. A movie where ideas matter and can breathe, develop, evolve in ways they can not in other big budget films.

[dirapropa]

"History repeats itself" & studiobinder reverses the full video blowing my goosebumps 🥺 no-one can does this as studiobinder!