Comparison of the Director's Work in Greta Gerwig's Film Lady Bird and The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson

The purpose of this paper is to identify the differences and similarities of the two films and explain why the directors chose the elements of filmmaking that they chose. These films are Lady Bird, the director of which is Greta Gerwig and The Grand Budapest Hotel the director of which is Wes Anderson. I will condemn and compare these two films on different elements of filmmaking: cinematography, editing and narrative structure. These elements are very important in condemnation, because with the help of these elements of filmmaking, the viewer can understand the purpose of this film, as it made and more fully understand. The goal of this paper, as I mentioned above, is to compare these two films on the elements of moviemaking: cinematography, editing and narrative structure.

The first element of filmmaking that I will discuss is cinematography. The technique that I mentioned in two films is depth of field. Initially, after seeing the film The Grand Budapest Hotel people can understand that Gustav was a more dominant character compared to other characters. In addition, until the middle of the film Zero was an almost unnoticed character, since Gustav centered in the lens. Nevertheless, few people manage to understand that these moments absolutely speak of the relationship between Gustav and Zero.

At the beginning of the film, the relationship between Gustav and Zero was at a low level; therefore, Gustav was always in the picture, not Zero. However, based on further events, after the scene where Zero and Agate helped Gustav get out of prison, they made Gustav understand that Zero and he are best friends. After this scene, people can see that Zero and Gustav began to be in the object equally and on the same level. This explains their relationship.

Having made them the same in the object, Wes Anderson makes it clear to the audience that Gustav and Zero started to get along and became best friends. Summing up, with the help of this technique, Wes Anderson did a smart and deep work showing the subtle and secret relationship of Zero and Gustav. In the Lady Bird this technique is also used namely in the scene where Lady Bird and her mom in the car. At this point, the director put on the plan and the mother, and Lady Bird. The camera directed to the two of them, thereby making it clear that this particular scene is a revealing relationship between mother and daughter. Both Lady Bird and her mother were in charge in this scene, no one was deprived, but no one was lowered either. In the society, the mothers should be more dominating than their daughters should, because their older, however Lady Byrd was put on the main plan, making her an important person.

Moreover, this technique is used in many scenes where Lady Bird with her best friend. With the help of this technique, one can also learn about the relationships of these people who are in the frame. Showing constantly Lady Bird with her friend and mom on an equal footing, the director made it clear to the audience that both her mother and her best friend are very close to her and she sincerely loves them despite the quarrels. In addition, there are many differences and similarities in these films. The similarity is that the directors of these films conveyed the same emotions and impressions on the scenes where this technique used.

In addition, with the help of this technique, as in the film Lady Bird and in The Grand Budapest Hotel, this technique allows us to study the relationships of the characters throughout the film and makes us feel the same emotions as these characters. The difference in the use of this technique by directors is that each in his own way preferred to tell his storyline. If in Grand Budapest the story line between Zero and Gustav determined by the fact that Zero was always behind the frames and Gustav in front, then in Lady Bird relations were determined through the same position because nobody was behind the frame and no one in front. The director of the film Lady Bird could have made a scene with a car where Lady Bird and her mother were different if they did this as the director of the film Grand Budapest. He could put Lady Bird in the back seat, and put his mother in the front, thereby making it clear to the audience that Lady Bird’s mother is dominant and she controls her daughter, however his decision was better.

The second technique is the editing technique. In the film, The Grand Budapest Hotel there is synchronicity and symmetry. Wes Anderson used this technique just fine. Throughout the scenes, you can see the perfect symmetry and synchronicity of things. For example, in the scene where Zero and Gustav ride the train. The way Gustav and Zero sit, the way the camera heads for the Nazi soldiers is all perfect. Everything was perfect until the last scenes of this film. Symmetry was present everywhere, as were the stairs in the hotel itself, as well as the elevators in it. In my opinion, the director created a certain idealized image and structure of using this technique so that the viewer would feel some euphoria from the ideal scenes and even objects.

The director made this choice, which would most likely show that every detail or every character is equally important. In the film Lady Bird there is no such synchronicity, but a bit of symmetry is present. The scene at the beginning of the film, where Lady Bird and her mother are lying on the bed are symmetrical on one side. There are also two scenes where Lady Bird is in a car with her mother. The way they sit is, on the one hand, symmetry, but certainly not as idealized as Wes Anderson’s in the Hotel Budapest. In my opinion, the director in this film made this choice not to idealize the picture and the scene, but to understand the interconnections between the mother and the daughter from this symmetry. To also focus not only on one person, however on two at once. There is no special similarity with symmetry in the Hotel Budapest, but the director has played a significant role in this regard.

Moreover, the differences in this technique in these films is that Wes Anderson idealized the picture of symmetry and synchronicity, as in my opinion it was his trick. The trick of his work is to be unique, unusual and make films not as they should be at all. The director of the film Lady Bird did not pay so much attention to this, because idealization is not necessary in this film. In this film, we look at the mini problems that affect the girl’s life and she goes through all these problems, quarrels, setbacks, alcohol and so on. From my point of view, this film is more lively and realistic, so the visualization of ideality is not need here. The director having done work with this film wanted to let us understand that ideality in relations with people, with studies and dreams is not possible because it is life. The life is above all imperfect, it is full and good, however also bad moments.

The difference in the production of films with symmetry from the directors is different, since Wes Anderson tried to idealize this film to his rhythm, because most likely he wanted to make it perfect for both eyes and soul, and Greta Gerwig gave us direct content about the everyday life of teenagers who trying to cope with their problems.

The last technique is the narrative structure technique. The striking aspect of its narrative is different in The Grand Budapest Hotel. In this film, there is a technique from the story to the story making the film unusual and confused initially for the audience. Thus, we visit four different periods. The first time about which we told is 1985, where we see a girl in the cemetery with her book about the Great Hotel Budapest. The second time we enter is the year 1985 where we enter the author’s house, where he says he is going to tell us a story. The third period, which is transmitted us is the year 1986, where we see the same author in the ruined and gray Hotel Budapest, where he meets Mustafa. The most recent period from which the whole story began was 1932 where all the characters are and live. This story is unique, as the director gave this confusion so that this story would become interesting for the audience.

Thus, the story in this film made this film and its plot unique. It made it clear that period, different periods of life are just as important. This story proves to the viewers that both memory and the past create extraordinary feelings and a rush of painful, but pleasant memories albeit with some moments. It also makes one realize that the greatness of memory and its past remains eternal. However, looking at the story Lady Bird is completely different. In this film, storytelling is key and very important. All Hollywood films use a different narrative structure, but the structure of the problem and its resolution. However, in the Lady Bird everything is different. Although the story does not lie in the story in the story, here it is also unique and goes beyond the ordinary.

Lady Bird's film has many mini problems that relate to her character and personality, resulting from this that influence the plot of the film. These mini-problems are narrative, as they affect its overall character development. Throughout the film, the director shows us many problems. She has eternal problems with her mother, swearing at her friends and she wants rich children despite her family status. All this helps Lady Bird to break out and grow. With the help of these mini problems and small episodes with these problems, viewers can see the emotional and psychological development of Lady Bird as a person. This suggests that we plunge into this narrative of the film and witness its growth as a person throughout the film. Having made the story so, in my opinion, the director proves to us that despite the swearing, quarrels, problems and failures, the person will be able to go through all this, if only he believes himself. Comparing these films, I noticed only the differences and did not find any similarities in the technique. Since the directors of these two films have worked on the technique of narrating the structure in different ways.

The difference in the technique of the story they have one. This is what the directors used different structures of expression of their plot. If in The Grand Budapest Hotel the structure of the narration was from story to story and changed as much as 4 periods, then in the Lady Bird the director decided to make the structure of the story from mini-problems and plots that influenced the character during the entire film. In addition, the viewer could allegedly attend Lady Bird as a person. With every object, every person is just as important in the frame. The symmetry and synchronicity of things are unique, which give the viewer's eyes euphoria with the help of which it is pleasant for them to watch these films. The directors did a great job with this technique, as with the help of it we will learn the story of this film. In these films, there were unique and stylish narrations. At the Hotel Budapest, they narrated through periods of time when the Lady Bird narration was about mini issues through which Lady Bird passed. The films were different despite the similarity in some situations.

To conclude, the aim of my paper was to compare and analyze two films of The Grand Budapest Hotel and Lady Bird with the help of movie-making elements. With the help of such elements of moviemaking as cinematography, editing and narrative structure, directors did an excellent job with these two films. With the help of these techniques, the directors made me understand that they did a unique job that impressed me. With the help of cinematography, or rather with the help of the technique of depth of field, they showed that the place of a person in the frame has a huge role and we are the audience, we can understand what kind of relationship between these people and how they will progress.

The second technique - editing, I realized the role of symmetry and synchronicity in the film. Moreover, the differences between the films were mainly in the fact that the presentation of the directors about the story was generally different, but some techniques such as cinematography and editing were similar. Of course, these films will differ in the flow of stories, as Wes Anderson made the plot less emotional than the director did in Lady Bird. Nevertheless, again, the similarities are also present here.

Differences and similarities are on the same level, so I cannot say that there were more differences or fewer similarities. Thus, these two films are both similar and different from each other, but all this makes each of these films, as I have said many times, unique. All techniques: they used excellently, as all these techniques helped to fill these films with something unearthly and incredible. In addition, I would add that the only thing in which these films are united is that there is love in both films. As in the Hotel Budapest, Zero's love for Agatha and Zero's friendship love for Gustav, as well as in Lady Bird, love for her mother, her friend and her city. By this, they are very similar, so I chose these two films for my paper.