Visual references

By Ignacio Oliva 

I would like to put in a simple visual cue in its production planning: long and clear shots, descriptive, without visual sophistication, quite naked, interesting composition. The camera must be a window open to the world and surface of things, environment, and of course information about the characters. I see it shoots without visual rhetoric, without ornament.

I would like to work with the cast in the way of composing and create characters with emotional climates. References of dialogues about things that characters, looks and views can speak by, silences, gestures and hidden codes. I wish it was a film to feel, to be drawn. I am very interesed in Aki Kaurismaki films, his simple quality in expressive draws and environments supported by a refined artistic design with colours and concepts in its simplicity.

Lights in the dusk Aki Kaurismaki. 2006

LI like Alan Rudolph environments, outdoors above all, visual concept of city. This will be very important for "Nobody´s rose": Shots wich can show and discover concepts of the city as: "distance", "chaos", "ghostly props" "figure” and “place."

I am interested in dark and magnetic quality in characters of Pedro Costa films like “Ossos”, for example. “Nobody´s rose” is negative and positive at the same time, quite dark and bright.

Huesos Ossos. Pedro Costa. 1997

I am interested in David Lynch's disturbing world in “Mulholand Drive” and “Inland Empire”, especially about indoor spaces, stylized but contrasted lighting, log style black American cinema of the fifties, connected with German masters emigrated to the United States 

Mulholland Drive. David Lynch. 2001

Simple spaces but disturbing in its composition, which reveal details of the characters, which disturb but do not overwhelm, suggest internal simulations, however, I do not see concepts such as morbidity or psychology, I imagine a visual and artistic language not psychological.

Compositional style interests me very much, visual compositions shots and its relation with painting tradition. 

DANIEL lives in a space without memory or personal references. We could say that he is a man with no inner life, and he lives in such a anonymous and temporary territory with white walls. DANIEL space must be clean and its own order, like an intimate prison, an essential space. There are no books, no pictures, no photos. He could has, for example, a Jewish candelabrum with seven arms for ties, a table where he writes, sometimes on cards with very small letters and green ink. Over the table there may be some cards with extrange writings. It can be said that there lives a person who "does nothing". He has the nihilism of Bartleby, his behavior is hypnotized by its austerity, his lack of mystery. I think "Nobody´s rose" is a film of insticts.


Ignacio Oliva, guionista y director.