StudioBinder

The Greatest Performance You've Never Seen

John Cassavetes didn’t just make independent films — he invented the language every indie filmmaker still speaks. Subscribe to StudioBinder Academy ►► https://bit.ly/sb-ad StudioBinder Blog ►► http://bit.ly/sb-bl ───────────────────── Chapters: 00:00 - An Introduction to A Woman Under the Influence 01:06 - The John Cassavetes Method 02:30 - The Screenplay 04:33 - The Narrative 05:22 - The Performances 08:08 - Takeaways ───────────────────── What is A Woman Under the Influence? A Woman Under the Influence (1974) is John Cassavetes’ masterpiece — a character study of a working-class housewife that demolished everything Hollywood thought a screenplay had to do. No three-act structure, no clean resolution, no comfortable distance between audience and character. Cassavetes wrote directly to the mess of being human, and somehow, that mess became one of the most influential films ever made. In this essay, we trace how A Woman Under the Influence became the blueprint for modern independent filmmaking — from the radical approach to directing actors, to why Gena Rowlands’ acting has been called one of the best performances in film history. Along the way, we pull in filmmaker testimonials from directors who cite Cassavetes as a direct influence — and interrogate what exactly they were learning from. Look back at Cassavetes films and you’ll find a pivotal chapter in indie film history: a filmmaker who refused to work inside the studio system, lit entire sets so actors could move freely, and shot with long lenses so performers forgot the camera was there. Cassavetes is often called the father of independent cinema — and when you understand how he worked, you start to see why. If you’re interested in acting, directing, or Gena Rowlands’ career-defining work, you’ll start noticing Cassavetes’ influence everywhere once you know where to look. #FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking ───────────────────── ♬ SONGS USED: “Red Night” - Brendon Moeller “Repercussions” - Brendon Moeller “The Shape of Vanishing” - Brendon Moeller “Orbits Without Memory” - Brendon Moeller “Drift Without Origin” - Brendon Moeller “Fragments of the Unsaid” - Brendon Moeller “Coffee and Catastrophe” - Brendon Moeller “Deadpan Grains” - Brendon Moeller “Suite from Quarantine - Davis Hartwell “The Infinite Mall” - Brendon Moeller “Faint Constellations of Thought” - Brendon Moeller “I’m Tired of Carrying the Weight of the World” - Brylom Music by Artlist ► https://utm.io/umJx Music by Artgrid ► https://utm.io/umJy Music by Soundstripe ► http://bit.ly/2IXwomF Music by Music Vine ► http://bit.ly/2IUE0pT Music by MusicBed ► http://bit.ly/2Fnz9Zq ───────────────────── SUBSCRIBE to StudioBinder’s YouTube channel! ►► http://bit.ly/2hksYO0 Looking for a project management platform for your filmmaking? StudioBinder is an intuitive project management solution for video creatives; create shooting schedules, breakdowns, production calendars, shot lists, storyboards, call sheets and more. Try StudioBinder for FREE today: https://studiobinder.com/pricing — Join us on Social Media! — Instagram ►► https://www.instagram.com/studiobinder Facebook ►► https://www.facebook.com/studiobinderapp Twitter ►► https://www.twitter.com/studiobinder #film-theory, #video-essay, #filmmaker