Directions Unit - Presenting My Director and My Scene

Sam Mendes

How It all Started

Sam Mendes is one of the most succesful British directors of modern times. Born in 1965, in Reading, he was the only child in the family and had a love for english writing, possibly influenced by his mother who was an author for childrens books. When at University he joined the Marlowe Society and directed several play's which sparked his love for it. After graduating with a first in English, by the age of 24 he was directing his first west end play and went on to direct many more before continuing his work into films. 

Directing Credits

Here are a few of his most notable work where he was credited as a Director.

Theatre -

Oliver! (1994 - London Palladium)

The Blue Room (1998 - Donmar Warehouse) 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2013 - Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)

Film -

American Beauty (1999)

Road to Perdition (2002)

Jarhead (2005)

Revolutionary Road (2008)

Away We Go (2009)

Skyfall (2012)

Spectre (2015) 

American Beauty was his debut film which recieved great praise from critics. It went on to win many awards included a Golden Globe, BAFTA's and the Academy Award (Oscar) for best director. As well as Directing he also produced films and television aswell. 

Directing Style
Sam Mendes films are nearly all drama's. Aside from the two James bond films a general trend in his work is focusing on the struggles of family, particulary in the middle class. An example of this would be in American Beauty, it focuses on the Burnham family as Lester (Father and Husband of the household) goes through a mid-life crisis. Revolutionary Road shows the issues of Frank and April Wheeler as they reach for a life long dream of moving to Paris but children and Frank's job make it more and more difficult. Lastly Road to Perdition is a gangster film which shows a mob enforcer who takes revenge on another memeber who has killed his family whilst bringing up his son at the same time.



In terms of editing styles, Mendes commonly opens with narration at the start of a film and some of them end with narration too. In American Beauty, Jarhead and Road to Perdition they all do this helping the story to come full circle.

Road to Perdition - opening and ending

Jarhead - Opening

Jarhead - Ending

American Beauty Opening

American Beauty Ending

He also has many dream like sequences in his films as well as long drawn out panning shots to give dramatic effect. This happens frequently as a reveal showing the audience the whole picture as more of the scene comes into the frame. With sound he generally works with Thomas Newman for a theatrical and haunting score which often drowns out all diegetic sounds in points to create effect and feel the emotion he is trying to create.


My Scene
To emulate a piece of Sams work I chose something that trademarks Sam in nearly all his films. This is a dramatic ending that creates impact and leaves views talking about that moment after they have watched it. I have taken 3 clips and put them together. The first sets up the situation they are in followed by the remaining 2 to create a powerful ending.

The clip contains a vast amount of different camera angles and editing and I wanted to create my version of this. Although the story and its content will be similar I wanted to shoot it my way creating it in a modern setting of England with a different vision of camera work and cinematography creating a more realistic approach.