By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
Sofia Coppola has emerged over the last twenty years as one of the most prolific directors of her time. The daughter of famed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola
,and as the third woman to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director, she began her career first directing music videos, and then with her short film, “Lick the Star”. She then moved on to directing feature films, including “Lost in Translation”, “Marie Antoinette”, and “The Virgin Suicides.” Many people don’t know that Coppola also has directed commercials, including for high-end brands like Christian Dior.
Even across these mediums, there are commonalities that create a signature Sofia Coppola-directed film. Let’s have a look:
WORKING FROM THEME
Coppola’s father reminds new directors to always “work from theme” and Sofia is a master at this. One of the most prevalent, enduring themes across the majority of her films is the theme of isolation and utter loneliness.
Her debut feature, “The Virgin Suicides” starring Kirsten Dunst, demonstrates this theme throughout - both in the individual experiences of each of the daughters, but also through the manner in which key conversations are held - behind closed doors.
“Lost in Translation” also centers the theme of loneliness and isolation throughout. The two main characters - played by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson - are each struggling with loneliness, but in different ways. Their loneliness is amplified as a juxtaposition against the bustling background of Tokyo, reminding the audience that even when surrounded, feelings of isolation can abound.
ALLOWING MOMENTS TO LAND
Some directors are known for fast-paced, camera-whizzing scenes - the kind that shift direction and point of view every few seconds. Coppola, though, takes the opposite approach in her films, giving heavy, weighted moments the opportunity to breathe and land with the audience.
Take, for example, the ending to “Lost in Translation” - Bob (Murray) whispers something in Charlotte’s (Johannsen) ear, which remains unknown to the audience. The moment lingers - just long enough to let the enormity of the film’s finale sink in. In giving scenes space to breathe, the moments between characters and the moments characters experience in solitude feel that much more poignant.
INVESTING IN HIGH PRODUCTION DESIGN
Part of Coppola’s signature approach is investing in high production - both in terms of sets and scenery, but also costume and make-up. Ma
ny people don’t know Coppola spent time in high school as an intern to the famed designer Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, learning all aspects of couture and high fashion.
For Coppola, these components are key to telling the story - this is evident in the period pieces she’s directed, including “Marie Antoinette” where the color and vivacity of the costuming helped to demonstrate both the appeal and the downfall of the aristocracy, but it’s also the hallmark of the more contemporary films as well.
“The Virgin Suicides” is set in the 1970s, and while it may serve in stark contrast to “Marie Antoinette” the same principles behind high production desig
n are evident - except in this film, it’s to demonstrate the dreariness and loneliness of the girls’ existence. The girls consistently don frocks designed to demonstrate their wholesomeness, including the four white sacks they often wear throughout.
For example, “Lost in Translation” is largely set in Tokyo, Japan, and Coppola artfully uses the cityscape to support the visual storytelling behind the film. The highintensity of the city’s energy, culture, and colors contrast against Murray, who himself is losing his sense of self. At the same time, the city’s setting almost overwhelms Murray at times, offering an almost character-like foil to his protagonist.
In Coppola’s 2017 film, “The Beguiled” she chose Madewood Plantation House as the location for the young women’s seminary. Coppola pictures the setting not only as beautiful, but also “having a darkness underneath.”
WORKING WITH A CONSISTENT CAST
Coppola has developed a strong relationship with many of the actors she works with, building an understanding, creative vision, and sense of trust that allows them to work seamlessly and create riveting films.
Perhaps Coppola’s most consistent collaborator is Kirsten Dunst, who had previous appeared in several of Francis’ films before joining Sofia. Dunst held the main roles in both “Marie Antoinette” and “The Virgin Suicides” and plays a pivotal role in “The Beguiled.” She has also worked on several films with Bill Murray and Elle Fanning.
UTILIZING DISTINCTIVE SHOTS
As a director, Sofia is known for utilizing both close-up shots and wide shots in each of her films to help convey the emotions the characters in the scene are experiencing. Close-up shots are often done with hand-held cameras, allowing the audience to get close and personal with the character at pivotal moments. Sofia has also been credited with developing the “shadow from behind” shot, which involves silhouetting main characters during poignant moments, particularly ones of loneliness.
At the other end of the spectrum, Coppola’s films are also known for using wide shots, allowing the audience a greater perspective on what the character is experiencing. In “The Virgin Suicides” after a night with high school heartthrob Trip Fontaine (Hartnett) on the football field, she awakes alone. Shot wide, the audience experiences the enormity of Lux’s (Dunst) loneliness after having been abandoned by Trip, and the desolate isolation she is once again returned to after a brief night of companionship.
LEARN MORE
Want to learn more about the craft of directing? Our Resource Library includes more articles designed to support your learning objectives, including:
- 5 Tips from Writers Who Moved Into Directing
- What No One Tells You About Directing
- The Business Side of Being a Writer/Director
And don’t forget to enter our Script to Screen Contest! Script to Screen is our new nine-week directors’ initiative for writers with a desire to master the craft of directing.
Eight winners will join this nine-week intensive, helping them gain a complete understanding of how every choice a director makes shapes the story. From framing a shot to guiding performances; pacing a scene to crafting the emotional rhythm of a film. With the support of Oscar and other award-winning filmmakers, participants will gain insight into the collaborative process, learn to think visually, and discover how to translate the nuances of dialogue, character, and theme into cinematic moments that resonate on screen.
