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Drive-Thru to the Themes

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In “Enjoy Your Intermission” there are many things for videographers and editors to draw inspiration from. Some are obvious, like the stunning slow-motion shots and the telling interview sound bites. Others are perhaps less noticeable… or at least that might have been the case if our cohort had not just read several intriguing essays from the book “Telling True Stories” on narrative structure.

Enjoy Your Intermission from Adam Carboni on Vimeo.

The structure of “Enjoy Your Intermission” draws the viewer in and masterfully reveals themes and big-picture, top of the “ladder of abstraction” concepts while remaining visually intriguing and entertaining.

The first section (lasting until 0:57) is our introduction to the central character of the piece. Director Adam Carboni chooses to reveal certain key traits of our main character with an anecdote about why he enjoys cutting grass, accompanied by beautiful and relevant visuals.

wide establishing shot of the main character

wide establishing shot of the main character

 

shallow depth of field focuses on the grass but hints at the lawn mower in the background

shallow depth of field focuses on the grass but hints at the lawn mower in the background

By the end of this introductory segment, we know that the video will be about a drive-in  and that it’s owner and operator cares for the business right down to the smallest rock on a freshly mowed lawn.

The next segment (1:11-1:33) addresses the history of the drive-in. This is a perfect segue from cutting the grass because it is revealed that owner Roger Babcock first had the idea to create a drive-in while mowing the grass. So not only was the introductory segment visually intriguing, it also was purposeful because it directly relates to the origin story of High-Way Drive-in.

Following our history and introduction is a short establishing montage (1:33-2:09) that includes several detail close-ups of the drive-in.

close up of the “Drive-in” sign that visually intrigues because it doesn’t reveal the entire picture

close up of the “Drive-in” sign that visually intrigues because it doesn’t reveal the entire picture

another close-up reveals the aged and well-worn aspects of the drive-in

another close-up reveals the aged and well-worn aspects of the drive-in

 

wide establishing shot illustrates the entry point to the drive-in as we, the viewer, are also being admitted via the montage

wide establishing shot illustrates the entry point to the drive-in as we, the viewer, are also being admitted via the montage

unmotivated camera pan highlights the end of a sunny, summer day and acclimates the viewer to the drive-in setting

unmotivated camera pan highlights the end of a sunny, summer day and acclimates the viewer to the drive-in setting

After having “entered” the drive-in via this short montage, what follows is another montage centered around the experience of dialing your radio to the frequency used by  the drive-in to hear instructions and information about the movies (I’ll admit here that this is my educated guess about what is occurring, I am sadly one of the many I suspect living today who has never experienced a drive-in.)

From 2:09-3:02 we hear the sound of Roger’s voice transmitting instructions cut together with various close-ups and medium shots of radios. There is a wide-medium-tight series of radio shots that helps to transition the viewer from outside to inside.

wide

wide

medium

medium

tight

tight

C/U of the radio inside the projection room

C/U of the radio inside the projection room

wide shot of the projection room

wide shot of the projection room

Now we have traveled from the outside of the lawn and the audience members to the inner workings and behind the scenes view of the drive-in projection room. Now that we’re inside, the next segment of the piece centers on the mechanics of the projection machine. We hear about bulbs, oil, and other parts and pieces from Roger, and then learn that he is the only employee who knows how to run the decades old machine (3:00-3:45).

C/U of projector parts

C/U of projector parts

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 1.56.31 PM

we hear the noises of the projector while seeing these descriptive C/U shots

After this brief section what follows (3:45-4:30) is a subtle reveal that Roger doesn’t do this work alone, but is in fact accompanied day in and day out by his beloved wife Sharon. We “meet” Sharon through some matched action shots of making popcorn intermixed with old news clippings and b-roll of the couple everyone calls “grandma and grandpa” working and smiling together.

 

meeting Sharon

meeting Sharon

matched action popcorn

matched action popcorn

marriage revealed through news clippings

marriage revealed through news clippings

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 2.03.37 PM

character portrait of the couple

Following step with the character introduction to Sharon, we next meet the other two devoted employees of Hi-Way Drive-in, Joyce and John. Joyce is a long time employee who shares stories of patrons who love and seemingly live for the drive-in experience (4:30-5:21). John explains his love of movies and also helps to transition the viewer into the next segment (5:21-6:34).

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 2.10.41 PM

tracking shot of Joyce

 

wide shot of Joyce

wide shot of Joyce

“I like space movies. Shoot, if I could afford it... I’d like to go to the moon.” -John

“I like space movies. Shoot, if I could afford it… I’d like to go to the moon.” -John

followed by this shot of the moon

followed by this shot of the moon

This is right around the half-way point in the piece. Structurally speaking, our director has managed to not only introduce us to every important character, but also provided for a bit of history and several visually intriguing montages that help illustrate the quirks and inner motivations of our characters.

John’s last bit of interview concludes with a hint of trouble ahead. Drive-ins aren’t wildly successful anymore. In fact they are closing all over the country. He states that he would be very upset if this one were to close.

Next we get the “present-tense” aspect of this piece, or perhaps the “unanswered question” which is: how will this beloved drive-in survive the transition from analog to digital?

6:48-8:40 includes information that the antique projector Roger so lovingly attends to has been completely discontinued. There is no choice but to upgrade to a digital system, but in order for his 4-screen drive-in to make the technological leap they’ll have to spend around $300,000, a seemingly impossible sum for a business such as his to acquire.

Having addressed the issue at hand and the struggle all our characters must face if they hope to continue their business, 8:40 is the beginning of a montage about the importance of drive-ins to the community.

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 2.32.07 PM

“We love having them.” -Roger

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 2.31.50 PM

“We’ve been adopted as a part of their entertainment family.” -Roger

 

This transitions into Roger talking about the wonderful magic of a child seeing the projector and learning how movies are projected. Larger themes come to mind during this montage, such as the coldness of digital advancement and today’s saddening lack of magic, green buttons that when pressed produce wondrous results.

“and watch, and listen to the projector go clickety-clack and BOOM, out goes the movie!” -Roger

“and watch, and listen to the projector go clickety-clack and BOOM, out goes the movie!” -Roger

As Roger says “Boom!” the image of a close-up of his hand pressing a button is shown, perfectly matching the action to the spoken interview content.

The video ends with the characters individually weighing in on why the drive-in, although old and certainly not modern, deserves to stay in business. Roger concludes with the sentiment that those who are in the business to make a buck have the motivation all wrong. For him, it is seeing the joy on a child’s face that makes work worth it, and ultimately, gives him the motivation to continue with the business.

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 2.59.05 PM

slow-motion push in on workers

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 2.58.36 PM

slow-motion tracking shot of blanket unfurling

Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 3.00.00 PM

concluding slow-motion push in on Roger

 

117 Comments

on “Drive-Thru to the Themes”
117 Comments on “Drive-Thru to the Themes”

  1. Love this post. Great find. Great comments on the shots they used. “Shoot the donut hole, not the donut” all over this piece.

    My love for movies started at a drive-in when I was five. My grandmother lived adjacent to a farm that had been converted into a drive-in sometime in the 50’s. She would let us climb up on the roof and watch if we promised not to tell our mother. We couldn’t hear a damn thing, but the best films didn’t need sound to be truly understood, even by a five year old.

    I also worked at a movie theater as a projectionist all through high school. I’m positive it’s the only reason I graduated. The only thing there was to do is watch the movie for the 1000th time or do your homework. My boss would send me to work at the drive-in all summer. I loved it. These projectors and platters are the same ones I learned to run. Thanks for the memories.

  2. I was struck by the first 1:30 … it’s really only about a guy who likes to mow grass and why. It introduces Roger and tells you that he’s a thinker and innovator, but it doesn’t tell you much about the business of running a drive-in other than to imply that, as mowing is part of the job, more is to come. The story’s destination is revealed only gradually.

    I wonder how much of this was storyboarded ahead of time – did he discover that mowing played a role in the expansion of the theater, then get a mowing montage?

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