Getting into a media related major, I have had several inspirations that have brought me to where I am now. One such inspiration is the director, Zack Snyder. Throughout high school I had been obsessed with a few of Zack Snyder’s films, namely Sucker Punch (2011) and Watchmen (2009). These films not only redefined the way in which I thought of films, but also the perspective I had on media as a whole.
Image above of Zac Snyder found from an article by Mane Grigoryan titled “Why Is Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’ in 4:3 aspect ratio?” The site that I found the image can be found here.
Zack Snyder is widely considered to be a very controversial filmmaker, with many of his movies either being a major hit or miss with the audience. And while several aspects of Snyder’s films are heavily criticized such as lighting and screen writing, one thing that his films do exceptionally well is in their cinematography. The way in which Zack Snyder envisions each scene is nothing short of a gift. None of the shots in his films are wasted, every one of them expresses a great deal of weight and importance. Because of this, I find it very hard to look away when watching his films. The aesthetically pleasing and evocative nature of the visuals make his movies look as though they came straight out of a comic book or a graphic novel. For reference here are some examples of shots from a few of his films:
Moreover, Zack Snyder’s films gave me a brand-new appreciation for movies and how they are able to convey so much emotion and thought with just one shot rather than multiple words. And with that new appreciation, I came to understand that media isn’t just a means of entertainment, it can be so much more. These movies inspired me to think more artistically and critically about how media creates influence on its audience. Without examples of media such as this, I don’t think I would have been as inclined to pick the major that I did.