Someone who has always inspired me in my strive for success is writer, director, actor, author, professional story-teller, and comedian, Kevin Smith. Raised in a Catholic home in New Jersey, Kevin Smith is an individual who comes from humble beginnings, which I respect, and is very much a self-made man, which I admire. When I reflect on those individuals who have “made it” in the industry, there’s not a man, in who’s footsteps I would rather follow, than Kevin Smith’s.
Like Kevin Smith, I come from fairly humble beginnings, especially in regards to my creative process. Though I hate to toot my own horn, I’ve always been a fairly creative person. One example can be found in my long-lasting love for drawing. I’ve been drawing since I can remember. Though I fluctuated at times, over the years, in how often I sketch, I almost always have my book handy. My sketches have never been something I’ve went out of my way to share, either. While others would flaunt their work in art class, I usually tried to keep to myself and let my art do the talking. I think that mentality towards my work has heavily influenced the way I write and my relatively recent aspirations since coming to Ohio University.
When I first came to OU, I had one goal in mind for my Freshman year: find out if I had what it takes to be a writer. I had always done well in English classes back in high school, and near the end I had even started writing for the school newspaper, the Ravine. With a few friends of mine, I also put out a fairly regular, comedic comic strip, that we’d usually post online or pass about the school. However, even with my accumulated experience with writing, I realized I was comparatively untested. After all, how far could my limited writing experiences really take me?
Within the first quarter, I started immediately looking into the various clubs and organizations around campus. After a bit of trial and error, I found a home in AVW’s Fridays Live. There I received the support I needed, and found the true passion I held for comedic writing. Since then, I’ve gone on to try stand-up, and found relative success in founding Ohio University’s most popular stand-up show, “Athens Open Mic.” Additionally, I’m currently being trained to take over as co-head writer of Fridays Live. As a result of my work with both shows, I feel as though my creativity has only grown, alongside my career aspirations.
Kevin Smith’s origins have a very similar story to my own, which factors heavily into why he’s an inspiration to me. In addition to this, I’m also, quite simply, a huge fan of his work.
One of the things I find appealing about Kevin Smith’s writing is his overall attention to detail. Often times, his stories and critiques will revolve around a very simple, central idea. One great example of this can be found in the following scene from Clerks, his debut film.
In this scene, the two main characters, Dante and Randall, discuss the ethics of the second Death Star explosion from Star Wars. Personally, I love the dialogue in this scene. Not only because of my love for nerd humor, but also because of how intelligent, and yet seemingly simple, crafts his words.
By examining a new point of view on the matter, Kevin Smith reveals an underlying misdirection in the Star Wars films. Though Luke and the Rebels are commonly viewed as the heroes of the film, by adding a new subtext to the film / original text, the meaning of the major climax of the film is altered, leaving Luke and his buddies looking like a rag-tag gang of terrorists. This all adds to the overall irony of the scene. As previously stated, the conversation implies that the heroes are villains, or at least not as pure as they seem, for what they did. Because of the crew members inside the Death Star, obviously a good amount of innocent civilians were involved, including contractors. Unexpectedly, though, a customer overhears the conversation, and he so happens to be a contractor. Through his unexpected, ironic story, the position becomes flipped, yet again, so that the viewer now views the Rebels less harshly.
These seemingly meaningless or mundane conversations, with hidden undertones and philosophies, are a common theme in Kevin Smith movies, and a huge factor in why I’m such a fan.
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This next clip is from the movie, Dogma. Another film by Kevin Smith.
Another one Kevin Smith’s earlier films, Dogma explores the different political and emotional aspects of Catholic church. The story follows a couple of angles in their attempt to re-enter heaven, as a group of “chosen” individuals and religious deities try to stop them.
This particular stands as a perfect example of Tension and Release. We open on the scene of a board room. Completely new characters, all well dressed and clean cut, sitting atop a corporate tower. We know the characters are looking to smote some sinners before their return to heaven, though we know nothing about them.
As Ben Affleck’s character walks around the room, he grows increasingly intimate with the board members, setting up the scene. Though Matt Damon’s lines are humorously written, the drama in his words increase the tension of the scene. When Affleck returns to his speech, the music is added, and the list of sins is read aloud, the tension only continues to rise as we anticipate the oncoming scene. With the release of tension after the voodoo gag (especially with the tension-building music), and the two of them leaving the room, the audience falls into a false sense of safety. Then, with the following massacre, the playful music, and the waiting room cut-scene, the audience gets taken for a second ride. By far my favorite scene of the movie
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This next clip comes from Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy.
I couldn’t find the exact clip from this movie that I wanted, but I will do my best to describe the Active and Didactic methods of delivering information, as shown in this film.
The basic plot of this movie follows Holden McNeal (Affleck), and his romantic pursuit of Alyssa, the female lead character. However, what Holden doesn’t realize is that the character Alyssa is, in fact, a lesbian. Or so it would seem.
Before this scene, Alyssa invites Holden out to a bar with her and a couple friends. Upon entering, she becomes very flirty with Holden, before going up on stage and singing a song, seemingly directed at him. As the song progresses, attentive audience members will notice that the couples swaying together to her melodic voice are not coupled man and woman, but that this setting is in fact a gay bar. However, this detail is hard to see at first, as the focus remains on Holden and Alyssa’s longing glances atone another. To get the message, before Alyssa didactically kisses her girlfriend on-stage, followed by a cut to the above scene, the viewer must actively take on the information
Later on, though, the plot reveals that Alyssa is indeed bisexual, another bit of information that can be actively pieced together by the viewer, but is also flat out said and explored later on in the film
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