Ugne Jurgaityte: Assignment 2
Film Research
The introduction of Jiro, a stoic and serious-looking Japanese chef.
The cool toned exterior of the restaurant, dividing the atmosphere of a colder outside world and the warm and endearing natural interior of the restaurant.
A better look into the outside color theme. Teal, with cool neutral accents. Pops of yellow.
The beginning scene that explains the apprentice/son/chef transition. Interesting point to note are the hand movements and the posture each person adjust for their elder.
A presentation of sushi. This repeats constantly throughout the documentary, since that's the main topic. Each one is isolated on a plate, to be eaten immediately after preparation.
The starting scene of Jiro's routine montage. Many sudden cut scenes that change with music, and the color theme is mixing cool and warm tones.
Stepping outside of the restaurant for the first time, the documentary leads to the fish market to describe how intense the process of finding great fish for the restaurant.
Jiro's younger son's branch of the restaurant. Everything is inverted, as he's right handed and Jiro is left handed.
Guests arriving in the ten-seat restaurant. The process of dinner is shown. Green is incorporated in the color palette, as is warm yellow, and dark charcoal brown.
Ending scene, Jiro explaining his seriousness and being proud of his successors. Close up, warm colors, shallow depth of field.
Final shot, no more divisive color palettes. Moderate depth of field, quiet music. Finalises thoughts with a silent moment in the train.
Essay
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is an unparalleled view inside the work and life ethic of the best sushi chef in Japan, and the world. The documentary begins with Jiro discussing his thoughts behind his entire career. As he's noting what lead to his structured success, the scenery changes to the restaurant around him. As he's trying to inspire the viewers to commit to one path in their lives and become a master at it, the camera shifts to the environment of the restaurant, his son, the apprentices, and the fish. The story begins with a food critic explaining the power of Jiro's stern exterior and his life ethics. A cool color palette appears whenever filming occurs outside of the restaurant. A blue, grey and yellow color scheme contrasts with the warm wood colors of the interior. The critic describes the eating experience, while Jiro is in the shot preparing the sushi.
Then the day ends, and the visualization of Jiro's daily routine begins. From taking the same train every day, to returning home late at night, not a single action Jiro does changes. His consistency, he says, has led him to focus on bettering craft rather than be distracted by the outside world.
From the routine, the documentary delves into the process of choosing the best ingredients for the fish. A day at the fish market is filmed, and the audience is introduced to the experts in various marine life as well as their interactions and relationship with Jiro. A brief history and natural concern for the wildlife is expressed, with high regards given to Jiro and his apprentices for focusing on quality rather than cost. Once the ingredients are sourced, the process of becoming a chef is described. An arduous task, taking more than 10 years to achieve basic recognition in Jiro's eyes, the viewer sees how much painstaking perfectionism is needed to understand the art of food and being a chef. The film ends with the completed life cycle of Jiro, from impoverished childhood to powerful food influencer, with a general message of committing to a craft and putting your soul into it.
Music is an important aspect of the documentary as well. Calm, playful orchestral music continues throughout, cueing the audience to emotional subtlety and changes in thought. The documentary is peaceful, pensive, and friendly to all audiences, and ends with a hopeful tone to seek beauty in everything in life.
Words to Idea + Thesis Statement
WORDS:
Serene
Thoughtful
Quest
Perfection
Sushi
THESIS:
This film is a serene observation into Jiro Ono's thoughtful life quest for preparing perfect, artistic sushi.
Visual Research (Inspiration Board/Collection)
Exploration/Formulation (Style Board/Examples/Studies)
Exploration/Formulation (Motion Tests)
Story Board
Begins with grey screen and black text. Rice descends like snowfall.
As rice hits the text horizon, some of it falls behind the text, some in front to show depth.
(Each new scene will appear sans-transition, just suddenly to imitate the 50's style of intro.) Green 'carpets' of seaweed roll out or appear to roll out.
As the seaweed appears, so does the name.
The J in "Jiro" acts as a fish hook in the grey background. Blue circles represent the water bubbles. A tuna fish swims into shot from the left, straight into the hook. We follow the tuna movement to reveal the rest of the name "Jiro Ono"
The fish gets dragged upwards by the hook, now 'eaten' by the fish.
As it dangles and moves upwards the name disappears, and the entire scene wipes clean bottom-top.
Suddenly, the cross section of the tuna SLAMS down on the table, little blood drops splattering around itself. Simultaneously, the name appears alongside it.
The chopsticks starts rolling down, hitting the text, and bouncing away.
Neutral table/high bar. Still.
A sushi dish is placed from above down on the table.
The text bounces softly from the recoil of the placement.
The knife moves up slowly.
It quickly pivots down to chop the text. Half of the name is in front of the knife, half behind it to show depth.
Knife lifts up, the name remains split apart.
Blank grey screen, drops of soy sauce fall down to reveal names.
Drops expand as they spread to imply liquid movement.
'Soy sauce' quickly expands to fill the entire frame with dark color, then quickly the scene shifts upwards to clear the slate into the neutral grey.
Chopsticks lift the sushi to reveal the title of the film.
