I've found lately that the things playing in my head are very much affected by the visual styles of particular directors (in addition, obviously, to everything else I read and see). So I thought maybe we could start up a thread where you could share particular directors and/or videos that have had an influence on your style, or the way you imagine your writing in your head. To start, the one that spurred this sudden focus of mine on visual style affecting my writing was reacquainting myself with the work of Chris Cunningham, in particular the videos for All Is Full of Love by Bjork, and Only You by Portishead. (I'd link but that's a no-no, so go to Youtube right away!) Anyone else care to share any of the visual works that have influenced the way you write?
Usually, it's audio, not video, that affects my writing, but one film in particular does spring to mind. Trainspotting, directed by Danny Boyle, starring Ewan McGreggor and Kelly Macdonald, has played a role in my writing --sometimes. The film holds no bars and is very graphic (though not usually violent) in how the content was displayed. It could be rated triple X for all I cared --when I first viewed it at age thirteen, I couldnt quite get through it, and even then, err... I'd seen a lot of nasty things. I dont always carry that very graphic style into my writing --it depends on the subject, but it is a style I'm adapting to right now with my latest piece. It needs to be rough and sick, and disgustingly real like that film. Although, if you want to get technical about it, Trainspotting the film was actually first a novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. So, I could just be taking a lesson from him.
When I write, I tend to imagine things in one of those George Romero long shots from very far away. Danny Boyle also has an effect on my writing as well as Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, mainly for 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later respectively. I tend not to write zombie stories, or horror for that matter, but the cinematic presentation and strange perspectives are golden.
Actually that video had a bit of influence on my writing as well. It kind of morphed my way of thinking and helped clear/enhance the abstract thoughts I couldn't get on paper.. not that that is very clear. Music influences my writing the most of any other medium, but director Guillermo Del Toro has influenced my writing a lot, especially after watching Pan's Labyrinth. A lot of the imagery from Marilyn Manson's videos (The Beautiful People and The Nobodies probably the most) have had a lot of influence over the way I write also.. and maybe even more over what I write about, haha.