Harvey Pekar Comic book artist in the 80’s - Description
Made work about depression and overcoming it through creativity . Pekar’s. wife worked out a deal with Good Machine when they needed money . Hybrid of narrative and documentary . Directors. Shari Springer Berman and Robert . ID: 781821 Download
Made work about depression and overcoming it through creativity . Pekar’s. wife worked out a deal with Good Machine when they needed money . Hybrid of narrative and documentary . Directors. Shari Springer Berman and Robert .
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Presentation on theme: "Harvey Pekar Comic book artist in the 80’s"— Presentation transcript:
Slide1
Harvey Pekar
Comic book artist in the 80’sMade work about depression and overcoming it through creativity Pekar’s wife worked out a deal with Good Machine when they needed money Hybrid of narrative and documentary
Slide2
Directors
Shari Springer Berman and Robert PulciniDocumentary background
Slide3
This Film’s story is about the whole family Thought of himself as a reject who would never have a family
His creativity and uncommon relationships helped him form one So many of these film worlds are about creating families and connections
Slide4
Ted Hope decided that Harvey had to be in the film even if for a short timeHe (Harvey
Pekar) was idiosyncratic and no one else could play him as well as he could play himself Film had to capture Harvey’s aggressive yet affectionate personality
Slide5
American Splendor incorporates archival footage and animation The director had to understand how challenging relationships could be
Slide6
Pitched to HBO filmsProducer at HBO, the directors, and Ted Hope all understood the importance of telling stories about everyday people
Slide7
Script
The directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini reworked Harvey’s script Greenlit on first draft Shooting began on second draft
Slide8
Production
Budget was increased when HBO saw the first cut of the filmAllowed them to get the animation effects they wantedA lot of freedom to decide what kind of animation was needed based on the footage they had already shot “When artists experiment, when they work without a net, the work becomes more alive”
Slide9
Funds for Music
HBO allowed more funds for copyrighted music Marvin GayeDizzy GillespieJohn Coltraine Over 100,000 budget for the rights to the music
Slide10
9/11
The shooting of the film came right after 9/11Reaffirmed for the crew working on the film of the importance of creative output “We weren’t saving the world, but American Splendor resonated with audiences”“People felt close to those character” characters different from themselves
Slide11
1/3 Documentary 1/3 Fiction
1/3 Animated comic booksThese parts tend to overlap and alternate keeping the audience on its toes regarding issues of representation
Slide12
Harvey
Pekar worked his entire life as a file clerk in a V.A. hospital in ClevelandThe shot of the retirement party is real Graphic Novel R. Crumb (legendary comic book artist) met PekarPekar observed that comics were never written about people like him
Slide13
The comics are true “We are all superheroes doing daily battle against twisted and perverted villains”
Fact and fiction coexist in the same frame“The filmmakers have taken the challenge of filming a comic book based on a life, and turned it into an advantage--the movie is mesmerizing in the way it lures us into the daily hopes and fears of this Cleveland family.”
Slide14
“Pekar’s
genius is to see his life from the outside, as a life like all lives”
