Modern Western- Independent Blog Post 2/21

An idea I have for my next film is to do some type of spin on the modern western genre. I want to make it seem very serious, but the actual story itself is just something silly. Kind of like my Wii Sports Basketball film. I made it seem like I was very committed to playing a kid's game. I want to do that but with the western genre. This investigation is to see if I would be able to pull this off. 

Modern Westerns:

A modern Western is a genre that transplants (all or parts of) the conventional, classical Western genre's themes, locales, and plot/character archetypes into a current context. The film's location, as well as the concerns and concepts it tries to explore, will be contemporary. Modern Westerns exist not just to be in dialogue with their traditional forefathers, but also to be in conversation with them. Modern Westerns will attempt to contrast with classic Westerns, highlighting the changes that have occurred since the genre's heyday (1940s-60s) and the era it often depicts (late 19th Century).

Examples: 

Logan (2017)

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Setting: The Western's classic backdrop is the American frontier. Modern Westerns maintain the Western landscape's vibe by using large, gorgeous, abandoned, spreading wastelands as locations. Small rural communities with a pervasive air of lawlessness or legal corruption also appear, harkening back to American frontier tales. A modern Western's location does not always have to be completely American frontier land. As for me, I probably will use my backyard since it's close and it's just the woods. 

Themes:

Westerners are preoccupied with the struggle between civilization and anarchy. In the contemporary day, when the divide between tradition and modernity is more acute, modern Westerns are able to examine this tension. We witness the difference between contemporary culture, as represented by technology, and traditional customs, as portrayed by farmers, cowboys, and a link with the land, in modern Westerns.

Work Log:

Monday: Brainstormed ideas for the next film

Tuesday: Wrote down ideas for plots of films

Wednesday: Picked one and went into more detail

Thursday: No School

Friday: No School