Close Scene Analysis of The Movie The Room

The Room (2003)

In most film productions, the budget directs what the art director or production designer can do within certain confines. The goal to achieve with the budget for the art direction of a film is to create the best visual concepts for the storyline within that budget. No matter how big or small the budget is, the goal is not always achieved. A great example of this is Tommy Wiseau’s The Room (2003). The film was budgeted at 6 million dollars and is examined as one of the worst movies by numerous publications. In addition to being the star of the film, it was written, directed and produced by Tommy Wiseau. The film overall seems to have lacked a thorough completion of pre production, where important the art direction really shapes the storyline. The distasteful art direction and production design of The Room is very reflective of Wiseau’s poor script and film inexperience, ultimately turning the film into a more of a black comedy rather than a melodrama.

The scene I will be discussing from this film is the roof scene (33:32) when Denny is getting confronted by Chris-R, the drug dealer, whom Denny owes money to. Denny is supposed to be a 15 year old boy but played by someone who’s in their mid 20’s. Chris-R is supposed to be a drug dealer but gives off the vibe as more of a “gym rat.” This scene could have been shot on location, ultimately any rooftop, but for some reason it was shot on a studio backlot with a partial set and a green screen. The lighting for the scene is a very neutral and flat overhead light and it does not mimic real sunlight or the foggy skies of the Bay Area. The color temperature seems to alternate between shots from . The scene opens up with establishing shots of stock video footage of San Francisco. The partial set consists of a cheap looking brick wall and tin roof entrance, looking out at a fake San Francisco skyline. Instantaneously, it makes it harder for me to take the acting seriously that is to come. The characters are revealed as Chris-R enters the roof through the fake tin roof door to find Denny. Something that really throws me off is that Denny is bouncing a basketball but they are on a rooftop with no basketball hoop in sight. It would make more sense and be more believable for Denny to be meeting a drug dealer at a basketball court rather than on some rooftop. Chris-R breaks out in a hyperaggressive rage and pulls out a gun when Denny says the money will be there in five minutes. This altercation may be some of the best acting in the film until Mark and Johnny enter the scene at the “perfect time” to save Denny and disarm Chris-R. Lisa and Claudette enter the scene shortly after to scold Denny like he was related to them, when in fact is only he is just their neighbor.

Within reason, the audience would be able to understand that this scene takes place on a rooftop in San Francisco. The background shows the San Francisco skyline with Coit tower and the Golden Gate Bridge faintly in the distance. Majority of the film was shot on a soundstage. The set lacks the natural lighting that blends the foreground with the background. It looks more like a picture and does not portray the natural movement of real life. This set is used throughout the film for different scenes but does not really do the justice for this scene. Not only does this set make the scene less believable, but it was probably more expensive to build a set rather than use a real rooftop. The green screen creates a white aura on the edges of the actors, separating them from the background. The textures of the brick wall look fake on camera when they could have even used a real brick wall section for the partial set. Adding more props or set decorations like a chimney or gravel would make this set seem a bit more believable. Overall, the idea for this set does work for the film, but the actual set they used was poorly designed.

This set accomplishes the goal of signifying the location of San Francisco but does not portray a rooftop in a San Francisco. It lacks a certain set decoration, special effect or prop that can can make the set be more believable. This was a recurring element in most of scene that were shot on a soundstage. This set is poorly designed and does not portray the message of situation in the scene. A drug deal on a roof sounds so stereotypical and definitely something you would see in a movie. Although only a rooftop, there is much opportunity to improve the set in the aspects of set decoration, props and lighting--especially with the ultimate control of soundstage where elements such as weather and light do not affect shooting. Majority of the film was shot on a soundstage, but the few scenes shot on location were visually the best scenes.

If I were to redesign this scene, I would move it to a park basketball court and everything else could stay the same. In order for it to make it more sense on how Johnny and Mark rescued Denny, I would incorporate a scene of parallel action where Mark and Johnny are walking down the street near the park and hear the yells of Denny. Johnny and Mark would be having their conversation about the affair which originally takes place after the rooftop scene. By moving this scene, it would be really easy to shoot on location. Therefore, fixing the issues from the green screen, the lighting and the colors of the scene would be more natural and real simultaneously. Park basketball courts are also found all over. Additionally, it would make more sense for Denny to have basketball and is a place that a teenagers would hang. I can definitely see a drug dealer like Chris-R hanging out at a park basketball court as well. Ultimately, it would promote an urban feel for the setting of the film overall.