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67-459: My Blueberry Nights is a 2007 romantic drama film directed by Wong Kar-wai , his first feature in English. The screenplay by Wong and Lawrence Block is based on a Chinese-language short film written and directed by Wong. My Blueberry Nights stars Norah Jones (in her acting debut), Jude Law , David Strathairn , Rachel Weisz , and Natalie Portman . Jeremy, an émigré from Manchester , owns

134-408: A freelancer or locations-department staffer could be involved in multiple projects simultaneously. After completing all the steps above, if a location is still viable and available, it is confirmed (booked). Usually a contract signed by all parties and a property release are obtained. The latter, a written, signed permission from the property owner or agent, allows photography and public depiction of

201-763: A Blu-ray was released in Japan on September 29, 2008 as a Region free disc, which also contains the extras found on the DVD. On its opening weekend, My Blueberry Nights grossed $ 74,146 in six theaters in the United States, ranking No. 43 at the box office. By the end of its run, the film grossed $ 867,275 domestically and $ 21,140,396 internationally, totaling $ 22,007,671 worldwide. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes collected 128 reviews and identified 46% of them as positive, with an average rating of 5.40/10. The site's critical consensus reads "Though well filmed, My Blueberry Nights

268-496: A Geisha , Slumdog Millionaire , Up in the Air , The Artist , Gloria Bell , and Malcolm & Marie . Director Richard Linklater helmed the prominent Before trilogy, consisting of Before Sunrise , Before Sunset , and Before Midnight . Kasautii Zindagii Kay is a popular Indian romantic drama television series of the 2000s. Same-sex romantic dramas that tackle LGBT issues include Brokeback Mountain , Blue

335-531: A Thief , Vertigo , The Crying Game , The Bodyguard , Unfaithful , Wicker Park , The Phantom of the Opera , The Tourist , and The Adjustment Bureau . The screenwriters taxonomy creates additional categories beyond "subgenre" when discussing films, making the argument that all narrative Hollywood films can be delineated into comedies or dramas (identified as a "film type"). The taxonomy also identifies fifty "macro genres", which can be paired with

402-435: A curb and sadly watches her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend through their apartment window. Elizabeth, now calling herself Lizzie, drifts to Memphis, Tennessee . She takes two jobs, waitress by day and bartender by night, to earn enough money to eventually purchase a car. She regularly sends postcards to Jeremy without revealing where exactly she lives or works. He tries to locate her by calling and sending postcards to all

469-510: A database of locations in case of requests. Location scouts often negotiate legal access to filming locations. Suitability of a location to the task at hand takes into consideration many factors, including: Typically, the production department and the locations department discuss ideas as to what a filming location should or could be. Then, research begins to find and document the location using location scouts. The location scouts and other locations-department staff (see below), working under

536-450: A filmmaker's "voice" because the artistic choice to have the characters sing does not affect the story or the characters – it simply alters how the story and characters are conveyed. Therefore, a romance film like Grease would be categorized as a dramatic (type), romance (super genre), high school / coming of age (macro genres), musical (voice) – rather than simply as a "musical romance". Location scouting Location scouting

603-570: A hallway at Desert Springs Hospital. Scenes in Memphis were scheduled to be filmed from July 17 to 21, at the Blues City Café and at the Arcade Restaurant. Wong said that the film's Memphis segment was a tribute to Tennessee Williams . Wong originally intended to shoot the film in sequence, but when he discovered Rachel Weisz , whom he wanted to cast as Sue Lynne, was pregnant, he agreed to film

670-480: A kissing scene between Law and Jones that was re-shot 150 times, with different speeds and from various angles, over the course of three days. Law, speaking about Wong, said, "I've never worked with someone who's put so much emphasis on a single moment. It's extraordinary how he'll take a moment and replay it and slice it up." Filming was completed in seven weeks. Wong returned to Hong Kong in September 2006, with most of

737-625: A poker room that had been constructed inside the Art Bar in downtown Las Vegas , as no suitable locations for the poker scenes could be found in Ely. Scenes involving Jones and Portman at the Art Bar were filmed over the course of a week. Other filming locations in Las Vegas included a diner, a car lot, a medical clinic, and the Blue Angel and La Palm motels, all located on East Fremont Street. Scenes were also shot in

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804-542: A pole and dies. Elizabeth comforts Sue Lynne at the crash site, where she had first met him, suggesting he may have committed suicide. Before both women say goodbye to the town, Sue Lynne gives her Arnie's tab money, admitting she had made a mistake and she misses him. Heading west, Elizabeth – now Beth – gets another server job at a casino in a small town in Nevada . She meets Leslie, an inveterate poker player who has lost all her money. Elizabeth lends her $ 2,200 in exchange for

871-432: A shoot at any given time. This location production assistant position exists generally on larger budget productions. The locations production assistant is almost never on the set, but "preps" a location when it requires several days of set up or "wraps" the breakdown of a location prior to and following the days of filming. The parking coordinator is typically hired by the location manager on an as-needed basis to supervise

938-401: A slice of blueberry pie, Elizabeth realizes her feelings for him are reciprocated. She 'passes out' on the counter after spending the night in conversation. Jeremy again steals a kiss while she is asleep, but she returns the kiss. The idea for My Blueberry Nights originated from an anthology film that Wong planned to make under the title Three Stories About Food ; one of the film's chapters

1005-460: A small New York City café. He provides customer Elizabeth with clues that reveal her boyfriend is cheating on her. Devastated, she breaks up with him and becomes a regular at the diner, arriving late at night for blueberry pie and to share stories with Jeremy. One night, after they are assaulted in separate incidents, Elizabeth falls asleep at the counter. Jeremy sneaks a kiss while she sleeps and she subtly smiles. Later that night, Elizabeth stands on

1072-505: A state of mind. It's such a relief to realize he's doing everything for a reason and not to show off." Meghan Keane of the New York Sun said the film "keenly displays Wong Kar Wai's aptitude for relationship drama and showcasing the female form, but the Chinese director's American debut often makes the earnest miscalculation of a dubbed foreign film . . . [I]n translating his fascination with

1139-477: Is a mixed bag of dedicated performers working with thin material." On Metacritic , the film has a weighted average score of 52 based on 27 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle observed, "The movie's overall story is modest, and if it were any longer the film might start to drag. But at 90 minutes, it's short enough to be carried along on

1206-655: Is a possible consequence. Also, if production misrepresents itself regarding its activities or its intended use of the location, damages the property, or negligently causes other problems for the property owner, the property owner may seek remedy in any of many forms, including legal action. Local weather conditions can figure heavily into a location's viability and affect many areas of production scheduling, so contingencies and alternate, budgetary-efficient plans should be made well in advance of any shoot day that could be affected by weather. A location that could be affected by weather should always be cleared and placed in advance with

1273-687: Is a romantic story with a historical period setting, normally with a turbulent backdrop of war, revolution, or tragedy. This includes films such as Gone with the Wind , Doctor Zhivago , Reds , Titanic , A Very Long Engagement , Atonement , Portrait of a Lady on Fire , and Cold War . Paranormal romance is a popular genre of film which features romantic relationships between humans and supernatural creatures. Popular tropes include vampirism , time travel , ghosts and psychic or telekinetic abilities – i.e. things that cannot be explained by science. The genre originated in literature and moved on to

1340-815: Is a term associated with romance films mostly targeted to a female audience. Although many romance films may be targeted at women, it is not a defining characteristic of a romance film and a ' chick flick ' does not necessarily have a romance as a central theme, revolve around the romantic involvement of characters or even include a romantic relationship. As such, the terms cannot be used interchangeably. Films of this genre include Gilda , The Red Shoes , Sense and Sensibility , Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , Dirty Dancing , The Notebook , Dear John , A Walk to Remember , Thelma & Louise , Fifty Shades of Grey , Sleepless in Seattle , You've Got Mail and Romeo + Juliet . Also known as epic romance, this

1407-436: Is a vital process in the pre-production stage of filmmaking and commercial photography . Once scriptwriters , producers or directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of their work shot outside the studio , the search for a suitable place or " location " outside the studio begins. Location scouts also look for generally spectacular or interesting locations beforehand, to have

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1474-457: Is able to surmount most obstacles. Humour in such films tends to be of a verbal, low-key variety or situational, as opposed to slapstick. Films within this genre include City Lights , A Night at the Opera , It Happened One Night , His Girl Friday , My Wife's Goblin , The Philadelphia Story , Intolerable Cruelty , Roman Holiday , Good Morning, My Dear Wife , The Big Sick , Enough Said , Lost In Translation , To All

1541-522: Is not an accurate depiction of Americana – but it doesn't make for a bad visual." In Hong Kong, critical reception was generally mixed. Perry Lam of Muse Magazine compared the film to Wong's earlier work, Chungking Express , and found My Blueberry Nights "a much lesser, more ordinary affair." Wong Kar Wai was nominated for the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and for Best Foreign Film at

1608-464: Is often employed to indicate the emotional mood, creating an atmosphere of greater insulation for the couple. The conclusion of a romantic drama typically does not indicate whether a final romantic union between the two main characters will occur. Some examples of romantic drama films and shows before 2000 are Man's Way with Women , Casablanca , María Candelaria , Pride & Prejudice , Appointment with Happiness , Wakeful Eyes , Among

1675-503: Is the Warmest Colour , Carol , Moonlight , and Call Me by Your Name . Romantic fantasies describe fantasy stories using many of the elements and conventions of the romance genre. Some examples include The Lady Eve , Top Hat , The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg) , Singin' in the Rain , Groundhog Day , Enchanted , Cinderella , Beauty and

1742-435: Is to leave the location in the same (if not better) condition than that in which it was found. A film crew might be staffed with the following locations-department positions. Many of these positions often "cross over" or a member of the department might be responsible for executing duties related to several of these positions: The location manager oversees the locations department and its staff, typically reporting directly to

1809-838: The Cannes Film Festival in May 2007, with David Lynch 's Absurda , from the To Each His Own Cinema anthology, shown as an opening short. It was also shown at the Hamburg Film Festival, the Valladolid International Film Festival , and the Munich Asia Filmfest before going into limited theatrical release in Canada on November 16. It opened throughout Europe and Asia before opening on six screens in

1876-677: The Rodgers and Hammerstein productions. Some examples include South Pacific , West Side Story and its 2021 remake , Grease , High School Musical , Across the Universe , Moulin Rouge! , the Mamma Mia! franchise, Sunshine on Leith , and La La Land . Romantic thriller is a genre of film which has a storyline combining elements of the romance film and the thriller genre . Some examples of romantic thriller films are Desire , To Catch

1943-419: The romance super genre. Using this approach, films like Gone with the Wind (noted above) would be classified as a dramatic (type) historical/family (macro genres) romance (genre) rather than simply a historical romance; while The Notebook would be identified at dramatic (type) disease (macro genre) romance (genre) rather than simply a romantic drama. Similarly, musicals are categorized as one option for

2010-567: The Beast , Knowing , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , Midnight in Paris , Her , and The Shape of Water . Romantic musical (alternatively musical romance ) is a genre of film which features romantic relationships and whose story is partially explained through song and/or dance numbers. This genre originated on Broadway and moved to the silver screen thanks in part to the popularity of

2077-456: The Boys I've Loved Before , Four Weddings and a Funeral , Dave , Say Anything... , Moonstruck , In Summer We Must Love , As Good as It Gets , Something's Gotta Give , When Harry Met Sally... , Annie Hall , Manhattan , The Apartment and Pablo and Carolina . Romantic dramas usually revolve around an obstacle that prevents deep and true love between two people. Music

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2144-864: The Cinema Writers Circle Awards in Spain. The soundtrack, released on the Blue Note Records label, features tracks by the star of the film Norah Jones , Cat Power , Ry Cooder , Oscar -winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla , Otis Redding , Cassandra Wilson , and Amos Lee . Romantic drama film Romantic films often explore the essential themes of love at first sight , young and mature love, unrequited love, obsession, sentimental love, spiritual love , forbidden love, platonic love, sexual and passionate love, sacrificial love, explosive and destructive love, and tragic love . Romantic films serve as great escapes and fantasies for viewers, especially if

2211-589: The Memphis scenes last to allow her time to give birth and recuperate before beginning work. Wong consistently revised existing scenes and added new scenes to the script, usually at the last minute. Jude Law called it "a living story that's still being decided." In August 2006, filming took place at the Palacinka café on Grand Street in SoHo, Manhattan . Scenes shot at the café – the primary filming location in New York – included

2278-594: The Ruins , The River of Love , Dearer than my Life , Love Story , Paris and Love , Featureless Men , Coming Home , Daughters of the Dust , Like Water for Chocolate , Sommersby , The Bridges of Madison County , The English Patient , Shakespeare in Love , An Officer and a Gentleman , Saptapadi and Cinema Paradiso . 21st century examples include Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna , Sideways , Memoirs of

2345-535: The United States on April 4, 2008, as a limited release. The theatrical US version was edited to be slightly shorter than the version that was premiered in 2007. The film was released on DVD by the Weinstein Company on July 1, 2008. The film has yet to receive a Blu-ray release in the United States. The film debuted on Blu-ray on June 23, 2008 in the United Kingdom in a Region B Locked release. Shortly after,

2412-505: The decision to use an alternate location can be made, which might involve additional planning and budget allocation for additional location scouting. Production events involving the location department and its personnel can occur quickly and often. Likewise, the location requirements themselves (that is, script rewrites and creative concept changes) can change on the fly . More often than not, multiple locations associated with multiple scenes in production are involved. Under some circumstances,

2479-545: The distances between two people into American vernacular, Mr. Wong betrays an unfamiliarity with his subject matter that often undermines his story . . . Sadly, [his] interpretation of American lives and landscapes has an alien quality to it. He fetishizes the American countryside, drowns his characters' sorrows in whiskey, and makes plot-oriented decisions based on aesthetics rather than continuity or logic. The image of beautiful women in oversize sunglasses leaning against convertibles

2546-431: The drama of its individual scenes and the strength of its performances . . . The nice thing about Wong is that, like a good gambler, he knows when to bet the farm and when to hold back. Most of the time, he plays it straight, and other times he will speed up the action into a kind of blur, to indicate time passing; or he'll fade out and back into the same shot, as though to indicate renewed focus. Everything he does re-creates

2613-526: The film finished. The Weinstein Company acquired the American distribution rights in November 2006, while the film was being edited by Wong and William Chang. Wong said he would probably return to the United States to conclude filming in the winter, but stated that he would not make a decision about additional filming until he had a first cut. The film's ending had not been decided at that time. The film premiered at

2680-430: The film in 2005, after the postponement of another film. Crew members went on three location scouting trips across the United States. Darius Khondji , the film's cinematographer , accompanied the crew on two trips, while Wong accompanied them for one; both of them took extensive photographs of diners, highways, and motels during their trips. Ely, Nevada was discovered by Wong while traveling along U.S. Route 50 , and

2747-402: The film project, and if such interest exists, the location researcher might be responsible for setting up an appointment for a location scout to go there. Hired by the location manager to be on-set before, during, and after the filming process. General responsibilities can include arriving first at the location to allow the set dressers into the set for preparation; maintaining the cleanliness of

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2814-504: The film's poker scenes. Filming locations in Ely included the Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall. Other scenes in Ely were to be shot at a bar. Wong, known for last-minute decisions, chose a different bar on the day of filming, after concluding with Alson the night before that the bar in Ely was too small. Filming in Las Vegas was set to begin on June 27, 2006, and was expected to last five days. Poker scenes set in Ely were instead filmed inside

2881-414: The heads of the other production departments to tour those locations to confirm suitability. This tour is commonly called a "tech scout", " recce ", or "go-see". During this time, the locations department (most likely the location manager, in situations requiring the most responsibility) will have contacted and begun negotiations with internal and external parties who may affect the crew's ability to film at

2948-440: The intent to film in the area, which is often a local requirement. The completion of these steps results in "locking down" the location by ensuring that all details and existing or potential issues have been addressed. It is the locations department's job both to anticipate and minimize problems associated with a location and to advise other production-department heads of intractable problems for which contingencies can be planned or

3015-506: The location areas during filming (on larger budget projects this can include securing and supervising a contract clean-up crew or assigning such duties to a set production assistant); limiting the impact of a working production crew on the location grounds; fielding complaints from neighbors; and ultimately, at the end of the filming, managing on-set time and crew with regard to the closure of the location within contractually-permitted time constraints. There are generally one to three assistants on

3082-417: The location manager and the locations department at large. The assistant location manager works with the location manager and the various departments in arranging technical scouts for the essential staff (grips, electric, camera, etc.) to see options which the location manager has selected for filming. The assistant location manager will be on the set during the filming process to oversee the operation, whereas

3149-445: The location manager continues preproduction from elsewhere (generally an office) on the upcoming locations. (Note: On most location-based television shows, two assistant location managers will alternate episodes, allowing one to prepare for an upcoming episode while the other is on the set with the current one.) The location scout does much of the actual research, footwork, and photography needed to document location possibilities. Often,

3216-441: The location manager will do some scouting personally, as will the assistant location manager. On a large film crew someone might be assigned exclusively to do research work for the locations department, freeing the location scouts to concentrate on photographing location possibilities or other tasks. This person's job might be to do Internet or public library research and contact resources to assess their interest in being involved in

3283-431: The location via media (that is, broadcast, video, film, print publication). Once a location is booked, filming typically begins as planned, since many hours of paid production work and considerable amounts of money for location fees and/or permits have been invested in the location. A change of creative concept at this stage or a glitch of any kind (such as property owner cancellation) is potentially costly, and legal action

3350-405: The location, answering locations-related questions, solving miscellaneous problems as they arise, coordinating crowd control, and acting as an external point of contact between production and such parties as the property owner, neighbors, local film office /government, and law enforcement personnel. Locations-department employees are always the last crew members to leave a location, and their credo

3417-441: The location. This part of location scouting is known as "clearing the location" and involves investigating and confirming the availability of the location, the fees to be paid to a location owner or agent, obtaining a certificate of insurance , and obtaining any needed film permits , which may involve fees. "Resident letters" or "filming notifications" might also need to be distributed. These are notices to neighbors, advising them of

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3484-451: The money back, plus a third of her winnings. However, if she loses, then Elizabeth gets Leslie's car, a new Jaguar XK . When Leslie does lose, she fulfills her promise, but asks for a lift to Las Vegas to borrow money from her estranged father. En route, a Vegas hospital calls to inform Leslie that her father has been admitted and is dying. She believes the call is a ruse to lure her back, but upon arrival she discovers that he actually died

3551-421: The parking staff in order to secure and coordinate crew parking, including that of equipment trucks and personal vehicles. The locations department and the parking department might work together with local law enforcement to coordinate traffic control if the scene being filmed involves roadway right-of-way. The parking staff hang brightly colored "No Parking" signs and then sit in their cars (with an orange cone on

3618-445: The previous night. Leslie announces she's keeping the car, which she had stolen from her father. He had sent her the vehicle's title and registration, despite their estrangement. She confesses she actually won the poker game and subsequently helps Elizabeth negotiate the purchase of her dream car. Elizabeth returns to Manhattan and the café, where Jeremy has kept a stool at the counter reserved for her ever since she left. As she eats

3685-426: The production manager and/or assistant firector (or even director and/or executive producer). The location manager is responsible for obtaining the final permission to use a location for filming. Often, the location manager must also assist the production department and the finance department in maintaining their budget management regarding the actual location and permit fees as well as the production labor costs for both

3752-406: The property owner's understanding and consent to the property being placed "on weather hold" or under the condition that production will only confirm its use of the location and commence photography pending viable weather conditions. The aim, in addition to attaining the correct aesthetic for the shot under acceptable and safe working conditions, is to provide greater flexibility in crew scheduling and

3819-603: The renting of equipment and vehicles while minimizing inconvenience to the owner, and in the event of cancellation or postponement by production due to weather, to eliminate or minimize any cancellation fees that may be part of an agreement between production and the location owner. Location scouts may find and photograph locations for the productions of feature films and short films , television commercials and television shows , documentary films , corporate video , print advertising photography , editorial photography , and event planning . The methods employed are much

3886-616: The restaurants in the area, but to no avail. One of Elizabeth's regulars at both jobs is local police officer Arnie Copeland, an alcoholic who cannot accept that his wife, Sue Lynne, has left him. She openly flaunts her new relationship with a younger man, deepening Arnie's sorrow. He shows Elizabeth his pocketful of AA sobriety tokens and recounts his many attempts at sobriety. One night, while off duty in Elizabeth's bar, Arnie drunkenly threatens Sue Lynne with his gun if she leaves, but he doesn't shoot her. Later on, he drives drunk, crashes into

3953-457: The same as for feature film production, but the processes often differ in some ways: Turn-around times are generally shorter and decision making is shared between production, the director/ photographer and the advertising agency or even the end client. A weekly broadcast television show may have significant deadline challenges. Often the decision makers are geographically dispersed, which may explain why commercial and print scouts early adopted

4020-582: The screen in the early 2000s, following the success of the Twilight Saga adaptations from Stephenie Meyer 's books. By 2007–08, film studios were producing various paranormal romance films, many adapted from novels. Examples of paranormal romance films include The Exterminating Angel , The Twilight Saga , Warm Bodies , Vampire Academy , I Am Dragon , and The Shape of Water . Romantic comedies are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love

4087-493: The supervision of the Location Manager , generally provide as many potentially useful and viable ideas and options as possible. These ideas and options are then reviewed by production, represented often by the assistant director, production manager, and director or executive producer, in the case of narrative filmmaking. Once a consensus on locations with the most potential is reached, arrangements are normally made for some of

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4154-437: The top) to ensure that no one parks in the coned off areas. The location department is the last to depart a location upon wrap and is responsible for leaving the location in exactly, if not better, condition than it was upon arrival. A waste removal company might be hired on an as-needed basis. A location scout typically takes descriptive, panoramic photographs or video of location possibilities. The photography should reflect

4221-738: The two leads finally overcome their difficulties, declare their love, and experience their "happily ever after", often implied by a reunion and final kiss. In romantic television series, the development of such romantic relationships may play out over many episodes or different characters may become intertwined in different romantic arcs. Screenwriter and scholar Eric R. Williams identifies Romance Films as one of eleven super-genres in his screenwriters' taxonomy , claiming that all feature length narrative films can be classified by these super-genres. The other ten super-genres are action , crime , fantasy , horror , science fiction , comedy , sports , thriller , war and western . ' Chick flick '

4288-423: The use of online presentations and other digital technologies. The locations department's duties often extend beyond pre-production, into production and post-production. A location manager and/or other locations-department members are often needed during actual shooting and at wrap as a general point of internal contact for matters related to the locations department, such as ensuring smooth crew movement to and from

4355-428: Was chosen as a filming location. Ely's Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall , as well as its Liberty Club bar, were scouted as possible filming locations. New Orleans was also considered as a filming location, but ultimately was not chosen because of logistical reasons; Memphis, Tennessee was chosen instead. In Making My Blueberry Nights , a bonus on the DVD release of the film, Wong reveals his first choice for Elizabeth

4422-474: Was singer Norah Jones despite her lack of prior acting experience. Wong called Norah Jones "a natural" and instructed that she not take acting lessons. Prior to filming, poker expert Peter Alson was hired to coach Natalie Portman for scenes that involved her playing poker. Production began in New York on June 21, 2006. By June 27, 2006, production had moved to Ely, Nevada, after filming concluded in New York. Wong had Alson come along to Ely for further advice on

4489-476: Was ultimately released as its own film, In the Mood for Love (2000), while My Blueberry Nights originated from another short film titled In the Mood for Love 2001 , which had only been screened once, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. Wong expanded the idea into a road movie that would take place in other locations besides New York, as filming entirely in the state would have been too expensive. Wong chose to make

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