Amidst the rise of cinematic appreciation and embracing artistic liberty, one independent production house has been at the forefront of the limelight when it comes to challenging traditional storytelling and redefining the filmmaking formula. Founded in 2012, A24 is no longer a foreign name in the Hollywood scene, as it continuously captivates audiences with its unique and groundbreaking methods of filmmaking as a cornerstone of its commercial success for the past decade.
From horror reimagined to aesthetically pleasing production, it’s important to analyse the importance of celebrating artistic freedom and originality within the filmmaking industry. However, with A24 continuously redefining norms and challenging traditional tropes with its eccentric and diverse portfolio, when does this creative liberty become harmful to its audience? Does lack of censorship open floodgates to abuse of creative liberty to deliver harmful and exploitative messages? How much is too much?
Popularity uprise with A24 Films
A24’s success can be attributed to its commitment to producing projects that transcend beyond the conventional boundaries of commercial cinema. Beginning with their first release in 2013, “A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III”, audiences and fans of cinema can witness the production house’s dedication to their originality, displayed through both technical and substantive aspects of their projects. Technical creativity includes filming with entirely 35mm Kodak Ektachrome film in Euphoria Season 2 to emphasise the show’s visual approach to represent teenage precariousness, and overexposing shots in Midsommar to mimic sun flare in one’s eyes.
On the other hand, substantive storytelling delivered through immaculate scripts and talented actors has pushed the production house to immense recognisable success, with its most recent highest-grossing film, Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, winning seven out of 11 Academy Award nominations in 2023. A24 films’ popularity could be a signal of mass appreciation towards artistic movies that regularly garner attention predominantly from a niche audience. However, considering A24’s numerous works in diverse genres, it is important to analyse and distinguish substantial storytelling beyond visual artistry.
Source : IMDb
Ari Aster: Horror Reimagined and Reinterpreted
One could not talk about A24 without mentioning its contributions to modern horror films. Midsommar (2019) and Hereditary (2018) by Ari Aster are two very distinctive stories with different themes and messages, though both have garnered quite a cult following, due to their reinterpretation and authentic approach to the horror genre. While Hereditary still maintains the supernatural aspect akin to traditional horror movies, it honours themes of family, motherhood, and self-preservation while also preserving substantial elements of realism in tackling religious veneration and devotion. Part of Hereditary’s success can be attributed to its ability to deliver these messages and morals while also providing an unforgettable horror experience to its audience.
Midsommar takes an entirely different approach when dabbling in the horror genre, with almost the entirety of the film taking place in bright and overexposed environments. The film is entirely unafraid to depart from supernatural elements in its storyline, as it boldly utilises the idea of human depravity and themes of exploitation as central elements of its horror linchpin. The film’s protagonist’s gradual descent into assimilating herself with the Hårga, a Swedish pagan cult, paralleled with gruesome gore aspects, substantiates the film’s attempt to redefine horror. A24’s early success can be credited to the bold nature of Ari’s storytelling approaches, which reinforces the significance of creative liberty and freedom within the filmmaking industry.
Source : A24
“In Another Life, I Would Have Really Liked Doing Laundry and Taxes with You”
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, often abbreviated to EEAAO, is one of the most notable absurdist comedy films produced by A24. Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (often referred to as the Daniels), this movie delves into themes surrounding the mother-daughter dynamic, nihilism, and acceptance, which becomes central to the film’s narrative. Evelyn and Joy’s relationship progression particularly resonated with many of the movie’s fans, as it explores the intricacy and complexity of motherhood and adulthood, and how the intertwinement of both dynamics would not always be so pretty and healthy. The movie’s central message of acceptance also tugged at the heartstrings of many, while its absurdist nature added an authentic approach to delivering these messages inside a comedy-drama film.
The film also explores the spousal dynamics between Evelyn and Waymond, two individuals with distinctively different personalities, and how, despite fundamental differences across multiple universes, have found each other, time and time again. The film’s successful delivery of its central message of acceptance within spousal and familial dynamics within a comedic and absurdist narrative is a cornerstone for its commercial success, partnered with innovative filmmaking techniques and skillful acting. Incorporating ludicrous humour and wit into the film is also foundational in delivering a well-rounded story within EEAAO. Hence, the film is a good example of utilising creative liberty to deliver meaningful and resonating themes while maintaining its entertaining value.
Artistic but Meaningful?
A24 has long departed from its indie roots, following its commercial success within Hollywood and its massive audience. Despite that, they have been very vocal in committing to their authenticity and creativity akin to their early years. As A24 continues to shape the cinematic landscape, it becomes inevitable that some projects fail to deliver substantial messages to their audience when attempting to maximise their visual artistry.
When it comes to explicit themes, A24 projects are not foreign to incorporating nudity and sexuality to deliver their stories successfully. However, more often than not, elements of nudity and sexuality, especially pertaining to women, are vulnerable to narrative exploitation by male filmmakers. Works such as The Idol and Euphoria have both, to a certain degree, failed to protect and respect female sexuality incorporated in their narrative, in addition to promoting harmful themes surrounding adolescence, drug abuse, and the degradation of women. With both being produced and directed by Sam Levinson, who is notorious for disregarding female perspectives, it is no wonder that both these TV shows have lost their direction with regard to substantial narratives.
Does Censorship Limit Meaningful Storytelling?
In conversations pertaining to explicit themes and morality, censorship is one of the many things relevant to the topic, especially when looking at creative liberty in the Malaysian context. As a baseline, censorship becomes an important tool to protect audiences from extremist and harmful rhetorics that could subtly be integrated into digital media. However, more often than not, laws surrounding censorship in digital media are mistargeted, especially when they are heavily influenced to cater to religious and racial sensitivity in Malaysia. As a result, many films attempting to deliver radical and substantial messages end up being watered down. Narratives become less critical and thought-provoking, and creativity becomes inhibited within the filmmaking realm.
That is not to say all stories require explicit themes integral to their plots to deliver meaningful themes to their audience. Many works under the A24 label such as Past Lives, Talk to Me, and Lady Bird have all delivered valuable substances with regard to their themes without really delving into heavily explicit tropes. Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that meaningful storytelling often relies on the freedom to explore a diverse range of themes, including those that may challenge societal norms or address uncomfortable truths. Censorship, particularly when applied excessively, runs the risk of stifling the richness of narratives and limiting the potential for profound cultural reflections within the cinematic landscape.
Source : IMDb
In a world saturated with commercial blockbusters and high-budget Marvel films, A24 stands out as a beacon of originality and artistic expression. Through its commitment to diverse storytelling, the cultivation of emerging talent, and a unique cinematic aesthetic, A24 has become a pioneer, redefining what it means to be an independent production company in the 21st century. With the emergence of diverse and representative stories delivered through film and TV, A24 has spearheaded many works surrounding what it means to create and innovate, especially in an era where creative liberty has become a double-edged sword to both audiences and filmmakers.
