Research/Analysis of other films/series

 Hello! So my group and I have begun brainstorming plots and storylines and we have a vague idea of what we want our film to be about but one thing is for sure... we want our main character to break the fourth wall. This is a way of bringing the viewer much closer to the character than typical. This technique needs to be done with very careful consideration. If it is done wrong it can often be underwhelming, can break suspense within a film, and pull the viewer away from the story. However, when done correctly breaking the fourth wall can be a beautiful way to create a bond between the character and the viewer by adding humor and providing deeper information as the viewer gets to here the characters innermost thoughts and emotions.

                                                                              Deadpool comic breaking the fourth wall.

This technique is often used for humorous effects, as seen in many of the Deadpool films. Deadpool has not only broken the fourth wall in the films but also in the original comic books (this allowed the writers and artists to add their own comments or jokes). The Deadpool films use breaking the fourth as a comedic relief effect often referring to the audience and even ideas outside of the narrative world and cracking jokes. Here is a video compilation of a few times this technique is used in the Deadpool films. 

One show that uses breaking the fourth as a way of allowing the character to communicate her innermost thoughts and feelings is the Disney Channel show Stuck In The Middle. This show follows a teenage girl named Harley as she battles internal conflicts and the battles that come with being the middle child in a family of seven kids. Throughout each episode she talks directly to the camera/viewer as if talking to a friend. When this happens it seems as if everything happening in the scene freezes as she speaks to the camera, as if her speaking is happening inside her head. Here is an episode of the show illustrating how the show uses breaking the fourth wall throughout the show.

Fleabag is also a show in which the main character repeatedly breaks the fourth wall. In the show it is clear she uses this as a way to cope with the loss of her best friend and the pain that comes from her own contribution to her death, using the audience as an outlet to emotional intimacy. The use of breaking the fourth wall in this series allows the viewer to feel connected with Fleabag and in turn her actions.  (while still adding a comedic effect with her 'dark' sense of humor.) Here is an example of this. What is most interesting about this series is that is seems although Fleabag doesn't only describe her emotions but it seems as though she too is experiencing different through an outsiders point of view. 

Elsmere, G. (2022, September 1). Deadpool’s 10 Best Fourth-Wall Breaks. CBR. (link)‌

Breaking the Fourth Wall and Intimacy in Fleabag, by Jay Franklin - The Cincinnati Review. (2023, June 23). (link) 

‌Lannom, S. (2019, June 11). How to Break the Fourth Wall Effectively. StudioBinder. (link)