Film Inspiration Continued - How up in the air inspire me in my first film idea

The film undoubtedly inspired me within my film idea. This is because of its themes: economic recession, and its philosophical examination of life.

The director is firstly quotes saying that "In one sense, it’s a movie about a man who fires people for a living’.

It’s a movie which explores the economic crisis and the issue of downsizing, and the ways in which technological advances have cut people from their job, as now new technology does it for them.

Watching the film inspired me to create a film which relates to our current society, most particularly the economic recession. My eagerness to create a film about economic issue was developed whilst watching the ‘educators’, a film about revolutionary activist who try to get by in a corrupt capitalist world. Watching both films led to the creation of my first film idea which was about a:

Jobless character, who’s against the capitalist system, he suffers from depression because he’s unemployed. He rebels because of the fact that he is in a subordinate, inferior, working class position in society. He carries a camera; which he in order to get he’s message across, and to inspire other working class people to rebel.

In my film it centers around this rebellious protagonist character, who rebels because he’s been fired despite the fact that he’s been loyal and committed to the company and has being working their for last three years, just like all the character who were fired in up in the air.

I use the issue of depression because Up in the air made me realize and understand the effects of firing people, as it can lead to severe depression, many of character who were stunned by the announcement either said, how am I going to live?, how am I going to provide for my family?, what’s going to happen next.


I began to research the links between depression and being jobless, and I found various sites which supported the argument that there is a close correlation between people who are jobless or can’t get a job and depression, because it can make you feel like you have lost control of your future, you cant provide for your family ect.