Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, comprising his films Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge!. In 2008, his film Australia was released, starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. His version of The Great Gatsby was released in 2013.
Techniques:-
His use of bright colours is a prominent factor in his directing style. All the colour in his films is exaggerated, whether it is making it dull and less colourful than it should be. He always uses a contrast between bright and dull in his films.
In Strictly Ballroom all the dancers are wearing very bright and shiny costumes, which are greatly exaggerated. At the beginning of the film, Fran’s dress is very dull and plain but when she dances with Scott at the end she is dressed in the same vibrant style as the other dancers. Also inside the dance hall everything is bright.
The Great Gatsby is a clear example of his significant use of colours e.g – Gatsby’s car is bright yellow, whereas the Valley of Ashes is dark and dull; showing a clear divide between the classes.
All of Baz Luhrmanns films are set in closed, confined, isolated little worlds. Strictly Ballroom is set in the isolated specialised world of ballroom dancing and nearly the whole film is shot in either the ballroom or the dance studio.
He presents his films as if he were telling a story, which he invites you into.
His stories