In the first part of the film we're shown that Adam is a director. We hear in the second part of the film that Bob was that director. So who and what is Adam?

All we know from the second half of the film is that Adam knows Diane, he acquired a pool (not sure if it was through divorce), he has a mother and he's in a relationship with Camilla. Does anyone at the party even call him Adam? I don't recall, but I don't think so. Maybe his name is really Ed...lol!

Maybe the whole 'recasting' element in the first half of the film was 'this man' finding a new love interest.

vicster111 wrote:In the first part of the film we're shown that Adam is a director. We hear in the second part of the film that Bob was that director. So who and what is Adam?

All we know from the second half of the film is that Adam knows Diane, he acquired a pool (not sure if it was through divorce), he has a mother and he's in a relationship with Camilla. Does anyone at the party even call him Adam? I don't recall, but I don't think so. Maybe his name is really Ed...lol!

Maybe the whole 'recasting' element in the first half of the film was 'this man' finding a new love interest.

We have to trust that Lynch is playing fair with how he presents screen credits. If a character is given a new name, he or she is given a new screen credit. Therefore, there are new screen credits for Diane and Camilla. There are no new screen credits for Ann Miller and Justin Theroux and as Coco is still Coco we can assume that Adam is still Adam.

However, it would be fair to note that in the second half of the film, Adam is still a director as we see him directing Camilla in the car scene. So, Adam is a film director, just not the film director on the TSNS, unless you believe the second portion of the film is a dream.

However, it would be fair to note that in the second half of the film, Adam is still a director as we see him directing Camilla in the car scene.

This is what bothers me about that scene with the convertible: the set.

We see a set in the first part of the film and we know it is the set of the Sylvia North Story. We learn in the second part of the film that the Sylvia North Story was actually directed by Bob. Therefore, how can that same SNS set be used by Adam, as a director, in the second part of the film? It doesn't make sense.

That would make the convertible scene we see (through Diane's eyes) a twisted version of the truth.

So, is Adam a director? I don't think so. Is he another actor in SNS? Is he 'Mr. Roque'? (I added that last one because when Cynthia tells Adam he is 'broke' it sounds a lot like 'Roque'...lol)

vicster111 wrote:

However, it would be fair to note that in the second half of the film, Adam is still a director as we see him directing Camilla in the car scene.

This is what bothers me about that scene with the convertible: the set.

We see a set in the first part of the film and we know it is the set of the Sylvia North Story. We learn in the second part of the film that the Sylvia North Story was actually directed by Bob. Therefore, how can that same SNS set be used by Adam, as a director, in the second part of the film? It doesn't make sense.

That would make the convertible scene we see (through Diane's eyes) a twisted version of the truth.

So, is Adam a director? I don't think so. Is he another actor in SNS? Is he 'Mr. Roque'? (I added that last one because when Cynthia tells Adam he is 'broke' it sounds a lot like 'Roque'...lol)

Well any similarities between the 2 could be down to Diane's dream taking its cues from the real life unnamed film-set where Kesher is directing Camilla. But are the sets really all that similar anyway? It's late and maybe I'm missing something, but one is a car on a street backdrop and the other is two auditions on stage/in a studio. We could say that time periods possibly look similar, but I think that's left intentionally vague, and there don't appear to be any direct props or costumes or whatever to link the two locations.

But are the sets really all that similar anyway?

I was referring to the buildings and, more specifically, the windows with the yellow glow...the background. Not the convertible and the audition box. Sorry, I should have been more specific.

vicster111 wrote:

We see a set in the first part of the film and we know it is the set of the Sylvia North Story. We learn in the second part of the film that the Sylvia North Story was actually directed by Bob. Therefore, how can that same SNS set be used by Adam, as a director, in the second part of the film? It doesn't make sense.

Actually, there is nothing shown (AFAIK) that indicates that Adam is on the set of TSNS when he is filming the singers. All we know is that he is on a sound stage. The Sylvia North Story is mentioned by the AD but it can be presumed that the only thing going on is casting for the lead role. For all we know, set design and set-up is occurring elsewhere with Adam just using a vacate sound stage for auditions.

The question still remains ... why is Adam casting TSNS if he is not the titled director? There are multiple solutions to that but perhaps the simplest is that Adam was replaced on the project. After all, if four directors worked on The Wizard of Oz, is it such a stretch that two directors worked on The Sylvia North Story?

For all we know, set design and set-up is occurring elsewhere with Adam just using a vacate sound stage for auditions.

That is true, it could be a possibility. But I'm pretty sure I heard "Sylvia North Story. Camilla Rhodes. Take one."

As far as having more than one director, that could also be the case, but Diane specifically said "The director..." not "One of the directors..." at Adam's party.

**********

Along with my Ed post, I'm going to turn this over in my head for a while and see if anything jumps at me eventually. I seem to have 'epiphanies' about this film when I'm having my morning coffee...maybe I'll have one tomorrow. Lol!

The question still remains ... why is Adam casting TSNS if he is not the titled director?

By the way, that's kinda the question I'm asking. :) It's like Diane is hiding (from herself) who this guy, Adam, really is. So that brings up the question again of "Who is Adam?".

vicster111 wrote:

But are the sets really all that similar anyway?

I was referring to the buildings and, more specifically, the windows with the yellow glow...the background. Not the convertible and the audition box. Sorry, I should have been more specific.

Hm. Maybe, actually. The set behind Diane looks more like it than the more modern cityscape behind the car. I'd probably subscribe to the idea of Diane's reality informing her dream.

Sylvia North Story (Kesher's version)



Unnamed Kesher vehicle



I do have to wonder if they're actually going to be filiming on that stage given the backdrop behind the 16 Reasons booth, though. Looks more like a set suitable for the Cowboy.

The shot immediately above of a sound booth within a sound stage always struck me as Lynch once again showing us the magic of film sound design while showing the absurdity of it all to the point of comedy. After all what's being filmed but a group lip-syncing to music within a sound booth within a sound stage.

vicster111 wrote:That is true, it could be a possibility. But I'm pretty sure I heard "Sylvia North Story. Camilla Rhodes. Take one."

You did. That's still makes it nothing more than the filming of a casting audition. That's just a film industry process for documenting what's taking place and what 'take' it is so that it can be stored and retrieved as necessary. It's still in use today.

Film Syncs wrote:

vicster111 wrote:That is true, it could be a possibility. But I'm pretty sure I heard "Sylvia North Story. Camilla Rhodes. Take one."

You did. That's still makes it nothing more than the filming of a casting audition. That's just a film industry process for documenting what's taking place and what 'take' it is so that it can be stored and retrieved as necessary. It's still in use today.

I guess I'm not following your thinking. :) How can it be a take of a casting audition for a movie that he didn't direct?

By placing Adam on this set, as a director going through auditions, Diane is hiding who he really is. Why would she do that?

vicster111 wrote:

Film Syncs wrote:

vicster111 wrote:That is true, it could be a possibility. But I'm pretty sure I heard "Sylvia North Story. Camilla Rhodes. Take one."

You did. That's still makes it nothing more than the filming of a casting audition. That's just a film industry process for documenting what's taking place and what 'take' it is so that it can be stored and retrieved as necessary. It's still in use today.

I guess I'm not following your thinking. :) How can it be a take of a casting audition for a movie that he didn't direct?

By placing Adam on this set, as a director going through auditions, Diane is hiding who he really is. Why would she do that?

With the caveat that it's perhaps a very poor premise to build anything concrete out of a potential dream/fantasy, I'll state it again. I don't see a set, I see a sound stage. I don't see a film in production, I see a director casting a role. We see a very upset Adam making a casting decision. If it's inconceivable to you that he might have left the project and was replace by Bob Brooker, so be it.

he might have left the project and was replace by Bob Brooker

I get it now. :)

I do like the idea of the Bob Brooker scenes as representing a dream/fantasy to Diane. In essence, 'I was terrific, everyone got that I was terrific, except that boob of a director.'

We all tend to think we do some things better than we really do. Look at those studies where people claim that most people are mediocre drivers or worse yet when it comes to rate their own skills, they are better than average. It's even harder and more cruel in the subjective world of acting. It must be very hard to be truly objective about your own talent and to put that talent in perspective with those vying for jobs around you.

marksman wrote:As Diane could not remember the name of the director of The Sylvia North Story at the party, despite being present on the set when her beloved Camilla was kissing Adam in the car, it follows that at least one of those 2 scenes is a dream.

There is a difference between your perception and fact. There is a big difference between someone unable to come up with a director's name and choosing not to give the name. Diane also chooses not to state her aunt's name and I'm pretty sure she knows what it is. Now, even IF Diane is completely making up her Aunt (a possibility), by uttering Bob Brooker name gives him status and the last thing Diane wants is to utter the name of her nemesis. Check the look that she gives Wilkins when he mentions Brooker's name ... utter contempt.

Further, you have made the leap that the Camilla kissing Adam set scene is a TSNS scene. Why can't this just be another film where the star Camilla got Diane a bit part - much as Diane indicates to Coco?