Friday 28 February 2014
A timeline of a film opening from the drama genre - 'Drive'
This is a timeline for the opening sequence to the film 'Drive.' As a drama, it is the same genre as our film and therefore carries similar attributes, when it comes to identifying the genre and how characters are introduced in an enigmatic light. In this case, the main protagonist has no dialogue, which makes the audience question what kind of a character he is and how he contributes to the narrative.
Two drama film openings
An example of a contemporary film opening, from the drama genre can be seen in 'Out of the Furnace.' This opening has a very melancholy tone to it, with the slow paced country music accompanied with the setting of an old factory has connotations of depression and danger; this atmosphere is a stereotypical trait of a drama, establishing a character driven story early, by making the audience quickly empathise for this character's depressing lifestyle.
The narrative of the opening regards a man being shown to work in a darkly lit factory, incorporating verisimilitude with this realistic setting and, in this context, conveyed as quite a negative and unskilled profession. This suggests that this character lacks intelligence and as a result leads an uneventful and repetitive life. He then proceeds to changing clothes and leaving the workplace, both times he doesn't interact with anyone else on screen, which implies he's lonely.
The non-diegetic country music is stereotypical of the American way of life, because it's a very popular genre in that country, implying that this is the main setting of the film. The slow pace and low pitch aids in creating the melancholy atmosphere that was already established by the main protagonist's lack of socialising to really amplify this theme, which suggests that this particular theme runs throughout the narrative.
The only title used within this sequence is the film's name, which suggests the director wanted people to focus on what's actually in shot because it holds significance to the rest of the film. The simplicity of the title and it's lack of colours lead us to believe this is a low budget production, but the way it appears on screen directly relates to the title itself. It fades on screen in a gradual manner and a vertical trajectory. This relates to the title because it carries the same characteristics of a fire rising, much like a furnace does.
Another example of a drama can be seen in the less contemporary film 'The Godfather.' It was first introduced to cinemas in 1972 and yet, even today, it's known as this very well made and iconic drama. The lack of non-diegetic music makes the audience focus on the dialogue, to provide contextual information on the characters, while still establishing quite an adult tone with very specific details on gruesome events. The gradual opening titles means for a slower pace, which suggest that the narrative of the film similarly evolves at a gradual rate.
'The Godfather' conveys the traits of a drama by providing substance to the characters with the opening monologue as well as referring to social hierarchy, with Don Corleone being presented as the superior man, creating questions such as what does he do for a living and how did he get to this point?
The darkly lit office, much like the factory in 'Out of the Furnace,' has connotations of evil and lifelessness, and the fact that it's the only setting in the opening implies it has sentimental value to the main protagonist and mirrors his clinical and ruthless persona. The film title fades on screen, accompanied with slow paced jazz music that's typical of the time period to quickly establish the historical time period. When it comes to the title's design, it strongly relates to the source material of the book that it's based on. Below is an example of the similarities between the book in comparison to the film's title:
This implicates that the narrative is equally true to the book, creating a bigger target audience so that both film and book fans a like would feel compelled to watch this interpretation of such a well-known novel. With these two films being so similar in how they convey the drama genre and the simplistic nature of their mise-en-scene leads us to believe these are generic conventions of a drama and has therefore helped us in relation to our own film because we can now take on board these techniques and make it clear what kind of film we're making.
Looking at these two dramas, it seems that a consistent element that's used in these openings is character development, whether it's from a mise-en-scene or dialogue stand point. Knowing this, our group agrees that incorporating some of this development will enrich our opening and make the audience care more about our characters and the scenario they're in, enticing the audience and compelling them to continue watching.
The narrative of the opening regards a man being shown to work in a darkly lit factory, incorporating verisimilitude with this realistic setting and, in this context, conveyed as quite a negative and unskilled profession. This suggests that this character lacks intelligence and as a result leads an uneventful and repetitive life. He then proceeds to changing clothes and leaving the workplace, both times he doesn't interact with anyone else on screen, which implies he's lonely.
The non-diegetic country music is stereotypical of the American way of life, because it's a very popular genre in that country, implying that this is the main setting of the film. The slow pace and low pitch aids in creating the melancholy atmosphere that was already established by the main protagonist's lack of socialising to really amplify this theme, which suggests that this particular theme runs throughout the narrative.
The only title used within this sequence is the film's name, which suggests the director wanted people to focus on what's actually in shot because it holds significance to the rest of the film. The simplicity of the title and it's lack of colours lead us to believe this is a low budget production, but the way it appears on screen directly relates to the title itself. It fades on screen in a gradual manner and a vertical trajectory. This relates to the title because it carries the same characteristics of a fire rising, much like a furnace does.
Another example of a drama can be seen in the less contemporary film 'The Godfather.' It was first introduced to cinemas in 1972 and yet, even today, it's known as this very well made and iconic drama. The lack of non-diegetic music makes the audience focus on the dialogue, to provide contextual information on the characters, while still establishing quite an adult tone with very specific details on gruesome events. The gradual opening titles means for a slower pace, which suggest that the narrative of the film similarly evolves at a gradual rate.
'The Godfather' conveys the traits of a drama by providing substance to the characters with the opening monologue as well as referring to social hierarchy, with Don Corleone being presented as the superior man, creating questions such as what does he do for a living and how did he get to this point?
The darkly lit office, much like the factory in 'Out of the Furnace,' has connotations of evil and lifelessness, and the fact that it's the only setting in the opening implies it has sentimental value to the main protagonist and mirrors his clinical and ruthless persona. The film title fades on screen, accompanied with slow paced jazz music that's typical of the time period to quickly establish the historical time period. When it comes to the title's design, it strongly relates to the source material of the book that it's based on. Below is an example of the similarities between the book in comparison to the film's title:
This implicates that the narrative is equally true to the book, creating a bigger target audience so that both film and book fans a like would feel compelled to watch this interpretation of such a well-known novel. With these two films being so similar in how they convey the drama genre and the simplistic nature of their mise-en-scene leads us to believe these are generic conventions of a drama and has therefore helped us in relation to our own film because we can now take on board these techniques and make it clear what kind of film we're making.
Looking at these two dramas, it seems that a consistent element that's used in these openings is character development, whether it's from a mise-en-scene or dialogue stand point. Knowing this, our group agrees that incorporating some of this development will enrich our opening and make the audience care more about our characters and the scenario they're in, enticing the audience and compelling them to continue watching.
Thursday 27 February 2014
Research into the drama genre
As technology has become more
accessible and convenient for the public, thanks for digitalisation, children
now have easier access to films that have high age ratings. That means that
audience members now have higher demands, when it comes to the extremity of the
content, with an example being the controversy surrounding ‘Casino Royale’s age
rating being a 12A in cinemas, despite a graphic torture scene, leaning it more
towards the conventions of a 15 rating. It is this extremity that has caused
older dramas, such as ‘The Godfather,’ to now have a lower age rating than they
did when they were originally released. This differs from ‘Casino Royale’
because, although they’re both subgenres of drama, ‘The Godfather’ elaborates
more on the gangster and crime elements, whereas ‘Casino Royale’ focuses more
on the action orientated aspect. The drawback of this new need for extremity is
that a higher rating means a smaller target audience, directly resulting in a
smaller profit margin for the film companies involved. To avoid this,
well-established directors, such as Christopher Nolan and Ben Affleck, use more
subtle techniques to convey these darker themes, compared to pre-2000 films
that were more visually extreme, with exaggerated uses of blood and violence.
By contrast, ‘The Dark Knight’ is a good
example of a modern drama, being commended for its darkly-themed writing and
in-depth character development, still conveying an adult tone, but also
appealing to children, with the use of an iconic superhero. This picture of the
film’s antagonist displays stereotypical traits of a drama by taking something
kids find humorous (clowns) and turning it into something more psychologically intimidating,
because of this contrast. It follows the
structure of a drama with the use of binary opposites (hero vs. villain),
characters that evolve and have a change in dynamics with others, to represent
a sense of progression. An example of this change can be seen in the character
Harvey Dent, starting off as a loyal and determined lawyer and gradually
becoming more sinister and vengeful.
This is a picture our group constructed to visually summarise the drama genre, through symbolism, and some of the consistent conventions that can be seen in them. The distressed man shows the confusion and lack of clarity, the scales relate to the binary opposites and moral judgement, the path refers to the choices the characters make, the sun rise symbolise hope and the central man in the suit visually demonstrates mourning. These are all the generic conventions that can be seen in most examples of the drama genre. These conventions help to identify the genre, which is why they're used so often, and quickly informs audiences of the mood and tone that can be seen throughout that particular drama. Here are some pictures from films that relate to these conventions and therefore the genre:
Here is a trailer of the film 'The Town,' which carries similar guidelines to the film we have constructed, from a narrative perspective, and is a good example of a modern drama:
'The Town' is a good example of a modern drama because it's dramatic events within the narrative, such as bank robberies and loyalty issues that result in a distinctive sense of progression that can be seen in the characters and their behaviour. The fact that this film is rated 7.6/10 by the public and 74/100 from critics on I.M.D.B., as well as making $154 million at the box office indicates that 'The Town' is an iconic and enjoyable example of the drama genre.
In conclusion, the drama genre has lengthy history and diversity, with numerous subgenres that each elaborates on different elements of drama to make a more memorable and unique narrative.
By contrast, ‘The Dark Knight’ is a good
example of a modern drama, being commended for its darkly-themed writing and
in-depth character development, still conveying an adult tone, but also
appealing to children, with the use of an iconic superhero. This picture of the
film’s antagonist displays stereotypical traits of a drama by taking something
kids find humorous (clowns) and turning it into something more psychologically intimidating,
because of this contrast. It follows the
structure of a drama with the use of binary opposites (hero vs. villain),
characters that evolve and have a change in dynamics with others, to represent
a sense of progression. An example of this change can be seen in the character
Harvey Dent, starting off as a loyal and determined lawyer and gradually
becoming more sinister and vengeful.This is a picture our group constructed to visually summarise the drama genre, through symbolism, and some of the consistent conventions that can be seen in them. The distressed man shows the confusion and lack of clarity, the scales relate to the binary opposites and moral judgement, the path refers to the choices the characters make, the sun rise symbolise hope and the central man in the suit visually demonstrates mourning. These are all the generic conventions that can be seen in most examples of the drama genre. These conventions help to identify the genre, which is why they're used so often, and quickly informs audiences of the mood and tone that can be seen throughout that particular drama. Here are some pictures from films that relate to these conventions and therefore the genre:
Here is a trailer of the film 'The Town,' which carries similar guidelines to the film we have constructed, from a narrative perspective, and is a good example of a modern drama:
'The Town' is a good example of a modern drama because it's dramatic events within the narrative, such as bank robberies and loyalty issues that result in a distinctive sense of progression that can be seen in the characters and their behaviour. The fact that this film is rated 7.6/10 by the public and 74/100 from critics on I.M.D.B., as well as making $154 million at the box office indicates that 'The Town' is an iconic and enjoyable example of the drama genre.
In conclusion, the drama genre has lengthy history and diversity, with numerous subgenres that each elaborates on different elements of drama to make a more memorable and unique narrative.
Wednesday 26 February 2014
Reservoir Dogs remake
This is our group's remake of the film 'Reservoir Dogs.' Because the main focus was the shot type, length and title sequences all matching up with the original, we decided to be creative and use teddy bears to represent each cast member. This was difficult to edit because the timing had to be very precise and each shot and title length had to be exactly the same as the original. Despite the teddy bears, using the same Sony camera that we would also use for our original film opening sequence meant we were still able to incorporate an element of professionalism.
Why we're remaking a film opening
Out of a selection of film openings to recreate, our group decided on the 'Reservoir Dogs' opening sequence, because it's simple enough that we can still replicate the content in the shots and yet the film is iconic enough for our interpretation to still be recognised as a relation to the original. Remaking the sequence will aid our understanding of the importance of shot and title lengths, while also compelling us to consider the framing of each shot, specifically when it comes to shot type and mise-en-scene.
Luckily, because this is also an independent film, 'Reservoir Dogs' opening is quite basic, in relation to location, with it being set on a high street to incorporate an element of verisimilitude and symbolise the gritty and realistic tone of the rest of the narrative.
Luckily, because this is also an independent film, 'Reservoir Dogs' opening is quite basic, in relation to location, with it being set on a high street to incorporate an element of verisimilitude and symbolise the gritty and realistic tone of the rest of the narrative.
Tuesday 25 February 2014
The differences between independant and mainstream film openings
Because mainstream films have a significantly higher budget than the independent, they have more money and resources to be creative and take a stylistic approach with a film opening's design. This is important and seen in a lot of mainstream films so that they become more memorable, even if it's just from a visual perspective, regardless of the narrative. By contrast, independent films usually have very simplistic and more refined openings because of the lack of funding, and most likely mirror the simplicity within the narrative's structure.
An example of a mainstream film opening being very stylised can be seen in 'Goldeneye.' The Bond franchise is well known for it's opening credits, partly because they're very vibrant and unique but mostly because they use symbolism to give the audience a glimpse into the narrative, while also identifying the specific themes of that film. This helps to entice audiences because there are limitless ways to interperate the applications of symbolism within these sequences, with an example from this particular film being the gun coming out of the woman's mouth. This could suggest an element of betrayal, sexual innuendo, patriotism or even just that the main female character has a dangerous persona.
In comparison, an example of an independent film opening being refined and simple can be seen in the film 'Memento.' A majority of this sequence is just one shot of a man holding a picture, linking back to the simplistic aspect of independent films. Also, a lot of the cast and crew are relatively unknown in the film industry, appealing more to a niche audience. This simplicity focusing on the picture implies it has contributions to the narrative or possibly sentimental value towards the character who's holding it. Despite this films independence, it does reveal itself as gradually moving backwards in time, setting up the rest of the film's narrative as a flashback.
To conclude, independent and mainstream film openings are very contrasting, in regards to complexity and visual detail on screen. This contrast in style is also reflected in the rest of the films, making independents rely more heavily on dialogue to carry the film and still make it distinctive, while on the other hand a stereotype has now surrounded mainstream films just being a montage of action sequences. Because we are a mainstream company, we can use this information of how the two types are differentiated and show that we recognise that contrast within our opening as well as the production logos.
An example of a mainstream film opening being very stylised can be seen in 'Goldeneye.' The Bond franchise is well known for it's opening credits, partly because they're very vibrant and unique but mostly because they use symbolism to give the audience a glimpse into the narrative, while also identifying the specific themes of that film. This helps to entice audiences because there are limitless ways to interperate the applications of symbolism within these sequences, with an example from this particular film being the gun coming out of the woman's mouth. This could suggest an element of betrayal, sexual innuendo, patriotism or even just that the main female character has a dangerous persona.
In comparison, an example of an independent film opening being refined and simple can be seen in the film 'Memento.' A majority of this sequence is just one shot of a man holding a picture, linking back to the simplistic aspect of independent films. Also, a lot of the cast and crew are relatively unknown in the film industry, appealing more to a niche audience. This simplicity focusing on the picture implies it has contributions to the narrative or possibly sentimental value towards the character who's holding it. Despite this films independence, it does reveal itself as gradually moving backwards in time, setting up the rest of the film's narrative as a flashback.
To conclude, independent and mainstream film openings are very contrasting, in regards to complexity and visual detail on screen. This contrast in style is also reflected in the rest of the films, making independents rely more heavily on dialogue to carry the film and still make it distinctive, while on the other hand a stereotype has now surrounded mainstream films just being a montage of action sequences. Because we are a mainstream company, we can use this information of how the two types are differentiated and show that we recognise that contrast within our opening as well as the production logos.
Monday 24 February 2014
Audience profiles and questionnaire on genre for audience research
Audience profiles help us to get a better concept of what particular type of person would see a film. Stereotypically speaking, someone who watches horror films a lot won't be the same person who likes romantic films, which is why profiles are important to help identify who a film is targeting and why it would appeal to them. Here I have devised four demographic profiles based on the kind of people who would watch films of that particular genre:
Action fan profile
Age: 8-18
Gender: male
Ethnicity: American / English
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Class: Middle
Comedy fan profile
Age: 12-25
Gender: male / female
Ethnicity: Depends on the region they're targeting, because each country has different views on humour.
Sexuality: Heterosexual, often mocking the homosexual
Class: Lower and middle
Horror fan profile
Age: 15- 25
Gender: male
Ethnicity: American
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Class: Middle
Romance fan profile
Age: 12+
Gender: female
Ethnicity: All, because the theme of love is a constant throughout the world and therefore appeals to everyone
Sexuality: Heterosexual, however this changes on occasion with films such as 'Brokeback Mountain'
Class: Middle
To get a better idea of the kind of audiences that are stereotypically associated with a particular genre, I created a questionnaire and gave it to a wide variety of people to fill out, making the results non-biased and therefore all the more dependable. Doing this questionnaire gave us a better idea of what specific target audience we should appeal to, depending on our genre, and how the general public associate these stereotypes.
Here is a copy of the questionnaire:
What is your name?
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………..
Action fan profile
Age: 8-18
Gender: male
Ethnicity: American / English
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Class: Middle
Comedy fan profile
Age: 12-25
Gender: male / female
Ethnicity: Depends on the region they're targeting, because each country has different views on humour.
Sexuality: Heterosexual, often mocking the homosexual
Class: Lower and middle
Horror fan profile
Age: 15- 25
Gender: male
Ethnicity: American
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Class: Middle
Romance fan profile
Age: 12+
Gender: female
Ethnicity: All, because the theme of love is a constant throughout the world and therefore appeals to everyone
Sexuality: Heterosexual, however this changes on occasion with films such as 'Brokeback Mountain'
Class: Middle
To get a better idea of the kind of audiences that are stereotypically associated with a particular genre, I created a questionnaire and gave it to a wide variety of people to fill out, making the results non-biased and therefore all the more dependable. Doing this questionnaire gave us a better idea of what specific target audience we should appeal to, depending on our genre, and how the general public associate these stereotypes.
Here is a copy of the questionnaire:
Audiences –
genre questionnaire
What is your name?
…………………………………………..
How old are you?
………………….
………………………………………………………………
What age group would you usually expect to see a horror
film?
………………………………………………………………….
What is it do you think that appeals that target
audience to the horror genre?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
What age group would you usually expect to see a
romantic film?
…………………………………………………………………….
What is it do you think that appeals that target
audience to the romantic genre?
………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………….
What age group would you usually expect to see an
action film?
…………………………………………………………………
What is it do you think that appeals that target
audience to the action genre?
………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………….
What age group would you expect to see a comedic film?
………………………………………………………….
What is it do you think that appeals that target
audience to the comedy genre?
……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………
Here is a graph displaying the results of the 20 questionnaires I handed out, to show what the most popular genre is:
This graph is evidence that suggests the favourite genre among teenagers is comedy. Knowing this, we now know that our drama genre is to be targeted at a more adult audience, as apposed to younger. After collecting the results it was conclusive that a majority of the people found the comedy genre to be the most enjoyable and used the stereotypes that they already knew and applied them to their answers. For example, one person answered the question of what they thought it was that appealed the romance genre to it's target audience, stating 'Tend to light-hearted feel good films.' This shows how much of a general consensus stereotypes have become, which is why they're used so often in films, as well as to appeal to a particular audience.
Sunday 23 February 2014
How film openings attract audiences
Film openings attract audiences by giving them a brief overview as to what can be expected in the rest of the film, when it come comes to the narrative and the tone it creates, while addressing it's target audience. Openings can also have some subtle character development within them to generate empathy in correlation with the character and the audience. In regards to 'The Uses and Gratification Theory,' depending on the genre, a film can appeal to any or even multiple of the following needs that audience members expect from such a time investment: the need to be entertained, social interaction, personal identity and information.
In the case of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' it's clear in the opening that this film fulfils the need to be entertained, due to the action orientated and quick pace of the sequence. It also attracts audiences and compels them to continue watching by creating numerous questions that they want answered by the end of the film for the sake of closure, such as why did Bane need Doctor Povel so badly that he was willing to bring down an entire plane?
Another way this opening attracts audiences is the use of iconography, in the sense that Bane's physical appearance is very distinctive and very much relates to the comic book character in which this interpretation is based upon. This use of iconography makes both fans of comic books and films a like to join together and witness this particular version of the characters, resulting in a wider target audience and inevitably a high box office grossing. 'The Dark Knight Rises' also surprises audience when it comes to the scale of the action set piece of the opening, having a plane ripped apart and destroyed. This already makes the film more memorable and establishes somewhat of an epic tone that is reflected in the rest of the narrative.
Another example of a film attracting a specific audience can also be found in 'The Social Network.' It's clear that their target audience is teenagers, due to the main protagonist being conveyed as a part of that age group and the setting of the bar relating to the rebellious stereotype of teenagers. The long shot lengths result in quite a slow pace, combined with the low lighting conditions and artistic cinematography suggest that this film is a drama, specified towards the teenage age group. Because this film is based on a true story, it fulfils the 'Uses and Gratification' need for information as well as entertainment, enlightening the audience with a moral as well as presenting this story in an enjoyable way.
By contrast, the romance genre is seen to take a more sincere and sympathetic approach to introducing characters, which is fitting (considering romantic films are usually based around
that singular dynamic of the men and women falling in love). 'Dear John' is a good example of this sincerity, with multiple close ups of every day objects to incorporate verisimilitude and continue that emotional connection that was established. Because the characters within this opening are grounded and realistic interpretations of their genuine counterparts, it can fulfil the need for personal identity, because they're more relatable as people and therefore set standards for who people are, how they define themselves and how they are presented to others by the director.
Looking at these examples, it's apparent that films attract audiences by establishing a certain tone that's often enigmatic to entice and intrigue audience members, while they also use iconography to make their film distinctive and generate a fan base. This information will aid us in knowing what particular techniques we should use to attract our target audience and identify them as our main focus. After looking at these openings, an exemplar technique for appealing to our target audience of male teenagers and young adults would be to incorporate a character of similar age to make that person more relatable and therefore make it easier for our audience to invest in the film's narrative.
In the case of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' it's clear in the opening that this film fulfils the need to be entertained, due to the action orientated and quick pace of the sequence. It also attracts audiences and compels them to continue watching by creating numerous questions that they want answered by the end of the film for the sake of closure, such as why did Bane need Doctor Povel so badly that he was willing to bring down an entire plane?
Another way this opening attracts audiences is the use of iconography, in the sense that Bane's physical appearance is very distinctive and very much relates to the comic book character in which this interpretation is based upon. This use of iconography makes both fans of comic books and films a like to join together and witness this particular version of the characters, resulting in a wider target audience and inevitably a high box office grossing. 'The Dark Knight Rises' also surprises audience when it comes to the scale of the action set piece of the opening, having a plane ripped apart and destroyed. This already makes the film more memorable and establishes somewhat of an epic tone that is reflected in the rest of the narrative.
Another example of a film attracting a specific audience can also be found in 'The Social Network.' It's clear that their target audience is teenagers, due to the main protagonist being conveyed as a part of that age group and the setting of the bar relating to the rebellious stereotype of teenagers. The long shot lengths result in quite a slow pace, combined with the low lighting conditions and artistic cinematography suggest that this film is a drama, specified towards the teenage age group. Because this film is based on a true story, it fulfils the 'Uses and Gratification' need for information as well as entertainment, enlightening the audience with a moral as well as presenting this story in an enjoyable way.
By contrast, the romance genre is seen to take a more sincere and sympathetic approach to introducing characters, which is fitting (considering romantic films are usually based around
that singular dynamic of the men and women falling in love). 'Dear John' is a good example of this sincerity, with multiple close ups of every day objects to incorporate verisimilitude and continue that emotional connection that was established. Because the characters within this opening are grounded and realistic interpretations of their genuine counterparts, it can fulfil the need for personal identity, because they're more relatable as people and therefore set standards for who people are, how they define themselves and how they are presented to others by the director.
Looking at these examples, it's apparent that films attract audiences by establishing a certain tone that's often enigmatic to entice and intrigue audience members, while they also use iconography to make their film distinctive and generate a fan base. This information will aid us in knowing what particular techniques we should use to attract our target audience and identify them as our main focus. After looking at these openings, an exemplar technique for appealing to our target audience of male teenagers and young adults would be to incorporate a character of similar age to make that person more relatable and therefore make it easier for our audience to invest in the film's narrative.
Saturday 22 February 2014
Jelly baby activity
The jelly baby activity involved our group using post stick notes to design a film opening, and show our understanding of the importance of the order of the titles, using jelly babies as exemplars for what would be in the camera frame. Each group was given a specific target audience and genre to convey within the sequence, in our case the audience was teenage and young adult women for a drama. We appealed to women by showing the importance of their gender within the narrative, by having a majority of the cast played by women, and therefore their names being visually displayed in the sequence, that also coincided with physical representations of their characters, so that the audience could put them into context during the rest of the film. For example, the first actress that's introduced in the opening has her name appear on the screen, to reveal her as the main protagonist, as this is accompanied by a close up of the character, so that the audience understand what character the actress plays and how significant her role is in the narrative. Looking at previous research on dramas, we noticed that a lot of them use simplistic openings to convey tension and an enigmatic tone. Taking this on board we designed the opening so that the font would be simplistic, with a black background for the crew members, due to physical representations being unnecessary as they have no involvement in the narrative.
This activity has helped to aid my understanding of how to appeal to specific target audiences, as well as identify the films genre through visual and audio techniques. I now also comprehend the relevance of how long each title lasts depending on the person's significance, in context with how much their work effects the film as a whole.
Below is a picture of our group's activity storyboard, accompanied with jelly babies to illustrate the shot type and what it contains:
This activity has helped to aid my understanding of how to appeal to specific target audiences, as well as identify the films genre through visual and audio techniques. I now also comprehend the relevance of how long each title lasts depending on the person's significance, in context with how much their work effects the film as a whole.
Below is a picture of our group's activity storyboard, accompanied with jelly babies to illustrate the shot type and what it contains:
Tuesday 18 February 2014
Genres and their generic conventions
There are numerous types of genres, such as the subgenre and hybrid genres to keep films less predictable and more unique and memorable as a result. Most of the time, film makers stick to the conventions of the major genres: horror, action, comedy and romance, and use them as a guideline when it comes to telling a story. The generic conventions of any genre are broken up into the three categories visual, thematic and audio, with each genre elaborating on different elements depending on the mood and tone they want to establish.
An example of the generic conventions of a genre being displayed can be found in the opening sequence to 'The Expendables.' This opening conveys the genre of action by constantly referring to violence and the stereotypical element of emptiness that's associated with the characters as a result. Props such as dog tags, knives and military clothing relate to the iconography and conventions of the action genre, while the non-diegetic music relates to the depression that resembles the characters on screen seem, due to a minimal amount of expressionism within their mannerisms.
Another example, contrasting in genre while still succeeding in displaying the conventions of it's genre can be seen in 'Superbad.' This opening takes a more stylised approach with the lack of realism and intentionally bad dancing, imply that the genre is comedy. In terms of sound, the non-diegetic jazz music creates quite a fast pace and connotes immaturity, linking to the stock characters that can be seen in the rest of the narrative. The vibrancy and variety of the colours has connotations of diversity and a lack of formality, mirroring particular aspects of society, which is often used in such comedies.
An example of the horror genre conventions being shown can be seen in the opening sequence to 'Saw.' The low lighting conditions and suspenseful non-diegetic music has connotations of the horror genre. With one of the main protagonists screaming for help also conveys his character as quite humanising and we as an audience can therefore better relate to him and thus empathise for his current state of panic. This also links with the stereotypical convention of characters in the horror genre being quite young and helpless. The titles are also quite enigmatic, with their movement coinciding with the background of water within a bath tub, making them feel more integrated into the scene and symbolising the enigmatic theme that can be seen throughout the film.
In the case of the romance genre, the conventions of the genre are illustrated with the montage of happy greetings among friends and family. Because love plays a bit part in this genre, similar greeting patterns can be seen in numerous examples of the genre and is therefore a stereotypical convention. The non-diegetic voice over also provides context by directly addressing the theme of love and discussing his opinion on the matter, and because love is a part of everyone's life it makes the genre very relatable. Another convention is referring to more realistic and darker themes to contrast and differentiate love, such as historical events (in this case the twin towers), incorperating verisimilitude and thus creating an emotional connection between the characters within the narrative and the audience.
In conclusion, each genre of a film has their own specific conventions that are unique to them and used throughout the media to convey a particular tone and atmosphere. These conventions are spread across the four technical areas to create an element of consistency, solidifying the message that the creators want to get across, in this case identifying the genre and preparing the audience for what is to come.
An example of the generic conventions of a genre being displayed can be found in the opening sequence to 'The Expendables.' This opening conveys the genre of action by constantly referring to violence and the stereotypical element of emptiness that's associated with the characters as a result. Props such as dog tags, knives and military clothing relate to the iconography and conventions of the action genre, while the non-diegetic music relates to the depression that resembles the characters on screen seem, due to a minimal amount of expressionism within their mannerisms.
Another example, contrasting in genre while still succeeding in displaying the conventions of it's genre can be seen in 'Superbad.' This opening takes a more stylised approach with the lack of realism and intentionally bad dancing, imply that the genre is comedy. In terms of sound, the non-diegetic jazz music creates quite a fast pace and connotes immaturity, linking to the stock characters that can be seen in the rest of the narrative. The vibrancy and variety of the colours has connotations of diversity and a lack of formality, mirroring particular aspects of society, which is often used in such comedies.
An example of the horror genre conventions being shown can be seen in the opening sequence to 'Saw.' The low lighting conditions and suspenseful non-diegetic music has connotations of the horror genre. With one of the main protagonists screaming for help also conveys his character as quite humanising and we as an audience can therefore better relate to him and thus empathise for his current state of panic. This also links with the stereotypical convention of characters in the horror genre being quite young and helpless. The titles are also quite enigmatic, with their movement coinciding with the background of water within a bath tub, making them feel more integrated into the scene and symbolising the enigmatic theme that can be seen throughout the film.
In the case of the romance genre, the conventions of the genre are illustrated with the montage of happy greetings among friends and family. Because love plays a bit part in this genre, similar greeting patterns can be seen in numerous examples of the genre and is therefore a stereotypical convention. The non-diegetic voice over also provides context by directly addressing the theme of love and discussing his opinion on the matter, and because love is a part of everyone's life it makes the genre very relatable. Another convention is referring to more realistic and darker themes to contrast and differentiate love, such as historical events (in this case the twin towers), incorperating verisimilitude and thus creating an emotional connection between the characters within the narrative and the audience.
In conclusion, each genre of a film has their own specific conventions that are unique to them and used throughout the media to convey a particular tone and atmosphere. These conventions are spread across the four technical areas to create an element of consistency, solidifying the message that the creators want to get across, in this case identifying the genre and preparing the audience for what is to come.
Monday 17 February 2014
The impact of certification on film openings
Depending on the films certification, there are limits as to how a film establishes it's genre, mood and tone. Every film uses all four technical areas (camera, editing, mise and sound) to convey these elements however, because there are certain criteria's that a particular certification has to meet, it can restrict how a film is conveyed. Another thing to take into consideration is audience expectation, because if they go to watch a 15 rated film they're expecting it to have a darker and more adult tone than a 12, PG or U rated film.
An example of the impact certification has can be seen in the controversy surrounding 'Casino Royale's age rating. When it was first released, some critics and audience members alike questioned whether or not a 12A was an acceptable age rating for it in cinemas, due to a graphic and detailed opening sequence involving suffocation and an extensive torture scene, both of which involving the main protagonist. On top of this, even the films opening contained a very vivid death involving drowning, which was surprising, seeing as the James Bond franchise isn't usually known for this high level of grit and realism. It's reasons like this that the B.B.F.C (the British Board of Film Classification) update the guidelines of each age rating every few years, as audience demands change and younger audience members now have easier access to higher age rated films, as a result of digitalisation.
Because film openings are created to give audiences an idea as to what can be expected from the rest of the film, certification impacts them when it comes to the extremity of the content and how film makers visually convey these elements. We will take into consideration this impact of certification and while filming we'll make sure that we don't exceed the boundaries of the 15 age rating we're setting out to achieve, specifically the extremity of the content.
An example of the impact certification has can be seen in the controversy surrounding 'Casino Royale's age rating. When it was first released, some critics and audience members alike questioned whether or not a 12A was an acceptable age rating for it in cinemas, due to a graphic and detailed opening sequence involving suffocation and an extensive torture scene, both of which involving the main protagonist. On top of this, even the films opening contained a very vivid death involving drowning, which was surprising, seeing as the James Bond franchise isn't usually known for this high level of grit and realism. It's reasons like this that the B.B.F.C (the British Board of Film Classification) update the guidelines of each age rating every few years, as audience demands change and younger audience members now have easier access to higher age rated films, as a result of digitalisation.
Because film openings are created to give audiences an idea as to what can be expected from the rest of the film, certification impacts them when it comes to the extremity of the content and how film makers visually convey these elements. We will take into consideration this impact of certification and while filming we'll make sure that we don't exceed the boundaries of the 15 age rating we're setting out to achieve, specifically the extremity of the content.
Sunday 16 February 2014
Certification - 2014
This logo represents the Universal certification that is placed upon films with no restrictions, in terms of age rating (4 years and over), and a consistently positive atmosphere. 'U' rated films are suitable for all ages, with a very minimal amount, or often merely implied, discrimination, drugs, bad behaviour, language, nudity, sex, threat and violence. If these negative messages ever do appear on screen, they must have no empathise on realism and only be present for a brief amount of time. An example of a U rated film can be seen in 'Toy Story.' With the narrative being based around the relationship between a child and their toys, it is quickly apparent that the target audience is young children because they will find the film more relatable than other age groups.
This logo represents the Parental guidance certification, linked with films that are suitable for people of approximately 8 years of age and above. Because parents are aware and cater to any particular needs there children may have, this logo advises adults to be cautious as to whether or not they should accompany their child when viewing the film. Like the Universal rating, in terms of content, bad behaviour, drugs etc. must be infrequent however they are slightly more strongly implied, in terms of application. For example, with a 'U' rating, discrimination may only be present for historical and factual purposes, however with a PG they can make references to misuse, within a constructed narrative. An example of a PG rated film can be seen in 'Ocean's Thirteen.' Although it deals with the criminal aspect of theft, it never elaborates on the darker elements within this concept, portraying it in a humorous and justified light and therefore having no negative impact on it's audience.This logo represents films that are for people of 12 ages and over and used only in cinemas, also meaning children under this age can view a film of the same rating, however they must be accompanied by an adult, as a form of consent and reassurance; if the logo does not have the 'A' within it, then it's deemed unsuitable for children under 12. In terms of DVD and Blu-ray rentals/purchases, a person must be of 12 years of age or over to buy a film with rating, because extra content, such as extended scenes and/or added commentary may be unsuitable for younger audiences. The previously mentioned bad themes can be used more frequently and detailed but not be shown in a glamorous or realistic light. Extreme behaviour, such as rape, must be discreet, brief and in context with the narrative. An example of a 12/12A rated film can be seen in 'Sherlock Holmes.' It fits into this category because the main subject matter is solving intriguing, and often gruesome, murders which is a more adult subject matter than what the previous films deal with but doesn't go into detail with the injuries that accompanied the deaths.
This logo represents films that are only suitable for people at the age of 15 and over, due to more consistent and extreme bad language, no constraints on nudity (as long as it's non-sexual or educational), portrayal of sexual activity, strong threat and horror and equally strong violence, including from a sexual perspective, justified with context. Any range of drugs can be shown to be used by characters, both medicinal and recreational, unless they imply a sense of promotion and encouragement to take such drugs. Controversial actions, like suicides, can be shown but must not fixate on detail, to avoid mirroring those very actions in reality. An example of a 15 rated film can be seen in 'Layer Cake.' The film earns this rating because it elaborates on the drug aspect of crime and presents it in quite a positive light, when it comes to being a high source of income, as well as the film containing more gory detail in relation to violence.
This logo is used for films that are restricted for people under the age of 18, because the only limitations in the films content are acts that are harmful yet presented in an enjoyable way. For example when very detailed and violent scenes are constructed in an appealing way, making the viewer feel tempted to try such illegal actions. R18 ratings are similar, however they are targeted at more explicitly sexual content and are therefore are only shown in specially licensed cinemas and/or sex shops. An example of an 18 rated film can be seen in 'Lawless.' This also deals with crime but it focuses more on the violent consequences of working with criminals, resulting in very intense action and torture sequences.
This information has helped us, when it comes to deciding which specific age rating is best suited for the genre and more importantly the narrative we have chosen, because a lot of the time a films rating depends on how the film makers tell the story. If they expressed darker and more adultery themes visually than that would directly result in a high age rating. Knowing this, it has now helped us to define our film as a 15 age rating, because although these dark themes are apparent in our narrative they're never elaborated on to the extent of an 18 rating and are more so implied through non-diegetic music and symbolism.
Two timelines of film openings
This is a timeline for the opening sequence to 'Insidious:'
This is a timeline of the opening sequence to 'Se7en:'
The purpose of these timelines was to gives us an idea of the timings title are used within a sequence, as well as the order of particular titles. For example, I now know that directorial credits are always at the end of the opening and last longer on screen than the other titles to reflect their high contribution to the film and it's creation.
This is a timeline of the opening sequence to 'Se7en:'
The purpose of these timelines was to gives us an idea of the timings title are used within a sequence, as well as the order of particular titles. For example, I now know that directorial credits are always at the end of the opening and last longer on screen than the other titles to reflect their high contribution to the film and it's creation.
Saturday 15 February 2014
Analysis of 2 student film openings: 'Malignant' and '0 Attending'
Genre
'Malignant' establishes itself as a psychological horror with the consistently suspenseful non diegetic music, with the high pitch tempo connoting a discomforting atmosphere. This is accompanied with titles that fade onto the screen with a blurry texture to resemble ghost-like qualities, physically displaying it's genre as being a horror.
In comparison, '0 Attending' conveys it's genre as drama, by having the narrative regard a group of socially neglected girls. This quickly lends the film towards the genre because this neglecting creates a sense of empathy and therefore an emotional attachment to the characters, compelling audiences to continue watching for the sake of closure.
Editing
Continuity editing is used in the 'Malignant' opening, with a slow pace being used to gradually build tension, and in the process engage the audience and compel them to continue watching. The long length shots also help for the audience to make sense of the location, what the main focus of the shots are and what they connote.
By contrast, discontinuous editing is used for the '0 Attending' sequence, with the camera quickly jumping to different scenes so that the audience are given context as to how others reacted to their party invites. This combined with the diegetic dialogue creates a faster pace, that suggests it will be reflected in the rest of the narrative.
Sound
'Malignant' lacks diegetic dialogue, however the opening does contain a consistent non-diegetic soundtrack that has traits stereotypically associated with the horror genre. For example, at the beginning of the sequence, the first shot of a rusted metal object is accompanied with a simple yet high-pitched piano, resulting in a distressful tone.
When it comes to '0 Attending,' the diegetic dialogue establishes the characters based on the lack of formality within their language and the content of what they're saying. An example can be found with one of the females states 'Maybe no one's seen the Facebook group?' Being so sincere about a social networking site makes this character seem insignificant in society and lacks purpose. Also, the non diegetic opening sound effect of a keyboard appeals to the target audience of teenagers, with computers being a stereotypical association with that age group.
Camera angles
A majority of 'Malignant's opening consists of establishing shots to make the most of the darkly toned factory setting that connotes solitude and emptiness. There are also some contrasting close ups to incorporate an element of sincerity to make this horror more relatable. A dutch tilt is also used when the camera focuses on the factory, and this has connotations of locational significance and abnormality.
Unlike 'Malignant,' '0 Attending's opening sequence mainly consists of mid shots and long shots. The problem with this lack of establishing shots is that an opening of a film is meant to establish at least one location, as well as characters. Despite this, the long shots help to establish the stock characters via dress code, while the mid shots are used during the dialogue scenes, such as when the three females are surrounded around the computer.
Mise-en-scene
'Malignant' has contrasting lighting conditions, with the establishing shots of the factory being highly lit, while the internal shots are differentiated with low lit shots to connote an element of danger, suggesting that it is inside the factory where the darker themes take place. The prop of the broken bicycle has connotations of childhood innocence, much like the lighting conditions, these connotations are contrasting from the films genre being horror; this contrast amplifies the darker themes to make them stand out and appear all the more adultery.
'0 Attending' has multiple settings that are never fully utilised, due to the lack of establishing shots, however the props and lighting conditions make it easier to distinguish each location. The main setting of the sequence is the house where the three girls are talking, but it does soon cut to a wide variety of locations to show diversity within the people in the shot. For example, two other girls are seen to receive the main characters invite in a bedroom while another group are seen on a high street. This suggests similar variety in locations can be seen in the rest of the narrative.
Titles
In terms of positioning, not only do 'Malignant's titles convey the signifiers of a horror by their ghost-like texture, but also in the strange and inconsistently varied angles and parts of the screen they're placed on. An example of this can be seen in a dutch tilt establishing shot of the factory, with the title also at an angle that's parallel to the factory. This makes the title appear more as though it's actually integrated into the shot, giving the sequence a more stylised and memorable feel to it.
Because 'Malignant' and '0 Attending's genres are so contrasting, their fonts differ to establish a different tone, while still conveying the attributes of that particular genre. A lot of dramas today refer to technology to make it more relatable to the target audience, in this case teenagers, therefore it's fitting that '0 Attending's titles relate to the technological aspect quite strongly. The opening titles appear as though they're actually being typed onto the screen (one letter at a time) and this being accompanied by keyboard sound effects solidifies the genre and what in particular this drama relates to.
Character
'Malignant' doesn't introduce any particular characters, other than using the binary opposites of the masculine male vs. the insecure and incapable female. Although the female is a ghost, and that creates suspence, it results in a lack of empathy, giving the audience no reason to care about either of these characters. This implies that the male's contribution to the narrative is minimal and is more so just in the scene to symbolise normality in contrast to this ghostly figure.
The fact that the narrative of '0 Attending's opening focuses on a group of girls being socially neglected by others, makes them appear inferior and insignificant to others in society. This is conveyed by the way other characters of the same age group (teenagers) reacted to their party invitations humorously. In terms of dress code, the three girls also wear very informal and distinctive clothes, displaying them as independent and carless when it comes to fashion sense. In comparison, the others are seen to be wearing designer labels and more varied dress codes, conveying them as more socially popular.
To conclude, 'Maligant' establishes it's setting and genre very well, using stylised and professional camera techniques to set the film up as having a very dark and solitary tone. Despite this, throughout the entire sequence, the audience are only introduced to characters, both of which have no diegetic dialogue to create any element of empathy. They are, however, varied and equally distinctive to cancel out any sense of repetition, while also generating questions such who they are and what do they contribute to the story. '0 Attending' also does a good job at conveying a distinct genre and tone but, unlike 'Malignant,' the constant diegetic dialogue means the audience knows a lot more about the characters within the sequence. That having been said, the repetition of shot types makes the sequence appear repetitive and therefore results in a slower pace, not doing as good a job at enticing and exciting audience members.
'Malignant' establishes itself as a psychological horror with the consistently suspenseful non diegetic music, with the high pitch tempo connoting a discomforting atmosphere. This is accompanied with titles that fade onto the screen with a blurry texture to resemble ghost-like qualities, physically displaying it's genre as being a horror.
In comparison, '0 Attending' conveys it's genre as drama, by having the narrative regard a group of socially neglected girls. This quickly lends the film towards the genre because this neglecting creates a sense of empathy and therefore an emotional attachment to the characters, compelling audiences to continue watching for the sake of closure.
Editing
Continuity editing is used in the 'Malignant' opening, with a slow pace being used to gradually build tension, and in the process engage the audience and compel them to continue watching. The long length shots also help for the audience to make sense of the location, what the main focus of the shots are and what they connote.
By contrast, discontinuous editing is used for the '0 Attending' sequence, with the camera quickly jumping to different scenes so that the audience are given context as to how others reacted to their party invites. This combined with the diegetic dialogue creates a faster pace, that suggests it will be reflected in the rest of the narrative.
Sound
'Malignant' lacks diegetic dialogue, however the opening does contain a consistent non-diegetic soundtrack that has traits stereotypically associated with the horror genre. For example, at the beginning of the sequence, the first shot of a rusted metal object is accompanied with a simple yet high-pitched piano, resulting in a distressful tone.
When it comes to '0 Attending,' the diegetic dialogue establishes the characters based on the lack of formality within their language and the content of what they're saying. An example can be found with one of the females states 'Maybe no one's seen the Facebook group?' Being so sincere about a social networking site makes this character seem insignificant in society and lacks purpose. Also, the non diegetic opening sound effect of a keyboard appeals to the target audience of teenagers, with computers being a stereotypical association with that age group.
Camera angles
A majority of 'Malignant's opening consists of establishing shots to make the most of the darkly toned factory setting that connotes solitude and emptiness. There are also some contrasting close ups to incorporate an element of sincerity to make this horror more relatable. A dutch tilt is also used when the camera focuses on the factory, and this has connotations of locational significance and abnormality.
Unlike 'Malignant,' '0 Attending's opening sequence mainly consists of mid shots and long shots. The problem with this lack of establishing shots is that an opening of a film is meant to establish at least one location, as well as characters. Despite this, the long shots help to establish the stock characters via dress code, while the mid shots are used during the dialogue scenes, such as when the three females are surrounded around the computer.
Mise-en-scene
'Malignant' has contrasting lighting conditions, with the establishing shots of the factory being highly lit, while the internal shots are differentiated with low lit shots to connote an element of danger, suggesting that it is inside the factory where the darker themes take place. The prop of the broken bicycle has connotations of childhood innocence, much like the lighting conditions, these connotations are contrasting from the films genre being horror; this contrast amplifies the darker themes to make them stand out and appear all the more adultery.
'0 Attending' has multiple settings that are never fully utilised, due to the lack of establishing shots, however the props and lighting conditions make it easier to distinguish each location. The main setting of the sequence is the house where the three girls are talking, but it does soon cut to a wide variety of locations to show diversity within the people in the shot. For example, two other girls are seen to receive the main characters invite in a bedroom while another group are seen on a high street. This suggests similar variety in locations can be seen in the rest of the narrative.
Titles
In terms of positioning, not only do 'Malignant's titles convey the signifiers of a horror by their ghost-like texture, but also in the strange and inconsistently varied angles and parts of the screen they're placed on. An example of this can be seen in a dutch tilt establishing shot of the factory, with the title also at an angle that's parallel to the factory. This makes the title appear more as though it's actually integrated into the shot, giving the sequence a more stylised and memorable feel to it.
Because 'Malignant' and '0 Attending's genres are so contrasting, their fonts differ to establish a different tone, while still conveying the attributes of that particular genre. A lot of dramas today refer to technology to make it more relatable to the target audience, in this case teenagers, therefore it's fitting that '0 Attending's titles relate to the technological aspect quite strongly. The opening titles appear as though they're actually being typed onto the screen (one letter at a time) and this being accompanied by keyboard sound effects solidifies the genre and what in particular this drama relates to.
Character
'Malignant' doesn't introduce any particular characters, other than using the binary opposites of the masculine male vs. the insecure and incapable female. Although the female is a ghost, and that creates suspence, it results in a lack of empathy, giving the audience no reason to care about either of these characters. This implies that the male's contribution to the narrative is minimal and is more so just in the scene to symbolise normality in contrast to this ghostly figure.
To conclude, 'Maligant' establishes it's setting and genre very well, using stylised and professional camera techniques to set the film up as having a very dark and solitary tone. Despite this, throughout the entire sequence, the audience are only introduced to characters, both of which have no diegetic dialogue to create any element of empathy. They are, however, varied and equally distinctive to cancel out any sense of repetition, while also generating questions such who they are and what do they contribute to the story. '0 Attending' also does a good job at conveying a distinct genre and tone but, unlike 'Malignant,' the constant diegetic dialogue means the audience knows a lot more about the characters within the sequence. That having been said, the repetition of shot types makes the sequence appear repetitive and therefore results in a slower pace, not doing as good a job at enticing and exciting audience members.
Analysis of a student film from previous years - G321: 'Thief'
Genre
This student film opening identifies it's genre as being crime, with the narrative regarding a stereotypically thug-like teenage boy who robs vulnerable girls and using fear as a tool to get what he wants. The title is also memorable and the concept is traditionally associated with the crime genre. The lack of formality within the antagonists dress code also relates to the crime genre by being a key visual signifier, with the dark blue and grey colours also connoting quite a dark persona.
Editing
Continuity editing is used throughout, with the fade transition being used numerous times to suggest that the events within this sequence occur over quite a long period of time. Shot lengths are short and this results in the opening having a fast pace, which is a stereotypical convention of the crime genre. There no apparent shot reverse shots, due to the lack of diegetic dialogue, but the simplicity of the sequence means the audience don't require verbal context to understand this film's premise.
Sound
The non-diegetic and consistent sound effect at the beginning of the clip quickly builds tension by being high pitched and therefore connoting a sense of importance from what would usually be a normal action (checking a wallet's content). However, the fact that this is accompanied with such a sound effect implies this holds significance, in context with the films narrative, while also establishing a dark and tense tone.
Camera Angles
A majority of the camera angles are close ups to create a sense of discomfort for audiences so that we empathise for the vulnerable women and create an emotional attachment to their characters, thus compelling audience members to continue watching for the sake of closure. Consistent close ups also have connotations of abnormality and tension, which are stereotypical traits of the crime genre, and further establishing the themes consistency within the film.
Mise-en-scene
A skateboard is seen to be used by the teenage antagonist, relating to the immature aspect of that stereotype, while also making him appear more dominant over the girl just walking alone, physically giving him more of an upper hand. Money is referred to numerous times, with props such as a wallet and ATM cards identifying the antagonists values and priorities within the sequence. The naturalistic settings being a bedroom, high street and tunnel incorporates an element of verisimilitude to ground the film and make it more relatable, rather than creative. The camera itself also has consistent yet subtle lens flares to make the opening appear more dynamic and stylised, linking back to discomforting atmosphere created by the non-diegetic music.
Titles
When it comes to the design, the titles are very basic and easily readable. With white being used as the colour to connote contradicting purity and innocence to the darker tone of the opening, could imply that these connotations symbolise the innocence of the girls in which this antagonist preys upon. They appear in the corners of the screen, implicating that the film makers wanted the audience to focus more on the narrative as apposed to the cast and crew credits, while also assuring that the titles don't effect the openings fast pace.
Character
Because there's no diegetic dialogue there isn't any character development, which means the audience isn't provided with any particular context, in regards to why the antagonist steals or why he targeted those girls in particular. This begins to create questions that audience members want answered for the sake of closure, with the constant awkward silence generating a very unease atmosphere. The use of stock characters means the audience can quickly apply logic to the characters in the sequence and notice the distinctions in their mannerisms, with the antagonist conveying a more controlling and physically dominant character, in contrast to the timid and vulnerable females.
To conclude, this film opening conveys it's establishment of the genre being crime quickly with the use of stereotypical traits and directorial techniques. However, the lack of diegetic dialogue means there's no sense of contextual information, when it comes to the characters or the scenario. Also, the film's title is placed at the end of the sequence which is incorrect - the directors name should be the last title and the film's title should be one of the first, on top of which the camera appeared to shake a lot during the sequence. This meant some shots were difficult to make sense of and made it look quite amateur, in comparison to professional opening film sequences.
This student film opening identifies it's genre as being crime, with the narrative regarding a stereotypically thug-like teenage boy who robs vulnerable girls and using fear as a tool to get what he wants. The title is also memorable and the concept is traditionally associated with the crime genre. The lack of formality within the antagonists dress code also relates to the crime genre by being a key visual signifier, with the dark blue and grey colours also connoting quite a dark persona.
Editing
Continuity editing is used throughout, with the fade transition being used numerous times to suggest that the events within this sequence occur over quite a long period of time. Shot lengths are short and this results in the opening having a fast pace, which is a stereotypical convention of the crime genre. There no apparent shot reverse shots, due to the lack of diegetic dialogue, but the simplicity of the sequence means the audience don't require verbal context to understand this film's premise.
Sound
The non-diegetic and consistent sound effect at the beginning of the clip quickly builds tension by being high pitched and therefore connoting a sense of importance from what would usually be a normal action (checking a wallet's content). However, the fact that this is accompanied with such a sound effect implies this holds significance, in context with the films narrative, while also establishing a dark and tense tone.
Camera Angles
A majority of the camera angles are close ups to create a sense of discomfort for audiences so that we empathise for the vulnerable women and create an emotional attachment to their characters, thus compelling audience members to continue watching for the sake of closure. Consistent close ups also have connotations of abnormality and tension, which are stereotypical traits of the crime genre, and further establishing the themes consistency within the film.
Mise-en-scene
A skateboard is seen to be used by the teenage antagonist, relating to the immature aspect of that stereotype, while also making him appear more dominant over the girl just walking alone, physically giving him more of an upper hand. Money is referred to numerous times, with props such as a wallet and ATM cards identifying the antagonists values and priorities within the sequence. The naturalistic settings being a bedroom, high street and tunnel incorporates an element of verisimilitude to ground the film and make it more relatable, rather than creative. The camera itself also has consistent yet subtle lens flares to make the opening appear more dynamic and stylised, linking back to discomforting atmosphere created by the non-diegetic music.
Titles
When it comes to the design, the titles are very basic and easily readable. With white being used as the colour to connote contradicting purity and innocence to the darker tone of the opening, could imply that these connotations symbolise the innocence of the girls in which this antagonist preys upon. They appear in the corners of the screen, implicating that the film makers wanted the audience to focus more on the narrative as apposed to the cast and crew credits, while also assuring that the titles don't effect the openings fast pace.
Character
Because there's no diegetic dialogue there isn't any character development, which means the audience isn't provided with any particular context, in regards to why the antagonist steals or why he targeted those girls in particular. This begins to create questions that audience members want answered for the sake of closure, with the constant awkward silence generating a very unease atmosphere. The use of stock characters means the audience can quickly apply logic to the characters in the sequence and notice the distinctions in their mannerisms, with the antagonist conveying a more controlling and physically dominant character, in contrast to the timid and vulnerable females.
To conclude, this film opening conveys it's establishment of the genre being crime quickly with the use of stereotypical traits and directorial techniques. However, the lack of diegetic dialogue means there's no sense of contextual information, when it comes to the characters or the scenario. Also, the film's title is placed at the end of the sequence which is incorrect - the directors name should be the last title and the film's title should be one of the first, on top of which the camera appeared to shake a lot during the sequence. This meant some shots were difficult to make sense of and made it look quite amateur, in comparison to professional opening film sequences.
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