Race - Black characters are (in more than one case) typically criminals/drug users/gangsters. This conforms to the stereotype of young black males. The white teenager characters conform to one of the 'sub-stereotypes' of teenagers - geeks. This is reinforced by their awkwardness, failure with relationships and lack of friends. Also, all mob characters, (including the villain) are white. This suggests that they have more power.
Physical Ability - The majority of black characters are more muscular and athletic than the white characters. There is no features of disability, and therefore this is an unexplored area.
Gender - With regards to this, there are some conventional stereotypes and some areas that go against the norm. For example, the main superhero character is male, as with most films. However, the young girl is also a superhero, which is unstereotypical as they are usually portrayed as weak and less brave.
Sexuality - This is explored slightly, with the case of Dave. He tries to befriend a girl, but she believes he is homosexual. Therefore they partake in stereotypical activities such as pedicures and watching chick flicks.
Class & Status and Regional Identity are not really used in my opinion.
Wednesday
Monday
Audience & Institution Essay Targets
- Remember that the focus of this section is on the British Film Industry, therefore British examples must be used. In order to do this, I will need to learn further examples from Working Title in order to give more references.
- Always refer back to the essay question, in the most recent case 'Impact on the Film Industries'. A way of achieving this is through rephrasing the question within your answer, in order to address it.
- Use correct terminology. It is important, as marks are rewarded specifically for this. For example, instead of 'people' the term 'audience'. I therefore need to learn more terminology and put it into practice.
- Give more detailed points. Explain, don't describe. I need to implement the method of PEE into my work more, in order to achieve the full marks.
Thursday
Audience Questions
Task 1
1. Do you think the audiences for most media texts do come 'from all walks of life' or do different kinds of people watch very different kinds of programme? Are there any examples of media texts that you can think
of that do seem to have audiences of all kinds of people?
Most media texts come from all walks of life because they are trying to achieve the largest, most varied audience possible. Once this is achieved, they can manipulate the audience and dictate their message. Examples of these universal media texts are the news, soap operas, and such shows as the Simpsons.
2. How much of your media experience occurs when you are on your own and how much when you are
with others?
I feel when you are alone, you tend to be more 'passive' and absorb more of the content - whereas when with others, there are more distractions. Therefore, more experience is gained when alone, and when with others the experience is less detailed - as attention is somewhat focused on the others.
4. Are there any ways in which you share your experiences of the media with other people who weren't
around when you experienced the text? List as many ways as you share experiences (e.g. msn etc)
Msn
Facebook
Twitter
Blogs
Reviews
Myspace
Conversation
Telephone
TASK 2
Can you think of any examples where the media have been seen to influence public
behaviour or have been blamed for an individual's behaviour?
The E4 series 'Skins', which displays graphic drug use along with sex, alcohol and smoking scenes of underage teens. This was said to have sparked a negative influence on teenage viewers behaviour. Similarly, rapper 'Eminem' uses a lot of obscenities, mysogeny and homophobia - as well as political challenging lyrics - which have been blamed for aggressive behaviour in listeners.
Is this influence always negative?
No, there are positive moral messages depicted to audiences, such as romantic films and awards programmes. Also, a good example is 'Russell Howard's Good News'; at the end of each show, there is a piece of inspirational, 'nice' news.
1. Do you think the audiences for most media texts do come 'from all walks of life' or do different kinds of people watch very different kinds of programme? Are there any examples of media texts that you can think
of that do seem to have audiences of all kinds of people?
Most media texts come from all walks of life because they are trying to achieve the largest, most varied audience possible. Once this is achieved, they can manipulate the audience and dictate their message. Examples of these universal media texts are the news, soap operas, and such shows as the Simpsons.
2. How much of your media experience occurs when you are on your own and how much when you are
with others?
I feel when you are alone, you tend to be more 'passive' and absorb more of the content - whereas when with others, there are more distractions. Therefore, more experience is gained when alone, and when with others the experience is less detailed - as attention is somewhat focused on the others.
4. Are there any ways in which you share your experiences of the media with other people who weren't
around when you experienced the text? List as many ways as you share experiences (e.g. msn etc)
Msn
Blogs
Reviews
Myspace
Conversation
Telephone
TASK 2
Can you think of any examples where the media have been seen to influence public
behaviour or have been blamed for an individual's behaviour?
The E4 series 'Skins', which displays graphic drug use along with sex, alcohol and smoking scenes of underage teens. This was said to have sparked a negative influence on teenage viewers behaviour. Similarly, rapper 'Eminem' uses a lot of obscenities, mysogeny and homophobia - as well as political challenging lyrics - which have been blamed for aggressive behaviour in listeners.
Is this influence always negative?
No, there are positive moral messages depicted to audiences, such as romantic films and awards programmes. Also, a good example is 'Russell Howard's Good News'; at the end of each show, there is a piece of inspirational, 'nice' news.
Wednesday
Let The Right One In
The film is set in Sweden, presumably in the middle of winter – due to the heavy snowfall. It begins with the first piece of dialect ‘squeal like a pig’, initially it is unclear as to the significance of this phrase, as the boy speaking is alone. He is the first character introduced, and from first impressions seems to be fairly strange. For example, he is shown holding a knife, in his underwear – talking to himself. The music at this point is fairly sombre, indicating that something is not right. This is reinforced with strange perspective camerawork – portraying two different male characters suspiciously, perhaps foreshadowing. This introduces the equilibrium (supporting Todorov’s narrative theory), in this case – Oskar living his everyday life with his mother, and occasionally visiting his father. Oskar’s father is an alcoholic, this adds to the theme of men in the film being represented as bad people, such as murderers and alcoholics. There is rarely a positive representation featured, besides the school teacher.
The earlier ‘squeal like a pig’ repetition is put into context in the school scene, as ‘Oskar’ is represented as a victim of bullying – with his name being ‘piggy’. The following part is a murder scene. The killer appears to be one of the characters previously shot at the very beginning, and again preparing some sort of equipment just before. This correlates to the use of sound as he is introduced – and supports the earlier foreshadowing. It also explains his suspicious behaviour, and perhaps immediately places him in the role of ‘villain’ in the audience’s mind - according to Vladimir Propp’s theory. Use of sound is again significant in this scene, as the effect of the throat being slit is enhanced for dramatization. Oskar then meets ‘Eli’, and initially they seem very distant from one another – and almost nervous or awkward. The camerawork presents this well, with mainly long, perspective shots being used. All of these scenes become the ‘disruption’ of the equilibrium, as following Todorov’s theory – as they disturb Oskar’s life and routine in one way or another.
Use of mise-en-scene, such as costumes, help to reflect both character roles and storyline within the film. For example, Oskar and Eli initially wear very dull, often dark colours when they first meet. Throughout the film, this progresses and changes – to colours such as red, indicating potential love, danger and passion. This tells us more about Eli’s character, and the relationship between her and Oskar – perhaps placing her in the role of ‘Princess’ within Propp’s theory, as after all, Oskar does go out of his way in order to ‘seek’ her. Also, when Eli tells Oskar to fight the bullies back, it gives her the role of ‘helper’ as she aids Oskar, who is the ‘hero’ in this film. However, the mise-en-scene never distracts from the storyline, as it always fairly subtle – this allows for the drama to be more gripping and adds an element of social realism, as it as true to life as possible. Binary Opposites are a constant theme throughout, as with Oskar and Eli being opposite sex, and Eli being young and her victims old. This supports Levi-Strauss’s theory, and Tomas Alfredson has perhaps purposely played on these opposites in order to make the film more effective. An example of this is the unusualness of a grown man being portrayed as weak against a young girl – which gives uniqueness to this film, as it does not follow traditional horror conventions (I.e. the object of horror being a strong force).
A lot of the film is shot at night, with low levels of lighting. This gives the traditional horror look, as the dark is always viewed as ‘scarier’ than day. There are several close-up camera shots throughout the film, which work to good effect in many cases. For instance, the camerawork gradually becomes closer and closer between Eli and Oskar as the film progresses, in order to represent their relationship. They also allow us as the audience to read facial expressions easily, meaning less dialect is needed to explain emotions – allowing the film to have an eerier feel due to long spells of pure ambience or silence. As well as this, many of the shots are taken from a character point of view, and this is represented through the height level in many cases. Scenes involving Oskar or Eli are often shot from a low level – as they are naturally smaller than others. Also, the editing in some scenes – such as the school lesson – reflects emotion, as the use of fading and blurring display lack of attention span in their mind. Another feature of camerawork is long shots, these are used in parts such as the throat slitting scene, and the bridge murder scene. Both give the effect of a witness perspective, which adds to the social realism – making the film more effective in its aim to thrill or scare, as it seems more real. This effect is amplified by the inclusion of trees, partly blocking the view, as it appears as if you are actually witnessing a murder.
Binary opposites are continued when Oskar visits his father. The juxtaposition in experience between his lifestyle with him in the countryside and his city life with his mother is clear. With his father in the peaceful, picturesque countryside he almost seems care-free, away from the troubles of the city – along with its dark and mysterious vibe. As well as this, there is also the contrast between day and night – as besides the bullying, the days are much less eventful than the nights, due to the murders all occurring at night.
By the end of the film, we can establish all of the character’s true personalities and qualities, and Levi-Strauss’s theory almost becomes less significant – as the roles seem to reverse in ways or cancel out, and the characters are not as definable as good and bad. For instance, Eli is a serial killer, yet she is also ‘the helper’ and protects Oskar, suggesting many cases are too complex for the simplistic ‘good and bad’ theory – as there is a combination of personality traits. This applies to Propp’s theory as well, as many characters have several of the roles. Eli’s father figure for example is classed as ‘the donor’ (as he aids Eli in her need for blood), as well as ‘the villain’ due to his murders and perhaps ‘the father’, however, he does not fit this convention entirely as he does not reward the hero. Similarly, Eli is also a villain, simply because she takes lives – however, she does have good sides, such as ‘princess’ and ‘dispatcher’ (as she directs Oskar to stand up for himself). The ending of the film marks the restoration of the equilibrium, as all of the bullies have seen the wrong in their ways, and have been killed by Eli. Also, she has ‘moved away’ so there is an overall lack of conflict within Oskar’s life, and he can return to normality.
Thursday
This Is England '86
A sequel to the film 'This Is England', a Channel 4 drama series again directed by Shane Meadows. It features many of the original cast, with the addition of some new actors. The funding was over 10 times as high for this project, with £20 million to spend. The rationale of the series was the directors left over ideas from the previous project were still enough to produce more work of this theme, and also the fact that it is very topical - due to the current recession and high unemployment rates. This means it appeals to the current British audience. The majority of the production crew were the same, and this meant the sequel still had a similar feel to the original. The added budget however, meant lots of aspects could be improved - such as the use of lots of settings (however still pre-fabricated), more props, improved cinematography (lack of handheld camera use), add post-production enhancements, artificial lighting and a bigger cast. This means that the overall finish was of a higher quality, due to all factors.
This Is England
Produced by Warp Films, on a relatively small budget of £1.5 Million - mainly funded by the National Lottery, with £90,000 of funding coming from the UK Film Council. It was released in 2006, and directed by Shane Meadows. The inspiration for This Is England was from the director's personal life experiences, growing up as a child in the 80's in Staffordshire. He experienced first hand many of the issues raised in the film, such as bullying, unemployment, anti-social behaviour and racism.
The genre of the film is social-realism, and many attributes of the production add to this theme. For example, many of the actors used were amatuer, with little to no experience - creating realism through the fact that they were just normal people. A lot of the camerawork is handheld, also creating a real-life atmoshpere as the camera almost becomes like a seperate person, and the shot is their perspective. This Is England was filmed on a pre-fabricated set, (due to the budget being too low to produce one), however it had not been changed at all since the 80's - so had a real authentic feel, again adding to the construction of the social realism element. The majority of props used during the filming were authentic 1980's items, resourcefully obtained by Shane Meadows by using the internet, and then sold on again in order to reduce the money spent. This included cars and clothes, and again gave the film a real vintage feel - making it more realistic. Also, the use of entirely natural lighting not only saved money, but again made the film more true to real life - fitting in with the genre.
Many features of the film make it appealing to a British audience, such as the involvement of real-life issues at the time - unemployment for example. Audience members who were around at that time can relate to the issues, as they had their own experience of them, whilst the younger generation can learn about the culture from those days and compare it to now. I feel the target audience is working class people, as they can probably relate most to many aspects and thus will enjoy the film more. I also think that the film has a strong message to teens, with the use of Shaun (played by Tom Turgoose) as this has a positive influence, with the way he turns his life around.
The genre of the film is social-realism, and many attributes of the production add to this theme. For example, many of the actors used were amatuer, with little to no experience - creating realism through the fact that they were just normal people. A lot of the camerawork is handheld, also creating a real-life atmoshpere as the camera almost becomes like a seperate person, and the shot is their perspective. This Is England was filmed on a pre-fabricated set, (due to the budget being too low to produce one), however it had not been changed at all since the 80's - so had a real authentic feel, again adding to the construction of the social realism element. The majority of props used during the filming were authentic 1980's items, resourcefully obtained by Shane Meadows by using the internet, and then sold on again in order to reduce the money spent. This included cars and clothes, and again gave the film a real vintage feel - making it more realistic. Also, the use of entirely natural lighting not only saved money, but again made the film more true to real life - fitting in with the genre.
Many features of the film make it appealing to a British audience, such as the involvement of real-life issues at the time - unemployment for example. Audience members who were around at that time can relate to the issues, as they had their own experience of them, whilst the younger generation can learn about the culture from those days and compare it to now. I feel the target audience is working class people, as they can probably relate most to many aspects and thus will enjoy the film more. I also think that the film has a strong message to teens, with the use of Shaun (played by Tom Turgoose) as this has a positive influence, with the way he turns his life around.
Monday
Film Technologies
Some of the latest features used in the film industry today are 3D, CGI and camera and editing software improvements. I will now compare the use of these technologies, across 3 different industries.
- Warp Films use limited amounts of technology due to their lack of funding. However, there are still examples of the use. For example, in the short film 'Rubber Johnny', the majority of camerawork is shot in infared night vision via a digital camera - showing that they have the use of modern cameras. Also, it is edited a lot, with fast transitions, colour correction and sound effects - displaying the use of editing software and possibly up to date software, due to the complexity. It does not appear that warp films have ever, or intend to in the near future create any 3D films. This is probably due to the fact that it is such an expensive process, and Warp cannot afford it - or fear they will not make enough profit.
- Working Title also do not have extensive use of new technologies, as they also have no 3D films, or revealed plans for the future involving 3D. They also do not use a lot, if any CGI - perhaps due to the majority of their films being drama and comedy, which don't need added extras to be effective. However, editing software is evidently used - with examples such as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of The Dead. This is shown by their fast paced, transitional editing - possibly by software such as 'Avid'.
- Hollywood have by far the biggest budget, and therefore make the most ground breaking advances in cinema. For example, 'Avatar', the most expensive movie ever made was filmed specifically in 3D over a period of 10 years. Unlike other 3D films, it was actually recorded using a 3D lense, and not just a post-production effect. Also, it was edited using a whole range of software - from 3D modelling programs such as 'Maya', to Photoshop, Premier Pro and Avid. The amount of resources available to the production team are superior to other industries, showing why these films receive huge funding. This film, along with others is almost entirely composed of CGI.
Thursday
Example Of The Media Objectifying Women
Khia - My Neck, My Back
This video has several examples of the male gaze being satisfied by the use of females. With sexually suggestive poses, dancing and shots, making them the object of the spectator.
This video has several examples of the male gaze being satisfied by the use of females. With sexually suggestive poses, dancing and shots, making them the object of the spectator.
The Male Gaze
Marjorie Ferguson created the categorisation of female facial expressions. These consist of:
Chocolate Box - half or full smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality.
Invitational - emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise.
Super smiler - full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, demanding, the hard sell,attention-grabbing, intense approach.
Romantic/Sexual - a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’.
Trevor Millum devised the categories for male facial expressions, such as:
Seductive: similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile.
Carefree: nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning.
Practical: concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back.
Comic: deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness.
Catalogue: a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed.
Chocolate Box - half or full smile, lips together or slightly parted, teeth barely visible, full or three-quarter face to camera. Projected mood: blandly pleasing, where uniformity of features in their smooth perfection is devoid of uniqueness or of individuality.
Invitational - emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. Projected mood: suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise.
Super smiler - full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. Projected mood: aggressive, demanding, the hard sell,attention-grabbing, intense approach.
Romantic/Sexual - a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. Projected moods: possible ‘available’ and definitely ‘available’.
Trevor Millum devised the categories for male facial expressions, such as:
Seductive: similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile.
Carefree: nymphlike, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning.
Practical: concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed, eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back.
Comic: deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness.
Catalogue: a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, waxlike; features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed.
Wednesday
The Gaze
Shameless Episode 1, Series 1
The concept of sexuality is explored further into the program, as 'Ian', the oldest son is discovered to be gay by his brother 'Lip'. Lip finds his stash of homosexual pornography in his bedroom, he looks around, shocked - and as he does, the mise-en-scene use of a Kylie Minogue poster adds humour to the situation. When Ian is confronted, he cries - again playing to the homosexual stereotype of femininity. Ian already has an unstereotypical teenage appearance, making him seem more 'different' from the start, however, when Lip talks to him he makes him seem almost alien, and frowned upon for being different. This gives us as the audience an insight into how sexuality is dealed with in different cultures. Lip however, juxtaposes Ian's character - as he is almost the perfect stereotype of a typical teenage boy. For example, he has a sexual encounter with Karen, and is then very boastful about it to hhttp://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/is peers. He is also very exaggerative, as is the case with most boys in his situation, whereas the actual situation was very awkward and uncomfortable - however, amusing to watch as an onlooker.
The next scene involves Steve and Fiona. They conform to another stereotype of the North, by being drunk, disorderly and aggressive. For example, whilst both drunk at a nightclub - Steve gets into a fight with another man, and then punches the bouncer. When they return home and Steve informs the other characters of the incident, they all know who the bouncer was - showing the closeness of communities in the north especially in areas like the one featuered (as everyone knows everyone). As Steve and Fiona begin to get close, romantic music is playing and birds are tweeting softly - creating a perfect yet surreal atmosphere with hints of almost fantasy. However, this build up then juxtaposes their actual sexual encounter, as when it comes to it is almost trashy in a way due to the fairly graphic shots, and groaning. As they make love, Fiona repeatedly makes the 'ni, ni, ni' sound - another case of intertextuality, as this is featured in a Monty Python production.
Is Max a Stereotypical Teenager?
The montage sequence during the opening of Rushmore gives an overview of the main character, Max Fischer. From this I have come to the conclusion that he is not what you would call a stereotypical teenager. For example, he has lots of responsibility, something that is uncommon in the typical teen - as they are often 'lazy' and almost 'rebellious'. He takes part in several extra-cirricular, unusual activities such as calligraphy club and the model united nations club. This also goes against the sterotype, as it shows open mindedness - whereas others are often quite fussy and almost narrow-minded.
He dresses formally in every clip, always wearing his school uniform - even when others aren't. This shows he has a sense of pride in his school and appearance, however on the other hand - stereotypical teens are often quite scruffy or interested in fashion, and prefer there own clothes over uniform. This could also mean however, that Max has a dull personality - reflected by the lack of creativity in his appearance.
At the beginning of the montage, the school journal is opened. Max is also in control of this, aswell as nearly every other aspect of the school. The front cover is decorated with bumble bees. In a way, this reflects Max's life - as he hops from activity to activity in the same way bee's fly from flower to flower. The phrases 'busy as a bee' and 'the bee's knees' also coincide with his personality, perhaps justifying the use of bee's as a logo.
The soundtrack for this sequence is a track by 'The Creation' called making time. The title is fitting, as it is what Max has to do in order to fit in all of his activities and responsibilities. Also, the last line 'pulling the wool, acting the fool' is relevant, as it describes Max in a way (pretending to be interested and good at so many aspects of life, yet being a bit of a fool in the fact that he is not really that good at any). An interesting point I picked up on, is the fact that the genre of the song is 'Indie', meaning independant rock (non-mainstream), which pretty much sums up Max, he seems to take part in a lot of these activities independantly, and they are all very non-mainstream.
Monday
Film Production Essay
Discuss The Issues and Patterns Which Enables Your Institution To Thrive As A Film Business, With A Focus On The Production Process
Working Title is a film company based in London. It is a conglomerate company, and therefore receives funding from Universal. This is a huge determining factor for the success of the business, as funding is often the most vital thing in order to produce. Warp Films is an independent film company, meaning they have to acquire a lot of their own funding through financers by pitching their ideas. The contrast between the companies is shown through quality, genre, popularity and amount of films produced - with the better funded (Working Title) outdoing Warp. This is due to the budget affecting several aspects of production.
The producer plays a key part in the production of any films made, as they come up with the initial idea - which is then transferred into a script. The script is important for securing funding; this is what is used as part of the pitch to potential investors. Therefore, the better and more inspiring the script - the more likely to secure good funding (overall making for a better, more successful film). The producer also has the role of developing it, creating it and finally taking it to the market. The script acts as a blueprint for the director, who then has to interpret this.
Before pitching the film to an investor, the cast must be planned, as this is an above the line cost - allowing to plan a budget, so the company knows how much to ask for. The investor can then judge how the film will do, and decide whether or not to invest. The average amount of financiers used is around 3-10. This is because if there was just a single investor, (although it would be easy), they then have control over the production – which film companies often don’t want. Therefore, having multiple investors allows the company to thrive, as they can receive all needed funding and still have complete control over the production. Also, if any of the investors pull out of their agreed investment, it is not so devastating as if for example there were just two investors – as they do not account for as much of the cost.
The next stage in production is planning. The hardest scenes must be planned out first before they are filmed; this involves storyboarding and general time management, as the producer has to ensure there is enough time to do these scenes. This is important in the success of the film, as the more preparation done, generally makes for better quality. This process is done alongside the Cinematographer, as they are in control of the filming section, so therefore need to have input into the preparation of scenes.
After this, the next stage in the production process is budgeting. The budget must be drawn up for investment, and a finance plan must be created. This is where the way in which the payments will be made is planned. Above and below the line costs must be calculated, with the above the line covering the majority of the budget – making it the most important. The above is mainly made up of the mainly the creative talent, whilst the below is generally everything else. The concept has to connect with the audience in order for it to be credible.
The final stage is marketing. A key feature of the film is that it must be definable. By this I mean it must fit into a genre, however at the same time maintaining originality. This is the best way for a film to succeed, as it appeals to the audience. Marketing is a hidden cost in the production process, which has to be accounted for during the budgeting. The film must be produced and marketed in the form of Cinema, DVD and Television. Certain production tools are used to draw in potential audiences, such as famous Directors and Actors – which give the film credibility and make it appeal.
All of this process is specific to the UK film industry, and in other cultures it is done differently. For example, in the USA, the film title and release date must be decided on before the film has even began production.
Thursday
Film Financing
For independant UK companies, such as 'Warp Films' who have no obvious form of income, as they are not part of a conglomerate - there is other ways of acheiving finance for their productions. Firstly, they must start off with a pitch for their idea, this must have all details about your idea, if possilbe investors are to contemplate investing. This is includes, details of all above the line costs & a rough estimate of below the line costs. The producer must secure funding before they can start any of the filming.
Government Grants - These allow for investment into films, in return for economical and national benefits, such as employment, culture development and national advertising. The sources of these grants can be The UK Film Council and/or the National Lottery. A success story of this method, is 'The Escapist (2008), directed by Rupert Wyatt. This was funded by the National Lottery and Irish Film Council, and made around £8,000,000 profit.
They can also receive funding through tax schemes, such as 'Producers Tax Credit' , which offers direct cash. This way, Tax Shelters are also available, saving money for the invester - as they are not charged tax. An example of a film made this way is The Dark Knight (2008), which made a profit of around £600,000,000.
The final way they can aqquire financing is through pre-sales, where the producer sells the rights to distribute the film, before it is made.
If for any reason, the budget is cut, this can affect the production of the film heavily. The changes that have to be made, are firstly cuts to the above the line costs, i.e cast, director. This is because these take up the majority of the budget. It is best to aqquire your finance from several sources, as if one pulls out, it will have less devasting effects than if you were relying on a single investor.
Government Grants - These allow for investment into films, in return for economical and national benefits, such as employment, culture development and national advertising. The sources of these grants can be The UK Film Council and/or the National Lottery. A success story of this method, is 'The Escapist (2008), directed by Rupert Wyatt. This was funded by the National Lottery and Irish Film Council, and made around £8,000,000 profit.
They can also receive funding through tax schemes, such as 'Producers Tax Credit' , which offers direct cash. This way, Tax Shelters are also available, saving money for the invester - as they are not charged tax. An example of a film made this way is The Dark Knight (2008), which made a profit of around £600,000,000.
The final way they can aqquire financing is through pre-sales, where the producer sells the rights to distribute the film, before it is made.
If for any reason, the budget is cut, this can affect the production of the film heavily. The changes that have to be made, are firstly cuts to the above the line costs, i.e cast, director. This is because these take up the majority of the budget. It is best to aqquire your finance from several sources, as if one pulls out, it will have less devasting effects than if you were relying on a single investor.
Preliminary Continuity Task
Overall, I feel the video had a decent feel of continuity. There are some cases of sloppy editing, where clips do not line up exactly, and some shots do not fit in as well as possible. However, I feel the clip worked well enough to complete the task, and the majority of shots were done well - due mainly to the storyboarding before hand.
Wednesday
American Beauty
From the opening scene, we are introduced to the main character, Lester Burnham (played by Kevin Spcaey), as he narrates a birdseye shot of the street he lives on. From this, I straight away got the idea that his character was representative of an average, middle-aged American man - just from his tone of voice and accent. He speaks with a somewhat unenthusiastic approach, and explains about his current life.
Everything he mentions has aspects of normality and simplicity. He mentions his daughter, 'Jane', a very plain and traditional name. The family are also very stereotypical of a middle-class American household, Lester appears to be a professional, in his suit and briefcase - whilst his wife slightly more casual, doing chores such as gardening. This suggests, as in many cases, the man of the house is the main breadwinner; again, this links back to how average the family are. The way in which he describes his daughter is as if she is 'typical' for her age, he mentions her traits such as body insecurity - which is common for girls of her age due to media influences.
The use of camera shots in the opening sequence allow for an insight into the way in which the characters behave. For example, an over the shoulder shot from Lester's perspective is filmed through the window, leaving areas of window frame. This has the effect of giving the representation of 'bars' in a prison. This could suggest that Lester feels trapped/improsened within his lifestyle. This theory is supported further, by the mid-shot of his Wife conversating with a neighbour, with Lester in the background peering through the window. It conveys the idea that he is envious of his Wife's popularity, and is almost observing her from within the house (as he feels imprisoned). As he talks about her, he subtley mocks her - by referring to the fact that she is obsessive about her appearance. This could suggest discontent within their relationship, as at this point they are still yet to communicate, and Lester is shown to have woken up to an empty bed earlier on.
Further evidence suggest this as well, such as the fact that he is shown 'jerking off in the shower'. This reveals two things, the first being that he is possibly not in a sexual/loving relationship with his wife. The second beings, his daily life and routine have become so dull and unengaging that this is the highlight of his day. This supports the theme of feeling trapped, as he is almost trapped within a routine in a way - and he can predict that every day is the same.
It almost appears as if the family look down on, and disrespect Lester. Such as the situation in which he drops his briefcase in a rush to get to the car in time for work. His wife gives him a patronising and almost disgusted glare - reinforced by a mid-shot from the camera, with a hint of height (giving the effects of superiority and again, patronisation). He is also rejected to the back seat of the car, which can be quite degrading for an adult - whilst his daughter rides shotgun. His slouched posture sums up his feelings, and reinforces his low self-esteem. This suggests he is the family member of least importance, which backs up his feelings of unhappiness.
The final scene shows him at his office. A reoccuring theme of blue, red and white suggest patriotism within Lester,
Film Pitch: The Showdown
In class, we where given a target audience. Our group's target audience was middle aged, working class males. We where then told to create a film for our target audience and we chose to make an action film. Our reason behind this was that after researching, we found this was the most popular genre for our audience. The plot line for our film was, a man's daughter was kidnapped by a gang, he and his brother try to hunt down the gang that kidnapped his daughter before it was too late.
The key selling point for our film was our A-list cast, the lead role was to be played by Samuel L. Jackson who is famous for many films including Star Wars and Snakes on a Plane. Our reason for the inclusion of this actor was his association with other films of a similar genre, giving the overall effect of credibility. His brother was too be played by another A-Lister, Denzel Washington who also has been in many famous films such as the 2010 film "The Book of Eli". The leader of the Gang that kidnapped Samuel L's daughter was Bruce Willis, we decided to cast his due to his experience in the world of action films (Die Hard etc.)
Here are our original notes on the film making
The key selling point for our film was our A-list cast, the lead role was to be played by Samuel L. Jackson who is famous for many films including Star Wars and Snakes on a Plane. Our reason for the inclusion of this actor was his association with other films of a similar genre, giving the overall effect of credibility. His brother was too be played by another A-Lister, Denzel Washington who also has been in many famous films such as the 2010 film "The Book of Eli". The leader of the Gang that kidnapped Samuel L's daughter was Bruce Willis, we decided to cast his due to his experience in the world of action films (Die Hard etc.)
Here are our original notes on the film making
The Showdown : Samuel L Jackson's daughter gets Kidnapped, he enlists the help of his brother Denzel Washington and local Gypsy man (Jackie Chan) too go on a vast search for his daughter, the search takes them across country and the showdown begins...
Our tag line to go with the film was "If testosterone could mate with explosion, this movie would be it's offspring" We thought that this Tag line would appeal to the audience.
Financing
We where given a pre sales (which means we are selling the distributing rights to the film before we have made it) budget of $70m from 20th Century Fox, The majority of out above the line budget went on our cast, we calculated that the total cost of our a-list cast would be in the region of $35-40M which is a huge chunk of our budget, we then had to finance a director, who we chose should be John Woo, who has directed many successful films such as "Mission Impossible", next we chose our cinematographer Jeffrey L Kimball who was behind the filming of Star Trek so has vital experience when it comes to film making and special effects, and finally our editor was Ken Blackwell, who edited "The Expendables" which is also a high-action film. Finally, we decided on our script-writer: Robert Towne, who was also involved in the proudction of Mission Impossible - again, another film of similar target audience.
We calculated our Above the line costs as totaling 65M which is almost all of our budget, the rest of the budget would go on Below the line costs, and marketing our film.
Above The Line Costs:
- Cast
- Production team - director, editors, Cinematographer & Script Writer
- Accomodation
- Set/Location
- All the large costs to the budget
Below The Line Costs:
- This covers all the lower costs to the budget
- Props
- Amateur Actors
- Make up etc.
Thursday
Media Interests
Film: Step Brothers, The Longest Yard, American Pie, Taken, Crank, Snatch, Avatar
TV: Skins, The Inbetweeners, Family Guy, South Park, Lost, House
Music: Kid Cudi, Travie McCoy, The King Blues, The Streets, Biffy Clyro, Bar 9, Bob Marley, Chris Brown, Drake, Eminem, The XX, MGMT,
Games: Gears of War, Call of Duty, Fifa
TV: Skins, The Inbetweeners, Family Guy, South Park, Lost, House
Music: Kid Cudi, Travie McCoy, The King Blues, The Streets, Biffy Clyro, Bar 9, Bob Marley, Chris Brown, Drake, Eminem, The XX, MGMT,
Games: Gears of War, Call of Duty, Fifa
Wednesday
Preliminary Work: Magazine Cover & Contents
In class, we first had to create on paper a copy of a design for our magazines, which we were to later use to assist with the creation of our Photoshop-Based magazine. I first thought of a genre to base my design on. I chose music as I thought this would appeal to many college students, aswell as the fact there is many existing magazines of this genre for inspiration. Here is a copy of my initial design:
*Scanned image of hand drawn design*
I then came to creating my magazine cover on photoshop. My first step was to take, and import an image of a classmate. I chose to take my image of James, with a simple mid-shot against a plain background. My reasons for this were the fact that the brief stated it must be a student (and a mid shot), and also that it would be easier to 'cut' around the image and then use it as a layer.
Here you see my original image (left), and my image after cutting it with both the magnetic lasso and magic wand tools, and adjusting the contrast/brightness and saturation etc. I also changed the background to a pale grey, as this is a neutral colour, which doesn't clash - meaning I can use a range of colours for the rest of my elements I add.
My next step was to add a masthead. I first had to decide on a font to use. My original inspiration for this was 'Complex' magazine, however, after browsing 'dafont' for a style to use, I found 'Bomb Font'. This appealed to me as it was similar to the style used by artist 'Kaws' in his work, so I decided to use this. I imported the text 'LC Music' and then edited it, by adding shadows, colour overlays, and lighting effects until I got a final product I was happy with.
I then carried on this process similarly throughout, importing elements and then customising them to my taste. I decided to follow magazine conventions with many of the elements, such as a central masthead at the top, barcode in the bottom right, and so on. I chose to do this, as I feel it gives the magazine credability - as it has features similar to existing, successful magazines.
Tuesday
The Man - Representation
My first impression of this man was the possibility that he was homeless, a tramp. This is mainly because of elements of his appearance and behaviour that are often associated with homeless people. For example, his patchwork trousers indicate lack of wealth - as they may have been worn and torn, and he is unable to replace them. Another indication is the winter hat, worn low - suggesting he needs protection from the cold as he is exposed to it all the time whilst living on the streets.
However, if you look closer, he has high quality work shoes (showing that he is possibly not un-employed, and also has enough money to spend on his appearance). Also, instead of the turned up trousers being functional, they could be seen as a fashion statement, as he has precisely turned them up in a way it appears he takes pride in. The fact he is standing in such a confident, up-right position ties in with this, as it shows he is proud of either his appearance or who he is.
However, if you look closer, he has high quality work shoes (showing that he is possibly not un-employed, and also has enough money to spend on his appearance). Also, instead of the turned up trousers being functional, they could be seen as a fashion statement, as he has precisely turned them up in a way it appears he takes pride in. The fact he is standing in such a confident, up-right position ties in with this, as it shows he is proud of either his appearance or who he is.
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