Lovers on the lam key themes:
Dysfunctional society/family
Animalistic
American Dream
Pop cultural references
Modern Fairytale
Trapped/freedom
Rootlessness
Road Movie location conventions: Gas Stations, Motel, Open road, Diners
Red white and blue themes
violence (weapon convention) gun, knife etc
Bad Lands, Natural born killers, In time, Moonrise kingdom
Media influence - Tv fame/ tape recording (Kit/Mickey)
Bad Lands
The camera often shows Kit and Holly in a 2 shot when the couple are particularly close. The camera separates them when there is a sense of conflict between them.
Monday, 27 April 2015
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
section C practice question - messages and values
Section C –
Messages and values are expressed
throughout both films but some differ. Gender representation changes from when
Badlands was set – directed by Terrence Malick, to when Natural born Killers
was exhibited. This is because in Badlands, Holly’s female character showed
inferiority compared to Kit and her performance was that she was calm and
quiet, obeying Kit. There was a recurring one shot of the characters, implying
an emotionless relationship. However, In Natural Born Killers, the director,
Oliver Stone shifts the gender power by giving Mallory some superiority because
her performance showed her to be shouting at Mickey and expressing herself
aggressively, in turn showing the theme of ruthlessness. This highlights
dysfunctional society because the traditional male empowerment had been
abandoned and people had almost turned animalistic, shown by the mise en scene
of snakes around Mickey and Mallory in the desert. They are shown to be in a two shot,
highlighting their passionate relationship, which is not the same as Badlands.
Non-linear flashbacks occur in Natural Born
Killers, showing that Mickey had a dysfunctional family with the mise en scene
of his father abusing his mother, which helps to see why he is the way he is
and that his violent persona was influenced by the past. It also helps to show
his rootlessness of never being accepted, which is why he is always on the run
with Mallory. The crime genre is imminent throughout. On the other hand,
Badlands has no flashbacks, which questions Kit’s motives because I get a sense
that there is no logical reason for the way he behaves which implies a theme of
rebelliousness since he is always rebelling against society regulations,
linking to the James Dean persona that he tries so hard to achieve. Both films glorify the idea of fame, Kit
always recorded his voice (diegetic sound) so that he could be like Elvis
Presley and Mickey always pointed out the fact that he was on TV (mise en
scene) which also resembled the idea that fame was his only motive. The fact
that fame was the importance and recurring genre showed the idea of society
idolising criminals, which supported the theme of dysfunctional society,
absorbed by the media. Scenes in both Badlands and Natural born Killers were
shown with a Dutch angle to highlight exactly that. “Genre are instances of repetition and
difference.
Both films have a car convention implying
lovers on the lam but the locations are different. Mickey and Mallory have mise
en scene of gas stations and American Diners, showing the modernized culture of
society but Kit and Holly have locations of the open road and the wild setting
which shows that they are less accepted in comparison as the isolated setting
reflects off their isolation from society.
In Badlands there are binary opposites
because Holly is shown in light(purity and innocence) where as, Kit is shown in
shadow, implying that he has a dark side. However, In Natural Born Killers, Mickey
and Mallory’s performance are both shown to be rebellious and aggressive,
showing no signs of innocence or purity, yet again highlighting that most of
America were corrupt.
Throughout the sequences, there are a lot
of connotations to the American Dream ranging from the colour themes of red,
white and blue of Mickey and Mallory’s clothes or the location setting shown in
Badlands of mise en scene of holly’s picket fence and her home represented as
the perfect life.
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Aims and Context
Genre: Thriller/Horror
Target Audience: 15
Genre conventions: love, violence, revenge
Context: Michael has not returned home on time as usual. Hannah is awaiting his call, frustrated and worried. He phones to explain but she is sick of his excuses. The conversation spirals and she hangs up the phone thinking that Michael is seeing someone else. A threatening outsider knocks on the door, appearing to be a harmless man but he is not as he seems and in fact, is dangerous and has sinister intentions.
Target Audience: 15
Genre conventions: love, violence, revenge
Context: Michael has not returned home on time as usual. Hannah is awaiting his call, frustrated and worried. He phones to explain but she is sick of his excuses. The conversation spirals and she hangs up the phone thinking that Michael is seeing someone else. A threatening outsider knocks on the door, appearing to be a harmless man but he is not as he seems and in fact, is dangerous and has sinister intentions.
Friday, 28 November 2014
How does the use of mise en scene and sound create excitement in the sequence from Divergent?
The scene opens with a mid shot of Tris
with the mise-en-scene of blue walls surrounding her and Four. This could show
that Tris feels isolated because she’s in an unfamiliar place, suggesting that
she is used to a more civilized and warm atmosphere. This contrasts to the idea
of Four being shown as a cold-hearted figure, implied by the colour. This also
highlights his transformation after he has been brainwashed. Non-diegetic
subtle chanting sound occurs, giving connotations to Four being in a trance.
The chanting is religious, suggesting that Four is compared to an extreme
believer who thinks they are doing the right thing. There is then an eye line
match showing their equal dominance. In the same shot, there is mise-en-scene
of white windowpanes. This made me feel like I was looking into a blank canvas,
Four’s old self had been wiped and someone else had taken his place. A straight
cut to a close up of a control panel of a brain starting to turn red,
foreshadowed danger and blood, fitting in with the Sci-Fi and action genre
conventions of violence and the brain being of use to scientific conventions. In
the background, the lilac floor symbolises femininity, foreshadowing that Tris
will take control very soon. Lilac also calms the mind and nerves, suggesting
that Four is in a trance with a lasting effect.
A sudden non-diegetic sound of a dramatic
drum rhythm, matches the action of a sudden fight between Tris and Four. The
fast pace and high volume created suspense, further creating excitement for me as
it was pulse raising. The sound reminded me of rhythmic drums, showing
adrenaline between the characters but it also showed that Four had his own
rhythm, which was being controlled, linking to the fact that he was executing
demands but not from his free will.
After 3 straight cuts of moving the intense action along, there is a
diegetic sound of lab equipment being knocked off a table, implying that it is
a chaotic situation. The lab equipment adds to the sci-fi conventions further
because lab equipment usually involves experimentation, showing the science
aspect of the genre. The recurring diegetic punches and kicks also enhance the
action conventions. The next over the shoulder shot was a fight break out with
Four and Tris. The lovers fighting were a clear comparison to ‘The Hunger
Games’ where Katnis had to fight Peter in order to survive, making me empathise
with the two characters. The comparison shows that fighting is an action
convention used in those genres. There is mise-en-scene of their black outfits representing
that they’re ruthless, they have dominance and they both have authority. It
shows me that they both possess equal strength. There are then multiple
straight cuts showing the fast pace of the action, which was pulse raising for
me. A straight cut to a low angle of Four towering over Tris is used. This shows
his superiority in that moment. There is a clear binary opposition in this
scene of good vs. evil. Tris is good and Four is evil, however I know that he
is not evil because he has been brainwashed.
There is then an extreme close up of a gun
lying on the floor panning sideways to Tris, foreshadowing that she will have
power over Four since a gun signifies
power and the pan to Tris implies that she will likely use it. An eye
line match is used where Jeanine is looking at Tris and Four, resembling her dominance
and her significance to the plot. Her dominance is also shown through her
performance. Behind her, there is mis-en-scene of white walls and a white
ceiling, signifying purity and the recurring binary opposition of good Vs evil.
However, this is juxtaposition, since in the plot Jeanine is the evil
character, leading me to question why there are connotations of purity towards
her. This could show how in her mind, wiping out divergent’s is the right thing to do, showing that she has been
misled, to thinking that she is pure. However, she is in high key lighting,
suggesting her power at this
point, emphasising her evil, as the lighting exposes who Jeanine is.
Tris and Four are in low key lighting, contrasting to the idea that they are
not powerful when it comes to beating her.
The non-diegetic sound increases in volume
when there is a straight cut to Tris holding a gun up to Four’s head,
signifying that the action is about to reach a climax, which made me feel
tense. A straight cut to a repeated low angle of Four standing over Tris, highlighted
his superiority, followed by a high angle of Tris, showing that they are equal
in power. An eye line match between them indicates that their love still
remains and they still had a connection, no matter the circumstance. This made
me upset that Four had forgotten his love for Tris up until this moment.
At this point, non-diegetic sound decreases
in volume, making me anticipate that the action was over. However the extreme
close up to the gun trigger after Tris put the gun to her own head, showed that
the action was not over, foreshadowing further violence. There is then a
straight cut to the performance of Four, fighting with his inner self, to try
and restore his composure and need to kill Tris, rising the tension for me. The
close up shot of Tris at gunpoint can be compared to the film ‘The Avengers’ when Natasha is held at
gunpoint by someone she cares about (Clint). This is the scene, when Clint has
been brain washed, similar to Four and he is about to kill Natasha, showing the
dominance of males as a popular convention in the action genre.
Non-diegetic supernatural music then occurs
when there is an eye line match between the two of them, showing their connection,
highlighting that Four is starting to remember who he is about to kill. I felt
empathy for Tris and an emotional response, as I understood the emotional
involvement the two of them had and the narrative built a personal
relationship. The music emphasises the extraordinary circumstance of Four when
he overcomes his brainwashed state, another regular convention of science
fiction. The non-diegetic rhythmic sound kicks in once again, instantly
building suspense, followed by a straight cut to the fighting beginning once
again.
There is an extreme close up of Tris
picking up a knife, suggesting a further threat. Multiple jump cuts are used to
show action moving along quickly showing that Four and Tris are not having any
trouble defeating their opponents. The jump cuts highlight the intensity of the
fight and the recurring diegetic gun shot sounds add to the action genre
conventions. A straight cut to Jeanine with a blue suit also implies that she is cold hearted, the
mid shot then with the mise-en-scene of a control panel indicates that it is
the driving force behind the ‘mind wipe’ of Dauntless. The panels gradually
turn from white to red, showing the transition of purity to impurity, as well
as the red foreshadowing the imminent danger. A straight cut to a medium-close up of Tris
shows her significance and that stopping Jeanine is all down to her. I worried
that she could fail in her mission. There is a straight cut to a projection
screen of faction citizens being ordered to kneel. There is a sideways pan to another
screen showing the same, which highlights the mass number of people under
threat. The next forward tracking shot of the knife flying through the air, suggests
violence and threat. Once it stabs her in the hand, the non-diegetic music
stops suddenly, which added to the shock factor for me. The non-diegetic sound starts to build up again,
matching the fast pace of Tris walking towards her target. Another straight cut
to Tris threatening Jeanine with a knife shows she is superior and is thinking
one step ahead. The repeated sideways pan to the projection screen enhances the
idea of the number of people under threat. The mise-en-scene of more red panels
on the control pad showed the increased death and escalation of the slaughter.
This manipulated my emotions as I felt angry and felt that it was an unfair
reality.
Parallel editing is used from the lab scene
to Dauntless pointing guns at civilians. Dauntless’s
black outfits as aspects of
mise-en-scene once again show
dominance, compared to civilians with grey outfits, creating the idea of them
being lifeless, with depressed emotions. The fight sequence is linear with an equilibrium
and a new equilibrium throughout the sequence, similar to the equilibrium in The Matrix when the fight
commences. The climax of the fight made me feel excitement. The jump cuts used,
relate to the fast paced fight, similar to divergent. In both sequences, the
guy and the woman team up to fight their opposition, showing that a partnership
is an action convention.
Monday, 24 November 2014
Case studies
US Blockbuster
The Edge Of Tomorrow.
Director: Doug Liman
The loss of cinema watching, home cinema and streaming online increased.
Director: Doug Liman
The loss of cinema watching, home cinema and streaming online increased.
Production costs: $178
million to produce.
Stars are Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. Mega stars which brought
publicity and audience’s attention.
Genre – Sci-Fi Action, PG rating – family movie. Attraction
would have been successful, although
anyone under 13 wouldn’t be advised to watch.
anyone under 13 wouldn’t be advised to watch.
Box office:
Budget: $178,000,000
Opening Weekend: $28,760,246 (USA) No 3 in the box office summer
releases.
Release date: 6th June 2014 (USA)
Production Co credits: Warner Bro’s , Village Roadshow Pictures,
Rat-Pac Dune Entertainment.
Marketing: The multiple Title changes from ‘All you need is
kill’ is one of the reasons the box office flopped.
Trailers were not executed to the audience’s appeal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUmSVcttXnI
Genre: Action, sc-fi
Narative: Cage made to go to war, dies but re-lives everyday again. Rita finds out and works with him to take down the enemy.
Location: London/France
Themes: violence, love, Fighting
Pacing:Slow development, to a climax, social network likes.
On screen graphics: Release date, hash tag promotion, past directories, titles.
Editing: escapism, graphics.
Music: Futuristic non-diegetic, matches the action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUmSVcttXnI
Genre: Action, sc-fi
Narative: Cage made to go to war, dies but re-lives everyday again. Rita finds out and works with him to take down the enemy.
Location: London/France
Themes: violence, love, Fighting
Pacing:Slow development, to a climax, social network likes.
On screen graphics: Release date, hash tag promotion, past directories, titles.
Editing: escapism, graphics.
Music: Futuristic non-diegetic, matches the action.
Warner Bro’s underestimated the competition.
Reviews:
Edge of Tomorrow, Reviews
2014 Film
90%
Rotten Tomatoes-242 votes
8/10
IMDb-212,969 votes
71%
Metacritic-43 reviews
Based on a Japenese novel - All you need is kill. The blockbuster already had an audience suited which benefited the box office.
Based on a Japenese novel - All you need is kill. The blockbuster already had an audience suited which benefited the box office.
TOMATOMETER
Average Rating: 7.5/10
Reviews Counted: 242
Fresh: 218
Rotten: 24
Critics Consensus: Gripping, well-acted, funny, and clever, Edge of Tomorrow offers entertaining proof that Tom Cruise is still more than capable of shouldering the weight of a blockbuster action thriller.
UK production
Harry Potter.
Production costs: $200 000
000 to produce.
Stars:
Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson brought publicity and audience’s attention.
Genre:
PG(13), fantasy adventure, mystery and family movie.
Box
office opening weekend: $169, 189, 427
Release date: 15th July 2011 (USA) Schools out on summer break, Potter films usually make more during summer breaks. Weekend release dates gain more of a target audience.
Gross prediction: 985 000 000 - adds to the success of the movie.
Gross prediction: 985 000 000 - adds to the success of the movie.
Widest release: 4125 theatres.
Production credits: Warner Bro's, Heyday Films, Moving picture company.
Marketing: Target audience identified- teens have an interest and family.
Competition: Smurfs 10% Transformers 40% Harry Potter 50%
Warner Bro's top 10 movies were mainly Harry potter sequels.
Publicity from Harry Potter world and franchise. Based on novel J.K Rowling, already an audience for the UK production and publicity.
Advertising: 1 sheet with 3D effect, A trailer, Partner with universal and its hotels with poster placement, snap tag handouts during promotions, Large building cover advertisements, run poster in top 5 consumer magazines. Mass advertisement helped contribute to its box office success.
Media and social network, mobile apps and sound effects, Harry Potter custom stickers.
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_kDb-pRCds
Genre:Adventure, mystery, Fantasy
Narative: Harry is going to confront
Location: Britian
Characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Voldemort.
Themes: Violence, magic/spells, loyalty, bravery.
pacing: develops to a climax.
On screen graphics: Warner bro symbol, release date, promoting in 3D.
Editing: Animation graphics/ green screen.
Music: Non diegetic, matching the action, supernatural.
Reviews:
Competition: Smurfs 10% Transformers 40% Harry Potter 50%
Warner Bro's top 10 movies were mainly Harry potter sequels.
Publicity from Harry Potter world and franchise. Based on novel J.K Rowling, already an audience for the UK production and publicity.
Advertising: 1 sheet with 3D effect, A trailer, Partner with universal and its hotels with poster placement, snap tag handouts during promotions, Large building cover advertisements, run poster in top 5 consumer magazines. Mass advertisement helped contribute to its box office success.
Media and social network, mobile apps and sound effects, Harry Potter custom stickers.
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_kDb-pRCds
Genre:Adventure, mystery, Fantasy
Narative: Harry is going to confront
Location: Britian
Characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Voldemort.
Themes: Violence, magic/spells, loyalty, bravery.
pacing: develops to a climax.
On screen graphics: Warner bro symbol, release date, promoting in 3D.
Editing: Animation graphics/ green screen.
Music: Non diegetic, matching the action, supernatural.
Reviews:
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Reviews2011 Film
- 8.1/10
- 87%
TOMATOMETER
Average Rating: 8.3/10
Reviews Counted: 305
Fresh: 292
Rotten: 13
Critics Consensus: Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying -- and suitably magical -- conclusion.
American independent
Pulp Fiction
Production costs: $8 000 000
Stars: John travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis. major stars brought publicity and attention.
Genre: Crime (R rating)
Domestic Total Gross: $107, 928, 762
Release Date: October 14th 1994.
Distributor: Miramax
Opening weekend box office: $9, 311, 882
Widest release: 1,494 theatres.
Production credits: Lawrence Bender, Michael Shamberg
Marketing: No viral advertisement as it was not available in 1994. Publicity from Quentin Tarantino's film, Reservoir Dogs which was popular so when Pulp fiction was released there was a lot of buzz. Target audience identified.
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7EdQ4FqbhY
Genre: Crime
Narrative: Gangster men committing crimes, he looks after a woman whilst the guy is away, but she gets her self overdosed. She survives and there is a love connection.
Location: America
Characters: Vincent (Charming criminal) Mia, Jules winnfield (criminal)
Themes: Crime, Drugs, love, violence, betrayal.
Pacing: Fast paced
On screen graphics: Festival nominations (cannes film festival) Release date, Title.
Voice over - man saying the stars in the film.
Music: Non diegetic - matches action.
Competition - Reservoir dogs - director the same, but he wanted to know if he could beat the publicity and box office for the new pulp fiction.
Reviews:
Worldwide Release
Amelie.
Production costs: $10 000 000
Domestic Total Gross: $33,225,499
Stars: Audrey Tautou - not as well known in England, limited audience.
Genre: Foreign
Opening Weekend:$136 470
Worldwide gross: $173, 921, 954
Release Date: November 2nd 2001
Marketing:
Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFrLnS5sQY
Genre: Fantasy, love
Narrative: Amelie with magic goes around to fix other peoples lives.
Location: France
Characters: Amelie
Theme: magic
Voice over: Man saying the summary.
Music: fantasy music - matching the action.
Reviews:
Pulp Fiction
Production costs: $8 000 000
Stars: John travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis. major stars brought publicity and attention.
Genre: Crime (R rating)
Domestic Total Gross: $107, 928, 762
Release Date: October 14th 1994.
Distributor: Miramax
Opening weekend box office: $9, 311, 882
Widest release: 1,494 theatres.
Production credits: Lawrence Bender, Michael Shamberg
Marketing: No viral advertisement as it was not available in 1994. Publicity from Quentin Tarantino's film, Reservoir Dogs which was popular so when Pulp fiction was released there was a lot of buzz. Target audience identified.
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7EdQ4FqbhY
Genre: Crime
Narrative: Gangster men committing crimes, he looks after a woman whilst the guy is away, but she gets her self overdosed. She survives and there is a love connection.
Location: America
Characters: Vincent (Charming criminal) Mia, Jules winnfield (criminal)
Themes: Crime, Drugs, love, violence, betrayal.
Pacing: Fast paced
On screen graphics: Festival nominations (cannes film festival) Release date, Title.
Voice over - man saying the stars in the film.
Music: Non diegetic - matches action.
Competition - Reservoir dogs - director the same, but he wanted to know if he could beat the publicity and box office for the new pulp fiction.
Reviews:
TOMATOMETER
Average Rating: 9/10
Reviews Counted: 71
Fresh: 67
Rotten: 4
Critics Consensus: One of the most influential films of the 1990s, Pulp Fiction is a delirious post-modern mix of neo-noir thrills, pitch-black humor, and pop-culture touchstones.
Worldwide Release
Amelie.
Production costs: $10 000 000
Domestic Total Gross: $33,225,499
Stars: Audrey Tautou - not as well known in England, limited audience.
Genre: Foreign
Opening Weekend:$136 470
Worldwide gross: $173, 921, 954
Release Date: November 2nd 2001
Marketing:
Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFrLnS5sQY
Genre: Fantasy, love
Narrative: Amelie with magic goes around to fix other peoples lives.
Location: France
Characters: Amelie
Theme: magic
Voice over: Man saying the summary.
Music: fantasy music - matching the action.
Reviews:
TOMATOMETER
Average Rating: 8.1/10
Reviews Counted: 175
Fresh: 155
Rotten: 20
Critics Consensus: The feel-good Amelie is a lively, fanciful charmer, showcasing Audrey Tautou as its delightful heroine.
Average Rating: 7.6/10
Reviews Counted: 33
Fresh: 24
Rotten: 9
Critics Consensus: The feel-good Amelie is a lively, fanciful charmer, showcasing Audrey Tautou as its delightful heroine.
Production Credits: Claude ossard productions.
Fault in our stars
Director: John Boone
Box office: $304.2 million (worldwide)
Produced by: Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen
Released: 16th May at Seattle International Film Festival, 6th June in US, 19th June in UK
Certificate: 12A
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff
Shailene Woodley is an American actress who made her acting debut in the 1999 TV movie Replacing Dadand is know for her role as Amy Juergens in The Secret Life of the American Teenger (2008-2013), Tris inDivergent (2014) and Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars.
Shailene Woodley - originally cast as Mary Jane Watson but her character was cut and she was considered for Katnis Everdeen but jennifer Lawrence was accepted instead. Cosette audition - beaten by Amanda Seyfried. This shows her success and her fan base would already have been established.
Ansel Elgort is an American actor, musician, producer, singer and DJ. Known for his role as Tommy Ross in Carrie (2013), Caleb Prior in Divergent (2014) and Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars (2014); his first credited acting job was in Carrie (2013)
Franchise
Divergent series (Divergent, Insurgent/ Allegiant)
Director: Robert Schwentke
Box office opening (Divergent): $54 million
Box office opening (insurgent): $52 million
Divergent gross: $150 million
Insurgent gross: $121 million
Production Costs: Divergent - $85 million
Insurgent - $110 million - factor of not being as successful.. larger budget, less
cinema visits, influenced by home cinema, online streaming, downloading, cost of
cinema.
Rating - PG -13
Genre- Action/adventure
Release Date (Divergent) - March 21st 2014 (Similar dates, successful)
Release Date (Insurgent) - March 20th 2015
Worldwide theatre release - (Divergent) - 3936 Theatres (3D showings caused bigger appeal for target audience)
- (Insurgent) - 3875 Theatres
Actors: stars - Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet and Theo James (fan base from divergent) increased publicity. performance additionally added attention.
Based on best selling novels - identified target audience for success, publicity already known (fan base)
Marketing: Distributor - Lionsgate/Summit
Promotion - Novels/ merchandise/ trailers / social media / music videos (Ellie Goulding 'hanging on')
4D immersion of 'Insurgent' users/fans experience similar tests that were referenced in 'Divergent'
This helped promote Insurgent because it was interactive for fans and target audience.
Reviews:
- Divergent, Reviews2014 film
- 40%
- 6.8/10
- 2.5/4
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