princessas

How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?

One of the end sequences is Zulema and Caye at the airport as Zulema is leaving the country. This is a contrast to the other films as Zulema is actually escaping her lifestyle where as in films such as City of god the people who would try to leave would end up dead. We see a mid shot of Caye and Zulema walking together, the fact they are in the same frame shows that they are close. It then moves to shot reverse shots of over the shoulder shots as they hug. This is showing the emotion from both points of view. Caye is wearing Zulemas sexy girl top as this shows that even though they will be apart that they will still be together. We then see more shot reverse shots but this time when the shot is on Zulema she is further away each time suggesting it is her time to leave but on Caye it is a very closeup shot which shows how upset she is by losing Zulema. The use of the short depth of field suggests that Caye is the focus and that she doesn't involve anybody in her life apart from Zulema thats broke that. Caye then goes over to the security guards to tell them that Zulema hasn't been kicked out but that she has left by choice. This is an important part of the film as it shows that they do have some form of power as they have been able to make a choice. The soft non diegetic music suggests this is a delicate and emotional part of the film which is a contrast to the hard prostitute lifestyle they live.

Urban stories

real, hopeless, tense, sexist

I would describe La Haine as real as I believe it is a real representation of the current time. La Haine represents the real issues of the current time such as racism and violence. The film is mainly based from the characters point of view so it is based from a realistic point of view.

I would describe La Haine as hopeless as all the characters are pretty much in a hopeless cycle. They live a hopeless lifestyle which usually ends in early death. It is a constant cycle.

I would describe La Haine as tense as it is so violent that you never know what is going to happen next. The whole film builds tension so the audience is on edge.

I would describe La Haine as sexist as there is not really any female characters involved apart from when being referenced to as sexual objects. The whole film is based on males and there lifestyles and pretty much ignores the fact women exist.

Film catalogue

Can Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's working relationship be seen as autheristic?

Films:

Item 1 - Edward Scissorhands (1990) Director: Tim Burton
I chose this as my focus film as this was the first film that Johnny Depp and Tim Burton worked on together. It explores the dark theme that both Burton and Depp have created a deep relationship from. It was a personal project for Burton and also for Depp. Burton created Edward as a character which almost reflected Burtons childhood, a character which was isolated and found it hard to communicate with others and the Burton picked Depp to play this role.

Item 2 - Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (2005) Director: Tim Burton
My second film is Burtons remake of Roald Dahl's children book. This film features Johnny Depp playing a vulnerable character called Willy Wonka who has no family and is isolated from society which is similar to what Burton went through in his childhood. This is very similar to Edward Scissorhands with the eerie and gothic mise en scene making it a classic Tim Burton film. As this isn't Tim Burtons original story i did not choose it as my focus but it still portrays the dark twist Burton puts on stories.

Item 3 - Alice in Wonderland (2010) Director: Tim Burton
My third focus film is Alice in Wonderland because again Burton has picked Depp to play an obscure character with many personal issues which portrays him as very quirky and crazy. Burton always picks Depp for roles that Depp can transition into which is why Depp did lots of preparation for this role. This idea also plays on the idea of having no parents and is quite a crazy film which Depp fits into perfectly.

Books:

Item 4 - Burton on Burton (1995) Author: Tim Burton
I chose to use this book as it focuses on Burtons interest with Johnny Depp, his childhood and his influences throughout his life. This book also explains Burtons ideas and feelings such as loneliness that he's put into each film which allows us to have a much better insight on his life.

Item 5 - Tim Burton (2002) Authors: Jim smith, J.Clive Matthews
This book was less useful when it came to information on Burtons childhood and personal thoughts as it more focuses on his early films and all of his film creations. This gives us an insight of his film process.

Item 6 - Johnny Depp (2006) Authors: Dennis Meikle, Reynolds and Hearn
This book focuses on Johnny Depp's life through his films and through his teenage years. A central focus of the book is about his collaborations with Tim  Burton which will give me some insight on their working and personal relationship.


Websites:

Item 7- Tim Burton explains his abstract relationship with Johnny Depp (2009)                         Source: MTV - http://www.mtv.com/news/1620521/tim-burton-explains-his-abstract-relationship-with-johnny-depp/
I chose this source as this one gives us an insight of Burtons and Depp's relationship such as how they can have a complete abstract conversation but this source is from Burtons point of view. This article also goes into depth specifically about their relationship and how they understand each others ideas and thought processes which is why Depp relates to the characters so well.

Item 8- Johnny Depp explains his special relationship with Tim Burton (2006)                           Source: The fashion spot - http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f51/johnny-depp-explains-his-special-relationship-tim-burton-41998.html
I chose this source as this one gives us an insight on their relationship but from Depp's point of view. This article is useful as it is very detailed and names real life stories and conversations between Depp and Burton. Depp also talks and Burtons personal life which further suggests their closeness which is key for this question.

Item 9- Helen Bonham Carter on Tim Burton and Johnny Depp relationship (2012)                       Source: Tribute.ca - http://www.tribute.ca/news/index.php/helena-bonham-carter-on-tim-burton-and-johnny-depp-relationship/2012/12/28/
I think this is a useful source as this is an outsiders insight on Depp's and Burtons relationship. It is an opinion from Helen Bonham Carter which is close to both Depp and Burton and has worked with them both. This views their relationship from another perspective.

Item 10 The uncanny relationship of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp (2015)
Source: UK essays - https://www.ukessays.com/essays/film-studies/the-uncanny-relationship-of-tim-burton.php
This article goes deeper into Tim Burtons life including his childhood. This gives us some idea of how Tim Burton created such a successful career and how he first got involved with Johnny Depp. It goes into detail about my focus films and goes into a lot of depth about their relationship which is useful to answer my question.

Item 11-Auteur director Tim Burton (2013)
Source: Theory of Johnny Depp - https://pennyrowe.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/auteur-director-tim-burton/
This article focuses on the auteur theory of Tim Burton. It talks about his gothic and quirky themes which he uses throughout his films. It also talks about his reoccurring use of Johnny Depp in his films as well as the dark twists he uses. Burton also uses the same type of instruments to create his eerie theme music.

Magazines:

Item 12 USA Today - Scissorhands cuts to Tim Burtons core (1990) Writer: Susan Spillman
This article focuses on how personal Edward Scissorhands is to Tim Burton. It talks about how Burton has been thinking of making Edward Scissorhands for years. I will use this article to show the clear comparison of Burton and Edward Scissorhands that has been noticed by friends and colleagues. Burton has also admitted to knowing how Edward Scissorhands feels.

DVD Extras:

Item 13 Commentary on Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton - DVD extra on Edward Scissorhands
In these extras Burton discusses how he decided Johnny Depp was the perfect actor to play Edward Scissorhands. Burton also talks about how he came up with the character of Edward Scissorhands when he was a teenager and that the character was constructed from his personal feelings of feeling isolated and frustrated.

Interviews:
Item 14 Johnny Depp talks about being the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland  (2016) http://movieweb.com/johnny-depp-talks-about-being-the-mad-hatter-in-alice-in-wonderland/
This article talks about how Johnny Depp prepares for his roles in Burtons films and talks about the acting techniques that he uses to get into Burtons characters. This suggests that Burton and Depp have the same mind-set which is why they have such a strong relationship.

Item 15 Tim Burton interview radio 360 Youtube (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y2RX0qKryE
This interview explains the true emotions behind his characters and films. It is focused on the opening of the exhibit of his drawing which also includes drawings of Edward Scissorhands and this leads to a discussion of how Burton came up with the character. This resource is useful to get Burtons personal feelings which will also to lead to why he chose Depp for such a personal role. 


Images:
Item 16 Image of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton

This is to show the audience what Burton and Depp look like. The picture is also effective as they are sat in the same position so emphasises there similarity.

Item 17 Image of Burbank

This image was used to show the audience a comparison of Burbank and the street in Edward Scissor hands. Burbank is where Tim Burton grew up so it creates a link to why the Edward Scissor hands street is layed out the way it is.

Item 18 Image of street from Edward Scissorhands

This image was used to show the audience a comparison of Burbank and the street in Edward Scissor hands. Burbank is where Tim Burton grew up so it creates a link to why the Edward Scissor hands street is layed out the way it is.

Item 19 Image of Edward Scissorhands

This image was used to show the audience the character of Edward Scissorhands so that they could see how unique and bizarre the character is.

Item 20 Image of Willy Wonka

This image was used to show the audience the character of Willy Wonka so that they could see how unique and bizarre the character is.

La Haine

Equality, Cycle, Violence, Rebellion, Diversity, Futility

AS Reflective analysis

Reflective analysis



My intention was to produce a short section of a film in a step outline which falls into the thriller and drama genre as it has conventions of both. I hoped to stimulate my audience’s mood and make them feel uncertain by choosing a realistic setting, characters and storyline.


My target audience would be teenagers so a 15 certificate would be appropriate as some violent, graphic and sexual scenes would be inappropriate for children. If it was certified lower, then this would be inappropriate to a lot of children under the age of 15 and would cause a lot of trouble and effect box office income.


Conventions of thriller that I included in my film was the unexpected suicide in scene 3, the urban setting of Bella's home and the unexpected hero of Meg. I chose the suicide of my character to happen at the beginning of the film so they could flashback on all the events leading up to it so the story would unravel as the film goes on. The suicide was in an isolated forest with no one to help. This would make the audience feel uneasy and unsettled, and included some suspicious behaviour in scene 5 as this is also a common thriller convention. The story behind the suicide is what brings in the conventions of a drama as it is a flashback on Bella's life.


I used a lot of close-ups throughout, this highlighted key emotions and important body parts which made it more personal to the audience and added tension. The suicide scene is very effective due to the use of close-ups and the increased diegetic sound of heavy breathing. I realised my using close-ups of body parts and the diegetic sound it creates a lot of tension for the audience. There is also the variety of long shots from different angles which appears to the audience like she is being watched and builds further tension.


I chose realistic settings, as I believe my audience will engage more with the piece if it is set in locations which they know and situations they could / have experienced. Settings I chose included a huge forest, the home of the main characters, and the school of my main character. However I do believe that by only using these first few locations in my sequence that it limited the storyline. To improve I would use more locations such as McDonalds during my sequence to make it easier for the audience to relate to.


I chose realistic characters, as I believe it would make it more believable and realistic so the audience would be more effected by the suicide and drama and make the audience feel like some of these situations may happen in their own lives. To improve in future I would introduce my characters a lot better so people can connect to the characters easier. I also used stereotypical characterisation as the girl was the victim but the plot is not predictable so I was happy with this choice.


I chose to use non diegetic and diegetic sound in my piece. I chose tense music for non-diegetic as it is a clear convention when trying to make the audience feel on edge. I used a lot of diegetic sound such as heavy breathing as it exaggerates the tension. I want to create a spine chilling experience for the thrill seeking audience.


I used low key lighting in the scenes of Bella in the forest but I used higher key lighting when it moved to the flashback. The low key lighting was used to show the isolation and desperation and I used high key lighting when moving to the flashback to show that this was before everything went wrong. To improve I would vary my lighting a little bit more in the opening scene to add more suspense and help make the plot less predictable.
My sequence has a non-linear story line as it starts at the end and flashes back to show how and why she ended up taking her life. In my final scene I start the flashback of Bella’s life to start to explain why this all happened. This is done to start the emotional journey the audience will go on with Bella. This would set of a curiosity with the audience of what both Jack and Meg both have to do with Bella’s death. The camera is used to create a two shot to show that Meg and Jack will be together.

AS Aims and contexts

For my short film sequence I will be following the horror/drama genre. I want to make the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge. My target audience is aged 15-25. To get the right response from the audience I will use a lot of closeups on uncomfortable images such as bleeding parts of the body. The context is a young girl who is depressed and try's to commit suicide in the woods, I will use parallel editing to show her parents reaction.

AS Exam practice

Section A

1. Study the items in Part A of the resource material, which include:
- a news item from The Hollywood Reporter January 2014
- a report from reuters.com
Use this material, together with your own studies, to answer the following question:
What are some of the main factors that influence different kinds of film production today?

• Audience                                                   
• Characters
• Franchise
• Actors/actresses
• Gross
• Awards
• Narrative
• Gap in market
• Director
• Book
• Successful

Furious 7 -> franchise + stars = made more than original, already had a audience
Fifty shades of grey -> book + gap in market = Gap in market released on valentines day which was a key date for the target audience.
Straight Outta Compton -> Based on true story + Stars + gap in market = huge gap in market made it very popular, word of mouth between younger generation made success.
The intouchables -> big french stars + awards + gap in market = best selling french film ever

2. Study the items in Part B of the resource material, which include:
- two website pages from blink box.com
- information about events company Future Cinema and a review of a film event
Use this material, together with your own studies, to answer the following question:
How far are developments in film exhibition changing the way in which audiences watch films?

AS Coursework

Film coursework - Orphan (horror film)
How is cinematography used within the scene in Orphan to create effect?

The film runs in a linear narrative which is not always that common with horror films. The scene starts off with a close up of the monster which is a little girl called Esther. This is not a common horror convention as it usually involves a child as a victim. The close up allows me to see the serious expression on her face and with the non-diegetic music varying between low and high extremes it makes me feel nervous and makes the tension of the scene grow. It then moves to a close up of Max who smiles which suggests her innocence. The mid shot of Esther shows her with sets of tools which foreshadows the type of weapon which will be used in a later scene. 

The tension is again increased with the contrast of the low non-diegetic music and the diegetic rattling of pens and keys whilst there is no speech taking place. This then cuts back to a close up of the hammer in Esther’s hand a long with the non-diegetic music using the high and low extremes again makes me think that the hammer will be her weapon of choice. The camera then tracks up to a close up of her face before moving to a mid-shot of her placing the hammer into the backpack. A shot reverse shot is now used between Max and Esther as it shows a mid-shot of Max jingling the keys before cutting back to a close up of Esther where her eyes appear to be very black which makes me feel uneasy. The scene then moves to a close up of the keys which suggests they are of some significance, maybe the link to the next part of the scene. This is followed with an eye line match from Esther to the safe. As the camera zooms in of the safe the non-diegetic music is very high pitched and increases in volume and pitch the further the camera zooms, this creates a lot of tension and suggest the terror that is yet to come. A high angle long shot is now used as Esther is unlocking the safe which makes it look like they are being watched before it jumps to a close up of the safe being opened and a gun being revealed inside. The non-diegetic music is very high pitch extremes creating more tension as there is another eye line match between Esther and the gun. The close up of Esther shows her smirk which a hints at danger. It then jumps to a close up of Max and her concerned expression again emphasises her innocence before a close up of the gun as Esther places a single bullet in before it moves to a mid-shot of Esther pointing the gun at Max. It moves to a long depth of field to a short depth of field which leaves the focus on the gun but the camera has positioned it so the gun feels like it is pointed directly at me. This is similar to the scene in "Run Lola Run" when the police officer is pointing the gun as if it is straight at me. This again begins to make me feel uncomfortable as I feel on the spot and the non-diegetic music again rises which is a key horror convention. The closeup of Max emphasises her vulnerability before moving to a closeup with the gun in the shot as Max shakes her head. As the pitch of the non-diegetic music increases there is a shot reverse shot between a closeup of Esther and a long shot of the nun through the window. This is also an eyeliner match as Esther turns around to look and then I see a long shot of the nun leaving. It then moves back to the long depth of field with the gun pointed directly at me before it cuts to a closeup of Esther moving the catch of the gun. The non-diegetic music hits a very high pitch extreme which emphasises the danger. 

The next part of the scene is the nun getting into the car. Parallel editing is used as it cuts to a long shot of Esther and Max running through the woods. The clear sharp tones of non-diegetic music as the car begins to drive through the snow is similar to the location of "The shining". Furthermore the isolation of the house on its own is a clear horror convention and again intertextuality with "The shining" as that was also set in an isolated area surrounded by snow. It continues with the parallel editing as it moves from a long shot to an extreme long shot of the girls by a bridge which suggests this will be the location of the action. This moves to a closeup of Esther looking through the bridge before the camera follows along the bridge before moving onto a closeup of Max. There is a jump cut to a long shot of the girls from behind them. As Esther starts talking it moves to a closeup of Max which allows me to see her scared expression which again suggests her innocence before moving back to Esther which is another shot reverse shot. The birds eye view of the car coming down the road portrays it as prey and very vulnerable, this is further emphasised with the drop of pitch in the non diegetic music. The closeup of the wheel foreshadows that something will happen involving the car which makes me start to feel nervous. This idea of foreshadowing is emphasised more as the camera cuts to a closeup of the nun driving the car with a serious expression which makes me think she is concentrating because the roads are dangerous and icy. An eye line match is then made from a closeup of Esther's eyes to a long shot of the car coming down the road which suggests Esther is about to cause trouble. A mid shot of Esther signing to Max is then cut to a mid shot of Max looking very scared and not like she wants to be part of Esther's plan. This makes me feel bad for Max and nervous for what is about to happen. It then moves back to the previous closeup of the wheel before another long shot of the car coming over the bridge but the non-diegetic music is climaxing and hitting extreme high notes which suggests that the danger is near. A closeup of the nun reaching into her bag before an over the shoulder shot of her placing a cigarette in her mouth shows that she has moved her concentration from the road making her vulnerable. The shots jump quickly between a long shot of Esther pushing Max into the road and the long shot of the wheel but this time with Max placed in the right hand side of the frame. This the jump cuts to the car coming towards Max but it feels as if it is coming directly at me which sets me on the edge of my seat. The closeup of Max allows me to see the terror in her eyes which is also exaggerated by the extreme high pitch non diegetic music. The closeup of the nun emphasises her fear accompanied with a diegetic scream. It then moves back to the wheel again but this time a closeup with Max in the right of the frame. The closeup is used to show how close the car is to Max. As the car goes past Max the shot moves to make me feel like I am Max and the car has only just missed me. Next is a montage of shots moving quickly between a closeup of the brakes then the wheel before a closeup of the nun, this is accompanied with very high pitch non diegetic music which is so high that it sounds like screams. There is a long shot showing me the car going out of control before moving to a high angle shot which again suggests the idea of vulnerability. 

There is a closeup of the nun accompanied with the diegetic sound of her sigh suggesting how relieved she is yet she has no idea the terror yet to come. This cuts to another closeup but of Max crying before cutting to a shot from behind the nun as she gets out the car, this further emphasises the vulnerability again as it is like she is being watched. As there is a long shot of the nun running towards Max the non-diegetic music begins to intensify. There is a shot reverse shot starting with an over the shoulder shot which focuses on the nuns concerned face as she begins to fuss Max, then an over the shoulder shot which focuses on Max crying before switching back to the over the shoulder shot which focuses on the nun but this time as the nun moves it reveals Esther stood over her. There is an extreme closeup of Max's eyes before an eye line match . As the non-diegetic music hits a climax we see a closeup of the nun as she turns her head but it feels like it is direct at me like she is looking at me for help. There is a closeup of Esther before it cuts to a closeup of the hammer we saw earlier in the scene. You hear the diegetic crunch as the hammer hits the nun’s head and a closeup of Max as she begins to scream and cry again. A closeup of her head bleeding before a closeup of Esther showing no remorse. The non-diegetic music is now low tones. The scene ends as with a long shot of Esther throwing the hammer as it hits the snow you see the contrast of the white pure snow with the red blood. Blood being another key horror convention. 

AS Case studies

US blockbuster (Mainstream/franchise or popular genre)
Fast and furious 7
Budget: $190,000,000
Opening weekend (US): $147,187,040
Box office: $1.515 billion
Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson
Genre: Action/crime genre
Production company: Universal pictures, Media rights capital, Chine film co, One race films, original film, Dents, Fast 7 productions
Certificate 13
Release: 3 April 2015
Marketing: Social media posts, based on Paul Walker death, live trailer launch
Audience: Fans of the franchise, predominantly male, teens- 30
The film was released in 3D, Imax 3D, and 4DX internationally. Third highest grossing opening of all time. Highest grossing film in the franchise after being released for 12 days. Second highest grossing film of 2015. Fifth highest grossing film of all time. There is a sequel scheduled. 9th biggest opening of all time domestically.
Why was it such a big hit?
Furious 7 was a very big hit due to the tragic death of one of the stars Paul Walker whilst they were filming. It was also a big success due to it being part of a franchise, it made more than the original which is rare in a franchise. It was very popular due to the stars like Vin Diesel, third highest paid actor in the world. There is a mix ethnicity within the film and only 25% of the audience is white so it has a very large target audience.

UK production (Financed within UK)
Fifty shades of grey
Budget: $40,000,000
Opening weekend: $94,395,000
Box office: $570,489,358
Stars: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Marcia Gay Harden
Genre: Erotic romanic drama
Production company: Michael De Luca Productions, Trigger Street Productions
Certificate 18
Release: 13 February 2015
Marketing: Posters released a year before with "Mr Grey will see you now", Released photo of Dakota as Anastasia, Twitter account, Beyonce released teaser for trailer on social media, three trailers released.
Audience: Predominantly females, Teens and older women
Sequels are scheduled, the film premiered at the 65th Berlin international film festival, was an immediate box office success and broke several box office records, currently the 8th highest grossing film of 2015. Franchise of books.
Why was it such a big hit?
It caused a lot of controversy so a lot of people wanted to go and see it to make a judgement for themselves. Furthermore it was released on valentines day which links to the sexual idea of the film. The book was very popular, especially with women and it is an easy read. The marketing was very good and successful especially with Beyonce backing it.

US independent (low budget)
Straight Outta Compton
Budget: $28,000,000
Opening weekend: $56,100,000
Box office: $200.2 million
Stars: O'Shea Jackson Jr, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Paul Giamatti
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Production company: Circle of confusion, Cube vision, Legendary pictures
Certificate 15
Release: 28 August 2015
Marketing: A sneak peek trailer at Ice cubes concert, Two trailers released, Dr Dre released an app, Dr Dre released first album in 14 years. Meme generator where you could make your own Straight outta compton sayings used by celebrities such as tennis star Serena Williams, it trended no.1 across social media for two days. There has been at least 400,000 tweets related to the film. An ad played before the first Republican presidential debate. "Compton" was written in the sky across LA and the tweeted pictures became a viral sensation. Also appeared across sky at Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco. Also booked it for August 10th to coincide with red carpet premiere.
Audience: predominantly males, age 15-25
An album inspired by the film was released on 7th August 2015 and debuted No.2 on the US Billboard 200 charts.
Why was it such a big hit?
Already had a huge fan base due to the music and the stars. The marketing created a huge hype and the film lived up to it. A lot of marketing was put into this film

World cinema production (foreign language)
The intouchables(French) Untouchables (UK)
Budget: €9,500,000
Opening weekend: $103,507 (USA) €10,675,385 (France)
Box office: €346 million
Stars: François Cluzet, Omar Sy
Genre: Biography, comedy, drama
Production company: Quad productions, Ten films, Chaocorp, Gaumont
Certificate 13
Release: 2 November 2011
Marketing: Social media campaigns
Audience: adults aged 30+, predominantly females
9 weeks after release it became the second biggest box office hit in France. Biggest French film ever.

   

AS Film noir reflective analysis

Reflective analysis

For our creative task we were asked to produce a five shot film sequence based on the film noir genre.We were asked to include different camera angles and the key conventions of the film noir genre. Our whole sequence was in black and white to follow the theme of film noir. We did not have the right circumstances to shoot in low key lighting and to create the shadows that we wanted. Me and Emma directed, filmed and edited the piece and James did the acting and voice over. Our sequence ran in a circular narrative. Our opening shot was a closeup zooming out to a mid shot of James dying so that the audience understood what was going on. Our second shot was of James was the start of James' flashback which was a long shot and tracking of James walking down the street before a camera tilt to focus on a creepy tree.We did this to set the location of the sequence. Our third shot was a shot of a "strictly no admittance" sign which was also zoomed in on. This was done to indicate the crime within the sequence. Our fourth shot was a mid shot of James looking through venetian blinds as venetian blinds are a key part of the film noir genre. Our final shot was back to the same shot from the start but this time it zoomed in from a mid shot to a closeup. We used a voice over throughout our piece as this explained the story to the audience and is another key convention of film noir. Our story line was that James was investigating a murder before realising he had a split personality and was actually the murderer so he killed himself because of the guilt. In future I would work with Emma again as we work really well together but I would not work with James as he does not commit himself to the work and walks off and chats to his friends instead of filming which meant we had to leave our film to the last minute.

AS The shining

The genre of The shining could be argued to be either psychological or thriller horror. It uses clear horror conventions throughout. It is a 1980s film which was directed by Stanley Kubrick. The narrative of the film is based on a man called Jack who becomes the caretaker for an isolated hotel called the Overlook. He moves him and his family there to look after the hotel whilst nobody is there. Jacks son can view the past and future and can see ghosts. During their time here Jack becomes possessed and attempts to kill his family.


The opening scene of The shining is an establishing shot of the isolated location where the film is set. It moved to a bird’s eye view to exaggerate the isolation and hostility. It follows a single car which suggest the vulnerability. Isolation/alienation is a major horror convention so it already sets the genre of the film. The non-diegetic music varies between very extreme low and high pitch tones which is again a clear horror convention as the contrast sets a tense tone and made me feel on edge. The long shot following the car sets the idea of a predator as it moves in closer on the car. As he enters the hotel the mise en scene is a simple hotel with candles as lights. The candles are a horror convention as they could link to religious meanings or to fire and danger. Furthermore the post section behind the front desk is laid out in a cross pattern which again could link to a religious theme. The long shot shows him dressed in a smart suit which portrays him as quite a sensible and professional character. A cross dissolve edit is then used to move to the next scene. This scene shows a basic flat which is fairly empty. The scenery and the cigarettes suggest a lower class situation. The shot reverse shot switches between the mother and the child Danny to give some context to the audience. Parallel editing is used as it now moves back to Jack in the office. The manager of the hotel is wearing a red tie, the iconography of the colour red is danger and could also be linked to blood. The rule of thirds is clearly obeyed within this scene and the close-ups on the faces emphasise the concerned facial expressions being passed between them. The diegetic sound is them talking about the previous caretaker who chopped up his family which gives a huge hint at the horror genre. The iconography and this diegetic sound make me feel like this is a warning of what is yet to come. The cross dissolve edit is then used to focus on Danny in the bathroom talking to himself, the camera begins to zoom in on him as if something is walking towards him before cutting back to a long shot of Jacks wife, and there is low tones of non-diegetic music before a sharp diegetic sound of the phone ringing. Jacks wife is again in red clothing which foreshadows the danger to come, after the parallel editing of a phone call between Jack and his wife there is an over the shoulder the shot of Danny that views him through the mirror as the camera zooms in on his face with low toned non diegetic music in the background. The close up of Danny allows me to see the shock and panic on his face before it moves to a long shot of blood rushing out of the hotel lifts as if it was rushing directly at me. This begins to make me feel uncomfortable before it cuts back to a close up of Danny screaming, this has clearly set the genre as horror.


The next scene I will analyse is near the end. It starts with a long shot of Danny holding a large knife next to where his mum is lay in bed whilst he repeats the word "redrum". There is very sharp high pitch no diegetic music which makes me feel on edge. There is a mid-shot of Danny writing "redrum" on the door in a red lipstick. Again the repetition of the colour red. The over the shoulder shot of Danny then zooms in on the mothers face to emphasise her scared expression before it jumps to a shot of the mirror which shows the word "redrum" as "murder" written on the door before zooming in on it. The non-diegetic high pitch music makes the scene tenser and creates a climax. Clear horror conventions are now portrayed as she screams before it moves to a mid-shot of Danny hitting the door with a classic horror weapon, an axe. This is intertextuality to the film My Bloody Valentine as both films involve the monster/villain smashing the door down with an axe to reach their victims. Jack is wearing a red jacket again leading on with the theme of red throughout. The mother locks her and Danny in the bathroom which is again putting herself in an isolated position which is a horror convention as she cannot escape. There is more parallel editing as it jumps between Jack smashing the hotel door down with the axe and her panicking and trying to lock the bathroom door. The close up of Danny's fearful facial expression makes me feel nervous for what is yet to come. The long shot of the snow slope suggests this is their only way of escaping. The non-diegetic music begins to get higher as Danny is pushed out the window to escape and I know that Jack is not far behind. The parallel editing of her stuck and Danny walking through the room makes me realise that there is more action to come. The close-up of Jack suggests he is possessed with his wide eyes and strange facial expressions. Jack keeps referring to childish things such as links to hide and seek and children stories such as the three little pigs, this suggests that he sees this as a game and that he knows he is the predator.

AS Reflective analysis

My reflective analysis

In film studies we were asked to create a short film of a thriller/horror genre. We were put into groups of three and were told our film needed to include different film techniques such as camera angles. Our film turned out to be more thriller based as it was not very scary. We did not have the right circumstances to film a horror film so we thought a thriller would be an easier route to go down. We set our film at the local graveyard as we thought that was the most interesting spot around. Our narrative was that Lewis was being chased through the graveyard before being killed by a mystery murderer. I took part in the acting, filming and editing. In our film I played the mystery murderer and I was shot from a low angle as I walked off into a creepy alleyway. We made sure we filmed it so that my back was to the camera so that the audience could not see my face. We shot it from a low angle so it was like it was from Lewis' point of view so the audience understood who I was and the role i had played. We used an establishing shot to set the scene of a graveyard, followed by a closeup of Lewis looking around before he began to get chased, we moved into a long shot before we moved into a tracking shot from Lewis' point of view as he fell which overall made the film seem more realistic. Next was the only diegetic sound we used which was Lewis' scream as he was killed, before moving into an extreme closeup, then my scene, then followed by an eye line match of Alex and Emma finding the body which I filmed. After we came back to the computers and edited the film and trimmed down parts of the videos which we did not need and added some creepy non diegetic music in the back which had a bass drop as Lewis started running which further added to the thriller element. All of the group did filming, acting and editing as we all wanted to experience different aspects of the films so they were shared roles.

AS Jurassic world induction task

Jurassic World

The success of Jurassic world was down to many elements such as brand identity, promotion events and celebrity identity. Jurassic world is a science fiction film based on an island called Isla Nublar and is all about dinosaurs. It is the fourth installment to the Jurassic park film series. The first two films were directed by Steven Spielberg and he was the executive producer for the third but Jurassic world was directed by Colin Trevorrow. These celebrity names along with names such as Chris Pratt already set out a form of success of the film. By linking the film to well known directors and actors it already suggests it will be a good high quality film and will also attract fans of the stars and people who are fans of the directors other movies. Furthermore success is guaranteed as it is part of a film series so people who are fans of the other films will more than likely go to view Jurassic world. The brand identity of the franchise Jurassic park guarantees success. During the build up to the release of the film there was quite a big promotional campaign. A big way of promotion was through social media. The director would put up tweets of locations where they would be shooting and make references to the film. Furthermore there was a tease banner released in 2013, and then in 2014 they tweeted to reveal that Chris Pratt would be starring in it. They then setup a promotional website for the film. This website included a virtual tour of the theme park, live video feeds, information pages about the making of the film and more information pages on the dinosaurs themselves. They then went on to release an official teaser trailer to increase the hype even more. However the director then decided the trailer revealed too much of the film so doubted the success. They didn’t go on to release the picture to the press until the eleventh hour. The new star wars movie also helped the with success of Jurassic world as Jurassic world was associated with Star wars and star wars did very well over in China which allowed Jurassic world to also gain an even bigger worldwide audience. The promotion of Jurassic world was also created by word of mouth as it became a big topic for everyone to talk about. In the end Jurassic world had the biggest opening weekend internationally, locally, worldwide. It was released at Number one in 69 different places. It reached one billion dollars within thirteen days which made it the fastest film to reach one billion dollars. It is also the third highest grossing film worldwide ever. Jurassic world increased British cinema attendance by a tenth in the first half of 2015. Overall Jurassic world was promoted very well and became a world wide phenomenon.

AS Favourite film induction task

Favourite film 2015

My favourite films would have to be the Harry Potter series, but if I had to pick just one it would have to be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two. The Harry Potter’s are fantasy films that follow the life of young wizard through his time at the wizarding school Hogwarts and through all the battles and problems that occur. The Harry Potter film series are based on the books written by J.K Rowling. The main character Harry Potter is played by Daniel Radcliffe and his two best friends are played by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. I love the Harry Potter films because I have watched them ever since I was little so I felt like I grew up with the characters and I love the idea of the wizarding world. However, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two is my favourite as it is like the finale to the film series and it involves a huge amount of action. Furthermore no matter how many times I watch it, it still manages to make me laugh and cry. Harry Potter has one big plot which follows through out all the films and in the final one everything becomes clear and important characters die so it is a very emotional film. Harry Potter is set in a big castle called Hogwarts which is surrounded by mythical trees and magical woods. Harry Potter is fantasy as it is wizards but also involves other fantasy characters such as ghosts and talking paintings. In Deathly Hallows part two, Harry defeats his lifelong enemy Voldemort which the audience had been taught to hate. The film series uses a lot of special effects, like when the wizards walk through walls and also when they have battles. Harry Potter is a thrilling film that can have you laughing, crying or on the edge of your seat. It represents family and strong friendships. It a significant theme tune which the majority of people would be able to recognise as it is a mainstream film. It uses both low key and high key lighting, it usually uses low key lighting when there is something tense happening or a battle is going to commence. The film involves made up language such as spells like “expelliamus” which are also key as this is another way the film is recognised. The demographic for Harry potter would be males and females aged 10 up to any age as it is classed as a family film. It is aimed at any social class as anyone can enjoy it. Overall Harry Potter and the deathly hallows part two is my favourite film because it makes me feel like I’ve completed the journey with them as I feel as if I am actually part of the story.

AS Columbiana

Columbiana

Columbiana is an action film based within a prison. The main character is a female criminal who is causing mischief within the prison. There is a closeup of a prison door handle and a mug with the diegetic sound of the door being opened which was used to make the location clear. There is a low angle shot of a prison officer which could be used to show the superiority of the officer. The clip involves very low lighting which suggests a very negative atmosphere. It starts with long shots of the main character sleeping but then begins to move into closeups and medium shots. A parallel edit is used as it shows the woman escaping from her cell and then cuts to show the police officers who are meant to be observing the cctv. There is a closeup shot to suggest the cctv is part of the plan As the main character begins to move around the prison it uses tracking shots to follow her. As the character gets a glass of water it moves to a closeup shot of the water which suggest it is important to her plan. It then goes on to focus on the electric room which suggests this is where the action is going to start to take place. It moves to a high angle shot as she opens and climbs into the vent. There is quite fast pace non diegetic music in the background to try and build the tension within the scene, also there is the diegetic sound of the fan as that is what is being focused on at this point as she is trying to break it so she can slip through it. As the fan cuts out so does the non diegetic music but soon starts up as the action begins to take place again. The scene carries on with the parallel editing between the main character and the police officers. The long camera shot of her through the fan suggests she has completed that section of her mission. Moving into a low angle shot as she leaves the vent, the low angle shot suggests her superiority and power is increasing. As she creeps up on the police officer in the bathroom it moves to several closeups of her face to exaggerate the intensity of the situation. The long shot of the officer as he falls down allows the audience to see her crouched behind him so they understand that she used him to get through the door. The extreme closeup of the gun indicates the danger and action which is yet to come. As she walks through the prison it focuses on a man asleep which suggests he will be involved. As she approaches the sleeping man it cuts between closeups of her face and the camera zooming in on him before it focuses on a closeup of the gun aimed at his chest. As she wakes him up it cuts to a closeup of the mans face to exaggerate the fear and tension before another high angle shot over the prison cell. As the shooting happens it cuts to the police officers hearing the diegetic gun shots. After the gun shots it goes silent before non diegetic fast pace music starts being played as more action is happening and to display the panic within the prison. This is followed on with the diegetic sounds of alarms ringing and police sirens which further suggests the panic within the scene. There is more parallel editing as it shows the police searching the premises as a high angle shot captures her climbing up the side of the building. Closeups of her hands and feet suggest the power she is using within them to be able to manage to climb up and hang off he wall. A high angle shot of her hanging emphasises how high up she is which also emphasises the danger. There is a non diegetic sound of a beating heart which further emphasises the danger. The low angle shot of her jumping down from the event suggests she has gained her power and is now superior but as the officer is outside her cell it uses a low angle shot to view him which suggests he still has power of her. The clip finishes with a mid shot zooming in on her as she sighs with relief but still has a very tense serious facial expression.