Thursday, 7 May 2009
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Film noir opening evaluation
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Our film noir opening starts from the end and then shows how the character had ended up were he is, this is a style used in many film noirs as we discovered when researching and watching film noirs such as detour, we figured this is rather unusual and is not seen in many films and thought it is a interesting way to attract the audience and persuade them to carry on watching. I do think are film compares to a film noir as it has the typical parts you would see in them e.g. it has a femme fetale and it is obvious to see that she has more power than the man, furthermore it is also clear to see that the man has ended up in the dilemma he is in because of the femme fetale. The use of the female being portrayed as more powerful than the man challenges typical thriller forms as its usually the men whom are seen to be superior than women, our film goes against the sexist view by creating a dominant female character.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our film portrays 18-25 year olds in a very negative way, they are shown as violent and aggressive although this is the stereotypical view of what the world thinks of this age range. The female character is represented as a typical femme fetale by using mis en scene we dresses her up in a dress and made her wear stilettos, by using cinematography we made her seem powerful and superior to the male character and he audience e.g. on one of are shots we paned up from just her feet to her face and most of the shots are looking up at her creating a dominating effect this goes against the stereotypical view of women as males are perceived more powerful.
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
I think art house film companies or independent film companies would be likely to distribute are film because the distribute films that were produced outside of Hollywood and major film companies release a substantial number of films so major film companies would not distribute are film. I think our film would get shown at art house cinemas as it is not a major Hollywood film so would not get released on the big cinemas (multiplexes).
I think BBC2 or channel four are likely to screen as film because BBC2 mainly show most of the old black and white films and are the main channel to show film noirs so it seems like the channel to show are film also channel four tend to show a range of different films old or new therefore I think they are also likely to screen are film. I think if they were to screen our film it would be in the evening probably from 9 onwards because of the rating and also this is the time when mainly people of our film age tend to watch TV.
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
The typical audience for are film would be from 12-25 it’s directed mainly for this age because it was produced by people of the similar age, it is also mainly aimed at men as they tend to prefer crime/ thriller films. I would class are film genre to be a thriller, so it would attract more men than women. The mystery of our film invites the audience in, they are just as much involved as they question what is going to happen.
I think if the BBFC were to rate this film they would rate it a 12 because it shows scenes of a man tied in to a chair who has been beaten badly so I don’t think it would be suitable for children under 12. If the BBFC did classify our film as a 12 this would mean it would open up to the biggest age range of people who tend to watch a lot of films and go to the cinema often. Mainly people aged 12-30.
5. How did you attract/adress your audience?
At the beginning all you see is a man tied down in a chair I think that this is a good way to start off because immediately it puts many questions in to the audiences head such as why are they tied up, what have they done etc, which means the audience will want to carry on watching until there questions have been answered. People like watching noirs as it challenges their thoughts so they would watch to the end to reveal if what they thought was right or wrong. Mysteries and enigmas are mainly used in thriller films so we also created an enigma in our film at the end the audience did not know whether the male character was dead or not as we found out in our feedback everyone said that they would watch on to find out what happens next. Our film has an intellectual puzzle this is one of the audience’s pleasures.
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have learnt a lot of things while creating this project especially when editing, such as how to apply effects and look at different ones how to add music so the footage and music play together these are things I did not know when doing the preliminary exercise or really understand during the exchange project. I have now got a better understanding of how to use adobe premier and how it works. We also use various different equipment while shooting our opening such as a CANON HV30 DV camcorder, YOGA SHOTGUN microphone, boom pole, headphones, VELBON DV-7000 tri-pod and a 300W light on location to create a stark low key lighting effect. As none of my group really liked the music I found we ended up using one of the tracks from a CD we picked out in the media department. I also used blogger for the first time I have never used this before and now that I have I think it is a good website to publish blogs on. I also used Google to do research on and msn messenger to chat to other members in my group about our project.
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
I have come a long way since the preliminary exercise my knowledge and understanding with media concepts has improved extremely. I also have learnt from the mistakes that were made in the preliminary exercise and was cautious not to make the same ones again for example 1 of our major mistakes was that we didn’t take enough shots which was a major problem when editing it, however this time we spent all the time given taking extra shots. Furthermore on all our scenes we made sure that we had long enough handles so we wouldn’t have any problems when editing like previous times. Most of the problems we had occurred when we were editing because when we thought we had finished we noticed that it was over three minutes so we had to get rid of some scenes, this also meant that we had to put some of the titles on screen along with the action, but I wanted to do this from the start as I think it would look more interesting and would not bore the audience. Another problem we had was voiceovers as when we were in the cellar we could not hear the dialogue because of the background noise so we had to put in voiceovers on top of the action.
We carried out the same planning as we did for the exchange project e.g. call sheets, location checklist etc, and further research for example how characters are tied up and how make up is applied to make the character look like they have been badly beaten, doing all this planning had helped a lot and reduced many problems we would of faced if none of this planning and research had been done. When we done are preliminary exercise all we learned from them was some of the basic shots, while now we have learnt lots of different, effective and more complex shots, as you can tell when watching both pieces in our opening we used a whole range of shots from a right to left pan to show the location to a low angle shot to make the character look superior as well as using complex camera shots we also used lighting in our project for the first time we used a key light for the cellar as it was quite dark in there however we did not make it too bright it was a kind of dim lighting which worked well with the footage. We followed the rule of thirds and did not break the 180 degree line rule. I think that while we were filming our time was managed well as we had finished on time which allowed us to take additional shots just in case they were needed however our time wasn’t as well managed in the editing process as we did not finish until the last session, I think this is because we ended up changing parts of the opening and also altering some of it too.
I think are group worked well together and everyone contributed a fair amount, we also performed are rolls well and also helped other members with their specific roles now and then. My role was producer/editor and I was also an actor in are project, I think that I did do my job rather well although when we were editing Laura was more hands on, while I was contributing and helping her with ideas, I also done half of the animatic and Laura done the other half. I think that I could have done a bit more work on the computer while putting our piece together.
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Our film noir opening starts from the end and then shows how the character had ended up were he is, this is a style used in many film noirs as we discovered when researching and watching film noirs such as detour, we figured this is rather unusual and is not seen in many films and thought it is a interesting way to attract the audience and persuade them to carry on watching. I do think are film compares to a film noir as it has the typical parts you would see in them e.g. it has a femme fetale and it is obvious to see that she has more power than the man, furthermore it is also clear to see that the man has ended up in the dilemma he is in because of the femme fetale. The use of the female being portrayed as more powerful than the man challenges typical thriller forms as its usually the men whom are seen to be superior than women, our film goes against the sexist view by creating a dominant female character.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our film portrays 18-25 year olds in a very negative way, they are shown as violent and aggressive although this is the stereotypical view of what the world thinks of this age range. The female character is represented as a typical femme fetale by using mis en scene we dresses her up in a dress and made her wear stilettos, by using cinematography we made her seem powerful and superior to the male character and he audience e.g. on one of are shots we paned up from just her feet to her face and most of the shots are looking up at her creating a dominating effect this goes against the stereotypical view of women as males are perceived more powerful.
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
I think art house film companies or independent film companies would be likely to distribute are film because the distribute films that were produced outside of Hollywood and major film companies release a substantial number of films so major film companies would not distribute are film. I think our film would get shown at art house cinemas as it is not a major Hollywood film so would not get released on the big cinemas (multiplexes).
I think BBC2 or channel four are likely to screen as film because BBC2 mainly show most of the old black and white films and are the main channel to show film noirs so it seems like the channel to show are film also channel four tend to show a range of different films old or new therefore I think they are also likely to screen are film. I think if they were to screen our film it would be in the evening probably from 9 onwards because of the rating and also this is the time when mainly people of our film age tend to watch TV.
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
The typical audience for are film would be from 12-25 it’s directed mainly for this age because it was produced by people of the similar age, it is also mainly aimed at men as they tend to prefer crime/ thriller films. I would class are film genre to be a thriller, so it would attract more men than women. The mystery of our film invites the audience in, they are just as much involved as they question what is going to happen.
I think if the BBFC were to rate this film they would rate it a 12 because it shows scenes of a man tied in to a chair who has been beaten badly so I don’t think it would be suitable for children under 12. If the BBFC did classify our film as a 12 this would mean it would open up to the biggest age range of people who tend to watch a lot of films and go to the cinema often. Mainly people aged 12-30.
5. How did you attract/adress your audience?
At the beginning all you see is a man tied down in a chair I think that this is a good way to start off because immediately it puts many questions in to the audiences head such as why are they tied up, what have they done etc, which means the audience will want to carry on watching until there questions have been answered. People like watching noirs as it challenges their thoughts so they would watch to the end to reveal if what they thought was right or wrong. Mysteries and enigmas are mainly used in thriller films so we also created an enigma in our film at the end the audience did not know whether the male character was dead or not as we found out in our feedback everyone said that they would watch on to find out what happens next. Our film has an intellectual puzzle this is one of the audience’s pleasures.
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have learnt a lot of things while creating this project especially when editing, such as how to apply effects and look at different ones how to add music so the footage and music play together these are things I did not know when doing the preliminary exercise or really understand during the exchange project. I have now got a better understanding of how to use adobe premier and how it works. We also use various different equipment while shooting our opening such as a CANON HV30 DV camcorder, YOGA SHOTGUN microphone, boom pole, headphones, VELBON DV-7000 tri-pod and a 300W light on location to create a stark low key lighting effect. As none of my group really liked the music I found we ended up using one of the tracks from a CD we picked out in the media department. I also used blogger for the first time I have never used this before and now that I have I think it is a good website to publish blogs on. I also used Google to do research on and msn messenger to chat to other members in my group about our project.
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
I have come a long way since the preliminary exercise my knowledge and understanding with media concepts has improved extremely. I also have learnt from the mistakes that were made in the preliminary exercise and was cautious not to make the same ones again for example 1 of our major mistakes was that we didn’t take enough shots which was a major problem when editing it, however this time we spent all the time given taking extra shots. Furthermore on all our scenes we made sure that we had long enough handles so we wouldn’t have any problems when editing like previous times. Most of the problems we had occurred when we were editing because when we thought we had finished we noticed that it was over three minutes so we had to get rid of some scenes, this also meant that we had to put some of the titles on screen along with the action, but I wanted to do this from the start as I think it would look more interesting and would not bore the audience. Another problem we had was voiceovers as when we were in the cellar we could not hear the dialogue because of the background noise so we had to put in voiceovers on top of the action.
We carried out the same planning as we did for the exchange project e.g. call sheets, location checklist etc, and further research for example how characters are tied up and how make up is applied to make the character look like they have been badly beaten, doing all this planning had helped a lot and reduced many problems we would of faced if none of this planning and research had been done. When we done are preliminary exercise all we learned from them was some of the basic shots, while now we have learnt lots of different, effective and more complex shots, as you can tell when watching both pieces in our opening we used a whole range of shots from a right to left pan to show the location to a low angle shot to make the character look superior as well as using complex camera shots we also used lighting in our project for the first time we used a key light for the cellar as it was quite dark in there however we did not make it too bright it was a kind of dim lighting which worked well with the footage. We followed the rule of thirds and did not break the 180 degree line rule. I think that while we were filming our time was managed well as we had finished on time which allowed us to take additional shots just in case they were needed however our time wasn’t as well managed in the editing process as we did not finish until the last session, I think this is because we ended up changing parts of the opening and also altering some of it too.
I think are group worked well together and everyone contributed a fair amount, we also performed are rolls well and also helped other members with their specific roles now and then. My role was producer/editor and I was also an actor in are project, I think that I did do my job rather well although when we were editing Laura was more hands on, while I was contributing and helping her with ideas, I also done half of the animatic and Laura done the other half. I think that I could have done a bit more work on the computer while putting our piece together.
What went on when editing
The editing was probably the longest and the hardest part of the whole project. When we first started editing it was pretty straight forward because all me and Laura done was catch the footage on to the programme and save it.
Next we put all the scenes into an order however we changed some of the scenes around to what we had originally planned because we thought they went better together, then we added effects for the flashbacks we went through each one trying to find the best one I quite liked the ghost effect as it is used in many films when they are cutting to a flashback so I thought it would be easy for the audience to understand however we ended up using the cross dissolve I wasn’t too bothered as I also liked that one.
We spent a long time trying to find some music as we couldn’t find one that flowed well with our footage but finally we found one it was called Portishead and went well with the opening. After all this we was nearly finished, we just needed to add the titles but that’s when we noticed we had already gone over 2 minutes, so we spent most of the time taking some shots out n shortening others and then editing it to the music. After some time we had sorted it but it still meant we had to place the titles on top of some shots as we could not fade to black for every title because it would go over two minutes, again I weren’t too bothered about this because I wanted the titles to go over the footage anyway as I don’t like it when they are on their own as it makes me bored and I knew other people would feel the same way.
Finally we had finished we liked everything accept the voiceovers as they just seemed odd and was rather quiet but we did not have enough time to change them again as this was the second time we done it.
The editing was probably the longest and the hardest part of the whole project. When we first started editing it was pretty straight forward because all me and Laura done was catch the footage on to the programme and save it.
Next we put all the scenes into an order however we changed some of the scenes around to what we had originally planned because we thought they went better together, then we added effects for the flashbacks we went through each one trying to find the best one I quite liked the ghost effect as it is used in many films when they are cutting to a flashback so I thought it would be easy for the audience to understand however we ended up using the cross dissolve I wasn’t too bothered as I also liked that one.
We spent a long time trying to find some music as we couldn’t find one that flowed well with our footage but finally we found one it was called Portishead and went well with the opening. After all this we was nearly finished, we just needed to add the titles but that’s when we noticed we had already gone over 2 minutes, so we spent most of the time taking some shots out n shortening others and then editing it to the music. After some time we had sorted it but it still meant we had to place the titles on top of some shots as we could not fade to black for every title because it would go over two minutes, again I weren’t too bothered about this because I wanted the titles to go over the footage anyway as I don’t like it when they are on their own as it makes me bored and I knew other people would feel the same way.
Finally we had finished we liked everything accept the voiceovers as they just seemed odd and was rather quiet but we did not have enough time to change them again as this was the second time we done it.
What went on during the shoot
When we first reached are location we spotted a problem there was a cooler in the cellar were are opening was shot and it was making a rather loud noise which would not allow any dialogue to be recorded, however we overcome this problem by deciding to just get all our shots done there and then record the sound later on in another place.
Next me and Laura got in to our costume and then Laura put the make up on me which ended up looking very effective and realistic.
Then Dylan set up the camera while me and Hannah set up the key light. Furthermore I got in to the chair while Hannah and Laura tied me up and then we were ready to start filming. Everything went to plan when filming, we finished in the time given and even had time left over to take additional shots, however it was very cold down there and I had been sitting in the chair for an hour. I was shivering in some of the shots but this was an advantage as it made it look more realistic.
When we first reached are location we spotted a problem there was a cooler in the cellar were are opening was shot and it was making a rather loud noise which would not allow any dialogue to be recorded, however we overcome this problem by deciding to just get all our shots done there and then record the sound later on in another place.
Next me and Laura got in to our costume and then Laura put the make up on me which ended up looking very effective and realistic.
Then Dylan set up the camera while me and Hannah set up the key light. Furthermore I got in to the chair while Hannah and Laura tied me up and then we were ready to start filming. Everything went to plan when filming, we finished in the time given and even had time left over to take additional shots, however it was very cold down there and I had been sitting in the chair for an hour. I was shivering in some of the shots but this was an advantage as it made it look more realistic.
The Brief: Film Noir Thriller =/ Film Noir Opening
You are being commissioned to produce a film opening and the theme is “contemporary ‘Film noir’ thrillers”. Your work should update the noir genre but to bring the values, traditions, narrative, mood and conventions of film noir to a new audience in contemporary style and setting. You will need to consider and mention what sort of institution it would sit within the cinemas and distribution pattern the film would have film and also where it will sit best in television schedules and on which TV station it would be most suited to.
You are being commissioned to produce a film opening and the theme is “contemporary ‘Film noir’ thrillers”. Your work should update the noir genre but to bring the values, traditions, narrative, mood and conventions of film noir to a new audience in contemporary style and setting. You will need to consider and mention what sort of institution it would sit within the cinemas and distribution pattern the film would have film and also where it will sit best in television schedules and on which TV station it would be most suited to.
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Preliminary exercise evaluation
In are preliminary exercise I worked with Hannah, we both done half of each job, if one of us was recording the other was holding the microphone and vice versa.
Are finished piece was average although I would say there were still a few more things we need to improve on.
We had some problems on it such as are fist shot was too long and by the time Marc had reached the door the audience would of got bored of it, another problem was that the pan of Marcs walking toward the table was too long and did not flow smoothly as a part of the pan was to quick and another was too slow.
Also we did not manage to achieve match on action as on one shot Chris hands were clenched and on the other they were flat on the table.
One of our biggest problems was handles we did not have enough of them as you can notice in the last few shots as they are cut very quickly and just about manage to get the dialogue in. furthermore our position of shots could have also been improved by lowering the camera so more head room was let in which would of made the shot look better.
It would have been helpful if we had taken some extra shots so we could of cut to them when some of the scenes were too long.
However on the positive side we did not break the 180 degree line rule and we pretty much always stuck to the rule of thirds.
Me and Hannah have discovered are mistakes and we shall try our best to make sure the same mistakes do not happen in future projects.
In are preliminary exercise I worked with Hannah, we both done half of each job, if one of us was recording the other was holding the microphone and vice versa.
Are finished piece was average although I would say there were still a few more things we need to improve on.
We had some problems on it such as are fist shot was too long and by the time Marc had reached the door the audience would of got bored of it, another problem was that the pan of Marcs walking toward the table was too long and did not flow smoothly as a part of the pan was to quick and another was too slow.
Also we did not manage to achieve match on action as on one shot Chris hands were clenched and on the other they were flat on the table.
One of our biggest problems was handles we did not have enough of them as you can notice in the last few shots as they are cut very quickly and just about manage to get the dialogue in. furthermore our position of shots could have also been improved by lowering the camera so more head room was let in which would of made the shot look better.
It would have been helpful if we had taken some extra shots so we could of cut to them when some of the scenes were too long.
However on the positive side we did not break the 180 degree line rule and we pretty much always stuck to the rule of thirds.
Me and Hannah have discovered are mistakes and we shall try our best to make sure the same mistakes do not happen in future projects.
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Evaluation for the exchange
My group consisted of 4 people me, Chris Rathbone, Nicola Wright and Nick Rayner
My responsibilities in the project was to do part directing and part producing and part cameraman I contributed a lot in telling the actors were to stand and how to do things, I also helped the cameraman with were to place the camera and what shots to use, for example whether to use a pan or just shoot it as a long shot.
I learnt a lot about camera movements and how to handle a camera and film good shots.
Are finished project was really good the music went really well with the footage and the shots were really effective, the only bad thing was on and of our shots we dint film enough so had problems with the handles however we cut a bit out and it ended up looking ok but not perfect. Also I think we should of filmed some more shots because when we had finished we just stopped where we could of filmed some more which would of helped a lot when we were editing are footage. I dint really do much editing just gave my view on what bits to use so next time I would like to do a bit more editing so I would learn new skills and have a better understanding of how to use he programme.
The costumes worn by the characters gave the audience some kind of idea of what type of people they were for example Nicola was wearing stilettos she is also seen lighting a cigarette these are both done by the femme fetale role in film noirs. Furthermore Nick was wearing a shirt and tie but the tie was worn loosely and he also held a blazer over his shoulder which made him look like a type of working class man who was also under a lot of stress as he looked scruffy by the way his clothes were worn. The props used were a briefcase an envelope a cigarette and a lighter. The briefcase made the audience wonder why a female was carrying it and what was inside it, this had the same effect on the audience as the envelope they wanted to know what init was and the shot of Nick looking left and right before passing the letter over made things seem even more suspicious.
I thought are choice of location was very good because it was perfect for are exchange it was an underground car park which is a suspicious place to see two people meet and it was rather dark, however this did not affect are lighting, besides we changed are piece from colour to black and white when editing it because we thought this would make it look more like a film noir and would go well with the piece.
The main part of are exchange I liked was the last shot which I recorded it’s, a shot which looks through a caged fence and is handheld to make it look more realistic, it gives the idea that the 2 characters were being watched by someone which makes the audience want to carry on watching it. It’s kind of like a twist at the end because it is not expected.
When we watched it in class the majority of the class seemed to really like it, they didn’t really have any bad comments on it accept the part were she’s lighting the cigarette because that was the part were we didn’t film enough on and it looked a little bit odd, and that some of are cuts were a few shots outs, however this is not a major issue but was just a point to consider for are final project, other than that they thought it was a good piece of work.
In conclusion I was very happy with me n my groups overall effort and I think that are finished project was really good and much improved than are preliminary exercises in every way such as camera shots, editing and even sound.
My group consisted of 4 people me, Chris Rathbone, Nicola Wright and Nick Rayner
My responsibilities in the project was to do part directing and part producing and part cameraman I contributed a lot in telling the actors were to stand and how to do things, I also helped the cameraman with were to place the camera and what shots to use, for example whether to use a pan or just shoot it as a long shot.
I learnt a lot about camera movements and how to handle a camera and film good shots.
Are finished project was really good the music went really well with the footage and the shots were really effective, the only bad thing was on and of our shots we dint film enough so had problems with the handles however we cut a bit out and it ended up looking ok but not perfect. Also I think we should of filmed some more shots because when we had finished we just stopped where we could of filmed some more which would of helped a lot when we were editing are footage. I dint really do much editing just gave my view on what bits to use so next time I would like to do a bit more editing so I would learn new skills and have a better understanding of how to use he programme.
The costumes worn by the characters gave the audience some kind of idea of what type of people they were for example Nicola was wearing stilettos she is also seen lighting a cigarette these are both done by the femme fetale role in film noirs. Furthermore Nick was wearing a shirt and tie but the tie was worn loosely and he also held a blazer over his shoulder which made him look like a type of working class man who was also under a lot of stress as he looked scruffy by the way his clothes were worn. The props used were a briefcase an envelope a cigarette and a lighter. The briefcase made the audience wonder why a female was carrying it and what was inside it, this had the same effect on the audience as the envelope they wanted to know what init was and the shot of Nick looking left and right before passing the letter over made things seem even more suspicious.
I thought are choice of location was very good because it was perfect for are exchange it was an underground car park which is a suspicious place to see two people meet and it was rather dark, however this did not affect are lighting, besides we changed are piece from colour to black and white when editing it because we thought this would make it look more like a film noir and would go well with the piece.
The main part of are exchange I liked was the last shot which I recorded it’s, a shot which looks through a caged fence and is handheld to make it look more realistic, it gives the idea that the 2 characters were being watched by someone which makes the audience want to carry on watching it. It’s kind of like a twist at the end because it is not expected.
When we watched it in class the majority of the class seemed to really like it, they didn’t really have any bad comments on it accept the part were she’s lighting the cigarette because that was the part were we didn’t film enough on and it looked a little bit odd, and that some of are cuts were a few shots outs, however this is not a major issue but was just a point to consider for are final project, other than that they thought it was a good piece of work.
In conclusion I was very happy with me n my groups overall effort and I think that are finished project was really good and much improved than are preliminary exercises in every way such as camera shots, editing and even sound.
Monday, 2 March 2009
Treatment for editing and SFX
The titles will be appearing on and off at the start of the film for example it will show the first title then show a couple of seconds of the opening and then cut back to another title, this is so the audience wont get bored from just seeing the titles at the start straight away so it will be divided up, or the some of the titles might appear on the screen as well as the footage depending on how long the opening is going to be.
In our opening there are going to be a couple of scenes which involve voiceovers so there fore were going to have to film the footage and then record the sound and when editing we shall put the dialogue over the footage we have to make sure that the dialogue is not too long and matches the length of the scene.
Are film opening also includes some flashbacks therefore we are going to have to decide on what effects to use when cutting to a flashback, the programme already has a range of different effects, one of the ones I liked was the ghost effect where it makes the characters look ghostly as they move I think it will be a good effect to use but I am not particularly sure if it is the right one for are footage. Furthermore we may end up changing he flash backs to black and white to help the audience know that it is a flashback or we could end up using black and white for some of the scenes if the lighting is not very good.
Also at the start of are opening when the male character is just regaining consciousness and starts to look around the room we are going to find an effect that will make him look kind of disorientated, and the shot be a bit blurry to show the audience that’s how he is seeing things at that moment.
I have also found and selected a couple of different types of music which I think will fit in well with our opening, but me and my group are still to decide on which one we are going to use.
It’s going to start of with a quiet, slow piece of music at the start and then gradually increase in speed and sound as the opening progresses.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbh3ZYuTBDY&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSYgzyWEMjw
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bQe4lb9aQ78
The titles will be appearing on and off at the start of the film for example it will show the first title then show a couple of seconds of the opening and then cut back to another title, this is so the audience wont get bored from just seeing the titles at the start straight away so it will be divided up, or the some of the titles might appear on the screen as well as the footage depending on how long the opening is going to be.
In our opening there are going to be a couple of scenes which involve voiceovers so there fore were going to have to film the footage and then record the sound and when editing we shall put the dialogue over the footage we have to make sure that the dialogue is not too long and matches the length of the scene.
Are film opening also includes some flashbacks therefore we are going to have to decide on what effects to use when cutting to a flashback, the programme already has a range of different effects, one of the ones I liked was the ghost effect where it makes the characters look ghostly as they move I think it will be a good effect to use but I am not particularly sure if it is the right one for are footage. Furthermore we may end up changing he flash backs to black and white to help the audience know that it is a flashback or we could end up using black and white for some of the scenes if the lighting is not very good.
Also at the start of are opening when the male character is just regaining consciousness and starts to look around the room we are going to find an effect that will make him look kind of disorientated, and the shot be a bit blurry to show the audience that’s how he is seeing things at that moment.
I have also found and selected a couple of different types of music which I think will fit in well with our opening, but me and my group are still to decide on which one we are going to use.
It’s going to start of with a quiet, slow piece of music at the start and then gradually increase in speed and sound as the opening progresses.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbh3ZYuTBDY&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSYgzyWEMjw
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bQe4lb9aQ78
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Synopsis for Film noir opening
Are opening begins with a man who is blindfolded sitting on a chair all tied up in a cellar.
Then he blindfolded is lifted up and all he can see is shadows as his vision is blurred then the woman starts walking around the man sitting in the chair next we go to a flashback showing us the day the man and women met they were both on a busy street the woman had a bag over one shoulder and held an envelope in her hand walking with her boyfriend, she collides in to the man dropping the envelope the man picks up the envelope and just freezes when he sees the womans face she then grabs the envelopes and carry’s on walking
Furthermore we go to another flashback this time the man and woman are sitting in a park away from the sight of people they’re laughing and there close to each other.
Then it cuts back to the man in the chair the woman still walking around him
Next theres another flashback this time in a bedroom it starts with a mobile phone vibrating on the bed stand the woman picks up the phone he face goes from happy to sad, then the man and woman start to panic they get dressed promptly still panicking.
Finally we come back to the cellar were the womans speaking to the man after a while she stands behind him and places a clear plastic bag over his head and then whispers in his ear “Im sorry” with a tear running down her cheek.
Then the screen fades to black and then all we see is the mans eyes opening and then the credits come on.
Are opening begins with a man who is blindfolded sitting on a chair all tied up in a cellar.
Then he blindfolded is lifted up and all he can see is shadows as his vision is blurred then the woman starts walking around the man sitting in the chair next we go to a flashback showing us the day the man and women met they were both on a busy street the woman had a bag over one shoulder and held an envelope in her hand walking with her boyfriend, she collides in to the man dropping the envelope the man picks up the envelope and just freezes when he sees the womans face she then grabs the envelopes and carry’s on walking
Furthermore we go to another flashback this time the man and woman are sitting in a park away from the sight of people they’re laughing and there close to each other.
Then it cuts back to the man in the chair the woman still walking around him
Next theres another flashback this time in a bedroom it starts with a mobile phone vibrating on the bed stand the woman picks up the phone he face goes from happy to sad, then the man and woman start to panic they get dressed promptly still panicking.
Finally we come back to the cellar were the womans speaking to the man after a while she stands behind him and places a clear plastic bag over his head and then whispers in his ear “Im sorry” with a tear running down her cheek.
Then the screen fades to black and then all we see is the mans eyes opening and then the credits come on.
Analysis of 2 film openings
“Get rich or die trying”- Jim Sheridan- 2006
The opening starts with some gangster fast paced music along with the titles appearing in different locations.
The first shot is of a car side mirror we see the reflection of other cars behind the main car, the we see inside the car the first shot is a close up of the main character which tells us that he must be an important character in the film because he is the first character in the scene and it’s a close up of him. Next we see another character who is putting on some leather gloves then we see a teenager sitting in the back seat, his facial expression looks like he is really scared and does not want to be there, this immediately tells the audience that something bad is going to happen next we see the men loading up there guns which proves the audience right. Once the car stops again the camera records in the car side mirror and slowly zooms in on a shop on the street this is a very weird way to film something and can make the audience feel on edge. Moving on the boy knocks on a door and as soon as the man opens it they all run in with there guns up as this is happening we hear a constant screeching sound which a type of sound that will send a shiver down your spine and once they are in the room there everything speeds up there are a lot of cutting of the camera and quick movements with the camera is well which makes the action even more tense as well as the music. As all this is going on the camera goes to a medium/close up shot of the main character who tells the teenager to stop moving and then cuts back to the main character were we see him wink at the kid this causes an enigma, and you want to carry on watching to see the outcome of the robbery.
I think this is a good opening sequence because there is action from the start of the film and gets you hooked as soon as you hear the music. A few minutes after the robbery the main character gets shot 9 times and then it goes back to tell the story of his life and how he ended up in that position a technique seen in some film noirs. As the opening is very interesting it makes you want to watch the rest of the film and to see how he ended up doing what he is and if he dies from the gunshots or not.
This is also how are own opening is like its tense from the start and starts at the end and tells the story of how the character ended up were he is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx57e33rSvo
“Seven”- David Fincher -1995
I chose this next film opening because when it is really different I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film opening like this one. It is a really weird opening and from the start put loads of questions in to my head straight away I think it will have the same effect on other people is well, even thought it made me feel uncomfortable I still wanted to watch the rest of the film to find the answers to all the questions I was thinking of.
The film starts with pages been flicked on a book and the some titles appear, the titles are all blurred and not right they kind of look like blood dripping down a mirror, they are pretty small and the lettering is thin making it difficult to read.
The opening sequence doesn’t give away nothing at all you cannot see any of the characters identity, you cant even see the location there in, the camera cuts to different shots quickly and doesn’t allow you to focus on a certain thing, the images you do see are also quite disturbing at one point you see a blade taking a bit of skin of a finger, these aren’t the typical type of things you would expect to see at a start of the film, this is a unique point about the film.
The music is kind of slow however a range of different noises are used in it.
Everything to do with the opening to do with this film doesn’t make sense this is why it is so interesting and makes you want to watch it.
I hope are film noir will make the audience ask themselves questions like who is he? Why is he tied up? Why has he been beaten up? Etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY&feature=related
“Get rich or die trying”- Jim Sheridan- 2006
The opening starts with some gangster fast paced music along with the titles appearing in different locations.
The first shot is of a car side mirror we see the reflection of other cars behind the main car, the we see inside the car the first shot is a close up of the main character which tells us that he must be an important character in the film because he is the first character in the scene and it’s a close up of him. Next we see another character who is putting on some leather gloves then we see a teenager sitting in the back seat, his facial expression looks like he is really scared and does not want to be there, this immediately tells the audience that something bad is going to happen next we see the men loading up there guns which proves the audience right. Once the car stops again the camera records in the car side mirror and slowly zooms in on a shop on the street this is a very weird way to film something and can make the audience feel on edge. Moving on the boy knocks on a door and as soon as the man opens it they all run in with there guns up as this is happening we hear a constant screeching sound which a type of sound that will send a shiver down your spine and once they are in the room there everything speeds up there are a lot of cutting of the camera and quick movements with the camera is well which makes the action even more tense as well as the music. As all this is going on the camera goes to a medium/close up shot of the main character who tells the teenager to stop moving and then cuts back to the main character were we see him wink at the kid this causes an enigma, and you want to carry on watching to see the outcome of the robbery.
I think this is a good opening sequence because there is action from the start of the film and gets you hooked as soon as you hear the music. A few minutes after the robbery the main character gets shot 9 times and then it goes back to tell the story of his life and how he ended up in that position a technique seen in some film noirs. As the opening is very interesting it makes you want to watch the rest of the film and to see how he ended up doing what he is and if he dies from the gunshots or not.
This is also how are own opening is like its tense from the start and starts at the end and tells the story of how the character ended up were he is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx57e33rSvo
“Seven”- David Fincher -1995
I chose this next film opening because when it is really different I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film opening like this one. It is a really weird opening and from the start put loads of questions in to my head straight away I think it will have the same effect on other people is well, even thought it made me feel uncomfortable I still wanted to watch the rest of the film to find the answers to all the questions I was thinking of.
The film starts with pages been flicked on a book and the some titles appear, the titles are all blurred and not right they kind of look like blood dripping down a mirror, they are pretty small and the lettering is thin making it difficult to read.
The opening sequence doesn’t give away nothing at all you cannot see any of the characters identity, you cant even see the location there in, the camera cuts to different shots quickly and doesn’t allow you to focus on a certain thing, the images you do see are also quite disturbing at one point you see a blade taking a bit of skin of a finger, these aren’t the typical type of things you would expect to see at a start of the film, this is a unique point about the film.
The music is kind of slow however a range of different noises are used in it.
Everything to do with the opening to do with this film doesn’t make sense this is why it is so interesting and makes you want to watch it.
I hope are film noir will make the audience ask themselves questions like who is he? Why is he tied up? Why has he been beaten up? Etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY&feature=related
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Analysis of a classic film noir
Detour starts a man who is hitchhiking his way to California to be with his fiancé. Along the way he gets picked up buy a kind man and while in the car Al discovers that the man has died in his sleep. Fearing police will think it was him that killed him Al dumps the body and drives off with his car later on he meets a femme fetale who knew the man and she blackmails him in to impersonating the man to collect a large amount of money or she will tell the police what he has done as the film goes on things go from bad to worse especially towards the end where they both get drunk and Vera grabs the phone runs in to the next room locks the door and threatens to call the police while she lays on the bed the phone cable wraps around her neck, Al starts pulling on the chord trying to break the phone and ends up strangling her. After this the camera pans around the room it is mostly blurry but focuses on a couple of items in between this is quite effective and makes us see things from how he is now seeing it. Al’s life is now completely ruined he did not mean to do any of this but that’s what fate does. He then starts hitchhiking again until eventually the police catch him.
So Al was a happy man with a normal life until suddenly fate kicked in and turned things upside down with a big help from the femme fetale, a characteristic of a film noir.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tMM0Nrg4pkk&feature=related
Detour starts a man who is hitchhiking his way to California to be with his fiancé. Along the way he gets picked up buy a kind man and while in the car Al discovers that the man has died in his sleep. Fearing police will think it was him that killed him Al dumps the body and drives off with his car later on he meets a femme fetale who knew the man and she blackmails him in to impersonating the man to collect a large amount of money or she will tell the police what he has done as the film goes on things go from bad to worse especially towards the end where they both get drunk and Vera grabs the phone runs in to the next room locks the door and threatens to call the police while she lays on the bed the phone cable wraps around her neck, Al starts pulling on the chord trying to break the phone and ends up strangling her. After this the camera pans around the room it is mostly blurry but focuses on a couple of items in between this is quite effective and makes us see things from how he is now seeing it. Al’s life is now completely ruined he did not mean to do any of this but that’s what fate does. He then starts hitchhiking again until eventually the police catch him.
So Al was a happy man with a normal life until suddenly fate kicked in and turned things upside down with a big help from the femme fetale, a characteristic of a film noir.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tMM0Nrg4pkk&feature=related
3 Classic film noirs synopsis
The third man
Director- Carol Reed
Release date- writer Graham Reece£ September 1949
An American coming to Vienna named Holly Martins, who has come to accept a job from an old friend.
Holly martins)Joseph Cotton) he goes of brain and is surprised when his friend Harry lime isn’t there to meet him, so he goes to limes flat but the building broker tells him limes dead and says he was killed by a truck that hit him right in front of the building.
Holly then decides to stick around to look into Harry’s death and accepts the job to lecture at Crabbins book society in a few days. Holly then goes investigating asking people about Harry and ends up talking to a pretty woman named Anna Schmidt and starts to realise something suspicious is going on.
He then continues investigating Harry’s death until one night he sees Harry, then he speaks to Harry realising all the bad things his done then he tells the police were Harry is and they all go looking for him and in the end holly ends up shooting Harry
M
Director- Fritz Lang
Writer- Fritz Lang
Release date- 31 August 1931
In the past year eight have been murdered on the way home from school there are signs on the street saying “who is the murderer?”
Police have been searching everywhere they have covered every spot on the street, they have been looking so hard there underworld boss is getting worried. So the underworld boss Schranker (Gustaf Grudgens) has come to the conclusion the child killer must be found before the police ruin the business.
So all the underworld bosses get together and decide to disguise someone as a beggar on every street so they can catch the killer. While police trace a postcard they investigate released criminals and mental patients who fit the description of the killer and finally come to Han’s Beckets apartment where they find all the evidence that matches the clues.
Beckert realises he has been caught so he runs into the office building then the beggars contact Schranker who sends a group of gangsters to get him, the police also are alerted but the gangsters get him just before the police arrive.
In the end the police find Beckert and take him away.
Detour
Director- Edgar G Ulmer
Writer- Martin Goldsmith
Release date- 30 November 1945
Detour starts in the middle of nowhere at a diner where we see Al Roberts (Tom Neal) talking in a voiceover about his life and what lead him to end up in a diner in the middle of nowhere. He argues with the waitress at the diner, the diner manager and a trucker who drops a nickel in a juke box and plays the song that Al and his girlfriend called their song.
Then theres a flashback were Al tells us about his relationship with his singer girlfriend Sue (Claudia Drake) as he accompanied her on piano in a New York club. When she leaves for fame and fortune in Los Angeles Al is lonely and decides to hitch hike to the coast to be with her. He accepts a ride from good-time-Charlie Charles Haskell Jr. (Edmund MacDonald).
During their drive Haskell tells Al a little about himself, relating a story about deep scratches he has on his hand that he received when he picked up a woman who shunned his advances. When Haskell suffers an attack and dies, Roberts, fearing that he will be accused of the death takes on the man's identification and begins driving the car himself. At a gas station Al picks up Vera (Ann Savage), who blurts out, "What did you do with the body?" It turns out that Vera had accepted a ride from Haskell earlier and she is the one who has given him the scratches on his hand. Threatening to summon the police Vera forces Al to pose as Haskell in order to collect an inheritance from the man's millionaire father.
During their time together Vera causes another problem to befall Al and in the end Al accidentally ends up strangling Vera with the Phone cable Now knowing his life has totally turned he just ends up wondering around on his own until eventually the police catch him and take him away.
The third man
Director- Carol Reed
Release date- writer Graham Reece£ September 1949
An American coming to Vienna named Holly Martins, who has come to accept a job from an old friend.
Holly martins)Joseph Cotton) he goes of brain and is surprised when his friend Harry lime isn’t there to meet him, so he goes to limes flat but the building broker tells him limes dead and says he was killed by a truck that hit him right in front of the building.
Holly then decides to stick around to look into Harry’s death and accepts the job to lecture at Crabbins book society in a few days. Holly then goes investigating asking people about Harry and ends up talking to a pretty woman named Anna Schmidt and starts to realise something suspicious is going on.
He then continues investigating Harry’s death until one night he sees Harry, then he speaks to Harry realising all the bad things his done then he tells the police were Harry is and they all go looking for him and in the end holly ends up shooting Harry
M
Director- Fritz Lang
Writer- Fritz Lang
Release date- 31 August 1931
In the past year eight have been murdered on the way home from school there are signs on the street saying “who is the murderer?”
Police have been searching everywhere they have covered every spot on the street, they have been looking so hard there underworld boss is getting worried. So the underworld boss Schranker (Gustaf Grudgens) has come to the conclusion the child killer must be found before the police ruin the business.
So all the underworld bosses get together and decide to disguise someone as a beggar on every street so they can catch the killer. While police trace a postcard they investigate released criminals and mental patients who fit the description of the killer and finally come to Han’s Beckets apartment where they find all the evidence that matches the clues.
Beckert realises he has been caught so he runs into the office building then the beggars contact Schranker who sends a group of gangsters to get him, the police also are alerted but the gangsters get him just before the police arrive.
In the end the police find Beckert and take him away.
Detour
Director- Edgar G Ulmer
Writer- Martin Goldsmith
Release date- 30 November 1945
Detour starts in the middle of nowhere at a diner where we see Al Roberts (Tom Neal) talking in a voiceover about his life and what lead him to end up in a diner in the middle of nowhere. He argues with the waitress at the diner, the diner manager and a trucker who drops a nickel in a juke box and plays the song that Al and his girlfriend called their song.
Then theres a flashback were Al tells us about his relationship with his singer girlfriend Sue (Claudia Drake) as he accompanied her on piano in a New York club. When she leaves for fame and fortune in Los Angeles Al is lonely and decides to hitch hike to the coast to be with her. He accepts a ride from good-time-Charlie Charles Haskell Jr. (Edmund MacDonald).
During their drive Haskell tells Al a little about himself, relating a story about deep scratches he has on his hand that he received when he picked up a woman who shunned his advances. When Haskell suffers an attack and dies, Roberts, fearing that he will be accused of the death takes on the man's identification and begins driving the car himself. At a gas station Al picks up Vera (Ann Savage), who blurts out, "What did you do with the body?" It turns out that Vera had accepted a ride from Haskell earlier and she is the one who has given him the scratches on his hand. Threatening to summon the police Vera forces Al to pose as Haskell in order to collect an inheritance from the man's millionaire father.
During their time together Vera causes another problem to befall Al and in the end Al accidentally ends up strangling Vera with the Phone cable Now knowing his life has totally turned he just ends up wondering around on his own until eventually the police catch him and take him away.
3 modern film noir sypnosis
La confidential
Director- Curtis Hanson
Writer- James Ellroy
Release date- 19 September 1997
the film revolves around three LAPD officers caught up in corruption, sex, lies, and murder following a multiple murder at the Nite Owl coffee shop. Officer Wendell "Bud" White (Russell Crowe) is a violent 6-foot-tall brute and the most feared man in the LAPD. His plainclothes partner Dick Stensland was convicted and expelled from the force due to a false testimony by Exley After these events Bud vows revenge against Exley. His ties to the Nite Owl case become personal after Stensland is found to be one of the murder victims at the Nite Owl.
Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a slick and likable Hollywood cop who moonlights as the technical advisor of Badge of honour, a popular Dragnet- esque television show. Vincennes is also connected with Sid Hudgeons of Hush-Hush magazine. Jack receives kickbacks for making celebrity arrests, often orchestrated, involving narcotics, that will attract even more readers to the magazine and more fame and profit to him.
Sergeant Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a legendary LAPD Inspector, is a brilliant officer in his own right, determined to outdo his father. Ed's intelligence, his education, his glasses, his insistence on following regulations, and his cold demeanor all contribute to his social isolation from other officers. He increases this resentment after volunteering to testify against other cops in an infamous police brutality case early on, insisting on a promotion to Detective Lieutenant (which he receives) against the advice of Captain Dudley Smith, who felt that Exley's honesty and his reputation as a snitch would interfere with his ability to supervise detectives. He is motivated by justice, a sense of order, and his personal ambitions.
At different intervals the three men investigate the Nite Owl and concurrent events which in turn begin to reveal deep indications of corruption all around them. Ed Exley pursues absolute justice in the Nite Owl slayings, all the while trying to live up to his family’s prestigious name. Bud White pursues Nite Owl victim Susan Lefferts which leads him to Lynn Bracken, a Veronica Lake look-a-like and call-girl with pivotal ties to the case he and Exley are independently investigating. Meanwhile, Jack Vincennes follows up on a pornography racket that leads to ties to both the Nite Owl and Bracken's handler Pierce Patchett, operator of "Fleur-De-Lis", a call-girl service that runs prostitutes altered by plastic surgery to look like movie stars. All three men's fate is thereby intertwined leading to a dramatic showdown with powerful and corrupt forces within the city's political leadership and the department itself.
Driver
Director- Walter Hill
Writer- Walter Hill
Release date- 10 July 1978
The Driver (O’Neal) is a professional who steals cars to drive as getaway vehicles for big-time robberies. Hot on the Driver's trail is a policeman (Dern), who has nicknamed the Driver "Cowboy" and is determined to bring him down. “I’m gonna catch the cowboy that’s never been caught,” he tells The Driver early on. The Detective becomes so obsessed with defeating the Driver, that he himself sets up a bank job in order to entice — trap, and ultimately arrest — the Driver. Yet the Detective's plan, on which he has put his reputation on the line, blows up in his face: both he and the Driver are set up and burned by an inconsequential player. The real crux of the story comes mid-film, when The Driver has a clear chance to walk away but elects to play The Cop's game - and teach him a lesson.
Brick
Director- Rian Johnson
Writer- Rian Johnson
Release date- 12 may 2006
The lonely teenager Brendan finds his former girlfriend Emily dead in the entrance of a tunnel of sewage and recalls her phone call two days ago, when she said to him that she was in trouble. Brendan, who still loved Emily, met bad elements of his high-school trying to contact her, and when he succeeded, she told him that she was OK. He hides her body in the tunnel and decides to investigate the meaning and connection of four words, including "brick" and "pin", that Emily told him to find who killed her. Using the support of his nerd friend Brain, he successively meets the small time drug dealers Kara, Dode, Brad Bramish, Laura and Tugger, to reach the teenager powerful drug dealer The Pin. Slowly, Brendan unravels the motives why Emily was killed and plots revenge.
La confidential
Director- Curtis Hanson
Writer- James Ellroy
Release date- 19 September 1997
the film revolves around three LAPD officers caught up in corruption, sex, lies, and murder following a multiple murder at the Nite Owl coffee shop. Officer Wendell "Bud" White (Russell Crowe) is a violent 6-foot-tall brute and the most feared man in the LAPD. His plainclothes partner Dick Stensland was convicted and expelled from the force due to a false testimony by Exley After these events Bud vows revenge against Exley. His ties to the Nite Owl case become personal after Stensland is found to be one of the murder victims at the Nite Owl.
Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a slick and likable Hollywood cop who moonlights as the technical advisor of Badge of honour, a popular Dragnet- esque television show. Vincennes is also connected with Sid Hudgeons of Hush-Hush magazine. Jack receives kickbacks for making celebrity arrests, often orchestrated, involving narcotics, that will attract even more readers to the magazine and more fame and profit to him.
Sergeant Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a legendary LAPD Inspector, is a brilliant officer in his own right, determined to outdo his father. Ed's intelligence, his education, his glasses, his insistence on following regulations, and his cold demeanor all contribute to his social isolation from other officers. He increases this resentment after volunteering to testify against other cops in an infamous police brutality case early on, insisting on a promotion to Detective Lieutenant (which he receives) against the advice of Captain Dudley Smith, who felt that Exley's honesty and his reputation as a snitch would interfere with his ability to supervise detectives. He is motivated by justice, a sense of order, and his personal ambitions.
At different intervals the three men investigate the Nite Owl and concurrent events which in turn begin to reveal deep indications of corruption all around them. Ed Exley pursues absolute justice in the Nite Owl slayings, all the while trying to live up to his family’s prestigious name. Bud White pursues Nite Owl victim Susan Lefferts which leads him to Lynn Bracken, a Veronica Lake look-a-like and call-girl with pivotal ties to the case he and Exley are independently investigating. Meanwhile, Jack Vincennes follows up on a pornography racket that leads to ties to both the Nite Owl and Bracken's handler Pierce Patchett, operator of "Fleur-De-Lis", a call-girl service that runs prostitutes altered by plastic surgery to look like movie stars. All three men's fate is thereby intertwined leading to a dramatic showdown with powerful and corrupt forces within the city's political leadership and the department itself.
Driver
Director- Walter Hill
Writer- Walter Hill
Release date- 10 July 1978
The Driver (O’Neal) is a professional who steals cars to drive as getaway vehicles for big-time robberies. Hot on the Driver's trail is a policeman (Dern), who has nicknamed the Driver "Cowboy" and is determined to bring him down. “I’m gonna catch the cowboy that’s never been caught,” he tells The Driver early on. The Detective becomes so obsessed with defeating the Driver, that he himself sets up a bank job in order to entice — trap, and ultimately arrest — the Driver. Yet the Detective's plan, on which he has put his reputation on the line, blows up in his face: both he and the Driver are set up and burned by an inconsequential player. The real crux of the story comes mid-film, when The Driver has a clear chance to walk away but elects to play The Cop's game - and teach him a lesson.
Brick
Director- Rian Johnson
Writer- Rian Johnson
Release date- 12 may 2006
The lonely teenager Brendan finds his former girlfriend Emily dead in the entrance of a tunnel of sewage and recalls her phone call two days ago, when she said to him that she was in trouble. Brendan, who still loved Emily, met bad elements of his high-school trying to contact her, and when he succeeded, she told him that she was OK. He hides her body in the tunnel and decides to investigate the meaning and connection of four words, including "brick" and "pin", that Emily told him to find who killed her. Using the support of his nerd friend Brain, he successively meets the small time drug dealers Kara, Dode, Brad Bramish, Laura and Tugger, to reach the teenager powerful drug dealer The Pin. Slowly, Brendan unravels the motives why Emily was killed and plots revenge.
Narrative and E,C,M,S of film noirs
The main storyline of a film noir is about a male character (normally a good working class citizen) who meets a female character (normally a sexy powerful women- femme fetale) who would manipulate the fall guy, often following a murder. At the start the mans life would a peaceful happy one and then his life just goes from bad to worse as seen in ‘Detour’
Heroes, Villains, cops, gangsters, lone-wolf, killers, crooks, war veterans, politicians, murderers. These are mainly the type of characters that appear in film noirs.
Mis-en-scene is used in film noirs such as the lighting e.g. there are a lot of shadows in film noirs also there is not much light it tends to be pretty dark also sometimes blinds are used because it makes it hard to see a characters face if the blinds are there because the characters have black stripes across their face coming off the blinds, this is a clever idea if trying to hide the identity of a character it also makes the audience more curious, because they really want to see the face.
Types of sounds you would hear in film noirs are probably screams, also there will be a lot of tense/ dark music which makes the audience feel uncomfortable, police sirens, door creaking, also film noirs use a lot of voiceovers when the character is thinking in the past of how they get in to the bad situation in the film.
Cinematography that is used in film noirs is from the camera shots. Film noirs usually consist of dutch tilts to make the feel audience feel on edge kind of like the feeling that something’s not right. low angle shots are used to make the audience look up at the screen which makes them feel vulnerable this type of shot is mostly used on the femme fetale to show that she has power over the male character. Close-ups are used in film noirs is well mainly focused in the main character (hero).
Film noirs sometimes start at the end of the film and then through the use of flashbacks they tend to explain how they ended up in the situation they are in. Editing is used to cut shots and to attach the flashbacks on to the action. An editing transition that is used is a fade when they want to fade out from a flashback to the present.
The main storyline of a film noir is about a male character (normally a good working class citizen) who meets a female character (normally a sexy powerful women- femme fetale) who would manipulate the fall guy, often following a murder. At the start the mans life would a peaceful happy one and then his life just goes from bad to worse as seen in ‘Detour’
Heroes, Villains, cops, gangsters, lone-wolf, killers, crooks, war veterans, politicians, murderers. These are mainly the type of characters that appear in film noirs.
Mis-en-scene is used in film noirs such as the lighting e.g. there are a lot of shadows in film noirs also there is not much light it tends to be pretty dark also sometimes blinds are used because it makes it hard to see a characters face if the blinds are there because the characters have black stripes across their face coming off the blinds, this is a clever idea if trying to hide the identity of a character it also makes the audience more curious, because they really want to see the face.
Types of sounds you would hear in film noirs are probably screams, also there will be a lot of tense/ dark music which makes the audience feel uncomfortable, police sirens, door creaking, also film noirs use a lot of voiceovers when the character is thinking in the past of how they get in to the bad situation in the film.
Cinematography that is used in film noirs is from the camera shots. Film noirs usually consist of dutch tilts to make the feel audience feel on edge kind of like the feeling that something’s not right. low angle shots are used to make the audience look up at the screen which makes them feel vulnerable this type of shot is mostly used on the femme fetale to show that she has power over the male character. Close-ups are used in film noirs is well mainly focused in the main character (hero).
Film noirs sometimes start at the end of the film and then through the use of flashbacks they tend to explain how they ended up in the situation they are in. Editing is used to cut shots and to attach the flashbacks on to the action. An editing transition that is used is a fade when they want to fade out from a flashback to the present.
History of film noir
Film noir first started by a French critic named Nino Frank in 1946. He was the first to apply the term film noir to Hollywood films. After the war French film critics had noticed a change in films they were no longer of the sunny optimistic type of film which they were before the war the films seemed to be darker and more pessimistic in the outlook, it was as if Hollywood had broken up to the harsh realities of the world and the horrors of the war.
Film noir basically means black film in French. The term film noir describes a film that is very dark in its outlook.
In film noirs the lighting tends to be very dark which created a lot of shadows, the characters always seemed to be set in dark, smoke filled rooms.
The most famous film noirs were made between 1940- 1950
Such as ‘Double indemnity, Detour, and the Third man’.
Film noir has never officially been classed as its own genre, but is seen as a sub-genre of crime and gangster films.
Film noir first started by a French critic named Nino Frank in 1946. He was the first to apply the term film noir to Hollywood films. After the war French film critics had noticed a change in films they were no longer of the sunny optimistic type of film which they were before the war the films seemed to be darker and more pessimistic in the outlook, it was as if Hollywood had broken up to the harsh realities of the world and the horrors of the war.
Film noir basically means black film in French. The term film noir describes a film that is very dark in its outlook.
In film noirs the lighting tends to be very dark which created a lot of shadows, the characters always seemed to be set in dark, smoke filled rooms.
The most famous film noirs were made between 1940- 1950
Such as ‘Double indemnity, Detour, and the Third man’.
Film noir has never officially been classed as its own genre, but is seen as a sub-genre of crime and gangster films.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)