11/2/2011 - 18/2/2011
We have now been spending a number of lessons working on the storyboard and the script for our film opening in our group and are thinking more about specific details like the setting, mise-en-scene and the scripting. During these processes, our group has been working really well together and we have each been putting in our own ideas and discussed what we each imagine our film opening to be like. We have been looking into other films of our genre and comparing the narrative to our own narrative as well as thinking about the characters and what type of actors we would like to cast. We are all equally enthusiastic and inputting our ideas regularly to make sure that every person is happy when each new process is completed.
Below is the link to our group blog where you can view the storyboard work and script we have been working on:
http://ascvhsmediacjc.blogspot.com/2011/02/g321-storyboard-and-script-for-film.html
Friday, 25 February 2011
Monday, 14 February 2011
Initial Ideas Diary
8/2/2011
Today we discussed our Initial Ideas for our own film. We created a mind-map of our ideas and made sure to consider setting, characters, storyline, sound, certification, audience expectations, generic conventions ans signifiers. It was important that we considered our film as a whole and made sure that we completely understood the brief that we are to make the opening two minutes of the film, not the whole film or a trailer. To make sure that we understood what will be expected of us, we watched a student film that was a very low grade and a student film that was a top grade. I found this very helpful and meant that I could properly understand what we are aiming to create. We have considered the fact that we must make the characters relatable and realistic and so we have taken this into consideration within our group when thinking about our initial ideas.
Below are the links to the group blog to view the mindmap, list of scenes, character profiles and film brief:
http://ascvhsmediacjc.blogspot.com/
Today we discussed our Initial Ideas for our own film. We created a mind-map of our ideas and made sure to consider setting, characters, storyline, sound, certification, audience expectations, generic conventions ans signifiers. It was important that we considered our film as a whole and made sure that we completely understood the brief that we are to make the opening two minutes of the film, not the whole film or a trailer. To make sure that we understood what will be expected of us, we watched a student film that was a very low grade and a student film that was a top grade. I found this very helpful and meant that I could properly understand what we are aiming to create. We have considered the fact that we must make the characters relatable and realistic and so we have taken this into consideration within our group when thinking about our initial ideas.
Below are the links to the group blog to view the mindmap, list of scenes, character profiles and film brief:
http://ascvhsmediacjc.blogspot.com/
Romantic Comedy Film Openings
Having now come to the decision that we are definitely going to make our film opening in the Romantic Comedy genre, I have decided to look at some more current film openings specific to that genre. I have discussed the generic conventions used in the openings and considered the titling as these are extremely important to consider when creating my own opening.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
The genre of this film is immediately introduced by the iconography of the wedding cake and the titles themselves seem to be written in an invitation format with the curly writing and the style of the film title itself with the flowers and cake making it clear that the film is about romance. The genre is enforced further by the non diegetic music in this opening sequence is very classical and is a song about love, emphasising the romantic comedy genre. The comedy element to the film is not a clearly shown in the opening however we are still able to tell this by the light hearted narrative with the characters getting up and getting ready. It is more particularly shown through the use of contrasts between the men with one getting up and ready straight away and with the other being more ‘lazy’ and staying in bed longer. The Narrative suggests that perhaps the characters are preparing to go to a wedding and there are multiple characters introduced which could be main characters throughout the film. The Atmosphere is extremely relaxed and calm which fits with the genre and it is suggested that the setting is in Britain because of the iconography of the typical ‘full English breakfast’.
The titles are very simple and are not distracting to the narrative which makes the audience concentrate more on what is happening than what the titles all say. The use of the white font means that the titles can be seen very easily on almost any background. The narrative is clearly open and leads onto something happening next and the themes of love, romance and family are hinted that they will be common throughout. It is clear that there are a number of main characters that will appear throughout the rest of the film as there is a very equal amount of screen-time given to each character and we are immediately introduced to each characters personality in the opening.
In the opening of this film, the romantic-comedy genre is shown immediately through the use of the girly colours like pink which have connotations of romance and love. The theme of shopping is also immediately introduced by the setting of the shops and lots of props like shoes, and images of women trying on dresses. It is clear that the film is aimed at females as in the opening sequence there are only female characters introduced so that the target audience can relate to them. There is a clear theme of spending money and socialising in the film because of the narrative in the opening sequence. The comedy genre is emphasised by the contrast of the expensive sparkly shoes with the brown shoes that ‘last forever’. The iconography of the yellow cab gives and immediate indication that the film is set inAmerica
It is clear that the main character is the young girl who is admiring all of the women doing their shopping as we can hear the voiceover discussing this. The voiceover is clearly an older woman and she is talking about when she was a little girl which makes it clear that the main character will be this little girl as a grown woman. The atmosphere is very light hearted and happy and is particularly female orientated. There are no male characters in the opening which makes the female characters seem very dominant and independent. This opening uses a voiceover along with a non diegetic soundtrack. The music is directly related to the genre and the song sings about love and romance which then emphasises this. The titles also reflect the genre with the simple pink coloured writing which has connotations of romance and love and the glittering main film title emphasises the girlie themes.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
The genre of this film is immediately introduced by the iconography of the wedding cake and the titles themselves seem to be written in an invitation format with the curly writing and the style of the film title itself with the flowers and cake making it clear that the film is about romance. The genre is enforced further by the non diegetic music in this opening sequence is very classical and is a song about love, emphasising the romantic comedy genre. The comedy element to the film is not a clearly shown in the opening however we are still able to tell this by the light hearted narrative with the characters getting up and getting ready. It is more particularly shown through the use of contrasts between the men with one getting up and ready straight away and with the other being more ‘lazy’ and staying in bed longer. The Narrative suggests that perhaps the characters are preparing to go to a wedding and there are multiple characters introduced which could be main characters throughout the film. The Atmosphere is extremely relaxed and calm which fits with the genre and it is suggested that the setting is in Britain because of the iconography of the typical ‘full English breakfast’.
The titles are very simple and are not distracting to the narrative which makes the audience concentrate more on what is happening than what the titles all say. The use of the white font means that the titles can be seen very easily on almost any background. The narrative is clearly open and leads onto something happening next and the themes of love, romance and family are hinted that they will be common throughout. It is clear that there are a number of main characters that will appear throughout the rest of the film as there is a very equal amount of screen-time given to each character and we are immediately introduced to each characters personality in the opening.
Bridget Jones (2001)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aFhQ9uPsxM
Bridget Jones (2001) uses a voice over in the opening to demonstrate the genre of the film. It is very comical in the scripting, very British and makes it clear that it is a diary. The character discusses subjects like her love life and meeting a new man which emphasises the romantic element of the opening and she talks about the idea of her mother being the ‘match-maker’ which adds the comedy element. The setting in the opening is very homely which creates a very light atmosphere and it is clearly a family party which could be a common theme throughout the rest of the film. The comedy genre is also shown through the mise-en-scene specifically with the costumes as she says she is ‘wearing a carpet’.
The use of the untidy living room setting also has emphasis on the comedy element and it is clear that ‘Bridget’ will be the main character as she is central to the narrative and is in control of the story telling. The titles are not evident until around 5 minutes into the clip and are written in a handwriting font which fits with the diary element and the character points and gestures towards the main title which emphasises that that is the main film title. The soundtrack ‘All by myself’ gives a suggestion that the woman is unlucky in love and the comedy element is emphasised again by the miming of the song making the genre extremely clear. The narrative is the most prominent indication to the genre of the film particularly with the character drinking alcohol and being quite comical with the miming of the song.
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
Bridget Jones (2001) uses a voice over in the opening to demonstrate the genre of the film. It is very comical in the scripting, very British and makes it clear that it is a diary. The character discusses subjects like her love life and meeting a new man which emphasises the romantic element of the opening and she talks about the idea of her mother being the ‘match-maker’ which adds the comedy element. The setting in the opening is very homely which creates a very light atmosphere and it is clearly a family party which could be a common theme throughout the rest of the film. The comedy genre is also shown through the mise-en-scene specifically with the costumes as she says she is ‘wearing a carpet’.
The use of the untidy living room setting also has emphasis on the comedy element and it is clear that ‘Bridget’ will be the main character as she is central to the narrative and is in control of the story telling. The titles are not evident until around 5 minutes into the clip and are written in a handwriting font which fits with the diary element and the character points and gestures towards the main title which emphasises that that is the main film title. The soundtrack ‘All by myself’ gives a suggestion that the woman is unlucky in love and the comedy element is emphasised again by the miming of the song making the genre extremely clear. The narrative is the most prominent indication to the genre of the film particularly with the character drinking alcohol and being quite comical with the miming of the song.
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
In the opening of this film, the romantic-comedy genre is shown immediately through the use of the girly colours like pink which have connotations of romance and love. The theme of shopping is also immediately introduced by the setting of the shops and lots of props like shoes, and images of women trying on dresses. It is clear that the film is aimed at females as in the opening sequence there are only female characters introduced so that the target audience can relate to them. There is a clear theme of spending money and socialising in the film because of the narrative in the opening sequence. The comedy genre is emphasised by the contrast of the expensive sparkly shoes with the brown shoes that ‘last forever’. The iconography of the yellow cab gives and immediate indication that the film is set in
It is clear that the main character is the young girl who is admiring all of the women doing their shopping as we can hear the voiceover discussing this. The voiceover is clearly an older woman and she is talking about when she was a little girl which makes it clear that the main character will be this little girl as a grown woman. The atmosphere is very light hearted and happy and is particularly female orientated. There are no male characters in the opening which makes the female characters seem very dominant and independent. This opening uses a voiceover along with a non diegetic soundtrack. The music is directly related to the genre and the song sings about love and romance which then emphasises this. The titles also reflect the genre with the simple pink coloured writing which has connotations of romance and love and the glittering main film title emphasises the girlie themes.
Film Re-makes
Having completed the three re-makes of different genres, I now feel confident that i understand how a film opening should come together. I m now ready to look more closely at the specific genre we would like to use for our opening so that I can get a better understanding of that genre.
Here is a link to our group blog where you can view our film opening re-makes:
http://ascvhsmediacjc.blogspot.com/
Here is a link to our group blog where you can view our film opening re-makes:
http://ascvhsmediacjc.blogspot.com/
The History of Romantic Comedies
Having now decided that we are going to focus on the Romantic-Comedy genre, I have decided to reseach into the history of the genre and some of the typical conventions and plotlines of the genre. This is to make me more familiar with the genre itself and how we should go about creating a film opening of this genre.
Since Ancient Greece, comedies had often involved sexual or social elements to them and it wasn’t until the Western Medieval period that there was the creation of romantic love and involving these situations in productions. This was when tales and adventures would involve a knight's battle’s on behalf of a lady, and so the modern themes of love were quickly woven into comedies introducing the idea of romance rather than heroic gestures.
Conventions of a Romantic Comedy
On a more modern basis, romantic comedy films involve light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as a true love able to overcome most obstacles. It is common that rom-com’s will have elements of screwball comedies which are more unconventional and behave in unexpected ways. The basic plot of a romantic comedy is that two protagonists, usually a man and a woman, meet, part ways due to an argument or other obstacle, then ultimately reunite. While the two protagonists are separated, one or both of them usually realizes that they are ideal for each other, or that they are in love with each other. Then, after one of the two makes some spectacular effort to find the other person and declare their love, or due to an astonishing coincidental encounter, the two meet again. Then, perhaps with some comic friction or awkwardness, they declare their love for each other and the film ends happily. The couple does not, however, have to marry, or live together "happily ever after". The ending of a romantic comedy is meant to affirm the primary importance of the love relationship in its protagonists' lives, even if they physically separate in the end.
Since Ancient Greece, comedies had often involved sexual or social elements to them and it wasn’t until the Western Medieval period that there was the creation of romantic love and involving these situations in productions. This was when tales and adventures would involve a knight's battle’s on behalf of a lady, and so the modern themes of love were quickly woven into comedies introducing the idea of romance rather than heroic gestures.
Conventions of a Romantic Comedy
On a more modern basis, romantic comedy films involve light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as a true love able to overcome most obstacles. It is common that rom-com’s will have elements of screwball comedies which are more unconventional and behave in unexpected ways. The basic plot of a romantic comedy is that two protagonists, usually a man and a woman, meet, part ways due to an argument or other obstacle, then ultimately reunite. While the two protagonists are separated, one or both of them usually realizes that they are ideal for each other, or that they are in love with each other. Then, after one of the two makes some spectacular effort to find the other person and declare their love, or due to an astonishing coincidental encounter, the two meet again. Then, perhaps with some comic friction or awkwardness, they declare their love for each other and the film ends happily. The couple does not, however, have to marry, or live together "happily ever after". The ending of a romantic comedy is meant to affirm the primary importance of the love relationship in its protagonists' lives, even if they physically separate in the end.
Editing the Re-makes of Openings Diary
Session One – Thursday 3rd February (2 hours)
In this session we uploaded our clips from the camera to the computer and we decided to first edit our re-make of Vertigo as this had the least editing needed to be done to it so we used this as an opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the basics of the iMovie program that we have used before. We managed to edit a considerable amount of the footage in this session putting everything together except for the titles. We worked well whilst doing this with one person controlling the computer and all of us discussing what we thought would look best and what would be most similar to the film opening we were copying.
Session Two – Friday 4th February (1 hour)
In our second session one of our group members was not available and so two of us continued with the editing of the next film. We began by completing the titles on the Vertigo clip however we did find it very difficult to match the timings of the titles, music and the image on the screen in the same way as the original opening. We then began to work on our opening of The Strangers (2008) which was more time consuming than we had expected as we came across some problems using the editing equipment and it was more difficult to edit than we had imagined. We managed to put together most of the clip itself and just need to add the sound and check that the timings are correct and we can then move on to completing our Juno re-make.
Session Three- Monday 7th February (1hour)
This session put together the sound and timings of our remake of The Strangers (2008) which worked pretty well however it was fairly difficult to match the sound with the images towards the end of the opening. This did take longer than expected however we did still have time to put the clips for Juno in the correct order ready to start working on the transitions and title’s for this re-make.
Session Four – Tuesday 8th February (1 hour)
Today we managed to complete the editing if our Juno remake and we were able to add all of the transitions and titles in the correct places. This was fairly easy as we are now used to the editing software again and able to work quickly and efficiently. We also added the sound and are now going to be able to go over all three of our remakes to fix and tweak at timings etc. in our next session.
Session Five - Friday 11th February (1 hour)
This was our final session of editing and we were just concentrating on tweaking the last parts of timing and the overall presentation of the re-makes. We have now completed our re-makes and are ready to evaluate how well they went.
Session Five - Friday 11th February (1 hour)
This was our final session of editing and we were just concentrating on tweaking the last parts of timing and the overall presentation of the re-makes. We have now completed our re-makes and are ready to evaluate how well they went.
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Timeline of Titles
I have watched the opening of the film The Holiday (2006) and have noted down in a timeline the order of the titles. This is to help me see when titles should appear and in what order as well as when in the narrative they should appear on the screen.
0.02 – Institution presents...
0.14 – Second Institution presents...
0.34 – Director’s name
0.40 – Main actress name
0.45 – Second Main actress name
0.50 – Third actors name
1.03 – Fourth actors name
1.24 – Film Title
1.43 – Other actors name
1.50 – Second other actors name
1.56 – Third actors name
1.59 – Casting directors names
2.15 – Music editor
2.20 – Costume Designer
2.45 – Editor
2.49 – Production Designer
2.54 – Photography Director
3.04 – Executive Producer
3.10 – Producers Names.
Our brief states that we are to create the opening two minutes of a film however in this film the titles go on for around three minutes as there are rather a lot of titles and so I have therefore done the same thing for another opening that is closer to our brief. I have looked at the opening sequence of 50 First Dates (2004) which is very different to the first opening as the titles are complete after only 47 seconds but the order is very similar to that of the first opening: Institution Logo's first, followed by production companies and then the film titleand the actors names after that. 0.02 – Institution Logo
0.25 – Institution presents...
0.30 – Production Company
0.35 – Production Company
0.41 – Production Company
0.47 – Film Title
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Using Jellybabies to create Film Openings
We spent a lesson looking at film genres by creating some film openings using Jellybabies and post-it notes. We had to put together some different openings of films with different genres to help us learn the importance of timings, narrative and titles. In our group, we put together three different film openings: Action, Horror and Comedy. We considered the length of each shot, narrative and the timings of the titles as well as music.
Film Opening One: ACTION
With our first attempt, we found that we over-complicated the opening and moved more into creadting a short film. At I think that we timed the titles well but our Narrative needed to be improved. I think that we had too many characters and too much going on for this to be the opening of an Action movie.
Film Opening Two: HORROR
We also made a similar mistake with our horror opening however I think we made better use of camera angles and sound for this opening but we must ensure that we do not forget that we are only making an opening for a film.
Film Opening Three: COMEDY
With our comedy opening I think the Narrative is again, over complicated and confusing. I think we have the correct light hearted atmosphere but we have again over complicated things.
This exersise has helped me to understand that we must keep things very simple and not over-use particular elements. I have learned how easy it is to over-complicate the narrative and create more of a short film than an opening but trying to put too much into the opening. It has definately helped me to understand why timings and the order of titles are important to film openings and how to appropriately use them.
Filming our Re-makes of the Openings Diary
Tuesday 25th January – Thursday 27th January
The first re-make we filmed was our version of Juno (2007). This was because it had the most shots and so we decided we would get the largest amount of filming done first. We chose to film this outside and used on of our groups members to play Juno whilst two of us operated the equipment and filmed it. We managed to complete this filming quite quickly as we made sure that we were organised in what we were doing by having the storyboard and shot-list with us at all times.
We then decided that we would film our re-make of Vertigo (1958). Initially we were going to use one of us as the woman in the opening and have two of us film it however we found this quite difficult and therefore decided to be more creative by drawing out the character onto paper and filming that instead. We weren’t as time effective when creating this opening as we spent a lot of time preparing for it and did also waste some time in our first attempt and therefore this task did take longer than we had anticipated.
The final opening we filmed was The Strangers (2008) for which we used images of houses printed out and we used a camera on a dolly to create the effect of driving past the houses. For this film, we used our time very effectively as we had prepared everything in advance and we all worked together to film the opening. We had one person doing the camerawork, another checking the storyboard and another using the shot-list for timings.
Overall We worked very well as a group however we were sometimes not as time effective as we would have liked but we managed to improve when making the final film. We worked very well with the equipment and using the facilities that we had. I also think that we all contributed well towards the filming as we each had a turn at being in charge of one film each. From doing this, I have learnt that it is important to use all of our time effectively and that it is useful to each take a different piece of responsibility.
Looking at Genre by Re-making Existing Film Openings
Friday 21st January
JUNO (2007)
Genre: Thriller
We are currently considering what genre we would like to use for our film and have been given the task of re-making three film openings of the following genres: Comedy, Horror and Thriller. Of the choices we were given, we chose to re-make Juno (2007), Vertigo (1958) and The Strangers (2008). I have analysed each opening so that I am more familiar with particular aspects of the genre and how it is shown. It is also to help us look at the combination of timings with regards to narrative, music and titles.
JUNO (2007)
Narrative: A teenage girl walking around a town, possibly local to her, she is going somewhere.
Character: Girl drinking Sunny D, tom boy clothes, teenager and perhaps the runners are significant.
Atmosphere: Light hearted, happy, relaxed
Themes: Friendship and Love – family? due to the style of music and lyrics.
Setting: Town and local streets, she seems to know the area.
Sound: Happy music singing about friendship and love and sticking together. The style of music is comical, fitting in with the genre.
Titles: Cartoon writing, bright colours and 3-d lettering that emphasise the comical, not serious element.
Vertigo (1958)
Genre: Thriller
Narrative: Woman’s face, alone in dark? Eyes look shocked suddenly, scared
Character: Innocent woman who is alone, perhaps kidnapped?
Atmosphere: Tense, scary, frightening
Themes: the symbol that comes from her eye is quite hypnotic and disorientating
Setting: unknown, somewhere dark, increases tension and questioning
Sound: Music is quite tense and hypnotic
Titles: Capitals showing the genre is very serious and the titles appear each time the music becomes more intense and the film titles itself: Vertigo comes from the woman’s eye which indicates the idea of hypnosis again.
Genre: Horror
Narrative: A voice and subtitles give an outline of the films context and plot explaining that it is based on true events and states that ‘brutal events’ are involved.
Character: We are told about two characters – Kristen McKay and James Hoyt and it is implied that something terrible will happen to them.
Atmosphere: Very tense, talking about crimes and the use of fade to blacks indicate the idea of the unknown.
Themes: Danger, crime, fear
Setting: A ‘summer home’ in America
Sound: A mysterious voice is used to read out the words on the screen, which is quite frightening. We can hear only the sound of a car engine and the sound of the wind as the car moves along.
Titles: There are no titles in this opening and the words at the start are very plainly written in orange text which gives the idea of seriousness and by not revealing any titles gives the fear of the unknowen and makes the content seem very real.
In our group, we have decided to each create a storyboard and shot-list for one film each and then we will work together to film the openings. This was to make sure that the work was distributed equally and that we all were making an input to the task.
In our group, we have decided to each create a storyboard and shot-list for one film each and then we will work together to film the openings. This was to make sure that the work was distributed equally and that we all were making an input to the task.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Looking at Student Films
We have been looking at film openings created by previous students to help us see what sort of thing we should produce. I have evaluated a few strengths and weaknesses of each opening to see what sort of mistakes have been made in the past as well as thinking about what things worked well to help us to create a better film opening.
Student Film 1
This film opening shows good use of the production logos and the titles match the genre of the film. The music used in the opening also fits with the genre of Horror as it has quite a scary and mysterious feel to it. The use of the static sound effect is a little distracting and makes it seem more like a film trailer than an opening as it seems like seperate pieces of the storyline have been put together as opposed to a flowing opening. The use of the flashback makes it more of a trailer as it doesn't particularly fit with the rest of the narrative. Flashbacks and transitions are more commonly used in trailers rather than openings and I think this is what makes this seem more of a trailer. I also think that the use of the blur transition makes it clear that the clip is an opening however the narrative is closed and it seems to be more of a short film than an opening as it is very unlikely that this much would happen in the opening sequence making it difficult to imagine where the narrative would go next. The camerawork is also quite shaky and off-putting and the flashback of the two characters hugging doesn't seem to fit with the narrative.
The use of mise-en-scene in this opening does have a specific relation to genre however. The images of blood and fire are very specifically linked to the horror genre and immediately give the audience the impression that the genre is horror. The use of the outdoor setting is also quite eerie, especially with the music and tone of the opening. I think that to make the setting seem even more of a horror setting they could maybe have looked at editing the lighting to give more of a scary effect. I think that to make it a more successful opening the narrative should be simplified and open so that it would seem as there there is something more going to happen.
Student Film 2
This film opening of Shadowing makes the Horror genre very clear. The camerawork on this piece is very steady and the range of camera angles are appropriately used for the genre. I also think that the titles are very good and fitting specifically with the film titles itself 'Shadowing' as the transition used to show this matches the word itself. Although I think that the beginning seems like a film opening i think that it then changes to become more of a trailer with the montage at the end.
The use of the photo's at the start of the opening are a little confusing as one of the people does not appear at any other point in the opening sequence. I think that the use of the static sound effect between transitions of the shots make this opening seem very much like a trailer. I really like the use of the voiceover as it gives an element for foreshadowing what is to come if the film were to continue. I think that if there was not a montage and no screaming at the end then it would seem a lot more like an opening and would have more of a direction to follow if the film were to continue. The use of setting and lighting however is very clever as it has specific relation to the horror genre being dark and isolated.The use of the voice over fits also with the genre however it adds to the element of trailer and the sound use at the end is more that of a trailer, revealing different parts of what could be to come in the film as opposed to leaving the events to happen if it were to continue as a regular film.
There is a section after the photos appear where the screen is just a plain black and a lot of titles are flashing up which I think takes away from the reset of the narrative and seems quite rushed. I think that the titles needed to be a lot slower to stick with the eerie and uncomfortable feel which has the element of building up tension for something to happen.
Student Film 3
The opening of this student film I think is the most like an opening rather than a trailer. This is because the narrative is entirely linear and open, leaving the audience to guess what will happen next. The use of the red title reflects the genre and the camerawork is very good however there are some continuity errors in the film itself. For example, we see the girl in the car smile and the arm on the floor moves which distracts the audience and the film becomes less believable. I also think that the font the titles are in does not go with the genre and they also change too quickly which I find distracting and the production logo at the start 'One Bad Apple' seems too bright and colourful for the type of film that this opening represents.
I really like the use of the music in this opening as it is very mysterious and leads you to think that something really terrible has happened. I think that the little use of dialogue is also very clever and I find it quite intruguing making me want to watch the rest of the film. I also like the simplicity of this opening as not a lot happens which is mcuh more typical for this genre of film. The simple transitions and titling make it more believable and it is more like a real film opening. I do think that perhaps there could be more relevance in the use of mise-en scene perhaps with thinks like the setting and the lighting as it does not give a hude indication to the genre however I think that this is the most like a real film opening.
By looking at past student films, I have been able to see what sorts of things work and what doesn't which means that I will be able to consider these things when I start to plan and make my film. It has also helped me to see what has been done before and what I can do to make a more original film opening.
Student Film 1
This film opening shows good use of the production logos and the titles match the genre of the film. The music used in the opening also fits with the genre of Horror as it has quite a scary and mysterious feel to it. The use of the static sound effect is a little distracting and makes it seem more like a film trailer than an opening as it seems like seperate pieces of the storyline have been put together as opposed to a flowing opening. The use of the flashback makes it more of a trailer as it doesn't particularly fit with the rest of the narrative. Flashbacks and transitions are more commonly used in trailers rather than openings and I think this is what makes this seem more of a trailer. I also think that the use of the blur transition makes it clear that the clip is an opening however the narrative is closed and it seems to be more of a short film than an opening as it is very unlikely that this much would happen in the opening sequence making it difficult to imagine where the narrative would go next. The camerawork is also quite shaky and off-putting and the flashback of the two characters hugging doesn't seem to fit with the narrative.
The use of mise-en-scene in this opening does have a specific relation to genre however. The images of blood and fire are very specifically linked to the horror genre and immediately give the audience the impression that the genre is horror. The use of the outdoor setting is also quite eerie, especially with the music and tone of the opening. I think that to make the setting seem even more of a horror setting they could maybe have looked at editing the lighting to give more of a scary effect. I think that to make it a more successful opening the narrative should be simplified and open so that it would seem as there there is something more going to happen.
Student Film 2
This film opening of Shadowing makes the Horror genre very clear. The camerawork on this piece is very steady and the range of camera angles are appropriately used for the genre. I also think that the titles are very good and fitting specifically with the film titles itself 'Shadowing' as the transition used to show this matches the word itself. Although I think that the beginning seems like a film opening i think that it then changes to become more of a trailer with the montage at the end.
The use of the photo's at the start of the opening are a little confusing as one of the people does not appear at any other point in the opening sequence. I think that the use of the static sound effect between transitions of the shots make this opening seem very much like a trailer. I really like the use of the voiceover as it gives an element for foreshadowing what is to come if the film were to continue. I think that if there was not a montage and no screaming at the end then it would seem a lot more like an opening and would have more of a direction to follow if the film were to continue. The use of setting and lighting however is very clever as it has specific relation to the horror genre being dark and isolated.The use of the voice over fits also with the genre however it adds to the element of trailer and the sound use at the end is more that of a trailer, revealing different parts of what could be to come in the film as opposed to leaving the events to happen if it were to continue as a regular film.
There is a section after the photos appear where the screen is just a plain black and a lot of titles are flashing up which I think takes away from the reset of the narrative and seems quite rushed. I think that the titles needed to be a lot slower to stick with the eerie and uncomfortable feel which has the element of building up tension for something to happen.
Student Film 3
The opening of this student film I think is the most like an opening rather than a trailer. This is because the narrative is entirely linear and open, leaving the audience to guess what will happen next. The use of the red title reflects the genre and the camerawork is very good however there are some continuity errors in the film itself. For example, we see the girl in the car smile and the arm on the floor moves which distracts the audience and the film becomes less believable. I also think that the font the titles are in does not go with the genre and they also change too quickly which I find distracting and the production logo at the start 'One Bad Apple' seems too bright and colourful for the type of film that this opening represents.
I really like the use of the music in this opening as it is very mysterious and leads you to think that something really terrible has happened. I think that the little use of dialogue is also very clever and I find it quite intruguing making me want to watch the rest of the film. I also like the simplicity of this opening as not a lot happens which is mcuh more typical for this genre of film. The simple transitions and titling make it more believable and it is more like a real film opening. I do think that perhaps there could be more relevance in the use of mise-en scene perhaps with thinks like the setting and the lighting as it does not give a hude indication to the genre however I think that this is the most like a real film opening.
By looking at past student films, I have been able to see what sorts of things work and what doesn't which means that I will be able to consider these things when I start to plan and make my film. It has also helped me to see what has been done before and what I can do to make a more original film opening.
Saturday, 29 January 2011
Thinking About Genre
I have looked at four different genre's of film openings and looked at how genre is shown in the opening scene and what conventions are used. This is to help me decide what genre of film I would like to create and the sort of style it would need to be in.
28 Weeks Later (2007)
This film is a Horror/Thriller movie and this is shown very clearly through the opening sequence mainly because of the following:
- low-key, dark lighting indicates the horror genre as only candle's are used for lighting.
- the absence of music increases the tension and suspense is then increased by a beating sound.
- the themes of panic, fear and zombies are all common in that of horror's and/or thrillers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHf6Th-E3kE
Chariots of Fire (1981)
This film comes under the genre of Sport History and Drama and there are good indications to the time period it is set in, the plot as well as the genre itself.
- the clothing is old-fashioned and the characters are wearing sportswear which reflects the genre as well as the time of the film.
- the settings are also fitting with the time period such as the large manor house and enormous grounds that surround it.
- the music playing has a sense of achievement to it and is quite joyful reflecting the runners and could be a potential theme throughout the rest of the film.
Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is a Romantic-Comedy Drama which is somewhat reflected in the opening sequence however the comedy element is more difficult to pick up on.
- The images of people hugging their loved ones as they return home conjures the romance element and the feeling of happiness and joy.
- the gentle, calming music and the voice over discussing love and happiness also indicates the romantic genre using the quotation 'Love Actually is all around'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsnruVriVYw
Spiderman 2 (2004)
This film makes it clear that it is a fantasy action drama movie withing the opening title sequence using the following conventions:
- It tells the plot of the first film using cartoon images which reflect the 'comic' style which emphasises the fantasy genre
- The music and images of fighting emphasise the action genre and make the film seem very serious and busy.
- There is also the themes of a hero against some kind of villain whilst protecting a woman who is the victim which are typical qualities in the plot line of a fantasy movie.
28 Weeks Later (2007)
This film is a Horror/Thriller movie and this is shown very clearly through the opening sequence mainly because of the following:
- low-key, dark lighting indicates the horror genre as only candle's are used for lighting.
- the absence of music increases the tension and suspense is then increased by a beating sound.
- the themes of panic, fear and zombies are all common in that of horror's and/or thrillers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHf6Th-E3kE
Chariots of Fire (1981)
This film comes under the genre of Sport History and Drama and there are good indications to the time period it is set in, the plot as well as the genre itself.
- the clothing is old-fashioned and the characters are wearing sportswear which reflects the genre as well as the time of the film.
- the settings are also fitting with the time period such as the large manor house and enormous grounds that surround it.
- the music playing has a sense of achievement to it and is quite joyful reflecting the runners and could be a potential theme throughout the rest of the film.
Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is a Romantic-Comedy Drama which is somewhat reflected in the opening sequence however the comedy element is more difficult to pick up on.
- The images of people hugging their loved ones as they return home conjures the romance element and the feeling of happiness and joy.
- the gentle, calming music and the voice over discussing love and happiness also indicates the romantic genre using the quotation 'Love Actually is all around'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsnruVriVYw
Spiderman 2 (2004)
This film makes it clear that it is a fantasy action drama movie withing the opening title sequence using the following conventions:
- It tells the plot of the first film using cartoon images which reflect the 'comic' style which emphasises the fantasy genre
- The music and images of fighting emphasise the action genre and make the film seem very serious and busy.
- There is also the themes of a hero against some kind of villain whilst protecting a woman who is the victim which are typical qualities in the plot line of a fantasy movie.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Reservoir Dogs (1992) and The Butterfly Effect (2004) - Film Openings
Reservoir Dogs (1992) Opening Sequence
In order to become more familiar with film openings of different genre’s I have looked at the opening sequence of the film Reservoir Dog’s. The whole mood and tone of the opening make it very clear that the film of the Gang/Gangster genre as it has quite an intimidating atmosphere about it as we see a large group of men together who look like troublemakers. The costumes used in the piece are particularly important in the set up of this atmosphere and the characters in the opening. We see a group of men who are mostly wearing some sort of suit and some wear dark glasses and are smoking cigarettes which lead the audience to see them as a ‘gang’ who are quite intimidating. One of the men also wears a chain around his neck which is used as a signifier of the gang genre as it is very stereotypical of the ‘gangster’ image.
The sound in the opening sequence is quite a cool, rock style soundtrack which fits with the action of the opening sequence and makes the atmosphere feel quite ‘cool’ and suave and sets up the characters to seem very manly and cool. The music however is quite old fashioned and is incongruous to the genre of the film but does still add to the cool and somewhat relaxed feel of the group which seems to put them in the position of the ‘top dog’s’ and gives a sense of power. The exterior setting of the street also adds to the intimidating feel of the sequence as it is only those characters we see which introduces them the be the main characters and the street is empty which makes them seem very unapproachable and reinforces the idea of power and authority. The setting is also stereotypical to that of gangs and therefore reinstates the genre of the film.
The narrative of this sequence is very linear and invites some questions as to what will happen next as a film opening should do. For example, we see a group of men walking but there is an air of mystery about them and we are led to ask questions about who they are and where they are going to. It seems that they are ‘on a mission’ as they look focused and as if they know where they are going and what they must do. The titles in the opening sequence uses a font that is very simple and plain which reflects the characters we see as they too seem very straightforward and focused. The titles appear by very smoothly rolling up from the bottom of the screen which emphasises that smooth, controlled element that the characters give off and the use of the colour yellow signifies power because it is bright and gives the impression of standing out and being noticed.
The Butterfly Effect (2004) Opening Sequence
I have looked at the opening sequence of a different genre of film to analyse the differences in how things are presented according to the style of film. The elements and tone of this opening sequence make it clear that the film is perhaps a psychological, sci-fi drama as the atmosphere that is very mysterious and serious and so we are intrigued as to what is happening. We are introduced to one main character, a male who is dressed in what looks like a hospital robe and who seems to be running and hiding from someone. This costumes acts as a signifier that perhaps the man has an illness or will be spending time in a hospital of some sort and his hiding indicates that perhaps he has done something wrong.
The narrative is very linear and leads us to question what is happening and who this man is and the girl he is hoping to ‘save’. The frantic, fast paced editing adds to the feel of mystery to the opening and the use of sound also shows this mysterious feel. There are some quite sci-fi sound effects at the very beginning which indicate the genre as well as the up tempo drumming beat that plays when the man is frantically blocking the doorway of the office. This makes it seem as though there is some sort of chase going on and that perhaps this man is a criminal and it becomes quite intriguing, grabbing the viewer’s attention. The combination of the hospital robe and the office setting could also mean that perhaps it is some sort of psychiatric unit and that this male character is perhaps mad or mentally unstable. The letter that the man is writing also invites some questions as he is talking about something he is going to do ‘back at the start’ and that perhaps he is going to die and with this accompanied by the music, the psychological-sci-fi genre is emphasised.
The sequence begins with the logo’s of the production companies, New Line Cinema and Film Engine which is very typical to the openings of films. It is then followed by a quotation called the ‘chaos theory’ which explains that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly can have a huge effect somewhere else making it clear that the narrative of the film will be related to that in some way. The simple font and transition of the titles means that they are not distracting in anyway however the film title itself is brought about by the words ‘save her’ with transforms into fluttering butterflies and then transforms again into an image of the brain which indicates all the elements of genre and narrative. The simplicity of the words ‘the butterfly effect’ shows that the film is very serious and fits with the genre.
(0:00 – 2:00 minutes)
(0:00 – 2:00 minutes)
By looking at these two contrasting genres, it is clear that there are strict differences in how the films are created. There are the obvious differences like sound and narrative along with the differences in costume, setting and atmosphere which define the genre and style of the film.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Analysing the difference between a film trailer and a film opening
Casino Royale
TrailerIn order to establish the specific differences between a film trailer and a film opening, I have looked at the trailer and opening of the film Casino Royale. I have looked at the difference in how they set up genre, narrative, character, atmosphere, themes and setting.
When looking at genre, a trailer should make it obvious as to what category the film comes under for example, in this trailer, from the car chases and violence the film is clearly of the action genre whereas in the opening sequence it is only hinted that the genre is action as it could also possibly be a thriller or detective type film. This is because a trailer is to advertise the film to draw the audience in and therefore they need to have a clear idea of what genre the film is.
When looking at genre, a trailer should make it obvious as to what category the film comes under for example, in this trailer, from the car chases and violence the film is clearly of the action genre whereas in the opening sequence it is only hinted that the genre is action as it could also possibly be a thriller or detective type film. This is because a trailer is to advertise the film to draw the audience in and therefore they need to have a clear idea of what genre the film is.
When considering the Narrative, the trailer makes the plot of the story clear showing us that there will be a chase involving violence between two men involving an important game of poker with some blanks left to be answered once the film has been watched. In contrast to this, the film opening should only introduce the plot which is shown by the animated men fighting and the iconography of the playing cards and roulette which hint the concept of a Casino. The Characters are shown very obviously within the trailer as it is clear that there will be three main characters: the two men in conflict along with the woman who are regularly shown throughout whereas in the opening it is only hinted that there will be one main male character who the plot will be about. This is because in the trailers the big Hollywood actors are shown throughout to interest the audience and to show off who will be in the film whereas the opening should only introduce one or two of the characters.
The atmosphere in the trailer is a lot more powerful that that in the opening as it is quite tense, full of suspense and danger whereas in the opening it is still full of suspense but not along with the tension we feel from the trailer. This is because the trailer shows a journey of emotions and moods whereas the opening sequence is only one scene and has only one type of atmosphere. The themes we see in the trailer are things like danger, violence, chasing, romance and gambling which are likely to be the common themes throughout the whole film whereas in the opening sequence the use of iconography of the roulette board shows the theme of gambling and violence is shown through the fighting and the guns.
In the trailer we see a lot of different settings like the casino, aeroplanes, and it is clear that it is set in another country whereas in the opening sequence it is difficult to determine a specific setting as the sequence is animated but we are led to assume that it is set in a casino because of the playing cards. The use of sound in the trailer uses the iconic Bond soundtrack as well as voice overs with give hints to the plot of the film whereas the opening sequence uses the soundtrack to introduce the film. The trailer has the production company logos and the film title with the dates flash up at the end and a lot of fade to blacks are used throughout whereas in the opening sequence the actors names, director and production companies all come up throughout and the title ‘Casino Royale’ comes up at the very start which is opposite to the trailer.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Analysing the difference between film trailers and film openings
To establish the difference between a film trailer and a film opening, I have analysed the opening of two different films and a trailer in terms of genre, narrative, character, atmosphere, themes, setting, sound and titles.
Film Trailer
- Title at the end of the sequence
- Usually fast paces editing with transitions
- Main, Hollywood actor and directors name at the start
- Clear idea of genre, setting, historical period and tone
- Clear indication of plot line with some questions to be answered
- See all characters
- Use of soundtrack
127 Hours (2011)
Film Opening
- Cast, Crew and institution names
- Title
- Introduction of main characters
- An indication of place, historical period, mood and tone and genre
- Brings about some questions as to what will happen
- Film is set up
Catch Me If You Can (2002) Film OpeningGenre: Detective, mystery, drama, action
Narrative: Hiding and chasing, Iconography of the airport signs
Character: Two main characters, one man being chased, the other chasing him, detective characters and smaller characters like airport workers etc.
Atmosphere: Suspicious, suspense
Themes: wealth, chasing, imitation or forgery and crime
Setting: Iconography of yellow taxis shows America, airport, hospital, city setting
Sound: old fashioned style, 60’s instrumental style adds to detective feel
Titles: production companies, director, main actors names, title followed by more actors names.
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
Genre: comedy, romance?
Narrative: wedding, friendship, bride catches own bouquet ...something will go wrong?
Character: bride, groom, bridesmaids (three friends)
Atmosphere: happy, light-hearted, feminine, not modern, perhaps 50’s/60’s musical style?
Themes: Iconogrpahy of wedding – dress, bridesmaids etc. love, men, happiness, friendship
Setting: studio, pink shows it is not serious, perhaps a Mickey-take, musical style
Sound: singing about love and how to treat a man, shows themes and narrative
Titles: curly writing like a wedding invitation
Film Trailer
- Title at the end of the sequence
- Usually fast paces editing with transitions
- Main, Hollywood actor and directors name at the start
- Clear idea of genre, setting, historical period and tone
- Clear indication of plot line with some questions to be answered
- See all characters
- Use of soundtrack
127 Hours (2011)
Film Opening
- Cast, Crew and institution names
- Title
- Introduction of main characters
- An indication of place, historical period, mood and tone and genre
- Brings about some questions as to what will happen
- Film is set up
Catch Me If You Can (2002) Film OpeningGenre: Detective, mystery, drama, action
Narrative: Hiding and chasing, Iconography of the airport signs
Character: Two main characters, one man being chased, the other chasing him, detective characters and smaller characters like airport workers etc.
Atmosphere: Suspicious, suspense
Themes: wealth, chasing, imitation or forgery and crime
Setting: Iconography of yellow taxis shows America, airport, hospital, city setting
Sound: old fashioned style, 60’s instrumental style adds to detective feel
Titles: production companies, director, main actors names, title followed by more actors names.
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
Genre: comedy, romance?
Narrative: wedding, friendship, bride catches own bouquet ...something will go wrong?
Character: bride, groom, bridesmaids (three friends)
Atmosphere: happy, light-hearted, feminine, not modern, perhaps 50’s/60’s musical style?
Themes: Iconogrpahy of wedding – dress, bridesmaids etc. love, men, happiness, friendship
Setting: studio, pink shows it is not serious, perhaps a Mickey-take, musical style
Sound: singing about love and how to treat a man, shows themes and narrative
Titles: curly writing like a wedding invitation
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