In comparison to the process we went through as a group for the preliminary task I feel that this production was far more eye opening and extensive for me. I think this is most obviously because I made the video on my own, putting all managing and creative responsibility on me. However I am pleased with the progress I have made and I enjoyed the creative control I had over my production. Time management and organising logistics were the main difficulties I faced as this was my one person project. I feel in the planning stage of the task I took to much time thinking over the look and creative side of the film, meaning the actual logistical decisions for the filming were left until very late on the preparation stage. Although there was a brief stage of planning in the preliminary task, what we had in mind was straight forward so we did not consider story boards. This is something I got to do with the main task, I found this very effective when bringing together all my initial ideas.
Through doing a genre piece in comparison to making a video from a brief I feel this made me keener to work on the film as I was able to work in a genre which I personally find interesting. Researching the genre was also some thing which I found helpful meaning my film will hopefully resemble real films. I also revised to research we had doe to make the preliminary task to aid my work. This was viewing videos that explained shooting rules such as the 180 degree rule and the shot reverse shot. Although some were not applicable to my project it still refreshed my memory and added to the possible vary in shots for the sequence.
Because I was able to make a sequence in a genre I like I think this personal interest made me more aware of what was a good decision and also what was not as I was already familiar to the genre through personal awareness , meaning I could use typical conventions in my own production effectively. As I am generally happy with what I have managed to achieve I think my target audience had been met.
The main thing I have learnt through doing a more extensive production is that time management is everything. while I still coped with the deadline well I feel it would have been more beneficial for me if I had took more time on filming as I would have had more shots to work with which may have added to the effectiveness of the overall production. On reflection if I were to do a project such as this again I would have considered additional filming sessions to obtain a optimum amount of different shots to work with.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
6.What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
At the beginning of the project I needed to do some research into the forms and conventions in different genres of films, this is where you tube became useful for viewing small clips of the genre films I wanted. I have also used the website to upload and stream my film opening and audience response on my blogger account. Although I have used the website to search for videos before, I have never had to deal with the upload side of the site.
To film my production I used a mini DV camcorder. Although I have never had to film every shot myself before as I am used to group work I have however used the cameras in previous projects for film studies. This experience meant I could use my time limit affectively as I did not need to learn the basics of the camera before filming. The most challenging part of the filming was the fact I worked alone, this meant I had to direct and film at the same time which is something I am not custom to. However I feel this has made me more aware and confident using the DV cameras and I can know understand that even simple cameras can prove to be testing.
When editing the shots I had filmed into a final production I used Premier Pro. This is another technology which I am familiar with through film studies. Again this independence away from the group has allowed me to explore the programme in more detail than I was used to. For this project the main thing I have learnt about the software is changing sound levels and cutting sound out of shots to add to others. When filming the sequence the weather conditions were not as good as I had hoped, meaning when playing the shots back the sound of the wind had been picked up very loudly over the initial shots of the two boys playing in the field. At the planning stage of the project I had intended to use a sound track which would compliment the almost montage of shots however when editing I released the sound of the wind had been picked up too greatly to even lessen the sound for the soundtrack. This is when I decided to completely reconsider sound at all for the beginning of the sequence so I changed all the individual levels for each clip. On reflection I feel this added to the feel of the almost dream like equilibrium as the boys played in their juvenile naivety. How ever the dialogue for the second half was important in the audiences understanding of the narrative. I decided to bring in the diegetic sound at the introduction of the title page. The sudden change in sound and appearance on screen was something which I found to be extremely effective, snapping the boys out of their complacency. This is where I had to experiment and further my knowledge of the software; I thought the point in which the sound should come in when the title did. To do this I had to take the sound clip from another clip of the sequence I had recorded and put this onto a different level on the time line, this is something I’d never had to do before.
For the majority of my project I have been using blogger.com which is something completely new to me; however after some guidance and the site easy to use layout I have been able to manage by blog accordingly.
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
My audience will be of C1-C2 on the Jincars scale, aged 18 onwards maybe ended at the late middle age group as the content of the genre may prove too explicit and challenging for a much older audience, just as it would for a younger audience. My audience I assume will be aspirers as the images of the working class and their troubles provoke ambition to better yourself. I think they will also be individuals or non-conformists as the genre is not typically mainstream. This will also target my film at more film literate audiences as they will go and seek more serious and realism based films instead of generic mainstream genres. Although I imagine the audience not to be of a working class area or occupation, I feel there is a possibility that they would come from this sort of background as these events and situations of the film will evoke emotion and as I said possibly creating a relation to the characters. The audience however I would imagine to be well educated and intellectual to have a preference for the social realist genre. I think my target audience would spend a lot of their free time watching films or reading a broad sheet newspaper, newspapers such as the guardian which includes a less mainstream section of reviews for film, art and literature. On the other end of the scale for my audience I think younger audiences may be interested in productions in this genre if they have an awareness of film or study film at a higher education level.
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your product and why?
Due to the genre and themes of my production I believe that the companies that are most likely to be interested and appropriate in distribution and exhibition of my film are likely to be a more specialist independent British company which will appeal to and target a niche market audience. Because the production falls into such a specific target audience I feel that a conglomerate company would not distribute in ways which would convey the production effectively in line with the key theme. This is because they are more likely to try and attract a larger audience where they would most likely focus on the male friendship to give the film a happier and less shocking representation of today’s working class society to attain a commercial success. With this in mind I believe that a company such as Optimum Releasing would be a fitting distributor to my production. I came to this conclusion through their connection with the film “This Is England” as this was an important influence over my own production and its content.
I have targeted my film hypothetically at the distribution company Optimum Releasing because I believe they will give the connotations in their distribution scheme which will enable audiences to realize the content and narrative intended. A company such as Optimum Releasing will also work on attracting the genre’s typical and niche target audience ensuring the success of my production. The use of a company such as this will also enable me to retain creative control over the production as they are not likely to cut the film to ensure mainstream success and gross profit. This ultimately will mean my film will retain the imagery and integrity which are the foundations to the message it is trying to convey to a niche target audience who are likely to be receptive and appreciative of the themes and generic hard hitting conventions of the genre.
Distribution companies such as Optimum Releasing and also the independent film production companies have, in recent years, embraced the digital technological advances in the film industry. Therefore, as my production may not achieve mainstream success the distribution and exhibition of it will need to be managed in an innovative way through a variety of mediums to enhance the size of my potential audience to ensure commercial success. Films such as “This is not a Love Song” have found success through being developed, produced and exhibited using digital technology to increase the availability to its target audience and possibly to create a new audience. Also, the independent companies are considering using digital technology as a standard which will aid the development of the genres they deal with and this could be a positive impact upon my production’s distribution success.
I have targeted my film hypothetically at the distribution company Optimum Releasing because I believe they will give the connotations in their distribution scheme which will enable audiences to realize the content and narrative intended. A company such as Optimum Releasing will also work on attracting the genre’s typical and niche target audience ensuring the success of my production. The use of a company such as this will also enable me to retain creative control over the production as they are not likely to cut the film to ensure mainstream success and gross profit. This ultimately will mean my film will retain the imagery and integrity which are the foundations to the message it is trying to convey to a niche target audience who are likely to be receptive and appreciative of the themes and generic hard hitting conventions of the genre.
Distribution companies such as Optimum Releasing and also the independent film production companies have, in recent years, embraced the digital technological advances in the film industry. Therefore, as my production may not achieve mainstream success the distribution and exhibition of it will need to be managed in an innovative way through a variety of mediums to enhance the size of my potential audience to ensure commercial success. Films such as “This is not a Love Song” have found success through being developed, produced and exhibited using digital technology to increase the availability to its target audience and possibly to create a new audience. Also, the independent companies are considering using digital technology as a standard which will aid the development of the genres they deal with and this could be a positive impact upon my production’s distribution success.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My short opening sequence to the beginning of my film has a strong representation of a social group. Typical to the social realist genre I have tried to depict the working class and in particular the youth of this group. The representation I have tried to give is very similar to that of work by such directors as Ken Loach and Shane Meadows. The two main protagonists in the sequence are two early teens thrown into the struggles and surviving in the working class. The equilibrium stage of the sequence at the very beginning is shot in a country side area showing the young boys in a location out of their boundaries. They are off the urban setting of their estate ‘The Manor’ giving the sense that they are rule breaking or up to no good. However their presence does not create a dislike for the boys. We as an audience are made to empathize with the characters as they appear so juvenile and playful.
When firstly considering the two roles and casting them I chose to use two fifteen year old boys and decided to dress them in casual wear more specifically sports wear which is typical to this social group and more often associated with the stereotype that is the ‘chav’ and ‘asbo’ subculture; the signifiers such as track suit bottoms exemplify this. The choice of costume is one which I find stereotypical to the representations of the working class in today’s society. I also decided to use two boys who had a natural connection and rapport with one another in their real lives which I feel enabled them to give the film the character roles to convey the themes and representations associated to the social realist genre, this idea of poverty connecting families and friends to support each other through the hardship. More distinctively in my production, male friendship and their fight against working class difficulties.
Another representation within the sequence is that of a girl who is unconscious through an over dose of drugs in a tunnel. Although the character role is small her appearance in the sequence is key to understanding the boys’ involvement in the narrative. When dressing the female character I decided to carry on with the casual and simple costume design that is stereotypical to a council estate resident and also used make up to create an negative image of what the media shows us about drug abuse and its consequences. Her general stance in the tunnel was also considered to give a real and effective appearance to her role. My intention was to use graphic images to set the scene and give her role an impact, if only for the short duration of the sequence, to engage the audience and also create a sense of empathy for the boys. Her situation is one that is closely linked to the social realist genre whereby young people fall into poverty and hardship through either their personal need to satisfy a drug dependence or to sell drugs to support families and to ensure their well being. My intention therefore was to try to create a scene that depicted this desperation and also create a powerful impact upon the audience and to introduce the boys into the narrative of the completed film.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
1.1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In what ways does your media production use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My aim was to produce a short sequence in the social realism genre. I feel that there was clear evidence of the typical film form and generic conventions of a real film of this genre. Firstly and most obviously were the content and character roles to convey these conventions. I chose to base the story line around the youth of the working classes, and in particular the abuse of recreational drugs in these areas. This is typical to the genre as most productions include content of this sort. We can see this in such films as Loache’s ‘My Name is Joe’. In the sequence we see the two main protagonists hit with the image of a girl they recognize over dosed, making them aware of the horrors of their neighborhood. Along with this content and disruption I tried to give the mise-en-scene a dull and recognizable feel which is evident in real productions. When considering the location of the sequence I chose a very contrasting setting to create an opposition for the following events. However I ensured this would be a realistic area to use so the field I filmed in was extremely near by a council estate to create a visual contrast without loosing the social realist approach. When filming the encounter with the girl I selected an old railway tunnel which proved to give the atmosphere and lighting that I had hoped would compliment the scene. The lighting and weather conditions on the day of filming also contributed to the look of the film. This was because the over cast conditions gave the shots a dull and dreary look which fits to the conventions of the social realist genre perfectly. For the sequence I made the decision not to use a non-diegetic soundtrack. I felt this would fit the genre better and it also allowed me to neaten out the continuity of the shots. By this I mean, the sound of the wind was picked up during certain shots and not in others, giving the compiled sequence burst of natural sound which made edits too clear. However this decision ultimately helped with the message and connotations of the film as there was no sound at all at the beginning. This was soon contrasted with the introduction of diegetic sound brought in with the title of the film. This sudden change in diegetics made an impact which proved effective; this brought the two boys out of their dream like equilibrium into the disruption of the narrative. Although the genre I set out to make the production in was social realism I feel there were aspects of other genres included. The most prominent apart from social realism would be a drama genre; I think this was evident through the early disruption and introduction of the girl. Although I wanted to settle my production firmly into the social realist genre the time scale did not allow sufficient time to film within the conventions which is typical to the genre. By this I mean using an uneventful opening to a film to set the scene and social roles within the film with the intention of grabbing the audiences’ attention.
My aim was to produce a short sequence in the social realism genre. I feel that there was clear evidence of the typical film form and generic conventions of a real film of this genre. Firstly and most obviously were the content and character roles to convey these conventions. I chose to base the story line around the youth of the working classes, and in particular the abuse of recreational drugs in these areas. This is typical to the genre as most productions include content of this sort. We can see this in such films as Loache’s ‘My Name is Joe’. In the sequence we see the two main protagonists hit with the image of a girl they recognize over dosed, making them aware of the horrors of their neighborhood. Along with this content and disruption I tried to give the mise-en-scene a dull and recognizable feel which is evident in real productions. When considering the location of the sequence I chose a very contrasting setting to create an opposition for the following events. However I ensured this would be a realistic area to use so the field I filmed in was extremely near by a council estate to create a visual contrast without loosing the social realist approach. When filming the encounter with the girl I selected an old railway tunnel which proved to give the atmosphere and lighting that I had hoped would compliment the scene. The lighting and weather conditions on the day of filming also contributed to the look of the film. This was because the over cast conditions gave the shots a dull and dreary look which fits to the conventions of the social realist genre perfectly. For the sequence I made the decision not to use a non-diegetic soundtrack. I felt this would fit the genre better and it also allowed me to neaten out the continuity of the shots. By this I mean, the sound of the wind was picked up during certain shots and not in others, giving the compiled sequence burst of natural sound which made edits too clear. However this decision ultimately helped with the message and connotations of the film as there was no sound at all at the beginning. This was soon contrasted with the introduction of diegetic sound brought in with the title of the film. This sudden change in diegetics made an impact which proved effective; this brought the two boys out of their dream like equilibrium into the disruption of the narrative. Although the genre I set out to make the production in was social realism I feel there were aspects of other genres included. The most prominent apart from social realism would be a drama genre; I think this was evident through the early disruption and introduction of the girl. Although I wanted to settle my production firmly into the social realist genre the time scale did not allow sufficient time to film within the conventions which is typical to the genre. By this I mean using an uneventful opening to a film to set the scene and social roles within the film with the intention of grabbing the audiences’ attention.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Monday, 23 February 2009
Shooting the sequence
I tried to convey my first thoughts and ideas in the shooting of the film, however this proved testing as the conditions and situations prior to the film affected my intentions greatly. Firstly when i went to the field I had planned to use I discovered that the long, meadow like grass had been mown away, which i personally felt took away from the atmosphere I had planned on creating. I used the field i had intended to use despite the changes to the look of the setting, as I preferred the surrounding area in comparison to other locations i looked at after discovering the change at the original field. Another complication was to do with the colour design for the sequence. The weather conditions on the day set to film were not as bright as i had expected, meaning that the colouring at lighting of the scene will be a lot duller than I had planned. This however is not a massive loss as on reflection I feel that this dull lighting will bring my production the generic social realism style of gloomy-ness as I was swaying to a more art house styling of my production much like Lynne Ramsey rather than Ken loach. The final hindering of the film was that my Brother who was set to play one of the lead characters (one of the two lead boys) became ill during the week previous to the Sunday we were going to film. This made me unsure whether filming could go on or whether i would be able to find a stand-in in time. Luckily my brother regained some energy ready for filming nevertheless he was not of full health meaning he didn’t seem as energetic and juvenile as I wanted him to seem in the scene, slightly taking away from the narrative and mood of the film.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
planning
I have formed the logistics for my production. i have two 15 year old males to play my lead characters, this fits the age range perfectly for the social realist genre. One is my younger brother ben and the other his best friend JJ is feel the use of actual best friends will help create the sense of friendship in the lead characters as the boys will appear comfortable around each other as they should. The character of the girl is going to be played by my friend Abi , although this role is short i have taken inspiration from Lynne Ramsey and used all familar actors for my production , i hope this will give it the more personal affect and give me the feel and atmostphere i have intention of creating. i have planned to set out at about 2-3 in the afternoon as i feel this is the perfect time for shooting to create the intended effect as this time of day is bright yet shadowy. i need this bright low sun lighting to make the situation seem happier , to establish my initial equilibrium, this also being a time of the day where the light is stark the tunnel scene where the boys find the girl will be more affective.
Time managment
Thursday - assess the field i have made plans to use for filming.
Sunday- Filming day 2 o' clock meeting at field , scene set in this time frame so from then onwards will be a realistic time.
Sunday afternoon is arranged to meet to film , the time frame set is apropriate for lighting and fits around the actors avalible time.
these are 2 examples of my story board, one from the very begining and one from near the end. in the examples i have chosen to use a range of shots, these are as follows:
-wide angled pan
-longshot
-medium close up
-medium longshot
-closeup
i think with a vary of shots i have chosen to use the sequence should be effective in creating the narrative at a very early stage.
Time managment
Thursday - assess the field i have made plans to use for filming.
Sunday- Filming day 2 o' clock meeting at field , scene set in this time frame so from then onwards will be a realistic time.
Sunday afternoon is arranged to meet to film , the time frame set is apropriate for lighting and fits around the actors avalible time.
these are 2 examples of my story board, one from the very begining and one from near the end. in the examples i have chosen to use a range of shots, these are as follows:
-wide angled pan
-longshot
-medium close up
-medium longshot
-closeup
i think with a vary of shots i have chosen to use the sequence should be effective in creating the narrative at a very early stage.
Monday, 2 February 2009
Analysis of the opening of a film
I have chosen to produce a social realist piece for my project; I feel this with my available resources and personal preference will be a logical choice for my project. I have chosen to analysis ‘This is England’, this is a new age take on social realism which has had great success with not only the specialist film audience but also a more mainstream audience through its catchy sound track and its close representation of the skin head culture and the national front movement. I think the target audience for the film would originally be more film literate audiences with a specific preference for social realism and other directors work such as Loach. There is the recognisable presentation of political movements and situations of the era in the very beginning showing a montage of clips from the time in which the film is set, these include shots of Margaret Thatcher, the Falkland's War, skinhead culture and riots throughout England. There is also the character role of Shaun, a young man caught in a situation which he is not in control of with only the desire to better himself, which is particularly typical to British social realism and the British new wave. I find this typical character role interesting and I feel that with the content I have chosen this will evoke the empathy I want the film to convey, however I think I am going to experiment with having more than one main character, even if they will both be from the same background and the same age. The location of the film is key in building a social realist genre. The film is set in a working class area, which is a very strong narrative convention as the genre is nearly almost in the point of view of a working class character role which allows the director to work around very controversial and hard hitting social and political issues. The introduction of Shaun is very interesting as there is initially a shot of a photograph and the reinforcement of the year shown in text no screen. The shot of the photograph is extremely important in creating a narrative expectation for the audience, especially a more intellectual audience as they will recognise this a enigma code and be intrigued by its initial unapparent connexion to the narrative. We of course then realise its extremely important as the situations Shaun experiences are almost brought on by the death of his father (the man in the photograph) The opening of ‘This is England’ has made me realise the sheer amount of footage I will need to create impact in the very few minutes of the beginning of the film. I will need to set up narrative expectation which is going to be relevant to the issues of the time I’m setting my production in, the present day. I also want to try and create a enigma code some where within the 2 minutes; although this will prove to be difficult I would like to include one to reach a more sophistication audience as this is one which true social realist pieces should interest.
My audience will be of C1-C2 on the Jincars scale, aged 18 onwards maybe ended at the late middle age group as the content of the genre may prove too explicit and challenging for a much older audience, just as it would for a younger audience. My audience I assume will be aspirers as the images of the working class and their troubles provoke ambition to better yourself. I think they will also be individuals or non-conformists as the genre is not typically mainstream. This will also target my film at more film literate audiences as they will go and seek more serious and realism based films instead of generic mainstream genres. Although I imagine the audience not to be of a working class area or occupation, I feel there is a possibility that they would come from this sort of background as these events and situations of the film will evoke emotion and as I said possibly creating a relation to the characters. The audience however I would imagine to be well educated and intellectual to have a preference for the social realist genre. I think my target audience would spend a lot of their free time watching films or reading a broad sheet newspaper, newspapers such as the guardian which includes a less mainstream section of reviews for film, art and literature. On the other end of the scale for my audience I think younger audiences may be interested in productions in this genre if they have an awareness of film or study film at a higher education level.
Synopsis
Two young best friends Ben and JJ are average teenagers, half way between childhood and adulthood they strive for acceptance by those around them, leading them to act out. The Sunday when their worlds get turned upside down was a day like any other day, boredom stricken they adventure out into the back fields of their council estate, tearing up the scenery around them and messing around as boys their age should. This is when they discover the corpse of a girl they recognise from the estate. They’re naivety shattered they realise she has overdosed thus capturing they’re attention into the highly dangerous drug scene of the area and emerging them into it before they can even realise.
My audience will be of C1-C2 on the Jincars scale, aged 18 onwards maybe ended at the late middle age group as the content of the genre may prove too explicit and challenging for a much older audience, just as it would for a younger audience. My audience I assume will be aspirers as the images of the working class and their troubles provoke ambition to better yourself. I think they will also be individuals or non-conformists as the genre is not typically mainstream. This will also target my film at more film literate audiences as they will go and seek more serious and realism based films instead of generic mainstream genres. Although I imagine the audience not to be of a working class area or occupation, I feel there is a possibility that they would come from this sort of background as these events and situations of the film will evoke emotion and as I said possibly creating a relation to the characters. The audience however I would imagine to be well educated and intellectual to have a preference for the social realist genre. I think my target audience would spend a lot of their free time watching films or reading a broad sheet newspaper, newspapers such as the guardian which includes a less mainstream section of reviews for film, art and literature. On the other end of the scale for my audience I think younger audiences may be interested in productions in this genre if they have an awareness of film or study film at a higher education level.
Synopsis
Two young best friends Ben and JJ are average teenagers, half way between childhood and adulthood they strive for acceptance by those around them, leading them to act out. The Sunday when their worlds get turned upside down was a day like any other day, boredom stricken they adventure out into the back fields of their council estate, tearing up the scenery around them and messing around as boys their age should. This is when they discover the corpse of a girl they recognise from the estate. They’re naivety shattered they realise she has overdosed thus capturing they’re attention into the highly dangerous drug scene of the area and emerging them into it before they can even realise.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Initial Specific research into shared features.
Social realism
Social realism is a genre which represents real lives and real social and political situations in our nation. The genre is recognisable through such work as ken loach. His most famous film ‘Kes’ was a success through the country and has bought attention to the genre for years after. His films tell the story of the working class and their struggles for survival. The narratives of genre usually entail such subjects as drugs, alcohol, debt and violence and are usually told following one character stuck in the situations which make it impossible for them to better themselves. The genre can also be very closely associated with the British New wave of the late 50s, this kitchen sink realism reinforces the mentality of the youth of the era, to better themselves and also abandon the ideology of their elders and the years before. In recent years the social realist movement has been given some new faces such as Shane Meadows, who has won over the film world with his success with His work.
‘Social realism developed as a reaction against idealism and the exaggerated ego encouraged by romanticism.’
‘They focus on ugly realities of contemporary life and sympathized with the working -class people, particularly the poor.’
Comparison of 3 social realist pieces
‘Kes’ (1969) Directed by: Ken Loach – Kes is the story of a young working-class Yorkshire boy who is bullied at school and ignored and abused at home. He then finds, tames and trains a kestrel falcon, bringing the joy and motivation he needed for so long. With the issues of his education and future at stake throughout the film is a depiction of the limitation set for the youth of the working class before the tragic end with the death of Billy’s beloved Kes.
‘This is England’ (2006) Directed by: Shane Meadows – This is England takes us deep into the skin head culture of the 1980s , initially on a more shallow level but soon plunging into the National front movement with the introduction of the character Combo who turns The young Shaun’s world upside down. At the beginning Shaun is an outcast at his new school being bullied, generally for his appearance which is due to his working class background. He is then plucked up out of the street into a group of skinhead by the leader Woody. This uplifting change to his life is then shattered with his involvement with Combo finishing with a dramatic and ambiguous ending.
‘Sweet sixteen’ (2002) Directed by:Ken Loach– Liam is a Scottish working class teenager determined on living a normal family life once his mother is out of prison. She is prosecuted for a crime that her extremely violent and manipulative boyfriend has committed. With this in mind Liam’s goal is to save her from her boyfriend Stan and his grandfather. With no hope for a job and no education Liam’s only hope is the ever dangerous drug underground. He starts out small selling ‘gear’ which he has stolen from Stan’s stash , only to fall deeper and deeper into the scene finding himself emerged into the largest gang of his hometown Greenock. His efforts to raise cash are wasted when his mother turns back to Stan filling Liam with rage and in effect his decision to kill Stan.
All three films are similar in content, they all feature young boys lost deep in the goings on of the lower-class. They are all set and actually filmed on location and mostly contain extras which are not trained actors for authenticity. The films directed by Loach are particularly similar in the way in which they are produced due to his auteur qualities he brings to his films, such as improvisation from cast and candid camera work. Although both Meadows and loach have their own personal take on the genre their shooting methods are similar in the way of long drawn out shots, documenting the lives of the characters in an observatory manner and also fast and sharp editing when there is a large amount of violence or action; This contrast gives the content more impact and affect to the audience. The audience will generally be the same demographic, as they are more likely to be interested in film and more persistent with the challenging content. The audience I assume to be older as the films I have listed are mostly a pastiche of eras before, the difficult content and social issues involved are also something which will be unacceptable for a younger audience. I would think that the audience would more than likely be in the region of C1-C2 based on the films distance from mainstream cinema.
Social realism is a genre which represents real lives and real social and political situations in our nation. The genre is recognisable through such work as ken loach. His most famous film ‘Kes’ was a success through the country and has bought attention to the genre for years after. His films tell the story of the working class and their struggles for survival. The narratives of genre usually entail such subjects as drugs, alcohol, debt and violence and are usually told following one character stuck in the situations which make it impossible for them to better themselves. The genre can also be very closely associated with the British New wave of the late 50s, this kitchen sink realism reinforces the mentality of the youth of the era, to better themselves and also abandon the ideology of their elders and the years before. In recent years the social realist movement has been given some new faces such as Shane Meadows, who has won over the film world with his success with His work.
‘Social realism developed as a reaction against idealism and the exaggerated ego encouraged by romanticism.’
‘They focus on ugly realities of contemporary life and sympathized with the working -class people, particularly the poor.’
Comparison of 3 social realist pieces
‘Kes’ (1969) Directed by: Ken Loach – Kes is the story of a young working-class Yorkshire boy who is bullied at school and ignored and abused at home. He then finds, tames and trains a kestrel falcon, bringing the joy and motivation he needed for so long. With the issues of his education and future at stake throughout the film is a depiction of the limitation set for the youth of the working class before the tragic end with the death of Billy’s beloved Kes.
‘This is England’ (2006) Directed by: Shane Meadows – This is England takes us deep into the skin head culture of the 1980s , initially on a more shallow level but soon plunging into the National front movement with the introduction of the character Combo who turns The young Shaun’s world upside down. At the beginning Shaun is an outcast at his new school being bullied, generally for his appearance which is due to his working class background. He is then plucked up out of the street into a group of skinhead by the leader Woody. This uplifting change to his life is then shattered with his involvement with Combo finishing with a dramatic and ambiguous ending.
‘Sweet sixteen’ (2002) Directed by:Ken Loach– Liam is a Scottish working class teenager determined on living a normal family life once his mother is out of prison. She is prosecuted for a crime that her extremely violent and manipulative boyfriend has committed. With this in mind Liam’s goal is to save her from her boyfriend Stan and his grandfather. With no hope for a job and no education Liam’s only hope is the ever dangerous drug underground. He starts out small selling ‘gear’ which he has stolen from Stan’s stash , only to fall deeper and deeper into the scene finding himself emerged into the largest gang of his hometown Greenock. His efforts to raise cash are wasted when his mother turns back to Stan filling Liam with rage and in effect his decision to kill Stan.
All three films are similar in content, they all feature young boys lost deep in the goings on of the lower-class. They are all set and actually filmed on location and mostly contain extras which are not trained actors for authenticity. The films directed by Loach are particularly similar in the way in which they are produced due to his auteur qualities he brings to his films, such as improvisation from cast and candid camera work. Although both Meadows and loach have their own personal take on the genre their shooting methods are similar in the way of long drawn out shots, documenting the lives of the characters in an observatory manner and also fast and sharp editing when there is a large amount of violence or action; This contrast gives the content more impact and affect to the audience. The audience will generally be the same demographic, as they are more likely to be interested in film and more persistent with the challenging content. The audience I assume to be older as the films I have listed are mostly a pastiche of eras before, the difficult content and social issues involved are also something which will be unacceptable for a younger audience. I would think that the audience would more than likely be in the region of C1-C2 based on the films distance from mainstream cinema.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Video; Film openings initial research
I have chosen to produce a 2 minute opening of a genre film which will include a title sequence.
I have looked into some different areas and genres of films which have particular styles and characteristics as well as the use of film openings in general.
firstly films in general...
- Films use generic conventions to set up a viewers expectations for the film from the very begining of a film , if an audience can identify particular conventions they are able to realise the genre and will find pleasure when their expectations are fore filled.
Dog Soldiers is a very good example of how genre can create expectations for the audience in the start of the film...
- All the generic conventions of a typical horror and more specifically werewolf horror are included in the opening of the film. There is a defenceless couple, shot at night time/ moonlight, a full moon, wolf howls and a silver steak. This immediately sets up an audience expectation of werewolves and their first expectation is proven right when the couple are killed. A binary opposition is created when cooper is told to kill the dog and wont so the other character does, we as an audience then empathise with cooper this making him our propian hero.
- The build of the character roles enables the audience to create the expectation of restored equilibrium by the propian hero, this disruption that must be restored is already demonstrated in the initial few scenes of the film, when there is the introduction of the werewolf and the couple is killed. The reinforcement of binary opposites is shown through the character that kills the dog when our Propian hero will not, making the other character his opposite and the villain. This role gives the expectation that ‘the villain’ will add to the disruption of the narrative. But the hero will over come and restore the narrative.
Hollywood product...
- Hollywood genres are very easily identified initially through particularly through actors/ actresses, trailers and soundtracks. This early establishment enables audiences to ensure that they will enjoy the film if they are preferential to the genre. Hollywood product has particular film grammar which creates an idea of fiction story telling in the film, this is shown through rules of filming such as continuity editing, the 180 degree rule and the actors / actresses lack of interaction with the audience. In Hollywood product there are narrative conventions such as preliminary equilibrium, the disruption of this and then finally the restoration of this by the hero character role. The financiers of these films are large studios such as universal and Warner, meaning they need to be morally and politically correct with no alternative content for their target audiences to be green lighted.
Social realist films...
- There are still many generic conventions of social realist film; however the content is some what alternative in comparison to more mainstream product. A social realist film is usually very dialogue heavy, creating a more dramatic and serious feel. The soundtrack, if used, is recognisable and relevant to the content and era of the film. For instance in the film ‘This is England’ used a ska and reggae orientated soundtrack associated with the skin head culture of the period, this relevance reinforces the realism. These films use on location shooting and at most times natural lighting with bland colour design , just as life is not saturated and bright all the time.
I have looked into some different areas and genres of films which have particular styles and characteristics as well as the use of film openings in general.
firstly films in general...
- Films use generic conventions to set up a viewers expectations for the film from the very begining of a film , if an audience can identify particular conventions they are able to realise the genre and will find pleasure when their expectations are fore filled.
Dog Soldiers is a very good example of how genre can create expectations for the audience in the start of the film...
- All the generic conventions of a typical horror and more specifically werewolf horror are included in the opening of the film. There is a defenceless couple, shot at night time/ moonlight, a full moon, wolf howls and a silver steak. This immediately sets up an audience expectation of werewolves and their first expectation is proven right when the couple are killed. A binary opposition is created when cooper is told to kill the dog and wont so the other character does, we as an audience then empathise with cooper this making him our propian hero.
- The build of the character roles enables the audience to create the expectation of restored equilibrium by the propian hero, this disruption that must be restored is already demonstrated in the initial few scenes of the film, when there is the introduction of the werewolf and the couple is killed. The reinforcement of binary opposites is shown through the character that kills the dog when our Propian hero will not, making the other character his opposite and the villain. This role gives the expectation that ‘the villain’ will add to the disruption of the narrative. But the hero will over come and restore the narrative.
Hollywood product...
- Hollywood genres are very easily identified initially through particularly through actors/ actresses, trailers and soundtracks. This early establishment enables audiences to ensure that they will enjoy the film if they are preferential to the genre. Hollywood product has particular film grammar which creates an idea of fiction story telling in the film, this is shown through rules of filming such as continuity editing, the 180 degree rule and the actors / actresses lack of interaction with the audience. In Hollywood product there are narrative conventions such as preliminary equilibrium, the disruption of this and then finally the restoration of this by the hero character role. The financiers of these films are large studios such as universal and Warner, meaning they need to be morally and politically correct with no alternative content for their target audiences to be green lighted.
Social realist films...
- There are still many generic conventions of social realist film; however the content is some what alternative in comparison to more mainstream product. A social realist film is usually very dialogue heavy, creating a more dramatic and serious feel. The soundtrack, if used, is recognisable and relevant to the content and era of the film. For instance in the film ‘This is England’ used a ska and reggae orientated soundtrack associated with the skin head culture of the period, this relevance reinforces the realism. These films use on location shooting and at most times natural lighting with bland colour design , just as life is not saturated and bright all the time.
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