After the creation of the media production I will be doing this evaluation to see how the overall production went. By doing this I can see what went well and what didn't. This could help in the future as it can help prevent the same mistakes happening again. I can also ask others for feedback as well so that the improvement could be taken further.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? Answer to question 1 is in the following link
How does your media product represent particular social groups? The movie starts out with a scene of the film showing the drug dealer being attacked. After this section of the film has finished there is a sequence which shows the title of our film. By structuring it in this layout it shows the audience a vague representation of what our film is about. By doing this they can decide if the film would be something they were interested in. Our film used different ways which would represent certain characters within the film. One of the ways was Mise-En-Scene. This is where we used things such as costume and make up so that the characters were perceived in a certain way. In our film there were only male characters which made it easier to decided the look we wanted our characters to have. Firstly, there was a police officer. The police officer in our film was PC Bloor. In order to make it look more realistic we had our actor wear a shirt, tie and trousers. By having them wear this costume it contrasted the drug dealers of a lower class to the working class police officer. At the end of our movie we has a scene in the police station. In order to make it seem like the police station was real instead of a college room we placed posters on the wall which may be found in a real police station. The next characters we had to represent we rival drug dealers. As we wanted them to be shown as worse off than the police officer we didn't make them as smartly dressed as PC Bloor. They were dressed in a casual manner in order to show a sense of realism. By showing it in this way it lets the audience see that the there are problems like this happening every day. To show what was happening with the drug dealing easily we had to use a variety of props. For example, we used a gun in order to show the dangers which may come along with drug dealers. There were also bags used to show the drugs being passed on. Hoodies were then used to convey mystery and hide the identity of people as they wouldn't want to be identified. When it came to choosing locations we wanted to use things people would see everyday. We used a main road, a café and an alley way. These were settings which made the movie flow and looked real. By doing this it was realistic. The alleyway was one of the most important locations to choose from as this is where most of the action had happened. When it came to choosing what music we wanted in the background we knew that we didn't want it to be too loud as we wanted the focus to remain on the plot. We had two different music tracks in our film as we faded them in and so that they could easily transition. I chose to use free music tracks as this then avoided the confrontation of the copyright legislation. The typography in our film was basic as we didn't want to draw too much attention from the film especially the locations. As our film genre was crime we wanted people to be able to identify this. In order to do so we wanted the iconography to be easily spotted. To represent this we used weaponry(guns) and showed police posters to show the audience the film representation.
What kind of media institution might distribute your film and why? When selecting the distributor of my movie I wanted something that would showcase every aspect of my media product. In order to achieve this we wanted a company that had knowledge of the media industry so that they could promote our media product in the best way possible. By having a distributor that was able to choose the best places to advertise our product it would reach the audience we wanted and then it could lead to the media product being more successful. After studying possible distributors I wanted to choose a regional company as this was more realistic. After looking at the bug six film company I realised that the budgets and equipment they used wasn't suitable for my film so a company similar to Warp Films would be good as there budgets and other criteria would suit the production of my film.
Warp Films logo
In order to find a suitable distributor I looked on the Internet using the search engine Google. The drawbacks of using an independent film company would be that they won't have as big of a budget as conglomerates. This is because the conglomerates can use their subsidiaries to help the movie become more successful. The bigger film companies would also have better software and editing skills as they can afford to so this. This would widen their audience as they will have more originality in their movie. They could also use effects such as IMAX and 3D. After I had searched for possible distributors we found a company called Film Bank which was a film distributor set in London. We decided if we wanted to distribute they would be a company to consider. This is because they have experience and knowledge within the film industry. By having this background knowledge they will know of ways which could potentially make the movie more successful. The company also has distributed movies before which makes them seem more reliable and trust worthy.
Who would be the audience for your media product and why? The target audience for our films will be males who are at the high end teenage years into adults. This is because some scenes and language used will be inappropriate for the younger audiences. Although, I have said that it will be aimed mainly towards men, I know that some women may also be interested in the media product. The audience will be for people who enjoy watching crime thriller movies. there is no specific personal lifestyle which would affect whether people watch the movie or not as they can easily watch in their spare time. Before making the film I decided to perform a questionnaire with the public as they could then have an input of what they would like to get out of the movie. They will also be able to say what they would and wouldn't want in the movie. This could then improve the success rate as we as the creators will know what the audience want. When choosing what questions to ask we asked a variety of questions from what the characters should be like to suggestions for the movie title itself. By the audience being involved in production it could be used as a persuasive technique in order to get them to watch the movie. I asked a variety of gender and ages so that my questionnaire wouldn't be biased. This would make my findings more accurate and useful when advertising the media product.
How did you attract/ address your audience? When deciding upon the target audience we wanted to get information of what people would be interested in the film. Once we had planned the film we went to the local town centre as asked people questions about the film. After the questions had been answered we asked who they think would be a suitable audience. From this we decided that the film would be more aimed at the more mature audience and a mix of gender. I think that we have reached our target audience as we used all the feedback we got given in order to make it more appealing to the audience. We also adapted certain aspects of the movie to comply with the age restriction we had set (15).
Final cut express logo
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? Throughout the process I have learnt new skills from some of the software which has been used to help develop my film. The first skill which I have learnt is using Blogger which is the application in Google. I have used this to document the processing stage of creating my film. By documenting what I have done I cane backtrack to easily find some information which I may need later on in the process. I have learnt how to clearly structure the blog and add videos and images. By learning this skill, it may be something I could use later on to help me present some of my other work. The next skill would be using Final Cut Express. This is the software which we used in order to edit our film. We used this as it was easily available and had many techniques which could be used in order to enhance our film. Final Cut Express allowed us to edit out all the shots which were not useful to use within the film as they were done incorrectly. We could also use different media types in our film for example, video and sound. By being able to time these at the same time it made the process of creating the film easier to do. We also learnt of the impact that social media could have when advertising and reaching out to the audience. By using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter we could reach a specific target audience. This was easy to do as you can design pages and accounts to suit the audience and represent the film. Not only was it easy to do it is also free which means that the budget for marketing would not need to be set high in order to be successful. At the filming stage we used a hand held camera at certain parts. However, we sometimes used a tripod. This is because it offers a more steady shot which makes the movie look like it is filmed more professionally. At certain stage we wanted to show uncertainty and the best way to do this was to use a hand held camera as it wasn't steady.
Once I had looked at different title sequences I decided to look at one of them more closely. By doing so I was able to see what made them give a positive impression and how they could have been improved. This would help me to then make decisions on how I wanted my film title to look. This could also help when sequencing it together and choosing what order to put it in.
I decided to look at the title sequence of the film "Buried" into more detail than previously as I felt like this was the most relevant to my own movie. I looked at the style fonts, colour, images and sounds in order to see how they fitted the genre and made an impression on the viewers in order to make it look and be successful.
The title sequence opens with a black background which is appropriate as it could symbolise the darkness of being buried underground. The writing of the production slowly comes in revealing the writing gradually. By doing this I think it represents the genre well as it is slowly revealing information like a crime movie would. When the font comes on it is bold and easy to read. It's orange and white which contrast well with the black. By doing this it suits more audiences as it helps people who have visual impairments. This would help the movie have higher success rates as more people will be able to watch it if they cater for their needs. There is also a four second pause which enables people to read the details. This is a good idea as some people may not be that good at reading. The writing then exits the screen at the top and letters disappear at different times.
After this more information comes on and it works it's way up the screen. There is still a consistent colour theme which is a good thing to have as it will be recognisable and it will make it look more professional also. Once it has almost reached the top of the screen the text fades out which allows us as viewers plenty of time to read it but gives the producers chance to use technical editing to improve the appearance of the title sequence.
Once the title sequence has reached the twenty second mark their are images which are started to be used. The colour of the images are similar to the orange text. This helps to colour coordinate which makes it look more sophisticated and well thought out. The images are strands of colour one being textured with a stone imprint to symbolise the title "Buried".
After the strands begin to increase in number they fall down the screen and they make up the movie title. This also has the stone imprint on it and it emphasises the storyline. This would be good if they were previewing this whilst watching another movie at the cinema as they are getting a glimpse of what the film is about. It is also a good reminder for people who are not at the cinema as they can have a reminder of what the film is about and it also may help them to understand the concept of the movie more. The dark black background has now got an added texture in to make it look like soil. By using small things such as font and background colour you can represent the movie well. I think I may use something like this as it is easy to do and it doesn't require any specialists. Also it won't take a long time which will be good as we can then focus on bigger tasks which may be harder to complete.
All the fonts after this are also of a consistent font but the colours have slightly changed. There is still the white element on the title sequence but there is also a new colour of blue. They use the blue letters as the capital letter which is first. By choosing this colour they could be contrasting the ground and the sky. By doing so they are yet again symbolising the title "Buried" as it shows the ground first as this is what the film is based around and they afterwards it shows blue which is what is above them. Afterwards they link the blue writing towards the textured stone background. By doing this it is linking the two elements together. This symbolises the earth meeting the ground and showing it is closer than they imagine. This carries on until the end of the title sequence. However, the colour interchanges from the blue and to the yellow and orange colours. This could help reflect the movie as it shows the struggles of getting from the ground to above it.
Overall, I believe that this is a good title sequence example as it represents the film well. It does this by showing that images and colours which may reflect the film and what the storyline is. It also uses colour themes which show hidden messages of certain aspects of the film. This has made me want to show some parts of my movie in order to persuade and keep my audiences entertained. This will help to make my movie become more successful as the title sequence will be informative and entertaining to persuade my audience to watch my movie.
Duration: We have decided that our full film will last 105 minutes, as this lengthy duration would allow for times of suspense and tension creating the desired atmosphere for our crime thriller film, creating the desired affect on our audience.
Audience: Our film will be target towards anyone aged 15 or above. This large target market will result in more potential consumers, meaning that our film could be, potentially, more successful. However, a specific sub group of 16 to 35 year olds will be the main target audience, as the themes of drugs, violence and adolescence are most likely to appeal to this specific age group. Furthermore, our film will still appeal to many more people out of this subgroup, resulting in a broad target audience.
Distribution: Our chosen distribution company is Entertainment One Distribution UK, as these are an independent UK film distribution company so will therefore understand the ethos of independent UK crime thriller films, as they have previously distributed similar films to ours, such as 'Looper'. Because of this they will have a very good understanding of what aspects of our film will appeal to certain film, so will be able to use their expertise to marketing and distribute our film as efficiently as possible, resulting in as many people with in our target market seeing it as possible, in turn making our film as successful as possible.
Our film will be distributed in as many different ways as possible, across many different forms of exhibition such as cinemas, home entertainment and online streams, to make the film as accessible as possible so more potential consumers have access to the film. Through the recent developments of technological convergence, consumers will be able to view our film across a variety of platforms such as computers, mobile phones or tablets. In essence, the more people who can view our film, the more successful it will be.
Synopsis: In a large urban town in the north of England, a sudden drug epidemic has swiped across the town causing social awareness about organised crime groups, consisting of drug suppliers and small scale criminals to rise at a huge rate. Following numerous reports and incidents, DCI Bloor is given an ultimatum from the Chief Inspector, either crack the case and begin to make arrests to bring down the notorious drug lord at the top chain before it is too late and the known associates who could help DCI Bloor take down the drug circle are picked off and assassinated so the secrecy of the whole operation remains, or be forced to resign as the case is now in the scrutinising eyes of the public domain, so someone will have to be held responsible if nothing is done.
1: What genre do you think our film is? 2: Who do you think our film is aimed at? 3: Do you understand the storyline? 4: Where do you usually watch films? (cinema, DVD, online) 5: Where would you expect to see our film? 6: How often do you watch crime films?
7: Can you relate to the characters in our film?
8: What do you think would make a good title for our film? 9: Do you enjoy watching crime films? 10: what would be a suitable setting for our film?
Q1) Can you relate to any of the characters in our film? If so, which character(s)? Why?
Q2) What do you think about the locations and settings where our film is based (urban area)? Do you think they seem realistic and appropriate settings for a crime thriller film?
Q3) What aspects of our film relate to your life? Would this encourage you to watch our film?
Q4) Do you think that our film should be left as a cliff hanger with Detective Bloor facing another problem, or do you think that it should be resolved towards the end? What influenced your decision either way?
Q5) What aspects of our film would you enjoy the most; violence, tension, drama or times of triumph when Detective Bloor gains success?
Q6) Do you agree that our film is appropriate for audiences aged 15 and above?
Q7) Would our film appeal specifically to you? If so would you watch it? What factors or aspects of our film influenced your decision either way?
Q8) Would you recommend our film to any friends off of the basis of the storyline?
I decided to look at the first 15 minutes of a crime film as I believe this will help when it comes to the making of my film. This will help because I can see how the film structures it's content and then what they actually include. By doing so I can include what is best whilst also making it look as professional as possible. I have chosen to look at the film Bugsy Malone. This movie is a gangster/crime film which is set in the 60's. There is a situation where Dandy Dan send men to shoot people with custard guns which kill people. His main rival is Fat Sam a jazz bar owner. Bugsy a friend of Fat Sam sets out to resolve the issue. The movie has original music which helps when setting the scene and telling the story. The cast is all children which gives it a unique point about the movie and it could also help the film appeal to a wider audience especially children.
Establishing shot
The film starts with an establish shot. This is a good shot to use as it helps set the scene and it gives us an idea of what the character and story line may be like. It also gives us a time setting which can add historical content and an understand of how people lived their lives during the time period in which it is set in. As seen in the photo the street is empty to begin with. The sound in the background is a cat which meows. This echos as there is no other sound which is heard. By using this sound it makes the street look and seem abandoned. This then adds mystery to the movie as we haven't see anything. There is also a lack of lighting which makes the setting dark and doesn't reveal too much. This makes us as viewers see the mystery and potential dangers which may lurk.
Focus on drainpipe and metaphor for Roxy Robinson
The next scene then focuses in on water dripping from a drainpipe. This is the first time we see a scene in detail and it helps us to understand the conditions the characters were living in. From this scene we see that the conditions are dirty and not well tended to. When it first focuses in on the scene we are puzzled as to why it would focus on something so completely out of context. However, a voice over of the main character Bugsy Malone comes on. His voice shares information on the rivalry which has been taking place. He uses a metaphor which symbolizes a character and the ongoing issue. "Someone once said if it was raining brains Roxy Robinson wouldn't even get wet". Here we learn of the weather condition and the reasoning of why it has focused in on a drainpipe. Also we learn of a new character which we begin to question Who is he? Why is important? This adds to the crime genre as little information is released in a long duration of time.
Roxy hiding
We then see Roxy Robinson's character emerge and with Bugsy's voice over we learn more about his character. "All his life Roxy Robinson had tried making 2+2 into 5". This shows how his character always wanted more than he could get in his life. He then says "He could smell trouble wherever he went" This as a viewer makes us anticipate trouble and almost assume it because of Bugsy's comment. This makes us as viewers gripped to see what trouble he's in. By grabbing the viewers attention already it makes us want to see the rest of the movie just to see what happens to all the other characters. There is also low light and most of it is caused by shadows. There is a fill light on the left which gives just enough light to see the surrounding and the shape of Roxy. By doing this we don't see much of his face as his hands are cupped. By not seeing this we anticipate who he is and why he has found himself in this situation.
Opposed emerging
Once we have seen the scene of Roxy hiding we go back to the first scene of the establishing shot. We being to see what was making this character so scared. Again the setting is dismal and dark to keep up the tension and mystery. As these characters emerge we hear music in the background which has heavy and short sounds which help to keep the pace of the movie going. The faces of these character are also hidden which also makes us question who are they? Why are they chasing the previous character? This keeps a sense of mystery like the other scenes and keeps us on a cliffhanger as to what will happen next.
Gang lined up
Once the setting has changed to an off street alley way we begin to learn more about the setting. As Roxy ran down an alleyway in an attempt to escape he realizes it is a dead end. The gang close in and we get to see their faces for the first time. We know it is a gang by looking at the costume and props. They are wearing black suits and hats which are all uniformed and they all look the same. This gets rid of their individual identity and shows of the gangs image. They are also holding guns which they are using as a threat. The guns show the power the gang have over Roxy as he is defenseless and also outnumbered. The scene is again dark so that not too much information or clues are revealed as to how the movie will end.
Gang close up
We then see the camera go into a close up of different member of the gang. They begin to question who Roxy is. They find out his identity and then ask who he works for. We learn he works for the popular business owner Fat Sam. They ask if he works for him in which he responds yes. We then want to know why this Sam is an important role in the film. The close up shows that the gang have no fear or worry in their eyes as they know that Roxy can't do anything to harm them.
Roxy shot in the face and use of prop.
Once the gang have manipulated answers out of Roxy we learn that Sam is the main enemy towards them. This shows Roxy isn't an important character within the movie. However, by shooting him we see that the gang will do anything that is even close to Fat Sam purely because of their dislike towards him. The producers here make their first use of prop when they use the gun to shoot. As you can see from the image the guns are in no way realistic. The weapons are custard guns that if shot the contents of the gun will kill whoever the ammo hits. There is then a close up of Roxy splattered against the wall and we begin to learn what the plot of the movie really is about.
Title scene
Once the shooting scene has finished we then see Bugsy walking down the street and this is when the titles begin to take place. There is then a part in the title sequence where we see the movie title logo. This is an important thing to feature as it brands the movie and helps to set the scene. The scene is relatively similar to the opening scenes which makes us think that he can't be too far away from the other characters which make us presume they will be linked somehow. As he is walking there is a soundtrack in the background with the original song Bugsy Malone. The song lyrics give us information about the main character. It informs us of his personality and his behavior. It also helps us predict how the film will end as one line of the song states "don't mess with Bugsy or you'll wind up wishing you had left better off alone". This shows he is a feared person and that he has more power than anyone. This makes us think he has control over other characters.
Title sequences
As the title sequences continue we learn how the background images make an impact on us as viewers. The producers have use images and videos in the background of the title sequence to show part of the movie. The snippets help us as viewers to get gripped into watching the movie. They use white as a contrasting color which makes it easier for us viewers to read the information on the title sequence. They use the same color and style of font throughout the title sequence in order to make it look more professional. The song of Bugsy Malone is still being played throughout the title sequence with the scene noise muted so we can still get an understanding of the character and the plot.
Secret entrance
As the movie progresses into it's main opening we get a change in voice over. This changes to the voice of Fat Sam who begins to talk about Bugsy. We hear him say that Bugsy is the hero of the story. This gives away some information about how the movie will end. This is not necessarily a bad thing for a crime movie as we want to know how things get resolved and what happens to other characters who are also involved in the movie. We then see Bugsy enter to what looks like a bookstore which is really Fat Sam's grand slam which is a jazz bar. It appears to be this way as a security measure as with the criminal activity going on it keeps unwanted custom out. We see that Bugsy must know Sam as he can visit the bar.
Fat Sam's office
We then see a scene 5 minutes into the film of Sam in his office. We see him sat down at his desk talking to his main gang who are known as "The Bad Guys". After one of his best gang member has died Sam shifts blame onto his gang. We see the power he has over them as we see them scared to even talk. We see the feud between Sam and the other gang is serious as he is not happy about losing vital members of his gang.
Dancers
We then go into the main room of Fat Sam's. We see that the setting really emphasises the time period in which the movie is set in. Also in the 60's there was a lot of jazz entertainment around as it was increasingly popular. The dancers show what sort of clothing the people in the 60's would have worn. By being realistic with the setting and costumes we have a realistic element to the movie which is not seen that often. There is also high key lighting which is used. This helps us to see the setting around Fat Sam's.
Blousey and Bugsy meeting
In this scene we see another main character Blousey meet Bugsy. Blousey came to Fat Sam's hoping to get a job as a singer. However, her audition was cancelled as Sam was too busy, she then goes into the main hall of Fat Sam;s where she bumps into Bugsy. The two then start talking about her reasoning of carrying a baseball bat in her bag. The two in the movie later on become romantically involved. This is a good scene as it explains why an ordinary girl got dragged into the trouble between the two gangs.
Shoot out in Fat Sam's
Whilst the conversation between Bugsy and Blousey is ongoing there is and outburst which brings it to a halt. The gang from the previous scene have come into Fat Sam's in order to shoot more people. This puts emphasis on how serious the rivalry is as the gang are willing to shoot anyone who is slightly connected to Fat Sam. There is key lighting from the shot shown to the right. This is so it looks more natural and gives a more realistic feel to the situation. Once the gang spot Fat Sam they automatically shoot his way but miss. They then make a swift exit before they get caught as they are hugely outnumbered. Afterwards Fat Sam tries to calm down the situation as he wants to keep a good reputation up.
I think that this film was a good choice to look at as it shows many different techniques which could be used in order to make my film look more professional. It gives examples of different lighting, shots and other features of which I could potentially use. By looking at this it has given me inspiration of how to make my film look. I have also learnt that I can tell some story through music which could be potentially more enjoyable for certain viewers. The use of voice over in the opening scene has also been informative as it gives plot and character information away. Title sequences were also included in this movie also which makes me also want to include them in my film. Overall, I believe that the producers have made the first 15 minutes of the movie gripping. I also want to do this in order to make my viewers want to carry on watching my movie.
There are many different ways of creating crime films as there are different sub genres. I wanted to research these genres because I can get inspiration of how I want my film to look and be perceived. The research will also help me get a more accurate knowledge of my target audience. By doing so I will learn what features my audience will like and enjoy which will lead to my movie being more appropriate and successful.
The call
I firstly looked at a recent film named "The Call". In this movie Halle Berry a famous actress plays the role of a 911 Veteran operator. When she receives a call off of a teenage girl she begins to try and help. However, the girl then gets abducted. The call operator has to face a criminal from her past in order to help save the girls life. Throughout the film there are numerous phone calls from the boot of a car which helps to show the characters emotions. By using realistic occupations the film has a realistic impression which makes us sympathise with the teenage girl more. As I want to clearly distinguish the good and the bad in my movie I want to make the viewer connect to each character in order to help them understand the plot. I also looked at techniques the film used in order to use similar effects on my own film. The Call used lots of close ups to show the severity of the characters emotions. By doing this we will see how a crime movie is developed. I think that this was a good movie to look at as it similar to what I would want my own film to be like. I want to create suspension and have a thriller side to it in order to create a wider audience range. I then went onto looking at reviews of the film to see what the viewers liked and disliked. Doing this prevented me from making as many mistakes as well as using techniques which the viewer liked. This gave me an advantage as I could then get an idea of what the viewers wanted. The website http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1911644/reviews gave me several reviews of what they thought of the film. The majority of people thought the movie was gripping from the start but found certain parts of the movie weak. However, these people said it was to be expected because every movie does. Overall, the movie had a gripping stage which meant that the movie was a success and was well suited to the genre making it a good example to use when getting inspiration to create my own movie.
21 Jump Street
Next I looked at the movie 21 Jump Street. This movie has had many awards and the film is a comedy based around a crime genre. The movie consists of two well known actors Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. Before the movie even starts we see and learn that the characters and there to purposely entertain. When the two characters go in on an undercover cop mission in a nigh school events soon take a turn for the worst. Whilst trying to shut down a drug operation in a high school the two undercover cops begin to fight for popularity. As times have changed and the popularity roles have reversed they find themselves too busy in trying to become popular than actually trying to shut down the drug operation. We also see dangers of what going undercover can bring, for example, supplying underage people with alcohol and giving out drugs. As this film is aimed at a similar audience to mine I thought this would be a good thing to look at because they have been successful in the making of the film so they must have used good features. After looking into this movie I may decided to add a few comical lines in order to create an entertaining piece of work. I also may use mysterious upbeat music to create a more memorable movie. I also looked at reviews for this movie to see also what they enjoyed and what they would change in order to make the film more enjoyable. When I found a review of the movie I found out that most people were "surprisingly entertained". However, they did feel that the movie dragged on towards the end. Here is a link to more reviews of the movie; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232829/.
Cell 211
The final film I looked at was Cell 211. This film is based in a prison which is very well know for a bad and unsafe reputation. When prison officer Juan goes to work a day early than he should there happens to be a complication at the prison. However, Juan has an accident and is unconscious. As the trouble begins to arise there is a riot within the prison. In order to survive Juan knows he has to pretend to be a prisoner in order to go home to his pregnant wife. The prisoner workers know the dangers of these criminals and flee leaving Juan and the criminals to solve the issue themselves. Juan and one of the highest criminal authority inmate form an alliance in Juan's attempt to survive. The waiting of the movie to draw to a close keeps us guessing as to whether Juan will escape. The film is a gripping tale and we want Juan to escape as he has no place being there. I chose to look at this movie as it is relatively new as it was released in 2012. It also gave me ideas on how the characters in my own movie should act in order to make my film seem more realistic.
Overview
We have decided to make a film around the genre of crime. However, we also wanted it to have a sub genre of a thriller as this will make our movie stand out more and be more unique. By adding this sub genre we will also be widening our audience span as the sub genre may appeal to more people than a crime would on it's own. I have decided to look at typical features of these films as this will help me get inspiration on how I would want my movie to look and be portrayed.
Typical story lines
Generally a crime film is based around a two sided argument between the good and the bad. Sometimes this can be done in a realistic way and others light heatedly to satisfy a particular audience. I also think that crime movies also have a format and structure to how the movies scenes are ordered. To begin with we see the crime being committed but we don't always see the face of the criminal. After this we are introduced to the detective who will be trying to seek the criminal. This prolongs through most of the movie as it is normally full with actions shots which will make the viewer remain interested. Then when the movie draws to a close the detective or police officer will catch the criminals or the criminal will escape. This is how I have seen most crime films structured but they don't always have to be told in a chronological order. The movie could be working it's way back from the escape of a criminal or the capture to why it was committed in the first place. This method can increase anticipation which would make the viewer more enthusiastic to continue watching the film.
As we also wanted a slight sub genre of thriller I also looked into this genre where it didn't play a key role. From the research I learnt that thrillers tend to be more gory with blood and violence. They can also include scenes which create high levels of tension which build up to make a viewer jump and shock them. This would be a good thing to have in my movie as it keeps viewers interested as well as them being highly entertained. I also think thrillers would tie in well with a film with a crime genre as they can be related in topics such as violence as well as criminal activity.
Iconography
Using iconography can help viewers to understand the genre and general story line of what the movie will be about. This can be represented through things such as settings and props.
Setting to show Iconography and symbolizing characters.
When I think of crime films I imagine dark streets which suggest mysteriousness and this is because it leaves more for the viewer to imagine and think about. Also we gain background information from characters such as where they come from and this can help us identify why they may act against the law. Also from the image on the right there is graffiti and this could suggest high levels of crime in the area. Also we see that there are dark skies which could help to represent mood and atmosphere to help develop the story line. When writing my script I may use pathetic fallacy which will incorporate the weather. Pathetic fallacy is when weather is used in order to reflect on peoples or characters moods and emotions. By doing this we get to see more of characters in small doses. This would be a good technique to use in a crime film as this way it still keeps a sense of mystery with the characters still guessing.
Unlike the previous setting shown there is always a good well of setting as to where the crime normally takes place. A typical theft film will be set in a jewellers store or a big mansion. Also by using some elaborate and large comparisons we can see a distinctive line of how peoples and characters lives differ from one another. On one side we see an element of poverty compared to the richness of another persons wealth. Basic things such as hygiene and general surrounding also help to set the scene as we can see who has the well-being to do so as well as having the money. Generally the more looked after places are belonging to the good side. However, sometimes in movies there are people who have become corrupt from being rich. I believe these characters are traditionally male as they are seen as more dominant and powerful.
Typical drink sabotage.
Bugsy Malone custard guns
Pulp fiction showing Iconography
Another way of showing Iconography is through props. In crime films the props are mainly to show negative actions. We tend to see things such as drugs, alcohol and weapons. These things help to show what type of film is being watched as there is generally action involved in a a chase between the good and the bad. Firstly, when drugs are introduced into a crime film we automatically think about the consequences it may have on the character and how it may change their lives. Different drugs classes can be used in order to represent the severity. Alcohol is another thing that is used as I have seen people being drugged through having a drink. As seen below this is a shot which is commonly used in order to show the action which has been performed. This is normally done in order to gain control or power over characters to try and make themselves more superior. There are then also weapons which are commonly used. I can be anything from a common knife knife to a gun. Even though some of the same weapons are used in different films there can be a variety. For example in the children's crime movie Bugsy Malone they use custard guns which can kill people. As you can see the guns are unique which plays as an advantage the film. By using weapons which reflect the characters it make the subject seem more appropriate. Although Bugsy Malone doesn't have the same realistic features of other crime movies it still has the same generic convention as it still has the mysterious element to it. Pulp Fiction is also a crime film but instead of using make believe props which are originally created they use realistic looking guns which make the tone more serious.
Characters
In a crime film you typically get the good characters and the criminals. Generally, the characters are contrasted between personalities very clearly so that the viewer can tell who plays which part in the movie. You can get realistic scenes and films which can show real life situations that happen to real people. Then you can also get films such as Batman which have unrealistic scenarios and are make believe in order to maintain a certain genre and audience. By using realistic scenarios it makes people relate to the storyline more. For example Sherlock Holmes assess realistic topics that gain the viewers attention as they may be interested in the topics being discussed. He tends to look at topics related to drugs as this a common occurrence and they are serious issues which may help people resolve and they can also get the will power to overcome their issues. I also think it's more relatable and these sort of topics in crime films are related more towards adults.
As before there are make believe topics like in Bugsy Malone as the full cast is child actors and actresses and they have a unique storyline of killing custard guns. The film was set in the 1970's and has jazz themed scenes. Although it has no serious content it is relevant to the audience. The film is generally aimed at children but it is also aimed towards adults as it can be seen as a comedy and a musical. As above characters can give an impression with their personality but characters can also be judged on their appearance. Creators use things such as costume and make up to make us perceive a character in a certain way. From the image of Sherlock Holmes above we can see that the character is reserved and well covered. Their are traditional costumes and expectancies of what we are going to see the character look like in a film. However, we imagine the criminals in tracksuit and hoodies or wearing dark clothing to show sinister behaviour. These outfits hide their identity which helps us keep guessing who they're. By doing this the producers create tension in order to keep the audience gripped. Not only are they represented by costume their make up also helps to show what the characters are like and it helps us get a gist of the storyline. In crime thrillers there tends to be violence which could lead to marks such as bruises and cuts and may even a blood pool. It is important to show these sorts of things as we can then get an understanding of the plot and why some of these actions have taken place. As shown on the left the cuts and bruises can look very realistic when done to a high standard. These help to make the movie seem realistic as they are following through with the actions. If a character fell from a height the producers need to ensure that there are some sort of after effects. Without these after effects the film wouldn't be as realistic as certain actions would lead to a sustain in injuries. To conclude, by making characters act and look a certain way we stereotype them into being a particular person. We originally don't look at them in too much detail as we focus on the plot and the role they play.
Music
Music can be used in film to create atmosphere and mood. This music could also reflect characters feeling and emotions. Music is a good alternative as it creates suspension which makes the viewer keen to carry on watching. The music clip below would be a good soundtrack to use in a horror, thriller or crime movie. In all three of the listed genres they create suspense with a small action building up into something big. Whether it being something to make you jump, scared or a discovery they all create tension which makes the viewer not know what to anticipate. The music soundtrack like the movie starts slowly and calmly but then it intensifies to create a certain mood. If I use a soundtrack like this I will make it fit in with my action in order to get the suspensions at the same time. However, when I choose my music I can't just take a clip of YouTube as there are issues such as Copyright. If I take a copyrighted track it may create issues with tracks I was not meant to use. In order to make everything in my movie legal I may use websites such as audacity which allow people to use tracks which are legal to use without permission.
I researched into title sequences as I think that this is a key part to the opening of a movie. Although it is not as important as the movie content itself it is still important that it is there. There is evidence for this because every film has title sequences at the start. The title sequences give recognition for the producers and other people who work off the camera. The people who work behind the camera don't get as much recognition as they are not watched by an audience. Celebrities get more recognition as they are more well known and connect more with an audience off screen which makes us give the recognition to the actors and actresses. However, by adding their names and roles to the title sequences it helps other movie producers. This is because if they like certain aspects of the movie they can then hire the people who have done well in that department. For example, if the producers of another film like a make up artists work they can then hire them for their movie, which could then improve the movie itself.
As I wanted to make my movie as good as some of the big movies in the film industry I wanted to have a title sequence that will catch the audiences attention in order to keep their attention until the movie comes on. I browsed online to see some existing movie title sequences. When I did this I learnt there were many ways I could choose to represent my movie before it even starts. I went onto a website which was www.artofthetitle.com. This website offered many different title sequences which I could get inspiration from in order to make my title sequence as good as possible. I wanted to look at film titles that can be related to mine and have similar subjects within them.
I then found a title sequence to the movie buried which was released in 2010. As I wanted the title sequence to relate to my movie I looked at this trailer to see how it incorporated the movie into the title sequence. As the movie is called "Buried" it used an image of a mucky ground which looked to be underground. This is a good way to incorporate it as the viewer is finding out about the work behind the movie as well as seeing clues as to what the movie may be about. The title sequence also has sound, it is an eerie tone which to me suggests mystery. This music would be good as normally in a crime movie there is a mystery and problem solving element within it. As my movie will be revolved around crime this would be a good suggestion of the kind of music genre I want to use as my movie will need to create a similar tone and theme. Buried movie title sequence:
As I also wanted to keep my viewers entertained I looked at another title sequence of a crime related movie with a comedic sub genre. I also found this title sequence from www.artofthetitle.com. This movie was called 21 jump street. This film is mainly based around the audience of teenagers. As some of my audience will be teenagers I decided that by looking at this it could give me ideas which will help to keep the viewers interested. The movie consists of two famous actors named Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. As there personalities in the movie were funny, they used sound which would help reflect the movie and the characters. The music soundtrack is upbeat and this can help to engage the viewer with the characters. Unlike the Buried trailer 21 Jump street gives more actual film footage which gives the reader an idea of what the film will consist of. Although they have similarities, the two title sequences have credits which help the backstage workers get credit for what they've done. Again this could be good as it could help them get future jobs.
From the research that I have done from other title sequences I want it to relate to my movie. I may also incorporate the characters into this as then the viewers will have basic understanding of what type of people they're. I also want images which represent to my movie to be involved as this will keep the theme on-going. As all the title sequences give credit to off scene workers I want to do this as well as this will help make my movie look more professional. As I also want to keep my viewers interested I will use catchy and upbeat music which will sound more interesting than a basic soundtrack.
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Distribution:
As my movie will be made in the UK i think it would be best if I chose an independent UK film distributor as then people wouldn't have to travel a long distance in order to create the film. this would also increase cost which could be kept lower if filmed in the UK. Also by choosing an independent film company cost will also be lower as it isn't part of the major six film producers. Although the exposure of these films would be good if created by one of the big six it would be considerable more expensive than an independent film company in the UK.
I began by looking for a film distributor online and I came across many but they didn't seem to have as much film experience and background knowledge as other companies. I then found FILMBANK. As soon as I opened the website it had evidence of films and how they are made. It also shows the licenses they have which is a great thing to display as we then know what they're eligible to do and then we know that our films are legal to watch. It also shows a list of new films that are available to watch in the cinema. By having these it shows that they are interested in the film industry, by showing this interest we know that they will want to end up with a good movie after the making. This would make me feel more comfortable as then I would know I would be getting a reasonably good product out of my storyline.
Not only do they offer movie listings of what is in the cinema they also give film ideas for certain holidays. For example, they give suggestions on what films are good for Christmas. This would be good for a consumer/user to see as they may have little background knowledge on movies and this way by having a list they can see the suggestions. This could improve their experience with watching movies. Also as they are acceptable lists it gives us more trust in the distributor as they know what films are good and what aren't. This means they will be more honest about the product and suggest changes that could be made in order to improve.
This distributor also has a newsletter. This could be effective when it comes to promoting movies. If the movie I had made got onto the newsletters it would offer exposure which may make people notice the movie and then go and watch it. Also, the newsletter could leave reviews which could affect my film in a positive way.
However, there is a negative aspect to this website. The website doesn't offer a list of films which they have created. By not doing this we have no evidence of the work quality to which they work at. By not providing this it could possibly turn away clients because they want to know what sort of people they're working with.
So, by using this distributor I will be able to stay within the UK and not have to cover transport expenses. Also major films are created in places such as Hollywood, even though most of these are shown in the UK I would still have less competitors which will make it easier to market and make my product improve.
As I wanted to see what different types of distributors there were I wanted to research into more than one distributor to see what the differences are and what they have to offer. By doing this it allows my film to have the best potential it can. It does this because I can choose the best distributor which would suit my film the most.
By using the search engine google I then found another distributor which would be possible to help my film gain attention and publicity.This company is called Eureka classics; it is located in London. By being located in the capital city of the United Kingdom it gives an edge which makes people recognise it more. Also, London is known as being superior and this could reflect from the company which may affect people's attention to my movie.
The website also offers other sections with information. They consist
Sunday, 16 November 2014
Mise-en-scene
costume:
One costume we can use is the stereotypical 'gangster look' The character who attacks Lewis can be wearing the stereotypical tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie to keep his identity a secret. Wearing these clothes also implies that he is a gangster and out to cause trouble. This will fit the genre of our film and can be used to show the film as a crime film as people often associate hoodies with youths and causing crime.
This gives us the stereotypical image of a 'gangster' giving the audience a fear as the character cannot be seen because of there hood. Hoodies are often associated with thugs and yobs and so when we see people wearing them we are naturally cautious. Fear of hoodies, The Guardian
The character Lewis can be wearing usual everyday clothes as not to draw attention to himself. No one would suspect someone dealing drugs in casual clothes, they would expect the stereotypical hoodie. Wearing these normal clothes could give the effect of an ordinary man going about his business, and is then brutally attacked. It is later discovered that is not the case when we see the bag is filled with class A drugs.
DCI Daniel Bloor is a character of high status, to represent this he will be wearing formal clothing such as a suit. This will show him as an authority figure in the film. People often associate suits with business men and formal police officers. The character will look like a young, smart professional getting into the occupation from a young age.
Audience profile Our film is a certificate 15. We have chosen this certificate as our film will include violence and drugs and we do not think this will be suitable for a younger audience as we do not agree with violence and don't want younger children becoming violent through copying actions seen in the film. The film may also include strong language which is not permitted for a younger audience. If the film also contains some discrimination scenes a younger audience may find it offensive where as an older audience will understand that it is just part of the film to show the lives of the characters and not meant to be taken seriously.
We think our film will appeal to an audience between the age of 16 to 24. This is because people of this age range are most likely to watch films, especially at the cinema. This age range is also most interested in the criminal nature of our film so are most expected to go and watch our film. This age range are most likely to find out about new films as they use social media and are often out to see the advertisements on bill boards and buses. Our film may appeal to people who are interested in crime, people who may want to become a police officer or a councillor, working with people from troubled pasts. This may appeal to them as our film will show both sides of the situation, from the criminals view and the police investigation. Our film could give people an idea of what it could be like to be in the police, and a taste of what they might encounter. The film may also turn people away from a life of crime as people will see some of the consequences of crime.
Our film will not focus on a certain regional identity, it will be open to all nationalities. This is because crime can happen anywhere in the world no matter what nationality you are. This will also show crime is open to anyone and try to help stop, stereotypes and discrimination against certain, regions, nationalities and religions.
The film we are to produce will not appeal to a certain gender. This is because both male and female can be interested in the same genre of film. Also crime is not committed by a certain gender, both males and females can be responsible. There is also a large number of make and female police officers and councillors so the film may appeal to both genders interests.
How did you attract/ address your audience? When deciding upon the target audience we wanted to get information of what people would be interested in the film. Once we had planned the film we went to the local town centre as asked people questions about the film. After the questions had been answered we asked who they think would be a suitable audience. From this we decided that the film would be more aimed at the more mature audience and a mix of gender. I think that we have reached our target audience as we used all the feedback we got given in order to make it more appealing to the audience. We also adapted certain aspects of the movie to comply with the age restriction we had set (15).
