Saturday, 12 November 2011
Title Ideas
We made the fonts above ourselves by using 'Createtext' which is a software found on the internet. We played around with different texts and colours and styles and above are our four best titles and hopefully we will use on of the titles above in our horror moving extract.
Script
Our opening sequence consists of hardly any conversation. We chose to keep the phrases short and vague; as we researched opening sequences and found that a convention of opening sequences is not to reveal too much of the storyline. Bearing this in mind, we decided to embed various shots, angles, lighting and locations to capture the audience and provoke them to watch the rest of the film. The killer also does not speak at all throughout the opening sequence. The purpose of this is that it enhances the mystery and suspense of this character, which can draw the audience into the film.
Friday, 11 November 2011
Never Back Down Opening Sequence Analysis
Never Back Down was released on March 14th 2008 starring Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Eddie Hannush, Cam Gigandet and Dijmon Hounsou. It is an American action film - thus, even before watching the film, I already have assumptions of the typical conventions that I would expect
to be seeing in the opening sequence. This includes things like; fighting, dark colours, fast pace, etc. This movie was substantially popular with teenagers and young adults. The fact that the storyline is to do with achieving your goals, this appeals to this audience most as they can all relate to it.
Although this is 10 minutes long, I will only be analysing the first 2 minutes and 23 seconds. It starts off with a fast tempo, tensed piece of soundtrack in the background - this starts to occur just before the credits. This immediately gets the audience weary (emphasising on the genre). The weather conditions are rainy, which created the mood for the audience. Rain is very commonly used in movies when a negative scene is being shown. The rain made the atmosphere very intense which enhanced the concentration of the rugby match for the audience. The fact that it started with this game (battle), made it highly conventional. All the main characters are students, making it relatable for the targeted audience - young adults/teenagers. The main 2 characters were evidently portrayed within the first 2 minutes as the commentator mentioned their names repetitively (Jake Tyler and Ryan McCarthy). These 2 characters were consistently being the centre of attention in the camera shots. There was a wide variety and a high quantity of camera angles/shots used (close-ups, extreme wide shot, over-the-shoulder shot, etc.), each lasting for a very short amount of time making it difficult to capture each one. This kept the pace moving fast - another factor which set the mood.
Serendipity Opening Sequence Analysis
Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. This was mainly popular amongst adults due to its' intensity of romance. Also the romance element was between 2 adults which makes this less relatable for youngsters and teenagers. It immediately begins with a jumpy, happy song whilst the credits are occurring and the setting is being introduced. The music is very classical which allows it to be aimed at the targeted audience - adults. The opening sequence seems to last for 4 minutes and 19 seconds which is longer than what I have seen so far compared to others. Since it is longer than usual, it comes back to the genre - romantic comedy. This is because, longer opening sequences allow the extract to move at a gradual pace, decreasing the tension level. A number of basic, simple camera shots are used. This is because, in movies with similar genre to this, it is mainly about what you see in the screen in order to know what is happening. Everything in the frame is essential. Whereas, in horrors, they have many shots where it is oblivious to who and what is in the frame. This happens to enhance on the suspense. As the credits finish and it starts immediately in a shop, the 2 main characters are obviously shown as them 2 bump into each other wanting to buy the same item. The viewers instantaneously know that the love affair will be with these 2 later on in the film. As the opening sequence comes to an end, a restaurant called 'Serendipity' is shown. This answers the question to the viewers of why the movie is called this - it is obviously related to this shop. Viewers will now want to watch on to find out why the restaurant is crucial.
Death At A Funeral Opening Sequence Analysis
Death At A Funeral is an American comedy film released on April 16th 2010. Just by the title, one can easily say that it is a comedy due to the way they have shown the irony. This was very popularly appreciated by young adults and families due to its' comic elements. This film is a remake of a British film, made in 2007, with the same name.
The background music starts 25 seconds into the credits. The music seems to be quite cheerful and comic which is one of the ways the genre is conveyed. The credits and music goes on for 2 minutes and 57 seconds. This is quite long seeing as, most opening sequences last about this long. Whereas, the movie does not officially begin, making the opening sequence quite longer than average. This gives the film a relax feel - this emphasises the genre. If, for example, it were a horror, the opening sequence would be very fast paced and much more would have happened within these 2 and a half minutes.
During this time, while the credits are showing, a coffin is shown to be going somewhere. The way it is shown, looks like a navigation system but instead of a car it is a coffin. While it is finding its' destination, it forgets its' route and reverses back. This shows another element of comedy. As soon as the credits finish,immediately the scene fades into a man in a house watching and waiting for the coffin to come in. Showing the element of death instantaneously implies to the viewer that this theme will be seen more throughout the film. The mise en scene represents the situation that is occuring at the time by the costumes and props - black clothing and a coffin which illustrates the event taking place(funeral).
The background music starts 25 seconds into the credits. The music seems to be quite cheerful and comic which is one of the ways the genre is conveyed. The credits and music goes on for 2 minutes and 57 seconds. This is quite long seeing as, most opening sequences last about this long. Whereas, the movie does not officially begin, making the opening sequence quite longer than average. This gives the film a relax feel - this emphasises the genre. If, for example, it were a horror, the opening sequence would be very fast paced and much more would have happened within these 2 and a half minutes.
During this time, while the credits are showing, a coffin is shown to be going somewhere. The way it is shown, looks like a navigation system but instead of a car it is a coffin. While it is finding its' destination, it forgets its' route and reverses back. This shows another element of comedy. As soon as the credits finish,immediately the scene fades into a man in a house watching and waiting for the coffin to come in. Showing the element of death instantaneously implies to the viewer that this theme will be seen more throughout the film. The mise en scene represents the situation that is occuring at the time by the costumes and props - black clothing and a coffin which illustrates the event taking place(funeral).
How effectively does the opening sequence from 'Children of Men' (2006) use the forms and conventions of film openings? What is your personal response as a member of the audience?
Opening sequences assist to magnetize the viewers, which would influence them to watch the rest of the movie. Not only is it there for this purpose, but it helps to establish the narrative structure, the main character(s), capture the audiences’ interests and institute the core themes. One could say it has to be the most important scene, as this is what entitles the baseline of the film in which the audience may judge their decision on whether viewing the rest of it or not. These are achieved by using certain narrative film opening conventions such as a significant pace. Certain paces of a film are typical for specific genres, for example; fast pace is very common in thriller/horror/tense movies.Therefore, the pace of the opening sequence will ultimately designate what genre the film is. ‘Children of Men’ (2006), directed by Alfonso Cuaron, was famously recognised for its cinematography which is seen vastly in the opening sequence of the film. It displays the plot of the whole film using very different conventions and it also helped to set the scene for the rest of the movie. It is important that the opening sequence enforces the audience to watch the rest of the piece, which means they must be intrigued by it.
‘Children of Men’ (COM) is set in the year 2027. It is about a frenzied world in which humans can no longer procreate. A former campaigner agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future for humans.
The film opening begins with commences in utter silence. This connects to the audience because effectively, they now engage their ears so they do not miss what will be said; eventually. After 32 seconds of this, we then see a black screen whilst only being able to hear non-diegetic sound which appears to be the news report. Given that, the only item being heard is this news broadcast, the audience will acknowledge its’ importance, thus, they will listen to it more crucially. Also taking on board that the whole movie begins with this news report shows its’ high relevance level towards the films’ plot. This builds up tension and grabs the audiences’ attention because they are involuntarily informed now that something critical is happening seeing as the situation is being illustrated through a news report. From just this little convention, which occurs first in the sequence, we can already comprehend how crucial it is to attract the audience. This would make the viewers want to carry on watching in order to find out who and what this news report(er) is. Consequently, this form works quite effectively. This convention shows that the producer of the film does not need to get all ‘fancy’ with the technology in order for it to have an impact on the audiences’ level of attention.
The scene then cuts from the black screen to a high angled shot of a cafe occupied by a substantial amount of people. They all seem to have the same facial expressions – astounded and depressed. Also they are all looking in the same direction, at the same thing. This shows the value of the item which is being stared at, entailing that it must be very crucial. Considering that a news broadcast was publicized to the audience, during the black screening, implies that the item that everyone is watching and listening to is the same as the previous one. This news broadcast enhances on what the storyline may be of this film. The use of the high-angle shot aids the audience to acknowledge the setting, which in this case is a cafe. The pace of the sequence is very slow, with only 6 cuts in the whole sequence – meaning 2 minutes and 25 seconds. For example; when Clive Owens’ character walks out the shop, instead of using a cut to get from inside the shop to the street, an establishing shot was used to follow him out through the cafe doors. The camera still does not cut through the scenes, but using the establishing shot, it circulates around Clive Owen – showing the location he is in.
Simply by viewing the opening sequence, one can easily tell what type of genre a film may be. It is important to be able to elucidate what type of genre the film will be just by watching the opening sequence. If the audience is not capable of doing so, the opening sequences’ use of forms and conventions have not worked effectively. Finding out the genre in the opening sequence helps the audience decide whether this is the type of film they want to be watching – depending on their mood. In COM the opening sequence was very patent of what type of genre the film is. It came across as an adventure/mystery/drama production. This was shown through several ways. One of the ways being; how everyone was squashed into one shop to watch a news report on TV. The question that gets raised is “what could be so important on TV which is making a vast number of people get crammed into one small location?” This increases the suspense (mystery) whilst showing an element of drama as it comes across as a very serious issue. After the coffee shop scene, we see a bomb explosion occur. This shows the element of adventure as well as drama. The adventurous constituent is illustrated through this incident, as we know that the main character will try to investigate why this situation took place.
Furthermore, this leads onto being alert of whom the main character of the film is. The opening sequence must continue to capture all the forms and conventions needed; otherwise it will not be effectual. The camera follows Clive Owens character out onto the main road. This represents who the main focus on the scene is to the audience. The camera then quickly pans across the futuristic London streets, showing pictures on the windows of the buildings. The camera does not seem to cut at all – it flows constantly without any pauses. It then follows and goes around Clive Owen to the angle of the explosion. Clive Owens’ character comes across frightened when the bomb goes off. This makes the audience question as to why the hero of the film would be scared. This would not be a typical convention of an opening sequence. On the contraire, by it not being typical, it makes the audience want to watch more of this film to investigate why the ‘hero’ was afraid. Therefore, this form of convention is resulting to be quite effective as well.
Opening sequences help to establish the core themes of this film. The bomb explosion suggests that ‘death’ would be one of the main themes seen throughout the film. This also lets the audience establish their expectations for the rest of the film. Having expectations can either result positively or it can result negatively. If the expectations of the film happen but they are not the way the audience had imagined in their mind, it can result in disappointment. This may stop them from watching the movie any further as they may assume it will carry on to be a disappointment. On the other hand, if the expectations appear in the film and they are better or different to what the audience had imagined, it can result effectively encouraging. Having expectations will influence the viewers to watch the film in order to see their imagination in action onscreen.
The mood throughout the opening sequence is very mellow and calm up until the explosion happens. The mood is emitted through various codes; one of which being the usage of colour’s. The colour of the atmosphere throughout the opening is very dull, grey, and smoky; therefore it makes the onlookers very anxious and tensed - it is not very heart-warming. This was all shown through the cinematography, which made it exceptionally vivid and added an extensive dramatic element to it. It is very common to express the mood of the film through the usage of sound tracks. However, this sequence did not exhibit any source of significant sound tracking; nevertheless the stressful mood being displayed was not affected in any way. The mood remained the way it was supposed to be through the usage of other enigma codes. The mise-en scene in the sequence was very relatable which helps the audience to visualize what is going on more clearly and allows the audience to be able to picture themselves in the scene. The streets looked just as they do now in London, except worse. They were congested, littered and everyone looked highly occupied as if they all had somewhere to go urgently. This relates to how time is now as well, which lets the viewers feel more attached to the situation. The costumes and clothing overall, all seemed to be very analogous to what we wear now. For example; the police clothes were very similar to the police uniform now. However, they seemed to be more modernized which conveys that it is set in the future but not too far ahead.
As a member of the audience it felt that the sequence continued to build up on elements which triggered the idea that something major is going to happen. Therefore, I was constantly on the edge of my seat knowing that something could happen anytime. This was then expressed through the bomb explosion which indeed did make me jump off my seat, which I believe, was the aim. Throughout the whole sequence, the codes and conventions worked effectively. They resulted in the way they were supposed to, for example; successfully creating the mood with the use of specific atmospheres and facial expressions right through the sequence. All these elements, especially the bomb explosion, obligated on me that I must see what happens next. Therefore, the aim of this opening sequence productively worked and it made me want to carry on watching. I believe the way I felt, is most likely to be the way the rest of the audience felt too.
My Inspiration For Our Opening Sequence
Before we started to film, we got together as a group and discussed all the possible ideas we could do. As we came to a conclusion to do a horror opening sequence, I went through a brainstorm on my own over the horror films I had seen. These included movies like; Paranormal Activity, The Grudge, The Exorcist and Obsessed (which is not a horror film, it is a thriller but I got ideas from there. The idea I retrieved from there was the concept of a woman being obsessed over another individuals partner). We all had an input until we came to a final conclusion and we made sure that it was not completely copying any other film - only ideas.
We didn't want to go too over-board with the filming otherwise it would end up looking 'cheesy.' Therefore, we decided we will enhance on the opening sequence with all the editing.
We didn't want to go too over-board with the filming otherwise it would end up looking 'cheesy.' Therefore, we decided we will enhance on the opening sequence with all the editing.
The Grudge 2 Opening Sequence Analysis
The Grudge 2 was released in North America on October 13th 2006 as a sequel to the 2004 American horror film - The Grudge. The Grudge was a remake of a famous film called Ju-on, however, the sequel is not. It was pushed forward a week from the original October 20th release date. The film was released in the UK on October 20th and in Australia on October 26, 2006.
I will be analysing the opening sequence which is the first 2 minutes and 19 seconds. As it begins with the illustration of the institutions are (columbia and ghost house pictures), there is daunting music in the background. This immediately informs the audience what the genre is. What I found most interesting and would hope to do something along the lines of this if it is possible is the way they edited 'columbia's' credits. They turned the woman into the antagonist of the film. They also turned the word 'columbia' into 'the grudge 2' in fast motion. They carried this out through the change of font. This new font seems to portray knives, which conveys the plot rather well. They used a range of edits to enhance on the visibility of the genre, for example the flickering of the lights as the woman transforms into the grudge.
Once the film has begun, it starts off with a few slides, each saying something different. As it fades into the next slide, a word is kept at the end and turns red to emphasise on it, e.g curse.
The low angle shot of the flats, which showed bare tree's and all you could hear were crows. This made it have a very suspense and cautious atmosphere. The main character does not have any dialect - this helps to keep her character in suspense and make the audience want to watch on. The opening sequence ends with her casually drinking tea while her husband is suffering on the floor. This makes her seem quite psychotic, adding another element to which the audience would expect to see more of throughout the film
Horror Shot
Denotation:
Long black hair, backcombed: This gives a very dark and mysterious look to emphasise on the character's personality. Having the hair slightly messy at the top gives a psychotic look.
Red lips with fake blood coming down the lip on the left: This enhances on the evilness. This almost creates a story behind it - the signs of blood shows she has obviously done something demeaning and the red lips emphasise on this aswell.
Face and body edited extra white: This gives the character a more ghostly, surreal and an immortal look.
Overdone black on eyes: Making her look malicious. The overdone of black make-up on the eyes helps to accentuate them so they become the key thing in the picture.
The black shirt: This is worn to emphasise on the black and white theme.
No facial expression, simply just looking straight into the camera with beaming eyes: This makes it seem as if she is a psychopath, as she casually has blood coming out her mouth.
It is slightly tilted: This makes it seem more blunt and 'in your face' because in order to tilt it, it cropped off some of the top and bottom making the character more obvious.
There were no problems in taking this photo as it was taken from a computer, thus I did not need to hold the camera. This would have wasted time as I would have had to adjust and hold the camera correctly in position. I did not want to go too overboard in the way I take the picture. I thought it would be better if I took a simple photo and edited it to make it look scary. This was so I didn't end up making it look typically predictable and 'cheesy.' I also thought this would help to make it more effective.
Initially I wanted everything to be black and white except the lips. I wanted the lips and the fake blood coming out the mouth to stay red. However, I could not get this to work due to the lack of equipment. I was going to make the edges blurred and maybe crop half of my body and face off, but when I done it, it did not look as good as I expected. Therefore, I kept it like this.
I believe my image is effective for its' aim - horror. This is through the colour of the photo, the hair & make-up, the slightly lowered face which made the eyes more prominent and the blood coming out the mouth (which is not as visible unfortunately).
Movie Marketing Strategies of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows part 1
The theatrical trailer of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was the first chance to promote the movie to its target audience. Starting up to a year before the release of a major studio movie, distributors run movie trailers that are meticulously edited and audience-tested. The idea is to give moviegoers a taste of the upcoming laughs, special effects and plot twists of the studio's upcoming releases, while leaving them wanting more. It's an art form that's usually handled by special trailer production houses. We can find trailers either on the Internet in such websites such as the Apple Trailers or Youtube. These trailers are also regularly run in short breaks between programmes on he television on channels such as the terrestrial channels.
About the same time that the first trailers hit the theaters, the movie studio will unveil an official Web site for the film. Typical movie Web sites allow visitors to view multiple versions of the trailer, watch behind-the-scenes interviews and mini-documentaries, read plot synopses, download cell-phone ringtones and desktop wallpaper, play games, chat in forums and even pre-order tickets. The official movie Web site is only the beginning of a much larger Internet marketing campaign. This can be found on the link www.harrypotter.warnerbros.com
As the release date of the film drew closer, the blockbuster movie got early favorable press coverage in newspapers, magazines and on entertainment TV shows. The main movie publicity tactic is something called a press junket. At a press junket, journalists, entertainment reporters and movie critics are flown out to a special location for a day or weekend of interviews with the stars and creators of the film. The actors, directors and screenwriters sit in separate rooms and the reporters are brought in one by one to ask their questions.
Press junkets are highly controlled environments; where a publicist often attends interviews. This was shown on both Channel 4 and Film 4 previously with protagonists such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint discussing the movie and sharing their opinions. From this the whole ‘wiggle in the hip’ of member Ron Weasley was splashed across the media. The actors were sitting in front of a poster of their movie; this is a convention of a typical press junket.
Weeks before the movie opened nationwide, the promotions department starts an all-out publicity blitz. The idea is to bombard the public with so many images and promos for the movie that it becomes a "can't miss" event. Movie marketers will plaster the sides of buses with huge ads, place billboards all around the city, run tons of teaser trailers on TV, place full-page ads in major newspapers and magazines, and the movie's stars will show up on all of the major talk shows. Below are a few examples of this kind of publicity Blitz on Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows.
The Internet is proving to be a prime spot for publicity blitzes therefore promoters are now able to place rich, interactive ads on the Web sites most trafficked by their target audience. They can also release behind-the-scenes clips, bloopers and other viral videos on video-sharing sites like YouTube. Or they can release different media clips and let the fans create their own trailers.
Another popular strategy is to use highly visible product tie-ins and corporate partnerships. In the weeks leading up to the release of the blockbuster, images of Harry Potter appeared on packages of biscuits, pots of yoghurt and cans of fizzy drinks. For marketing children's movies, the new sequel might be getting promotional goodies in McDonald's Happy Meals.
One final movie marketing strategy is the publicity stunt, an orchestrated media event where someone does something incredibly silly, dangerous or spectacular to draw further attention to the opening of the movie. This year it was the unexpected appearance of X-Factor finalist attending the premiere. This meant that X-Factor viewers were also viewing a promotional event with other Hollywood A-Lister and may have been subconsciously persuaded to watch the film due to the big event.
How are the sequences from ‘Pillow Talk’ and ‘Fringe’ different. Discuss the differences in pace and style of editing as well as the effect the editing has on meaning/the audiences reception of the extracts?
The formation of the production of a film relies heavily on the use of editing. It involves the selection and combination of various shots to transform into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. This is referred to as the "invisible art" or commonly known as the art of storytelling. When well-practiced, the viewer can become so engaged that one is not aware of the editor's work; becomes almost invisible to the human eye. This fabricates a sense of fluency as the continuous string of sequences unravels to construct a narrative.
This media technique executes sensually provocative montages, generating an illusion of danger where there is none; emphasize the emotional truth in an actor's performance; hint at the pace of a story; construct a vital subconscious emotional connection to the viewer; and even emphasize elements that would not have otherwise been noted.
Editing manipulates the perception of the audience on a specific character depending on the extracts shown. The pace can also be altered by showing continuous frames in a limited time to implement the sense of rapidity; whereas fewer frames in an extended period of time can subtly invoke a slurred atmosphere.
The general meaning of both extracts consists of the basic outline of the plot. In Pillow Talk a song writer, Brad Allen, attempts to manipulate the protagonist perception, Jan Morrow, on a charming Texan Business man named Rex Stetson. However Fringe explores both a solemn subject intertwined with a ridiculous conversation over a ‘dying pen’. Peter Bishop; the estranged son of Dr Walter Bishop is questioned by Sen Van Horn regarding his father. Peter commences by confessing how his father ‘never had any intention to fix the other side...but destroy our side’. The conversation radically changes from a serious issue to a pen.
In Pillow Talk, the protagonist Jan Morrow; played by Doris Day appears to be the quintessential women in the 1950’s. She has blonde coifed hair with subtle makeup accompanied by an elegant cocktail dress with her date, Rex. Her slim figure suggests that she takes pride in her appearance; may be inspired by the Hollywood star, Marilyn Monroe. She is also draped with a diamond and sapphire encrusted necklace to portray her wealth. Jan can also be described as the strong stereotypical female commonly found in TV dramas. This is highlighted with her sharp attitude towards the ideology of Brad in the opening sequence; during the phone conversation.
Controversially Brad Allen is perceived as a casual character; shown in his open tie and creased shirt. He has an unstable job as a songwriter which penetrates through his personality. During the phone call with Jan, he is blunt in conveying his ideology of Rex Stetsons’ sexuality. He intervenes in Jans’ love life which may suggest subtly that he is jealous of their relationship, due to his admiration of Jan Morrow.
On the other hand Rex plays the role of a stereotypical gentleman. He does not view women as a sex item and is well mannered; shown during the way her drinks (pinkie up) and refers to the protagonist as ‘Ma’am’. His outfit is a sharp black suit with a crisp white shirt, which contrasts dramatically against Brad. He seems to be camp which is emphasized during his sheer interest in fabrics and collection of cooking recipes. However the audience is shocked when it is revealed that he is a heterosexual as he passionately kisses Jan Morrow.
In Fringe the protagonist Peter Bishop, played by Joshua Jackson is an intelligent young man; an IQ of 190 (six points less than his dad, who has a 196 IQ). However he only graduated from high school and dropped out of college to become a professional fraud. As the TV drama is targeted at young adults, hope may be given to some less academic students to still succeed. He also has a dark side that the audience can relate to as everyone has skeletons in their closet. Peter once had a gambling problem and still owes Big Eddie money.
Another vital sub element of meaning is colour. In the early 1950’s, the demand for colour filming in the United States increased, and Technicolour was unable to keep up with the Hollywood Industry needs. Hollywoods approach to colour filming changed significantly with the introduction of Eastmancolour tripac Negative film. In pillow talk the colours used are fairly bland as technology was not advanced enough to film vibrant colours. The quality of the series although was at a very high stantard which entertained the audience. The colours of the costumes consisted mainly of black and white as this represented an elegant/sophisticated sense of fashion. For example both men were dressed in a simple evening suit whilst Jan Morrow was dressed in the typical black cocktail dress.
Even though vibrant colours can be filmed using advanced equipment, the film director decided to use tones of greys and blacks for the props and costumes. This emphasises the genre of horror and deepens the tense atmosphere. Dark colours are also the connotation of misery and create suspense; in tone with genre of the extract.
The pace of the two extract vary dramatically due to the era the episodes were produced in; as audiences change frequently. Pillow Talk sequences travel at a slower pace with an average of 12 seconds per cut. An explanation to this may be that the audience back in the late 1950’s were not used to watching television. Therefore in order to help them gain a better understanding of the plot, the pace was slower so one had more time to comprehend the situation. On the contrary, the hit TV series, Fringe, was released in 2008. The audience has evolved over 50 years therefore the viewers were more experienced in Television viewing. Fringe has a rapid pace to keep the audiences attention and gain interest by having on average 4 seconds per cut. This is a television drama centred on a female FBI agent who is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena. To help create this anticipating atmosphere the rates have to be much higher which also establishes the genre of drama/horror/mystery (higher frequency- the number of occurrences within a given time period); whereas Pillow Talk focuses on romance/comedy (lower frequency).
As previously mentioned, editing plays an essential part in the formation of a successful sequence. Editing can be classified under various styles. For example, in Pillow Talk a dissolve is used from Brad’s conversation with a friend, to the phone call between the protagonist and Brad Allen. This portrays the illusion of time passing by between the two scenarios. Also a wipe is used followed by a split screen to show the two way phone conversation. This enables the viewer to see both situations at once. The audience can sympathise and empathise with the characters emotion. This was a ‘funky’ camera technique used in this time period which was known to be both fluent and stylish. The shot was focussed into a close up so the audience can see Jans’ facial expression when confronted by the controversial topic of the sexuality of Rex. This evokes the audience to feel the same emotion and be placed in Jan’s situation therefore express sympathy.
Both extracts are similar in the sense that a two way conversation is being held. In Fringe, a discussion is held between Peter Bishop and Sen Van Horn concerning Dr Walter Bishop. Correspondingly the protagonist, Jan Morrow, debates the sexuality of Rex with Brad Allen during the phone call. A conversation involving Jan and Rex is also held at a refined restaurant.
On the other hand there also major difference between both extracts due to the production era of both sequences. Fringe commences with an establishing shot of a grand stone building to introduce the audience to the environment. It is generally a long- or extreme-long shot which hints the location of the remaining scene. Although this camera shot is not used in Pillow Talk. This may affect the audiences reception as in Fringe, viewers are able to familiarize with setting of the scene; however this unlikely in Pillow Talk. Also in Fringe a motivated cut is used. This is a cut made just at the point where what has occurred makes the viewer immediately want to see something which is not currently visible (causing us, for instance, to accept compression of time); shot/reverse shot technique in this extract. This may not have been used in the late 1950’s as media technology was not as advanced as the present moment. This shot was also not discovered until the modern period. The audience however are able to engage with this camera shot as their perception is also more sophisticated due to the complex technology recently used. For example the current audience will find the phone conversation boring and extremely static. Another key difference is that Pillow Talk consists of diegetic music played from the piano; sounds are heard in the TV world by the characters. This lightens the atmosphere; the ballad also helps emphasize the romantic ambience. There is also brighter lighting in Pillow Talk as the genre is romantic comedy, however the same cannot be said for Fringe. This extract is dark and eerie which are a common connotation of a mysterious environment and a foreshadowing of death.
From this, one is able to gather that the various techniques of editing can dramatically affect the viewers’ perception. In Fringe the rapid pace, sinister colour and lighting, complex plot help illuminate the genre of mystery. Nevertheless Pillow Talk exploits the opposite genre in comparison with Fringe, of romantic comedy by including both a slow pace and bright lighting. The audience therefore is able to obtain different opinions due to various personalities of viewers.
This media technique executes sensually provocative montages, generating an illusion of danger where there is none; emphasize the emotional truth in an actor's performance; hint at the pace of a story; construct a vital subconscious emotional connection to the viewer; and even emphasize elements that would not have otherwise been noted.
Editing manipulates the perception of the audience on a specific character depending on the extracts shown. The pace can also be altered by showing continuous frames in a limited time to implement the sense of rapidity; whereas fewer frames in an extended period of time can subtly invoke a slurred atmosphere.
The general meaning of both extracts consists of the basic outline of the plot. In Pillow Talk a song writer, Brad Allen, attempts to manipulate the protagonist perception, Jan Morrow, on a charming Texan Business man named Rex Stetson. However Fringe explores both a solemn subject intertwined with a ridiculous conversation over a ‘dying pen’. Peter Bishop; the estranged son of Dr Walter Bishop is questioned by Sen Van Horn regarding his father. Peter commences by confessing how his father ‘never had any intention to fix the other side...but destroy our side’. The conversation radically changes from a serious issue to a pen.
In Pillow Talk, the protagonist Jan Morrow; played by Doris Day appears to be the quintessential women in the 1950’s. She has blonde coifed hair with subtle makeup accompanied by an elegant cocktail dress with her date, Rex. Her slim figure suggests that she takes pride in her appearance; may be inspired by the Hollywood star, Marilyn Monroe. She is also draped with a diamond and sapphire encrusted necklace to portray her wealth. Jan can also be described as the strong stereotypical female commonly found in TV dramas. This is highlighted with her sharp attitude towards the ideology of Brad in the opening sequence; during the phone conversation.
Controversially Brad Allen is perceived as a casual character; shown in his open tie and creased shirt. He has an unstable job as a songwriter which penetrates through his personality. During the phone call with Jan, he is blunt in conveying his ideology of Rex Stetsons’ sexuality. He intervenes in Jans’ love life which may suggest subtly that he is jealous of their relationship, due to his admiration of Jan Morrow.
On the other hand Rex plays the role of a stereotypical gentleman. He does not view women as a sex item and is well mannered; shown during the way her drinks (pinkie up) and refers to the protagonist as ‘Ma’am’. His outfit is a sharp black suit with a crisp white shirt, which contrasts dramatically against Brad. He seems to be camp which is emphasized during his sheer interest in fabrics and collection of cooking recipes. However the audience is shocked when it is revealed that he is a heterosexual as he passionately kisses Jan Morrow.
In Fringe the protagonist Peter Bishop, played by Joshua Jackson is an intelligent young man; an IQ of 190 (six points less than his dad, who has a 196 IQ). However he only graduated from high school and dropped out of college to become a professional fraud. As the TV drama is targeted at young adults, hope may be given to some less academic students to still succeed. He also has a dark side that the audience can relate to as everyone has skeletons in their closet. Peter once had a gambling problem and still owes Big Eddie money.
Another vital sub element of meaning is colour. In the early 1950’s, the demand for colour filming in the United States increased, and Technicolour was unable to keep up with the Hollywood Industry needs. Hollywoods approach to colour filming changed significantly with the introduction of Eastmancolour tripac Negative film. In pillow talk the colours used are fairly bland as technology was not advanced enough to film vibrant colours. The quality of the series although was at a very high stantard which entertained the audience. The colours of the costumes consisted mainly of black and white as this represented an elegant/sophisticated sense of fashion. For example both men were dressed in a simple evening suit whilst Jan Morrow was dressed in the typical black cocktail dress.
Even though vibrant colours can be filmed using advanced equipment, the film director decided to use tones of greys and blacks for the props and costumes. This emphasises the genre of horror and deepens the tense atmosphere. Dark colours are also the connotation of misery and create suspense; in tone with genre of the extract.
The pace of the two extract vary dramatically due to the era the episodes were produced in; as audiences change frequently. Pillow Talk sequences travel at a slower pace with an average of 12 seconds per cut. An explanation to this may be that the audience back in the late 1950’s were not used to watching television. Therefore in order to help them gain a better understanding of the plot, the pace was slower so one had more time to comprehend the situation. On the contrary, the hit TV series, Fringe, was released in 2008. The audience has evolved over 50 years therefore the viewers were more experienced in Television viewing. Fringe has a rapid pace to keep the audiences attention and gain interest by having on average 4 seconds per cut. This is a television drama centred on a female FBI agent who is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena. To help create this anticipating atmosphere the rates have to be much higher which also establishes the genre of drama/horror/mystery (higher frequency- the number of occurrences within a given time period); whereas Pillow Talk focuses on romance/comedy (lower frequency).
As previously mentioned, editing plays an essential part in the formation of a successful sequence. Editing can be classified under various styles. For example, in Pillow Talk a dissolve is used from Brad’s conversation with a friend, to the phone call between the protagonist and Brad Allen. This portrays the illusion of time passing by between the two scenarios. Also a wipe is used followed by a split screen to show the two way phone conversation. This enables the viewer to see both situations at once. The audience can sympathise and empathise with the characters emotion. This was a ‘funky’ camera technique used in this time period which was known to be both fluent and stylish. The shot was focussed into a close up so the audience can see Jans’ facial expression when confronted by the controversial topic of the sexuality of Rex. This evokes the audience to feel the same emotion and be placed in Jan’s situation therefore express sympathy.
Both extracts are similar in the sense that a two way conversation is being held. In Fringe, a discussion is held between Peter Bishop and Sen Van Horn concerning Dr Walter Bishop. Correspondingly the protagonist, Jan Morrow, debates the sexuality of Rex with Brad Allen during the phone call. A conversation involving Jan and Rex is also held at a refined restaurant.
On the other hand there also major difference between both extracts due to the production era of both sequences. Fringe commences with an establishing shot of a grand stone building to introduce the audience to the environment. It is generally a long- or extreme-long shot which hints the location of the remaining scene. Although this camera shot is not used in Pillow Talk. This may affect the audiences reception as in Fringe, viewers are able to familiarize with setting of the scene; however this unlikely in Pillow Talk. Also in Fringe a motivated cut is used. This is a cut made just at the point where what has occurred makes the viewer immediately want to see something which is not currently visible (causing us, for instance, to accept compression of time); shot/reverse shot technique in this extract. This may not have been used in the late 1950’s as media technology was not as advanced as the present moment. This shot was also not discovered until the modern period. The audience however are able to engage with this camera shot as their perception is also more sophisticated due to the complex technology recently used. For example the current audience will find the phone conversation boring and extremely static. Another key difference is that Pillow Talk consists of diegetic music played from the piano; sounds are heard in the TV world by the characters. This lightens the atmosphere; the ballad also helps emphasize the romantic ambience. There is also brighter lighting in Pillow Talk as the genre is romantic comedy, however the same cannot be said for Fringe. This extract is dark and eerie which are a common connotation of a mysterious environment and a foreshadowing of death.
From this, one is able to gather that the various techniques of editing can dramatically affect the viewers’ perception. In Fringe the rapid pace, sinister colour and lighting, complex plot help illuminate the genre of mystery. Nevertheless Pillow Talk exploits the opposite genre in comparison with Fringe, of romantic comedy by including both a slow pace and bright lighting. The audience therefore is able to obtain different opinions due to various personalities of viewers.
How effectively does the opening sequence from ‘Children of Men’ (2006) use the forms and conventions of film openings? What is your personal response as a member of the audience?
‘Children of Men’ explores an era of dystopian United Kingdom in the year of 2027. The human race has become infertile which has lead to severe oppression as the world has fallen to war.
The purpose of opening sequences is that it encourages the audience to carry on viewing the rest of the film. It also hints at the life of the protagonist, the core themes that run throughout the film and also the environment which the story is based upon. Occasionally the opening sequences help to enhance the baseline of the narrative. Pace is also a crucial element of a film as it helps to create either an upbeat atmosphere or a sinister environment. Another essential element in a narrative structure is the use of mise-en-scene i.e. sound track, costume and makeup. The soundtrack constructs the atmosphere of the film and the costume and makeup help highlight the characteristics, personality and position of status of each character. It can also signify whether the film is set in a futuristic era, and the society in which the plot unravels in. All of these codes and convention help enhance the opening sequence of a film in a more effective manner.
In media there are many conventions that are commonly used in the production of films which enhance the basis of an opening sequence. For example a narrative function that is frequently used is that the protagonist is introduced to the audience. This is presented in the first extract of ‘Children of Men’ as the audience can immediately recognise that Clive Owen obtains an imperative role in the film. This becomes apparent in the sequence which shows a crowd emotionally depressed and genuinely mortified at the death of the youngest person on the planet. The news broadcast follows the typical convention of a bulletin due to text such as ‘Breaking News’, the mid-shot of presenter and also distorted clips and use of date. This is shown on a TV screen at a cafe stating that the world has descended into chaos. Diversely Clive Owen cuts sharply through the crowd to order a coffee. His sheer lack of interest in the news of the death of ‘Baby Diego’ becomes evident as he instantly stands out from the sheep like crowd. This emphasises his importance and captivates the attention of the audience to this character; rather than a member from the crowd. A tracking shot is also used to follow only his actions; therefore is audience able to connect with his life. For example we can see him add some alcoholic drink such as whisky to his ‘morning coffee’. This signifies that Clive Owen is going through a difficult phase in his life.
A narrative convention of an opening sequence is the establishment of a core theme and iconography of the film. In ‘Children of Men’ this is presented while the protagonist, Theo Faron is continuing with his daily routine by fixing up his drink, when abruptly an explosion occurs due to terrorist bombing. This signifies and foreshadows the key themes that will run throughout the film; such as, Mystery as the audience gains enigma as they question why the population is infertile and Drama due to terrorist attacks. This also signifies that there is still a continuous civil unrest (siege) in the future; similar to the present time.
Media language is also essential in the production of a movie. In this extract, the lighting is dull which carries connotations of a miserable atmosphere in the futuristic country of United Kingdom. This highlights the sheer distress of the community and the terror rippled in each body due to the unexpected frequent attacks. This may also hint to an increase in pollution due to advanced technology; can be deciphered as a harmful impact on the population’s health; a fumed, smoggy atmosphere. It also emphasises the troubled circumstances the citizens are enduring and also highlights the recurring theme of anxiety in the daily lives of the population.
Another media language used is the setting of the story. In the background the audience can see within the frame the enhancement of advanced technology. For example instead of the basic bus banners, there is a digital moving imaged bus banner which shows that the development of computing. Similarly there are buildings covered in either discrete screens or have some sort of projections covering the whole building; similar to Piccadilly however seems more common rather than a London attraction. This signifies that human knowledge has developed over the time from the present moment to the future.
A familiar convention of a film is the use of an opening credits presented at the beginning which lists the most important members of the production. In ‘Children of Men’ it is shown as text superimposed on a black screen with a basic font of credits. There is no music accompanying the credits although a use of speech via news broadcast. This immediately conveys to the audience that the film is based upon a serious issue; usual connotation of a news broadcast and that the film is intertwined with anxiety and apprehension.
An establishing shot is shown during the opening sequence. It exposes subtle elements such as the classic British double Decker bus, the standard post box and the polished Black Cabs. One can denote that the setting of this film is based in United Kingdom; London. The audience is also able to connect to the environment with the visuals in the background however selective focus and attention to detail is needed for one to recognise these objects. During the explosion sequence a long shot is used to ensure that the audience is able to see all the action and detail within the frame. This appears to be a ‘money shot’ as this scene recreates a realistic destructive image which captures the emotion of every individual.
The makeup of the protagonist; Theo Faron was minimalistic which entitles the audience to interpret the stereotypical Hero. This is emphasised as he is ‘tall dark and handsome’; an obvious saviour of ‘Children of Men’. The costume worn is very casual and shows the rugged edge of Theo Farons character and also hints at the adventure thrust within him.
During the opening sequence, I could recognise elements that seemed to foreshadow the dramatic event. However the explosion occurred abruptly and I was at the verge of my death. This caught me off guard and released adrenaline with me; creating a surge of energy. I believe the codes and convention used throughout the film were extremely effective as the criteria’s used (lighting, colours, costume, camera shots) has fulfilled the purpose of the ideal opening sequence. The narrative enticed me into the film and left me wanting to watch the rest.
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