Finished Piece:

second version of rough piece:

This is the version with the dialogue in. I have also posted this up on facebook for feed back. Both versions are also on youtube.

Rough piece

This is the rough version of our final piece. We still need to smooth some of the edges and edit a few little things. This one has had the dialogue removed. I have uploaded both this version and the version with speech on to facebook for feedback.

Organisation: New Shoot

Organisation of shoot

The filming will take place outside Tiffany’s house on Saturday the 8th of January in the afternoon. The cast will be meeting Tiffany at her house and make up will be done there. However, actors will be bringing their own costumes rather than us supplying them.
Not much needs to be done in the way of preparing the set as it all takes place outside. However some source of light will have to be provided to create effect and so the actors can still see when it gets dark.

Here is the shot-list for Fridays shoot:

1. Mid shot- Of woman leaning against the wall, putting a cigarette to her lips outside the bar and the man walking out of the bar door.
2. Mid Shot- Woman smoking and exhaling as man walks across the screen.
3.Back to the mid shot of woman smoking(17)
4.Back to the mid shot/ Close up of the woman smoking (17)
5. Mid shot- Woman going to walking back inside and man pulling her back.
6. Close Up- Of man lighting the woman’s cigarette (dialogue begins)
7.Two shot- of man in the background talking to the woman and woman in the foreground still exhaling
8. Back to the Two shot woman talking (18)
9.Mid shot- Woman exhaling and in the background there is a shallow depth of field showing a mysterious looking man.
10.Back to mid shot of woman (23)
11. Back to the mid shot (23)
12.Two shot- Of man and woman standing outside the door against the wall.
14.Back to the two shot (24) Shot/Reverse Shot
15. Back to the two shot (24).
16. Back to two shot (24)
17. Back to a two shot (24)
18.Back to the two shot (24)
19.Back to the two shot (24)- man going in for a kiss, woman rejecting him, she goes to reach for another cigarette, man also reaches for a cigarette of his own.
20.Mid Shot- Of mysterious man in the background- use of pull focus so he becomes clear
21. Mid shot- of Mysterious looking man putting on his hat .
22.Mid shot - of mysterious man walking closer the corner of the wall.
23.Long Shot – Man and woman standing at a slight angle to each other not fully facing each other , she lights up the cigarette, exhales, then grabs the man to kiss him
24.Long shot- of the mysterious man on the pavement, different angle to the one before.
25.Close up- Man Stroking the Woman’s arm- Match on action from previous shot.
26.Close up- of his feet rubbing out the cigarette
27.Close up- of the mans face as he looks up from the floor
28.Over the Shoulder Shot (from side on)- Of the man looking at the woman
29. Camera pulls out to a long shot to show the man and woman standing against the wall whilst the man takes out a cigarette and hands it to the woman.
30.Extreme Close up- Of woman taking a drag from the cigarette.

Filming Plan: New script

As we have changed where the dialogue takes place due to the fact that we have had to change locations we have re done the script so it makes sense.

-voiceover exposition of man’s voice- she was blonde/brunette/a redhead,(delete as appropriate) and legs for hours (should start when he starts looking at her)


- A woman is seated at the bar, by herself. At the other side of the bar there’s is a man, looking intently at the female. He seems to be attracted to her as he watches what she does and shows the male gaze of looking at her eyes and lips.






Nothing is said but both characters look back and forth to each other (shots 1-10) until the woman pulls out a packet of cigarettes (shot 11). The man responds by pulling out a lighter (shot 12). She walks out of the door outside to go smoke (shot 13), he follows. (shot 14)






Outside the bar on the street, you can still hear the music faintly playing in the background.


(shot 15)






Woman: (lights cigarette and avoids looking at the man and leans against the wall) (shot 16)


Man: (after lighting her cigarette) a thank you would be nice. (shot 17) (walks to the other side of her)


Exposition voiceover: Dames. Jeez. They rip your heart out without even breaking a sweat.


Woman: (exhales cigarette smoke) you’re trying too hard. (shot 18)


Man: I can tell you’re flattered.


Woman: (sarcastically) Yes. I’ve never been talked to by a guy at a bar ever in my whole god damn life before. (shot 19) Do you talk to every girl you see at a bar?


Man: Only the beautiful ones. I’m sorry dollface. I didn’t realise you were so… sensitive. (shot 20)


Woman: you don’t get any points for modesty (shot 21)


Man: humph. I didn’t bring up scoring. But either way, if id known it woulda’ made no difference. (shot 21)


Woman: (drops her cigarette on the floor, sighs and moves towards the door as if to go inside.


Man: (he touches the wall she was leaning against and looks down shaking his head a bit in regret. He grabs her arm and pulls her back to face him. (shot 22)


Exposition voiceover: My heart felt like it had been run over by a ten tonne truck,(pause) then reversed on.


Man: Please, accept this humble offering (holds out another cigarette between index and middle finger) (shot 24)


Woman: (looks down at the cigarette almost in disgust but takes it from him anyway).


Man: The names Hank. Hank Leonard. (He offers her hand to her in greeting but she doesn’t respond) Pleased to meet ya’. (shot 25 last part of dialogue only cue.)


Woman: (not looking at him- looking down at the cigarette- says this quite quickly after his dialogue) What do you do Hank?


Man: I have various means


Woman: cop, huh? You certainly look like the type.


Man: You could say that’s part of it. But, I aint short on money.


Woman: (turns to him as she hasn’t been facing him the whole time- has a bit of a smile) (shot 26) and what do you do with all your money?


Man: mostly investments. You know. Stocks and shares.….. and I own a little theatre…. (shot 27- last part of dialogue cue)


Woman: I wouldn’t have thought of you as lover of the arts


Man: Im like a cake, theres always another layer


Woman: (looked shocked/disgusted) And what if I don’t like sweet things?. (shot 28)


Man: (tries to shrug the comment off) A dame like you? Okay…. Well then a diamond, so many different faces and sides of one thing. (shot 29) That better? (shot 30)






Woman: I don’t buy a lot of bullshit about diamonds being a girls best friend.


Man: friends are never worth the trouble.


Woman: I pride myself on not being in trouble. Pass me another cigarette.


Man: coming right up. ( shot 31)






Camera pulls out (shot 32)


Man: (passing a cigarette to her) Enjoy.


Woman: (takes cigarette and takes a drag) (shot 33)


Man: So (pause), what do you do?


Woman: (removes cigarette from her mouth and flicking the ash on the floor) I play all day (places cigarette back in mouth sexily)


Man: (stroking her arm) and what about the night? (shot 37)


Woman: (takes cigarette back out of her mouth) I try not to get bored. (shot 38 til end of dialogue.)


Man: (leans in to kiss the woman)


Woman: (turns away) I’m gunna smoke another cigarette (takes out another cigarette from packet cigarette packet from her clutch bag)


Man: (balls up his fist) I’ll join you (also takes out a packet of cigarettes)




Cuts away to the man we saw before. He puts on his trilby hat and moves closer to them still behind the wall but closer to the corner. (shot 39)




The woman leans against the wall . He is already ready with the lighter. He lights up her cigarette. She takes a drag and leans her head back watching the smoke as she exhales. She then grabs the man by his tie and kisses him. (shot 40) The man begins to caress her arms. He pulls away and offers him his hand. They walk together out of the frame.




Cuts away to the ally where the man in the hat appears at the corner. (shot 41) Puts his hands in his pockets. (shot 42) Looks down and then rubs out the cigarette under his foot. (shot 43) Then back up and walks away.


Music fades out.

Organisation; New Risk assessment

This is the new risk assessment;for the shoot on Friday the 7th of January out side my media studies parents house.

updates: filming

unfortunately due to the fact that my media studies partner was ill we couldn't go ahead with filming but we are planning on re shooting on Wednesday after college.

Audience Feedback: Beginning of filming

Audience feedback


Most people really liked the beginning of the filming but found that it was quite confusing because of the absence if dialogue. However, there will be dialogue in the later scenes and we wanted to create a subtle almost confusion at the opening so it’s all been quite positive so far.
We also had feedback saying that they really liked the tension between the two characters

We are planning on showing the same piece to people again once we have edited it to highlight the colour red as well as being black and white to see what people think of the effect.

Audience Feedback: Animatic

Audience feedback

Most people so far have responded really well to the animatic and thought it “flowed really nicely.”
Some said that it was confusing because of the lack of sound” I think it would really help the story if there was some form of sound” or any speech but were already beginning to pick up on some of the ideas. For example, people were picking up on the tension between the femme fatale and the main man.
Some people also said it was “slightly confusing” because the person playing the mysterious man wasn’t the person who is actually casted to play him which made it slightly confusing. However people like the idea of the mysterious man once it was explained. I think the audience perhaps found it confusing due to the fact that we were using Barthes’ enigma code to create questions for our audience which can sometimes be quite misleading.

We plan on getting more feed back once we have done some filming and we can show what we have done so far to people and get their responses.

Feedback received

Filming:

Filming did not go according to plan as quite a few of our extras that had agreed to help us could not make it because of the snow and the conditions on the roads.
This made things very difficult in terms of positioning things so it looked like the people who could make it were talking to other people when actually there was no one there.

We also experienced problems because hair and make up took a lot longer than expected and gahering everyone up took longer than first thought too.
By the time we had finished hair and make up and everyone who could make it had turned up it was almost 12 o:clock which lef us only half an hour to start and finish filming.
We also found it difficult because some of the extras that had come from new college had not managed to get costumes as they were asked lat minuet because of other people not being able to make it.

I then had to leave at 1 o'clock because my college christmas consert was starting and i was in it.
After one thing went wrong everything else seemed to o wrong. I was then told that we only had coffee bar bbooked until 1 o'clock but managed to extend our time until 1:30 but this put a lot of pressure on us to finish filming.

After i left I know things didn't get much better as I reveived an e-mail from Tiffany letting me know what happened.
They only managed to film half of the shots and it had to be done very quickly so we will have to try and re film at a later date which has now been agreed with our actors.

However we were extremely organised in our planning as instead of meeting at 10 o;clock at the BP garage we met at 9 and by half past 10 we were finished.
We have also slightly changed the script so that the dialogue now takes place outside when the main characters are smoking rather than inside the bar.

overall i found the hole experience quite stresful. However, we have learned that we need to set asside more time for filming as we didn't originally think that the process would take as long as it did.
We weill continuing filming and blogging after christmas 2011.
See you soon :)

Organisation:Filming

This is our shot list but reordered in the order we are going to be filming it in.
We have listed the shots that can be filmed together.
We want to film the dialogue from one perspective and then the other to make the scene more fluid and realistic.

2,9

23,25,28,30

24,27,29,31,36,38

We will have to do shots 1-44 after these shots shown above as they are more unique, e.g close ups or extreme close ups.

Final Organisation For Filming:

We have confirmed with all actors that we are to meet in coffee bar New College Worcester on the 17th of December at 12:10.
We confirmed this in a meeting with all of the cast present.
I will be leaving to meet my media studies partener Tiffany Sheriden at 10 am by the BP garage opposite New College.
We will hen spend the next few hours creating our set in coffee bar.
We will have to menouver some sofa's, arm chairs's and also a pool table in order to create our bar.
We are also going to have to use black caard to block out some of the decoration on the walls on the inside of the bar and also clean behinde the bar itself.
I will need to collect some stools from science as we have non to use for the bar seating in the actual coffee bar itself. we will also have to arrange some tape on the floor where we are going to be placeing the tripod so everyone is aware of where it is going to be.

We aim for our actors to arrive at 12;00 and to have hair and make up done by 12;10. The hair and make up will be done by Tiffany on set and then the actors will go and change in the seporate bathrooms. We have also come up with a number of shots we could try as experiments such as the pool table light swithches and doorhandles as characters enter and leave rooms to create dramatic effect and demonstrate continuety editing.

We have gathered up all that we need in the way of props and make up aswell as organising that all our actors bring their own costume to the shoot.

Time Organisation Updates:

We are going to be filming tomorrow in coffee bar! However we are both nerves because it is snowing heavily hear now and we dont want that to effect the day. So we are fully prepeared we have printed out all of our script, shot lists and storyboard so we have them all to hand in the morning.
We have also charge the camera we are going to use to the max in the hope that it doesn't run out of battery half way through filming.

Organisation: Risk assesment

I have created a risk assesment for our shoot on Friday:



I used images to issustrate my points.

Updates:

Unfortunatly all the cameras in college have been booked out to other students. However we tested my partners personal camera and it was compatable with the college computer so we can use her camer to film.
We also looked at the settings on the camera to have a look at the different effects. We found black and white, we also found a setting which allows a certain collour to be to be seen aswell as black and white for example, red (which is the colour we want to highlight).
This should helpfully help us in the editing process because it means that this is one thing that is already done.

Planning of filming:

WE have come up with and printed off a list of handy tips to help us with our filming process to ensure that it runs smoothly:
- filming more footage than we need. we should experiment with different shots.
- film the scene from a number of different viewpoints, angles and distances.
- keep thinking of shots that could help demonstrate continuity editing
- make sure the camera is fully charged or the tape is rewound back
- have at least 5 seconds at the start and the end of the shot. This will help us later when the editing process begins when we need to cut out parts.
- save the files in a number of different places incase something were to go wrong.

Organisation: planning location

We now have Written permission from Rod Orr head of care at my college to film in coffee bar on Friday the 17th of Decenber.
We have been given from 9 o'clock until 1:30 pm to film.
Here is a picture my partener took of me with the permission letter.

planning: story board and animatic

Ater experienceing a few problems with the programs and a small problem with cast, my partner and I have createe the animatic.
My partner had to use her friend to stand in as the mysterious man so that we could make the scene but however this person will not be playing this role in the actual piece.
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie"

This is the URL to our animatic on youtube:

Planning: scripting

After reading and going through my parteners scripting plan we decided to add in a few more lines and give our main man an exposition voice over.
My partener is going to look at how other film noir films have used expostion voice overs so we have a better idea of how we can introduce one in to our piece.

 Here is the final script:

 

-       Scene opens with fingers stroking a glass, you can hear 1940’s style jazz music playing in the background. You can hear background noise of multiple in quiet conversation.

-voiceover exposition of man’s voice- she was blonde/brunette/a redhead,(delete as appropriate) and legs for hours (should start when he starts looking at her)

-       A woman is seated at the bar, by herself. At the other side of the bar there’s is a man, looking intently at the female. He seems to be attracted to her as he watches what she does and shows the male gaze of looking at her eyes and lips.

Nothing is said but both characters look back and forth to each other (shots 1-10) until the woman pulls out a packet of cigarettes (shot 11). The man responds by pulling out a lighter (shot 12). She walks out of the door outside to go smoke (shot 13), he follows. (shot 14)

Outside the bar on the street, you can still hear the music faintly playing in the background.

(shot 15)

Woman: (lights cigarette and avoids looking at the man and leans against the wall) (shot 16)

Man: (after lighting her cigarette) a thank you would be nice. (shot 17) (walks to the other side of her)

Exposition voiceover: Dames. Jeez. They rip your heart out without even breaking a sweat.

Woman: (exhales cigarette smoke) you’re trying too hard. (shot 18)

Man: I can tell you’re flattered.

Woman: (sarcastically) Yes. I’ve never been talked to by a guy at a bar ever in my whole god damn life before. (shot 19) Do you talk to every girl you see at a bar?

Man: Only the beautiful ones. I’m sorry dollface. I didn’t realise you were so… sensitive. (shot 20)

Woman: you don’t get any points for modesty (shot 21)

Man: humph. I didn’t bring up scoring. But either way, if id known it woulda’ made no difference. (shot 21)

Woman: (drops her cigarette on the floor and sighs. She opens the door and walks through) (shot 22)

Man: (he touches the wall she was leaning against and looks down shaking his head a bit in regret. He opens the door and goes through) (shot 22)

Exposition voiceover:  My heart felt like it had been run over by a ten tonne truck,(pause) then reversed on.

Scene Cuts to the woman sitting by herself at the bar again. In the background we can see another man sitting by himself- he seems to be looking at the woman despite being slightly out of focus. (shot 23)

Man: Please, accept this humble offering (sets down drink to her) (shot 24)

Woman: (looks down at the glass almost in disgust but takes it in her hand).

Man: The names Hank. Hank Leonard. (He offers her hand to her in greeting but she doesn’t respond) Pleased to meet ya’. (shot 25 last part of dialogue only cue.)

Woman: (not looking at him- looking down at her drink- says this quite quickly after his dialogue) What do you do Hank?

Man: I have various means

Woman: cop, huh? You certainly look like the type.

Man: You could say that’s part of it. But, I aint short on money.

Woman: (turns to him as she hasn’t been facing him the whole time- has a bit of a smile)  (shot 26) and what do you do with all your money?

Man: mostly investments. You know. Stocks and shares.….. and I own a little theatre…. (shot 27- last part of dialogue cue)

Woman: I wouldn’t have thought of you as lover of the arts

Man: Im like a cake, theres always another layer

Woman: (looked shocked/disgusted) And what if I don’t like sweet things?. (shot 28)

Man: (tries to shrug the comment off)  A dame like you? Okay…. Well then a diamond, so many different faces and sides of one thing. (shot 29) That better? (shot 30)

Woman: I don’t buy a lot of bullshit about diamonds being a girls best friend.

Man: friends are never worth the trouble.

Woman: I pride myself on not being in trouble. Buy me another drink.

(says to the barman) vodka martini. With a twist. ( shot 31)

Camera pulls out (shot 32)

Barman: (setting the drink down) Enjoy.

Woman: (takes martini glass and sips it) (shot 33)

Man: So (pause), what do you do?

Woman: (sets down martini and takes out and olive on a cocktail stick) I play all day (eats olive sexily)

Man: (stroking her arm) and what about the night? (shot 37)

Woman: (puts cocktail stick back in glass) I try not to get bored. (shot 38 til end of dialogue.)

Man: (leans in to kiss the woman)

Woman: (turns away) I’m gonna smoke a cigarette (gets up and walks away)

Man: (balls up his fist) I’ll join you (also leaves)

Cuts away to the man we saw before. He puts on his trilby hat and gets up and walks away from his table. (shot 39)

Cuts to outside setting again. The woman walks out the door first and the man follows. She leans against the wall and takes out a cigarette. He is already ready with the lighter. He lights up her cigarette. She takes a drag and leans her head back watching the smoke as she exhales. She then grabs the man by his tie and kisses him. (shot 40) The man begins to caress her arms. He pulls away and offers him his hand. They walk together out of the frame.

Cuts away to the door and the man in the hat comes out. (shot 41) Puts his hands in his pockets. (shot 42) Looks down and then rubs out the cigarette under his foot. (shot 43) Then back up and walks away.

Music fades out.

 

updates: Cast

My partener has managed to find three pople who are definatly going to be our main characters.
Lizzie Hughes is going to play the Fem fetal.
Matt Roach is going to play the main man character
 and Lizzie Roach is going to be one of the extras.
I have asked a few pople if they would be interested in being extras but i have yet to conferm anyone.

Planning: Story Board

Here's our story board :)

div>

updates: organisation of location

We came up with the idea of using the Coffe bar at my college New College Worcester in centrel Worcester.
I will be asking for permission from my head of care ASAP to see if the location will be suitable.

Orfanisation For Props/Costume:

When i get back to college i'm going to gather things that could be used as props or as parts of the costumes, while my partener goes in to town to see what things she can find there.
I will also be headng out in to town soon to have a look for anythings that we may need after today.
We also made this exel spread sheet to help us organise oursleves and work out who was responsible for what and how mch it would cost us so we can work out roughly how much money we will need.

 

All of the images shown above are things that we will need to look for in order to create our finished piece.

Organisation shot listing:

My partener has finished compiling the script and has looked at shot listing ready for when we decide to film hopefully beofre the christmas hollidays (17th December

Shot Number- Shot Type- What it Shows/ Happens- Continuity editing if any

Also the parts in certain colours can all be done at the same time, the black parts will have to be done on their own or separately. Eg. the close-ups!

1. Extreme Close up- Of woman’s Fingers stroking the stem of the martini glass
2. Mid Shot- Woman is in foreground, man is in background seated at a bar.
3. Extreme Close up- of Mans mouth sipping his drink.
4. Mid shot- Of man putting down his glass from drinking- Match on action from him drinking.
5. Extreme Close Up- Of Woman’s Mouth also drinking her drink
6.  Extreme Close Up- Of mans eyes –Eye line Match
7. Extreme close Up – Of Woman’s Eyes- Eye line Match
8. Close Up- Man smartening up his suit or doing up the buttons/ re arranging his tie.
9. Same as shot number 2.
10.  Close Up- Of woman – she moves out of the shot.
11.  Close up- Of woman taking out a cigarette box from her pocket or bag.
12.  Close up- Of man opening up a zippo lighter.
13.  Mid Shot- Of woman turning around and walking towards the door.
14.  Close up- Of mans hand whilst he is walking with the lighter in his hand
15.  Mid shot- Of woman leaning against the wall, putting a cigarette to her lips outside the bar and the man walking out of the bar door.
16.  Close Up- Of man lighting the woman’s cigarette
17. Mid Shot- Woman smoking and exhaling as man walks across the screen.
18.  Two shot- of man in the background and woman in the foreground still exhaling
19. Back to the mid shot of woman smoking(17)
20.  Back to the Two shot (18)
21. Back to the mid shot/ Close up of the woman smoking (17)
22.  Mid shot- Woman walking back inside and the man being left behind
23. Mid shot- Woman sitting at the bar and in the background there is a shallow depth of field showing a mysterious looking man.
24.  Two shot- Of man and woman sitting at the bar during conversation.
25.  Back to mid shot of woman (23)
26.  Over the Shoulder Shot- Of the man looking at the woman
27. Back to the two shot (24) Shot/Reverse Shot in dialogue
28.  Back to the mid shot (23)
29.  Back to the two shot (24)
30. Back to the mid shot (23)
31.  Back to two shot (24) End of dialogue
32.  Camera pulls out to a long shot to show the man and woman sitting at the bar whilst the barman makes the female character a drink.
33.  Extreme Close up- Of woman sipping a martini
34.  Back to a two shot (24)
35.  Mid Shot- Of mysterious man in the background- use of pull focus so he becomes clear
36.  Back to the two shot (24)
37.  Close up- Man Stroking the Woman’s arm- Match on action from previous shot.
38.   Back to the two shot (24)- man going in for a kiss, woman rejecting him, she goes for a smoke and goes out of frame, man also leaves the frame, following after the woman
39.  Mid shot- of Mysterious looking man putting on his hat
40. Long Shot – Man and woman walking out of the door, she lights up a cigarette, exhales, then grabs the man to kiss him
41.  Mid shot - of mysterious man walking out of the door after the other two characters have left.
42.  Long shot- of the mysterious man on the pavement, different angle to the one before- Match on action of him walking out the door?
43.  Close up- of his feet rubbing out the cigarette
44. Close up- of the mans face as he looks up from the floor

Planning of casting:

I have found to willing people who have said that they wouldm't mind being the fem fetal and the man.
Harriet and Harry who are a couple.
So now we only have to find extras and a mysterious man.

Updates:

I have been having difficulty getting feedback from people on the facebook group but i have been pestering people so hopefully i will get some soon.

audience research mood board:

target audience and audience research:

Target Audience

I would like to do something with the same creative twist attracting a more unique audience perhaps (B C1) INDIVIDUALISTS people who are slightly higher demographic. people who aren't afraid to stand up or who are slightly different.I would like to aim it at quite a large age group perhaps 16-30 I would also like it to be aimed at both genders (suitable for both men and women.)

Audience Research

Name: Ryan


Sex: Male

Age:20

Background: Studying at University (music industry and game animation), middle class, lived around the world in places like Africa and the Far East.

Likes: Music of various electronic genres, especially Breakbeat, Dubstep, Drum and Bass and Electro House. The music industry. Gaming. TV shows like Dexter, the Walking Dead, robot chicken Simple Fashion; jeans, t-shirt and checkered shirts and simple colours.

Dislikes: people who are hedonistic, R and B music, people who were cheap sportswear clothing all the time.

Favourite Movies: Snatch, Lock Stock and Two smoking barrels, Gladiator, The count of Monte Cristo.
Favourite/Prefered Movie Genre: Action or Comedy

Response to Film Noir mood board: It's a bit like time travel getting to see how social groups were, but still being able to relate to them even if it is a tad alien. It’s very glamourous and focuses on the fine details of a. You get a strong sense of what’s wrong and right (binary opposition). There always seems to be a bad guy which the hero has to catch, often to save a female character in distress. I like it but I’m not familiar with it and would like to know more.



Name:Nick

Sex: Male

Age:17, almost 18

Background: Student, from essex, middle class

Likes: Punk, rock and indie music, Horror, Comedy, Romance movies. Vintage things, the colour pink, comfortable clothing like jeans, converses or doc martens and a plain t-shirt . The media and film industry, Collecting shoes, zombie films, gaming

Dislikes: Vain people, tabloid newspapers and gossip magazines,

Favourite Movie: V for Vendetta, Zombieland

Favourite or preferred movie genre: Documentary films or Bipoics like the one on Ian Dury made in 2009

Response to Film Noir Mood Board: It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I can identify with the subjects as they are used in films today and aspects of film noir are used frequently to add a sense of drama or sinister tone to some films. The Mise En Scene that is used in creating a Film Noirs, are really cool as they are different to the movies nowadays. I think its great and would definitely like to watch film noirs due to the themes and aspects shown by the pictures.



Name: Jodie


Age:19

Sex: Female

Background: from Yorkshire, Lives and works in New castle, Middle class background

Likes: trendy fashion, Pop music and music from the 80’s, beauty and makeup, cooking, relaxing with the family

Dislikes: soppy romantic films, reality TV programs

Favourite or prefered movie genre: Horror

Response to Film Noir Mood board:This reminds me of an era of glamorous women, of gangsters and sinister events. There is always an element of mystery, of someone evil lurking in the shadows and private detectives solving crimes. The pictures give the impression of murder, suspense and tension is accentuated by the use of black and white which highlights the shadows and silhouettes. I really like it.



Name: Cat


Sex: Female

Age: 16

Background: Student, Middle class, lived in the UK her whole life.

Likes: all types of music from Indie rock to pop, She likes simple fashion of jeans and a graphic t-shirts and colourful hoodies. Enjoys listening to music and having fun with friends at the weekend after college. Likes languages and science.

Dislikes: Ignorant people, Metal music, taking the bus

Favourite movies: Shaun of the dead, Dirty Dancing

Favourite or preferred movie genre: Romance, Comedy or a combination of the two (rom/com)

Response to Audience moodboard

How Will This feedback help you in your research?
This will help me to define wha tit is that people want to see and want to get out of it. Taking in to account that sometimes peopel are not very individual and like more mainstreem films. This is why themes from other genres will be incorperated in o our final piece.

Mood Board

synopsis

 I aim to set up and equilibrium which will be hinted that it will soon be broken. I would like to create enigmatic codes so the audience will become more intrigued into watching the rest of the film.

I would like to introduce an unnamed femme fetale character that will bring on the downfall of the main hero who will interact with the female chraracter in the opening title/scene.

I would also like to create another sense of mystery by showing a dangerous looking man in the background of some of the shots to make the audience ask questions like: who is the man? why is he looking at the 'couple'? and what relationship does he have with either of the characters.

The proposed setting is a bar and the street outside a bar at night. This will give me a chance to experiment with dramatic and unnatural night time and create a sense of mystery as the night setting will heighten the drama and enhance the feeling that something bad might happen, as most crimes occur at night.

I would like the scene to end with the dangerous looking man becoming more a main character as he will be given more screen time as well as following after the other two characters. This should hopefully connote to the audience the themes of violence from the dangerous looking man and romance between the hero and femme fetale.

Genre Research Summary:

1.What do the titles tend to look like?

The titles are often white top contrast against the dark shadows, intergrated into the opening scene. The font tends to be bold and in capitals and fade on and off on top of the scene that opens.

2. What kind of music/ or other non diegetic sounds are used?

Film Noirs tend to use music that isoften extremely dramatic. In the opening sequence to DOA the music creates tension and a sense of mystery and engages the audience as the scene starts with loud non diegetic music that fits the titles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYiqW-6iKOs

3. What types of character do we see in the opening sequence? How are their chracters established through technical features?

Film Noir establish a male hero type figure, often a detective or a police officer who the audience are positioned to like as he is tough but has some sort of hardship, so the audience sympathise with him. A femme fetale figure is also introduced that acts as a danger to the hero in some form. Occasionally a villain is introduced, but often the femme fetale and the hero work together as the binary opposition.

4. What kinds of mise-en-scene dominate? What are typical features of setting, lighting, props?

Settings often include Urban or city landscapes or Police stations as a common theme in Film Noirs is crime. Props were also associated with the same theme, such as guns and wepons. Since most Film Noirs were set in the 1940’s and the 1950’s, alot of the props were from those eras. Costumes, props such as cars and objects were all from the 1940’s and 1950’s. A lighting technique called ‘Chiaroscuro’ (basically means light and dark) was used to which heightened the drama of Film Noirs.  The use of shadows and silhouettes to outline characters made things look more sinister. 

5. What narrative codes are employed and how?

 Enigma codes were a key aspect of Film Noirs to intrigue the audience and create a sense of mystery and suspense. The audience are meant to ask questions that they expect to be answered, thus making them more interested in watching the film. A binary opposition is also created of hero vs. villain or male vs. female.

6. Is there a particular form of cinematography or editing that is specific to the genre you are working in?
Generally there is a slow pace of editing in Film Noirs between shots. A key aspect of cinematography is the lighting which I have previously explained. The lighting is dramatic, creating crisp black lines and shadows, that make the scene all the more mysterious.

genre analysis

03/01/2011

Genre specific analysis

The film “sunset boulevard” (1905) is an American film noir film written and co directed by Billy Wilder. This film was named after the boulevard that runs through los Angelis and Beverly Hills, California.

The genre of the film is demonstrated through the use of the typical conventions of film noir using black and white to illustrate the seriousness almost menacing feeling, whilst also using typical non diagetic, foreboding, fast pace music over the opening titles. The use of black and white can also be used to connote the underlying sense of depression. Most of the film noir films where written in the 1940s when many people were fleeing the from Hitler and the Nazis. This is why depression is a running theme within the film noir genre because they were written during the great depression.

 Bart’s enigma code is used to create mystery and questions for the audience as it generally begins with the conclusion and works its way back through the story in order to unravel the mystery. This allows the audience to establish that this is a murder mystery. Murder is a common theme associated with the film noir genre that runs through many of the classic film noir films. This use of Bart’s enigma code allows the audience to begin working out what has happened. We are aware that the murder has taken place at one of the biggest old time start homes as the body was found in her pool. This positions her character in the eye of the audience making her a character of suspicion.  

The tone of the music creates a tense, dramatic mood throughout the opening sequence.  In contrast however, the tone of the narrator appears to be very detached and lacking in empathy. In this context, the narrator gives a factual account of events, almost devoid of emotion.  This exposition voice is common to the film noir genre. It is often used to reveal characters inner thoughts (mainly the hero), as their personality and character develops.  This allows the audience to actually witness the development of the main character. The narration can also be used to reveal certain parts of the story, establish time and place and create the mood and tone. For example, in “Sunset Boulevard” it is used to explain what is happening, where it is happening, what time it is happening and why it is happening. “Yes this is Sunset Boulevard Beverly Hill California, its about five o’clock in the morning. That’s the homicide squad complete with detectives and news paper men. A murder has been reported in one of those big houses on the 10,000 block”. This is all said while the action of the scene is taking place. This reoccurs a number of times throughout the film. This is another typical convention of film noir and is used in other well known film noir films such as “Sin City”

 We also learn that the film is set in the suburbs of Beverly Hills California, through the cinematography (the wide angle long shot) of the police cars speeding down the country road in to the large mansion grounds.  This is a typical camera angle used by film noir films. Another classic cinematography method used are close ups on feet. This creates a mysterious feeling because it is only allowing the audience to see a very small portion of the action happening leaving the audience having to guess what else is happening.  

The suburbs are often used as locations in film noir films along with urban locations and dark city streets. These are often used to connote the sense of underlying depression.

The “hero” is a character typically associated with film noir films. The hero is often a man from the darker side of good trying to escape his mysterious past and often led a stray by the notorious fem fetal another character associated with this genre. The fem fetal is a women who uses her seductive charm to lead our helpless hero in to dangerous situations and is often the person who commits the crimes, allowing the hero to take the blame. Or lours the hero in to committing some crime of passion.  

Finally some of the props associated with the film noir genre are cigarettes and cigarette smoke. They are used mainly in the scenes between the hero and the fem fetal to enhance the sexual tension. Brimmed hats are also a prop strongly associated with film noir. They are used to create shadows over the face enhancing the mystery and adding to the feeling of menace.