The film follows Carlton Leach from his younger days as a 'footsoldier' among the ranks of the ICF to membership of a notorious gang who rampaged their way through London and Essex in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The film focuses on three decades of his life, following him from football hooliganism through his burgeoning career as a nightclub bouncer and his involvement in the criminal aspects of the early 'rave' scene, until finally becoming one of the most feared criminals in the country. The story concludes with three members of his gang - Tony Tucker, Craig Rolfe and Pat Tate - being brutally slain in the infamous Rettendon Range Rover triple murders of December 1995.
This is our prelim task, the plot of the story was that the girls were trading some goods accross the table. This turned out to be a good success, however, due to the time we were unable to record all of what we needed, therefore, we improvised and delt with what we had.
We used several different types of camera shots such as long shot, mid-shot, extreme close ups and over the shoulder shots. This allowed the sequence to flow with the help of invisible editting and simple cut shots. We were able to stay within the 180 ° rule, as we shot the angels from one side of the point of action/conversation.
The music we chose was very limited as there was no other music on the player, so with the amount of time we had we chose this music to give a comedy side to the sequence as well as to give the sequence a lift of non-diagetic sounds rather than just diagetic sound/noise in the background. We extracted the audio and silenced the scene where she walks in and replaced it with the non-diagetic sound of music. Once she sits down we faded the music down but still had it playing quietly underneath as the diagetic sounds of them talking needed to be heard. The music fades back in throughout the credits and stops in sync to the credits ending.
To improve our piece of film we would spend more time filming, if it was possible, and also we would have chosen a better soundtrack if we had more choice in the itunes player. Also some shots were a little shakey, this was either due to the actor being unable to stand still or because the camera was a little shakey, to improve this we would ask the actress to stand perfectly still and the camera would need to be steady.
Overall our prelim task was a success and we feel that this experience will help us with future recordings.
The above clip is the opening sequence of the number one rated British gangster film called "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels".
Firslty, each shot is done as a simple and invisible cut to the next shot, this is useful to make a movie flow and go in a chronilogical order. Instead of using fades to introduce a new clip or a different title, simple cuts enable the clips to switch back and forth from a title to a movie clip.
The cinematography used is varied as sometimes it has point of view shots and sometimes it uses steady shots. The point of view shots allow us to feel like we are a part of the movie where we can see and hear what everyone else in the scene can hear through the diagetic sounds of talking, walking and the jewelry on the table. The give a sense of realism and can emphasize what we can feel and think because everyone else may be feeling the same, it also intregues us, therefore, it makes us want to peer over the other people's shoulders to see what is happening. This is shown at the beginning of the scene where the camera is tracking towards the crowd to see what is happening like a human, and to emphasize the realism it has people walking in front of the camera like people do with us in real life. When the steady shots are used these would have been either handheld or had a tripod used. These closeups help us to see the expressions on the face of the dealer, and also it allows us to know what he looks like. The midshots through the point of view shots helps the audience see what kind of clothing they wear or what thier characteristics are like how they stand or move. We can see that this dealer is a confident man.
The titles are white, old type-writer style of writing, on a black background. This allows us to see what the words say and who produced, stars and the name of the movie. As the movie title is revealed to us we see that it is "typed" into the screen as if someone is writing the story and telling us about it. This is a good way of opening a title scene because it doesn't just show the title, it plays with it and waits for us to see what the title is rather than straight away know what it is. The connatations of each title could mean that this person has a dark history and has renewed it, or it could be just so we can see what it says.
The clothes used show a stereotypical dealer trying to dress well but also is trying to keep warm as the day may be quite cold as he is wearing a black coat, dark coloured scarf. He may wear it to let the people in the crowd assume he is like them and none threatening, however, people with a "buzz cut" hairstyle often can look threatening as this is the style of hair cut that people who were once or still in jail have. He seems like a nice, confident, helpful person who is just trying to work, however, once the police are seen by him he eventually reveals his true personality of a dealer/gangster. The man runs from the police not wanting to be caught so this shows he has done something very wrong.
One specific editting was used on the scene where they are running through the alley way, the slow motion clip emphasizes the surreal feeling and fear that is running through them. This part is very memorable because it shows a surreal feeling.
The lighting is of a natural setting so it also gives the sense of realism.
b Editting is used to make a film or sequence flow and seem realistic, this can be done by different types of effects and editting techniques, also if a film is editted well it can be understood by the audience. Different types of editting techniques include such things as fade, simple cut, invisible cut, montage and changing what has come through on the camera, for instance, if the camera has recorded a shot of someone standing on the floor, by using editting you can "flip" the person upside down and still have their hair perfectly normal in a sereal world. Also by the use of editting you can use green/blue screens to fill in background effects or additional characters, for example, when Eddy Murphy plays the Nutty Professor or Norbit he plays more than one character and by the help of blue/green screen they were able to have both of the Eddie Murphy characters on the screen. However, gangster movies hardly use green/blue screen, usually it would only be in the scene had a car chase scene in it, from the front view of the car, or if the background needed changing into something more gangster type. Films that wouldn't have changed it's backgrounds would be such things as "The Godfather" and "Scarface". Fades are used to either end, begin or even link one clip to another, it can either give the sense of emotional effects (as in someone fading away) or it can give a link to the next scene. Fades are not usually used, however, when they are used they are used well as they can reveal the next scene slowly while we anticipatingly wait for it. Fades are rarely used during the film but they are normally used in opening credits and endings, which draws us slowly into the film. Fade is rarely used in gangster films which suggests that we should hardly use it in our film.
Simple and invisible cuts are similar as they can be used at any time to change camera view in the same scene or change scene entierly. When they are used it allows the film to flow and become more effective because you can use it as many time as you like, the majority of film making is in fact simple/invisible cuts which are the easiest and simplest things to do. This is done by having two or more of the same clip filmed at different angles, by cutting these clips up and editting them into the right places you have made a more effective scene, as if it was left to one angle the clip would drag on and we couldn't explore and feel like we are in the movie. In the movie of "Exorcism of Emily Rose" it uses many simple cuts which are done quickly, for example in the court room and when Emily is being taken under by the Devil. The following clip shows when it is used and where, the total number of simple cuts in the first 5minutes 30 seconds are around 168.
As we can see from this clip, the simple cuts can help raise the tension by having quick, fast pace shots editted together to make them heart pounding (between 00:16 and 00:30 in clip), also they can be used to let us know what else is happening in the room or around them (between 00:46 and 01:00 in clip) also the fast pace of this editting causes us to become confused and a little scared because we do not understand what is happening. Simple cuts like this are able to make us tense and scared, it is due to the editting and camera techniques that really get our body scared. Simple cuts can also view the different types of angles of the people in the same area for example when Emily/Lucifer is telling the priest the six people that she/he is (between 04:54 and 5:24). This lets us know the full expression of the person that is speaking or doing an action. Invisible editting shows continuity and shots in sequence, also it puts the shots in chronological order so it flows simpler, the invisible transition is also known as cut. It is used to create realism and verisimillitude which is creating a believable world and allows the audience to enter the world of the story. Montages are used to group similar clips in a scene together, however, it is used less commonly and is more abrupt, also it takes the audience out of the story and the juxtaposition of images that don't exist in the same time are used. When two images are editted together a new meaning is created which is greater than each individual shot. In our sequence we will probably use the simple, invisible cuts as we do not think a montage will go very well. Also some of the shot lengths will be short when he is running or fighting, and we will have a good use of close ups to see into his mind and know what he is thinking and feeling. We will use the rule of thirds to fit the talking shots together if he is talking to someone else and the 180º rule where we will film from one side also during the conversation shots. When the main character is walking, the editting will be to slow down this shot and fade it into a closer shot which saves a long easing in shot. Editting brings the film to it's final preparations and also it can fit everything in the film together and have good continuality, also it can emphasize scenes like by short, quick shots to promote a fast paced scene of confusion or fear, or long shots to promote a calm or eary atmosphere. Depending when the shots are introduced we can feel fear or peace, this is why we jump to some noises and not others, the shots can be editted quickly to a scary point which is called the "sting" and accompanied by music will make the audience jump or possibly scream.
Get Rich or Die Tryin' is a typical gangster film. This relates to our film because we are going to make a Gangster/Revenge film. The plot of Get Rich or Die Tryin' is about one mans (50 Cent) attempt to be rich and famous. The main character Marcus (50 Cent) has a dream of being a rapper. During his quest for fame Marcus realizes that he needs money so he turns to selling drugs. During the film Marcus is shot several times. The gunman is masked so Marcus has to find out who the man was. This is where the movie relates to ours. Our movie is about a mans revenge on three gangsters that killed his innocent best friend.
Get Rich or Die Tryin' received $46,442,528 in revenue when it was released in 2005
The company that produced the film was Paramount Pictures
There are many different possible settings for a gangster/ conflict style film, these are...
School: this would be an ideal setting, as it shows the places of education and shows where the young "hoodlums" would spend most of there time when they are growing up. it also shows if they was good academically. Sometimes a school would sow the route of the main characters problems, but sometimes not.
The home: This should show the main characters family, and would show the type of relationships that they have with them, weather they are good, or bad. This would be a place which would show how they where brought up, for example weather they had manners, or if they were rude.
The places they hang out: Here we would be shown the type of people they hang out with, where they are influenced, and shown there choices that they have made in life, here it would be put across to us weather deep down they are actually good people, or if they are bad people, hence they had made bad choices in life.
Places of interest (hobbies): Most people have hobbies, we would be shown what extra curricular activities they would take part in, and would also give us a look into the characters lives, showing personality. In some films i've seen i know that people have had such a bad time with a lot of different things, some people (in reall life as well) tent to emerse themselves into hobbies to get away from the real world.
b The genre for our film will be based on the typical settings for a Gangster/Revenge film. This was concluded due to the storyline and stereotypes in our film. Gangster films are developed around the actions of criminals or gangsters, in particular bankrobbers or ruthless "hoodlums" who operate outside the law, stealing and violently murdering their way through life. Usually the main character will begin his/her life in a poor family but have a more wealthy life being a gangster due to what their job include, also they will have rivalries with either another gang (if the main character is in a gang) or with a certain person. In our film our main character has a rivalry with another person for something they did. The language also contributes to the type of genre it is based on, for example a posh British accent would suggest either a historical/period or dramatic films. In our case the main character (Munch) will have a gangster's type accent which typically is "soz 'ard" meaning they think themselves as dominant or stronger than other people, this is seen in London gangster films such as "Kidulthood" and the series "Fallout", and since our film is set in a London type area, to replicate what London crime is like, Munch will use a London gangster's accent. Gangster's are usually found to have guns or a weapon of some sort, and always seeking revenge on the opposition if something has happened. Guns are a sign of anger, death, intimidation or protection, therefore, they are carried around by gangster's so they can feel more dominant and be feared by everyone. The gangster genre is one of the most popular in modern movies and some of the best film directors alive have produced some incredible ganster movies. In fact, on the Internet Movie Database, the number 1 ranked movie is the Godfather - out of all genres.
The following video represents what typical London gangster's are like and other gangsters that follow the same routine. The types of clothing worn and the accents are also involved in this clip. It also shows the stereotypical teenagers of today and their different groups.
Reveng films consist of a person or group of people seeking revenge on something that has happened, this can be carried out in a violent or non-violent way, however, to make a film tense and thrilling, they tend to be carried out in a violent way. It is not often that revenge is carries out by talking or negotiating as the person/group carrying out the revenge can not get the full revenge they intend to get. Gangster films are usually based on revenge as a friend or family member is killed or injured by an apposing "clan" or person. Sometimes to have a bitter twist to the story it could involve an actual friend that has killed the persons family member, and is not revealed until the climax towards the end. This leads to stigma's but also can build up tension if the audience know's who it is or it can build up a shock to who did it. Revenge is a part of everyday life, and as genre's try to portray this, it happens all the time. Each genre has a main social event to it as revenge is based on a revenge theme, horror is based on a thrilling, scary theme and westerns are based on cowboys. Due to revenge having a specific theme we have also chosen this so it can give our film a tension building and thrilling theme.
Below is a typical revenge scene from the film "Adulthood" where Trifes uncle has found out that Sam had killed his nephew. He seeks revenge on Sam for doing this and towards the end of the scene Jay attempts to get his old friend Moony to take his revenge out on Sam for killing their friend Trife.
The genre of the film is vital as it could be misleading and the wrong sort of people may watch a film thinking it is a different genre when it is actually the opposite to the genre they would like to watch, this influences the comments on the film whether it's good or not the genre will tell the audience straight away what type of content is in the film.
We chose these two genre's as they are popular amongst the British and American public, also they can be watched by various of different types of people such as gangsters themselves, teenagers, young adults and most of the public nation. However, there are only a few british, young, gangster type films, therefore, the British public appreciates the gangster movies made by their own country. Countries such as America (who have gangster gangs) and Italy (who have mafia's) usually produce the gangster movies.
Our target audience will be British teens and young adults, as it reflects society in
certain areas in Britain, mainly big cities such as London, and Manchester. The people that would want to watch our film would be probably 15-34 years old, as 41.5% of regular cinema goers and most likely to enjoy the specific music in the film, which has got a Hip hop theme. People in gangs, and fit the stereotype image in the film, will be able to relate to this, and they will probably watch it., This film would be targeted for every one to be able to want to watch this, with themes such as revenge, and conflict, which every person, which every one will relate to, and most likely participated in activities including the basis of these.
The gender that will most likely to watch this would be males, as there are more male gangs than female, especially in the U.K. but many females will most likely want to see this, a it is also interesting to see the hierarchy of different areas, including the different class systems.
In this type of film, we aim to show the lower classes in society, their schooling, and their other life styles. Mainly in these areas of places of London, there is a lot of crime in the schools, and a lot of the time, pupils get harmed, or most likely bullied.
Below is an example of the type of music that the stereotypical gangster type would listen to,
This is also an example of how they would dress, act and maybe in some areas, there lifestyle
Props and mise en scene are vital in opening sequences, as they establish many things such as genre, character, and emotional responses which are the key factors of a two minute sequence.
Props establish genre by having relevant types of props, which set the scene, for example a cowboy hat, for a western movie.
Character is shown by the type of props used, usually clothes, establish their characteristics, including over exaggerating stereotypes, for example, if you wanted to show a person in the form of a "gangster" then you would over exaggerate their appearance, such as jewelry (bling), and baggy clothing. We can also show this by the music they listen to, such as Rap, Hip Hop and RnB, as obviously they wouldn't be listening to Heavy Metal, or Hardcore Bands.
Props can help to provoke an emotional response by showing the relevant instrument of action, for example a gun pointing at an innocent child creates suspense and enigmas of will he get shot and we wait to find out eager to watch on.
In our film clip, Munch will use the stereotypical gangster props such as baggy clothing, a tilted cap and possibly chains, this will emphasize which type of genre it is and what type of person he is, this may also give off an opposite reading to what he could be, he could be promoting that people don't wear chains because they injure your back or that baggy clothes make you look bad. Due to this we will give the dominant reading so that gangsters can relate to the main character and so other people know what stereotypical character he is and how they act.
Thursday 8 January 2009
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This opening sequence has really influenced our thoughts because of its content. A lot happens in a short time on this clip, The scene is set where a hopeful young athlete plays basket ball at his local sports hall. When he has finished his training he rings his girl friend to tell her that he loves her to show the audience he is a warm character. On his way home, he gets into a little bit of conflict with a gang, they start to stir up trouble, so he walks off and tries to go home, but the gang follow him, and chase after him. The gang leader stabs the boy, then him and the gang run off and leave him for dead. Later the girl comes along and she doesn't know what to do and also leaves the boy lying on the ground, We then find out that he died.
We feel that the use of media language is perfect for helping our ideas develop, there are many different techniques used in here. Mise en scene helps show the gang for what they are, they all wear "gangster" style clothing and hang around a corner shop in an urban area, which looks run down. The colour red depicts danger in the clip, as the gang leader is wearing red, as soon as we see him, we know that he will cause trouble. The editing of the clip shows that there is danger coming, we know this because the time between each clip being cut and also the pace speeds up. The fast paced editing prepares the audience for the action of the scene. The content of this clip shows conflict, this is perfect for our short sequence, as it is based on this, along side a theme of revenge. We feel that the mise en scene is similar to what we would use. Non-diegetic sad slow paced music is used at the beginning and end of this short clip, this automatically tells us that something bad will or has happened in the drama. It sets the scene for the audience with regards to the genre of the film.
bThe form and function, of our opening sequence, has to be able to establish place and time. By this we will be filming at certain times of the day (day or night). We will be establishing the place by shooting a long shot of our chosen location. We will not be using narrative devices, apart from captions. The opening sequence will be only a few minutes long, and during this time, we will be showing credits, during this short sequence.
We will be drawing in the audience, by the media languages we use, such as music, with an up beat tempo, which will start to fade as the plot begins to unfold. We will establish the main character by, using extreme close ups of the character, which will unveil his personality, by the clothes he wears and the music he listens to.
Enigmas will be created to attract the audience and keep the "hooked", as it were, so they will watch the rest of the film, to see this enigmas answered, and resolved.
