Peer Assesment

Criteria	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Holding a shot steady, where appropriate				X
Framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate				X
Using a variety of short distances as appropriate				X
Shooting material appropriate to task set				X
Selecting mis-en-scene including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting				X
Editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer				X
Using varied shot transitions and other effects selective and appropriately for the task set				X
Using sound with images and editing appropriately			X
Using titles appropriately				X

After watching our class members final pieces we gave feedback, I too received feedback. What others thought I did well was the music; the weird airy sounds corresponded to the story. My peers also liked the cross cut between the cupboard and strangling. There was also good continuity in the shot; some thought the piece flowed well which sustained the belief of the piece. Alternatively, there were many areas that needed improvements. Certain sounds in the music didn’t correspond to the visual piece, for example I used sounds of thunder as I thought it created intense drama and filled the silence. However, this didn’t work well because there was no rain or thunder in the shots. In addition there was a strong contrast of two sounds which was too jarring than effective.

Filming and Editing

After planning for weeks, filming took place on 20^th February. The actual filming itself went surprisingly well, I expected there to be trouble with technology however we found the cameras easy to use, it helped that we used the cameras in our preliminary task so we were experienced with them. Nevertheless, we did encounter problems concerning actors, composition and mis-en-scene. To some extent we did deviate from the original storyboard, during the filming process we found there wasn’t enough detail from the shots which caused us to improvise from scene-to-scene. I think we should have written all the dialogue on the sheets and drawn what was happening in the background of the shot, specifically for mis-en-scene purposes. On the other hand, in terms of shot types and context of the shots we crucially referred to the storyboard. This was important to gain a variety of shot types and help convey the plot line. Therefore although we extended some content in the shots, we did not deviate much from the storyboard. However, during editing I realised we didn’t focus on the timings written on the storyboard so this will be an area I will have to focus on to ensure the title sequence doesn’t exceed 2 minutes.

We encountered numerous problems throughout the day. For example a member of the groups was late (even though we troubleshot for this) and this member was responsible for props, make up and bringing an actor needed for the beginning and end of the sequence. We faced this problem by scheduling the filming for an hour later. Furthering this, they were another hour late so we filmed the scenes where their presence was not essential, which altered our shooting schedule. In addition, it affected the input we could have used when filming because it was one less opinion that could have been used to improve the shots. Another problem we faced was composition. We had to constantly re-film shots because they did not correspond to the storyboard and the top of the actors head were being cut off. Previously, this was a big problem in my preliminary task so I found it important to focus on that area as I didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes.

Based on the filming content, the shots are a major improvement from the ones of the preliminary task. It helped that we received audience feedback on the first task because I focused strongly on that aspect. I think the best shot we have is the tracking, point of view shot of the father walking to the house. It suggested the character was an alcoholic as it was day time, we could see a can of beer in his hand whilst stumbling towards his home, whilst establishing setting also because we can see a home environment. The whole title sequence institutes a back story as it is what the main character experiences as a child and explains why he has become mentally unstable. Although I haven’t planned what non-diagetic music I will use, I know is will be solemn and sombre to portray a tense, serious atmosphere and that the film’s genre is a thriller.

The editing software “Final Cut Pro” was easy to use and I didn’t have any serious problems using it, what I did struggle with however was working to a deadline. As it was extremely close to the deadline I had to use simple fonts, I could have experimented with different style font and placement of them. I tried to make the piece flow as much as I could to avoid jump cuts as this was an issue concerning my preliminary task. Another obstacle was the timing of music, as “Garage Band” worked using beats of ¼ and “Final Cut Pro” used seconds, it took a while to get both in sync

Character Profiles

 

Risk Assessment

1. The strangling of the mother needs to be careful so I don’t get hurt, and we have to make sure there is no water around the wire.
2. Similarly, in the fights scene the father actor has to be to careful when attacking the mother actor.
3.  The child in the cupboard is an area that we have to watch so no harm is caused.

Music Composition

The music is important factor of the production because it will help to convey the genre and theme. It has to be appropriate, if any lyrics are used they have to resemble the plot or the characters, if they don’t it will mislead the audience and will not attract them to watch the rest of the film. The main uses for music in a title sequence is to create mood and atmosphere, for example the music in “Jaws” every time the shark appears, the music is now iconic and every time it was used in the film, tension grew as the audience were aware the shark would attack. Music is used for signals about time and place, in “The Talented Mr Ripley” we know the film is set in the 60’s because jazz music is used and that was of a time when it was very popular and fashionable- especially as the jazz music was American, we know the setting is in America.  Whereas in “300” we hear Arab sounding flutes which brings up images of the Middle East. The final use of music is to introduce the character. “James Bond” is known for being sexy and exciting because the music that is associated with him is suave and smooth. The music of the characters creates atmosphere, for example “Indiana Jones” has adventurous sounding music whereas the “Rocky” theme song is inspirational.

Examples from Previous Student.

Watching previous productions in order to prepare for filming ensured that we do not make the same mistakes that they did and it helped to give ideas we could use for our pieces.

PIECE ONE- This production used close up shots well (similar to the title sequence of the TV drama “Dexter”) so the audience are forced to watch the main female character and focus on her specific actions which gives information about the plot. I liked the way in which the title of the film appeared, it was very blunt and simply flashed on the screen “Dead Revenge,” and this could mimic her blunt personality. There was good mis-en-scene used, through the close up shots we could tell she was a woman and she was applying lipstick and by what she wore, establishing character well. However, the text was not constant because the font changed halfway through the sequence and so didn’t establish genre properly.

PIECE TWO- Genre was well established as music was used which emotive, it was a slow paced song with violins and when shown with the visual piece we knew the film will be an emotional thriller. Although it was effective, it could have been more mysterious because it was too slow which made it seem like a drama. Camera was used well, especially the point of view shot when the character was opening the door portraying a disturbed mind frame. We will use this camera shot in our title sequence to portray the father’s drunken state. Nevertheless the camera shots could have varied in the park as only long shots were used. They could have used a close up, medium, high angle, low angle, or wide shots. In editing, there was good cross-cutting between the voodoo doll and the character denoting there was a relationship between the two. However the overall title sequence was too much like a trailer as it showed the best bits of the film, instead of wetting the audience’s appetite, it exposed the storyline in 2 minutes.  Another improvement was the tacky transitions which were overused and false. It made the sequence jarring and didn’t convey the horror genre well and is didn’t suspend the audiences disbelief.

Revisiting the Preliminary Task.

Now that it has been a couple weeks since we filmed our preliminary task, I can now revisit it and see what specifically went well and what needs to be improved so I don’t make the same mistakes for my final productions. I think the mis-en-scene was particularly effective as it was an area we focused on strongly. Our location conveyed the plot successfully because it had naturally occurring mis-en-scene elements that helped to convey themes, for example we filmed near garages so there was graffiti on the doors of the garage which denoted a rough environment. Therefore, we are filming our final production in an environment that the character would actually live in: a family home. In addition to this mis-en-scene would already be established to create verisimilitude, the only other props we would have to include would be ones used in the plot line and ones which give information about character. However, my use of jump cuts was not relevant to the story and therefore it was not used successfully. Furthering this, to avoid it happening again we will film more scenes and use cut on action. Also, I didn’t use music in my title sequence when it could have been used to emphasise genre and themes. So to avoid this, I will experiment with music on the software “Garage Band.” Lighting was not a factor that I focused on and this weakened my preliminary task, to include it in the title sequence I will film at specific times of the day and use extra artificial light when needed. The task had bad composition and so to avoid this I will follow the storyboard accurately.

Storyboards- edited from shots 25 to end

 

 

Trouble Shooting

We faced some problems with various parts of the title sequence project. The first was naming the film, we originally thought of titles such as “Watch,” “See,” “Observe,” or “Witness” because whole film was based on the main character witnessing his mothers death. However, after receiving audience feedback it was suggested that we name the film after events in the plot line and so we brainstormed with “Runaway,” “Hostage” and “Escape.” We settled for “Escape” as we felt it was most appropriate. Another problem we faced was the transition between the young child’s eyes the older characters eyes. However we decided to use make up on both sets of eyes creating a birthmark so we can recognise that both characters are the same. Ambient sound was another problem we would have faced from the sounds in the alley way. We avoided this problem when our shorted our sequence, therefore our problem was fixed.

Group Decided Prop List

·        Recycle bins (outside the house for verisimilitude),

·        Pictures drawn like a Childs.

·        Cans on the floor

·        Keys

·        Children’s toys

·        Shoes of each character (in the hallway).

·        Coats (on the banister)

·        Hairdryer

·        Dressing table

·        Big cupboard

Shooting Schedule

11:00 am- 12:00 pm - meeting on the corner of Chartar Avenue and walk to my house. Then set up and preparation for filming, establishing the mis-en-scene and camera.

12:00- 1:00 pm – shots 1-20 completed

1:00- 2:00 pm – shots 21-31 completed.

2:00- 3:00 pm – shots 32 – end.

"Avatar" Title Sequence Analysis

Jasvir Bahra Avatar Title Sequence

View more presentations from Jasvir Bahra.

Peer Chosen Title Sequences

Name of the film: “The Dark Night”

The joker is standing at the bottom of a building where criminals enter with their faces covered by clown masks, similar to The Joker. They rob a mafia bank and certain characters are ordered by the joker to kill their fellow gang during the robbery. Smoke emerges to fill the shot, darker shades of the smoke combine to create a bat shape. We associate the iconic bat shape with Batman; it acts as the title so we are aware this will be a Batman film even though it’s named “The Dark Night.” It sets the expectations of a superhero film so we want to see action, criminals and a good morale Batman who saves the day. A medium shot shows The Joker’s painted face as clown. Other criminals wear a clown mask. It sends the message The Joker is a mentally disturbed character as he takes the idea of a children’s entertainer and uses it to mask his identity. He is influential on other criminals as the clown masks denote they are working for The Joker. It creates the enigma: where is Batman? Ideas that I could use from my own title sequence is the establishing shot of the building that zooms in to the action, it establishes both time and location, we know it is set it New York in the present day (2000’s). The use of extreme close ups to hide the face of the criminal creates mystery.

Name of film: “Saw IV”

In summary the film start with a dead man on table, it seems as if a post-mortem is taking place, however we soon find the “doctor” is specifically searching for something. After graphically cutting open his body and gorily revealing the inside he find a tape in his stomach, when played there is a message from someone telling the “the games have just begun.” In the next shot, two men are tied together by a chain, one has their eyes sewn and the other has their lips sewn. They fight to receive a key however are unaware how or why they are there, the chain that hold the two men pulls them in to a machine that has rotating blades that will kill them. Harsh beats in the music with underlying woodwind instruments; a mixture of high pitched notes explains how it is clear that the film is a horror and not a thriller. It creates confusion rather then mystery. Music from the thriller genre would attempt to create emotional engagement, whereas the harsh beats in this specific opening shock and scare the audience. We can also tell it holds the horror genre due to mis-en-scene, close up of knives and blood conveys pain and suffering. A long shot of a dead mans body creates enigmas, who is he? Why is he dead? Diagetic dialogue from the tape recorder “my work will continue” makes the audience think what his “work” is.  I like the idea of using graphic sequences by special effects as it creates a reaction from the audience however it would be irrelevant to our thriller genre and we do not have enough experience or technology to do so. I think this title sequence sets a well establishes plot but we can not follow this as we have restrictions to keep our sequences under 2 minutes. Close ups of the dead body and the knives denotes there is a relationship between him and tools.

Name of film: “Snatch”

The title sequence consists of a group of religious Jewish men entering an office building whilst we watch them on a surveillance camera. When they enter the office they reveal guns and attack the workers to receive a valuable stone. All the character credits are introduced and connected through the passing of the stone and showing how it creates money, we see who is involved in the process. They talk about bible religion and are dressed a Jewish Scholars. It creates enigmas, as the characters are clearly religious people why are they being watched? This also creates humour suggesting although it is an action film there are elements of comedy incorporated in to the plot. In addition, we know this as the character subvert stereotypes making the audience laugh at them. The transition shots in the opening credits that introduce the characters as they exchange the stone in to money informs us the aim of the characters life in the film is to make money. I would like to use transitions to introduce each character to convey their relationship and plot

Name of film: “300”

Interestingly, this title sequence is made up of animation of a war from the roman era. We know that the film will have a gory plot that will revolve around war. Through a long/ medium shot silhouettes are identifiable of weapons and soldiers in armour, bright splats of blood appear through the fighting are emphasised due to the black shadows. Furthering this, the silhouettes connote that the characters are mysterious. We know the film is historical and action-packed by the mis-en-scene and sound. We identity with the weapons, with music from the Middle East and can make out Greek costume with helmets. The plot presents war as a spectacle, not a normal horror film but presents was as an art, the slow motion suspends the tension and allows the audience to admire the skill and beauty of war. Enigmas created: what does the number “300” represent? Who’s fighting? Why?

Name of film: “A Series of Unfortunate Events”

This title sequence was also animated where we see three young children adventurously escaping from an overpowering man. There is a clear difference between villains to other characters as a spooky face emerges from the darkness whereas the three other characters stay in the light. The colour scheme of only black and white and grey in the animation conveys a spooky, almost gothic-like atmosphere. The character are brave and able to keep up with what’s thrown at them, they’re not intimidated at other older characters. This is because the children constantly run and keep up to stay safe in interesting inventive way for example a boat, a hot air balloon, informing us that the film is aimed at children who want to be entertained imaginatively.

Name of film: “Animal Kingdom”

In this title sequence a teenage boy calls for an ambulance as his mother just died due to drugs and he calls his grandmother to help look after him. We are then are shown shots of a robbery from a CCTV angle, creating the enigma how does that relate to Josh’s life? In the background the all the people in the game show on the television have Australian accents which denotes the film is set in Australia. The sequence juxtaposes the roles of character between the grandmother and Josh by cross-cutting between the grandmother energetically walking up the stairs to a lifeless Josh. The genre will be an emotional drama because of the still images of an armed robbery through the CCTV camera with orchestral music at a slow cutaway rate. Inspired by this film we will use a close up of the child watching his mother showing no emotion conveying he is depressed and traumatised. Also, the cross cutting between josh and his grandmother is relevant to our title sequence as they have difference personalities and so do our character (the drunken father and abused mother).

Storyboards

Audience feedback.

After explaining our concept to an audience we found they like to see why the character becomes a criminal. It makes the audience see the error of his ways and because the plot is from the killers point of view is makes them sympathetic towards him so there is emotional engagement, furthermore the audience are more attracted to the story. It creates suspense whilst creating enigmas: will he kill others too? There were areas which the audience disliked. For example, they found there was no reality to the plot and there was no effect from the outside world. It was controversial that it didn’t incorporate the rest of the world and that it didn’t “fit it.” To solve this, we will include more external factors in to the plot such as perhaps another character coming to save the victim or generally more characters involved.

Group Blocked Plan

• Dad knocks on door.
• Mum opens the door and they argue.
• Dad barges in, goes upstairs, mum follows.
• They have an intense argument.
• Dad kills mum.
• Son comes out from the cupboard.
• Man drinks in the alley, looks at the picture of the mother.
• Victim walks down the alley way.
• Drunken man bags the victims head.
• Victim wakes up in a dark room and attacker is staring at him.

My Own Blocked Plan

• Starts in a dark scene, lights fade on then the main characters face appears close up of his intense emotions. Music and transition (not sure what type yet) to next shot.
• Dark surrounding, silent one man walking (main character). Multiple shot of him walking by himself in a dark alley way- isolated.
• Long shot, we see the end of the alley way, a woman walking down the alley way. Isolated apart from these two characters.
• Main character punches her violently until unconscious then puts a bag over her head (via jump cuts). Jump cuts show unsettling
• Flash back- 3 seconds- a couple arguing. This creates an enigma- who are these characters?
• Victim wakes up in a dark garage.
• Flash back- 3 seconds- man strangling woman in house.
• Medium shot of her hand hanging out of the chair and in the background we see the main character watching her, drinking alcohol. This tells us he is mentally unstable, probably due to alcohol.
• Victim wakes up.
• Titles.

Todorov’s Narrative Structure

1. Equilibrium- normal family life to the main character is that he lives in a family with an alcoholic father who killed his mother which has corrupted him mind and now he is a killer.
2. Disruption- criminal captures a woman on the street and kidnaps her.
3. Recognition- she regains consciousness in a garage, he commits violence towards her.
4. Repair- Victim and criminal interact. She fights back by violence and tries to escape (Similarities: hard Candy only includes two characters and is based around a girl trying to escape from a man’s house).
5. Return- She kills criminal and victim escapes.

Comparing Trailers to Title Sequences.

To ensure we don’t create a trailer instead of a title sequence I decided to research the difference. After looking at “Hard Candy” to explore the concept, it is obvious that the trailer summarises the plot line with out exploiting the ending. It shows the best part of the film that conveys the genre best, for example “Hard Candy” shows the parts of the film with where there is most action and heighted emotions of fear and danger, whereas a comedy would preview the funniest elements of the film. Contrastingly, a title sequence (although draws in audience similar to a trailer) establishes character, plot, genre, location and setting and most importantly creates enigma’s.

What will I use from “The Talented Mr Ripley” title sequence?

The talented Mr Ripley title sequence had a lot of features which we could use in our own final production to successfully convey information whist attracting the audience. When we are first introduced to the film, along with music we hear a voiceover from Mr Ripley in addition to close up shots of intense, sorrowful emotions that change with the use of transitions. This builds strong messages about the character- it establishes they they’re the main character and it portrays the type of genre it will be (thriller). The genre is also conveyed by music, we hear airy yet delicate vocal notes of a woman singing so we know this won’t be a light hearted film. Mis-en-scene is shown through a wide shot including the character. Therefore we can establish time and location. One idea which I quite liked was the transitions that stubbly connoted Ripley’s broken personality.

“The Talented Mr Ripley” Title Sequence

This specific title sequence, although it is around 8 minutes long and our final productions have to be two minutes maximum, reveals a lot of information through editing, mis-en-scene, camera angles and sound.

Information is portrayed about the character in several formats. Editing is used in the form of transitions; streaks appear one by one by sliding of appearing on the screen revealing the face of Mr Ripley. This informs us that the eponymous character is multi-faceted. The streaks give the appearance of broken glass that could mimic his broken personality hinting that although he may seem normal there are more sides to him that are of deeper emotion and meaning. The streaks don’t appear in an orderly fashion therefore it may resemble his unstructured life too. Editing is also used to present the film title, the adjective of “talented” is played with, and we see many other adjectives before “talented is chosen, which informs us there are many great aspects to describe him; he is a complex and versatile, again he is multifaceted which makes him unpredictable. This intrigues the audience. A tracking shot following Mr Greenleaf and Mr Ripley as they walk and talk shows the continual and effortless lies which Ripley tells, he is an opportunist and a liar. We see a medium shot of Ripley in his poor apartment polishing expensive looking shoes.  This tells us the character has aspirations to live a better life and he is through in playing the role of a wealthy man. A long shot of him playing a piano on stage with the lights dimmed on his own show that when possible, he strives and is willing to achieve more. Similarly, a long is used of Mr Ripley exiting out of his apartment where mis-en-scene is used portraying he lives in the meat packing district, conveying he is a poor man. Match on action is used in shots of Ripley in a rich and wealthy environment, explaining the smooth flow of events he can create even though he may not be from that lifestyle, he can move back and forth from the two differing lifestyles effortlessly. Showing that he is “talented,” editing strongly informs us of character.

The plot line will be that Mr Ripley will travel to Italy to find Mr Greenleaf’s son who he doesn’t know. We hear diagetic sound of Ripley listening to jazz music even though he doesn’t like it, as Mr Greenleaf’s son is a fan of the music genre. A canted shot of Mr Ripley and his falling ceiling portrays his interrupted lifestyle because he is poor, as well as his unstructed lifestyle that could explain how he will plan to find Mr Greenleaf’s son. In the opening scene, a close up of his face shows a traumatised expression which suggests he is reflecting on past experiences that he regrets. We think he is either traumatised or deeply guilty, anyhow we can tell he is deep in thought.

Furthermore, sound informs the audience about the film. We assume that the character Dickey will be binary opposites of Mr Ripley as diagetic dialogue from Mr Greenleaf explains how “all he is good for is wasting his allowance.” From what we are told through technique detail, Mr Ripley has many great assets (editing), he has high aspirations to be wealthy, dissimilarly to Dickey who abuses his wealth. Therefore they’re binary opposites which may drive the plot forward. Various types of classical music are played throughout the opening. We first hear diagetic sound of Mr Ripley playing the piano which we assume he is of a high class background (as he is able to play so well). However, after realising that our assumptions were not accurate, further classical music is used where Mr Ripley is learning from them, showing that he is through in what he does and reliable because he is trying to fake a personality by listening to jazz even though he dislikes it. 

The time period is established through mis-en-scene, there is a medium shot of the type of car that the characters of a richer lifestyle own, portraying the film is set in the early 60’s. Jazz music was very popular at this time also. Whereas location is established through sound; all the characters have American accents. The long shot of the a ship shows the time period also as it was extremely expensive to fly, even for wealthy people. So this was a main form of transportation in the 1960’s.

The genre is mystery as the voiceover informs us that he regrets going to Italy, but most importantly he regrets putting on the Harvard jacket from the beginning, setting the expectation of deceitful characters. Although, it may be seen as a thriller because the non diagetic music which introduces the film is a woman singing a slow tempo song however she continues to hold a note when the music stop which makes the audience feel uneasy. The sound is delicate and soft yet airy and disturbing. This sets the expectations of strong emotional engagement which takes that audience

Many enigmas are created in this title sequence. We wonder ‘why would a “talented” man want to erase himself?’ as his voiceover in a solemn tone explains how “I wish I could erase myself.” Another enigma we ask is “will he get found out?” his change of costume was the first way we observe him able to change identity, however now the situation  has become more complex we are curious to find out what happens.

Considering factors:

Characters:

• 10 year old boy
• Dad
• Mum
• Killer
• Victim/stranger

Props:

• Fake blood
• Black bag
• Bottle of alcohol
• Canned beer
• Rope
• Chair
• Picture of mother.

Costume:

• 10 year old boy- causal clothes
• Dad – jeans, dirty top, scruffy
• Mum- causal clothes
• Killer- tracksuit, dirty top (similar to dad)
• Victim/stranger- casual, coat, jeans

Group Decided Title Sequence- First Idea.

An alcoholic husband knocks on the door to his house. The wife opens the door and tells him she has taken out a restraining order of him. The drunken husband enters and shouts at wife, she tries to stop him but he slaps her. They go upstairs and argue about his drinking problem. He begins to hit her, he grabs a hair dryer wire and strangles her to death. She lies on the floor, silence. A child emerges from a cupboard in the room they were fighting in and he approaches her. It then cuts to an alley way, a drunk man is sitting on the floor drinking a bottle of whisky. He looks at a picture of the mum who died. A woman walks down the alley way. He pulls a black bag over her after she walks past. It then cuts to a garage where she has been tied to a chair. He is watching her with a bottle of whisky in his hand. The unconscious stranger wakes up. Fade and the titles appear. Similar to “124 Hours” the action takes place in one setting. Also, there are only two main characters like in “Hard Candy” Contrastingly, it’s unique because you don’t usually see why a killer has become the way they are (bad experiences has ruined him psychologically).

Enigmas created: what is he going to do to this stranger? Who is this woman?

Own film concept.

My own original film concept had a psychological-thriller genre. The whole plot would be based around time, where there is a master manipulating time of normal civilians for his own amusement; the increased time would cause confusion between reality and the civilians unconscious. Specifically, in the title sequence you would see normal activity (for example a work setting), the sequence would then speed up. Also, there would be cross cutting to a close up of eyes (similar to Donny Brasco) and a smiling mouth showing that this manipulator is evil. The music would increase tempo as the speed increases and would be loudest when we see close ups of this mysterious manipulator. It would then fade to darkness and the titles would appear. One film which shares similarities is “Inception” where the characters play between their subconscious and reality. Whereas the unique selling points of this is the change of pace which normal characters can’t control, they are helpless to what happens throughout the film.

Genres to Consider.

Family- “The Goonies”

Sci-fi-  “Star Trek”

Action- “Iron Man”

Adventure- “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”

Comedy- “Grown ups”

Crime- “Max Payne”

Thriller- “Donny Brasco”

Horror- “Saw 4”

Romance- “The Notebook”

Drama- “Invictus”

Psychological Thriller- “Black Swan”

Action/ adventure- “Indiana Jones”

Comedy/ horror- “Shawn of the Dead”

Action/ comedy- “Hot Fuzz”

Romantic/ comedy- “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”

Western/ sci-fi- “Back to the Future”

“Jackie Brown” Title Sequence.

The title sequence to “Jackie Brown” differed from other typical openings because it simply showed a continuous medium shot of a woman (we assume to be Jackie Brown), with non diagetic music. Although this could be seen as a minimalistic title sequence we gain much insight in to the film due to the textual detail. The location is America because the singer in the music has a strong American accent. Also, the film title appears in a sixties style font denoting the film will be set in the sixties. Through the medium shot, the woman starts walking however ends up running to her destination suggesting there will be an inspiration theme which Jackie Brown has to work for. We can tell the character is intelligent because she speaks more then one language, greeting Spanish passengers in their native tongue. She is independent as she walks by herself. The music hints that she could be deceiving as it has an upbeat tempo however the lyrics are about living a hard life on the street informing us of her lifestyle.

What I like about this title sequence is that the music is a strong factor in conveying the inspirational genre, it also establishes the era. I feel mis-en-sene was used very effectively as we are informed she works at the airport through costume and setting. The constant medium shot made it was easy and simple to follow, it is clear to see her role at the airport and that she is the main character. Contrastingly, what I didn’t like about the continuous shot was that it was too long and nothing happened apart from her walking. The tracking shot doesn’t propose many enigma’s about the plotline. Similarities this title sequence shares with other films is the tracking shot shown in “I Am Legend” explaining there is no one else there apart from the character. Another similarity is no dialogue is used for most of the opening alike “Alien” so we have to listen to the backing track to gain information. This differed to a title sequence such as “Donny Brasco” which included many shots of cross cutting, close ups, group shots etc.

“Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” Film Concept.

This film has the concept of a villain planning to catch Santa Clause and hold him for ransom however the Santa Clause seems evil and twisted- he is portrayed as a villain. Familiar aspects include “The Grinch” where something goes wrong at Christmas time. Similarly, in “The Village” there is a mystery in the woods which affects the rest of the town. The film “Santa Clause” has someone finding out who Santa is alike “Rare Exports.” However, there are many unique selling points which make this film different to others. The character of Santa has been changed from good, loving and a grandfather figure to evil, sinister and villainous. Christmas is a time to be happy and so most of the films released around the festive time with the Christmas theme usually revolves around a happy plotline. “Rare Exports” has a genre of a fairytale/ horror which subverts typical film type.

Film concepts

Successful films find a balance between familiar and unique areas of the production. Usual familiar elements include technology used to create the films, actor age (adults) and their ethnicity with the role they play (a character from America will usually play the lead hero in a film by an American producer). However, typical unique aspects are using new actors for lead roles, experimentation with the narrative structure and a surprising plot line- e.g. killing the good character.

“Avatar” holds both elements. The concept is of a man travelling to a new planet (Pandora) in search of a very valuable material but becomes involved in the Avatars life. Familiar aspects include actors; Sigourney Weaver plays a managerial role. Similarly the plot line is also common with the theme of success, fail, success. Also, the main character is a white, American male in his twenties. The plot of humans against a different species is similar to “I, Robot.” Contrastingly, the animated film is targeted for an adult audience unlike other animated films such as “The Incredibles” or “Toy Story.” Unlike “Alien vs Predator,” “Avatar” is based in a whole new world rather then the entire action taking place on Earth. The whole life on the planet will die if the characters don’t succeed instead of only one or two characters.

Vogler's 12 Steps Hero Journey

1. THE ORDINARY WORLD: The hero, uneasy, uncomfortable or unaware, is introduced sympathetically so the audience can identify with the situation or dilemma.  The hero is shown against a background of environment, heredity, and personal history.  Some kind of division in the hero’s life is pulling in different directions and causing stress. In “Children of Men,” we meet Theo in a coffee shop, the world’s youngest citizen has died and he doesn’t seem bothered about it unlike others who are emotional towards it. A friend asks to take these “fugees” across the boarder for money.

2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE: Something causes stress in the situation, from external pressures or from something rising up from deep within. The hero must now face the beginnings of change. Julian meets with Theo and persuades him to do the task, Theo accepts.

3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL. The hero feels the fear of the unknown and briefly tries to turn away from the adventure.  Alternately, another character may express the uncertainty and danger ahead. Julian dies so Theo feels depressed and alone.

4. MEETING WITH THE MENTOR.  The hero comes across an experienced traveller of the worlds who gives them training, equipment, or advice that will help on the journey.  Or the hero reaches within to a source of courage and wisdom. Luke gets shelter and food for them from friends outside of London. Theo finds out Kee is pregnant.

5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD. At the end of Act One, the hero commits to leaving the “Ordinary World” and entering a new region or condition with unfamiliar rules and values. Theo overhears the others plan to use the baby and kill himself, Kee and Miriam after. They leave the others.

6. TESTS, ALLIES AND ENEMIES. The hero is tested and sorts out allegiances in the Special World. Theo gets Kee and Miriam shelter and food at Jaspers house.

7. APPROACH. The hero and newfound allies prepare for the major challenge in the Special world. Jasper provides them with plans and acquaintances to help the three get to their destination. They set out to go to the Human Project.

8. THE ORDEAL.  The hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear.  Out of the moment of death comes a new life. They loose Miriam and travel across the boarder. The baby is born.

9. THE REWARD. The hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death.  There may be celebration, but there is also danger of losing the treasure again. Luke takes the baby away from Theo.

10. THE ROAD BACK.  The hero is driven to complete the adventure; leaving the Special World to be sure the treasure is brought home.  Often a chase scene signals the urgency and danger of the mission. They try to receive the baby back through fighting. Theo, Kee and the baby get on a boat.

11. THE RESURRECTION. At the climax, the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of home.  They are purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level.  By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are finally resolved. Theo dies in the water.

12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR. The hero returns home or continues the journey, bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed. A boat appears, mother and baby are left alone in the boat.