Analysing AS Media Opening Sequence:
Analysing my AS media coursework I found many things we could have improved on, the first being our news report as the background we used is not a well known channel unlike BBC news for example which would have made our work easier to believe. Another mild issue was the editing of the news report as Jackie's hair in the news report was outlined purple.
The cuts between Alex's character wasn't very smooth as as an audience we view her sitting down before the next shot she's seen to suddenly be standing and then immediately walking.
- The transformer: Age of Extinction trailer was a great example of how trailers are used to advertise and seduce the audience into craving a desire to view the latest film.
- It starts of with establishing shots used to set the scene of a typical american ranch (without the horses) in a wide open space where re audience can easily guess some form of trouble with come about. A voice over is used to get the audience context into the images being displayed across the scene accompanied with light piano music before it begins to intensify and rapid shots of faces displayed an array of emotions flicker past to help the audience connect to the main protagonists within the film.
- A heartbeat is used to set a sense of anticipation to the shots of the protagonist on the floor before Silence is used effectively to increase the dramatics for what to come when an explosion disrupts that peace and serenity and the audience glimpses the first true form of Prime, loaded with guns and ready to fight true to the image and representation the film industry has supplied the audience with of how a true transformer should be advertised.
- The trailer is a tease as nothing is really given away and more hinted at leaving the audience confused as new characters are introduced as well as the fact we have no idea what the films really about other then the fact that its always a fight between Autobots vs deceptions. Throughout the trailer the constant effect is the use of blackouts between almost every clip particularly whenever the transformers are changes into their alien mechanical forms. The longest blackout used within the trailer is at the very end just before a Dinosaur Transformer is shown shocking the audience as one question lines every viewers mind : since when did they have dinosaur forms?
Importance of Trailers In The Film Industry:
The film industry is a billion dollar
industry that relies on advertisements such as ‘’film trailers’’ to attract the
attention of an audience and promote films. In 1913 the first movie trailer was
shown in America, advertising the musical ‘’The Pleasure Seekers’’. The term
‘’trailer’’ is defined as an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film
that will be exhibited in the future in a theatre or cinema.
Trailers give you an idea if you want
to buy into the movie to go see it. ''It’s a PR (public relation) preview viewed
by millions.'' If a film has no trailer/s, realistically it will not gain as many
views. Film trailers use several tactics
to persuade filmgoers to dish out their money for the next ‘’big blockbuster’’. These trailers have the power to extract
certain emotions and stimulate motivation within the viewers. They consist of key scenes from the film being advertised; selected
carefully as the main purpose of a trailer is to attract the selected
demographic/ social groups, which have been identified as the film producers
target audience. The scenes used for the trailer are normally extracted form
the most exciting, funniest or scariest parts of the film depending on what
genre the film is. Demographics have in the past been used alone or in a
combination with other tactics as a method of segmentation.
Through use of research we know that
trailers are the most expensive yet efficient way of advertising as audiences
worldwide decide whether to watch a film based their impression of said
trailer. Trailers have been both mocked and
praised as each person views the trailer subjectively. Because trailers are
less then 3mins long, the fast paced shots burned into the audiences brains
causes them to automatically create an imaginary film out of the shots they
have witnessed before the audience will release emotions of either curiosity,
desire or neglect judging on how they perceive the trailer.
Modern trailers seem less concerned
with telling the consumer what the movie will be about and instead seem more
bothered with spoiling every special effect, action set piece and punch line
the film it will contain. A result of this is that as consumers we’re immersed
with on-screen moments which inescapably start to lose their effulgence so that
by the time we see them at the cinema no matter how thrilling they may have
originally been. It’s even more unforgiveable when the trailers themselves ruin
the movie you’re about to see. Backing music as well as
editing is meticulously used to add to the excitement and ‘’hype’’ surrounded
by a film release. In modern history trailers are normally produced during or
before a film is even finished and is constantly broadcasted via the Internet
and television. However to obtain the correct audience and gain a variety of
audience consideration is taken into account of what channels are viewed by
what demographic. For example a horror film would not be advertised on ‘Syfy’
or ‘Dave’ as the majority of the audience age range is 40+. Segmenting
audiences to target advertising messages is a lengthy process, which requires
identifying the target audience’s characteristics.
Before a trailer is released, the film
industry has to answer important questions such as ‘’is the story relatable and
intriguing?’’ ‘‘Is the music memorable and a selling point?’’ ‘‘Does the
trailers actors entice consumers?’’
An example of a memorable of film with music that has received
many thoughts regarding effectiveness of music is ''JAWS''. The film itself may not be memorable but what
we do remember the fear making
is relatable as the music is widely recognisable and immediately speeds up ones heartbeat upon hearing it.
The Top 10 worldwide grossing films
are: Avatar, Titanic, Marvels Avengers, Harry
Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Frozen, Iron Man 3, Transformers:
Dark of the moon, Lord of the Rings: The return of the king, Skyfall and The
Dark Knight Rises.
One thing these films all have in common is that these successful films have all had successful trailers. If you think about it you will notice that their trailers were distributed and advertised everywhere especially if they were a franchise as they already had existing audiences who would of went back to see the next production or the last one in cases such as Harry Potter, The Dark Knight and Iron Man. This shows that trailers are an important part of advertising as the last films in the franchises always have a mostly advertised and better trailers highlighting more action, quick blackouts and dramatic audience to drawn them in to thinking that this has the be ‘’the best one!’’ until year later and another one pops out.
One thing these films all have in common is that these successful films have all had successful trailers. If you think about it you will notice that their trailers were distributed and advertised everywhere especially if they were a franchise as they already had existing audiences who would of went back to see the next production or the last one in cases such as Harry Potter, The Dark Knight and Iron Man. This shows that trailers are an important part of advertising as the last films in the franchises always have a mostly advertised and better trailers highlighting more action, quick blackouts and dramatic audience to drawn them in to thinking that this has the be ‘’the best one!’’ until year later and another one pops out.
We live in a predominately world of
entertainment, as it is one of the worlds largest global industries so
advertising is everywhere. Trailers arouse emotions in viewers and have proven
that they are important as other forms of advertising, which the film industry
uses such as posters, and billboards cannot draw out intense emotions like a
trailer can. The only important factor that a poster/billboard can meet is
identifying to the audience a relatable actor/actress which doesn’t have a
strong pull like a trailer.
DEAD MANS SHOES:
The films starts of with a flashback which the audience view through old videos of children playing around and being cared for by their parents. The voiceover is effective as it starts with the opening lines of ''God will forgive them'' immediately informing the audience that a something horrible has taken place and this film is the journey to finding redemption. The film begins mysteriously, with a wide shot focusing on two young men walking with purpose over moorland under a lowering sky. Their journey is intercut with home movies of children playing. A seemingly unpopulated village in a valley that's overlooked by a gutted mansion on a hill above which seems like purposefully british countryside with flat roofed houses. The audience soon learns that the men are Richard (Paddy Considine), an ex-solider (though no information is given into why he's no longer one) and his younger brother, Anthony (Toby Kebbell), who has learning difficulties.
As they continue their tracks through the village, a series of flashbacks begins, gradually revealing what happened some years before to Anthony.The mood is slyly comic as Richard plays with prey, fitted in a gas mask that gives him the look of ''an elephant with big eyes'' one scared victim remarks. Richard ransacks a victims living room, stealing a consignment of cocaine, as well as paints their hair and faces as they sleep. After that, things get steadily more violent, escalating towards a climax in which past meets present. This film is very skilful, intriguing and gripping as each shot and edit put together is for a masterful finale. Its located in a particular area, yet weaves together social realism and myth.
Throughout the film whenever another character is mentioned and is informed on ''Anthony's brother'' being back the old film edits make its way on screen and we as an audience see more of Anthony's life with these uneducated gang revealed. The most interested scene which catches my attention in the confrontation between the leader and Richard as his body language shows his relaxed with his hands placed in his pockets yet we are aware his conscious of his surrounds unlike the leader and everyone else in the car who doesn't even once glance in the direction of the man whose the centre of all this drama- Anthony.
Odd.
The director, Shane Meadows brushes off the cliche ''killer-picks-off-teens'' routine and instead decides to tell it from the monsters point of view. The result achieves a possibly controversial, thoughtful film that offers none of the easy comforts typical of the genre as one question demands an answer in the audiences mind– these victims are far from innocent, but do they deserve to die?
The film is so pure of purpose, each scene shot for a reason none of those filters that hollywood movies tend to use. Meadows may not offer insight into the psychology of monsters, but here he has created a memorable movie bogeyman with the opening voiceover coming into play as everything ties or rather dies together as the words used finally make sense ''God will forgive them....but i wont''
Ultimately, it's a moral fable of a religious kind, which is underlined by the final sequence we witness Anthony being dragged by rope before being beaten up calling on religious image of Jesus being crucified.
Lines from the beginning come into play a lot as we view Richard toying with his prey as we think back to when he first acquired the drugs ''the reason why people give kids drugs is to manipulate them'', we then see later him manipulating and playing with them as he mocks them. He commands them much like a parent ''wipe your nose'' ''open it'' and maybe he sees his revenge like the act of a parent punishing his children for their bad behaviour.
HARRY BROWN:
An action packed, suspenseful thriller which engages you from the opening sequence. The film stars Michael Cain, who is an elderly vigilante known as Harry Brown, who after the shocking death to his only best friend - Leonard- who was brutally murdered by the gang in the estate where Harry lives. This sparks Harry to take the law into his own hands. This film accurately depicts life in Modern Britain giving a gritty but realistic view of the life society forces upon people who live on the graffiti estates of Britain as the opening scene is a hand held video recording a new member being welcomed into the gang who dictate the subway. The atmosphere is dark and dangerous with graffiti decorated walls surrounding the group as they welcome their new member with drugs and violence before the eerie calmness is banished by the sudden location change as we as viewers then see the true rage and destruction this group is capable of as they shoot a mother in the park around the estate in cold blood. The shock of this first scene engages the audience as our hearts pump and mouths left gasping in astonishment that the director chose this scene to show us first, setting the rest of the film up in terms on standards of horror and opinions about ethical views- when is killing right? when, if ever, is it okay to take matters into your own hands?
Harry is awoken in bed to hear the horror the youth caused on the Mother in the opening scene. He rolls off and where he's wife should lie is an empty space as he absentmindedly rubs the spot, reminiscing on the memories he shared with her and their daughter. The feeling of empathy is drawn from the audience as we witness the loneliness this man feels as simply acts such as breakfast - classically English with Tea and Toast- shows Harry seated on at the table with two chair, the other one obviously empty as a long shot is used to show the quite loneliness he's life involves. However there's never peace and calmness as featured in the background police sirens and ambulance are a constant noise, something we discover Harry is use to.
The control the
gang has within the estate is portrayed early on as the locals are afraid is interfere
when they terrorise and harm members of the publics. The power the gang has is
also shown when Harry looks down at the subway as he ventures out and decided
to take the longer route in fear of the youth which hang out in the subway as
their voices and music carry outside the dark ‘cave’ they’ve carried. The subway is always pitch black as if to
keep the activities going on inside secretive and add more danger to this
pathway. The theme of
violence is constantly shown though the film in quite a vivid way. Only 9
minutes into the film and the second violent act is shown in the estate of a
man being brutally beaten by a group of youths as another woman comes out the
estate houses shouting at them to stop although her body language is timid and afraid
as she never gets closer to them so pain isn’t inflicted to herself too.
With the control of a drink, Harry is able to control his emotions and ignore the burning inferno of pain, submitting to the much wanted thoughts of peace he desperately wishes to hold on to. Clinging to his moral values, discipline and always seen to be wearing a tie- Harry is an example of both dignity and justice. His only enjoyment seems to be the routine of having a drink and gama of chess in his local pub with his best friend Leonard.
However that doesn't last long when Len reacts to the increasing violence on the estate by confronting the gang responsible, he is brutally murdered. He's every bit the tired, old serviceman whose life pulls on every decent fibre until you find yourself snapping with him. slowly and imperceptibly Harry's morals and self control weakens until one night where he's drunk, his military reflexes kick back in to the stand off in the drug den, we as an audience cant help but feel empathy for this man and see good cause for his actions as he's every bit the tired old serviceman Cain is meant to represent, whose life pulls on our heart strings.
After his wife death, Harry is seen to take out a old banged up box with a patch work completed by his dead wife being revealed first, pushing that aside the next thing we see is something we all expected yet a sense of surprise is emitted as an old military knife is pulled out. Immediately we remember one of the last scenes where Len asks Harry ''have you ever killed anyone before'' to which Harry replies ''you cant ask me that...I was a different man then...when I met my Cath I knew that all that stuff had to be locked away''. The scene with this box shows that when Cath died the mental lock she represented to Harry's past is unlocked and all the memories and training he went through is slowly but surely coming forth.
The scene which captures the essence of the film, summing up its political view is only 10 seconds long where a young man from the gang known as Monkey is unwilling giving a sexual act of an middle aged, hard faced thug in his car when a bullet pierces through the windscreen and the thug head. The camera swivels round to view the shooter who is none other then the retired soldier- Harry Brown.
There are no ''Hollywood moments'' in this film, which is why I love it as the director, Daniel Barber, does an amazing job of portraying this world with conviction, seedy squalor, leaving the audience feeling tainted by the experience as his characters aren't just filthy scum - they were real and believable scum. The actors play the roles of the gang member with conviction and realism it becomes uncomfortable to watch.
A2 COMPARE AND CONTRAST:
As they continue their tracks through the village, a series of flashbacks begins, gradually revealing what happened some years before to Anthony.The mood is slyly comic as Richard plays with prey, fitted in a gas mask that gives him the look of ''an elephant with big eyes'' one scared victim remarks. Richard ransacks a victims living room, stealing a consignment of cocaine, as well as paints their hair and faces as they sleep. After that, things get steadily more violent, escalating towards a climax in which past meets present. This film is very skilful, intriguing and gripping as each shot and edit put together is for a masterful finale. Its located in a particular area, yet weaves together social realism and myth.
Throughout the film whenever another character is mentioned and is informed on ''Anthony's brother'' being back the old film edits make its way on screen and we as an audience see more of Anthony's life with these uneducated gang revealed. The most interested scene which catches my attention in the confrontation between the leader and Richard as his body language shows his relaxed with his hands placed in his pockets yet we are aware his conscious of his surrounds unlike the leader and everyone else in the car who doesn't even once glance in the direction of the man whose the centre of all this drama- Anthony. Odd.
The director, Shane Meadows brushes off the cliche ''killer-picks-off-teens'' routine and instead decides to tell it from the monsters point of view. The result achieves a possibly controversial, thoughtful film that offers none of the easy comforts typical of the genre as one question demands an answer in the audiences mind– these victims are far from innocent, but do they deserve to die?
The film is so pure of purpose, each scene shot for a reason none of those filters that hollywood movies tend to use. Meadows may not offer insight into the psychology of monsters, but here he has created a memorable movie bogeyman with the opening voiceover coming into play as everything ties or rather dies together as the words used finally make sense ''God will forgive them....but i wont''
Ultimately, it's a moral fable of a religious kind, which is underlined by the final sequence we witness Anthony being dragged by rope before being beaten up calling on religious image of Jesus being crucified.
Lines from the beginning come into play a lot as we view Richard toying with his prey as we think back to when he first acquired the drugs ''the reason why people give kids drugs is to manipulate them'', we then see later him manipulating and playing with them as he mocks them. He commands them much like a parent ''wipe your nose'' ''open it'' and maybe he sees his revenge like the act of a parent punishing his children for their bad behaviour.
HARRY BROWN:
An action packed, suspenseful thriller which engages you from the opening sequence. The film stars Michael Cain, who is an elderly vigilante known as Harry Brown, who after the shocking death to his only best friend - Leonard- who was brutally murdered by the gang in the estate where Harry lives. This sparks Harry to take the law into his own hands. This film accurately depicts life in Modern Britain giving a gritty but realistic view of the life society forces upon people who live on the graffiti estates of Britain as the opening scene is a hand held video recording a new member being welcomed into the gang who dictate the subway. The atmosphere is dark and dangerous with graffiti decorated walls surrounding the group as they welcome their new member with drugs and violence before the eerie calmness is banished by the sudden location change as we as viewers then see the true rage and destruction this group is capable of as they shoot a mother in the park around the estate in cold blood. The shock of this first scene engages the audience as our hearts pump and mouths left gasping in astonishment that the director chose this scene to show us first, setting the rest of the film up in terms on standards of horror and opinions about ethical views- when is killing right? when, if ever, is it okay to take matters into your own hands?
The control the
gang has within the estate is portrayed early on as the locals are afraid is interfere
when they terrorise and harm members of the publics. The power the gang has is
also shown when Harry looks down at the subway as he ventures out and decided
to take the longer route in fear of the youth which hang out in the subway as
their voices and music carry outside the dark ‘cave’ they’ve carried. The subway is always pitch black as if to
keep the activities going on inside secretive and add more danger to this
pathway. The theme of
violence is constantly shown though the film in quite a vivid way. Only 9
minutes into the film and the second violent act is shown in the estate of a
man being brutally beaten by a group of youths as another woman comes out the
estate houses shouting at them to stop although her body language is timid and afraid
as she never gets closer to them so pain isn’t inflicted to herself too.With the control of a drink, Harry is able to control his emotions and ignore the burning inferno of pain, submitting to the much wanted thoughts of peace he desperately wishes to hold on to. Clinging to his moral values, discipline and always seen to be wearing a tie- Harry is an example of both dignity and justice. His only enjoyment seems to be the routine of having a drink and gama of chess in his local pub with his best friend Leonard.
However that doesn't last long when Len reacts to the increasing violence on the estate by confronting the gang responsible, he is brutally murdered. He's every bit the tired, old serviceman whose life pulls on every decent fibre until you find yourself snapping with him. slowly and imperceptibly Harry's morals and self control weakens until one night where he's drunk, his military reflexes kick back in to the stand off in the drug den, we as an audience cant help but feel empathy for this man and see good cause for his actions as he's every bit the tired old serviceman Cain is meant to represent, whose life pulls on our heart strings.
After his wife death, Harry is seen to take out a old banged up box with a patch work completed by his dead wife being revealed first, pushing that aside the next thing we see is something we all expected yet a sense of surprise is emitted as an old military knife is pulled out. Immediately we remember one of the last scenes where Len asks Harry ''have you ever killed anyone before'' to which Harry replies ''you cant ask me that...I was a different man then...when I met my Cath I knew that all that stuff had to be locked away''. The scene with this box shows that when Cath died the mental lock she represented to Harry's past is unlocked and all the memories and training he went through is slowly but surely coming forth.The scene which captures the essence of the film, summing up its political view is only 10 seconds long where a young man from the gang known as Monkey is unwilling giving a sexual act of an middle aged, hard faced thug in his car when a bullet pierces through the windscreen and the thug head. The camera swivels round to view the shooter who is none other then the retired soldier- Harry Brown. There are no ''Hollywood moments'' in this film, which is why I love it as the director, Daniel Barber, does an amazing job of portraying this world with conviction, seedy squalor, leaving the audience feeling tainted by the experience as his characters aren't just filthy scum - they were real and believable scum. The actors play the roles of the gang member with conviction and realism it becomes uncomfortable to watch.A2 COMPARE AND CONTRAST:
‘’I know you asked me
once about why I went in the shop but I never told you. I didn't go in there
looking for God. I just went there because apart from Sam, you were the only fucker
that smiled at me around here. And I wanted it. I wanted it to soak into me and
brighten me up. I thought you were beautiful. I just wanted to look at you.
That's all. Didn't want to know you, because I knew that if I got to know you,
you'd have your own shite, you wouldn't be perfect and I didn't want that
feeling ruined.’’- Joseph
Tyrannosaur (2011) - a film that explores the themes of
anger, violence, pity and finally acceptance. This film is brutal and raw with
emotions, capturing the audience to feel and empathise understanding to this
honest story. Because that’s what it is, honest. This films genre is realism as
Paddy Considine spins a poignant story centring on around two protagonists, that
to start with contrast in their characters. This remarkable film highlights how
similar two people’s lives can be despite their social class. Tyrannosaur is
visceral, dissecting the themes of rage and violence, looking at the impact it
has creating dysfunctional relationships, examining people who create their own
environment of anger and unhappiness.
Peter Mullan’s character Joseph prognosticates deep sadness,
loneliness and tenacious kindness. His character grips our attention. Within
the first minute his uncontrollable rage allows him to kill his only friend-
the dog. Carrying the dog is his act of kindness. Kicking it? his nature. Josephs
rage is like a volcano, unpredictable and ready to erupt at any time. It’s a common
similarity in Dead Man’s Shoes, as Richards rage is set to intensify with each
kill of his brother’s murderers. His rage is evident as the violence he
displays is intensified to more extreme acts of cruelty and revenge. It’s the result
of society and can only be indulged or kept under control with a drink. His rage
is an addiction, the more he gives into it the more he craves to let it loose. For
Joseph, rage obscures him from the world and only when let rain free does joseph
suddenly have a voice. Tyrannosaur tells
the story of truth, how unchecked rage destroys all that we hold dear.
In Dead Man’s Shoes (2004), revenge is a clear theme along with
rage similar to Tyrannosaur. Both films use Mise En Scene to convey a sense of
mood and emotional state. Pleonastic sound is used in both films whenever
violence is on scene to grab the audience’s attention. For example in Dead Man’s
Shoes, the scene where Richard is repeatedly stabbing his victim, the sound of
the knife slicing the skin is heightened to mirror the aggression Richard
fills. In Tyrannosaur, the pleonastic sound is the sledge hammer knocking down Joseph’s
shed with was cut in to coincide with the brutal abuse of Hannah’s husband
James.
Location is a prominent contrast between these two films as
they are Dead Man’s Shoes is based in the countryside while Tyrannosaur, is set
in a small town. However the similarity between the two is the use of minimal
location as in both films they only use the streets, houses, a pub as prominent
locations. The use of location help the audience identify the characters
background and make a link to their actions. For example in Dead Man’s Shoes, the
antagonists are dressed in casual clothing such as jeans and dark jackets to
reflect their regional background and culture.
Realism is one of the main
factors which links these films together, depicting the dark, unpleasant sides
to the areas they live in focusing on drug taking and violence- a common theme
in modern society. The difference between the two though is Dead Man’s Shoes
focuses on Revenge as someone Richard loved, his mental disabled brother
Anthony is brutally killed. This event is the cause of the whole film whereas
in Tyrannosaur, the death of Joseph’s wife fuels his anger and loneliness. One thing Tyrannosaur doesn’t reveal, though,
is the source of the rage that drives its plot. Reasons offered by Mullan’s
character include: “I’m not a nice human being” But in a way, this makes
perfect sense: there’s no excuse for the way Considine’s characters behave, so
he doesn’t bother giving them one. The structure of trying to find peace
amongst the grippingly loneliness and pain is what captures the audience’s
attention in both films as we try to justify the actions the protagonists
display with Hannah murdering her husband for the humiliation and pain he
caused her while Richard in Dead Man’s Shoes acts of revenge on the gang is justified
because of how he’s brother died along with the mental condition his brother
had.
Another contrast between the two is violence. In
Tyrannosaur, all violent actions are ‘’off stage’’ so to speak as we as an
audience never view it but strategic cuts and edit makes the film more
effective where as in Dead Man’s Shoes the actions Richard displays are always
viewed and are just as effective with a sickening feeling to accompany it as we
find ourselves debating whether he should have been more brutal in his
punishments. Dead Man’s Shoes also uses flashbacks, another contrast, used to
add depth to the character of Anthony as well as add suspense to the main plot
of the film. Both films highlight common themes throughout such as anger, drugs
and gender representation of women being vulnerable and weak.
Another theme,
which again is highlighted in both films, is vulnerability as Anthony’s whole
character is played out to be vulnerable similar to Hannah where she silently
puts up with the physical and sexual abuse her husband forces upon her, however
again in both films there is a sudden contrast where we see that these
protagonists aren’t vulnerable as such but more reserved. Hannah is revealed to
be sly alcoholic, her way of dealing with her life until her mask of her charity
shop is slipped into place as she becomes this innocent weak female making the
discovery that she killed her husband remarkable yet fitting, whereas Anthony
denies his vulnerability in talk with Richard;
‘’ Anthony: They all
tried to hold your hand. I didn't
Richard: No, you
didn't
Anthony: Don't need
to, do I ‘’
The ongoing themes of violence, and realism are what makes
these independent British films memorable as well as effective as the audience
is constantly exposed to highly emotional performances. Long shots and extreme
long shots are used in Dead Man’s Shoes whenever we see Richard, constantly
reinforcing the idea of loneliness, which makes the audience empathize with his
character.
