Unit 10: Film Production - Fiction

Learning Aim A

Research & Theory

Horror

Mise-en-scene:

Horror showcases many elements of mise-en-scene. One of it is setting, which we would see horror films set in a broken down environments to evoke an unsettling feeling to the audience and to cause suspenseful atmosphere to them. Another element is locations. We would see horror film mainly set in abandoned houses as this is a perfect way to get the uneasy feeling from the audience as there is a sense of enigma, that they don't know what to expect. Another element is lighting, the lighting we would see in horror movies is low-key lighting as we would not see the subject clearly so with this lighting evokes a sense of mystery and fear for the audience which plays a major role in horror movies. Another element is props, the types of object we would see in horror is weapons conventionally. The weapons are usually knives, hammers, baseball bats and in general an object that can cause damage to an individual. The NVC that we would see in this genre would be a creepy smile as the antagonist would typically be haunted which would freak out the audience as this is very strange to see. We also wouldn't see the facial expressions of some villains as their faces would be covered with hair which creates an enigmatic first impression to the audience as we can't see anything. We would also see just the eyes of the villain wide open looking at the characters which shows a sense of mystery to the audience as they can see the full NVC of the character. Overall, horror shows loads of elements for mise-en-scene.

Camera Techniques:

One of the types of camera techniques we would see in horror films are Low Angle as this will make the character seem vulnerable and will create an uncomfortable feeling of suspense for the audience as they see things in this angle. Also the camera framing would be Point of View for horror as we are in the perspective of the character which makes the audience feel a sense of paranoia as they are literally watching uncertain events unfold in front of them. Alongside with this would also come with jerky movements with the camera as this give a sense of realism and a reaction to what the character is seeing and captures any little movement which evokes an immersing experience.

Sound Techniques:

The sounds we would hear for horror would be diegetic sound as we would hear strange and creepy sounds coming from the location which can be heard by both the characters and the audience. Silence is a form of diegetic sound as the characters and the audience can't hear anything so therefore we wouldn't hear too. We would also hear non-diegetic sound as the character won't hear it but the audience can. Example is foley sound. Foley can be used to add sound effects in post-production phase which is effective as it adds a form of realism as the background noise is more refined and natural to what have been possible be done when filming. It is also because the sounds can add to the unsettling and spine-chilling feeling the audience have which is conventional to this genre of film. Another form of non-diegetic sound we would hear is glitchy sound effects. This is because it is a way to catch the audience off guard such as a jumpscares which is conventional in a horror film as this makes it frightening which is what horror is.

Editing Techniques:

The editing techniques we would get for this genre would be extremely diverse to any other genre of film. This is because this genre is known to be scary, so therefore it has to be edited in a way which complies to this convention. With this said, there are many editing techniques we would get for horror. One of them is a cutaway. This is so we as the audience see different shots of the characters of the environment which keeps the momentum of suspense and tension to the audience. Similarly, horror movies need to be edited in a form of continuity. This is important as the narrative needs to follow a linear structure so the audience can follow on the storyline that is unfolding in front of their eyes which helps the audience to understand what is going on which help build a horrifying atmosphere as they know when the scary part comes on. It can also be non-linear as a horror film my be unpredictable which is great for this genre as it creates a high level of paranoia for the audience as they don't know what to expect. leaving them frightened as they watch the movie.

Characters/Stereotypes:

For horror, it is conventional that we see a protagonist, antagonist and stock characters. However, due to the nature of the genre, it is likely we would see the antagonist as a haunted person who has many cababilities that can freak out all the characters, this makes the protagonist an underdog as we wouldn't think that they would handle the high levels of suspense and spine-chilling pressure which will make us as the audience scared for them as they don't know what's about to hit them. It is stereotyped that the stock characters would probably be the ones that would die first as they're not exactly brave and can't really fight for themselves, posing them as a vulnerable advantage to the antagonist.

Stock Situations:

Narratives that we would see happen in the genre would be typically, people visit an abandoned location to which the characters believe that no-one lives there. Oblivious to them they don't know that a haunted person is somewhere in the house and tracks them down and kills them. Another scenario would be when a stock character gets possessed by something and goes to rural areas and haunt the place down, showcasing an factor of antagonism for the genre. The narrative would be non-linear as this technique is effective as it enables moviemakers to add some scary bits when the audience least expect it.

Theories

Barthes' Semiotics - The denotation we'd see for horror is haunted people as the antagonist. This genre also denotes scared side characters and a brave main character. The connotations of horror would be enigmatic, mysterious, scary, and unsettling. The ideology in this genre in society is that it happens in unusual and uncertain situations, though it's rare for events in movies to happen in real life. However, nothing is impossible and could still happen, this is evident as the captions of the film may say "Based on a true story"

Todorov's Narrothology - The equilibrium would typically see characters enter an environment that seems to be okay. The disequilibrium is when something scary is brought to the attention of the audience. The recognition of the genre os when the characters recognise that there's a threat amongst them. The attempts is when the characters try to stop or get away from the threat, this stage may be the climax as characters would likely die during this part of the film. The resolution is that everything is back to normal, however all may not be as it seems as characters could end up being haunted due to the events, setting up the motion for a new equilibrium.

Levi Strauss Structuralism - This genre links very well with structuralism by Levi Struss as binary opposites can be applied here. This is because to understand Good there needs to be Evil. Likewise with protagonist and antagonist. This is the case in this genre as good and evil are represented within the characters.

Neale's Genre - This would link with Audience Gratification with this genre as this genre may be a bit too predictable in a sense as everyone knows it will be scary. However, things like unexpected jumpscares, plot twists and etc may reinforce Familiarity with Innovation as it brings something new and refreshing to the horror genre, keeping it popular and interesting for its viewership.

Action

Mise-en-scene:

Action movies evokes immersing and highly engaging uses of mise-en-scene for its audiences. One of which is location. The environment we would see in this genre would be popular urban areas for example, Marvel's Spider-Man (Tom Holland's films) shows environments like New York and London being under attack. The use of these famous cities being on the audiences screens grasps their attention immediately as this could be their city and to see it in an action based movie would be really cool for them to see. Another element of mise-en-scene is setting. The type of setting we would see in these types of films is burning objects, destroyed building ie famous landmarks, smoke, debris and etc. This is effective as this puts us in a perspective of an environment where all hell is about to break loose. Another element is NVC. We would see the protagonist with a brave and fierce facial expression, connoting dominance and superiority. We would see the stock characters with a terrifying and scared face, connoting that they are vulnerable and defenceless and are always reliant on a hero to save them. The antagonist would be seen with a menacing and threatening facial expression, connoting that he is dominant and powerful against anyone he/she faces. Furthermore, another element we would see in action is props. The things we would see for this genre would be cars and any type of vehicle for chasing scenes or for kidnapping scenes. we would also see helicopters for more serious scenes for instance when the police is involved in the scene trying to stop a dangerous villain from causing a national emergency.

Camera Techniques:

With regards to the action genre, we would see a lot of camera techniques at a short period of time to keep the momentum of hype to the audience. One of the camera techniques we see is a Bird's Eye View. This shot would be appropriate to show the entire setting to the audience, particularly famous places like London, New York City, Paris which will help the audience familiarise themselves with the location that the action is going to take place. Another camera angle we are going to see is Over the Shoulder. This shot would be used to show the relationships between two characters when having a conversation with each other in different parts of the film. Another camera angle we would see is tracking. The camera would follow the characters if they were in a car as we'd see the movement of the vehicle. We would also see a drone camera movement in action movies to show establishing shots of buildings and the view of climatic scenes and its effect on the surrounding environment.

Sound Techniques:

The sounds we would hear for horror would be diegetic sound as we would hear the same things the characters are hearing which would be sounds like explosions and damage to property that the antagonist would do stereotypically which can be heard by both the characters and the audiences. We would also hear helicopters and cars as these props is what we would see predominantly in this genre. It could be police chasing scenes with the villain which can be heard by all the audience and the characters. We would hear gunshots around the climax of the film, we would also hear people screaming in fear (moral panic) with the events unfolding in front of them. We would also hear non diegetic sounds like music score as it sets the mood of the film. We would hear suspense sound effects to help evoke an element of extreme fear for the audience. Foley sounds would also be heard as environmental sound effects such as wind, rain and thunder can be more refined.

Editing Techniques:

The editing techniques that we would get for this would show a variety of unique transitions. One of which is fast cuts. Fast cuts is quite uncommon for modern action movies but this would be a great convention for the genre as it helps maintain the drive, energy and engagement for the film. We would also see eyeline-match as the characters can look at something chaotic off-screen and then the following shot will show the audience the shot that they were looking at. Action films can showcase a form of continuity editing as it follows on with the action happening in the surrounding area, therefore this technique is effective in letting the audience follow the storyline happening in the film. Likewise, we we would see non-continuity editing conventionally in action films as a way of expecting the unexpected. This technique is effective in evoking a tense atmosphere to the audience as they don't know what to expect.

Characters/Stereotypes:

The types of characters we would see for this genre would be the main character, (protagonist) the villain (antagonist) and the side characters. The main character is stereotyped to be brave and ready to take on ant threat. We would also see the side characters afraid and scared of fighting their own battles in dangerous situations and require a hero to save the day. The villain is let's say "one step ahead" of all the characters.We know this because in action movie posters, we usually see the villain at the top of the poster, connoting that they have the most power and dominance and has ways of getting what they want.

Stock Situations:

Some of the narratives we would see is where the main character dies whilst trying to stop the villain. This is conventional in superhero movies where this happens and the side characters save the day. This narrative is uncommon these days as action films seem to follow the same cliché of 'villain causes chaos, main character saves the day' but convey this narrative in a way that captures the attention of various demographic groups which makes action a successful genre in film.

Theories

The theory that suits Action the best is Levi Struss's Structuralism theory.

Levi Strauss Structuralism - This genre links very well with structuralism by Levi Struss as binary opposites can be applied here. This is because to understand Good there needs to be Evil. Likewise with the protagonist and antagonist. This is the case in this genre as good and evil are represented within the characters.

Romance

Mise-en-scene:

Romance movies shows a great element of mise-en-scene. one of which is locations. Romantic films are usually set in urban areas like school and workplace because this is where sexual chemistry is at its peak and would commonly take place here. This is because filmmakers bear in mind the target audience would have similar sexual encounters in these locations so they showcase these places to show a sense of realism to the audience watching so they can relate to this and will be engaged by what they are seeing. We would also see romantic films set abroad, say for example Paris as this city is stereotyped to be the "city of love" Another element is props. In romantic films, the props we would see conventionally would be flowers (roses as this is usually a gift that men give to women for Valentine's Day, wedding anniversarys, birthdays and as a way to apologise for wrongdoings. We would also see heart boxes, rings, jewellery, chocolate and wine. Another element is setting. With this genre, an element of pathetic fallacy comes to place. For instance, if a couple in the film is happy then the weather will be sunny, vibrant and bright. However if the movie shows a breakup scene of the couples, the weather would be rainy, thundery and cold. Pathetic fallacy is when the weather reflects the mood and atmosphere of the film so this genre would suit this very well. Another element is costume. The types of costumes that we would see would be smart casual / fashionable clothing as its a romantic setting so formal clothing like suits and dresses would be conventional in this genre. We would also see minimal clothing for both genders depending on the intimacy of the scene, this suggests that characters are sexualised through clothing in the romance genre.

Camera Techniques:

With regards to the romance genre, there are unique camera techniques which makes this genre stand out to the audience. One of the shots that we would prominently see is Over the Shoulder. This shot would be used to show the bond between the couple and their sexual or emotional interactions in different parts of the film. Another shot is close up, This shot would be used in a different way from other genres. Romance films use close up as a way of sexualising the characters, male or female. For example, when we are first introduced to a character, the camera would pan up from the feet and slowly move up until it reaches the face. This is conventional for this genre as it appeals to the audience (females particularly) as females are commonly sexualised and are seen as objects in this genre. Establishing shots would be associated with romance as it allows the audience to see the environment before the scene starts. Romance films happen in urban and familiar areas so this shot is really crucial in capturing the attention of the audience as the scene begins. Low Angle shots would be shown to show the vulnerability and damsel-in-distress of the female, Likewise we would see a High Angle shot to show the dominance and the man.

Sound Techniques:

The sounds we would hear for romantic films would be music score. This is to set the mood of the film, ideally the sounds we would hear is a violin as this instrument is a fancy instrument that is commonly played in sexual scenes which appeals to the audience as it is conventional to this genre. Another technique we would get in this genre. We would hear diegetic sounds like kissing, characters talking and non-diegetic sounds like music, sound effects, voiceover from one of the characters and etc. We would mainly hear just musical instruments being played ie, (symphonies or operas) to paint a romantic mindset for the audience so they can be appealed to the film.

Editing Techniques:

For romance, the editing techniques would be conveyed in a relaxed and controlled way as this doesn't distract the audience from the scenes. The type of editing techniques we would get for romance is fading and this is effective as it slowly blends into the next scene, keeping audiences engaged throughout the film. Another editing technique which would be used is a form of continuity. In order for the audiecne to be captivated to the storyline, it has to be edited in a way that the audience understands the narrative of what is going on. Therefore by following up shots, continuity editing is important in keeping the flow of the movie and the establishment of the characters by the audience strong.

Characters/Stereotypes:

The type of characters we would get is highly stereotypical as this genre focuses primarily pon gender roles and status. For instance, females in this genre are stereotyped to be a damsel-in-distress, sexualised as to have minimal clothing so it satisfies a heterosexual male. For males, they are stereotyped to be brave, dominant, independent and a hero to the film. The antagonist would typically be a male character as the villain is strong in this genre. Similarly, the protagonist of the romance genre would also typically be a male character asthe villain would share the same characteristics as the protagonist which evokes a really upsetting to the audience especially a female demographic as this is a sad reality of how women in society are normally taken advantage of by males.

Stock Situations:

The type of situations that we would see from romantic movies would be a couple break up, this could be because a character set up the relationship for failure. It would also be that the man or woman cheats and then get exposed which then they break up but they often get back together at the end of the movie. Another scenario from the genre is if the antagonist kidnaps the female character and it is up for a amn to save her and in the end they may show a romantic connection to the audience and kiss. Overall, the main character would stereotypically be a male character, the female character would be a stock character and a male would be an antagonist.

Theories

The theory that suits Romance the best is Levi Struss's Structuralism and Barthes' Semiotics

Levi Strauss Structuralism - This genre links very well with structuralism by Levi Struss as binary opposites is presented well here. In this genre we would see the emotions of Love and Hate, we would see both emotions play a part in certain parts of the film. This makes the audience understand what love and hate truly is as they need to be together for the film to be good.

Barthes' Semiotics - We would link romance to semiotics as this genre denotes, man and a woman in love with each other / hate each other. This genre connotes love, betrayal, heartbreak, hate and etc.

Comedy

Regarding the comedy genre, there are unique camera techniques that make this genre stand out to the audience. One of them is lighting. In this genre, there would typically be bright lighting to evoke happiness and to reflect the mood of the nature of the film. Another element is costume. Ideally, since it is a comedy film, it is conventional that the main character wears something with a sense of humour. The costume choice is varied and can be completely outrageous and silly which could make the audience laugh or cringe, however that is the point of the convention as the clothing has a sense of comedic feel to it. Another element is NVC. I believe this is one of the most important conventions of the film as it shows the connection between the character and the audience. For instance, if the character's face is boring and unexpressive, then this may put off viewers in the early part of the film as they can't engage with the comedian and therefore the film has failed the convention for comedy. Furthermore, if the main character's facial expressions are vibrant and expressive, then this will increase audience satisfaction as they can engage with the main character in the film and evoke a vibrant and interesting first impression in the audience.

The camera technique we would see for comedy would be a Long Shot as we would get to see the entire body of the subject. Another shot that we would see for comedy would be a tracking shot so that we can follow the movements of the main subject. Also, POV would be used as we would see the main actor's perspective in the film to add a comedic effect to it.

The sounds we would hear for horror would be mainly diegetic sounds as comedy films tend to be natural to as it is in the scene so this technique would accurately represent this genre of film. We would hear non-diegetic sound if it is for background music or music score.

The editing techniques that we would get for this would show a variety of unique transitions. One of which is cross-cut, This is to establish the scene if a character does something with the shots linking together. The character would typically be a male character, they would be from a ethnic minority group, e.g, Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson

Drama

The genre of drama has mise-en-scene elements that are quite interesting for the audience to see. One of the elements is lighting. For drama shows and films, lighting is a key element, the type of lighting we would see would be low-key lighting as the characters in this genre would get into dangerous or sticky situations. Another element we would see predominantly in t his genre is costume. This genre has arguably the most interesting clothing choice of any film genre, this is because the clothing style is accurate to the 18th-19th century. It is mainly suits and dresses, this implies that most people in this genre are upper class.

One of the camera techniques we would see for drama would be a wide shot. This is so the audience can see everything in the scene like props, costume, lighting and etc. We would also see a Close Up so we can see in more detail the emphasis on the actor/actress face.

The sounds we would hear from drama would mostly be diegetic sounds as the characters would be making their own sound effects in some films. For non-diegetic sound it would conventionally be a tense music score to match with the scene.

The editing techniques would be pretty basic, one of which is a cut, this is because drama films are straight to the point and don't focus too much times on specific parts of the narrative. Another editing technique would see a cross-cut as characters can establish the scene with the two shot connected together.

Sci-Fi

Mise-en-scene:

With regards to the comedy genre, there are unique camera techniques which makes this genre stand out to the audience. One of it is lighting. In this genre, there would typically be bright lighting to evoke happiness and to reflect the mood of the nature of the film.

Narrative

Enigma Codes

The Enigma Code is simply a theory that suggests a text (whether that can be television, film or a poster) portrays a mystery to draw an audience in.

Non-linear

Linear

Linear narrative is the most common form of narration, where events are largely portrayed in a chronological order, that is, telling the events in the order in which they occurred.

A non-linear narrative is a narrative technique in which the storyline is told out of chronological order.

Serial Narrative

The first and most essential quality of a serial narrative is that it has to be immensely and intensely and inescapably readable. Other stories in the newspaper are not judged by their readability.

Flexi-Narrative

This type of narrative tends to have complex characters that are ambiguous which creates tension and mystery. A good example of this type of flexi-narrative would be the crime drama, River.

Multi-Strand Narratives

Many works are made up of multiple narrative strands. Instead of a single hero and a group of supporting characters, a narrative with multiple strands can have two or more isolated groups of characters existing at once.

Series Narrative

A narrative, story or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller, novel, etc.).

Episodic Drama

A story composed of separate incidents (or episodes) tied loosely together. A story is created from a series of related episodes. A fiction is said to be episodic if the episodes fall into no logical relationship.

Unrestricted Narrative

Unrestricted narration is when the viewer knows more than the character (but seldom everything), which helps build suspense.

Restricted Narrative

Restricted narration is seen when a movie is filmed from the point of view of only one character making it, due to this us as the audience only know as much as they do.

laa: CORE ASSESSMENT

ACTION: GO BAG

One of the genres I have chosen is Action, as this will be the genre I will be doing for my final film fiction piece. This short film is called Go Bag. I chose this short film as it has a vast array of camera, editing, and sound techniques and showcases excellent elements of mise-en-scene. This film shows immersing camera techniques, narrative, and overall convenience to the genre of Action and offers all the film codes efficiently.

We can establish Todorov's Narratology theory here with the equilibrium setting at the start of this film. At 00:04, we are introduced to the setting. The camera pans down from a plane taking off to a spiral road that leads to a car park. Planes are a standard prop we'd see in this genre, and for this film to show it at the start will excite the audience as they will know from this moment that a lot of Action will be taking place from there. Diegetic sound is used here as the audience can hear the plane take off. The weather appears to be dark and cloudy, which is effective as this suggests to the audience that something terrible is about to happen, as the weather can often reflect the type of mood of the film (pathetic fallacy).

At 00:12, Todorov's Narratology theory is seen again, as the disequilibrium occurs here as we can see a car driving to the car park. We could hear the car going fast, skidding at the turn of the spiral road very erratically. Implying that they are wanted as they have committed a severe crime which justifies why they are driving to the location quickly. When the car parks in, we can see bullet holes, followed by scratches and a cracked rear light on the right side of the car. This paints a vivid image in the audience's mind that this person was in a dangerous situation and left abruptly to avoid getting shot and killed. When this person gets out of the car at 00:18, we see that the costume that the main character is wearing is a white suit that you'd wear for collecting forensics for a crime scene and a white face mask. This is effective as this evokes an enigmatic and anonymous first impression to the audience as they may perceive themselves to be an illegal person and is using this suit to cover their tracks.

As this person comes out of the car, we can hear a non-diegetic sound and tense background music as she approaches the car next to her. The sound is adequate here as it sets a nervous mood for the viewers as they don't know what's going on or about to happen. These film codes here are helpful in this genre as they make the audience want to discover the mystery of who the person is, keeping viewers inclined and engaged throughout the film. At 00:24, another element of mise-en-scene that we can see is props. The prop we can see here is a bag, which is seen when she opens the car's boot at the lower level. Inside the bag, she gets out her passport, money, toiletries, and a phone. These objects were sealed in plastic, connoting that they didn't want to get their fingerprint here so they won't get caught. This is justified as this person is wearing gloves when taking them out, suggesting that this person is keeping their identity a mystery. Here, editing techniques are displayed as we didn't see this person putting them on because that part was cut off. This is effective as it shows a sense of enigma as the audience cannot predict their next move.

The phone appears to be a flip phone which could suggest that this person is keeping a low profile of their identity, hence why they are using an old phone as their burner phone to message their members. When she gets the phone out we see her text someone to abort and evacuate, and then she receives a text back saying they are here and to be careful. This sets the narrative in the correct motion for Action as the audience will establish that this person is in potential danger and shouldn't get caught. At 00:48, an over-the-shoulder shot is displayed as the person takes down the hood of the suit, which appears to be a woman behind this all along. This camera shot is excellent here as we only get a glimpse of who this person is, and assuming by the hair and the nails, the audience can establish it is a woman behind all of this.

The woman takes off the suit, and at 00:52, a Close Up shot is used to show a cut wound that the woman has in her arm. The blood from the wound soaks up her white suit. This part makes the audience feel uneasy as she has a big cut on her arm, which could imply that a male might be behind this; we wouldn't associate females with violence. This is justified as females are stereotyped to be quite vulnerable, which we can see here. The woman then bandages the open wound; at 1:03, she receives a notification that says, "Charter 422. 5 mins. Careful. They're Here." This part has an excellent element of camera, and sound techniques are used efficiently to create a suspenseful effect for the audience watching as the camera suddenly changes to a close-up shot which syncs in with the suspense sound effect.

Another prop we can see is a gun as she opens the bag, and it's there. This prop would quickly excite viewers' attention to this short film as they know that they are in for a treat as Action is about to kick off. All the suspense with the mysterious first impression of the lady to the audience, alongside the text and then the gun, will appeal to the audience efficiently as the plot takes a quick and violent turn. NVC has been used professionally in the genre of Action in this film which captivates realistic flight or fright response to certain situations that the audience would encounter if they were in the same situation as the characters in the movie.

At 1:23, we can see her face with a worried facial expression as she exits the car park and opens the door outside. Implying that she is scared and cautious of her actions as she does not want to get caught. Her facial expression would spike paranoia in the audience as they will fear that she will be caught in the wrong hands at the wrong time. Furthermore, at 1:40, the recognition occurs as we can see the lady bump into a pedestrian. This signifies that she fears bumping into anybody, indicating her guilt and the fear of being found out. This is justified as two men in black jackets notice her and start making their way towards her, causing her to run back inside. One of the men is black, and one of the men is white. This can reference Barthes' Semiotics theory in terms of ideology as we would never associate the two opposing races to take a villainous role in today's society.

When she goes back inside, she searches for the gun in her bag; we then see a flashback of the events that happened outside, which saw her drop the weapon as she bump into someone. Suddenly, at 2:19, one of the assassins barges into the door she is next to and tries to shoot her. The film highlights a tense music score and fast cuts in this segment. This is effective as sound and editing create adrenaline and hype for the audience. After the woman beats up the black man, the door bursts open again, and the white man tries to fight her, which she dominates in this scene.

The woman then runs back to the car park and down the spiral road that leads to it. At this point, the music score gets intense. There is also a tracking shot as she is running. This helps the audience experience oblivious and anxious feelings as they encounter the unknown. A car drives up towards the woman as she runs down. The woman tries to run away but realises she can't escape. She turns around and jumps onto the car, which doesn't seem to stop driving. She gets everything in her bag to try and stop the car but to no avail, as they all fly out into the road. She then tries to stop the car by using smoke on his windshield. This makes the driver angry, and he continues to speed up more and drive up to the top of the car park until 4:00, when he stops. Next in Torodov's Narrothology is attempts; when he comes out of the car, the woman covers him in a bag and knocks him out.

Just as the woman walks away at 4:28, thinking it's all over, a helicopter emerges from the sky. The woman looks visibly frustrated and runs away from it. As she does, the aircraft starts shooting towards her. She hides behind a car. She opens the cars fuel tank to, which she almost shot. When She hides underneath, she pulls out a wire under the car, which makes the car beep and say, "Transmission Failure". The cross-cut is effective here as it shows the audience that the two shots link together. She then uses a lighter and a battery to set the object on fire, which she places on the fuel tank. After this, whilst under the car, she tries to move it back to, which she succeeds. As the car crashes, the woman slides out underneath the car and runs down the spiral road as the helicopter shoots her. The tracking shot as she is running is effective as it gives a realistic effect and makes the audience feel like they are part of the action. Lastly is the resolution of Torodov's Narrothology theory: at 6:22, the car explodes, destroying the helicopter as it is close to it. Visual effects are effective as they evoke realistic codes in this film. The helicopter falls mid-air and explodes upon impact into the ground. This links well with Neale's Genre theory as it shows familiarity with innovation with the use of the visual explosion seen here. The film ends at 6:39 when she drops the bag and walks away—implying that she has accomplished her mission and is leaving the area. This ending may be of relief to the audience as after the events with the two assassins and the helicopter, and it is great to see a typical ending of everything seemingly back to normal.

HORROR: DON'T PEEK

The second genre I have chosen is Horror, and the video I have picked is Don't Peek by JulianMovies. I chose this as this short film retains a unique and exceptionally original plot which evokes high levels of paranoia and suspense in the audience and follows the conventions of this genre. This short film follows a linear narrative which is easy for the audience to understand the stages of the film that are conventional for a movie. This genre conveys Neale's Genre theory well, as it fulfils audiences' expectations with a good share of Horror and suspense and familiarity with innovation, as technology is a prime film code used here, bringing something new and refreshing to the genre. It objects to repetition and difference to an extent, as most parts of this film convey an original plot. However, some elements are very cliche and predictable, resulting in some parts being anti-climatic.

Torodav's Narrathology theory is shown here as the equilibrium sets off at the start of the film as the camera pans left from a room lamp to a girl playing a game on her Nintendo Switch. This gaming system supports Neale's Genre theory as it shows familiarity with innovation in this genre, as her game is part of the narrative that causes the Horror. The location is in her bedroom. We hear an unsettling non-diegetic sound here as the camera reveals her dark room till we can see the girl in low-key lighting in a dark setting. The use of minimal lighting here alludes that they're many segments in her room that the audience is oblivious about. We can apply Barthes' Semiotics theory as the lighting brings connotations to mystery, uncertainty and evil here. The ideology behind this is that the younger generation loves playing games, as she is a young lady with a Nintendo console, a popular gaming system in the younger demographic. They commonly play up until night with no lights in their rooms but the bright light from their screens, implying that young people play games for hours. This is effective as it accurately reflects the younger generation in society with their obsession with gaming / staying in their rooms etc. We can hear the diegetic sound of the girl playing on her console. We see the girl lying on her bed, playing on her Switch. Her NVC suggests that she seems happy and comfortable with the game she is playing. The game that she is playing is Tomodachi Life. In the game, she is in a room that resembles her real-life room. The props displayed are lamps, a table, a bed, a door, and a wardrobe. Not long after, things start to take a sinister turn.

Next in Torodav's Narrathology theory is the disequilibrium; This takes place from 00:41 when in the game, her character walks to a wardrobe and opens it. About a second later, her actual wardrobe opens up. The girl notices but ignores it. She then closes the wardrobe in the game, and then her actual wardrobe closes. This sets a mysterious first impression of her room on the audience as they can establish that her actions in the game happen in reality. The woman slowly creeps out of her bed to where we see a POV shot as she peeks out the edge of her bed to see her bottom wardrobe in her room. At this point, we hear a non-diegetic sound as the music score sounds tense and chaotic, leaving the audience scared as they don't know what to expect. She then tests it out again and opens and closes the wardrobe in the game, which again happens in real life. She then uses her character in the game to turn off the light on the table, to which her actual light turns off. The girl smiles after this, implying that she is amused by how cool it is to control objects in her room through her game. Her NVC will set the audience at ease as they will feel alleviated that she is okay.

However, some audiences may discern that something horrendous is about to happen, as, in terms of stock situations, the narrative pattern in this genre would see things going downhill as the film progresses. This is precisely the case here as at 2:07, the next stage of Torodav's Narrathology theory is the recognition of the narrative when she discovers a monster in the game, which she gets worried as everything she has previously done in the game has happened in real life. The music score changes to match this mood, conveying to the audience that the climax is starting to build up. This is evident as she hears a floor creek sound in the near distance of her room. This scary diegetic sound would make the audience feel unsettled as they can predict what will happen by what they've seen. This is effective as it helps to build up the level of enigma and paranoia in the film as it reaches its climax. The girl puts her light on, places her Switch console away from her on the bed's far end, and lies down. This implies that she is scared to continue playing the game; the sound of the game is still heard in the background as she lies in fear, suggesting that she is on her own during this strange situation.

The film builds up to its climax here at 3:04. The light in her room turns off but this time, she does not control it from her game; it happens itself. This freaked her out and made her turn on the light that was switched off. Her NVC here was persuasive, as her facial expressions showed her fear and apprehension, making the audience worried. Stock situations typically see younger people returning to discover more of something they are scared about. This film follows these codes as the girl picks up her console and continues playing. At 3:55, she receives a message in the game from the monster called "ZoZo", saying, "Will you let me out" with an option of yes and no. We can then hear a creaking sound of the door opening wider a few seconds after she receives this message. The girl recognises this terrifyingly and chooses no. At 4:11, we see the face of the monster in the game. Barthes' Semiotics theory is applied here as the denotation of the monster's eye colour is red. Red connotes danger, a warning to take action, and fear. The monster's eyes are like red dots, unnatural to normal eyes. His eye is excellent for this genre as this supernatural characteristic protrudes perfectly in horror film codes.

The film reaches its climax at 4:14, where the girl is breathing heavily as she is visibly frightened by the bizarre phenomenon unravelling in the game that should appear to be family-friendly. The game suddenly shows a large dark hand and the monster emerging from the darkness at the door. Then her actual door opens and slams into her room. The girl gasps and breathes heavily. At this point, there is an element of silence accompanied by the girl's loud breathing. These diegetic sounds will frighten the audience as the monster could be anywhere at any time and can come when they least expect it. This is because the audience is familiar with the film codes for Horror and will know that it builds up to a potential jumpscare when there is just silence. At 4:28, footsteps can be heard, and the creeks of the floor get closer. The camera is framed in a close-up shot of the girl's face in disbelief at what she is hearing, evoking an enigmatic and creepy atmosphere in the audience. At 4:34, footprints start forming on her bed, though nothing is there. The girl crawls back into her bed and hides under it. Again, there is an element of silence, and the girl's breathing is heard again, this time faster and heavier. This can link to Levi Straus' Structuralism theory as binary opposites are applied to the audience's thoughts. This is because of stereotypes of how a man and woman would react to the same stock situation the girl is in currently. A man would stereotypically be brave and wouldn't be scared of peculiar things, whereas a woman would be the opposite, react like a damsel in distress, and always rely on a hero to save them. This film displays how a female responds to this situation effectively, as it helps us understand the perspective of the opposite sex.

The film's penultimate stage sets away at an alarming rate, leaving the audience reeling by the events unfolding in front of them. At 4:49, the girl receives a message in the game from the monster (ZoZo) saying, "Don't peek, I'm shy" This will make the audience feel agonised as the monster can see what the girl is doing in real life as supposed to the game. From 4:59 - 5:02, the girl's bed squeaks twice, and the girl looks up and shakes in utter disbelief, fear and shock. At 5:05, we see a POV shot of what the girl is seeing: the monster covered up in the blanket lying on the bed. A message appears from the game from the monster asking again, "Will you let me out." The girl didn't look at the message; this time, she just froze and stared at this creature. Her lamp light then turned off by itself, and suddenly, the monster leapt towards her and growled; the lights were flickering at a strangely fast rate. The girl's flight or fright instinct acted here as she then backed away quickly and she banged herself into the wall. Editing was efficient here as an L Cut was used here as we hear the growling sound used from the preceding scene into the following scene girl backs away. This is effective as it establishes the scene with the monster and the girl, making it easier for the audience to comprehend the characters in the scene. As she hits herself, she unintentionally presses yes in the game to the question. When this happens, the stage of Torodav's Narrathology theory we are in attempts as when she unintentionally presses yes to the question, everything seems to go back to normal.

The final part of the film is gruesome but relatively anti-climactic. The girl is recovering from the abnormal events that have just happened. She gets her Switch and turns off the lights in the game; when she does this, nothing happens. This was a relief to the girl as the recent event showed that the things happening in the game occurred in real life. At 6:03, she takes a breath of relief. The stage of Torodov's Narrathology is the resolution, as the problem is solved and everything is back to normal. However, this isn't the case. At 6:13, the camera pans from the table to the blanket in the bed that the monster is in, to which we see his real face for the first time. In the game, he had red eyes that looked like dots. In real life, the monster has no eyes. We can also see that he has dirty spiky teeth, no nose and fragile and decomposing skin. The monster roars, and the girl gasps in shock as the lights turn off as the film ends. The ending of the film may cause mixed reactions from the audience. For some, it may be scary as they thought everything would return to normal. For others, it may be that horror films always end with a jumpscare or a character dying, which was the case for this film. This may put off viewers as this ending may come across as quite anti-climatic. It supports Neale's Genre theory on repetition and difference as this film follows conventional film codes to the point where it may become predictable.

The post-credits scene is presented with a unique approach; It makes up for the ending and gives the audience a chilling final impression. We can see that the girl is missing from the scene. This implies that the monster has taken her somewhere. The lights flicker as the Nintendo Switch slides out of bed and cuts to the credits. The use of the cutaway back and forth is beneficial here as this style of editing evokes a paranoic setting in the audience as the credits are rolling. The only sound we hear is non-diegetic, with the light going on and off. This is effective as it indicates that the girl is no longer in control of what is happening in her room. Finally, at 6:29, the Nintendo Switch falls to the ground, the lights are out, and the Switch turns on back into the game, which shows her room. However, her character is not there, and we can see her eyes on the wall. The eyes on the wall can imply that the monster has taken complete control of her bedroom and can control anything as they please. The camera zooms in to the door of the game whilst the music score slows down and sounds distorted as it does. This could create an element of sadness in the audience, indicating that it is game over as her character is in the dark. The colour black connotes death, implying that the monster may have killed the girl in a gruesome and unfortunate way.

Learning AiM B

Proposal

The proposal role that I was assigned for this task was the Team Logo. I decided that I wanted to make the logo and an animation that would play at the start of our short film. Based on the nature of our company name, which is called Solar Pictures, I am making a solar system animation, showing a close-up of the planets and then another shot of all of them orbiting around the sun, with the text 'Solar Pictures' appearing in the middle of the sun. I have used Adobe After Effects to make this. Here are some pictures/drafts of my work in progress until the final version.

Aligning the planets around the sun in the order of the Solar System.

The first planet, Mercury created as a sphere, with a template around it

Template for the first planet, Mercury.

Added some tint in the planet, making it look accurate to how it actually looks in reality.

Aligning the planets around the sun in the order of the Solar System.

Making Saturn's rings in a different composition.

All the planets in the Solar System, from Mercury to Saturn aligned around the sun.

Draft Animations

Final Animation - Solar Pictures

Narrative

Planning

Location Recce

Risk Assessment

Shooting Schedule

Storyboard

Shot List

Script

Equipment Booking

Sound Log

Production [Logs 1-7]

Shooting

Video Log

Learning Aim c

Short Film

Individual Edit [Log 8]

Editing this film has been relatively complex, especially for me, who is usually good at editing. However, I am glad I have done this as this gives me a taste of what I will do at university. The main reason why this was so difficult was because there were so many shots to choose from, and based on the brief, it needed to be between 8-10 minutes long. It might be too long or too short. Thankfully, my final individual edit is within the required timeframes for the short film.

Judging by the editing process, I've noticed that most of the film up the equilibrium + disequilibrium has taken up half the time; this is not what I had hoped for. This is because there was a lot of dialogue in the first two stages of the film. Learning from this experience, there should have been a bit more dialogue in the recognition and attempts phase. That way, it creates an interactive climax which evokes more meaning for the audience.

On the positive side, i have used sufficient continuity editing, linking the shots together to help create a conventional linear sequence. I've maintained the colour scheme and lighting of the video so the visibility and colour of the film remain cohesive throughout the film. Overall, I believe my individual edit meets the brief and methodically uses essential codes and conventions for the genre.

WITNESS STATEMENT

Genre:

We successfully incorporated the essential codes and conventions of the action genre into our ten-minute short film. We achieved this through careful use of mise-en-scene, including the setting of the heist scenes filmed in a warehouse basement. We selected this location because it is frequently featured in heist movies where the criminals and masterminds strategise their operations. By starting our film this way, we created a realistic and practical representation of the genre. In terms of costume, the criminals in the film wore black. Black has connotations of mystery and evil which perfectly represents the description of our characters. In terms of NVC, it is notable that the mastermind's face isn't shown at all in the film. This is because we planned for the mastermind's face not to be shown to portray a sense of enigma, mystery and lousy impression to the audience. Overall, mise-en-scene was conventionally added in our film methodically, which helps the audience establish that we have made an action film.

In our short film, visual signifiers played an important role. We used conventions of the action genre to enhance the impact of our film. For instance, when the mastermind outlined the heist plan during the disequilibrium, we had a cutaway to the crew wearing masks. The masks had a skull imprinted on them, symbolising death and uncertainty. The use of iconography was effective as it added meaning to the plot and enhanced the film's overall impact. Our film effectively utilised iconography to portray the mastermind's blueprint. As the blueprint was laid out on the table, it revealed the intricate design of the targeted house. This symbolism conveyed the meticulous planning required for criminal activities like robberies and heists. By incorporating this technique, our film elevated its plot and genre, captivating the audience even more.

In our film, we included a backstory as an essential element of the genre-specific content. For action movies, it's common to have a Genesis that reveals the history and buildup of the events to come. To achieve this, we told the story of a mastermind who had dreamed of stealing an artefact from John D. Rockefeller since he was nine years old. He believed the artefact contained hidden secrets worth millions of dollars. This is effective as this backstory helps the audience understand the story better, including why the mastermind calls the operation "the biggest operation ever" and why the film is named "Operation Artifact."

We included betrayal as a specific type of content in our genre. In action films, plot twists can surprise the audience. To demonstrate disloyalty, we added a scene where DeShawn shoots Clyde. DeShawn is a threatening character who shows no mercy. Killing Clyde demonstrates DeShawn's loyalty to the mastermind and his disdain for disloyal people.

While researching action heist films, I found that planning scenes typically include several close-up shots to reveal the criminals' NVC and wide shots to establish the characters and the setting. I incorporated these stylistic elements to enhance my film's narrative by including a repetitive number of these shots in my shot list during production. Additionally, the footage has a slight shake, which adds a sense of realism and uneasiness between the criminal and the mastermind. To achieve this effect, I used a gimbal stabiliser while filming. Incorporating stylistic codes, I utilised the environment to enhance the narrative. It is imperative to include cutaways in films to avoid monotony. Fortunately, my selected location boasts various intricate details, including flickering lights and cracked walls, making it an ideal filming candidate.

I carefully crafted my film in line with established media theories. We employed Todorov's Narathology theory to structure it into four distinct parts: Equilibrium, Disequilibrium, Recognition, Attempts, and Resolution. The mastermind character is introduced during the Equilibrium phase, as he shares his plan to steal a valuable artefact from a wealthy individual and enlists the help of his team of criminals. Next comes the Disequilibrium phase, where the mastermind hatches his plan in detail. The Recognition phase marks the moment when the authorities catch wind of the break-in, and the criminals begin their daring mission. In the Attempt phase, tensions rise, and the criminals turn on each other, leading to a violent showdown and the capture of one of the team members. Finally, the Resolution phase sees the police closing in on the mastermind and engaging in a dramatic confrontation. Overall, Todorov's theory proved to be an effective tool for structuring my action-packed 10-minute film.

Barthes' Semiotics theory was applied to our film as many codes and conventions evoke meaning. For example, the denotation for the costume of the mastermind and the criminals is Black. The colour has connotations of evil, death and destruction. The use of this is effective as the colour scheme symbolises the film's theme, as there is a sense of conflict and a divide within the criminals, which gives it meaning to the audience.

Our film is aimed at individuals between the ages of 16 and 24. This demographic tends to enjoy action films, which typically perform well at the box office. To appeal to this audience, we made the film immersive. As an example, when the mastermind introduces the crew to the audience, there is a fast-cut glitch edit to the pictures of the crew members on screen. This edit would engage the audience as a fast-paced edit would set the mood for an action-packed film.

To engage our audience, we incorporated multiple fight scenes in our film. We used a multi-camera approach to heighten the suspense, filming each scene from three angles. Additionally, we included guns in the film as they are a staple of the genre. The use of this prop adds a professional touch to our film and makes it comparable to action movies in the genre.

With regard to the outcomes relevant to the initial project brief, I have met all the requirements that were proposed for the film. The length is approximately 9 minutes long, which is in the range of 8-10 minutes. As per the guidelines, the movie has to be made by a freshly established independent production company. My team and I came up with the name "Solar Pictures", and I designed a logo featuring planets revolving around the sun. To create an impact on the audience, I used Adobe After Effects to craft an animation that appears at the beginning of the film. This animation aimed to impress the audience and entice them to watch the upcoming movies produced by my company. Regarding the genre, my team and I proposed to do action as we could acquire a vast array of camera, editing and sound techniques to engage the target audience by immersing them in our film.

To ensure legal compliance, we have exclusively used non-copyrighted SFX and music in our film, as required by the brief. We filmed in multiple locations and captured various unplanned shots, which we incorporated into the film with continuity editing. Our credits feature the relevant cast and crew involved in the production. Additionally, we have logged all the sounds used in a document. Our film is structured based on Todorov's Narratology theory, and we have also considered the representation of gender dynamics among the characters. Overall, we have successfully fulfilled the brief.

Post-Production:

Before

After

Before

After

I adjusted the shot to improve its lighting and visibility in the scene of the mastermind and the criminals in the warehouse. By raising the exposure from 0.0 to 1.1, I could make the shot brighter without adding any noise. Additionally, I increased the contrast from 0.0 to -100.0, effectively enhancing the lighting. I did this because the original shot of the warehouse was too dark, as the environment had minimal lighting, which made it hard to see the characters. However, with the adjusted lighting, the video is now more transparent and easier to watch, keeping the audience engaged throughout the film.

Before

After

Before

After

I changed the video's colour for my next edit as the crew members are getting geared up to evoke meaning. I decreased the temperature to -100.0 to give it a blue tint. Blue has connotations of uncertainty. Having this colour, it pinpoints that the crew needs to learn what to expect from the heist. However, their lack of emotion shows they are desensitised to these types of crimes and prepared for anything that comes at them.

Before

After

Before

After

Next up, I changed the brightness of the shot as Bonnie checked on Clyde after he's been shot. As I did with the first edit, I increased the contrast from 0.0 to -100.0, effectively enhancing the lighting. I did this because the original shot of the warehouse was too dark, as the camera used to film this scene had a low ISO. This is effective as the audience will see the dynamic between the couple in this scene.

Concerning sound techniques, I have used them methodically to resemble sound in the genre of film. The type of sound technique I have used is Constant Power, which is showcased at the end of each audio to allow a smooth transition that blends into the next scene. I have also used music appropriate for other scenes that I felt would immerse the audience more. For the disequilibrium, I played some calm and tense music, signifying that something big is coming. I've enhanced the sound by adding some SFX to clarify what's happening in the scene. Using a diegetic sound effect is particularly effective as it helps the audience pinpoint specific actions or events.

With sound, the footage I used had some background noise that was distracting. What I've done is that I added a track and placed the audio there (still perfectly aligned with the footage), and then pressed the M, which turns green to signal that the track is on mute.

When the film is at its peak, I've implemented highly energetic music to match the narrative's tone, which will keep the audience invested. Using my film's non-diegetic sound will engage the audience as they flow and mix very well, creating a cohesive music score for my film.

I applied conventional editing techniques that were similar to my chosen genre. An example of this is that action has a form of continuity editing. With multi-cameras capturing the same action, combining the shots to create a linear sequence in my film was easier. This is effective as it will offer the audience the story in a vast array of different framings and angles, providing an immersive experience.

I utilized fast cuts as an editing technique while introducing the criminals arranged by the mastermind. I added the pictures of the mugshots and made the photos go up 2 - 3 frames on the timeline, thereby creating a very fast glitch effect. This was done because I wanted it to capture the audience's attention at this point in the film, as this is where they'll get to know the criminals.

Mission: Impossible 2:

My Short Film

I wanted to make it similar to Mission: Impossible II, where the computer flickers through their mugshots. So I did this by having the criminals mugshots as the fast cts as they flicker through the screen. This is effective as having this cool reference to the Mission: Impossible movies in my short film will capture the audience's attention early on in the film and will incline them to watch how everything unfolds.

Overall, I incorporated all the essential codes and conventions of the action genre in my short film while successfully appealing to the target audience. My hard work and dedication to utilising established media theories have paid off, making the film more engaging and meaningful for the viewers. I've ensured legal compliance throughout the production process. In conclusion, my film perfectly represents the action genre and has successfully met all brief project requirements.