Poster Ideas

These are some several digital drafts of my poster for my film production 'Conditional Love'. Some of the elements are superimposed images taken from Google whilst other elements have been created using Adobe Photoshop. These posters continue to be a working progress with them being basic ideas. I hope to influence these ideas as well as input more ideas and elements into my final draft.

 

All of the superimposed elements that have been used do not have any copyright infringements.

 

As the course progresses, I hope to add more drafts before submitting my final draft to the examiner as well as posting the result on the blog.

 

I would like to add images of the characters that are edited to appear as

if they are slightly faded in the white background or portions of the red tone.

 

 

I would like to replace the cartoon/animated characters with shots from actual actors.

I really like the idea of the superimposed silhouette of the couple arguing and hope

to use this idea as well as the contrast in element brightness to show the difference

in moods, i.e.; the use of low lighting to create a darker mood.

 

Although this is not the final photograph that I wish to include in this element, I hope to continue this idea onto my final poster draft because I believe that the crack in the photograph is enigmatic in that it exploits a specific character relationship. In this case, this once happy couple may not be anymore. This is an enigma code that I hope to achieve in my poster with my actors being shot in this position previously then their photo will be superimposed into a photo frame. The crack is an effect found on Google which I superimposed as a layer on top of the photograph to create the impression of smashed glass.

 

This is an idea which I have created during the last few lessons in class. The black effect in the background is to represent the inside of a plastic black bag. This representation allows the consumer to assume that all of these loving gifts have been thrown away as rubbish. This representation, particularly the photo, suggests to the audience that this young couple are not as happy as they use to be. I would like to continue using this idea but make a few adjustments such as make some of the elements darker and change the font.  

 



Codes and Conventions of Coming-Of-Age Films

As part of my pre-production research, I decided to compile a list of codes and conventions of coming-of-age films. This list will be very useful to me when I am producing my script as well as applying elements into my marketing texts, i.e.; my posters and my DVD cover.

 

This list has been compiled with assistance from primary research such as the recurring patterns from the textual analyses of marketing campaigns and opening sequences of coming-of-age films and from secondary sources (websites and news articles). This list not only contains typical character traits and typical locations that would feature in a coming-of-age film. It also includes a typical coming-of-age film's narrative structure.

• The plot of a coming-of-age film usually revolves around a relationship between two of the characters. This relationship is usually the influence behind key events of the story.
• Sub-plots: abuse, sex, bullying, drug use, first love, rebellion, society’s view on virginity, pregnancy, life at home, transition made to become mature, loss of innocence, acculturation (the psychological and emotional effects of society, how people adapt into society), stressing the ability to make wise decisions or judgments, gang culture.
• Themes include: romance, variety of characters (particularly humorous), the importance of friendship, exploring the party lifestyle, situations that the audience can relate to, drama
• Typical main characters are young people approaching 16 years old or 18 years old and a child-like trait, which was present at the start of the film, disappears as part of the characters' 'transformation'. Male characters are very stereotypical: they seek for 'one thing' (sex). The characters tend to have strained relationships with their parents.
• There are distinctive types of character such as; 'the girl next door'/the sweet innocent girl, the rebels/people who rebel against the law, the geek who lacks social skills, misfits, the jocks who intimidate the main, male character/try to liaise with the lead female character, etc.
• Urban, contemporary music is used for transitions between shots and cuts (particularly hip-hop and rap music when representing gang culture)
• The target audience for this genre of film is 15-21 year old females. The typical age rating varies from 12 to 18.
• There is often a moral or hidden message, which influences the conclusion, that encourages the audience to reflect on their past behaviour or their views on certain issues that affect a modern-day society.
• Typical locations include: school, parties, rough neighbourhoods, areas of outstanding beauty (countryside), a character's bedroom, abandoned areas of the countryside, council estates and apartment blocks.
• Typical shots that are used are: montage editing, minimal use of transitions (fade ins or cuts), inter-titles, date recapped at end of the film, low key lighting, focus pulls, slow motion, internal monologues/narration, scenes of intense dialogue, over-the-shoulder-shots for conversations and cross-cutting.

 

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

 

INTRODUCTION: Introduce the main characters and the setting to the audience whilst establishing a conflict or a problem and doubts that are underlying factors of that conflict.

 

ORDEALS/COMPLICATIONS: Insert events that complicate the problem. Ensure the drama gradually increases until the film reaches the climax.

 

CLIMAX: The most dramatic section of the film.

EPIPHANY/KNOWLEDGE: The protagonist discovers something about themselves that makes them realise that things need to change.

TRANSFORMATION: As a part of the conclusion, a part of the protagonist's life has been changed because of the effects of the climax and of the epiphany. This is usually a positive ending but can be negative depending on the severity of the climax.

 



'Elephant' Marketing - Textual Analysis

As part of my pre-production research, I have decided to analyse several coming-of-age posters. The ideas from this analysis will influence my film's marketing campaign. The differences in dvd cover and film poster will also help me when it comes to product continuity. Whilst looking for films to analyse on IMDB, I discovered the film Elephant which was released in 2003 and directed by American film director Gus Van Sant. When I searched for images of the film's marketing campaign on Google, I found several of their posters. One issue that arose straightaway was the fact that there was a certain lack of continuity between these posters: it was as if the producer of this poster wanted to advertise two completely different films. It was this issue that I wanted to raise as part of my pre-production research.

 

Elephant is a coming-of-age film set in Portland, Oregon and its events are loosely based on the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. The film chronicles events surrounding a school shooting and these events are based on the perspectives of two bullied high school children, Alex (played by Alex Frost) and Eric (played by Eric Deulen), who are soon revealed as the pair behind the school's massacre.

POSTER

 

When I first saw this poster, I thought that it was one of the least effective film posters that I had seen. This thought was based purely on the layout of the poster, particularly in the main third of the poster (where the photography is). Whilst the typography at the bottom of the poster may have had potential to be effective in terms of advertising the film to a large body of people, the consumer's focus is drawn away from that and is attracted towards the clumsily placed photography. It leaves the consumer wondering why there are two people randomly kissing in front of an orange elephant. It also makes us question why the elephant is actually in the poster: we ask if there is a deeper meaning behind its presence or if it's just there because the animal shares its name with the film title.

 

There are several elements in this poster that I think are really effective. The first element is the use of a white background. Apart from incredibly bright or fluorescent colours, white is an effective colour to use if a person wants other elements in a poster or another type of press text to really stand out. In the case of this poster, the white background really compliments the black title's typography at the bottom third of the poster. By allowing it to stand out, the consumer's focal attention can be drawn towards the film's important information such as the title, the age certificate, recognisable producers or writers within the cast credits and the studio credits. Another element is the way that the title's typography is presented. An informal font has been used to inform the consumer that this film's target audience is a younger audience. It also suggests to the consumer that the themes in the film are quite light-hearted. This will encourage people within that target audience to go and watch this film. It may also attract 21-30 year olds who might wonder what those light-hearted themes are and might want to find out if those themes will affect the film's events. However, the consumer who has read the film's synopsis may think that this font choice misrepresents the film's violent themes. Others may argue back that this film may be an alternative, less graphic representation of violence. They may add that the violence in this film may not be the main issue that affects the characters of this film and it could be other issues that face the teenage characters who live in a modern society such as peer pressure, drug abuse, failed romance, etc. It could be those issues that cause the violence to occur in the first place. The final element that I thought was effective was the different typography used when mentioning the director of the film Gus Van Sant. Bubble-writing in block capitals has been used to represent the director as being an individual who is fun and centres his films on light-hearted themes that make an impact on teenagers or a younger audience on a more personal level. The orange outline on the bubble writing is a form of continuity: it is the same colour as the elephant. This could signify that the director had a reason why he included the elephant in the poster. This continuity gives the poster a professional finish and encourages the consumer to go and watch this non-amateur production.

 

If I was to change anything about this poster, I would have changed the presentation of the photograph of the young couple kissing. I would have created a fade finish on the photo so that it blends in more naturally within the background. However, Van Sant may have chosen this presentation of the photograph because he aimed for it to be blunt and not organised so that it captures the consumer's attention. Even though the photograph is representing not only the age range of the characters but one of the issues raised in the film too (love or teenage romance), I would have included a few more photos that could subtly represent more themes of the film such as the violence or terrorism. These photos would help the consumer to establish a better understanding of what they can expect from this film. Once again, the lack of representation could have been an attempt to capture the consumer's attention by creating an enigma code. The current structure of the poster leaves the consumer wondering if love and romance is a major theme or if it is an underlying theme of the film's main events. The final thing that I would change about this poster is the presentation of the film awards which can be seen in the top third. By showing a film award on your poster, this increases that film's chances in attracting a large revenue from the audience and the consumer. On this particular poster, the film awards have been adjusted to an extremely small size so that it is almost undistinguishable. This stops the consumer from realising that this film actually has potential to be really good and enjoyable. I think that Van Sant made this decision not to have enlarged presentations of these film awards because he wanted the consumer to go and watch the film in order to construct their own opinion of his work rather than rely on a second opinion or biased material to persuade or dissuade them from watching this film.

 

 

 

This is another poster that was used for Elephant's marketing campaign. This is a clearer, more professional representation of the film and, to me, it is the professional finish that appeals to me more than the previous poster. Instead of a rule of thirds structure, the same photograph of the young couple kissing is the poster's background.

 

The typography is the poster's foreground and, in comparison with the previous poster, is completely different and appears more formal. In comparison with the previous poster, the main film award has been enlarged and is more visible for the consumer to notice. The iconic Palme D'Or logo has also been used to represent the film under a positive light. The consumer now knows that the director of this film, Gus Van Sant, has been awarded the Palme D'Or Award for his directing in this film. The Palme D'Or is a major award to be received in the film festival season so this will encourage the consumer to watch this film and find out for themselves why the director of this film has won this award. This may also encourage them to discover more of his films and watch them too to see if they match up to the standards that this film sets. Whilst the previous poster used a formal colour and font to compliment the white background, this poster's title's typography is in block capitals and is purple. The darker shade of purple helps the title to stand out against the background and its large font size allows the consumer's focal attention to be drawn into the most important information on this poster. I think that if orange font was used, some of the letters could have been lost because of the bright natural light in the background. Like with any other poster, Van Sant would have wanted the title's typography to be as visible and as clear as possible because a title is the most important element in a film poster when it comes to individuality and that particular film standing out in comparison with other coming-of-age films.

 

The photography introduces the characters' age and one of the film's locations to the consumer. The characters appear to be younger than 18 but old enough to still be attending school. This suggests to the consumer that this film may also be targeted at an audience of the same age of these characters because some of the issues that could be raised will most likely be the most relatable to teenagers. The location used to shoot this photograph appears to be in an enclosed room in a school. This is an enigma code because this could be a location that has a major influence on the film's events or it could be a place that is important for one of the characters. Enigma codes are a way of drawing in the consumer's appeal. Another enigma code is the boy's body language towards the girl beside him. As she kisses him on the cheek, he appears deep in thought or estranged to an extent where he may not feel the same way about her. When put into that context, some could say that the girl, although she may be very close to him, is completely oblivious of his private life and the events that appear to be consuming the boy. That context makes the consumer wonder about the relationship between the two characters and it makes them want to see the film in order to find out if that relationship will make an impact on the film's events. A medium-close up of the two characters has been used with the male actor being in the centre of the shot. This type of shot allows the female actor to also be present in the image so that the consumer can not become confused as to who is kissing the male actor. The positioning of the male actor suggests to the audience that he is the male character. This also suggests to the audience that the approach towards the film's events could be shot on the basis of his character's perspective. The reason why the image has not been edited could have been because Van Sant wanted to create a naturalistic representation of his film. If effects such as fades or colour filters were used, this could have fazed that representation and it could leave the consumer wondering what time period or genre this film belongs to. If effects were used ineffectively, it could lead to a very poor representation of Van Sant's film and it could dissuade the consumer from watching this film based on the fact that they think the poster represents the film as being a parody or a humorous approach towards the events raised in the film rather than a serious drama.

 

 

 

 

'Kidulthood' Movie Poster - Textual Analysis

 

As part of my ongoing research, I have decided to analyse several posters of popular films from the coming-of-age genre. These posters will help me and my final project because any recurring patterns within the films' marketing campaigns will help to structure the marketing campaign for my own movie. It will also help consumers to easily identify what genre my film is by just briefly looking at my film's poster or DVD cover.

 

The second film poster that I am going to analyse is 'Kidulthood'. I decided to analyse this poster because it clearly establishes the genre, the film's social context and what age group is this film's target audience. During its time of release (2006), Kidulthood was critically acclaimed for being - according to the Daily Mail - 'a harrowing, uncompromisingly bleak but thoughtful look at the anguish of being young and poor in Britain' and - according to The Guardian -  'a rollicking UK youth ride, cinematically filmed, persuasively acted and bumped along by a fantastic all-British soundtrack'.

 

ANALYSIS

 

The structure of this poster appears to be in a rule of thirds layout with the top layer containing an important element of typography, the middle layer depicting an even number of cast members casually standing or sitting looking towards the camera and the bottom layer showing the title's typography. This structure effectively creates three focus points for the consumer to look at; the quote at the top of the poster, the cast and the title of the film. This allows the audience to gain a clearer insight into what they can expect from this film.

 

The top third of the poster has a light background due to the bright, natural light from the sky in the photograph which is the poster's main foreground. This light background compliments the black font colour used for the review's typography. This choice of colour draws the audience's attention towards the very positive review given from a national body who have critiqued the film. Not only is there a five-star rating: the quote given by TOUCH magazine describes this film as being powerful, moving and unforgettable. These words are very positive (particularly 'unforgettable' which some may say is a hyperbole in this case) and this second opinion encourages the consumer to go and watch the film to see if the film actually is powerful or unforgettable just like the reviewer suggests. The five-star rating is given to films that are excellent or outstanding. This gives the consumer another reason to watch this film.

The centre third of the poster uses a relaxed version of  the rule of evens when it comes to the positioning of the film's main characters. The rule of evens is typically used when shooting an informal, casual photography of a group of people. This shows to the audience that the characters in this film poster are at ease or comfortable around each other. By positioning the two actors on the left of the third close together, this suggests to the audience that these two characters either have a close friendship or an intimate, romantic relationship. The relationship status is evident what with the male actor resting his left arm around her and the actress not responding in a negative way to his close proxemics. This could also be an enigma code in that their relationship could be a key influence in the film's events. There are several elements of the mise en scene that suggest to the audience that this group of young people are in a poorer area of society. Firstly, all of the male actors are wearing dark hooded jackets or jumpers. This type of clothing is stereotypically worn by gang members or people who are in a poorer area of society. Secondly, the actor on the far right is resting a baseball bat on his shoulder. A baseball bat is not only used to play cricket or baseball: it is also classed as a melee weapon. The actor's menacing glare towards the camera and his casual stance shows the audience that he is most likely using it as a weapon rather than a source of entertainment. This suggests to the audience that the film contains violent or intimidating scenes. It also suggests to the audience that this character could have an aggressive personality. Thirdly, the location of the photograph's shot appears to be within a run-down council estate. There are several elements of the mise en scene that suggest that this location is a council estate, e.g.; some of the actors are sat on top of concrete bollards, others are sat on a small concrete wall barricaded by a corroded iron guard and there is a faint, panoramic view of a run-down area just above the iron guard. This not only suggests to the audience the film's geographical context but it also suggests to the audience the film's genre. Council estates and apartment blocks are location code and conventions for a coming-of-age film. This, alongside the age of the characters in the shot, suggests to the audience that this film is a coming-of-age film. It appeals to fans of gritty coming-of-age films and it encourages them to spend money and watch this film.

 

The bottom third of the poster is where the title's typography is positioned. The bottom third's background is darker in comparison with the other two thirds because it is shadowed by the photograph's angle of light. The charcoal colour of the tarmac makes this third even darker. It compliments the typography's white font colour. This sudden brightness draws in the consumer's attention and it helps them find out the name of this film. It also helps them find out the essential information such as the release date, the age certificate and the studio's logo. It also allows the consumer to read the tagline which is 'Before adulthood comes...'. There is an ellipsis to confirm a dramatic pause. It is almost as if they want the consumer to fill in the blanks for them. As a result, this involves the audience and draws in their attention. The answer to this is the teenage years or childhood. This tells the audience that the characters in this film are either going to be children or teenagers. By viewing the characters in the main third of the poster, the consumer will soon realise that the characters in the film are teenagers or young adults. Teenage or young protagonists are a code and convention of coming-of-age films. This appeals to fan of this genre and it encourages them to go and watch this film. The difference in font size between the tag line's typography and the title's typography helps the consumer to identify what is the title and what is the tag line. The title's typography is all in block capitals except the 'i'. The 'i' emphasizes the word 'kid' in the film's title. The word 'kid' is slang for 'child'. 'Kid' is used as a colloquial phrase so that the consumer knows that this film is set in a modern-day society. The use of this colloquial phrase also suggests to the audience that the characters within this film are from a poorer background and have been raised in an environment where slang is used. This also suggests to the audience that other slang terms or even explicit language could be in this film. This appeals to people who enjoy gritty dramas where the environment is realistic and there is a naturalistic approach towards that film's themes or social issues. The word 'kidulthood' is not a word that is even registered in the dictionary. This is an enigma code because it makes the audience wonder what the phrase 'kidulthood' means and how it differs to being a teenager or a young adult. This amount of intrigue encourages the consumer to watch this film and discover what this phase in life actually is. Also in the bottom third are ways that the audience can access exclusive features that the film offers. There is a html address as well as a mobile number for consumers to text in order to access clips of the film. In terms of the age of audience, these elements of the poster targets the younger audience because it is younger people who tend to use their mobile phones more or browse around the internet on a daily basis. This is also a suggestion to the consumer that this film's target audience is a younger, teenage audience so it may discourage elderly people or parents of very young children from watching the film. Another feature that is in the bottom third of the poster is examples of artists from the film's soundtrack. In this film is music from Roots Manuva and Dizzee Rascal. By mentioning these popular artists, this attracts a different body of potential audience members: people who love listening to these artists and are fans. The choice of music (hip hop, rap and grunge music) also suggests to the audience that this film is aimed at a younger target audience. As a result, this could discourage people who are not fans of these artists from watching this film in order to prevent themselves from listening to their least favourite artist's music.

 





My Film's Target Audience Justification

The genre that my film production is going to be is a coming-of-age film. Coming-of-age is a sub-genre of the very broad Drama genre. The best way to define a  'coming-of-age' film is that it is an account of how a person (the protagonist) makes the transition from youth to adolescence. The typical age that the protagonist should either be or approaching is 16 or 18 years old.  

 

When it comes to a target audience, the coming-of-age film genre has a wide range of viewers. Although technically aimed at a targeted teenage audience, young adults will be able to appreciate issues that are influenced by everyday life and so they will be able to enjoy the film because it explored these realistic issues in an original yet respectful manner. The coming-of-age films that attract an older audience tend to include explicit, controversial themes which will raise that film's particular rating as a result.

 

My film's pitch is 'A sixteen year old boy becomes the victim of an abusive, tumultuous relationship under the hands of his manipulative girlfriend'. In this pitch alone, there is a theme that is a code and convention of coming-of-age films: relationships. Through this alternative approach towards the awareness of domestic violence, I am aiming to attract an audience of about 14-17 years old because they are mature enough to understand the concepts of a basic, loving relationship and will take away this approach as a form of encouragement if their concepts of a relationship are neglected or harmed. I think that if the age was any younger, they would become disinterested and the lack of 'visual effects' such as exploding cars or superheroes darting across the skies will not appeal to them. Although the target gender for this film is boys (as the film encourages them to speak out and have more confidence when it comes to gender equality in domestic violence), I think that girls will most likely be the gender that will actually watch this film because girls tend to enjoy coming-of-age dramas more. 

Film Pitches

Before even the pre-production stages of a film can begin, a producer or writer needs to present their ideas to a distributing company or film studios. This is because the studios/distributing company have enough money to fund your idea and transpose that written idea onto screen (whether this be the large cinema screen or just a small television screen). These studios and companies receive hundreds of ideas every day so it is important that an idea is produced in a way that is clear and concise. The best way to do this is to produce a pitch consisting of 5 lines (or 25 words). A pitch should introduce the main plotline, characters and any themes that could provide an interesting enigma code(s) for the members of the studios/company reading your pitch.

 

 

This is my pitch for my film:

 

'A 16 year old boy becomes the victim of an abusive, tumultuous relationship under the hands of his girlfriend'

'Get Real' poster - Textual Analysis

For my final media project, I have decided to change my genre from thriller to a teen drama due to feedback from a focus group on my script that I produced as a homework task. Although my initial idea was to produce a psychological thriller that would gain audience appeal through the power of character emotion, I soon realised that this was quite difficult to pull off for a targeted young adult audience. However, I still wanted to keep the abuse story theme because I thought that this was an interesting idea to develop. It is also an issue in society that affects all kinds of people who have experienced any form of abuse or witnessed others suffer at the hands of an abuser(s). With it affecting society on a large scale, it is relatable to the audience on a more personal level and, as a result, they would hopefully find it a realistic, respectful approach to a personal matter.

 

Teen drama is a sub-genre of the very broad drama genre that has a plot and themes which specifically target a younger audience. Examples of teen dramas include; Kidulthood (2006), Elephant (2003) and Paranoid Park (2007). However, the teen drama that I am citing influence from is Get Real (1998). The reason why I am choosing this film as an influence for my marketing campaign is because the poster's visual codes represent the themes of the film clearly but still maintaining an enigma code as to how those themes will affect the events as they progress. The poster also introduces the main character, Steven Carter, which signifies that the film is based either on a first person narrative or the photography is based from his perspective on the film's events. Me being a teenager myself, this film appealed to my emotions on a large scale and this is what I hope to achieve from my film.

To help me for future assignments and as inspiration for my own project, I have decided to analyse the film's poster.

GET REAL (1998)

This poster is a brilliant example of an effective teen drama poster in my opinion. Although some consumers may feel that the tagline is too long, I believe that it effectively represents the film's target audience and it signifies what kind of themes and issues this film is going to explore. The larger tagline above the title's typography lists issues that affect teenagers. This represents the film as being a text that specifically targets that young, teenage audience. The list ends with a question. This means that that list has a purpose and it is actually a rhetorical question. This makes the consumer feel more involved with the film so makes them feel almost obliged to watch it to see how these issues are tackled in the film. It is also written in an informal language to help attract the younger audience and to prevent the film from being represented as being formal and very serious.  This informality is also represented through the font that has been used. It also suggests to the audience that this film's setting is based in a modern-day environment rather than it being a period drama. The title's typography is larger and in a red font to help it stand out more against the yellow background. The lack of proper grammar (such as the capital letters and the removal of the full stop) hits hard at the consumer because, to me, it is more like a statement rather than a title. The title is an imperative as well which is also a form of involving the audience. The second tagline underneath the title's typography tells the theme of the film: the term 'out' in this case is a colloquial phrase used by society to describe a person who is confident and free to openly admit their homosexuality (whether they are gay, a lesbian or bisexual). This suggests to the audience that homosexuality and society's perception of it is the main topic that is explored in this film. The tag-line also introduces the lead character: Steven Carter. It also introduces the age group that he belongs to and one of the main locations that provide this film's setting when it says, 'School's out'. Not only does it tell the audience that this film is targeted at an audience that is in the same age group as Carter but it also suggests to the audience that the film is based on his perspective.

The only photograph that is used is a shot of the legs that belong to people dressed in similar uniforms. When people think of school, they automatically think of a smart uniform. This is a continuation of the film's setting. The black and white colour scheme allows the person in the middle to stand out. The clash in colour scheme has purposely been done so that it delivers a message to the audience - that message being that everyone should be allowed to be different without being judged upon. The actor, whose costume is in colour, also crosses their legs to continue delivering this 'standing out' message. This is an enigma code because it makes us wonder whether that actor is Steven Carter or if the photograph applies to the audience on a larger scale in that the issues raised in that list secretly affects many people sat in the same classroom.

The use of the film festival awards shows that the film has received critical acclaim. There is also a review from a professional media body below the festival awards. This creates a positive perception of the film and it encourages the audience to go and watch this film for themselves.

Reflection on Storyboards & Scripts

Over the past few weeks, we have looked at the production of scripts and storyboards. To learn further from this, I have produced a script and a storyboard of my own to go alongside coursework. Whilst the script was based on an original idea and full of codes and conventions for an audience member to easily identify that script's genre, the storyboard was my interpretation of a novel that has not been adapted into a film in the past.

 

 

WHAT I LEARNT ABOUT SCRIPTS

 

Out of the two ways of producing a movable media text, the script is the most easiest for an audience member to clearly identify that text's genre, themes and setting. A script is also easier when a producer or a writer wants to illustrate a text's opening sequence. There are several layout requirements that allow a script to appear professional. A professional layout is particularly important if a person wishes to send a script to a studios or production company in order to pitch their idea. Those requirements are:

 

• The font is in Courier and in 12pt. This is the font that is used by most TV and film scripts and looks formal. The 12pt size is large enough for a consumer to read it but small enough to allow enough writing on the page as possible.
• One page (except cover page) = Approximately one minute screen time.
• An opening sequence should only be about three pages long. If any longer, the opening sequence would not be concise and could lack relevancy. If any shorter, the reader may be unable to identify themes, character relationships or, importantly, the genre of the script.
• In the opening sequence, make sure you introduce the narrative, time period, genre, setting and any important characters.
•  Clearly make out the difference between dialogue and scene notes or descriptions. The best way to do this is to have the description in bold.
• To include dialogue, indent the character's name to the centre and align the speech underneath the name. Do not use speech marks as this does not look professional!
• Indent any scene transitions on the right.
• Number scenes to make the script more easier to read (even if the text's layout of events is non-chronological for the purpose of the theme or genre).

This is an example of what a cover page for a script should look like:

When it came to me producing my own script, I decided to base my text in the Thriller genre. As this is a genre that I am really considering to base my final project on, I thought that this would be a great opportunity to gain an insight of how difficult producing a script in this genre could be. I found it quite hard to create a thrilling script  because I was unsure about typical codes and conventions for this genre. I know that most thrillers have negative themes so I also wanted to base my text on issues that were quite negative. I also wanted the text to explore social issues that affect a contemporary society because this will allow my text to relate to the audience on a more personal level. My script depicted a short confrontation between a middle-aged man and his teenage niece. Her reluctant actions soon reveal to the audience that she is a victim of physical abuse. I thought of several articles that were in the news during the past few years as inspiration for the script because I fortunately have not experienced this first-hand. I also sought inspiration from these articles because I wanted it to be a respectful approach towards the sensitive subject.

 

In today's lesson, we shared our scripts around in groups and everyone had to try and guess what genre my script was by placing their answer on a post-it note then slipping those notes in an envelope with my name on it. Some people were unable to pick out what genre my script was and this is something that I will definitely need to work on in the future by watching several thriller films and picking out codes and conventions that are within all of these films. Like I did with the previous script task, I could also analyse examples of thriller script openings on IMSDB.

 

WHAT I LEARNT ABOUT STORYBOARDS

 

The storyboard is a way of planning how you could illustrate a movable text. This form of pre-production planning is effective for texts in the fantasy, anime/animation or action genres where the film's visual elements are really crucial when it comes to capturing an audience's attraction and interest. Visual effects such as explosions and CGI characters may be difficult to describe in writing so the storyboard allows an artist to draw that effect on paper where it is clearer. This is an example of a good storyboard:

 

 

A storyboard should contain the following information:

• Shot Numbers - allows a clear structure for viewers to follow.
• Shot transitions - cuts, fades, swipes, etc.
• Labelling of mise en scene to help establish shots.
• Shot proximity - close-ups, long shots, over the shoulder shots, etc.
• Any speech cues
• Any sound notes (diegetic/non-diegetic)
• Extra camera information - pans, zooms, hand-held shaking

 

For my storyboard, I decided to base it on a novel that is within the same genre as my script: thriller. I decided to do this because this would benefit me in future coursework for my final project. I am not a keen artist so I knew that before I even started this task that I was going to find this difficult. I produced a storyboard of my interpretation on the opening paragraph for the novel Casting Shadows Everywhere  by L.T Vargus. The opening paragraph describes how Jake, the protagonist, is one minute being his care-free self then, the next, is rolling around on the floor after being kicked in the crotch by his tormentor, Tony. I wanted to be imaginative when it came to illustrating how he suddenly went from flipping off the table to being so low on the floor. Rather than being realistic, I wanted it to have an alternative, non-naturalistic edge so that the storyboard was my own interpretation rather than copying the author.

 

CONCLUSION

 

What I can take away from this experience of producing a storyboard and a script is that I feel more confident in writing a script because I feel a lot more confident writing than I am drawing. Although I will need to work on incorporating clear thriller codes and conventions into my script in order for it to be more exciting and accurate, I am going to plan my final opening sequence using a script. I am going to use a script because I am staying away from using visual effects in order to enhance the piece's realistic effect.

 

 

 

 

 



What Inspires A Film?

During today's lesson, it was clear that whilst writing my 'Guess The Genre' script I had a massive mind-block. It took me forever to think of even the basic things to write down because I was worried if the themes and the points that I wanted to make in the script were being achieved in a realistic yet effective and imaginative way. That mind-block soon disappeared though when we were given a quick insight into the variety of media texts that can inspire a film adaptation. In the list ranged types that were obvious and widely used such as books and comics. However, there were other texts that are less familiar in the film world but are still really effective if used wisely.

 

In order to refer back to this inspiration for future reference, I produced a small mind-map so that when it comes to work for future assignments and for my final project I can make sure that my idea is as original and as captivating as possible for my target audience.

 

 

Scripts and their Interpretation Part 1

Sound is one of the most basic essentials that a modern film production should have. If screenplay writers wish to include dialogue and sound effects into their production, it is essential that they should produce a script. This is because it allows actors involved in the production to confidently express the characters that are in the film. The camera crew can rely on the script when it comes to producing the shots for a particular scene or section and the sound crew can successfully insert sounds because of cues from the script.

 

In this task, I analysed the script for the opening scene from the 2012 film adaptation of the Schonberg-Boubil musical Les Miserables that stars Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe as Javert. I was able to complete the task by reading the manuscript then analysing how that section of the script was interpreted on screen.

 

Questions:

 

1) How does the script introduce the narrative, setting, time period, the characters and the genre?

 

A) In the superimpose caption, the script introduces the year, the country that the film is set in and the film's historical context in full sentences.  Even though they are full sentences, they are simple sentences. The length of the sentences allow the audience to easily remember these important facts. This allows the audience to have a clear understanding of the film that they are about to watch before any shots or screenplay have actually taken place. It says, 'The year is 1815. The French Revolution is a distant memory. Napoleon has been defeated. France is ruled by a king again.'

 

In A1's screen direction, not only is the actual location of the film's opening scene introduced (Ahead, the port of Toulon, the home of the French navy) but the setting and the atmosphere that the setting creates is also introduced to the audience. When a person thinks of 'Winter rain', they immediately think that it is dark and miserable. Some could say that this dark and miserable theme could continue throughout the film. It could also be an enigma code for events to come. Another superimpose caption that says the film's setting was written for it to appear onscreen during the film. This tells  audience members, who are unfamiliar with the theatre adaptation or with landmarks of France, that the opening sequence is set in a particular place in France.

 

 In the first shot's caption, the character, Jean Valjean, is described as being 'a great brute of a man' but 'he seems to feel nothing'. This is an enigma code because it makes us wonder why he feels nothing and so numb despite being incredibly strong and brutish. The fact that the shot focuses on Valjean's characteristics unlike all the other convicts suggests to the audience that he is either a main character or a character of significant importance to the film's events.

 

The second shot's caption directs the convict ensemble to sing their lines when it says, 'The convicts sing in time with the rhythmic pulls on the rope -'. This lets the audience know that the genre of the film is a musical. This caption also introduces the character, Javert, as being 'the officer in charge of the convict workforce' which shows the audience that there is a class and power divide between him and the other characters. It also says that he is 'expressionless' which shows that he is certainly not showing any remorse or guilt for the pain that the convicts are undertaking. This suggests that he must be the bad character or the villain of this film.

 

In the third caption, the relationship between Javert and Valjean appears strained and almost non-existent when it says Valjean 'stares back for a beat, defying him'. This suggests to the audience that the conflict of power between the two characters could escalate further as the film progresses. This suggestion could be classed as a part of the film's narrative.

 

2. How does it engage you?

 

A) It engages me by giving full descriptions of shots. This allows me to create an image of that shot in my head and this makes me, as an audience member, feel more involved and more connected to the film. The script's writer has also been careful not to go into too much depth when it comes to describing the characters. This engages me because the vague information makes me question why those characters are like that and it makes me wonder if those questions will be answered during the film's progression. Key characteristics have been mentioned rather than a whole list of personality traits. This engages me because it does not over-complicate the character and it allows the actor to create a realistic, respectful representation of that character.

 

3. How did the film-clip introduce the narrative (story), setting, time period, the characters and the genre?

 

 

In the first few seconds of the clip, the year, the country and the historical context is introduced. The year of the film is larger than the rest of the text. This suggests that this detail out of the whole passage is the most important. If audience members are unsure why that date is significant, the first half of the passage explains why (twenty six years after the start of the French revolution). The audience are able to know the film's setting from the remainder of the passage which says 'a king is once again on the throne of France'. Non-diegetic fanfare music can be heard at this point. The genre and the aggressive tone of music suggests that the following shots in the sequence are going to express that aggression at some degree. The consistent dark colour scheme creates a miserable, dark atmosphere which suggests that the film's narrative could be just as dark and mysterious.

 

 

The camera then rolls from the ship onto the docks. This shot could be called the opening sequence's establishing shot because it introduces the location of this first scene to the audience. Although it is not clear what is the name of this particular place, the audience are able to identify it as being a war-ship docks because of the size of the ships that are on the left hand side and on the right hand side of the camera's position.

 

 

A high-angle shot then zooms in from the ship to the cast who are pulling the ship into the docks. The shot particularly focuses on Hugh Jackman. Fans of the original musical adaptation will recognise this character as being Jean Valjean. However, other audience members may not realise this yet and may question if his character has significant importance because the camera is focusing on him. His shabby costume suggests that his character could be quite poor but then the shackles around his neck confirms that he looks dishevelled because he is a convict.

 

 

A few seconds later, this next low-angle shot zooms to a medium close-up of Russell Crowe. Once again, fans of the original musical adaptation will be able to identify his character as being Javert, the officer in charge of this particular group of convicts. For those who do not know the musical, the low-angle shot is often used for characters who are menacing or have a high degree of power and status. This degree of power, alongside the much tidier costume that he is wearing, suggests to audience members (who don't know who he is) that he is the leader or dictator. The menacing mood and low eye contact suggests that he could be a bad character or a villain.

 

After this shot, the camera cross-cuts to a close-up of Valjean struggling to pull the rope back. Whilst doing this, he sings the line, 'Look down!'. By singing the dialogue, this tells the audience that this film is a musical. The line 'Don't look him in the eye' is addressed to Javert. The tone of this lyric proves that the rest of the characters in this sequence have a strained relationship with the officer because of conflict in power.

 

 

This low-angle shot of the convicts walking allows the audience a clear view of the horrible conditions that the men have to work in. This shot is also very interesting because it depicts the convicts walking over their country's flag without a care in the world. This is an enigma code for the film's narrative because it suggests that the people of France are living under such regime where they are physically unable to be patriotic and love their homeland anymore. This also suggests that at some point in the film, the cast could show defiance and stand up against the French regime in vengeance for the pain that they had endured.

 

 

This medium shot of the two characters together establishes their strained relationship for the audience. The difference in costume shows that there is a clear divide in power and respect. Valjean's back is facing the camera. This body language shows that he does not wish or choose to associate with Javert.

 

4) How did it engage you?

 

It engages me because one clear interpretation of the script has been created. Whilst the script was full of enigma codes that caused me to ask questions, the film's sequence explored these enigma codes in a way that was not directly addressed to me as an audience member. Elements of the photography created these enigma codes such as the interaction between the two main characters and symbols that signified possible plot elements. The audio codes also engages me because it allows me to understand and connect with the characters on an emotional scale.

 

 

 



Useful Storyboard Website

Literally just stumbled across this blog page that is an archive of storyboards for some very famous films (Avengers Assemble (2010), Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008) and Star Wars (1977) are just a few of the films). In fact, the collection consists of fifteen different pre-production storyboards that I believe will be useful to anyone who wishes to produce storyboards for upcoming film or TV productions! Whilst some of the storyboards are just shots of particular scenes, others include important details such as shot types, transitions and other camera information that will help someone have an idea of how to produce a storyboard of high quality.

 

http://screencrush.com/movie-storyboards/

Movie Franchise Poster - The Three Flavours of Cornetto

After finding this on the Internet, I knew that I had to add it to the blog. Although this type of movie poster can only advertise a movie franchise to an audience rather than a single film, I still believe that it is effective in promoting and representing a brilliant (possibly the best, actually) trilogy to be exported out of Britain. The trilogy which I am talking about is the Wright-Pegg-Frost penned trilogy: the Three Flavours of Cornetto Trilogy.

 

When it comes to the British acting duo, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the action films Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead automatically spring to mind - not forgetting the last flavour of the trilogy of course: The World's End. Simon and Nick could not have portrayed the leads of these great films without the direction of British writer and director, Edgar Wright. All I can say is if you haven't had seen at least one of these films yet and you can say 'yes' to the following questions:

1. Are you a fan of action films?
2. Do you prefer humour to soppy romantic classics?
3. Are you in dire need of a good film to entertain your nights in?

Then, the Cornetto Trilogy is for you!

 

Containing elements from all of the three films, this franchise poster represents the trilogy to me the most effectively because its simplistic artwork clearly signifies to me what it is trying to promote. Of course, there are elements of it that can only be understood and appreciated by an audience who have watched all of the films such as the swan at the top of the ice-cream cone and the recurring quote 'You want anything from the shop?'. On the other hand, the emblems also signify a nostalgic feel and signify the country's roots. This attracts an audience who may have not watched the films before to go ahead and view them simply because the films are influenced by and appreciate Brits. The mention of several British places in the emblems represent the locations of the three films.

 

The fan-produced trilogy poster containing elements from all of the three films (L-R of emblems at bottom of cone): Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World's End (2013)

 

The positioning of the Cornetto cone allows the consumer to identify this as being the focal point of the image and the iconic 'criss-cross' pattern on the cone represents the basic link of the three films: the mention of a Cornetto ice-cream (whether this is mentioned in the script or used as a prop by one of the cast members). The red colouring of one of the drops of ice-cream on the cone signifies blood and death. This is one of the several elements of the poster that represent the trilogy's main genre: action.

 

The other elements that represents the films' genre are: the melee weapons at the top of the cone and the pair of pistols at the middle of the cone.

 

The melee weapons are a reference to Shaun of the Dead where the cricket bat and the spades are used to remove the main army in the film: the zombie population of London. For anyone who is still unsure of what Shaun of the Dead is, this film is a zombie comedy (often abbreviated as 'zom com') which is about the title character's attempts to win back his ex but the main problem that distracts his attempts is that overnight, the streets of London have now been infested with zombies . This film reincarnated the 'zom com' genre for a modern-day audience and is a pastiche of George A Romero's 1978 horror 'Dawn of the Dead'. (For those who are not sure what a pastiche is, it is when a media text imitates the work of someone else as a celebration or a tribute to the original artist's work.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pair of pistols refer to Hot Fuzz, the second 'flavour' of the trilogy. This was a humorous crime drama that could also have been seen as a pastiche to the 'buddy cop' sub-genre of action comedy films (examples being Lethal Weapon, Point Break, Bad Boys, etc). The title of the film relates to the main theme of the film: 'fuzz' is a colloquial phrase for 'police force'. This informality appeals to the audience because even without having to watch the film, the title signifies a relaxed setting. This represents the film as being humorous and relatable to an audience who do not work with the police. Whilst Shaun of the Dead used melee weapons, Hot Fuzz used gunfights as the main cause of violence.

 

Out of the two elements described, the guns appeal to action enthusiasts the most because the use of guns is a typical code and convention in not only films and movie posters but in media text where action is the main and targeted genre.  

 

 

At the bottom of the cone are two pints of beer. These not only represent the main theme of The World's End: they represent the recurring theme of the three films: the use of a pub as one of the main locations. In Shaun of the Dead, The Winchester is where the climax of the film occurs. In Hot Fuzz, The Crab Inn is a location where many of the film's events occur [including the introduction of Nick Frost's character, Simon Pegg's monologue of why he became a police officer and the confrontation between Simon Pegg and Jim Broadbent's character near the end of the film]. In The World's End, the film's plot is the apocalyptic events surrounding attempts to finally complete an ambitious pub crawl. The pints of beer also signifies a common stereotype of Britain: the pub and the pint of bitter. This appeals to the audience because it represents the British influence behind the films.

 

The final element right at the tip of the bottom of the cone represents the last of the three flavours: it is the map of 'The Golden Mile', the bar crawl of Newton Haven that the five main characters attempt to complete. This element represents The World's End and this is the element that, for me, is the most exclusive when it comes to fan appreciation. The positioning of this element at the bottom of the cone has been made because as it is the latest flavour, people who have seen Hot Fuzz and/or Shaun of the Dead may not have seen this film yet. Therefore, if it was the main focal point of the image, the majority of the target audience may not be attracted to the image because they do not understand why a 'random' map is in the picture. When put into this theory, the map is used as an enigma code for those who have seen the previous two 'flavours' and is intriguing, encouraging that particular audience (fans of the Cornetto Trilogy) to watch this 'flavour'.

 

 

In terms of the image's photography, a basic colour palette has been used to prevent any attention being drawn away from the focal point of the image. The grey background also gives definition to the bold outlining of the elements of the picture. Artwork has been used rather than photography to add to the image's nostalgic feel. The positioning of the elements surrounding the ice-cream cone resemble an emblem (a bit like the Queen's Coat of Arms) and this represents the British influence behind the films. The capitalised typography makes it clear to read and the old-fashioned font also adds to the nostalgic feel.

 

Although this was not a compulsory post for the school's media course, I decided to analyse this poster because for me, it effectively represented three of my favourite films. It also provided me with inspiration for future projects and showed  me that artwork on posters can be just as effective as photography. It also showed me that posters do not necessarily have to include the film's title in order for the audience to identify what film the poster is advertising.

 

(Cornetto - All Rights Reserved to Unilever)

 

 

Codes & Conventions for Different Genres

A genre code and convention is a typical feature that helps the audience to identify what genre a particular film belongs to. This is a list showing codes and conventions that are typically seen in these film genres. The list also contains some examples of films just so that you can be able to identify these conventions mentally.

The layout of each bullet point list consists of these headings:

1. Typical Film Locations
2. Typical Film Characters
3. Typical Film Plot
4. Typical Themes/Plot Influences
5. Examples

The film genres which I will be clarifying the codes and conventions for are:

• Romantic Comedy
• Disney
• Sci-Fi
• Horror
• Adventure
• Fantasy

Notting Hill (1999) is an example of a
rom-com where the plot is based on a
difference in character status.

ROMANTIC COMEDY

• Beach, café, hotel, famous landmarks (particularly cities in U.S.A and Europe, e.g.; Paris, Rome, New York, etc), church
• A man and a woman (usually young but sometimes old too), the lead characters' families
• The man and the woman somehow meet but instantly hate each other, some kind of coincidence or situation throws them together, they eventually fall in love
• Meeting by chance, Christmas, illness, curses, distance - being apart from one another, weddings, work, difference in character status and conflict because of this (e.g.; power, social class, ethnicity)
• Love Actually, About A Boy, Notting Hill, The Proposal, The Notebook

DISNEY

• Woods, castle, village, cave, ball/gathering, natural landscape, abandoned places
• A princess, her rescuer (masculine characteristics), talking creatures, evil villain, rescuer/princess' companion (usually a creature but can be human), army
• Princess gets into trouble, the rescuer meets her and they fall in love, the villain recaptures the princess, a dramatic climax until villain's death, 'happily ever after'
• Songs/very musical, death, love, friendship, usually a moral is involved for audience to take away, loss, tragedy, curses, faith, hope, adventures/voyages
• Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Princess & The Frog, Pocahontas, Mulan

SCI-FI

• City, space, different planets, space ship, desert, woods
• Alien/unusual creature, explorer, majority of cast is male except a female (usually very attractive), evil commander (creature/human)
• Explorer and crew discover unusual creature, creature invades main location/Earth, situation becomes apocalyptic, most of the cast is killed off during attempts to remove creature, creature is removed, outlook of location after removal - good and bad
• Love and relationships, discovering new life, political, environmental disasters, paranormal, exploring possible life, death, illness and disease, apocalypse and post-apocalypse outlooks, mass destruction
• Cloverfield, District 9, Alien, Predator, Terminator

HORROR

 

• Abandoned place (in the middle of nowhere), woods, isolated house or cabin, old hospital/asylum, church, cellar
• A group of teenagers/young people, twisted psychopath wanting to kill others (usually a man), male and female cast (females usually attractive, much emphasis on figure), cannibal-like creatures, cult groups,
• Starts in party/gathering/on holiday, bad event occurs involving attack or death of someone, people get hurt, cast gradually killed off when audience tries to figure out the cause of their death, escalates into extreme situation/climax, one or two remaining characters kill enemy,
• Gore, torture, possessions, demons, sex/sexuality, weapons (melee and firearms), loss of innocence, psychological trauma, effects of childhood, religion, inflicting pain for self-pleasure, documentary footage, true life/'non-fiction', historical, discovering new creatures, illness and disease
• Saw, Hostel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Grudge, The Exorcist

ADVENTURE

• Castle, tomb, plenty of locations in one film, exotic places, dungeon, city, desert
• Male explorer, female assistant, comedy character, person who wants to stop them, army/group that follow antagonist's orders, professor/highly intelligent individual
• Explorer is sent away to search for treasure, obstacles in way (natural as well as man-made traps), a love interest develops between explorer and assistant, a character gets lost/abducted, antagonist bribes release of person for treasure, explorer rescues character and somehow stops antagonist (through death or arrest)
• Love, greed, money, friendship, trust, refusing to give up, materialism vs people, morals
• National Treasure, Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, The Mummy

FANTASY

• Fictional world, castle, palace, woods, sea, tomb/dungeon, 'underworld'
• Child protagonist, talking creatures, animal companion, mainly child cast, adult guardian, evil villain, villain's companion/army
• Protagonist enters fantasy world, set a challenge/search for mystical object, meets companion villain tries to stop protagonist, few obstacles in way (natural and man-made traps) sends army, protagonist defeats army, protagonist returns object to owner, 'happily ever after'
• Friendship, morals, strength - never giving up, caught between fantasy and reality, growing up/coming of age, magic, love, cures
• The Chronicles of Narnia, Black Cauldron, The Labyrinth, Epic, Percy Jackson franchise

    

       

 

Film Genre Mindmap

The word 'genre' is the French translation of 'type'. We use this word to categorise specific media texts into groups that not only help producers and editors to use code and conventions that suit their media text, it helps the audience to sub-consciously determine the type of their favourite media text. Over the past decades, film genres have spanned and created many sub-genres. (Some have even developed into hybrids, a type of sub-genre that stands out on its own).

 

This is a mind-map showing all of the different genres that are in the film industry today.

 

A mind-map showing the different genres in the modern film industry.

 

Textual Analysis - Hot Fuzz Opening Sequence

With this film from Edgar Wright being one of my favourite films (and one that I freely admit to watching beyond counting on my fingers), I decided to analyse the opening for Hot Fuzz because although the film is not necessarily a global hit, for me it has one of those openings that I can easily picture on my head.

To clarify the opening for those who haven't watched it, this is basically the perfect two minute description of Sergeant Nicholas Angel, the workaholic officer (played by Simon Pegg) who lists his accolades and achievements almost like a recital. During his extensive monologue are fast paced cuts that cross to and from the film's present time until Angel reaches the door of the Chief Inspector's office (who happens to be played by Bill Nighy, another great British actor).

Whilst the studio credits roll, the non-diegetic wailing of sirens clearly states to me that this movie involves the forces to some degree. Then, there is a long, uninterrupted shot of Pegg marching from the bottom of a reception hallway to the desk with the camera at an extra-long shot. What makes this cut seem even longer is the echoing of Pegg's boots tapping on the linoleum floor while he walks and this gradually increases in volume as he walks closer to the camera. Once he finally reaches the desk, he pulls a serious facial expression to provide his character with a bit more depth before there is an extreme close-up shot of Pegg's Police Identification Card.

 

　 

To me, this is a great establishing shot because we are then able to identify not only his character's name but his occupation and the main theme that runs through this film too: the Police force or 'The Fuzz'. If viewers don't quite catch his name on the card, Pegg slowly pronounces his name with his voice becoming a voice-over for the remaining minute and a half.

 

From this point, Pegg's monologue is accompanied with a series of fast-paced flashbacks depicting in chronological order his career in the force. During this, the main non-diegetic music delivers a rock and roll feel to not only lighten the mood but to give the flashbacks almost a kind of nostalgic feel. The cuts range from close-ups of Pegg's consistent serious facial expression to centre shots of him in action whether that is in training or as a part of the police riots squad. For whatever type of shot that is used during this monologue, the camera team has made sure that Pegg remains the focus of each shot whilst they either zoom in to big close ups or zoom out to medium shots. (As if none of the other characters are relevant, when put in that way it also portrays his character with some kind of arrogance and self-absorbance). During the graduation ceremony, there is some diegetic applause and flickers of light from camera shots as Pegg is pictured slightly smiling with his graduation class (still remaining the centre of the focus line for the camera). What is also consistent though is that each brief scene starts/finishes with a graphic swipe to prevent the pace from slowing down.

 

　 

There is one particular moment when Pegg quotes, 'quickly established an effectiveness and popularity within the community' and it cuts to the officer giving a lecture to a group of young convicts. The complete irony of this quote is that the group of men in the room appear less than interested in Pegg's lecture about social issues (the exact issue was not clarified in the scene). I was able to pick this up because the camera does a back shot of Pegg's body in order to face the group of men who are sat down looking bored at the level of the camera. With the room only being lit by a blue projector light, this casts a black shadow over Pegg's body so that his expression is hidden and the expressions of the men are highlighted. This is one of the cuts when a distinctive quote is said from Pegg, 'Use your brains' and this is also ironic because these group of men can't have been that conscientious in order to get into that situation that they were in in the first place.

 

A pattern that I seemed to notice in this opening sequence was that although alternating dolly shots were used, Pegg’s facial expression would often be the link for the next cut. For example, a dolly shot is used to zoom in closer to Pegg’s face when he has completed his theory exam before everyone else. His face almost expresses boredom to show that despite the complex examination, it did not seem to faze him or make him nervous. The next scene cuts into a dolly shot zooming out to show Pegg’s more uplifting facial expression when he is pictured holding the Baton of Honour at the graduation ceremony. This is an effective fluency between cuts because it does not decrease the fast pace that Edgar Wright – the director – wanted to create.

Between the montage of cuts, a track shot is used to follow Pegg to the Chief Inspector’s Office. Throughout this opening sequence, a triple shot cut is used, using crash zoom to zoom in closer to Pegg’s face from medium long shot to big close-up to allow the camera to capture Pegg’s consistent serious facial expression. This tripling method is also used when Pegg’s voice-over says, ‘has received nine special commendations, achieved highest arrest record for any officer’. The camera crash zooms onto the array of police commendations on the walls, focusing particularly on the mention of ‘Nicholas Angel’ to let the audience know that all of these certificates belong to Pegg. The camera zooms from big close-up to an extreme close-up of Pegg’s character’s name.

The final section of cuts in this sequence is the link between Pegg’s hand and when he sustained his most memorable of ‘three injuries in the line of duty’ when he was ‘wounded by a man dressed as Father Christmas’. This begins with a series of crash zooms from a medium long shot of Pegg knocking the door (the diegetic sound of him knocking on the door is heard) to an extreme close up of Pegg’s right hand. We soon learn that this is the same hand that was stabbed by the criminal dressed as Father Christmas. We know this because the extreme close up of his fist then cross-cuts to a shot of Pegg being held and intimidated with a knife by the criminal. At this point, the non-diegetic rock and roll music stops and what we can hear is the squirting of blood (although we are unable to see this, probably to reduce the graphic imagery) and Pegg exclaiming in pain. The picture below depicts the final cut of this scene which finishes with a flicker as if it is a photographic memory for his character.

The establishing shot of the opening sequence.

 

  

The final cut of Pegg and the convict santa which forms the end of the opening sequence.