Genre PowerPoint- Science Fiction By Jake Wisdom

1. Genre PowerPoint- Science Fiction By Jake Wisdom Science fiction is a genre of fiction. It deals with imagination within science , technology, society and is usually set in the future. It is different from fantasy because usually the context of the narrative involves events that are realistically possible within scientifically established natural order. Some elements of the story will of course have imaginative speculation but the genre is based on discovering alternate possibilities. The settings of the genre are usually different to known reality but the majority of science fiction feeds of suspension of disbelief.

2. Science Fiction Timeline. 1984 (Michael Radford, 1984) is based on the novel by George Orwell. It is about a totalitarian future society in which a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love. Which of course fits in with the genre because of the rebelling against the higher power. Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979) is about a mining ship that investigates a suspected SOS that lands on a distant planet. The crew discovers some strange creatures and investigates. The Empire Strikes Back ( Irvin Kershner, 1980) Luke takes advanced Jedi training from Yoda, his friends are relentlessly pursued by Darth Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke. The Running Man (Paul Glaser, 1987) written by Steven King and is about a wrongly-convicted man who must try to survive a public execution gauntlet staged as a TV game show. This narrative in a way appeals to the publics sense of justice.

3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (James Cameron, 1991) is about the cyborg who once tried to kill Sarah Connor must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from an even more powerful and advanced Terminator. Equilibrium (Kurt Wimmer, 2002) is about a Fascist future where all forms of feeling are illegal, a man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system. Once again the state is completely controlled by a higher power and it is clear there will be a rebellion against it within the narrative TheIsland ( Michael Bay, 2005) is about a man who goes on the run after he discovers that he is actually a "harvested being", and is being kept along with others in a utopian facility The Matrix (Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski, 1999) is about a computer hacker that learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.

4. Themes • Fictional Science- This category contains fields of science that exist solely or primarily in works of fiction. • Fictional Technology- This category involves technology of an imagination such as, fictional weapons, machinery etc. • Parallel Universes- Parallel Universes involves one or more alternate universes in which plays an integral part. • Extraterrestrial Life- Of course this contains life form from another planet usually referred to as an Alien Species Apocalyptic fiction- Apocalyptic is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization either through nuclear war, plague, or some other general disaster. Post-apocalyptic fiction is set in a world or civilization after such a disaster. These films will have a dark and run down atmosphere as they are trying to portray a realistic vision of an apocalyptic world. Examples of such films are shown in the images below. Link for the trailer of the film The Road (John Hillcoat, 2009) - www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY

5. Location Our prime location will be somewhere under developed and possibly run down. This also will link in with the iconography of the genre at hand highlighting a run down society, also shows the deprived living situations of the working class and less fortunate. Places in Brighton that would work would be council estates, bridges, alleyways etc. Below is one that I have researched, Although these flats look okay in the sunshine I have been there before and they are situated in quite a shaded, dingy area which would be perfectly iconic for our narrative

6. Typical Characters Typical characters of a science fiction film would normally involve strong characters often containing some sort of immortal ability that betters them from other characters. Apart from the main Villain who often shares the same ability making the story more intense. A prime example of this is Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader , sharing similar abilities. Another example of typical characters involved with this genre are fictional characters usually computer generated. This are extra terrestrial characters such as E.T or Ja Ja Binks. As well as the hero there is also the contrast with the vulnerable female who needs saving but with science fiction they seem to be stronger and more able to look after themselves. Such as, The Fifth Element and Princes Leia. Visual examples of each of the characters I have mentioned are shown below.

7. Iconography • Fictional weapon technology- Made up weapons with powers not real in our own society • Intergalactic travel- Travel at speeds faster than light. • Spaceships- Flying aircraft in circular shapes. • Life on other planets- Aliens • Immortal characteristics- Special powers and physical characteristics • Extra terrestrial activity- Happenings of an alien activity • Fictional planets/characters/species – Made up worlds, characters and species

8. Mise en scene The general miss en scene that we will be creating though our chosen genre will mainly be quite dark and grimy. This is because we want to create a realist side to our genre but we obviously want to stick to our centre genre of science fiction. The lighting will be dark and dim to create both these effects. It will hopefully show the science fiction genre by showing the imagined locked down world and we will do this through representation of characters, props and miss en scene. The music will reflect on this as well as it will be gloomy and mysterious to match the miss en scene and of course the genre. Below is the trailer for 1984 (Michael Radford, 1984) which I have researched and it shows as a good example of the mise en scene I have just talked about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4rBDUJTnNU The darkness and also plainness of the costumes and props shows this shut down society iconic to science fiction. We will be aiming to achieve a similar thing.

9. Narrative elements • Usually set in the future as ours is as well. • More than often to do with saving the destruction of a planet or the good side destroying that of a higher and evil power. • The conflict is usually developed over a long time and also takes a while to resolve. There is of course the normal beginning middle and end but this sometimes can be disrupted because of the leverage given by the fictional elements. There is heroes and Villains and eventually does end up with the heroes winning.

10. Research Films 1984- 1984 is a film that is about a complete shut down society that controls what you do and how you think. In this society you must conform to the governments views otherwise you are made a subject of and executed. It’s the though that you are always being watched by “Big Brother” This is what we are also trying to create in our film and to do so we will be filming many CCTV cameras around this City to try and represent that. Also the brutality shown by the police is an important factor from 1984 that has influenced part of our film and this will be shown from news footage of riots. This will hopefully show the rebellion the people are creating as well as the violent way police deal with it. Equilibrium- Once again this highlights a completely controlled civilisation by the higher power and the elimination of any one who does not play by their rules. This has more science fiction elements compared to 1984 because of the involvement of fictional science. It is a “medicine” supplied by the government which stops emotion in your self and the theory behind this is that without emotion there is no war. What’s different about the main character in Equilibrium is that he starts off as a government soldier who eliminates the rebels and then manipulates the system and plays from the other side. I think that both these films have been great inspiration towards the planning of our film as together they cover iconography and miss en scene that we are trying to portray within ours.