A2 advanced portfolio

1. By Dan Bellers A2 advanced portfolio • Brief • 2. You are to produce a promotion package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer (DVD) , together with 2 of the following : • A website homepage for the film • A film magazine front cover, featuring the film (A4) • A poster for the film, no larger than A3

2. Genre theory • Previously genre was used as a fixed set of conventions (holly wood) . Critique of a genre as a fixed concept (tool)- Adorno/ Hork heimer suggest genre must evolve as a creative tool. Hence hybrids. Genre evolves due to its social and cultural context. Genre is defined by its expected conventions, these conventions evolve.

3. Postmodern Theory (Post modernism) • Post modernism reflects our changing globalised culture from 1960s. It reflects a more ‘confused’ time where traditional values are less clear. • The post modern condition reflects our digital age where media saturation presents a mix of cultural beliefs. Post modernists borrow ideas and present hybrid versions to make sense of our confused times.

4. Post modern uses in the media • Challenging narratives (Themes or representations). • Non-linear/anti narrative/ meta referencing. • Intertexuality (Referencing). • Pastiche = copy • Bricolage = Using specific iconography - Yellow jump suit • Homage = paying respect (Tarrantino) • Parody/ satire high art – editing / camerawork – Time remapping

5. Bill Kill Most films are hybrids. Tarantino reinvents genre. Anything goes Kill Bill Hybrid Action/martial arts Iconography samurai sword Yellow jump suit (Bruce lee) – Fight sequences stylised from 1970s – camerawork, music Updating representation. • Spaghetti western • Enninomorricone soundtrack • Stand off • Black and white/set Romance Maternal themes Film Noir

6. Crime genre Prohibition Femme fatales Classic Gangster Alienated hero Dark sets 1930 ‘s Moody soundtracks Moral code 60 ‘ s Crime caper Dark lighting 40 ‘s Comedy A- list stars ‘ Rat Pack’ Dark thriller Film noir 70 ‘s Gritty opics Economic Recession Blaxploitation

7. Theoretical approach Post modernism / post modern theory Genre Theory .Genre research italian job British crime 1970 s long good Friday Get cayter gritty Guy richie Lock stock Snatch Post modern theme Hybrids 60 s crime capors Film noir Brighton rock (1947)

8. Snatch Stereotypical characters( mixed representations) ‘New laddism’. Genre Hybrid, crime comedy caper, spaghetti western Iconic characters Challenging narrative Glorifying crime Stylised editing . Time remapping . Anti narrative

9. Scarface is a 1983 American crime film directed by Brian De Palma. . Plot – 1980 in Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant becomes a drug cartell kingpin by taking one over, during the cocaine boom in the 1980s . It is written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman, and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana. A remake of the 1932 film of the same name • Film genre – Crime • The genre is a hybrid of a crime drama • The main character is a stereotype of a Cuban drug trafficker/ criminal – Some Cubans in Miami objected to this as the film portrayed Cubans as this negative image, but later reviews of the film were more positive. Now the film is considered a classic within the mob film genre. He is an iconic character representing all drug traffickers and criminals at that time. • The film has a challenging narrative and the nature of the film glorifies crime and represents criminals into a “Heros”, making the viewers root for the bad guy.

10. Film genre – Dystopia • Dystopia opposite of utopia (perfect world) Therefore an unsettling world. Narrative Themes 1. What is the disruption/catastrophe? (Dystopic theme) 2. How are the characters revealed? What character types are there? (Proppian) 3. What is the narrative structure? 3 act? Story line Action (characterisation) Post modern themes challenging narrative Hyperrealism (Future nightmare) Explore human mistakes Hint at resolution

11. List of dystopian films • Blade Runner​ • Children of Men​ • 12 Monkeys​ • Equilibrium​ • Gattaca​ • Mad Max 2​ • Minority Report​ • Escape from ​New York​ • Alphaville​ • Rollerball​ • Total Recall​ • Akira​ • Serenity​ • The Island​ • Death Race​ • The Running ​Man​ • Death Race ​2000​ • Oblivion​ • The Omega Man​

12. Children of Men is a 2006 dystopian science fiction film. Dystopian theme - In 2027, two decades of human infertility have left society on the brink of collapse. There is a male Protagonist called Theo, who finds a solution to the problem as he is shown a women called Kee and she is the only known female to be pregnant so Theo and the leader Julian (his former wife) attempt to hand Kee to the "Human Project", a supposed scientific group in the Azores dedicated to curing infertility for the human race. Disruption to start ( The worlds youngest citizen has just died at the age of 18 and no children have been born for 18 years) Action ( Race against time to stop the extinction of the human race) Hint at resolution ( Saving the human race) Children of Men

13. The island • Dystopuic theme –A man goes on the run after he discovers that he is actually a "harvestable being", and is being kept as a source of replacement parts, along with others, in a Utopian facility. • The characters are revealed to be the man (Michael Bay) being the “post modern type thinker” who questions his being and the methods of the facility and the existence of the “island”. In contrast there is the woman ( Scarlett Johansson) who is ignorant and naive to the situation and is told what is really going on by the man as he senses something suspicious and they go on the run. Story line Action Hint at resolution (characterisation)

14. Film genre – dystopia trailers Protogonist Average/ alienated hero Post modern hero Princess? Love interest 28 Days Later Dystopic theme – infection Post modern cowboy – lone confused hero Reluctant Helpers Disruption to start (infection) (countdown) Action – fight for survival No hints of revolution Characters Antagonists - Zombies Helpers? Darwin – Survival of the fittest Part one – Dystopic Equilibrium (Hyperreal word) (Silent London/derelict) Set/ Story line/ Protagonist Part two – Disruption Realisation of infection Rules of dystopia Structure Part 3 Hints at survival? Developing action/ Enigmas Developing character roles

15. Film genre – dystopia trailers Establishing shots – Set eerie landscape • 28 Days Later Continued …. Camera editing Montage Bleak sets Mise en scene Titles – Rough damaged Patient costume Dark lighting Low key

16. Film trailer research

17. Minority report trailer analysis • The trailer reveals to us that the film is in the dystopia genre as it has a big brother theme to it, where the the character tom cruise plays (John) has created a system which allows him watch people and arrest them as they can see into the future as they can see what crimes they commit, mainly murder and they prevent it. But the system ironically goes against him as he is under arrest for murder, but he has been set up and he goes on the run from the authorities. • The titles are futuristic and look metallic in the trailer which looks futuristic which suits well with the futuristic mise en scene, like the futuristic equipment, costumes and the scenery. These are post modern elements which challenge themes like hyper real worlds, innovating the post modern genre. • Also the fast paced and over dramatic music and sounds in the trailer suggests that it is a hybrid of a thriller as these are thriller elements to keep the viewer on edge and in suspense. The way the titles are dramatic and have blue flames/ explosions behind them also suggests this. The hybrid genre of the film is a sci-fi thriller. • The narrative structure of the trailer includes: • 1.Showing the dystopia theme and characterisation • 2. The action – the main character on the run from the authorities. • 3. A hint of the resolution

18. Blade Runner trailer analysis • The trailer reveals to the audience that it is of the dystopia genre straight away as the trailer tells us that the male protagonist needs to hunt 6 evil replicas or manufactured “humans” of normal people. This is show with a close up of the screen to show and establish the “evil replicas". Also it then reveals that these 6 replicas are hunting him as well. This is a prime example of an unsettling world. • The trailer challenges normal, conventional themes as it shows us of a hyper real world set in 2019 but everything is very futuristic. This is shown through elaborate establishing shots. The mise en scene supports this as the city has very large futuristic buildings with massive screens playing videos and lights. There are other futuristic hyper real things like flying cars and replicas of humans. The trailer also show us that the film also challenges the reprensentations of women being weak and being the damsel in distress. This is because one of the women clone antagonists attacks the main character and get him in a dangerously near death head lock with her legs, rendering him temporally helpless. This is filmed with a close up shot to show and emphasise to the audience the panic and desperation the protagonist is feeling in that scene. • The sound used is well fitted to the narrative as there is a lot of space ship sounds, gun shot sounds and the sound track is very simple but effective as it is just smooth, calm, electronic sounds to begin with and it slowly gets faster and faster and less smooth and calm as it goes on to build tension. When the main character is getting throttled by the woman with her legs around his neck, this music speeds up for tension and to represent his heart speeding up due to the decreasing blood flow in his body. • The red bold titles used at the end represent blood danger and violence. They also correspond with the font of the films title “Blade Runner”. • The narrative structure of the trailer includes: • 1.Showing the dystopia theme and characterisation. • 2. The action – the main character hunting clones while they hunt him. • 3. A hint of the resolution – a small hint of the protagonist catching the clones that he is hunting.

19. Blade Runner trailer analysis (Continued) There was an establishing shot used at the start of the trailer of futuristic scenery and a flying car to reveal to the viewer that the film is set far into the future and that it is a warped reality compared to our reality.

20. Total recall trailer analysis The dystopia theme is that the main character (Male Protagonist )is a factory worker, (played by Douglas Quaid), begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall , this is a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led , this goes wrong so he goes on the run. The trailer reveals to us that the film is in the dystopia genre as you are shown that he is being searched for by soldiers that kill the people around him and he is also being hunted by a fellow woman. The titles fit in with the mise en scene as the titles are very futuristic looking and chrome like , this strongly corresponds with the scenery , buildings, the costumes and futuristic equipment.

21. Total recall trailer analysis(continued) The sound is very dystopic as it has a tense, rapid and daunting soundtrack used to create tension and to add to the feel of an unsettling world. There are post modern elements in this trailer, for example the representations of women in this trailer are challenging the original themes/stereotypes of women being the damsel in distress as of the women in this film is seen to be a female protagonist helping the main male protagonist on his mission to escape the people who are trying to kill him. The antagonists are the authorities and his wife, the fact that his wife is the antagonist is a very challenging element as the antagonist is stereotypically a male.

22. Total recall trailer analysis(continued) • The narrative structure of the trailer includes: • 1. Showing the dystopia theme and characterisation. • 2. The action – the main character escaping the authorities and his wife. • 3. Hint at the resolution – Hints a chance of them escaping the people they are running from.