Pre-Production: 25 Word Pitch

"Troubled teenager finds a new world in the UK rave scene. Falls too far in to get back up, but would he even want to?"

Pre-Production: Sound Analysis for AdULTHOOD opening sequence

Sound is a big part of the opening sequence for AdULTHOOD. The first 55 seconds is a flash back to fill the audience in on what happened in the first film, Kidulthood.
      We then hear a beat to a grime song with the sound of traffic in the background, the traffic uses sound perspective to show the cars getting closer, then the whole beat comes in with 'Ghetts' rapping, a popular grime artist in London, this is at first non-diagetic but there is a sound bridge to where we see the sound system playing the song. The lyrics are about how Ghetts likes to party and drink alcohol this is synchronous sound as the film is showing people dancing who are probably drunk. There is also a shot of two black male youths rolling up and sparking a zoot of weed which we hear them breathe in and out. Through this whole scene there is the diegetic sound of people dancing and shouting which is also synchronous sound as we can see them doing this, all of these circumstances connote they are at a rave, which will most definitely be illegal, which goes with all the things Ghetts and the other rappers are talking about in the song. All of these aspects, the drink, drugs and busy party life appeals to the niche British, working class, audience as they can relate to the things said and the issues dealt with.
      The accent that the young characters speak with connotes that they are from London and their dialogue is filled with colloquialisms which would connote that they are working class. This would appeal to someone from a working class background who is familiar with the dialect and language used.
     Other key sounds are the smashing of a car window, the struggle of a fight and a gun shot. This is all foley sound, created in pre-production. This sound connotes the rougher side of the lifestyle, this would appeal to people who are currently involved in this lifestyle, to gain an insight from a different perspective or someone who is familiar with it, lives around it.
    The sound in the opening sequence to AdULTHOOD sets up many of the key themes for the film, drugs, grime music and violence. It's a big part in the representation of the key group of characters. I like that the song has a lot to do with what's being seen on screen. I also think like the way the sound bridge ties in the busy motorway with the rave, establishing that the area is urban and full of life, the themes of the song suggesting why the area is so busy and full of life! I will look to make a similar connection in my production.

Pre-Production: Audience research questions for vox pops

What are some BSR films you like?

Age of protagonist?

Gender of protagonist?

What do you think of our idea?

What controversial issues would you like to see in a BSR?

What are your views on illicit drugs being shown in films?

Pre-Production: Conventions of Opening Sequences (Blue Valentine)

Director

Quite obviously the directors name is shown to tell the audience who directed the film, how ever this could be a selling point for the film if the director is known or acclaimed. The font is quite stylish, quite modern and the colour is off white, almost a faded beige, this connotes that the film will be quite stylish, with a nice finish and that it will be soft, as beige is a less contrasting colour than white on a black background.

Introducing Characters

Quite a few characters are shown in this opening sequence, the main ones are these two, played by Ryan Goslin and Michelle Williams. They have the majority of the screen time this connotes that they will be the main characters in the film and the chosen pictures of them are all either hugs, kisses or lifts. All are quite intimate and emotional, this symbolises to the audience that the film will be about their relationship. And so allows them to set their expectations.

Actors

The main actors names are mentioned, Ryan Gosling is the key selling cast in this film as he was also an executive producer for it as well. The actors names are used to inform the audience who's in the film, this may even be one of the main reasons someone might go to see the film, this makes naming the actors quite an important convention to include. The audience would set up expectations for the film due to type casting, for example, if you see that Jason Statham is in a film, there's a good chance there won't be a lot of romance but you would expect a lot of action and fighting. Ryan Gosling is known for quite serious films, usually dramas mixed with romance.

Film Title

The title of the film is shown for obvious reasons, to tell the audience the title of the film. This title allows the audience to set expectations for the film. Valentine is linked with love, so there will almost certainly be a love story however Blue isn't the colour we would usually link with love, we'd usually use red and so this connotes that this might not be a happy love story but one with a sad underlying tone. Again set in off white to create a softer effect and written in what looks to be Helvetica, typical stylish font, typically hip, connotes style and trendiness.  

Producers

This is to let the audience know who the producers were for the film, this again can be used as a selling point if not purely informational or for credibility. If a producer is fairly well known then he or she will most probably have a genre that they are known for and so the audience will set up an expectation of the film based on the usual work of a certain producer. 

Introduce Themes/Ideology

The dancing position along with the eye contact, smile and red roses connote that a main theme in this film will be love and romance. This establishes the genre as it hints quite loudly that the main theme is love, the audience would pick up on this genre and then create expectations from it. The colour palette is a lovely golden orange/yellow, it's all very low lit romanticism and really quite stylish.

Super Imposed Graphics

This title and the majority of the others are super imposed on to images in the background, these images are then masked cleverly by the sparks of CGI fireworks. The images on the back ground is a still image with a very light ken burns effect applied to it, the super imposed titles are also still however by the movement of the 'fireworks' the whole shot becomes very alive whilst maintaining a calm, slow build. Again conforming to the pace and style of the romantic genre.

Intrigue/Enigma

There are many different images of different people hugging each other, kissing, embracing and crashed out on the floor. With no words intrigue is created and our brains start to work out who loves who and what caused this relationship to happen or to fall apart. The masking fireworks effect is a big help in creating this intrigue too as you never see the full image only parts and so are left trying to work out the rest of the image. Already the audience is trying to piece together a puzzle, this creates the expectation that this film will be a bit of a puzzle itself.

Engaging Music

The song played is called Alligator by a band called Grizzly Bear. Jim Elton, the Editor, said  "Everything about this song was right, from the tone to the lyrics to the cinematic quality it lends to the sequence." And he's right, it's a strange piece of music, it has almost a dream like quality, like something you would hear as you were falling in to a deep sleep. It's unnatural but has many major lifts and beautiful romantic chords. However it's not all beautiful and straight which is why it works so well. The audience would feel both unnerved by the music whilst finding it quite pleasant, I would think. 

Pre-Production: Opening sequence analysis and timeline

This films opening titles start at 3:00 and ends 5:40. A duration of 2 minutes 45 seconds.
The opening sequence shows a young, white, Scottish male travelling to Uganda. This is connoted by him spinning the globe and landing on Uganda. The opening follows him through his coach journey, we see a lot of scenery, the small villages and wildlife. We also see troops in trucks and tanks moving in the villages, he becomes friendly with a native woman and she tells him that they are good and fighting for the people. He sees President Mugabe for the first time and tries some local food. The young man and his new friend then have sex, after which he gets back on the coach and finishes his journey to Uganda.

This opening hints that there will be an involvement of the Ugandan Military/Government, with a focus on Mugabe. Also that there will be more sex and a love story intertwined.


Props:

• Coaches
• Tanks
• Trucks
• Luggage
• Simple costume
• Food

This Instituional logo is from the biggest co production company for the film and is a subsidary of 20th Century Fox. It uses the same kind of logo as it's parent company. It's rather intimidating and bold. The gold connotes wealth and status.

Titles

The typography is a bold, straight edged font, all capitalised, connoting control and dictation. The letters themselves are masking images behing them, all tinted red through to yellow. These images are of Uganan men and I think most of them are of President Mungabe as played by Forest Whitaker.

Open publication - Free publishing - More last king

Above is a timeline of every title shown in the opening sequence of The Last King of Scotland, showing timings and what each title says. What's interesting about this opening sequence is there is no mention of any crew, this is possibly because the Director, Kevin Macdonald, isn't that well known or maybe it was a personal choice of his! Either way this is quite strange given that there were 12 titles in total.
I really like the masking effect that they used on their titles, so you get the words but with images relevant to the film in the background, it's simple but very effective. I'll be looking in to that for my opening sequence. I like the timing of this films titles too. There are nice gaps which have been cleverly thought out. It's made me appreciate the importance of timing in titles.

Pre-Production: British Social Realism in the headlines

A child of only 34 days was found dead after neglect from his alcoholic mother who's primary accommodation was a sofa in a friends house.

This story would make a great British Social Realism film as it conforms to some key conventions of the genre. The main character, the mother, has a problem with alcohol and has mental problems (see right) below which is typical of a BSR film. She has a string of criminal convictions which connotes she anti-authoritative and goes against the natural order of things, also typical of the genre.

I would get Kierston Wareing (The Take, Fish Tank) to play this role as this is the type of character she is used to playing. The distressed mother, usually alcoholic and promiscuous. I believe that she would play the character convincingly and passionately.

This story also includes flaws in the British health care structure, showing big agencies and companies failing to protect the life of a young helpless child.

The film would be about the mother's fight with alcohol and drugs, extreme pressure from the press and slating of the media. It would follow her through her court cases. An old friend from school who took the opposite path to the mother takes on her case as her legal representative. There would be a struggle with the friend trying to keep the mother clean and fighting for her legally. The film would outline flaws in the health care system. The mother would be sentenced. In jail she starts a campaign against the health care system, gets clean and turns her life around. She's let out to a suposedly new life. But people don't forget, not do they forgive. She's tormented and abused by the public and ends up turning to the bottle again. The end scene would be her sitting in her gritty flat, shaking, cigarette in one hand, bottle of unbranded vodka in the other, staring at a photo of her in hospital with her newborn baby that she lost.

I think a good director would be Steve McQueen, after his work in Hunger and Shame. His minimalist, artistic style would work well with the gritty storyline of the film

•Why is it important that British social realism films have a theme or ideology?
•What is unique about the themes and ideologies in British social realism films?
•Is there a pattern in the themes and ideologies presented in British social realism films?

It is important for British Social Realism films to have a theme or ideology as this is what the target audience want and it is in keeping with the ethos of the genre, the genre is to show a true representation of struggles in real life. And so a BSR will take on a gritty or real life theme, such as illicit substance abuse or controversial matters that mainstream films wouldn't touch because there's a risk they'd lose money. There is a pattern within this, that the films maybe even repeat them selves when it comes to themes, as there is a limit to the themes and ideologies that BSR can explore.  

Pre-Production: Analysis of 'Cathy Come Home' for generic conventions of British Social Realism

Pre-Production: Production Log Week 1

1.Minimal     2.Basic    3.Proficient    4.Excellent

Those four words are the definitions between the four different levels.
Which basically equate to

1.Hardly bothered at all   2.Did it but might as well of just left it  3.Done it with some skill      4.Smashed it.


Putting this knowledge in to action I marked some work from the previous year... These are the notes I got from that exercise.

CLICHE.
Waking up, then getting ready.
Flashbacks.

I'll be sure to use neither of these two cliches in my opening sequence, having these included would just take any real flare of creativity or originality away from my work. I've been looking at different sort of ways to go.
These cliche opening usually open the film up slowly and softly. I'd like more of a punch, a little shock, possibly something quite controversial.



I love the contrast between the fast pace chase scene/fast pace football shots and then the very slow smoking scene. Also the way the voiceover perfectly joins the two moods together. This is something I will definitely be looking in to with my opening. It's edgy and jumpy and sets the tone of the film perfectly.


I really like the layout of Gemma's blog, she has a nice way of display her work. However I'm going to try and be a little more creative with my blog, hopefully using video to present a lot of my ideas in a fun way.

TITLES TITLES TITLES.

From looking at previous work I can't say I've found one example of titles that I've thought "Yeah, that's class." I'm going to put quite a bit of effort in to getting my titles looking good, linking in with the themes of my film. I really like these opening credits from Rock n Rolla.

They freeze frame and then stylise the image adding the actors names or characters names. I did a similar thing in my GCSE trailer task. So I probably won't be going for this technique as it doesn't tie in to the conventions of a British Social Realism film, but I'd like to use aspects of this technique and adapt it accordingly.