For The Pitch, we created a powerpoint presentation,
Story Idea 1
Kimberly and William meet at a party. Unfortunately, to the horror of Kimberly, William has already got a girlfriend. William breaks up with Amelia (his girlfriend) and decided to meet up with Kimberly again. They both hit it of like a house on fire, and William asks Kimberly out on a date. The date goes fanatically at the start, however Amelia decided to take revenge on the ‘bitch’ who stole her boyfriend. And humiliates Kimberly in front of 300 people. William turned down Amelia and stays with Kimberly.
Story Idea 2
The second idea for our story is a teenage girl, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Clark, who is really into performing arts. She goes to an audition at her college and a few weeks later she gets a letter in the post telling her that she hasn’t made it into the musical. Inside the letter is a handwritten message form the producer, Alfred (Alfie) Jones, of this particular play. This message tells her that the producer is composing the next big musical in the West End and would like Lizzie to play the lead role. She agrees and the two of them end up getting married.
Story Idea 3
Emily Baker and Edward Percy live in Dartmoor (countryside) and they are engaged to be married. The couple move to the city of London as they are both offered substantially better jobs there. However, there lifestyles differ so much from the peaceful and lied back life of the countryside to the busy life of London, their relationship fall under stain.
Edward throws himself head first into the nightlife of the city and find that there's more to life then having a nuclear family. He meets a very beautiful girl called Verity, he forgets all his responsibilities and doesn’t turn up at their apartment until 3 days later.
Emily and Edward spilt, Edward goes on the marry Verity (who goes on to become a lesbian). Emily tried dating, but eventually found love in an unexpected place, the convent.
Story Idea 4
Bijen Madalinci is an introvert, hard working, aspiring best-selling author, whose books always end up with bad reviews. After her latest fail, Bijen’s agent tells her to go out and live more in order to gain inspiration for a great book. This is what Bijen does, she goes top the bar that she went to in order to celebrate the publishing of her book, the same place in which she met Jamie Dunn, the bar tender who is care-free, enjoys life and is always up for a laugh. She begins a relationship with Jamie and uses it for her book, she reflects her relationship within the book. Bijen ponders over whether or not to publish the book, however her agent publishes for her anyway…without Bijen knowing! Jamie finds out that the book is about the relationship he shared with her and ends all contact…he then finds out that she never wanted it published and chases Bijen’s love.
Story Idea 5
Georgia is a homeless teenager living on the streets due to her father being in prison and her mother died 2 years ago. The local council helped her out, by giving her a small council flat and got her back into education, so she could get out of her situation. At college, she meets an accidence Lewis (most popular boy in college). They become influctated with each other and start dating. They fall in love, get married, grow old together and die together.
Our Main Idea
Unfortunately, we cannot decide upon which idea to carry forward as our main idea, so we have decided to ask you to vote upon which idea you like best and will create a better film.
Story Idea 1: In Detail
Kimberly and William are two completely juxtaposed characters; they meet at a mutual friend party. Unfortunately, however in a slightly embarrassing event William’s true relationship status is revealed leaving Kimberly hanging, alone and confused.
William’s relationship with Amelia (his girlfriend) has already been strained (or on the rocks/cliff) for a while now, and due to a certain circumstance (involving a lot of alcohol and a game of strip poker) the couple finally break up.
Mean while Kimberly keeps on seeing William on a number of occasions and it seems that she cannot escape him. William being the dashing, handsome young man that he, offers to buy Kimberly a cup of coffee, he apologises and explains his new situation. They get on incredibly well and decide to go on their first date together and a new, popular club downtown.
Amelia’s revenge ('Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned‘) is planned and presents it’s self at popular club in front of all Kimberly’s friends.
The climax of the story presents it’s self when William chooses Kimberly over Amelia. The film ends as the couple have a photograph taken of them at a friend’s party, happy and secure.
William’s character
Personality- He can always be found by a crowd and loves attentions. William loves going out to parties and meeting new people. He wears designer clothes that both look good and arte comfortable. William is 18 years old, as he is completing his A2’s.
Family- He live with her mum, dad. Kim’s mother occupation is a home maker and his father’s occupation is the director of the NHS. They live in a mansion on a private road called “Roman Road” – Little Aston
Likes-He likes fine foods, ahs has exquisite expensive taste. William adores sticking to a structured routine, however he does improvise, and every now and the he “takes a walk on the wild side”.
Dislikes- She hates aquard silences and dark rooms. Kimberly also gets jealous of people who have things she wants, however she will never show it (her green monster side).
Job/Education- William used to attend a private school but they didn’t have a sixth form so he decided to attend Birmingham Metropolitan College- Sutton Campus. He has no jobs as his family are extremely rich and doesn’t need to work.
Friends- William has hundreds of friends but none that close, the closest person to William is his girlfriend.
Kimberly’s character
Personality- she is very quiet but when she speaks she draws attention from the crowd (people listen). She has a girlish giggle that causes herself some embarrassment sometimes (as people will suddenly here giggling from out of no where). She chooses to wear comfortable clothing, chooses comfort over fashion. She is 17 years old.
Family- She live with her mum, dad and two brothers, David and Scott. David is 21 and Scott is 14. Kim’s mother occupation is a nurse and her father’s occupation is a local police officer. They live in a small terrist house in Kingstanding.
Likes- She loves marshmallows and Jaffa cakes. She adores spending time with her friends, walking through the park (the it place to be because of them). She’s also an animal fan and sponsors dog’s trust.
Dislikes- She hates aquard silences and dark rooms. Kimberly also gets jealous of people who have things she wants, however she will never show it (her green monster side).
Job/Education- She works part time at her local gym “David Lloyds”, which contributes to her popularity. Kimberly goes to college at Birmingham Metropolitan College- Sutton Campus. Studying AS levels: Music, Art, Psychology and English Literature.
Friends- Crystal and Keeley (best friends). Crystal thinks that Kim needs to speak up a bit more and wear more flattering clothing. Keeley is jealous of Kim as she’s doesn’t try hard to look good, yet she always looks stunning. However she’s known Kim for years and loves her to bits (true friends).
Locations
The Locations that the film will be film in/at are as follows:
Laura’s House
Park- Arboretum
The Walsall Arboretum will be the main location for the film, as it is open, close to us and has a long runway going through which is crucial to the film. The mutual friends party will be filmed at Laura’s house as she has bigger rooms to fit the actors and camera equipment in, also so it looks like a realistic house party. The swimming pool will only be used for one scene, where Edward meets Kimberly, in the middle of the film.
For all the above locations we will ask permission from the owners before filming on the land/property.
Opening sequence
Music starts rolling (songbird - all angels, instrumental if can get it).
Credits rolling, appearing on different sides of the screen as new names follow each otherr. Meanwhile the background is black and whit. Pan MCU of old, scruffy trainers and shoes, pans onto one pair of beautiful, purple high heel shoes (only colour on screen).
Pan MCU of old folders, scruffy and messed up, again black and white background, pan onto an immaculate purple folder.
Pan CU of different ties, black and white background, pans onto one purple tie.
CU of purple shoes on girl, zoom out to LS of Kimberly at friends mutual party.
CU of purple tie, zoom out to LS of William at the same party.
LS of William and Kimberly walking into each other, MCU still image of their facial expressions, black and white background again, only colour showing is purple items.
The still image unfreezes, back into normal speed, colours and motions, both walk away from each other, camera zoom out until both characters are out of shot.
Kimberly sees William across the room, plucks up the courage to talk to him. MCU of her facial expressions as she walks towards him, also his expressions. She gets to about a meter away from him and suddenly all you can here is "William, William from off the screen".
Over the shoulder shot of Amelia running, hugging and then kissing William then drag him away. CU of Kimberly's reaction, non-diagetic narrator voice, of Kimberly saying, "This is my life...“
End scene
Genetic identifiers
Structure- Boy meets girl, obstacle (Amelia), obstacle overcome, get to know each other, makes a public gesture to Kimberly to show his love (choosing Kimberly over Amelia in the crowded club),
Sound- The music is happy, up lifting, developed music when opening credits and through part of first shots.
Pathetic Fallacy- when the characters are having an argument the weather will effect the mood, so it will be dark and quiet e.g. in the club when Amelia publicly humiliates Kimberly, there will be silence in the club and the lights will dim.
Narration- the voice of Kimberly will sometimes be played through the film, to give extra insight into her personality and her thoughts.
Story Idea 2: In Detail
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Clark is in her bathroom one morning singing a romantic song into a hairbrush. She is about to go to college and audition for a part in the next musical to hit the town of Sutton Coldfield. When she arrives at the college she is very nervous and doesn’t think she’ll even be able to get through the first audition.
However, when she begins to sing her song, she catches the eye of the judge, Alfred (Alfie) Jones, and suddenly her confidence boosts. She gets out of the audition feeling a bit more confident in herself yet there is something that still tells her she hasn’t made it through.
In the next 3 weeks she is waiting by the letter box each morning and eventually she receives a letter in the post from the musical company. Unfortunately, Lizzie finds out that she hasn’t got a part in this particular musical and her dreams of being a star are shattered.
When she thinks things could not get any worse, there is a handwritten letter in the same envelope from Alfie explaining the real reason why she hasn’t got a part in the play. Alfie is writing his own musical for London’s West End and has realised the great talent that Lizzie holds and has asked her to be the lead role in his West End show.
Lizzie is over the moon on hearing this news and decides to accept his offer without giving it a second thought. After months of rehearsals and perfecting every tiny detail of the show it is finally opening night. But during these months, Lizzie and Alfie have fallen deeply in love with each other’s charm
After an amazing first performance, Alfie is exceptionally pleased with Lizzie’s performance and makes a special speech on stage at the end of the show. At the end of his speech, Alfie gets down on one knee and proposes to Lizzie with a full audience watching and to Alfie’s amazement, Lizzie says yes.
Lizzie
16 year old college student at Sutton
Quite timid when first met
Studying A levels in Chemistry, History, Media and Sociology
Has dreams about being a star in the West End
Quite a stable background, Father is a doctor, mother works at a bank
Focused on her studies
Would rather spend evening and weekends working than going out
Occasionally enjoys a quiet night in with either the family or a few friends
Alfie
20 year old musical composer
Idolises Andrew Lloyd Webber
Outgoing young man
Great sense of humour
Dad left when he was young, mother died when he was 9
Started composing music and songs
Left school with no qualifications to achieve his dream of being a composer
Locations
My house - for the bathroom when Lizzie is getting ready
College lecture theatre - for the auditions, to make it seem more realistic than just a classroom
The reception at college - When she has finished her audition
Opening sequence
There is a romantic love song playing in the background which overlaps with Elizabeth, Lizzie, singing the same song, She is in her bathroom singing into a hair brush and getting ready for her day at college, Birmingham Metropolitan; Sutton Campus. Lizzie then leaves her house and begins walking to the bus stop so as she can get to the auditions a musical held at her college that day. This then transfers to Alfred, Alfie, setting up at the college for auditions for his musical that it going to be shown in Sutton Coldfield and includes local students as it's main cast. This then leads to a bus going past a bus stop leaving Lizzie next to it. Lizzie then receives a text message from her mom wishing her good luck with the audition. The next thing we see the room where the auditions are taking place. Alfie calls Lizzie’s name and she takes her place on the stage. She begins to sing the song she sung at the beginning of the film but in a very nervous state. As soon as she makes eye contact with Alfie, she gets a sudden boost of confidence as if it was magic. After the audition, Lizzie leaves the stage and returns to her friends with a negative feeling about the audition.
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Sunday 29 November 2009
Research into Romantic Comedies (our chosen genre)
Conventions of Romantic Comedies
Audiences expect a certain structure from romantic comedies. Generally the basic outline of a romantic comedy is that boy meets girl via some sort of event or communication. For example, in the film “Notting Hill” the superstar “Anna Scott” meets the average, ordinary, English man “William Thacker” when he accidentally spills orange juice down her top, in a market street of Notting Hill. This is a typical beginning to a romantic comedy as the audience are shown that, “Will” and “Anna” share an attraction even though they are so different by their status and roles, it’s seems an impossibility.
However the is always some sort of obstacle between the two. Such as, in “You’ve Got Mail”, “Kathleen Kelly” is a small time bookshop owner; her shop is under the threat of closer. Due to a huge, new book chain store shop just opened nearby, owned by “Joe Fox”. The audience know that they are the perfect couple, by the way that they have been communicating via email, and are pinning for the couple to work out their differences and realise the are meant for each other. Unfortunately, the “perfect couple” are separated by their roles, as “Fox’s” company eliminates competition via discounts and “coffee”. “Kelly” and “Fox” are at a business war that can only end in the death of a business.
Finally, the climax of the story is when the character that realises their feelings at the last moment makes public statement, or does something such as an extraordinarily romantic gesture towards the person that knew their feelings all along. For example, in the film “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, “Marc Darcy” already knows his feelings, where as “Bridget Jones” doesn’t realise hers until the latest possible moment. Therefore means that she makes a heart-warming, embarrassing statement, which the audience greatly appeals to.
Also, in romantic comedy films there is a lot of pathetic fallacy used (when the weather matches the mood), for instance, in “Wimbledon” when “Peter Colt” and “Lizzie Bradbury” spend the day training together realising their feelings for each other, the weather is spectacular. The film shows a beautiful, bold, colourful sunset; which is a typical romantic situation, which the audience just falls in love with. In contrast further on in the film when “Bradbury” and “Colt” have an argument the weather is dark, gloomy and upsetting. Also, to add to the setting, there is rain on the ground when “Colt” turns up to “Bradbury’s” house to apologise, which symbolises the tears and upset which is keeping them apart at the moment.
The music/audio has a huge affect upon the audience and determines their feelings, meaning that the music indicates to the audience what they should be feeling at that particular moment. For example, if the music was slow, delicate and moving, the audience know that they should be feeling sympathy for that particular character or set of characters.
“Bridget Jones’s Diary: The Edge Of Reason” and “Notting Hill” uses a narrator throughout the film, or at the start, which is also an example of non-diagetic sound. This gives an insight about the character towards the audience, for instance they get a sense of the characters education, and personality. Also they feel as if they are a part of the film, especially when the film writers use rhetorical questions, which help the audience to see their point of view.
Within romantic comedies sometimes certain things happen that lack verisimilitude, such as in “27 Dresses”, when “Jane” finally realises her feelings for “Kevin” she crashes a wedding reception. This is a classic example of when a film hasn’t included verisimilitude, as the bride was ecstatic and excited to let this wedding crasher stand up and make a speech, which wouldn’t happen in real life.
The characters are also, quite typical, as there is one that realises their feelings first are generally the male, and the character that makes a public statement or romantic gesture is the female. This is the case with many romantic comedies such as: “Runaway Bride”, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” one and two, “Wimbledon”, “27 Dresses”, “There’s Something About Mary”, “The Proposal” and “Roxanne” so on so forth.
However, there are a few romantic comedies that have the male realise their feelings last the female first, such as: “Shallow Hall”, “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “The Break Up”. Which go against the audience’s conventions but make the movie a whole lot more enjoyable.
The main convention of a romantic comedy is the structure, meaning that the beginning starts off with boy meets girl, (either for the first time, or haven’t seen for a long time) there is some sort of obstacle keeping them apart. Then during finale/climax, the obstacle is removed and the last character realises their feelings makes a public statement, or romantic gesture.
Questionnaire Results
The majority of people we asked were female who watched romantic comedies quite often. The males we asked said they hardly ever watched rom-coms but they did admit to enjoying them when they did get the chance to watch one. The males that did enjoy these films said they liked them because they had better storylines than a lot of other genres. They also confessed to rom-coms being good date movies and being films that allowed them to have a good cry. The males that didn't like rom-coms said that other genres had stronger story lines with stronger characters.
The perfect age group for the main characters appears to be between 20 and 30 years old. There are several reasons for this: 1) people aged 20 and above can relate to these characters if they have similar personalities or if they have been in situations like the main characters. 2) people under the age of 20 have something to aspire to and can picture themselves in similar situations when they are older. However, two of the teenages we asked said they prefer films with teenage characters in. This could be because they can easily relate to these characters and find it harder to relate to the characters aged 20-30.
From our questionnaire, it is apparent that the main twists people like to see are love triangles and affairs. Reasons for this could be that people have experienced a partner cheating on them or having an affair. Most people, at some point in their life, will no doubt be part of a love triangle which, the majority of the time, will lead to an affair in some way or another.
The personalities of the different characters are very similar. The male character has been described as being a romantic man who is also manly and can stand their ground. This has been described because a lot of females would like their partner to have these characteristics. None of the people we asked said that they wanted uncaring males in the films. This shows that women want to be with someone who will love them as well as being someone like a friend. The main characteristics of the female character has been described as an outgoing woman. Sometimes a bit ditsy and someone with a high class job. The reasons of women being depicted in this way could be because men like to see this in their partner but also because a lot of women want to be this type of character if they aren't already.
Chosen Colour Scheme
As a group it was decided that we would use mainly black and white throughout our opening sequence.
However there is one exception to this; we will be using two purple items for each of the main characters. These two purple items would be seen as a way to give the two characters an instant connection, a way of setting them apart from everyone else, whilst bringing them closer through the use of the same colour.
We thought it would be best to do a black and white theme as it would mean that the purple will stand out a lot more in comparison to using colours.
We researched colours and decided on the colour purple for a number of reasons; the first of these reasons being that it would set this movie apart and didn’t follow the usual conventions found in romantic comedies, which would use pinks and reds as their main colour.
In many cultures, purple is also the colour of passion and romance, with its warm blend of ‘passionate red and tranquil blue’. It is also a colour that induces mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty.
The two items that we were thinking of making purple were a pair of shoes and a tie. This is because these items are known to ‘finish an outfit’ and are often the article of clothing that stands out the most, therefore it would be noticeable and effective. The audience would see these items and instantly predict a possible storyline outcome.
Number of romantic comedies released since 2000
Spring 64 This is because it’s the season of valentines and start of new life/love/relationships.
Summer 69
Autumn 54
Winter 58
Top 20 Romantic Comedies
1) My Big Fat Greek Wedding - 19/04/02 - LifeTime Gross £145,174,380
2) What Women Want – 15/12/00 - LifeTime Gross £109,922,851
3) Hitch – 11/02/05 - LifeTime Gross £107,928,882
4) Pretty Woman – 23/03/90
5) There’s Something About Mary – 15/07/98
6) Sea And The City – 30/05/08
7) Runaway Bride – 30/07/09
8) Knocked Up – 01/06/07
9) As Good As It Gets – 23/12/97
10) Bringing The House Down – 07/03/03
11) The Proposal – 19/06/09
12) Coming To America – 29/06/88
13) Sweet Home Alabama – 27/09/02
14) My Best Friends Wedding – 20/06/97
15) Sleepless In Seattle – 25/06/93
16) Mr Deeds – 28/06/02
17) Something’s Gotta Give – 12/12/03
18) 50 First Dates – 13/02/04
19) The Break Up - 06/02/06
20) Notting Hill – 28/05/99
Things you can legally include in different rated films
U
Discrimination
No discriminatory language or behaviour unless
clearly disapproved of.
Drugs
No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless
they are infrequent and innocuous, or there is a clear
educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable
for young children.
Horror
Scary sequences should be mild, brief and unlikely to
cause undue anxiety to young children. The outcome
should be reassuring.
Imitable behaviour
No potentially dangerous behaviour which young
children are likely to copy. No emphasis on realistic
or easily accessible weapons.
Language
Infrequent use only of very mild bad language.
Nudity
Occasional natural nudity, with no sexual context.
Sex
Mild sexual behaviour (for example, kissing) and
references only (for example, to ‘making love’).
Theme
While problematic themes may be present, their
treatment must be sensitive and appropriate for
young children.
Violence
Mild violence only. Occasional mild threat or
menace only.
PG
Discrimination
Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to
be acceptable unless clearly disapproved of or in an
educational or historical context. Discrimination by
a character with which children can readily identify
is unlikely to be acceptable.
Drugs
References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be
innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message.
Horror
Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or
intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor.
Imitable behaviour
No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour which
young children are likely to copy. No glamorisation
of realistic or easily accessible weapons.
Language
Mild bad language only.
Nudity
Natural nudity, with no sexual context.
Sex
Sexual activity may be implied, but should be
discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and
innuendo only.
Theme
Where more serious issues are featured (for example,
domestic violence) nothing in their treatment should
condone unacceptable behaviour.
Violence
Moderate violence, without detail, may be allowed,
if justified by its context (for example, history,
comedy or fantasy).
12
Discrimination
Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be
endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive
discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely
to be acceptable unless clearly condemned.
Drugs
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should
not be glamorised or give instructional detail.
Horror
Moderate physical and psychological threat may be
permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not
frequent or sustained.
Imitable behaviour
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be
copied, or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible
weapons should not be glamorised.
Language
Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong
language (for example, ‘fuck’) must be infrequent.
Nudity
Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief
and discreet.
Sex
Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed.
Sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for
young teenagers. Frequent crude references are unlikely
to be acceptable.
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must
be suitable for young teenagers.
Violence
Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on
detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood,
but occasional gory moments may be permitted if
justified by the context.
Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and
discreetly indicated, and must have a strong contextual
justification.
15
Discrimination
The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory
language or behaviour.
Drugs
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not
promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily
accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example,
aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic
or sexualised.
Imitable behaviour
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be
copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Language
There may be frequent use of strong language (for example,
‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be
acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated
use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without
strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a
non-sexual or educational context.
Sex
Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail.
There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour,
but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable
unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is
sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is
appropriate for 15 year olds.
Violence
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction
of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to
be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also
unlikely to be acceptable.
There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence
but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and
have a strong contextual justification.
18
In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public
consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the
BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override
the principle that adults should be free to choose their
own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the
following areas:
• where the material is in breach of the criminal law,
or has been created through the commission of a
criminal offence
• where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to
risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour,
to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of
violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use,
which may cause harm to public health or morals.
This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised
violence which might, for example, eroticise or
endorse sexual assault
• where there are more explicit images of sexual
activity which cannot be justified by context. Such
images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in
‘sex works’ (see below) would normally be confined
to that category.
In the case of video works (including video games),
which may be more accessible to younger viewers,
intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.
Sex education at ‘18’
Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and
educate in matters such as human sexuality, safer
sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may
be permitted.
Sex works at ‘18’
Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual
arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only material
which may be simulated are generally passed ‘18’. Sex
works containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish
material, sexually explicit animated images, or other
very strong sexual images will be confined to the ‘R18’
category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work
at ‘R18’ is also unacceptable in a sex work at ‘18’.
This information was taken from the British Board of Film Classification website: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/about/
Audiences expect a certain structure from romantic comedies. Generally the basic outline of a romantic comedy is that boy meets girl via some sort of event or communication. For example, in the film “Notting Hill” the superstar “Anna Scott” meets the average, ordinary, English man “William Thacker” when he accidentally spills orange juice down her top, in a market street of Notting Hill. This is a typical beginning to a romantic comedy as the audience are shown that, “Will” and “Anna” share an attraction even though they are so different by their status and roles, it’s seems an impossibility.
However the is always some sort of obstacle between the two. Such as, in “You’ve Got Mail”, “Kathleen Kelly” is a small time bookshop owner; her shop is under the threat of closer. Due to a huge, new book chain store shop just opened nearby, owned by “Joe Fox”. The audience know that they are the perfect couple, by the way that they have been communicating via email, and are pinning for the couple to work out their differences and realise the are meant for each other. Unfortunately, the “perfect couple” are separated by their roles, as “Fox’s” company eliminates competition via discounts and “coffee”. “Kelly” and “Fox” are at a business war that can only end in the death of a business.
Finally, the climax of the story is when the character that realises their feelings at the last moment makes public statement, or does something such as an extraordinarily romantic gesture towards the person that knew their feelings all along. For example, in the film “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, “Marc Darcy” already knows his feelings, where as “Bridget Jones” doesn’t realise hers until the latest possible moment. Therefore means that she makes a heart-warming, embarrassing statement, which the audience greatly appeals to.
Also, in romantic comedy films there is a lot of pathetic fallacy used (when the weather matches the mood), for instance, in “Wimbledon” when “Peter Colt” and “Lizzie Bradbury” spend the day training together realising their feelings for each other, the weather is spectacular. The film shows a beautiful, bold, colourful sunset; which is a typical romantic situation, which the audience just falls in love with. In contrast further on in the film when “Bradbury” and “Colt” have an argument the weather is dark, gloomy and upsetting. Also, to add to the setting, there is rain on the ground when “Colt” turns up to “Bradbury’s” house to apologise, which symbolises the tears and upset which is keeping them apart at the moment.
The music/audio has a huge affect upon the audience and determines their feelings, meaning that the music indicates to the audience what they should be feeling at that particular moment. For example, if the music was slow, delicate and moving, the audience know that they should be feeling sympathy for that particular character or set of characters.
“Bridget Jones’s Diary: The Edge Of Reason” and “Notting Hill” uses a narrator throughout the film, or at the start, which is also an example of non-diagetic sound. This gives an insight about the character towards the audience, for instance they get a sense of the characters education, and personality. Also they feel as if they are a part of the film, especially when the film writers use rhetorical questions, which help the audience to see their point of view.
Within romantic comedies sometimes certain things happen that lack verisimilitude, such as in “27 Dresses”, when “Jane” finally realises her feelings for “Kevin” she crashes a wedding reception. This is a classic example of when a film hasn’t included verisimilitude, as the bride was ecstatic and excited to let this wedding crasher stand up and make a speech, which wouldn’t happen in real life.
The characters are also, quite typical, as there is one that realises their feelings first are generally the male, and the character that makes a public statement or romantic gesture is the female. This is the case with many romantic comedies such as: “Runaway Bride”, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” one and two, “Wimbledon”, “27 Dresses”, “There’s Something About Mary”, “The Proposal” and “Roxanne” so on so forth.
However, there are a few romantic comedies that have the male realise their feelings last the female first, such as: “Shallow Hall”, “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “The Break Up”. Which go against the audience’s conventions but make the movie a whole lot more enjoyable.
The main convention of a romantic comedy is the structure, meaning that the beginning starts off with boy meets girl, (either for the first time, or haven’t seen for a long time) there is some sort of obstacle keeping them apart. Then during finale/climax, the obstacle is removed and the last character realises their feelings makes a public statement, or romantic gesture.
Questionnaire Results
The majority of people we asked were female who watched romantic comedies quite often. The males we asked said they hardly ever watched rom-coms but they did admit to enjoying them when they did get the chance to watch one. The males that did enjoy these films said they liked them because they had better storylines than a lot of other genres. They also confessed to rom-coms being good date movies and being films that allowed them to have a good cry. The males that didn't like rom-coms said that other genres had stronger story lines with stronger characters.
The perfect age group for the main characters appears to be between 20 and 30 years old. There are several reasons for this: 1) people aged 20 and above can relate to these characters if they have similar personalities or if they have been in situations like the main characters. 2) people under the age of 20 have something to aspire to and can picture themselves in similar situations when they are older. However, two of the teenages we asked said they prefer films with teenage characters in. This could be because they can easily relate to these characters and find it harder to relate to the characters aged 20-30.
From our questionnaire, it is apparent that the main twists people like to see are love triangles and affairs. Reasons for this could be that people have experienced a partner cheating on them or having an affair. Most people, at some point in their life, will no doubt be part of a love triangle which, the majority of the time, will lead to an affair in some way or another.
The personalities of the different characters are very similar. The male character has been described as being a romantic man who is also manly and can stand their ground. This has been described because a lot of females would like their partner to have these characteristics. None of the people we asked said that they wanted uncaring males in the films. This shows that women want to be with someone who will love them as well as being someone like a friend. The main characteristics of the female character has been described as an outgoing woman. Sometimes a bit ditsy and someone with a high class job. The reasons of women being depicted in this way could be because men like to see this in their partner but also because a lot of women want to be this type of character if they aren't already.
Chosen Colour Scheme
As a group it was decided that we would use mainly black and white throughout our opening sequence.
However there is one exception to this; we will be using two purple items for each of the main characters. These two purple items would be seen as a way to give the two characters an instant connection, a way of setting them apart from everyone else, whilst bringing them closer through the use of the same colour.
We thought it would be best to do a black and white theme as it would mean that the purple will stand out a lot more in comparison to using colours.
We researched colours and decided on the colour purple for a number of reasons; the first of these reasons being that it would set this movie apart and didn’t follow the usual conventions found in romantic comedies, which would use pinks and reds as their main colour.
In many cultures, purple is also the colour of passion and romance, with its warm blend of ‘passionate red and tranquil blue’. It is also a colour that induces mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty.
The two items that we were thinking of making purple were a pair of shoes and a tie. This is because these items are known to ‘finish an outfit’ and are often the article of clothing that stands out the most, therefore it would be noticeable and effective. The audience would see these items and instantly predict a possible storyline outcome.
Number of romantic comedies released since 2000
Spring 64 This is because it’s the season of valentines and start of new life/love/relationships.
Summer 69
Autumn 54
Winter 58
Top 20 Romantic Comedies
1) My Big Fat Greek Wedding - 19/04/02 - LifeTime Gross £145,174,380
2) What Women Want – 15/12/00 - LifeTime Gross £109,922,851
3) Hitch – 11/02/05 - LifeTime Gross £107,928,882
4) Pretty Woman – 23/03/90
5) There’s Something About Mary – 15/07/98
6) Sea And The City – 30/05/08
7) Runaway Bride – 30/07/09
8) Knocked Up – 01/06/07
9) As Good As It Gets – 23/12/97
10) Bringing The House Down – 07/03/03
11) The Proposal – 19/06/09
12) Coming To America – 29/06/88
13) Sweet Home Alabama – 27/09/02
14) My Best Friends Wedding – 20/06/97
15) Sleepless In Seattle – 25/06/93
16) Mr Deeds – 28/06/02
17) Something’s Gotta Give – 12/12/03
18) 50 First Dates – 13/02/04
19) The Break Up - 06/02/06
20) Notting Hill – 28/05/99
Things you can legally include in different rated films
U
Discrimination
No discriminatory language or behaviour unless
clearly disapproved of.
Drugs
No references to illegal drugs or drug misuse unless
they are infrequent and innocuous, or there is a clear
educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable
for young children.
Horror
Scary sequences should be mild, brief and unlikely to
cause undue anxiety to young children. The outcome
should be reassuring.
Imitable behaviour
No potentially dangerous behaviour which young
children are likely to copy. No emphasis on realistic
or easily accessible weapons.
Language
Infrequent use only of very mild bad language.
Nudity
Occasional natural nudity, with no sexual context.
Sex
Mild sexual behaviour (for example, kissing) and
references only (for example, to ‘making love’).
Theme
While problematic themes may be present, their
treatment must be sensitive and appropriate for
young children.
Violence
Mild violence only. Occasional mild threat or
menace only.
PG
Discrimination
Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to
be acceptable unless clearly disapproved of or in an
educational or historical context. Discrimination by
a character with which children can readily identify
is unlikely to be acceptable.
Drugs
References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be
innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message.
Horror
Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or
intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor.
Imitable behaviour
No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour which
young children are likely to copy. No glamorisation
of realistic or easily accessible weapons.
Language
Mild bad language only.
Nudity
Natural nudity, with no sexual context.
Sex
Sexual activity may be implied, but should be
discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and
innuendo only.
Theme
Where more serious issues are featured (for example,
domestic violence) nothing in their treatment should
condone unacceptable behaviour.
Violence
Moderate violence, without detail, may be allowed,
if justified by its context (for example, history,
comedy or fantasy).
12
Discrimination
Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be
endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive
discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely
to be acceptable unless clearly condemned.
Drugs
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should
not be glamorised or give instructional detail.
Horror
Moderate physical and psychological threat may be
permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not
frequent or sustained.
Imitable behaviour
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be
copied, or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible
weapons should not be glamorised.
Language
Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong
language (for example, ‘fuck’) must be infrequent.
Nudity
Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief
and discreet.
Sex
Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed.
Sex references should not go beyond what is suitable for
young teenagers. Frequent crude references are unlikely
to be acceptable.
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must
be suitable for young teenagers.
Violence
Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on
detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood,
but occasional gory moments may be permitted if
justified by the context.
Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and
discreetly indicated, and must have a strong contextual
justification.
15
Discrimination
The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory
language or behaviour.
Drugs
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not
promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily
accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example,
aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.
Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic
or sexualised.
Imitable behaviour
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be
copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Language
There may be frequent use of strong language (for example,
‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be
acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated
use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without
strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a
non-sexual or educational context.
Sex
Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail.
There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour,
but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable
unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is
sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is
appropriate for 15 year olds.
Violence
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction
of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to
be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also
unlikely to be acceptable.
There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence
but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and
have a strong contextual justification.
18
In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public
consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, at ‘18’ the
BBFC’s guideline concerns will not normally override
the principle that adults should be free to choose their
own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the
following areas:
• where the material is in breach of the criminal law,
or has been created through the commission of a
criminal offence
• where material or treatment appears to the BBFC to
risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour,
to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of
violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use,
which may cause harm to public health or morals.
This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised
violence which might, for example, eroticise or
endorse sexual assault
• where there are more explicit images of sexual
activity which cannot be justified by context. Such
images may be appropriate in ‘R18’ works, and in
‘sex works’ (see below) would normally be confined
to that category.
In the case of video works (including video games),
which may be more accessible to younger viewers,
intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.
Sex education at ‘18’
Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and
educate in matters such as human sexuality, safer
sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may
be permitted.
Sex works at ‘18’
Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual
arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only material
which may be simulated are generally passed ‘18’. Sex
works containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish
material, sexually explicit animated images, or other
very strong sexual images will be confined to the ‘R18’
category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work
at ‘R18’ is also unacceptable in a sex work at ‘18’.
This information was taken from the British Board of Film Classification website: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/about/
Continuity Piece
Our first coursework task involved us devising a continuity piece of work which lasted between 30 second and one minute. This task was set to prove that we understood the 180 degree rule, match on action and over choulder shots. We arranged ourself into groups, these groups are the ones we'll be doing all our coursework with. In the group I chose there was myself, Laura and Kathryn.
We came up with several ideas but in the end we settled with a long shot of a girl walking down the stairs texting someone. We then skipped to an extreme close up of a text saying "have you got the stuff". Our third shot was another extreme close up of a text message saying "Yes, meet in the toilets". Our fourth shot was a close up of someones hand on the toilet door, giving it a slight push. The fifth shot we used was a medium shot of the same person but walking through the door. This was filmed on the other side of the door. The next shot was a medium shot of the first person walking up to the second person. We then see a close up of the two people exchanging money and "the stuff". This shot clearly showed match on action. We then see a medium shot of a third person coming out of one of the toilet cubicles, this person witnessed the dealing. The next shot was another medium shot of the thrid person running out of the toilets going off to tell someone what they had seen. Our last two shots were over shoulder shots of the two dealers. This shows the horrified expressions on their faces as they know they have just been caught out.
We had difficulty finding people to be in our film. The males seemed keen but as it was mainly filmed in the girls' toilets we had to find female actors. In the end we found two willing actresses, Abigail Monk and Lucie O'Donoghue. I, myself, also had to act in it as we couldn't find anyone else who was willing to help us as most of the class was busy filming their own pieces. However, we had one male actor who was very adament about being in our film so we let Karl Barrett be an extra, walking down the stairs in our piece.
Friday 23 October 2009
Task 2: Reseach into Existing Products
Things to Think About When Doing a Textual Analysis
Cameras
Camera Movement:
Examples of Horror films include:
Cameras
Camera Movement:
- Zoom
- Tracking
- Pan
- Tilt
- Steadicam
Camera Shots:
- ECU - Extreme Close UP
- CU - Close UP
- MCU - Medium Close Up
- MS - Medium Shot
- MLS - Medium Long Shot
- LS - Long Shot
- ELS / ES - Extreme Long Shot / Establishing Shot
- HAS - High Angled Shot
- LAS - Low Angled Shot
- SRS - Shot Reverse Shot
- OSS - 'Over Shoulder Shot'
- POV - Point Of View
Sound
- Diagetic Sound - Where the sound is expected to be there i.e. if the scene is set in an office you expect to hear phones ringing, people typing etc
- Non-diagetic Sound - When the sound isn't expected to be there i.e. if the scene has a lot of tension in it then there is often a build up of music
When doing a textual analysis you must also think about the mise en siene. This means everything that's in the scene. Elements of mise en siene are:
- Lighting
- Sound
- Costume
- Props
- Camera
I have studied and researched three differnet genres; romantic-comedy, horror and thriller. I looked at the way the opening scenes and credits had been structured and why they have been shown like this.
Romantic Comedies
In the opening credits of a romantic comedy, there is often a simple structure. The film often starts with it's main focus one of the main characters and tells us bits about this characters lifestyle. For example, the job they have, dailt routine etc. Then we see the credits appearing these are often shown in a romantic font with curved letters and joined up handwriting this is one of the key elements that tell the audience it is a romantic comedy. During these credits, there is often a romantic scene in the background prehaps a beach or a sunset. Afterwards, we get an insight into a different characters lifestyle, this character is often the one that will inevitabally fall in love with the character that we first saw.
The setting that is shown when the credits are rolling is generally the place where the two characters will fall in love. For example, in the film Pretty Woman we are shown the classic 'Hollywood' sign, this is where the two characters meet.
Often the two characters that meet will have a different background to each other. One will be of upper class and will have a hard-working, well-paid job and the other will be of a lower class, often middle class or working class. This is shown in Pretty Woman when Edward has a high paid job. This is evident through the mise en siene, the main setting is a grand house with a big water feature, the characters are wearing suits or posh dresses (if the characters are female). Edwards status is also refelcted in the cars that he drives, many of the cars are sports cars and at one point there is reference to a limo. However, the other main character in this film is Vivian. Vivian works at night in the backstreets of the rougher areas of Hollywood. We see her walking out on to the corridor of the block of flats she is living in. On seeing her landlord she realises she hasn't paid her rent. This could also imply that Vivian isn't selling her body out of choice but simply because she does not have a high-paid job.
The music used in the opening scenes is often reflected on the genre of the film. For example, there is often slow, classical music to tell the audience that there is an atomsphere of romance
ThrillersThis is the genre that is there to make people think, there's is often a sense of mystery in these films. Often in thriller films, they over lap a variety of different sub-genres as well. Quick cuts between scenes rapid movement of camera angles is shown particularly in the opening credits of a thriller movie, this is to pick up the pace of what is about to happen in the actual film. The pace of the music reflects on the pace of the film, for example fast, upbeat music usually has a lot of action in the film at a faster pace, often set over the space of one day. However, slow music to a thriller usually means that there is a slower pace to the film and generally takes place over several days. A thriller film is designed to thrill and has no intention of scaring the audience at all.
A thriller is often told from the perspective of the antagonist (the bad guy) of the film. A thriller often tells the story of how the "bad guy" came to be in his current situation, which is often in some sort of trouble with the police. There is generally a lot of law enforcement used in thrillers for example, the police, scenes set in court, judges and prison cells.
Examples of thrillers are:- Se7en
- Resevoir Dogs
- Pulp Fiction
Horrors
Horrors at the types of films that are created to intentionally scare it's viewer person. There is usually a main criminal and his victims are usually a group of people, often people that know each other. For example in House of Wax, the victims are a bunch of high school students on their way to a football game and the murderers are a trio of brothers who were abused as children. Often in a horror film, the murderer has some sort of mental trauma and things that it's only fair that other's were treated how he/she was once upon a time. However, in some films like Silence of the Lambs, the main character is a psychotic cannibal with now reasoning for his actions. Often the music in a horror is eerie and often played on the piano where several minor chords are evident in the audio. The music used is composed to send chills down the audience's spine and to make them feel like they aren't at ease. There is often a lot of blood and violence in these films with the people being killed in the most unhumane ways.
Examples of Horror films include:
- The Grudge
- Halloween
- The Omen
For my research, I decided to analyse the following films;
- Bridget Jones' Diary
- When Harry Met Sally
- Love Actually
- The Birds
These are my findings:
Bridget Jones' Diary:
The opening credits of this film is set in the flat of the title character, Bridget Jones. We see her lying on a settee watching Fraser. Whilst watching the television, we see her lying in her pyjama's and smoking a cigarette. This could imply to the viewer that Bridget Jones is feeling sorry for herself, with non-diagetic sounds, All By Myself, playing in the background, we automatically assume that Bridget is single and doesn't want to be. Another reason she may be feeling sorry for herself could be that she has recently broken up with her partner. Bridget is also drinking wine, this is often classed as the typical drink that a man and woman would drink whilst on a date and/or a drink that a woman would drink whilst getting over a loved one.
Throughout this scene, the credits that we see are written in a light pink colour with curved joined up font. This sets the genre of a romantic comedy. In this scene, the only diagetic sound we hear is when Bridget presses a button on her answer machine and hears "no new messages" this implies to the audience that she may have been expecting a phone call from someone important.
In the duration on this scene, the lighting is quite dim, this reflects on the mood that has been conveyed to the audience. The dim lights add to the idea of romance but also, when a person is depressed they tend to sit in the dark. Bridget wears red throughout the opening sequence of this film. This also reflects the theme of romance as red is categorised as the colour of love.
When Harry Met Sally:
This film begins with a black screen and white writing in a big, bold font. There is jazz music being played in the background, this could imply that the characters are of a higher status and/or are of upper class. This screen then fades out and we see an elderly couple sitting on a vintage style settee. They then begin to tell the story of how and where they met. They could either be telling a younger relative about how they met or just generally informing the audience. This convention could have been used so as the audience can recognise that the genre of this film is a romantic comedy. This scene then cuts to a close up of a young couple kissing with non-diagetic sound of a slow romantic ballard playing in the background. From this, the audience could read into it in two ways; that this is the story of how the couple met, or, that love is an emotion felt from anyone of any age. There is panning of 'Sally' driving down a road, it ends with a medium close up of the car. This could reflect on the character's status in the film, as she is the first main character to be seen and she her name is mentioned in the title of the film. Sally's friend then introduces her to her boyfriend, Harry. This occurs by the use of cutting the scenes without it fading. They then drive off in Sally's car, this indicates to the audience that something big is going to happen because Harry has just met Sally.
Love Actually:
The opening credits of this film begin at an airport in London, Heathrow, and the use of panning follows a girl running up to her partner and hugging them, this is shown through a medium long shot. This occurs frequently during the opening credits and soft, gentle piano music is played at throughout. Whilst this is happening, the narrator uses non-diagetic sound over the scene that is being acted out. The narrator says "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrival's gate at Heathrow Airport." This gives the the audience an optimistic view on the way society is. The narrator states "When the planes hit the twin towers......they were messages of love". By using the word "love", the audience can imediately tell that they are watching a romantic comedy.
This particular romantic comedy breaks the standard conventions of a romantic comedy as it doesn't follow the regular pattern of a seeing the male characters point of view, and then the female's as well as seeing a meeting place in the middle. Reasons for breaking the conventions could be; it's something different for an audience to see, it was an original idea, there hasn't been a film like this before. The narrator puts forward the idea that through all hatred comes love. This is emphasised at the end of the credits when the word "is" is highlighted in red, symbolising that his statement is a fact. Then the word "love" is also highlighted, telling the audience that the film is going to be a romantic comedy.
The Birds:
The opening credits of this film has birds, possibly crows (to symbolise evil), flying backwards and forward across the screen on a white background. This could indicate to the audience that th film is a thriller because the black and white contrast and could represent good and evil which is a typical feature of thriller films. The font of the writing is big, black and bold, this is one of the most common fonts used in thriller films as it is formal and most thrillers are about undergoing an investigation and therefore, needs to be taken seriously. As more credits appear on the screen, the birds begin to fly faster, reflecting on the pace of the actual film. As the birds fly past the writing, it fades, this could symbolise that there are more pieces fitting together which could, in turn, represent crime solving in the film that the audience is about to see.
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