Evaluation Presentation

Media Studies Evaluation on Prezi

Pictures from night of filming 3

The mixture in the bowl that I used for blood in this scene is made up of tomato ketchup, flour and vinegar, original... :)

Pictures from night of filming 2

Pictures from night of filming 1

Directions and Shot List

(Wide panning shot, from almost behind the hedge to )

Man comes out of a house holding what looks like a folded up rug. He puts the rug down in order to close the front door. As he does this we can see it takes considerable effort to get the rug off his shoulder, giving the viewer a clue that there may be something or someone hidden in it. The panning shot begins, following the man slowly as he walks across to a car parked on the far side of the drive.

(Medium/close-up)

When he reaches the car and opens the boot, the wide pan cuts to a medium close up from the inside of the boot of the car, looking up at the suspicious man. He pauses and looks down at what we can now assume is a body because of the bloodstains on his face.

(Panning shot)

This shot follows the man as he closes the boot till when he gets in the car.

(Close up from outside the windscreen of the car and from the passenger seat) These next two shots will run in conjunction as the man sits in the drivers seat. One camera will film from the outside of the car looking in on the man, and the other will film close-up from inside the car perhaps from the passenger seat. The man looks contemplative and almost regretful, he then receives a phone call from which we can assume to be his boss. He chats casually to this man conveying that whatever has been asked of him has been done.

(Medium Shot)

The last shot of the scene is of the car as it pulls away.

Shooting Schedule

Date/Time	Scene	Equipment	Notes
April 6th	Parked Car Scene	2 cameras electrical tape Car
April 7th	Parked Car/house	2 Cameras Electrical tape Knife Car
April 14th	Dumping Body	1 camera Rug Car Spade
April 20th	Dumping Body	“            “
April 21st	Dumping Body/ end of film	“             “

Target Audience

For films such as Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas and Harry Brown, curiosity and intrigue around the content of the films, stems from the modern audiences need for insight into the macabre and dangerous world of the proffesional criminal.This escapism is matched by the similarities shown for example in Pulp Fiction with normal everyday people, this countertypical representation of organised criminality is refreshing and attractive for the audience, and made this particular film a resounding success. Goodfellas displays another equally attractive presentation of the gangster lifestyle, by documenting the life of an authentic crook called Henry Hill. This adds reality to the peice, and instantly shocks the audience, as all content in this film in believed to be historically accurate. This is also the case to an extent with Harry Brown, that portrays a real London council estate and the dangerous inhabitants. The harsh reality of the gang-run estate is horrifying to the viewers but at the same evokes a morbid curiosity. The target audience for films such as these is very wide, and can be relevant and entertaining for absolutely all ages. This is because despite developments in society, crime and particularly organised crime, is viewed with the same mystique  and awe as it was during its peak. Therefore the target audience has relatively no boundaries apart from the minimum age should be 15-18. And although many will take an interest in these films, the audience will naturally be more male, as the type of action, majority of the characters and narrative are all designed for a more masculine audience, and women will find it hard to relate to.

Initial Ideas for my Opening scene project

Whilst studying and analysing films such as "Pulp Fiction", "Goodellas" and "Harry Brown" I have been inspired to create a film in the same Gangster style and genre. What strikes me particularly about "Pulp Fiction" is the way in which casual conversation is used to comedic effect. The content of the conversation clearly gives them away as career criminals, but their calm nature and measured approach to the planning of the robbery is counter typical of the stereotypical criminal/gangster. This makes the characters intriguing and funny to the viewer and sets a precedent for the rest of the film. I will try and replicate this use of dialogue and acting in my film for this same effect, in order to bring an element of comedy to an otherwise serious and quite dark film opening. Whilst drawing inspiration from Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas represents the darker, more unforgiving side of the gangster world, one where the use of knives and guns as a means of protection or indeed persuasion is commonplace. In order to incorporate this into my film, I will use minimal lighting and dark incriminating costumes for the actors, to create an imposing atmosphere for the action to take place in.
The rough idea for the plot so far is that two first time gangsters have just killed someone, but have no idea how or where to discard the body. A discussion follows and using their knowledge of gangster movies, they eventually come up with a solution. I am currently in the process of scriptwriting for this peice, this will be posted as soon as it is finalised.

Storyboards for my Film

Textual Analysis Presentation

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Harry Brown Opening Scene Analysis

This is the opening scene of Harry Brown; this film clip is relevant to my research as it is of a similar genre and style. The film opens with footage shot from a camera phone of some boys in the underpass of an estate, forcing another younger looking boy to undertake a gang initiation, which involves smoking drugs and holding a gun. This instantly gives the viewer information about the characters and types of people that will get involved with Harry Brown, whom we already know is an elderly, peaceful old man, thus setting the tone in a foreboding style.

After beginning the clip in this way, the truly criminal and chaotic nature of the estate is revealed when the same boy who was smoking drugs in the first scene is shown riding on the back of a moped whilst a friend steers it, both are quite obviously still under the influence of drugs. The camera is close up and wobbling right in front of the boys faces and cuts between them as the moped journey through the estate continues, these blurry wobbly close-ups show their insane expressions, which are mix between ecstatic laughter and great anger. After they come down from the apartments of the estate, the boy on the back gets a gun out and whilst still going at speed starts firing it across a park. The camera shots are still shaky and blurry, almost as if one the culprits are holding it whilst on the moped. The most shocking part of this clip is at the end when the two boys notice a woman walking her baby in a pram, they begin shooting in her direction despite the presence of the baby, and after a short burst of fire the boy on the back shoots her in the head which kills her. The boys on the moped then attempt a getaway across a busy London road, but are run over by an oncoming a lorry.

The setting within this clip is used very effectively, as it shows the reality of the surroundings we presume the main character will inhabit. The unsafe, un-predictable environment creates tension for the viewer immediately, causing us as audience to instantly empathize with the dead woman, and any other innocent residents of the estate. The camera phone footage adds a juvenile element to the scene, and shows how casual these men/boys are towards crime, violence, and drug use. This is an attitude that would shock and disgust most viewers, as the violently provocative image of the mother being shot in the park is a result of this attitude.

The costume is typical of the type of area it depicts. At the start of the scene all the characters wear black hooded tracksuits, and some cover their faces with bandanas and hat, this style also carries on to the moped scene. This is typically representative of the street gangster, all extrovert and loud attempting to intimidate and pressurize. The way that the first scene is lit also adds to the intimidating atmosphere the characters in shot create. The lighting is dark, and shadow like, but suitable to the scene, because these street thugs would be looking to conceal their criminal activities and identities.

Finally there is minimal sound used in the clip, as the only noise heard is dialogue from the characters, nearby traffic noise or sound from the moped.

Goodfellas Opening Scene (watch up to 2:08)

Pulp Fiction Opening Scene

Goodfellas Opening Scene Analysis

The film “Goodfellas” was released in 1990, and directed by renowned Italian American director Martin Scorsese. The narrative follows the main character Henry from his late teens, building up to his career as a professional criminal associated with the mafia. The opening scene is a harrowing and graphic example of the casual violence that surrounds Henry. The disturbing reality depicted in this opening scene has what has made it particularly iconic in the Gangster genre of film.

The first shot of the film is of a black background with the credits. Minimal wording appears on the screen, and the words quickly slide across the screen from the right in a large white font. The word that has just slid across the screen then reappears in a smaller white font, and stays still until it is replaced by the next larger word sliding across. The sound, that goes with the word transitions is presumably diegetic traffic noise, and gives the viewer an idea of the setting. The final sentence that the audience see on this background is “This film is based on a true story” this is used to get the viewer instantly believing of the story and the characters portrayed within it.

The first opening shot containing real images is the tracking shot of the car driving down the road in the darkness. The shot instantly promotes a foreboding atmosphere that is consistent with the gangster image. This shot pans left and comes alongside the car, giving the viewers the impression that we are following the car, and that the characters inside the car are perhaps key to the story.

When the audience eventually sees inside the car there is a medium close up of the driver, although we can see two other men in the car. The focus on the driver gives the audience a subtle hint that he could be the main character. The next shot of note in the scene is when the men get out of the car to investigate the noise in the boot. The shot is a low angle of the characters in side profile, for the viewers looking up at them, it shows the characters have an authoritative and controlling air about them, which makes them more believable as gangsters.

There is then the gradual close up to the boot of the car; the camera zooms in to the source of the noise like a person reluctantly going to open it. This cuts to a medium shot of all three of the men that gradually zooms in on the two holding weapons, who obviously getting ready for a confrontation. The man holding the shovel nods to the character who is out of shot, then the camera pans round to focus in on the un-armed man to reveal the contents of the car. The camera moves slowly again here to convey the trepidation that all of the men are feeling towards having to deal with whatever is making the noise in the back of the car. Also from an audiences point of view this creates anticipation through the build of tension. The scene ends with a still of who we can assume to be the main character, slamming the boot shut in time with a song from a typical 50s Italian American singer Tony Bennett. This is appropriate as the 50’s is a time in history, often thought of as the peak of the American Mafia’s powers. The song is also contemporary to the setting of the next scene.

The editing throughout this scene maintains a slow pace, to ensure the build up of tension. However, the level of tension that the audience may feel as the scene develops is not matched by the characters involved, as they remain stony faced and uncaring throughout. The type of shots used also effect the time between cuts, as the panning shots, tracking shots and shots that slowly zoom in from medium to a close up, prolong the time that the audience has to wait to find out what is making noise in the boot. The editing during the kill follows the same slow pattern to expose the audience to the brutal realism of the world that the characters inhabit.

The costume and general style used in this scene is typical of the Gangster genre. All three characters swear crisp neat suits, and have hair that has been combed back in a style dating from around the fifties. Other iconic films such as “The Godfather” and “Scarface” support this smart wealthy image of Italian mafia gangsters. The lighting and setting, aside from the smart suits and haircuts, supports the secretive nature of the events that are taking place. The lighting is minimal, with only the car headlights to light the murder scene, and presumably streetlamps that light up the inside of the car at points. The lighting is deliberately dark because as I have said, the characters are trying to hide their criminal activities and do not want to be seen. However, use of a torch by the men or any other lighting device would have an inappropriate and unrealistic prop given the circumstances. The weapon props however are realistic and are used to define the brutality and the ruthlessness of criminals of that level. The carving knife, the shovel and the gun all appear in this scene to show that whatever is in making noise in the boot will die very painfully, thus the trepidation in the camera work.

Pulp Fiction Opening scene analysis

Pulp Fiction is a deliberately counter-typical Gangster/Comedy film from 1994.

The plot involves 12 main characters and follows three separate story lines that intertwine at various key points throughout the film. As my task for this project is to create a film opening, for part of my research I am now going to break down and analyze what makes the opening scene of pulp fiction, a successful and effective one.

The first shot of the film is a still shot of the dictionary meaning of the word pulp. There are two meanings but it is clear to the viewer that the second is relevant and immediately gives an indication of what is to follow in the film. This shot fades in and out; I believe this is because Tarantino wanted the meaning of this word from the title to stick in the viewer’s minds throughout the film. There is no sound during this shot, which also makes the viewer concentrate more on the words on screen.

This cuts to a medium shot of a man and a woman sitting at a table in the restaurant. The two characters in the scene have conflicting characterizations, the man’s slovenly posture, and the fact that he smokes, and his foul language suggests a rebellious nature. The woman in contrast sits up straight in her seat and has a happy and bouncy character. The shot is highly lit due for authenticity, because of the restaurant setting. And the only sound used is diegetic, such as background conversation, traffic noise and quiet music from the restaurant. This sound is used to give the viewer the viewer the indication they are in a busy environment, despite for the time being only being shown this single booth of the restaurant. When we first see the couple due to the costume and the very mundane setting, they appear to be a normal everyday couple. However, this is only a reuse to cover up their true identities, as the dialogue reveals them to be professional criminals. This reuse is deliberately used by Tarantino to counteract the conventions of the Gangster/crime-thriller genre.

Despite their incriminating conversation the next shot is a close-up of the waitress who comes to serve them more coffee, to add to the element of normality the waitress seems happy to serve them. This cuts to match on action shot of the waitress pouring the coffee, and the woman on the table gratefully accepting it, acting in a polite and civil manner towards the waitress. This short exchange again counter-acts the audience’s expectations of the woman’s behavior to others, taking into account she is a criminal.

The next series of shots uses the shot-reverse shot editing technique. These shots cut between an over the shoulder shot of the man talking, and a close up of the woman who doesn’t talk, but shows an animated interest in what she is saying.

During this part of the scene the couple again further themselves from normality, as although they talk together like a normal couple, the subject matter of the conversation is a theft and armed robbery. This series of shots carries on as the man explains more about his intentions; this provokes the woman to become yet more animated. The lighting and diegetic sound remain the same, suggesting a relaxed and laid-back surrounding environment, again in complete contrast to what the couple is talking about. This relaxed atmosphere forces the viewer to a standpoint of disbelief that they aren’t actually going to carry out this plan, morbid curiosity just keeps us interested as to his methods.

Soon after the man suggests actually robbing the restaurant they are sat in. This immediately alarms the audience and disrupts the calm that the setting and sounds has created. In this shot the camera moves and zooms in simultaneously, this is done to show an increased interest in the man, as the conversation has escalated from a possible robbery, to robbing the restaurant they are currently sat in.

After this succession of shots the couple are now getting ready to rob the restaurant, the woman’s character has changed from a calm happiness to an almost sexual enjoyment of the idea of robbing the diner. There is a match on action shot of the man slamming a gun down on the table, this says to the audience that they are serious and have the means to carry out this robbery.

Before they get up to initiate the robbery the man says to the woman “I love you honey bunny” a corny and stereotypical nickname for a romantic partner, again going against the conventions of the gangster film genre, after this there is a close up of the two of them as they kiss.

Starting the robbery the man stands up on top of his chair and waves his gun in the air, the camera pans up with him as the focus of the shot as the woman turns away from the camera. At climax of this opening scene all the ideas and preconceptions the audience has of the woman are dismissed, she jumps quickly to the same position as man, and gesturing with gun start shouting and swearing at the people in there telling them that she is going to execute them. The shot used during this is a medium shot, containing both the characters waving their guns in the same direction, with the woman closer than the man, suggesting her dominant involvement in the robbery. This restaurant sequence, and opening scene ends with a freeze frame of the woman and the man pointing their guns to the left as the credits appear on the screen. At this point non-diegetic sound is heard for the first time, in the form of the theme tune of the film.