Week 1 - Research
Profile the common conventions of the following film genres.
HORROR
ACTION
ROMANCE
COMEDY
DRAMA
SCI-FI
FANTASY
HORROR
ACTION
ROMANCE
COMEDY
DRAMA
SCI-FI
FANTASY
HORROR
In this Horror movie (Blair Witch) there are many conventions which are within. Mise en scene, in this trailer we see that it is mostly set in a forest and throughout the trailer we mostly see low key lighting as well as natural lighting we see that in the trailer the characters are wearing hiking gear or traveling gear as they are going across a dark and mysterious forest. We see a lot of negative NVC's because the characters are frightened and shocked. Camera movements, we see that the movie will be seen in first person as it is filmed using a handheld camera making it more realistic and scary towards the audience. The camera movements are very shaky due to the handheld technique. The camera angles would primarily be how a person looks around during certain events and this could be tracking , zoom and panning as a person might do these things as he is recording something. Sound techniques. For the sound there is mostly diegetic so whatever the characters hear we also hear. The shot lengths would be mostly long takes but there could also be a number of short takes depending on the scene and what the character is doing at the time. Characters/ stereotypes, in the movie we see a clear representation of an antagonist and a protagonist the protagonist being the leading character who wants to go into the forest and the antagonists being one or two other people who do not want to go in and start causing trouble. There are some stock characters in this movie as the main character is seen as a leader etc. Stock situations, in this movie there are many chain of events that the characters encounter and within each one it gets worse and worse for them. Some of these conventions can be linked to other movie genres like action for example (afflicted) which also uses handheld camera throughout the movie and also has stock situations.
COMEDY
Mise en scene - In this trailer and movie we see that the location or the movie is quite random as it moves around and this can be linked to many other genres like action, comedy, romance, and sci -fi. The NVc's can be seen as schocking/ frightend and this could be linked to the NVC's of a Horror movie genre. This movie contains high key lighting as well as some low key and artificial and natural lighting. most of these lighting effects are used in many other open world movies. Camera techniques - in this movie we see many different camera techniques like handheld camera, zoom, tracking and panning . Sound techniques - this movie has both diegetic and non diegetic sounds and this is used in many other movie genres there is a sound track in a part of movie which enhances the action scene but the characters dont hear it and there is music which the characters hear. Editing techniques - action movies can consist of both short and long takes which are also used in other movie genres. Character stereotypes - this movie contains protagonists, antagonists and stock characters. Stock situations - this movie has a number of events the characters encounter and this can be linked to every movie genre.
Fantasy
This movie's mise en scene is very randomized as each category has a lot of elements, there are lot of different NVC's, locations , lighting and props . Camera techniques - this movie consists of many different camera techniques in terms of angles and movements for example it has close up long shots, wide angles establishing shots over the shoulder, panning dolly, tracking, mid shots and much more. all these techniques are used in many other movie genres like comedies, Sound techniques - the movies mainly has non diegetic sound when it comes to soundtracks but when it comes to sound effects then it would be diegetic. Editing techniques are used in this movie and are both long and short takes to simulate the certain scene(s) Character stereotypes - the movies mainly has protagonists within. and this can be linked to other types of movie genres like
ACTION
Mise en scene - for action movies there are a lot of elements to the making, the locations in the action movies change a lot but are mostly in a city and the same could be said for other movie genres like romances . The lighting would consist of everything, low key, high key, natural lighting, and artificial. The NVC's would be quite aggressive as the characters in the movies would be fighting or being beaten up and the facial expressions would be negative, this could be connected to drama movies for this part. Camera techniques - In action movies there are a lot of different camera angles/tech/movements for example there would be close ups, mid shots, long shots, establishing shots and many more because in action movies the audience need to know what is happening and where. Character stereotypes, for this particular action movie there are not any stereotypes in terms of antagonists and protagonists but there are in other action movies like 'batman the dark knight rises'. Stock situations - action movies contain a lot of chain of events in which the characters experience and the same can be said for many other film genres like comedies and dramas. In action movies there would be a lot of quick cuts and only a few long cuts due to all the action. but there could be long takes on a fight.
Romance
Mise en scene - in romantic movies we see a number of different mise en scenes, the location would be aboard the Titanic, lighting would be a mixture between low key and high key lighting and natural and artificial as many other film genres like action, The NVC's would be quite positive and sometimes negative in most romance movies. Camera techniques - romance films would have a mixture of all camera shots to keep the scenery fresh and comedies would usually do the same . Character stereotypes , in most romance movies there are not any character stereotypes and the same can be said for some action movies.Stock situations - in this particular romantic movie there are a number of chain of events and each worse creates a worse and worse outcome for the characters, this can be linked to a number of Horror movies. Editing techniques - in romances there could be a range of quick cuts and long cuts this this convention is similar to other film genres like action.
Drama
Mise en scene - in dramas we see a variety of conventions, for example in this drama movie the location would be in a city and this can be linked to most action movie conventions. the lighting could mostly be low and and other dramas could have high key mostly as well natural and artificial . The NVC's would be negative in most parts as there will be action that will be taking place within most of the scenes and the same can be said for action movies and horror. Camera techniques - in dramas there will be a lot of different camera techniques from close ups to establishing shots, whatever is needed to show the scene , Character stereotypes- in dramas there can be a list of antagonists and protagonists in this case the main character would be a so called leader and the rest of the characters within would be antagonists against him. Stock Situations . In dramas there are usually always chains of events throughout the movie and the same would be seen in actions and horrors as well. Editing techniques would be used and there would be both short and long cuts depending on the scene and in most dramas there would be more long cuts and a number of short cuts to go with.
SCI-FI
Mise en scene - in sci fi movies the mise en scene is everything, there would be a lot of different locations the characters would be going to in the film. The lighting would have all the elements, low and high key and both natural and artificial lighting. The NVC's would be quite random as in sci fi movies there could be a turn of events and the facial expressions of the characters would change and the same would be seen in other film genres like horror and romance. Camera techniques would be very specific and there would be a lot of different ones as well. close ups, mid shots , longs shots, extreme long shots, establishing shots as sci fi's could be taken place in outer space. low angles high angles, Editing techniques - sci fi movies would have both short and long takes. Character stereotypes, this sci fi would usually have not many stereotypes , they would usually include a leader and that's all there would be a number of antagonists too. Stock situations - in sci fi films there would be a lot of events that the characters encounter and the same convention would be applied to other genres like horror and certain romances like the 'titanic'.
Week 2 Narrative
Horror
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Semiotics - In most cases we would see this theory in all horror movies but in a different way in a number of horrors. For example some horror movie symbols might be weapons and in others it might just be darkness, lack of sound etc.
Narratology- In most horror movies a common convention would be disequilibrium and that would be one character dying and the rest being stalked by the killer, there are some other horrors which include equilibrium and an example of this might be 'IT' ( a bunch of kids just living their lives and a killer shows up and they have to face him.
Genre - all horror movies would have the same small elements in terms of what's in the genre , a killer , a group of friends, a bad location, protagonists, antagonists. Many of these elements cross over to many other horror movies but they are seen in a different way, the three horror movie trailers have the same elements but are shown in entirely different ways, for example the blair witch project film would have a group of friends going into a dark forest and becoming lost and stalked by something. Sinister would have a family moving into a new house which has an historic death in it and only the father knows, this would make him the protagonists and his wife an antagonists. Annabelle comes home would be set in a normal location but it wouldn't change the chain of events that would befall them.
Binary opposition - in every horror movie we come to a conclusion that it is good vs evil, living vs spirits. The blair witch movie would be a good example for evil, spirits as the forest they would be venturing in is a scary strange forest that would have paranormal things happening within. Annabelle comes home would have both good vs evil and living vs spirits as the movie is primarily focused on demons and other paranormal events.
Narratology- In most horror movies a common convention would be disequilibrium and that would be one character dying and the rest being stalked by the killer, there are some other horrors which include equilibrium and an example of this might be 'IT' ( a bunch of kids just living their lives and a killer shows up and they have to face him.
Genre - all horror movies would have the same small elements in terms of what's in the genre , a killer , a group of friends, a bad location, protagonists, antagonists. Many of these elements cross over to many other horror movies but they are seen in a different way, the three horror movie trailers have the same elements but are shown in entirely different ways, for example the blair witch project film would have a group of friends going into a dark forest and becoming lost and stalked by something. Sinister would have a family moving into a new house which has an historic death in it and only the father knows, this would make him the protagonists and his wife an antagonists. Annabelle comes home would be set in a normal location but it wouldn't change the chain of events that would befall them.
Binary opposition - in every horror movie we come to a conclusion that it is good vs evil, living vs spirits. The blair witch movie would be a good example for evil, spirits as the forest they would be venturing in is a scary strange forest that would have paranormal things happening within. Annabelle comes home would have both good vs evil and living vs spirits as the movie is primarily focused on demons and other paranormal events.
Comedy
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Semiotics - in all comedies there many symbols for comedies and they can be very random in most of them for example in the other guys movie there are is violence, action, in step brothers it might be action, bad language and for the hangover it might be adventure, action and humour.
Narratology - in comedy movies we see a range of different narratives for example the other guys would be two unliked people saving the day by going through a heap of action, step brothers would be two different people that dont see eye to eye with each other manage to become friends in this case step brothers through a number of funny chain of events and hangover would be a group of people not knowing where they are and they have to try to remember what happened to them and as they try they experience funny events throughout the way . Most of these narratives are in many other comedies as well.
Genre - in a lot of comedies we see multiple of the same elements for example there can be a group of friends who find themselves in a bad situation and try to get themselves out in a humorous way, people who dont see eye to eye with each other but through a number of funny encounters they manage to do so. Most comedies are just bad situations being solved in funny ways.
Binary opposition - in comedies we do see good vs evil and even living vs spirits, living vs spirits can be shown in many 'scary movie' (which is a parody of many films all in one film) we see all this but in a humorous way of course and this makes a comedy a comedy.
Narratology - in comedy movies we see a range of different narratives for example the other guys would be two unliked people saving the day by going through a heap of action, step brothers would be two different people that dont see eye to eye with each other manage to become friends in this case step brothers through a number of funny chain of events and hangover would be a group of people not knowing where they are and they have to try to remember what happened to them and as they try they experience funny events throughout the way . Most of these narratives are in many other comedies as well.
Genre - in a lot of comedies we see multiple of the same elements for example there can be a group of friends who find themselves in a bad situation and try to get themselves out in a humorous way, people who dont see eye to eye with each other but through a number of funny encounters they manage to do so. Most comedies are just bad situations being solved in funny ways.
Binary opposition - in comedies we do see good vs evil and even living vs spirits, living vs spirits can be shown in many 'scary movie' (which is a parody of many films all in one film) we see all this but in a humorous way of course and this makes a comedy a comedy.
ACTION
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Semiotics - many action symbols would be weapons, fights, death, victory, defeat.
Narratology - in some action movies the narratives might be that someone needs to be protected from the bad guys and the person and the character who agrees to help him/her end up in a heap of action all throughout the movie, a man wants revenge against people who have hurt him or someone close to him, a main character who is the last hope to destroy all evil goes across a dangerous adventure to do so.
Genre, in all actions movies we tend to see a lot of combat, chaos, dangerous encounters, sadness, death.
Binary opposition, in every action movie we see good vs evil, the main character being 'good' and anyone else who decides to stand against him would be 'evil'.
Narratology - in some action movies the narratives might be that someone needs to be protected from the bad guys and the person and the character who agrees to help him/her end up in a heap of action all throughout the movie, a man wants revenge against people who have hurt him or someone close to him, a main character who is the last hope to destroy all evil goes across a dangerous adventure to do so.
Genre, in all actions movies we tend to see a lot of combat, chaos, dangerous encounters, sadness, death.
Binary opposition, in every action movie we see good vs evil, the main character being 'good' and anyone else who decides to stand against him would be 'evil'.
ROMANCE
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Semiotics, in most romantics movies we see, bright colours, emotion, happy endings, sad endings, tragedy, luck,music.
Narratology - in some romantic movies we tend to see a couple breaking up and through pure luck they manage to find/see each other again, a couple who are about to experience a life threatening situation, a girl who isn't too popular and manages to be with a very popular guy.
Genre - in a lot of romantic films we see, a happy couple about to face dangerous chain of events, a couple being split apart but managing to be together at the end of the movie.
Binary opposition - In most cases we only would see good vs evil and that would be good being the main character and the evil being a man who doesnt treat his significant other good and the woman would happen to be the main characters 'love'.
Narratology - in some romantic movies we tend to see a couple breaking up and through pure luck they manage to find/see each other again, a couple who are about to experience a life threatening situation, a girl who isn't too popular and manages to be with a very popular guy.
Genre - in a lot of romantic films we see, a happy couple about to face dangerous chain of events, a couple being split apart but managing to be together at the end of the movie.
Binary opposition - In most cases we only would see good vs evil and that would be good being the main character and the evil being a man who doesnt treat his significant other good and the woman would happen to be the main characters 'love'.
DRAMA
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Semiotics - action, unfortunate events, bright colours, dark colours, emotion.
Narratology - some dramas might include a character who isn't known to everyone but has a very special talent, someone who looks differently compared to everyone else and gets bullied for it.
Genre - 12 years a slave for example we see a free man become a slave and watch his life during him being a slave and in the end he manages to become free again, good will hunting we see a kid who only has a couple friends and is very smart but has some issues because of his past, wonder we see a kid who has a different look compared to everyone else and he gets bullied because of it and he tries to fight it off however he can.
Binary opposition - in dramas we would mostly see good vs evil.
Narratology - some dramas might include a character who isn't known to everyone but has a very special talent, someone who looks differently compared to everyone else and gets bullied for it.
Genre - 12 years a slave for example we see a free man become a slave and watch his life during him being a slave and in the end he manages to become free again, good will hunting we see a kid who only has a couple friends and is very smart but has some issues because of his past, wonder we see a kid who has a different look compared to everyone else and he gets bullied because of it and he tries to fight it off however he can.
Binary opposition - in dramas we would mostly see good vs evil.
SCI FI
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Semiotics - chaos, action, death, emotional, dark/bright colours.
Narratology - in the martian we see a man who gets stuck on mars and has to survive till he gates rescued, in avatar we see a man falling in love with someone in the enemy side and turns against his own, in transformers we an evil villain trying to destroy the world and the main character would be the only hope to stop her.
Genre - in most sci fi movies we see a happy ending through a lot of chaos and action, we sometimes see a cliffhanger which would lead to the sequel.
Binary opposition - in all sci fi's we see good vs evil as that as what the main plot of the movies tend to be.
Narratology - in the martian we see a man who gets stuck on mars and has to survive till he gates rescued, in avatar we see a man falling in love with someone in the enemy side and turns against his own, in transformers we an evil villain trying to destroy the world and the main character would be the only hope to stop her.
Genre - in most sci fi movies we see a happy ending through a lot of chaos and action, we sometimes see a cliffhanger which would lead to the sequel.
Binary opposition - in all sci fi's we see good vs evil as that as what the main plot of the movies tend to be.
FANTASY
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Semiotics - light/dark colours, action, tragedy, death, defeat, victory, war.
Narratology - in aqua-man we see the main character secretly being the heir to his home throne and he goes through a lot of chaos to reclaim what is his, thor ragnarok, the main character realizes that he has a sister and she wants to kill everyone, he has to do whatever he can to try and stop her no matter the cost, the hobbit, an innocent being is picked as a member for an adventure, he accepts and the adventure turns out to be very dangerous and life threatening.
Genre - in some fantasies we would either see the main character who happens to be very important but does not know it and he goes through a lot of chaos because of it, the main character having to face the burden of killing a family member in order to save everyone else and or an everyday individual embarks on a big, dangerous adventure and manages to make friends with someone who doesn't trust him.
Binary opposition - in all fantasies we would see good vs evil.
Narratology - in aqua-man we see the main character secretly being the heir to his home throne and he goes through a lot of chaos to reclaim what is his, thor ragnarok, the main character realizes that he has a sister and she wants to kill everyone, he has to do whatever he can to try and stop her no matter the cost, the hobbit, an innocent being is picked as a member for an adventure, he accepts and the adventure turns out to be very dangerous and life threatening.
Genre - in some fantasies we would either see the main character who happens to be very important but does not know it and he goes through a lot of chaos because of it, the main character having to face the burden of killing a family member in order to save everyone else and or an everyday individual embarks on a big, dangerous adventure and manages to make friends with someone who doesn't trust him.
Binary opposition - in all fantasies we would see good vs evil.
VIDEO ANALYSES
Mise en scene - in this short film we see that it is set in a house which we usually do see in most horror movies, the lighting would be artificial as it is filmed inside the house. Camera techniques - we would see a range of camera techniques which help build up the tension when it comes to horror movies and more so when it comes to a scary scene, we see low angles high angles, close ups , medium shots and birds eye view ( looking down the stairs as the kid moves). The close ups played a huge factor in the film as it helps show how scary the 'smiling man' looks like and we see the child's reaction. Sound techniques - the audience will be able to hear strange music in the background which is mostly diegetic. This weird trombone like soundtrack makes the build up more terrifying.
Editing techniques - in this short film we see a lot of quick cuts and this helps the audience see everything as the camera mainly switches to everything that's important in the current scene. Character/stereotypes - In this short movie we only see two characters, the 'smiling man' and the 'little girl' the girl being an innocent person at the time of the movie and the smiling man being the main ' creature' which is very evil and this links to binary opposition - good vs evil. Stock situations - In this particular horror we see two types of events. 1 being the girl noticing the balloons and following them as the scenes intensify and when the girl meets the 'smiling man' where we would kind of see a cliffhanger as we do not know what the smiling man did or do to the little girl. Semiotics in this horror and in most horrors would be - dark lighting/ bright lighting , tense background music, no music at all, silence, many types of camera angles, cliffhangers, death . Narratology - In this Horror we see the little girl casually watching tv then decides to leave the room and sees a balloon just planted outside the room so she decides to follow them down the stairs until she is greeted by the ' smiling man' as he is covering himself with her mother's blood, as this weird encounter between the two characters goes on the 'smiling man eventually reveals the body of the Childs mother and this kinda leads into a cliffhanger. A lot of horror movies have a similar plot, a person being lured into a mysterious encounter/event. Structuralism - In most horrors the characters do everything the audience dont want them to do and this creates a continuous loop of tension in all horror movies as the audience know that something is about to happen but they dont know when.
Genre - In most horrors we would be seeing the main character being stalked by the killer or any character for that matter, we would see a person doing any everyday activities in his/her house and there's secretly a killer or monster in their house or living there secretly. This is very generic for the audience but its still keeps them interested, same scenario or not the different types of edits that make up a horror movie always stay the same of change and in the end it creates a big tension event as they are watching the horror.
Editing techniques - in this short film we see a lot of quick cuts and this helps the audience see everything as the camera mainly switches to everything that's important in the current scene. Character/stereotypes - In this short movie we only see two characters, the 'smiling man' and the 'little girl' the girl being an innocent person at the time of the movie and the smiling man being the main ' creature' which is very evil and this links to binary opposition - good vs evil. Stock situations - In this particular horror we see two types of events. 1 being the girl noticing the balloons and following them as the scenes intensify and when the girl meets the 'smiling man' where we would kind of see a cliffhanger as we do not know what the smiling man did or do to the little girl. Semiotics in this horror and in most horrors would be - dark lighting/ bright lighting , tense background music, no music at all, silence, many types of camera angles, cliffhangers, death . Narratology - In this Horror we see the little girl casually watching tv then decides to leave the room and sees a balloon just planted outside the room so she decides to follow them down the stairs until she is greeted by the ' smiling man' as he is covering himself with her mother's blood, as this weird encounter between the two characters goes on the 'smiling man eventually reveals the body of the Childs mother and this kinda leads into a cliffhanger. A lot of horror movies have a similar plot, a person being lured into a mysterious encounter/event. Structuralism - In most horrors the characters do everything the audience dont want them to do and this creates a continuous loop of tension in all horror movies as the audience know that something is about to happen but they dont know when.
Genre - In most horrors we would be seeing the main character being stalked by the killer or any character for that matter, we would see a person doing any everyday activities in his/her house and there's secretly a killer or monster in their house or living there secretly. This is very generic for the audience but its still keeps them interested, same scenario or not the different types of edits that make up a horror movie always stay the same of change and in the end it creates a big tension event as they are watching the horror.
Comedy short film
Mise en scene - in this short comedy film we see the main location being set in an elevator at the lighting would be mostly artificial as it is indoors. Camera techniques - mostly see mid shots to close ups as the film prioritises on the reactions of the main character who manages to be in the crowded elevator. The close ups help the audience see the reactions or facial expressions of each member within the elevator and in some cases the expressions tend to be funny in a way and that enables the audience to enjoy the film with laughter. Editing techniques, we tend to see quick cuts in this particular short film as it keeps the entertainment at max with the mise en scene. We would see the camera cutting to the main character and then the elevator opening up and there being a decent number of people getting on. As the elevator gets more and more crowded we see all the different facial expressions od many different types of people in the elevator and the awkwardness can seem amusing to the audience when it comes to comedy movies . Character/ stereotypes - In this film we see a range of characters, many of them do not have a big role in the movie they are just their to create the scene. There is a scene where the main character sees a 'fat' person coming towards the elevator when the elevator has reached 1 pound more than its limit which creates a sense of humour towards the audience as the limit is 2000 pounds and the elevator is 2001 that small number creates a humorous situation, And the fat man being a stereotype as the main character sees him and decides to get of the elevator because he thinks that the elevator will break . Stock situations - In this short film we see a number of situations 1 would be the weight limit being exceeded 2 being the 'fat person' trying to get on the elevator and 3 being the main character being in an elevator with a bunch of infected people. Semiotics - close ups, high key lighting, soundtrack music, no music to create an awkward situation, stereotypes. Narratology - in most comedies we would tend to see the main character being put through a course of awkward,funny situations. Structuralism - in most comedies we would see the main character being embarrassed by everyone, being put in a funny situation every event that would happen the protagonists would be created in a humorous way to appeal to the audience as much as possible. Genre - in some cases we might see where the hero and heroine are destined to be together, but something is preventing them from doing so. Over the course of the story, whatever is keeping them apart is removed from the equation, usually after a great deal of increasing confusion and miscommunication, which usually results in mass hilarity. In the end, the confusion is cleared up, the bad guy is punished, and everyone gets married. or where the main character sets out on a certain mission and experiences many funny encounters in many funny ways to enable the audience to keep watching.