Final OTS - WINNER DIES (Reuploaded)

Winner Dies Film Noir OTS from Abbie Hampson on Vimeo.

Reflective comments:

We had to reedit and reupload due to one of our group noticing some background noise at 0:06. It was unmissable on Vimeo however slightly disguised on iMovie, which is how we missed the mistake in the first place. However now we have noticed it, we have tried our best to edit so you can no longer hear the background noise.

Technical: Evidence: editing

Reflective comments


We have used iMovie before, and we understand how to edit footage and add music. This made the whole process a lot easier for us, as we did not have to spend time learning how to use the programme.

Technical: Evaluation on Prezi

Evaluation on Prezi

Technical: Evidence: creating the right lighting effect

Reflective comments:


We needed to experiment with lighting for our OTS to create the right look. We tried a number of different lights, in different places, and eventually chose one. This ended up being quite successful.

Planning: Evidence: props

Reflective comments:

In the beginning of our OTS, we needed to use a rocking chair for the doll to sit on. Fortunately, our school could provide this for us and it was available for our use. We also needed a doll to use, and a member of our group had the doll (pictured above) which we could use. These props were quite easy to acquire and were no trouble to get hold of.

Planning: Evidence: writing a script

Reflective comments


Here is photographic evidence of the script we had started to write. This was so we knew of the dialogue and stage directions in our script, and therefore we could work quickly and effectively.

Critical theory: Gender stereotypes

Normally in conventional film noirs, the women (femme fatale) are seen as:

• manipulative
• insistent
• alluring
• dangerous
• powerful

Men (anti-hero) are usually seen as:

• easily manipulated
• led into a life of crime by the femme fatale
• easily persuaded
• eager to do anything for a woman
• usually naive

This is very typical in a film noir and the conventions for these are the typical key character types in many film noirs. In our film noir, we do not have an anti-hero character. However in typical film noirs, it seems that the anti-hero character could also be seen as the victim in the film. He usually gets manipulated by the woman, who has no intention of keeping her promises, therefore has some kind of an effect of a victim. In our film we have two victims. One: the young woman who dies in the present time, playing poker with the crazy woman, and the other one who is already dead, hung up on a line as her punishment. 

Our femme fatale does have some typical conventions of a usual femme fatale though, as our femme fatale is quite dangerous and powerful, and she commits a crime and gets away with it.

Focus groups audience research: Feedback

We asked for some feedback from two of the students in our class, and also our teacher.
One thing all their comments had in common was a few minor shaky parts in our filming. Although we did use a tripod for some parts of the film, there are some parts of the film done using handheld, and this is probably where the shakiness occurs. I agree with the idea that we could've improved on this by perhaps using a tripod throughout all filming.
They also commented on the fact that underneath the table of our gambling scene, there was some rubbish and things which should not have been in the frame. I also agree with this being a problem. We should've checked the scene and made sure it was all clear and looked presentable before starting our filming.
We did get positive feedback on our variety of camera shots used. We used a lot of camera shots which fit well with the conventions of film noir, making this part of our film appropriate.
The material we used in our film, such as the gambling and the flashbacks, was also conventional and we got positive feedback on that too.
According to the three people in our focus group, the lighting we used was good, however I think that there are certain scenes where our lighting could've been improved. For example during our gambling scene, I think the lighting could've been improved then.
Our continuity was considered overall good, but most of the focus group commented on the doll at the beginning of our OTS being random. We did intend for this part of the film to be mysterious, for the audience to see this as a hook and to ask questions, however perhaps we could have explained it more in the actual OTS.
The shots we used for the flashbacks were considered strong, and I agree with this.
Our sound effects matched well with the conventions and our OTS, especially at the very beginning with the creaking of the rocking chair.
If we had time, we would change the credits at the end to 'directed by' and 'produced by', and not have all the credits at the end.

Market testing: Draft Final OTS

Film noir from Abbie Hampson on Vimeo.

Planning: New storyboard

Reflective comments


We created a new storyboard with new pictures from our plan of our film. We did this so our thoughts about the film were more clear, and we could understand how we wanted the film to look and appear to the audience.

Planning: Producting meeting 03/04/12

During this production meeting we had about a week ago, we added in some music which we felt appropriate to our film noir. The music, Aubrey's Dance from the Twin Peaks soundtrack. Before deciding on this track, we listened to a variety of other music and came to a decision to choose this track.

Planning: OTS showing new planning

OTS - new version on Prezi

Planning: Production meeting

28/03/12

So far my group and I have collected all our footage for our film noir. Our progress is coming along quite smoothly and editing is going well. So far our film is approximately 1 minute 23 seconds and we are planning on adding more flashback-type scenes to our film, not only to make it longer but so the audience can get a taste of who the femme fatale has killed before.

The one thing we have not made any solid decisions on is music. We still need to decide which type of music to use (though we have a few ideas including either classical, jazz or swing music) and also how we are going to include the music in our film. We have come up with the idea of having the music coming from a radio in the gambling room, as the two women play poker.

Next, we must finish our draft edit and show it to a focus group. At first we may concentrate on showing it to teachers, then we will show it to another focus group and make a survey about it.

Construction: Animatic for our film noir

Untitled from Pip Evanson on Vimeo.

Note: This is an animatic for our previous storyboard/idea. We have since changed ideas and will upload another storyboard at a later date. The reason we changed our idea is because it was too hard and complicated to complete, and our new idea (see previous post) will hopefully work better and make more sense for our audience!

Planning: Latest meeting with my group

My group and I have decided to change a few things about our film noir and how it ends. We've realised that we cannot really make our film in the way we wanted as it's too complicated with certain shots (zooming through the window, the hanging girl) so now our basic synopsis goes like this:

The femme fatale is a woman who enjoys to play poker with other female opponents. As her good luck charm or her mascot, she carries around a doll with her. The doll is old and creepy-looking, but this is the woman's way of knowing she will win in the poker game. However on the rare occasion she does not win, she copes by brutally murdering the opponent and (sometimes) hanging her from a tree as her punishment. 

Cast:

• Abbie as femme fatale
• Pip as poker game opponent
• Olivia as detective/journalist who comes into the poker room and investigates the murder

Props:

• Poker game chips/cards
• Doll
• Rocking chair
• Dictaphone/microphone
• Pad of paper

Sound:

• Classical/jazz music playing on a radio in the background
• Dialogue through the poker game (although not much) and when journalist comes to investigate the scene
• Sound of the table being pushed over by the femme fatale
• A loud noise when the journalist is talking, causing her to look up and say "What was that?"

Reflective comments
As well as this being a simpler storyline which will be much easier to complete since we already have all the footage for it, the props are much easier for us to find and use, which will also help in us completing the film successfully. Also, due to the changing synopsis, we have also come up with a new title: 'Winner Dies', based on the part of our storyline where, if the femme fatale's opponent wins the poker game, she will lose everything by being killed.

Planning: production meeting reflective summary

We were struggling to fit our film noir into the conventions of a film noir, so instead of our original ending which included a more modernised setting of the femme fatale waking up in bed, we've decided to opt for a completely different route. In this route, the film will start the same way and will continue the same up until the credits. After the credits, instead of the modern version, text will come up which says "6 DAYS EARLIER", then we will show a poker game taking place between 3 men. One man says "We have a preposition for you". The man who says it will have his back to the camera, so the viewer cannot see his identity, therefore it is not revealed who it is.

Technical: Camera angles

 Eye level - a shot that is taken at a height of the person’s eyes being photographed. Films shot in a realistic mode would tend to use this shot...

 Canted angle -  A camera angle which is deliberately slanted to one side, sometimes used for dramatic effect to help portray unease, disorientation, frantic or desperate action, intoxication, madness, etc.

High level angle - In film, a high angle shot is usually when the camera is located above the eyeline.

Low level angle - These increase height and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene.



















Reflective comments

For our film noir we will probably use eye level shots and high level shots. This is mostly because the man staring out of the window at the girl is considered the one in charge, with the most powerful position, because he is the one who killed the girl and so he's more powerful. Also we will use eye level perhaps to show the perspective of a person - such as the man in the window or one of the men playing poker. 

Technical: Shot types

VVLS - The subject is so far away from the camera that sometimes it's difficult to see them.

VLS -The subject is still far away from the camera, but it easier to see.

LS - The subject is easily visible.

HSS - Head and shoulders are visible and take up the full frame of the shot.

 MS - From waist up is in the frame, usually filling most of the frame.

 CU - A certain feature of the subject takes up most of the frame.

ECU - focuses on one feature completely, which is the only part visible in the frame.

 OTSS - In film or video, an over the shoulder shot is a shot of someone or something taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person.

2S - a medium-range camera shot of two persons















Reflective Comments

For our film, we are more likely to use a VVLS, VLS, LS, MS, CU, ECU and OTSS. Most of these shots will be used for the girl hanging from the tree - including VVLS, VLS, LS, MS, CU and ECU. However, the man at the window will use examples of an OTSS, MS and ECU. The third section of our film is the poker game, and for this we will also use an OTSS, MS and CU for the majority of it. Practising these shots have really helped me to understand what shots might look better used in our own film noir, and what shots might not work very well.

Technical: Compulsory set continuity task

Compulsory set preliminary task from Abbie Hampson on Vimeo.

This is my continuity task. Towards the end of the task we had some trouble getting the match on action part of the task correct, as it is obvious with the piece of paper being at two different places throughout the film. Therefore it is not consistent during the entire film. However we did manage to complete successfully the other things (180 degree rule and shot/reverse shot) we had to fulfill in this task.

Critical theory: OCR mark scheme

Marking Criteria for Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media 

For this category, a mark should be awarded for the individual’s contribution to the main task only. The 

aim of the preliminary task is to allow a sense of progression and to prepare candidates for more full- 

scale production work with self-contained exercises, so the preliminary task need not have a high degree 

of ‘finish’ nor should it detract from the overall mark. However, in the event of the preliminary task not 

having been undertaken, candidates should be marked out of 60 using the criteria and then have 15 

marks deducted as a penalty.  

The mark schemes shown are generic and teachers are advised to adopt the ‘best fit’ approach. If the 

candidate has covered all the criteria effectively they should be awarded a mark towards the top of the 

level or if there are certain omissions or weaknesses, towards the bottom end. 

Level 3         36–47 marks 

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills: 

 Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task; 

 showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design; 

 showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size; 

 accurately using language and register; 

 using ICT appropriately for the task set; 

 appropriately integrating illustration and text; 

 shooting  a variety of material appropriate to the task set; 

 manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping and 

resizing. 

Level 4         48–60 marks 

There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills: 

 Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task; 

 showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design; 

 showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size; 

 accurately using language and register; 

 using ICT appropriately for the task set; 

 appropriately integrating illustration and text; 

 shooting  a variety of material appropriate to the task set; 

 manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping and 

resizing. 

Marking Criteria for the Evaluation 

Candidates will evaluate their work digitally. Where candidates have worked in a group, the evaluation 

may be presented individually or collectively but the teacher must allocate a mark according to the 

contribution/level of understanding demonstrated by the individual candidate. Each candidate should 

give a clear indication of their role in any group evaluation. 

Level 3            12–15 marks 

 Proficient skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation. 

 Proficient understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms 

and conventions in relation to production. 

 Proficient ability to refer to the choices made and outcomes.  

 Proficient understanding of their development from preliminary to full task. 

 Proficient ability to communicate. 

Level 4           16–20 marks 

 Excellent skill in the use of  appropriate digital technology or ICT in the evaluation. 

 Excellent understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms 

and conventions in relation to production. 

 Excellent ability to refer to the choices made and outcomes.  

 Excellent understanding of their development from preliminary to full task. 

 Excellent ability to communicate. 

Marking Criteria for Research and Planning 

Research and Planning must be presented in digital format. Where candidates have worked as a group, 

the research may be presented collectively, but each candidate should give a clear indication of their role 

in any group research and planning and teachers are asked to differentiate the contributions of 

individuals within the group in arriving at a mark, justifying individual marks on the assessment sheet. As 

part of the moderation sample, the moderator will expect to see full evidence of the research and 

planning informing the construction process in order to support assessment. 

Level 3          12–15 marks 

 Planning and research evidence will be complete. 

 There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target audience.  

 There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding. 

 There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. 

 Time management is good. 

 There is proficient skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation. 

 There are proficient communication skills. 

 There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning. 

Level 4         16–20 marks 

 Planning and research evidence will be complete and detailed. 

 There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.  

 There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding. 

 There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. 

 Time management is excellent. 

 There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation. 

 There are excellent communication skills. 

 There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning. 

Video 

Level 3         36–47 marks 

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills: 

 Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task; 

 using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions; 

 using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set; 

 shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to 

framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene; 

 using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of 

shot transitions and other effects. 

Level 4         48–60 marks 

There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills: 

 material appropriate for the target audience and task; 

 using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions; 

 using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set; 

 shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to 

framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene; 

 using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of 

shot transitions and other effects.  

Planning: Cast in film noir

Cast is also a very important part for our film noir. Although we only need two characters and one is in the OTS for a very small amount, he would be considered a major part in the rest of the film, which is why we're adding him into the OTS. The cast we're going to use are as follows:

• Someone to walk past in the dark room, to create a shadow only (played by Abbie, A.K.A me)
• Man (stalker) = Ivan Tilman (an actor)
• Femme fatale = Jessie Gregg 

Planning: Props we'll use for our film noir

For our film noir, we think props are going to play a big part to make the film seem more authentic. We will need:

• A rocking chair
• A doll
• Rope
• String (to pull the rocking chair back and forth without it being noticeable)
• Mannequin/dummy
• Bed (so the femme fatale can wake up in one)
• Window frame
• Alarm clock

We have also decided on the clothes/hair/make-up items we will need for our film:

• White gown
• Barefoot/slippers
• Red lipstick
• Blusher for cheeks
• Ringlets for hair (curlers)
• Dressing gown for male character (though hopefully we can create shadows well enough so the audience will not see much of the man, just his shoulder)

Planning: Setting for our film noir

For our film noir we decided to have a creepy atmosphere. For this we've chosen to use a dark room to show the man in our film. This is because we need to show the room looking out onto a green field/garden where the body is hanging, but it'll be difficult to do this completely and successfully. We also need a green field or garden where the body can be hanging from a tree.





(I got these images from Google Images to show the type of location/setting we're looking for.)

Planning: Sound in our film noir

In our film noir some of the sounds we will be including are listed below:

• Rocking chair creaking against the floor 
• Footsteps walking past the camera and the rocking chair
• Thunder and wind outside the window
• Background music
• Alarm clock sounding after main titles

Planning: Storyboard for film noir

Reflective Comments

Although this is a very rough and basic storyboard for our film noir, we decided that we do need a more detailed storyboard with many more images. This is why we have decided to create an animatic as well. However as a first draft it's clear to see how our ideas have formed and what we plan to do with our film.

(Note: We have changed the ending since, which will be uploaded along with our animatic to show the new ending.)

Planning: Titles/Fonts for film noir

In all of these DVD covers, the titles/fonts which have been used are quite similar. The titles are all to do with violence, while the covers suggest violence. Also, all the titles are similar in length - short and to the point - and the titles are usually red, with a slanted font or something which looks like it has been scribbled on. As well as this, most of the titles are against a black background.

Planning: Prezi on film noir planning

Our OTS on Prezi

Planning: Ideas for our film noir

Our group have been thinking of a few different names we could have for our film noir. Since the main focus of the OTS is when the main character opens her eyes, we thought it would be appropriate to have our film title to do with eyes. A few of the ideas we came up with include:

• 'Eyes Never Lie'
• 'Addicted Eyes'
• 'Look into My Eyes'
• 'Lord of the Eyes'
• 'Always Watching'
• 'The Eyes'

Critical theory: Micro essay on copyright issues

The dictionary definition of copyright: The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, etc.


Copyrighting issues will affect the way my group and I can work with our film in the following ways:

1. We will have to use an original soundtrack and not use any music created by anyone else, unless it is not copyrighted. This may be difficult as it means creating a piece of music by ourselves, which fits well with our film
2. We will also have to create our own sound effects using foleying - this might prove to be really difficult to do as we are not experienced with this
3. We aren't allowed to use any borrowed sound unless it's playing from TV, radio, etc.  

Using copyright works fact sheet from UK Copyright Service.

Critical theory: Micro essay on foleying

SoundWorks Collection: Gary Hecker - Veteran Foley Artist from Michael Coleman on Vimeo.

Foleying is the art of creating sound effects for a film using various types of objects etc. It's effective as the audience can hear the sound effects as they fit with the scene, and they can really imagine what is happening and know how to feel. 'Foley artists' have to make sure the effects fit with the action on screen, and they have to find the perfect object to make the sound appear real. The video above is an example of how foleying is done with an expert. He can make the sounds using the strangest objects and creates a very specific sound with them.

Critical theory: Micro essay on ambiance

The dictionary definition of "ambiance" is: atmosphere: a particular environment or surrounding influence; "there was an atmosphere of excitement".

In sound terms, this could be the creation of music/sound which fits with the atmosphere in the scene at the moment. The music will create a certain feeling for the audience - for instance happy music will tell the audience how they should feel, that they should feel happy. The same goes for sad music, it will tell the audience to feel sad about whatever is happening in the scene. If the music does not fit, it could be considered contrapunctal or asynchronous.Ambiance can also include how the audience should feel about a particular character, especially if the characeter has a sound motif.


Look Up at the Stars, Portugal! from Matthew Brown (Matty Brown) on Vimeo.

I think this particular video has sad music and it is about a boy's life ending. The music is slow and fits well with the video.



Hello, I Like You from Mixtape Club on Vimeo.

This video is about happiness, and the music really reflects that. It is upbeat and cheerful and the audience can sit and watch what is happening on the screen while knowing they are supposed to be feeling happy about it.

Critical theory: Audience theory

"National readership survey - The Grades

The classifications are based on the occupation of the head of the household"

The hypodermic needle model - The intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver

Two-step flow - The people with most access to media, and highest media literacy explain and diffuse the content to others. This is a modern version of the hypodermic needle model.

Uses and gratifications - People are not helpless victims of mass media, but use the media to get specific gratifications (Diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, surveillance)

Reception theory - The meaning of a 'text' is not inherent within the text itself but the audience must elicit meaning based on their individual cultural background and life experiences

Obstinate audience theory - This theory assumes that there is a transactional communication between the audience and the media. The audience actively selects what messages to pay attention to. The Zimmerman-Bauer study found that the audience also participates in the communication by influencing the message

Technical: Lighting

We did find our lighting experiment difficult. It was hard to try and copy the photos which we used for our inspirarion, as we could not get the right kind of lighting. However, we did try to accomplish the photos - and our end result is photos with slight shadows, but not quite as successful as the photos we were trying to mimick!

Planning: Our film synopsis

Film noir production

I'm going to be working with Pip Evanson and Olivia Shearing. I decided to work with these two girls because we've worked together before and I know they are trustworthy and we work well together as a three.

Today we started discussing our synopsis for our film noir, and we decided we'd like to make a film noir. We decided we'd like to make a really creepy film noir. Our ideas have stemmed from our (disturbed) imagination. The film will open with a suicide, and we've decided we would like to have a rocking chair rocking back and forth and creaking. The shadow of someone's shoulder will be seen in the corner of the camera and they'll be looking out of the window. The window will look out onto either the green (if we can get permission) or the woods. The camera will focus on the tree, and it will zoom towards it. The audience will see the shape of someone hanging from the tree. The person (who is dead) will swing back and forth and then the camera will zoom into the eyes of the dead girl, and then the camera will go black and the title will come up.  and come back onto her eyes when she's alive. It'll then zoom out and show her previously, when she was alive. The rest of the film will be about retelling of her life and how she is being stalked by a man who sits in a rocking chair and watches her.
The conventions we're going to meet is that it will be black and white. We're going to break the conventions of having a femme fatale and anti-hero. In the OTS, the only character which will be seen is the dead girl and the character's shoulders in the window.

• Mid-shot of rocking chair
• Pans across to show window, person moves in front of the camera and shows their left shoulder only
• Focus on what they are looking at - out the window, follows gaze and zooms through the window pane and out onto the green where the person is looking
• Zooms onto the tree where the person is staring, pans round to show the front of the tree properly and there is a dead body hanging from it
• Zooms right into the focus on her closed eyes
• Screen goes black, title appears
• Title fades and focuses once again on girl's eyes
• Eyes open, camera zooms out to focus on girl and her whole body - she is alive, everything is brighter, and she is alive once again - start the story of her life
• Screen goes black and the retelling of the story would begin here

Critical theory: Collage of Iconography for Film Noir

Critical theory: My own definitions:

• Shot/reverse shot: this is when a camera films a conversation between two people. When one person is talking, the camera is situated behind them, so the focus is on the person who they are speaking to, and vice versa.
• 180 degree rule: this is the idea that the camera must stay on one side of the people being filmed and it cannot change position, otherwise the audience will get confused.
• Match on action: this is the idea that the filming must be continuous and when there's something happening in the scene, it must be happening in action, too.

Shot/reverse shot 

180 degree rule: (we have stayed filming on one particular side throughout so the people never switch positions)

Match on action:

Unfortunately we could not complete this last task as we ran out of time, however if we were to complete the task, we would show we'd completed it by having the piece of paper the female character is holding on the desk at all times, instead of a mix between in her hands and on the desk. We'd also keep the lighting continuous.

Critical theory: Sound: Understanding how to use it

My initial thoughts on using sound in film:

• Using sound in film is very important, as it helps the audience understand what is going on in the scene.
• Sound can include dialogue from the characters', sound effects, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, too. Sometimes one particular character will have a sound effect or piece of music which will go with them whenever they come on the screen - this is called a sound motif.
• The only time sound is not important is in a silent movie; in a silent movie the directors will have to find other ways to show what is happening and to express the characters' thoughts.
• Sound can create a certain kind of atmosphere and ambience.

Having analysed Waking the Dead, what are my thoughts now?

• Sound can be dubbed in afterwards
• Foleying is often used
• Can also be used to create a hook/suspense/tension
• Usually defines the genre early on
• Helps the audience understand how they "should" feel

Critical theory: DVD Analysis

 These two film noirs, The Killers and Double Indemnity, both have similarities within the plots and key conventions - but they also have similarities based on the DVD cover. 


Both DVD covers of these two films include colour black, and the colour red. The femme fatale on The Killers DVD cover is wearing red lipstick (which is iconography from the film noir genre) and the title in the Double Indemnity is also in red. This shows that red and black are the dominant colours used in film noir.


As well as this, the femme fatale and the anti-hero characters are both featured on both DVDs. This shows that these two characters are typical and important for the film noir genre.

Critical theory: Film classifications

Classification: U - It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. ‘U’ films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.


If a work is particularly suitable for a pre-school child to view alone, this will be indicated in the Consumer Advice.
 
Classification: PG - General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.

Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset 

younger or more sensitive children.

Classification: 12 and 12A - General viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.

Unaccompanied children of any age may watch. A ‘PG’ film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. However, parents are advised to consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children.

Classification: 15 - No-one younger than 15 may see a ‘15’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a ‘15’ rated video work.

Classification: 18 - No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video work.

Classification: R18 - To be shown only in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied only in licensed sex shops, and to adults of not less than 18 years.

The ‘R18’ category is a special and legally restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. ‘R18’ videos may not be supplied by mail order.

These classifications have been taken from the BBFC film classification website. 

Critical theory: Further research into film noir

The Killers

"Hit men kill an unresisting victim, and investigator Reardon uncovers his past involvement with beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins."
Starring Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner
 

Double Indemnity

"An insurance rep lets himself be talked into a murder/insurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance investigator's suspicions."
Starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyk.

Does it follow Todorov's theory?
This film does follow Todorov's theory vaguely. The new equilibrium is at the beginning where Walter Neff is telling the story to Keyes. Then the disruptive event comes when Walter Neff meets Phyllis Dietrichson for the first time. Recognition of the distruption could be considered when they have murdered her husband, and have to be cautious. When they attempt to repair the damage, by Walter going to see Phyllis and kills her. Then they return to the equilibrium, when Walter Neff is free of the femme fatale, and just has to confess the crime to Keyes. 

Technical production: Film noir narrative structure

New equilbrium: Buster Rayburn is in a prison cell. His voiceover can be heard. "Here I am again. They said I wouldn't make it on the outside. If only I didn't meet that dame."

Disruptive event: Buster is drunk in a bar on his own and is greeted by a gangster who says that he has a job for him. Buster turns down the job.

Recognition of disruption: The gangster's girlfriend Lacey Lane appears. Buster can't take his eyes off her.

Buster is back at the same bar drinking bourbon. Lacey Lane walks in and whispers seductively in his ear.

Lacey gives Buster a gun and a kiss.

Buster and Lacey meet in his dingy hotel room. She thanks him and says that she will run away with him that night.

Buster back in jail. His voiceover. "If only I walked away when I had the chance."

Attempting to repair the damage: "Buster shoots the gangster as he leaves his house one morning.

Buster waits for Lacey at the railway station. The cops turn up and arrest him. Lacey can be seen in the background. She has obviously reported him to the police.

Buster quickly grabs the policeman's gun and after a struggle, manages to fire a shot which hits Lacey and she dies.

Equilibrium: Back to Buster in jail. His voiceover can be heard. "You see, dames always bring a man down. She won't hurt anymore suckers now."

Flashback to Buster walking out of jail.

Our film noir fits the general conventions of a film noir as the main characters include an anti-hero, a femme fatale and a villian. Usually in film noirs the femme fatale dies, and in this one, Lacey Lane does die. Typically in film noirs, the femme fatale ends up to be the character who manipulates the anti-hero, and this happens in ours, too. In general, I think our film noirs is quite traditional and fits the general conventions of other film noirs.