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.