Tuesday, 18 October 2016

My Own Film Trailer - Treatment

Treatment- My Own Film Trailer 

Title:  ‘And that was it’ 

Genre:   Romantic Drama 

Synopsis:
   Equilibrium:   The film will be set in a school setting, where a new girl starts the school and she falls in love with one of the most popular boys in the school, who is in fact the guy who befriends her at her start at the school. The main characters are Isla, who is the new girl and is extremely quiet, and Riley, who is the boy she falls in love with, and he is the most popular guy in the school. Although she likes him, Isla would hate for Riley to find out how she feels about him because she wouldn’t want it to ruin their friendship and the relationship between Riley and his girlfriend. 

   Disruption: Isla will have a problem when Riley’s girlfriend becomes close friends with Isla because she suspects how Isla is feeling about Riley. Isla becomes anxious incase she reveals her big secret, because she is afraid of losing her friends. I will first introduce this to the audience, by firstshwcoing a scene of Isla telling her friend about Riley, and Riley’s girlfriend, Amelia, overhearing and going to question Isla about it. 

   Development: Isla will realise that there is a problem when she then overhears Amelia and Riley arguing about the way Isla feels about him. When she overhears this conversation, Isla panics and tries to resolve the issue by distancing herself from Riley. However, this upsets him and makes him realise how he feels about Isla. Riley tries to talk to Amelia and break up with her because he realises that he loves Isla, but Amelia and him have a large falling out and Isla begins to think that he really dislikes her now. At this point, it will be revealed that Amelia and Isla are actually long-lost cousins, who become reunited the same week as all of the arguments break out with Riley. This causes Riley to have an absence from school for the week, due to the stress of arguments and when he returned he decides who he wants to be with.

   How will your trailer build to a climax? Actions/ Exciting scenes?
The trailer will build to a climax when a quick shot of Riley telling Isla that he feels the same way about her. Then there will be a scene of Amelia’s Mum and Isla’s Mum (sisters) reuniting after 16 years and the Riley situation causes another riff between the girls. 

   Cliff-hangers/ narrative hooks:
The girls will not make up completely, but they have to spend Christmas together, making it very awkward and we never find out in the real outcome of that. Also, the audience know that Riley and Isla become a couple, but their questions about whatever happened with Amelia are unanswered too. 

Target audience:
The perfect audience fro this film would be young adults or teenagers because it will be more relatable to that age group, considering the storyline and the characters involved. However, people who are interested in romantic drama movies would be interested because this film satisfies this genre. Also, audiences interested din certain characters in the film, or even the production company that the film was produced by. The trailer will appeal to all of these different audiences, meaning I will need to include scenes to grab their attention. I should start the trailer by showing a little bit of information about the character’s life before introducing the story briefly in the trailer, but not giving too much away.

Character Descriptions:
Isla-    she is the new girl at the school, and finds it extremely difficult to make friends, a she is very shy and quiet. The only person that makes her feel welcome at the school is Riley, who becomes one of her best friends at the school, although she begins to fall in love with him. Isla dresses very formally and smart, and is very respectful and kind to everyone. She has long brown hair, and has a dark complexion. Doesn’t know that Amelia is her cousin until later on in the film. 
Riley  :   he is the most popular guy in the school, and comes across vey obnoxious at first, but is actually very kind and considerate of his friends- especially Isla as she is very nervous when she first joins the school. Riley becomes best friends with Isla and doesn’t realise how she feels about him- until his girlfriend Amelia tells him, and he finally realises that he should be with Isla instead of Amelia. He has large blue eyes, and blond hair, with a fair complexion, and is very stylish in hi dress sense.
Amelia-    she is Riley’s girlfriend which does make her very popular too, and she likes the attention. She is seen as very rude and obnoxious and this is highlighted when she causes many arguments with Riley, and eventually pushes him away, and he starts to date Isla. She is a very jealous character, and is very jealous of her cousin, Isla. Amelia has short blonde hair, brown eyes, fair complexion and a fairly good dress sense.

Locations: 
Many of the shots will need to be taken in the school. For example in the locker room, classrooms and the canteen. The locker room shots will be taken as arguments break out and where cliff hangers will end. The classrooms is where Riley will sit beside Isla and eventually realise how he feels about her. the canteen is where Amelia and Isla will exchange comment and cliff hangers will occur. 
Some of the shots will also be taken in the town park. For example, the skate park area will be filmed along with the adventure playground, as places that the teenagers hang out after school and during the weekends. 

Equipment:

To carry out the filming I will need several things. Firstly, I will need 3 actors and one filmer in my group. I will also need costumes for each of the characters, which can be seen in the character descriptions. I will also need makeup for the two girl characters, and I will also need access to the locations and the camera. I may also need school bags and school essentials to make my character roles more believable, and to fit into the school setting. To provide this equipment, I may need to get the actors to bring in parts of their costume, or if they don’t not own the required props, I will provide it for the trailer. The characters can just use their school uniform and bags for the school setting, and I will provide the makeup from home for them if they need me to. 

Thursday, 13 October 2016

'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas' DVD Cover Analysis


The main image denotes a long shot, canted angle image of a fence which divides two young boys. On the closest side of the fence, a little boy who is dressed smartly is sitting on the fresh grass at a little boy on the other side of the barbed wire fencing. The other boy is dressed in oversized striped pyjamas which are ridden with mud and dirt, and he has a shaved head. On the closest side of the fence, the sky is clear and blue, and the grass is freshly cut and very bright green, whereas the other side of the fence has a grey, cloudy sky and the ground is not visible. This image is effective because it helps the audience to grasp the setting of the scene captured and it gives them an idea of what may be included in the film. The use of high key lighting on the closest side of the fence and the low-key lighting on the other side, connotes that the lives of the two little boys are very different, even though they seem to be very close in the picture. The happiness shown of the first little boy is noticed by the colours used, which promote joy, in comparison to the other little boy who is wearing very dull colours and around him is grey and empty, connoting that he lives a much worse lifestyle compared to the happier little boy.

The cover photo shows that the image is set in a war situation, such as World War II, because of the living conditions of the different boys. For example, the little boy on the other side of the fence is very restricted due to clothing, hairstyle and environment, showing he may have been living in a concentration camp during the wars. The closest character to the camera is sitting side on but facing the other little boy through the gaps between the barbed wire fencing. The other boy is sitting almost as a reflection of the other little boy. This connotes that, although the lives of the boys are very different, they’re hearts are in the same place, and they both are acting as though they do not know that it is forbidden for them to communicate.

The facial expressions of both boys are confused and shocked, connoting that they are both so different, causing them to have a misunderstanding of each other as they want to be friends, but they do not know why it is forbidden for them to be on the same side of this fence. The body language of both of them connotes the same message too.

The anchorage text is presented in an ordinary style, although it is fairly big and bold, which is effective because it connotes that the lives of the little boys comes across as ordinary but there is much more to be revealed about the differences of their lifestyles. The use of the blue and grey creates a sinister tone, which makes the audience wonder and fear for the children seen in the image because they notice how miserable the scene is. On the spine of the DVD cover, we can see a logo for the film, which shows one of the little boys looking deeply at something. We can also see the title of the film and an age rating of 12. This DVD spine is effective because it enables it to stand out when it is lying on a shelf with many other DVD’s. It stands out because of its unusual logo photo and bold title text. The tagline, “A timeless story of innocence lost and humanity found” is effective because it denotes the idea to the reader that the two little boys are from very different lifestyles, and that it promotes the moral that no matter who a person is, they should be respected equally to everybody else. It also shows that one little boy has a happy and joyful life, whilst the other seems to suffer.

The testimonial review quote,” It is one of the most moving and remarkable films about childhood I’ve ever seen” is effective because it shows the audience that no matter how diversely different any two people’s lives are, everybody should be treated equally. It also shows the audience that there are going to be very strong morals shown emotionally throughout the film too, attracting audiences who are interested in dramatic films too. This DVD would also appeal to adults mainly, because of the strong emotions connoted just on this DVD cover. It may also attract audiences who have watched films produced by this director before, as they would be interested in more of their works. The message given about the way men and women should act is with respect to everybody that they meet because everybody in this world is equal and this is the moral taken from this film. Young people are portrayed positively on the cover because it shows how neither of the boys judging each other for what they are wearing or how they are acting and sitting. It shows the little boys as role models to young people today because they are treating each other equally with respect. The cover uses stereotypes of gender behaviour because it shows lots of pictures of boys and men, and there is only one photo showing a woman. This is because the movie is set in World War II, meaning women were not treated as equally as men and it proves that even though this issue is improved today, there still is problems with gender equality today. 

Monday, 10 October 2016

Vladimir Propp's Character Types Theory

Vladimir Props Character Types- Enchanted

Vladimir Propp's character theory describes the hero in a film or book as a character who typically leads the narrative. The hero is usually searching for something or is on some sort of mission, and they will almost always succeed. For example, in 'Enchanted' by Walt Disney Pictures, the hero character is Robert because he defeats Queen Narissa (the villain) and falls in love with and marries the princess. Typical conventions of a fairytale heroes are brave, innocent and handsome, and this isn't the case in 'Enchanted' because Robert is shown as a countertype of the theory. He is described as melancholy at the beginning, but he fits into his stereotype a little more, just as he shows his love for his daughter and Giselle at the end of the film.

A typical fairytale villain is a character who struggles against the hero, and is shown as morally bad, whilst turning the audience against them, and towards the hero. In 'Enchanted', the villain is Queen Narissa because she fights the hero and tries to take away Princess Giselle's happiness. Typical conventions of a fairytale villain include jealously, viciuosness and angry, and Queen Narissa simply fits into this stereotype, as she is vindictive, ruthless and cunning, as she fights Robert to Giselle, whilst she is trying to impose her curses on her. 

The donor in a narrative is generally a character who give the hero; in this case, Robert; something special that helps with the quest. The object doesn't have to be physical, it may even be a special message. In the 2007 'Enchanted' film, Pip fits best into this title because he gives Robert something that helps him to defeat Queen Narissa. A typical fairytale donor would carry the following traits: helpful, heroic and vital, and Pip fits into the stereotype of these conventions. This is because he alerts the hero of the evil plots that were put in place by Queen Narissa, and he manages to help Robert to save Giselle. 

A typical fairytale helper is defined by supporting the hero (similar to the donor). The helper most often appears at key points and gives guidance and support, through physical help too. In this 2007 adaptation of  'Enchanted' the helper is Morgan because she gives help to her father (Robert) and has a small part in helping to defeat Queen Narissa. Typical conventions of a fairytale helper are faithful, helpful, and brave. Morgan fits into the stereotype of the helper as she isn't shy to tell her father how she feels about Nancy, and she helps Robert to fall in love with Giselle. She does this by being confident, imaginative and sweet. 

Typical fairytale princess' are characters who could be used as characters who reward the hero, by usually marrying the hero. They tend to be seen a lot in the film, by sometimes can be very little. In 'Enchanted', the princess is obviously Giselle, as Robert (the hero) deserves her throughout the film, but is unable to marry her because of of Queen Nirissa and Nancy. Typical conventions of a fairytale princess are elegance, loneliness and the need for saving. Giselle fits into the stereotypes of this character theory because she is trapped and in danger and is saved by the hero in the end, and her and Robert fall in love. 

The princess' father is generally a character in narratives whom gives the task to the hero, and acts as a key figure to persuade on behalf of the princess. They are a persuasive character, who could also be in competition with the hero, although they are sometimes hard to distinguish. In this case, Nancy acts as the father as she gives Robert the task to defeat Queen Narissa, and she identifies Edward as the false hero. Typically,  a fairytale princess' father would be trustworthy, reliable and fair. However, Nancy breaks this stereotype. She is a countertop of this character type because she doesn't help Robert and he falls out of love with her. 

The dispatcher is usually the character who sends the hero on a mission, and they may be related to the hero, or combined with another role. In the case of 'Enchanted', Nathaniel best suits the dispatcher role because he makes Robert aware of Queen Narissa's evil plan and he sends the hero off to save the Princess Giselle. A typical fairytale dispatcher would be loyal and truthful, and this means Nathaniel would fit into the stereotype. Nathaniel fits into the typical role because he is tolerant and he helps to guide Robert (the hero) to the Princess and he makes him aware of the evil plan. 

Finally, Vladimir Propp defines a typical false hero in a narrative, as a character who appears to act heroically throughout, but is actually not, and is often mistaken for the genuine hero. In the 2007 movie, 'Enchanted', Edward is described as the false hero because he takes credit for Robert's actions. Typical conventions of a fairytale false hero include cunning, sly and nasty, and Edward fits into this stereotype because he tries to take credit for Robert and he tries to take the princess from him.