Feedback - Miss Spencer

Genre research feedback - You have outlined some of the conventions of the genre, including posting a variety film clips to illustrate the sub genres. You have also used the DISTINCT formula I suggested. I would like to see more detail on this, and to see a short history of the genre and how it has developed over the years. These improvements would take this work from a level 2 to a level 3.


Mean Girls Feedback - You have worked hard to include many sophisticated points, including using technical language like diegetic sound etc. However I would like some improvements to get this piece more firmly into a level 3 -

• Add the film opening to the analysis.
• Ensure that you discuss the effect on the audience of any points you make.
• Add images to your analysis to illustrate your points.

Resident Evil - Film Analysis

Resident Evil is a well known filmed based on the video games made by Capcom. The film opens up to a logo - the logo of the 'umbrella' corporation. The voice over begins matched with the words on screen to tell people what umbrella does for the world. It then goes to tell people about how umbrella get their money - almost a foreshadowing. It is said to be unknown to its employees meaning that they have top secret research facilities. It's played as if it's a report on a system and shows holographic satellites in the background.

Representation in Horror including characters in your film

Representation is to present or show or describe something or someone. Everything on the TV is represented by the media - it is also the meaning attached to the stereotyping represented for the audience. The media can change a stereotypes reputation over time - the media also exaggerate on certain stereotypes. Represented is forced through the media in three different ways
- Audience Position
- Audience Interaction // Propaganda
- Cultural Ideology

The main use of representation is through stereotypes. A Stereotype is a portrayal of people or places through a few obvious characteristics.

Representation of characters in Horror films :

Characters in films usually have stereotypes based on their genders.

Women

Women are usually represented as the damsel in distress. They are attacked by the killer because they have been represented as 'weak' and 'delicate.' With the rise of feminism, and changes in society, such as women receiving equal rights, these representations have been getting changed or outright disregarded. People are moving away from the traditional representations, and moving with the times to create up to date representations. Women are now seen as being able to outsmart the killer and solve mysteries in present day films.

Men

Men are represented as being strong, and heroic. They are usually the ones to save the 'damsel in distress' In contrast to this, they are also represented as the killer or the 'bad guy' This is usually a representation of their strength, and power. Following the movement of feminism- women are now beginning to be represented and being equal to men. Some films have done a gender reversal, having a woman as the killer, and having men seen as the weak targets for the killer.

Stereotypes are used a lot horror films. They tend to differ from role to role,most horror films tend to follow very similar stereotypes. Common stereotypes used within horror films:

A hero trying to conquer evil, and save the group at the same time.This is a helpful stereotype because it gives people someone to look up to as a role model, a figure to relate to, or someone to lust after.

A hysterical character (typically a woman) too scared to move. This is a helpful stereotype as it often provokes a response of empathy, as people relate it to their hysterical tendencies, however, this stereotype is becoming more of a problem following the feminist movement as it portrays woman as being weak, and dominated by men.


Young attractive character (usually young, blonde female) This can be a helpful stereotype as it makes the film more appealing to a wider male audience, however it is becoming an ever increasing problem both following the feminist movement that say that films are displaying women as 'objects' and to the public eye, as it portrays that women past a certain age, weight, or as simple as having a different hair color are not 'attractive' to men.


A cocky non-believer/doubter (typically male)This is a helpful stereotype because it gives the audience someone that will reassure them and give them a voice of reason. Although, when this character dies/gets killed it gives them the feeling that all security has gone. This stereotype is very good for keeping the audience on their feet.


Our film will use all the aspects of representation we need to tell the audience what type of characters are in the film. We will try to stick to the conventions of the Horror Genre as close as we can so that the audience can tell it is the right genre of film, for example our main character, Baron Samedi follows the common stereotype of a male killer.

Genre Research

Horror -

The earliest horror films drew upon the legends round Europe, the silent films were the first of their era. They were often also inspired by spirit photography (the blurring of a photo deliberately)
Some earliest horror films were about the three main subjects - werewolf's and vampyres and Frankenstein. When the world was faced with war the films changed - the fear over atomic bombing changed the films and things like Godzilla and King Kong. After the wars the soldiers inspired a new type of horror films - their mutilated faces gave birth to the films of mutants. A technology upgrade started the 'invasion' films - for example Mars Attacks! The 'slasher' films were then made - these shocker the world as there had been nothing like this before. The monsters and ghosts were still as popular but they started to go the exploration of supernatural creatures - creating a new genre. The next decade saw the release of the exorcist which again shocked the world - many countries banned it. Body gore also appeared in films like the Texas chainsaw massacre. Another type of horror film appeared - killer animals. Jaws was released in 1975. The 90s brought the old elements of horror film and turned them into comical horror - Scream is a good example. The 200's bought the zombies out to play and a new twist on the vampyre world. Blade,underworld and Van Helsing all became big box office hits. Resident Evil became the bets selling zombie style film of the decade. The 2010's do a lot of remakes but drop films like Oujia and The Purge.

A Horror film is made to make the audience feel uneasy and a sense of emotional dread and fear. They are often made to replicate our fears as they make good stories are they are built of legends or old stories or books. They often shock us or use a plot twist and often have unhappy endings but this is what makes them entertaining - they give us a sense of adrenaline.
A lot of horror films are hybrid genre's - they mix and match a lot of them to create a better film.

Action Horror - This genre has the elements of gun fights and frantic chases along with normal conventions of horror.




Comedy Horror - This is a mixture of comedy and horror.



Gothic Horror - Often tied in with a romantic storyline that unfolds and is suspenseful.



Natural Horror - This genre often uses mutated animals and/or plants to create it effects. It often overlaps with Sci - Fi or action/adventure as they all show the storyline to it full potential. 



Psychological horror - This is one of the most popular horror sub genres. It uses characters guilt,fears,hidden story lines or uses the audiences fears to create its effect. It uses eerie music,emotional instability or supernatural causes to build tension to and freak out its audience. They often have an open storyline so they can make series.



Sci - Fi horror - Often involves aliens and/or mad scientists or an experiment gone wrong.



Slasher - This involves a psychopathic killer that often has a hidden past to how they became this way. They often kill using a chainsaw or knife.



Settings - They are often isolated or hidden/abandoned places with a hidden past. They are often set in the night but not always. They often are filmed in the middle of nowhere - often in woods or an empty town. Church's are often a favourite too as they are religious and a lot of horror films use the thing of being sacrilegious.
Technical Code - They use a lot of slow pace action and editing to make the tension. A lot of diegtic sound gets distorted and non-diegetic sound is 'incidental'. Low lighting is used to create fear and mystery,high and low angles are use to make the audience seem submisive and helpless or dominant and in power. Jumpcuts/jumpscares are used to keep the auidence on the edge of their seats. Point of view shots make the auidence sympatize with the character.
Iconography - Blood,weapons,gore,religous,colours,clothes,masks
Narrative - Beginning/middle/end. Often ends unhappily or involves a cliff hanger.
Character types - Hero/Victim (Protagonist) Villian,Children,Supernatural characters/Monsters/Ghosts/Teenagers.
Themes - Demons/Exorcism. Apocalyptic/ Post Apocalyptic. Nightmares/Religious Beliefs. Good vs Bad/Revenge & Hatred/Haunting.

Task 2.1 - Mean Girls - Opening Scene Analysis - Rom Com

Mean Girls is a romantic comedy and a well loved teen drama. We learn the main characters name straight away - Cady Heron - through a initial voice over. Opening starts with the Paramount Pictures logo,then going into the name of the film.

Cady is very covered up suggesting that she is self-conscious and naive. Her normal clothes, tied up hair and very little make-up say that doesn't want to stand out,she wants to blend in. initially showing a culture shock - revealing outfits,kids being wild; telling the audience she is new to all this.There is a flashback to show what Cady's life used to be and how she lived it.

The scene starts of with a point-of-view shot through Cady's eye's where she is looking up at her parents like a little girl,showing the possibility shes still treated as a young girl and also showing the fact that she is very naive.

Her parents patron her about her 'first day at school' even though she is a not a little child. Her mid shot of a cheesy smile towards her mum and dad displays to the audience she is the apple of their eye and a low angle emphasises her weak position. Before she enters the school building close-up's of Cady are used to portray her nervousness.

The editing used in the opening sequence is mainly straight cuts for continuity in the story line. However freeze frames with a flash sound are used to indicate a change in time. Freeze frames are photograph's from Cady's time in Africa showing what her life use to be like before this making the audience feel more connected to her as she is telling them personal information about her life. The framing also changes when these freeze frames are shown, again indicating the flashback. Slow motion used to show her anxiety and fear at walking into school.

This is the key to understanding the main characters background story and the flashback at the start. The use of diegetic sound starts in the form of Cady's voice over, forms a close relationship with the audience as they feel she is personally talking to them and including them in her life. Her friendly and casual way of speaking further enforces that she comfortable speaking about her life.The non-diegetic sound is the soundtrack that is playing in the background which has a element of unease, highlighting the moments black comedy in the film. The music changes when the scene goes to a flashback to a subtle African influenced instrumental music, highlighting the characters roots and life. When Cady is walking towards the school building a pop song plays in the background, possibly to imply how she feels and symbolise the era of time.

Feedback - Miss Spencer

Can you ensure that you start to tackle the points I made last week, it will be helpful for you to catch up with your work and really focus on getting the written research more thoroughly done and in a more timely manner. This will help in the planning of your own film.

Thank you