Film Reviews and Ratings

After completely research into existing film posters, its clear to see how including a review, quote or rating can be an effective way to attract the target audience. We have decided this is something we are looking to include in our film poster, so therefore it is necessary to decide on an appropriate way of doing so. Below are images taken from a number of posters that have used a variety of ways to attract the audience through an external quote or opinion.

These three quotes are taken from the poster for The Raid 2, an action film. This particular poster features several ratings and quotes from a variety of sources. By using the bright yellow, bold, sans-serif typography (all in capital letters) contrasting with the dark background image, the reviews stand out immediately and draw attention from the reader.
In terms of the content of the quotes, the length and lexical devices varied. The first quote "Jaw-dropping", uses the well known idiom to relate to the audience thus making them trust the review. The second review also uses a short quote to impact the audience. By saying "An action masterpiece", the film is placed on a pedestal and is giving the impression that it is better than other action films. The third quote, "Masterfully tense... a monumental experience" uses a lot more wording than the others in the poster however is still very effective. By calling the film an 'experience', it tells the audience that they will not only be watching a film but be taken on a journey.

This quote is from the poster for Minority Reports. It uses synthetic personalisation with the word 'your', directly addressing the audience encouraging them as individuals to watch the film. The five-star rating is displayed in a different colour, making this stand out even more.
"One of the greatest movies ever made", is a very bold statement and could be easily challenged but cleverly entices the audience to see it for themselves.

Quite often posters mention awards and nominations in order to attract an audience. They are often well established and therefore work well to promote the film.  

The Gravity poster uses the technique of having a lot of reviews randomly placed, disorientating the audience thus conforming to the genre. It also features play on words, putting all the space related terms in a bold font. As you can see, in this particular poster, the reviews make up the basis of the attraction rather than the background image. This is a more modern approach to advertisement and promotion of films, stepping away from the stereotypical visual appeal posters usually adopt.

Typography research

The choice of typography, which will ultimately feature in our teaser trailer, poster and website, is important as it aims to reflect the film's genre as well as the mood of the film. To get an idea of what style of typography we will use, I decided to research existing films of the urban drama genre and the typography they use. The films I researched were 'Kidulthood' (2006), 'Fish Tank' (2009), 'Ill Manors' (2012), 'Shank' (2010) and 'Sket' (2011)- the posters of these five films, with their typography, are shown below.

I found that common conventions of the typography used in urban drama films were:

• Bold text
• Simple, standard typeface 
• Stylised in some way (e.g. the mix of capital and lower case letters in 'Kidulthood' and the image of a man inside the 'A' of 'Shank'.
• Worn lettering ('Kidulthood' and 'Sket') 
• Red or white font colour

The worn lettering used in 'Kidulthood' and 'Sket' is effective as it reflects the harsh reality of living in the urban setting in which the films are set. This allows the audience to fully realise the mood of the film which is anchored by the, for example, menacing and dark images as well as the urban drama itself. 

The use of white as the main colour for the typography is usually used in urban drama film posters to contrast and stand out from the overall dark colour scheme of the poster in general. The contrast of black and white is a classic combination and one which conveys, in this sense, crime as well as the sense of good and bad in society.

Fish Tank Trailer Deconstruction

Costume in the Wire

Indoor lighting

Indoor lighting is an important aspect of film making, especially for amateur productions, due to the reliance on artificial lighting which is not needed for scenes outdoors in the daytime, for example. Knowing proper lighting techniques for indoor filming is very important in film production because unlike with natural lighting, using artificial lighting incorrectly could lead to the scene looking stressed as a result of too much lighting or bland and dreary due to too little light. In our trailer, some scenes such as those in the family kitchen are to be filmed indoors which means knowing proper and effective is vital in order to make our trailer look as professional as we can.

I researched how to light indoor scenes by looking at various video guides on YouTube, most of which focused on the three-point set-up. Below are two of the videos I came across which both explain and demonstrate the three-point light set-up, however one is in a studio and one is in a living space which is closer to the indoor settings which will feature in our trailer. 

As the videos explain, the three-point lighting set-up consists of three light sources working together to properly and effectively light a subject. The three light sources which make up the set-up include the 'key light', the 'fill light' and the 'back light'. From the videos, especially the first one, I found that natural lighting from, for example, a window can be substituted for one or multiple lights in the three-point set-up. Also, you can reflect the light from a source to use as a specific light which means that we can successfully light our indoor scenes cheaply and without needing too many artificial light sources.

The videos also mention using only one or two of the light sources which make up the three-point set-up rather than all three light sources to create different effects and moods. This idea may be able to benefit us in the way we try to conform our trailer to the conventions of the urban drama genre. This could include using lighting to create a more sinister atmosphere or use different lights to create tension in a film. This could be done by keeping the background dark and lighting the subject with perhaps only the key light to create prominent shadows. Overall, I think the three-point lighting set is definitely something we should try and incorporate into the production of our film trailer as it gives us the chance to create effective lighting cheaply and with equipment we have access to. Also, as I said, due to the incorporation of multiple light sources within the set-up, it allows us to easily create certain moods and atmospheres in order to conform to the conventions of the urban drama genre.

Gender Representation in the Urban Drama Genre

Representation in media is defined as the ways in which groups, ideas or topics are portrayed from a particular ideological or value perspective. One of the main aspects of our teaser trailer is the idea of gender and how it can be used to portrayed or heighten certain aspects of our narrative, for example gang violence and drug use. Gender representation is a key idea explored within film as gender in itself is a clear and commonly-used device to carry a film's narrative and various themes.

Laura Mulvey's ideas on the 'male gaze' looked into gender power asymmetry and female objectification in film due to how heterosexual men were in control of the camera. Mulvey stated that the 'male gaze' occurs when the camera puts the audience into the perspective of a heterosexual man, for example if the camera was to clearly put emphasis on the body of a female character or perhaps show the body of a female character more than that of a male character in a sex scene. This idea of focusing or emphasising a female character in an overtly sexual manner is one which greatly ties into the urban drama genre, although examples of the theory can be found in almost every genre in television and film. This is due to one of the main conventions of the urban drama genre being sex and relationships among other themes including drug use and violence.

While researching various trailers, I found many examples of the male gaze used within camera shots described by Laura Mulvey. In the trailer for 'Kidulthood' (2006), there are several examples of camera shots which clearly portray female characters in a sexualised way, especially while accompanied with an absence of any sexualised portrayal of male characters. Although a sex scene, or a scene with clear sexual connotations, will most likely involve members of both sexes, it is common to see the female character being the focus of the scene in order to fully emphasise the sexual connotations of the scene. This can be done through the positioning of a camera, mainly focusing on certain parts of the female character's body which which connote sexuality such as her legs. This is the case in the image I took a screenshot from the trailer of 'Kidulthood' (above). Although the scene, which holds obvious sexual connotations, involves both a male and female character, the few seconds shown of the scene is almost entirely orientated around the female character to convey a sense of sexuality.

Representation of Drugs

Film and the media represent drugs in very different ways, some exaggerating the truth whilst others sometimes attempt to glamorise recreational use of stimulants. If you compare films, such as the made for television movie Cocaine, One Man's Seduction (1983) to Hollywood blockbusters such as The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) huge contrasts between the representation of drug use can be observed. Although both films show an account of the disruption drugs can cause in someone's life, they both show a very different journey leading to the final devastation of the protagonists lives.
At the time when Cocaine, One Man's Seduction was released on television, some saw this a form of public warning against the use of drugs. Using recreational drugs, particularly cocaine was something that (although had been about for many years prior), became increasingly popular in  the 80s. This was perhaps due to the rise of media coverage and following of celebrities meaning that people were more aware thus intrigued by the drug. The 1983 film was therefore used to show people the reality of using cocaine and the negative effects that were not so commonly recognised.
The Wolf of Wall Street was one of the biggest films of its year, grossing nearly $117m which to some could be a worry as it seems to glamorise the use of drugs. Whilst the film does show the dark and detrimental effects, the narrative moves away from the idea that it is a last resort and suggests that drugs can help in aiding your financial success. Similarly in a lot of modern day comedies like Sex Tape and Horrible Bosses, cocaine use is seen as something to be celebrated and laughed at- the films failing to show the downwards spiral it can lead to.
The 2001 film Blow lies somewhere in between these two other films. In this the overall message seems to be that the highs of drug use are outweighed by the devastating lows.

We will be producing an urban drama which- contrary to other films- will show the harsh, gritty reality of drug use. This is something we hope to present clearly in our trailer, showing the devastating and dark effects that this activity has. As the protagonist will be young and the film will be based in the rundown estates in London, we hope to conform more to the conventions and representations in the social realist genre.

Diegetic Sound History and Research

Research of diegetic sound carried out in AS is something that we can again use and consider in the production of our trailer.

Foley Artists


Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects that are added to film, video, and other mediums in post-production to enhance audio quality. These reproduced sounds can be anything from the swishing of clothing and footsteps to squeaky doors and breaking glass. Common items used for different sound effects include:



• A thin stick makes a whoosh

• An old chair makes a controllable creaking sound
• A heavy staple gun combined with other small metal sounds make good gun noises
• Gelatin and hand soap make squishing noises

• Frozen romaine lettuce makes bone or head injury noises
• A heavy phone book makes body-punching sounds

History- The Wilhelm Scream

The Wilhelm scream is a film and television sound effect first used in 1951 in Distant Drums. The sound effect was taken on set in one take and is a high pitched man screaming. It became very popular in the industry (its use often becoming an inside joke) after it was used in Star Wars and many other films, shows and video games. The scream is often used when someone is shot, falls from a great height, or in general dramatic death scenes.

The sound is named after Private Wilhelm, a character in The Charge at Feather River, a 1953 western in which the character is shot with an arrow. This was believed to be the third movie to use the sound effect.

The Wilhelm scream began to become popular when Benjamin Burtt Jr. found the original recording (which was labelled as "Man being eaten by alligator") and put it into a scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Following on from this, Burtt began using the effect in other films he worked on; including projects with George Lucas or Steven Spielberg. Other sound designers and executives in the industry picked up on the effect, and used the scream in more productions creating an ongoing tradition in the film industry.

Our Production:

As our piece is an urban drama, it will involve a lot of action scenes that will feature in the trailer. The previous video shows the creation of diegetic sound effects an action scene involving a fight. This is useful to us as it is something we hope to include in our trailer. As opposed to the more subtle and eerie noises we used in AS media, we will need to experiment with more noises of punching and running etc. 

Location

The location and setting used in an urban drama is a key part of the narrative; falling into many categories of convention. As the specific genre focuses on the territorial aspect of the area, the setting is important in supporting the on screen action. 

A trailer will show the audience the general setting of the film and therefore is likely to involve a crane shot of the landscape. By using something like this, we would be able to clearly show the genre and urban theme of our piece. 

The home of the protagonist often features a lot in urban dramas to show the sense of pride of their background and again the territorial theme. As we want the narrative of our piece to involve the protagonist trying to support his family, a scene set in the home environment is key. In this we could introduce the family and the struggles they face. 

In our piece we plan to shoot a scene in a highly graffitied and vandalised area. This choice of mise en scene would enhance the urban city theme we are trying to get across. As the narrative of urban dramas often include a theme of crime, this helps to further represent this aspect. The colours in a setting like this would create a dynamic effect on the trailer, conforming with the conventions of teaser trailers. 

Alleyways are something that feature strongly in urban dramas. Not only do they usually have things like graffiti to work with but they give a dark and gritty realism to a scene. When shot at night time, this setting can make a huge impression on the audience. The lighting source is mainly from street lamps and buildings which is another way of representing an urban theme.

As we are thinking of basing our narrative on the issues of crime and drug dealing, we hope to include a scene showing a dealing going on. A conventional setting for this sort of action is an abandoned warehouse; again hinting at a gritty and dark atmosphere. 

Trailer conventions

Development of Urban Drama

Kitchen Sink Drama

Kitchen sink realism is a cultural movement that began in the late 1950's and early 1960's mainly in film and TV. It was used as a style of social realism, often featuring young working class British people in a domestic environment. The dramas particularly focus on the struggles and lives of those in the less affluent parts of Britain, London being a common setting for this. One of the first insights into the new style of drama was in 1956 in Osborne's 'Look back in anger'. 

Urban Drama

 

The development of urban drama has been something that has expanded and shaped film and TV today. Particularly in Britain, these types of productions are becoming increasingly popular; however, the movement has now started to arise in America. 

Urban Drama is highly known for its expression of a realistic outlook in society and its attempt to tackle social issues of the time. Through the years the genre has started to explicitly show aspects of the urban life such as gangs, drugs, racism, sex and violence.

The protagonist in Urban Dramas end to reflect strongly on their race and social upbringing This idea can build them up as what is known as a 'Product of the Environment'. More modern day films that portray these ideas include 'Kidulthood', 'Ill Manners' and 'This is England'. 
The Antagonist is Urban Dramas is generally consider the rival of the protagonist. for example, they might be seen as a traitor or displayed as a rival gang member. 

The environment is typically set in a deprived area in the city such as council estates. scenes are often set in the streets or alleyways or locations such as bars, drug houses etc. The location can be a very important part of showing the territorial attributes of the characters involved.

Conventions of trailers

• A trailer usually begins with the logo or logos of the film's production company or production companies. The logo is commonly edited in a way so that it fits visually with the genre or mood of the film.
• Like at the start of a typical scene in a film, it is common for a trailer to show an establishing shot almost immediately. This gives the audience a visual starting point of the story as told in the trailer.
• The film's age certificate from censorship boards such as the BBFC is shown towards the beginning of the trailer.
• The director's name, and sometimes other notable members of the film's crew, is usually displayed at the beginning of the trailer. 
• If the film has won awards, they are usually mentioned early on in the trailer. By emphasising the film's decorations, the audience's attention is more likely to be held for longer as proof of the film's success has been presented clearly. 
• Text is often shown throughout the trailer which perhaps highlights different themes or plot points of the film. 
• Non-diegetic music is often played in the background to captivate the audience and to perhaps reflect the pace or mood of the film.
• A non-diegetic voiceover is often played over the top of the trailer and is used as a guide for the audience, i.e. to outline basic plot points.
• Name captions of the actors in the film are usually shown towards the end of the trailer and are displayed in the same font and typeface as the title of the film to maintain continuity. 
• Trailers usually run for around 2-3 minutes.
• The film's release date is usually displayed at the very end of the trailer. 
• The billing block is also displayed at the very end of the trailer.

Conventions of Form

Film Opening	Theatrical Trailer	Teaser Trailer
·         Much more in-depth credits, e.g. the director’s name, the producers’ names, the cinematographer’s name etc ·         Cast/crew names usually super-imposed over the film itself	·         Usually arounds 4-5 mins long ·         More narrative revealed ·         Usually released after the film’s teaser trailer ·         Usually reveals more details about the film’s release ·         Contains clips from the entire film ·         More details revealed about the production of the film, e.g. director, producers ·         Cast/crew names usually shown by themselves i.e. not super-imposed, to limit distractions	·         Usually up to 1 minute long ·         Less narrative shown than in the theatrical trailer ·         Production credits limited to the actors/actresses names

Theoretical Investigation- Gender Politics

Gender Politics 

History of Gender Inequality in Film

Gender inequality in film is a large talking point in today's society, although it has been largely debated and talked about for many decades. The idea of gender inequality in film surfaced as what is known as "feminist film theory", influenced by second wave feminism and developments of women's studies across the western world. Feminist film theory was first brought to the attention of the general public through the works of feminist scholars, such as Majorie Rosen's 'Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies, and the American Dream' (1973) (left) and Molly Haskell's 'From Reverance to Rape: The Treatment of Women in Movies' (1974) (right). Feminist scholars such as Rosen and Haskell were the first to take cues from second wave feminism and turn the ideas of the movement as a whole towards film and began analysing how women were portrayed in film and how it linked with the broader historical context, as well as the stereotypes depicted and how much screen time was given to women.

Current Statistics

New York Film Academy

Plenty of research has been undertaken to analyse different aspects of the extent of women in films. One piece of research I looked into is by the New York Film Academy which gives a visual interpretation of some statistics focusing gender inequality in film (right). Some of the statistics the study showed were that:

• on average, only 30.8% of speaking roles are given to women
•  28.8% of women in film wore sexually revealing clothes (while 7% were men)
• 26.2% of female actors get partially naked (while 9.4% of men do) 
• only 10.7% of films featured a balanced cast where half of the characters are female and half are male
• the average ratio of male actors to female actors is 2.25:1 
• the percentage of teenage females depicted with some nudity has increased by 32.5% from 2007 to 2012.

These statistics show that although gender inequality in film was first debated and talked about almost four decades ago, it is something which is very common in today's film industry and its severity, in some aspects, is increasing a huge amount in a little amount of time.

The video below is from an Australian News Channel, 'Sunrise', which gives a brief debate concerning the disparity of men and women in film. Much of the content of the video focuses on statistics very similar to that shown in the study by the New York Film Academy. 

A study by griid.org, similar to that of the New York Film Academy, presents information which highlights male dominance and gender representation in the film industry, focusing on some of 2012's biggest Hollywood blockbusters. 

• A statistic gathered by griid.org which shows clear gender inequality in films is displayed visually (right). The statistic shows that in 2012's top grossing films, only 12 of the films' main characters were female whereas 55 of the films' main characters were male. This clearly shows the extent of male dominance in the film industry and how unbalanced the ratio of male to female main character in major films.