http://youtu.be/-hhYbYDriEc This is my A2 group teaser trailer! The narrative is set in a not too distant future and explores the relationship between the media and the society. Our dystopian thriller attempts to explore a world without the freedom of information and speech we experience today. (*note: 'Dysphoria' is a word to describe feeling ill at ease.) Feedback would be fantastic.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Thursday, 21 July 2011
'Daybreakers' Teaser Trailer Deconstruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uueB1m9u8XA&playnext=1&list=PLAE119EAEF7456971For sound 'Daybreakers' uses a mixture of over-voicing and dialogue to explain the complex narrative. The loud crashing sound bridges create a dramatic and ominous ambience which is heightened by the song used in the second half of the trailer "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo (great song) which has a sinister feel and a low regular drum beat which could echo that of a heart and gives a fast rhythm to the editing of the trailer.
The futuristic look of the film with eerie blue lighting, the advanced weopons, slick glass buildings and the narrative's technology are show mostly through long shots or close ups to emphasise the diegesis of the film and it's angle on science which bases the fantasy of the narrative in realism.
The trailer builds to a climax with straight cut edits getting quicker and illustrating the action and war nature of the plot which is the hook for the story, the idea of humans rebelling against the politically powerful hierarchy of vampires is somewhat unique.
The audience is positioned, conventionally, on the side of the humans and brief glimpses of their pain increases our sympathy for them and the hope that they will survive. Deeper questions of humanity are raised, suggesting that the narrative is heavily character based and more complex than just a war, this is highlighted by frequent use of close ups on faces.We really liked the muddled sequence of shots and different location which teases the audience into wondering at this futuristic and challenging world of the film. Despite the complex narrative the vampire element is obviously portrayed, with iconic imagery such as neck-biting, pale skin, fangs, almost constant darkness and oddly coloured eyes.
I felt this trailer was particularly effective as it set up the main narrative and enigmas of the film yet retained a great deal of mystery by not revealing too many details. It also had a compelling rhythm and the annchorage "The Battle Between Immortality And Humanity Is On" followed by the title, which is both seen and heard, has an epic, large scale feel to it which often attrats people to see a film at the cinema rather than waiting for DVD because it looks better on that scale.Vampires Depicted in Film Through Time:
One of the most infamous supernatural creatures is the Vampire. Vampire stories are steeped in the mythologies and legends of lots of different cultures. The outcome of which is hundreds of different vampire myths from all over the world contributing certain characteristics which would later define the modern vampire.
The original idea for 'Dracula' was to create a creature to scare people, whereas the 'Twilight' series is more focused on romance and to make the vampires attractive. The 'Underworld' series was more of an action and war film, as was the 'Blade' series. 'Interview With a Vampire' is a suspense film. Vampire films have changed in many ways and genre is one of them. This could be an attempt to explore new avenues of an old stereotype and to entice a different type of audience to each re-imagining of these creatures.
> Blood -The use of which depends heavily on the film genre and its certificate, for example very little blood in 'Twilight' and yet in '30 Days of Night', where the vampires are feral and beastly with 2 layers oof razor sharp teeth, there is blood in practically every scene. With the introduction of colour films the use of blood became more liberal as well (50's-60's).
>Neck biting and teeth - Teeth are the most recognisable feature of a vampire and each film does them a bit differently and have changed a lot from 'Nosferatu's' fangs to the barely visible or retractable fangs of today's vampires. This increasingly humanoid appearance helps the vampires to blend in and seem more attractive.
>Night setting - Most vampire films carry the myth of the dangers of sunlight, either that its rays are fatal, as in 'Underworld', or decrease powers slightly, as in 'Dracula'. Night also presents a new dimension of fear for the audience, it increases the vulnerability of the characters and is a stereotype of horror films to allow imagination of what could be lurking in the dark to increase tension.
>Being indestructable -This is mainly a plot device which aims to make the creature more terrifying and harder to kill.
>Coffins, Crucifixes and Holy water - These are iconic as they link to the religious paranoia which is attributed with the birth of vampire legend, as vampires and the undead are directly linked to demonic forces. The name of the franchise 'Underworld' is partly an acknowledgement of that link, that originally vampires were believed to be pure evil from hell. These religious objects were initially means by which characters could defend themselves against vampires, indicating a reflection of social morality and religious views within these films.
Pale skin is a convention that most vampire films adhere to, even in modern films. However, as films should reflect the society of the times films such as 'Twilight' and the 'Trueblood' TV show depict vampires of ethnic races other than just white.
From film to film vampires vary in many terms. For example, how to kill a vampire suggestions include the iconic stake, slit throats, incineration, sunlight, decapitation, garlic or staying with a woman who is "pure of heart" until dawn. A vampire can then either: explode, disintergrate, burst, morph, molder or die serenely with a single groan. Also becoming a vampire varies from through a bite, through a ritual or the exchanging of blood, some films such as 'Blade' (like several other AIDs-conscious vampire films) treats vampirism as an infectious blood disease. 
Variation in attributes is a long standing tradition in vampire narrative. There are many reasons for this, but one of the most significant one is technology. This has aided the transformation of the vampire and most other supernatural creatures. Increased (and better) use of prosthetics, convincing fangs and CGI meant that vampires could develop a range of new apppearances and powers. CGI also aided technology represented in the films. In recent films "science is the new magic", from a 'vampiris germ' in 'I Am Legend' to genetic mutations in 'Underworld'. Also the technology in films for vampire slaying has adapted hence the evolution of the vampire 
action film, with garlic filled bullets in 'Blade' and 'Underworld's' bullets filled with daylight.
'Twilight', another re-envisaging of vampire stories, is a forbidden romance, the point of which is to ask 'what would you sacrafice for love? - your life? your humanity?' Despite its popularity this is not the first or only time vampires were depicted as attractive. The darkness of these creatures has always attracted humans to them, even if you look as early as 'Dracula' there is an almost beautiful glamour and charisma to them. It wasn't until the late 1960's that 'hot' vampires became mainstream.
In contrast with this, the 'Underworld' series deeply revolves around original mythology and is the tale of the beginning of the battle between vampires and lycans (I recommend you watch them in oreder of release -unless you want massive spoilers!!) It sticks strongly to the myths for example, sunlight burns, super strength and the link between a vampire and their maker. it is a very insular look at the fantasy world of vampires hidden inside our own with very little mention of the human world.
The original idea for 'Dracula' was to create a creature to scare people, whereas the 'Twilight' series is more focused on romance and to make the vampires attractive. The 'Underworld' series was more of an action and war film, as was the 'Blade' series. 'Interview With a Vampire' is a suspense film. Vampire films have changed in many ways and genre is one of them. This could be an attempt to explore new avenues of an old stereotype and to entice a different type of audience to each re-imagining of these creatures.A general overview of the changes in the representation of vampires is 
that the initial audience image of a vampire would have been 'Nosferatu' who was a creepy looking creature that bit people's necks. Next, and possibly even now, the dominant image of a Vampire would have been Count Dracula who slept in coffins, turned into a bat and could only go out at night. Over the years and into modern films and TV Vampires have become younger, stronger, more powerful and are harder to recognise as the undead on sight.
that the initial audience image of a vampire would have been 'Nosferatu' who was a creepy looking creature that bit people's necks. Next, and possibly even now, the dominant image of a Vampire would have been Count Dracula who slept in coffins, turned into a bat and could only go out at night. Over the years and into modern films and TV Vampires have become younger, stronger, more powerful and are harder to recognise as the undead on sight.Common iconographies and conventions in vampire films include:
> Blood -The use of which depends heavily on the film genre and its certificate, for example very little blood in 'Twilight' and yet in '30 Days of Night', where the vampires are feral and beastly with 2 layers oof razor sharp teeth, there is blood in practically every scene. With the introduction of colour films the use of blood became more liberal as well (50's-60's).
>Neck biting and teeth - Teeth are the most recognisable feature of a vampire and each film does them a bit differently and have changed a lot from 'Nosferatu's' fangs to the barely visible or retractable fangs of today's vampires. This increasingly humanoid appearance helps the vampires to blend in and seem more attractive.>Night setting - Most vampire films carry the myth of the dangers of sunlight, either that its rays are fatal, as in 'Underworld', or decrease powers slightly, as in 'Dracula'. Night also presents a new dimension of fear for the audience, it increases the vulnerability of the characters and is a stereotype of horror films to allow imagination of what could be lurking in the dark to increase tension.
>Being indestructable -This is mainly a plot device which aims to make the creature more terrifying and harder to kill.>Coffins, Crucifixes and Holy water - These are iconic as they link to the religious paranoia which is attributed with the birth of vampire legend, as vampires and the undead are directly linked to demonic forces. The name of the franchise 'Underworld' is partly an acknowledgement of that link, that originally vampires were believed to be pure evil from hell. These religious objects were initially means by which characters could defend themselves against vampires, indicating a reflection of social morality and religious views within these films.
> Garlic - This is another traditional method for deterring or killing vampires. However, in modern films it is often ignored or if it is used, for example in 'Blade' - which is the only contemporary vampire film that bothers to regard garlic as a serious deterrent, garlic is given a scientific reason dor this effect eg. it induces anaphylactic shock. This attempts to create a sense of realsim within the fantastical context.
Costume wise vampires have always been associated with black as an iconic link to the darkness they are supposed to represent. Traditional vampires wore black capes, whereas modern vampires have a more subtle appearance. It is commonplace for a vampire to be dressed in modern, normal clothing to blend into society, creating realism.
Pale skin is a convention that most vampire films adhere to, even in modern films. However, as films should reflect the society of the times films such as 'Twilight' and the 'Trueblood' TV show depict vampires of ethnic races other than just white.
From film to film vampires vary in many terms. For example, how to kill a vampire suggestions include the iconic stake, slit throats, incineration, sunlight, decapitation, garlic or staying with a woman who is "pure of heart" until dawn. A vampire can then either: explode, disintergrate, burst, morph, molder or die serenely with a single groan. Also becoming a vampire varies from through a bite, through a ritual or the exchanging of blood, some films such as 'Blade' (like several other AIDs-conscious vampire films) treats vampirism as an infectious blood disease. 
Can vampires fly? Nosferatu is barely able to walk -he shuffles around his castle, whereas Dracula is able to turn himself into a bat. In 'Interview With the Vampire' some vampires are able to fly, as are John Carpenter's vampires, however, these vampire villians seem to immediately forget these powers in the climatic final battles and therefore, most modern films do not include this particular power, their vampires rely on their super strength for unfeasible jumping.
A modern convention for vampire films is to challenge or expel older conventions by a vampire or vampire expert explaining what vampires are really like. For example, in 'Trueblood' the main vampire, Bill, is asked "I thought you were supposed to invisible in a mirror," and he reveals that vampires started the myths about not having reflections themselves, in order to make them harder to detect. Other films have also used similar subversions of myths. Variations on the vampire rules also make for some clever plot twists to keep the audiences surprised and make the stories less predictable. But the biggest reason for expelling old myths is to create a believable world. It acknowledges the silliness of most vampire stories which distancing this one from the rest.
Variation in attributes is a long standing tradition in vampire narrative. There are many reasons for this, but one of the most significant one is technology. This has aided the transformation of the vampire and most other supernatural creatures. Increased (and better) use of prosthetics, convincing fangs and CGI meant that vampires could develop a range of new apppearances and powers. CGI also aided technology represented in the films. In recent films "science is the new magic", from a 'vampiris germ' in 'I Am Legend' to genetic mutations in 'Underworld'. Also the technology in films for vampire slaying has adapted hence the evolution of the vampire 
action film, with garlic filled bullets in 'Blade' and 'Underworld's' bullets filled with daylight.It all depends on each individual film world and the narrative. The typical vampire narrative has also adapted over the years. Films such as 'Nosferatu', 'Dracula' and 'Fright Night' contain the traditional vampire plot where the villainous vampire must be defeated by a worthy protagonist who holds most of the audience's sympathy. Modern interpretations of vampire plots take into consideration the social climate of our era. 'Being human' (a TV show) is less about the idea of monster verses human, but the fight against an internal monster in order for the vampires themselves to retain a sense of humanity. In modern terms humanity is discussed as a state of being which is emphasised by the title 'being human' despite the show being about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost.
'Trueblood' (a TV show) is another re-imagining of a world involving vampires. Synthetic blood allows vampires to be a part of society, similar to 'Daybreakers' where vampires are the majority, and this raises the theme of prejudice, drawing parralels with our world, including an exploration of religious organisations and general socialviews. There is a heavy slant on the political implications of vampires and their power. This show attempts to set the fantasy elements in a contemporary America, making it more realistic and character based rather than centring on the supernatural horror aspect. The same can be said of 'being human' which is set in modern Britain and amongst their ordinary lives, like jobs, cooking and relationships are the fantastical storylines.
'Twilight', another re-envisaging of vampire stories, is a forbidden romance, the point of which is to ask 'what would you sacrafice for love? - your life? your humanity?' Despite its popularity this is not the first or only time vampires were depicted as attractive. The darkness of these creatures has always attracted humans to them, even if you look as early as 'Dracula' there is an almost beautiful glamour and charisma to them. It wasn't until the late 1960's that 'hot' vampires became mainstream.
In contrast with this, the 'Underworld' series deeply revolves around original mythology and is the tale of the beginning of the battle between vampires and lycans (I recommend you watch them in oreder of release -unless you want massive spoilers!!) It sticks strongly to the myths for example, sunlight burns, super strength and the link between a vampire and their maker. it is a very insular look at the fantasy world of vampires hidden inside our own with very little mention of the human world.Bibliography:
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
'The Woman in Black' Teaser deconstruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSHEYVGaWok
'The Woman in Black' teaser trailer trades on its antiquity, highlighted through the protagonists old fashioned suit with a high white collar and mainl black or grey jackets. The age of the gothic horror novel from which this film is adapted gives the story a mythological quality. As one of the oldest and best known ghost stories it creates fear alone through its notoriety, possibly being the root/ inspiration of many modern tales.
Numerous fade transitions are used, particularly for bringing the white, cracked anchorage over the screen, either a shot or a plain black board. The white text may also remain at the forefront of the screen as the image behind it fades to black. This is effective in switching the focus of the screen to the words. The typography of the anchorage is also a convention of horror films, making the genre instantly recognisable, as well as branding the film, and the white on black makes it stand out for the audience. The poignant use of 'chilling' in the first shot is very apt as it surmises the feeling created by the trailer. A single black slide, following a dramatic mid shot of the protagonist backing away from the camera in fear, has only one name written on it 'Daniel Radcliffe' this emphasises that one of the main hooks of the trailer is the famous actor in the main role. This slide follows one of the only shots where Radcliffe's face is centred and in a degree of light.
An extreme close up on the protagonist's face, half in darkness, high highlighted by stark lighting shows his significance and draws focus to his eye which moves very slightly implying watchfulness, which creates tension for the audience. Close up and establishing shots are also conventions of a teaser trailer.
'The Woman in Black' teaser trailer trades on its antiquity, highlighted through the protagonists old fashioned suit with a high white collar and mainl black or grey jackets. The age of the gothic horror novel from which this film is adapted gives the story a mythological quality. As one of the oldest and best known ghost stories it creates fear alone through its notoriety, possibly being the root/ inspiration of many modern tales.
The shot of the room with rich purple walls, old, ornate furniture and gloomy low key lighting are all striking features of a gothic horror location. The opening establishing shot and zoom of the house displays the grey, bleak weather which sets up the intial atmosphere of the trailer. Also the overgrown garden and old, grey stone building are typical depictions of a haunted house in horror films, displaying the wealth and yet the isolation and overlooked quality of the location. Numerous mid shots frame the main protagonist in darkened, greyed corridors, all of which aim at creating clarity of genre.
One such shot is a profile of the protagonsits centred in an almost black screen. As a hand reaches out from behind him for his shoulder the non-diegetic sound brings in a loud, low quivering noise which builds to a crash as the scene cuts to black. Throughout the trailer the use of low droning notes builds tension and an unnerving atmosphere. These notes grow in volume from the opening shot fading out in the shot of the main room when a picture drum is spun. The diegetic fast paced clicking noise of the drum is intensified during the close up and a high pitched piercing note of non-diegetic sound grows to a climax as an eye suddenly appears through the spinning drum. A sound bridge crash is synchronous with a flash of the same shot in negative. This emphasises the striking moment and aims at creating a jump in the audience. The sound in the trailer creates an atmosphere of dread, unnerving the audience.
Numerous fade transitions are used, particularly for bringing the white, cracked anchorage over the screen, either a shot or a plain black board. The white text may also remain at the forefront of the screen as the image behind it fades to black. This is effective in switching the focus of the screen to the words. The typography of the anchorage is also a convention of horror films, making the genre instantly recognisable, as well as branding the film, and the white on black makes it stand out for the audience. The poignant use of 'chilling' in the first shot is very apt as it surmises the feeling created by the trailer. A single black slide, following a dramatic mid shot of the protagonist backing away from the camera in fear, has only one name written on it 'Daniel Radcliffe' this emphasises that one of the main hooks of the trailer is the famous actor in the main role. This slide follows one of the only shots where Radcliffe's face is centred and in a degree of light.
An extreme close up on the protagonist's face, half in darkness, high highlighted by stark lighting shows his significance and draws focus to his eye which moves very slightly implying watchfulness, which creates tension for the audience. Close up and establishing shots are also conventions of a teaser trailer.Towards the end of the trailer soft, high notes, reminiscent of a music box, are played slowly with a low droning undertone introduced as the name of the film fades onto a black screen. This is 
extremely effective at creating an eerie atmosphere. Ambience and music are particularly crucial to horror films in order to create fear in the audience. The effective use of no speech is very striking and creates a serene picture of growing dread. This also puts emphasis onto the other sounds used which start off quietly and build to a climax which is a convention of trailers. The limited number of shots and short length, only 5 scenes from the film arer revealed in 47 seconds, aligns this sequence with teaser trailers. The final screen has the words "In cinemas soon" leaving the audience with a sense of mystery and intrigue.
extremely effective at creating an eerie atmosphere. Ambience and music are particularly crucial to horror films in order to create fear in the audience. The effective use of no speech is very striking and creates a serene picture of growing dread. This also puts emphasis onto the other sounds used which start off quietly and build to a climax which is a convention of trailers. The limited number of shots and short length, only 5 scenes from the film arer revealed in 47 seconds, aligns this sequence with teaser trailers. The final screen has the words "In cinemas soon" leaving the audience with a sense of mystery and intrigue.I felt that this teaser trailer was brilliant for not revealing too much, yet creating a memorable ambience and enough enigmas to tempt consumers to go and see the film upon its release. Its simplicity created an unnerving sense of mystery that was highly appealing.
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Horror Film releases 2011/2012
I have noticed that there are five main, recurring themes: making prequels, sequels or remakes, the depiction or involvement of religion within the narrative, a return to period horrors set in the medieval period or old England for a gothic horror feel, supernatural horror with an emphasis on ghost tales and also on mental illness and the skewed perspectives of those who are psychologically damaged. 
Organised religion is reflected in some of the films released or due to release this year. These have mainly presented a view of militarized men of religion. In the current political climate, with many wars, this may reflect many people turning to faith in order to understand. However this portrayal could also have a more sinister meaning and be an indication of the world's current fear of religion in its extremism. Although, these films such as 'The Rite' and 'Priest', show religion fighting against demonic evils such as spirits and vampires. This could be a distinction being made between organised religion and extremism, which is represented through the battle between the 'good' priest fighting the 'bad' demons that have invaded the society of the film. The narratives involve themes of war and religion (particularly seen in 'Priest') which could also be a parallel with the War on Terror currently in the news.
Films based in Medieval periods or faux medieval periods, where inspiration is drawn only from the styling of the horror's world, and in time frames associated with gothic horror, for example 'The Woman in Black' an adaptation of a classic gothic horror. These patterns highlight the cyclical nature of the film genre. Scriptwriters have returned to old conventions to create fear because audiences have become overly familiar with modern conventions and are no longer entirely frightened by them. A social point about the advantage of these period plots is that characters are more easily isolated or put in vulnerable situations due to their lack of technology. Writers must resort to literary devices and cliches in order to cut off modern protagonists such as power cuts, dead mobile batteries and loss of service.The increase number of remakes, prequels and sequels are not uncommon within any film genre. These films build on an already successful enterprise or franchise using a winning narrative formula which meets audience expectation.
The increased interest in mental illness plotlines builds on the fear of losing your own identity; being unable to trust yourself and hallucinations or tricks of the mind. Being unable to distinguish reality from pretend is a main theme of these films and tricking the audience by positioning them alongside this character is another narrative twist. Even in the modern world and particularly outside the scientific fields, the brain is still largely not understood and mystery is the breeding ground for horror. Psychological illness allows the protagonist to be terrorised by targeted personal fears. These individuals' stories, however, still retain the element of 'it could happen to anyone' and that you wouldn't know if you also were mentally ill. The irrational behaviour shown in films such as 'The Ward' and 'Shutter Island' is often linked to psychopaths which subconsciously creates tension and fear.
Ghosts and the supernatural present the idea of the fear of the unknown; possibly being a reflection of the War on Terror, which is the fight against an idea not a united movement of people and is thereby undefined or intangible. Ghosts represent that which, seemingly, can not be destroyed or killed. They are also, occasionally, linked to mental illness, as they are shown to be created by the paranoia of the mind. One popular ghost film franchise recently started is 'Paranormal Activity'.
Monday, 18 July 2011
Film Genre: How have they changed and why?
Genre is closely linked to the word 'generic' which means 'formulaic', therefore genre is a way of classifying a narrative. Katie Wales notes that 'genre is... an intertextual concept' which means seeing individual texts in relation to others, thereby grouping texts by semiotic or thematic notion.
Most film genres are borrowed from literature and therefore films are categorised mainly by narrative content, although some are defined by setting (if environment is cruicial to the plot), themes (the issues or concepts explored in the film), the mood (emotional tone of the film) or target audience.
There are also many subgenres or mini genres which are defined differently such as budget-based films (blockbusters), while others are recognised for srtistic status (the art film) or racial identity (black cinema)
Filmmakers want the narrative of a film to be instantly attractive and recogniseable as they know what type and size of audience it will attract. Audiences find genres satisfying, due to the fact that they know that certain expectations may be fulfilled and they find pleasure in predicting what will happen next.
What changes genre? How do genres change?
The main cause of genre change is the society in which the film is conceived. the political climate is crucial to the themes explored within films as representations within films aim to reflect aspects of modern issues. For example, the increased number of zombie films produced by Hollywood in the 1950's alludes to the fear of communism during the Cold War between America and Russia. The mindless, generic zombies are an embodiment of America's perception of communists as unknown beings with no independence and to be feared.
Carolyn Miller suggests that 'the number of genres in any society ... depends on the complexitity and diversity of society'. Therefore it is natural that as the internet creates geographical irrelevance and globalisation due to the ability to migrate, which in turn produces multicultural societies, such as Britain, that genre should grow and develop.
Technological advancement in film, such as stop motion animation, increased understanding of how to create special effects changed genre and led to the revolution that was 'Star Wars' in 1977. The incredible spcae-scapes, lightsaber battles and exploding planets enthralled a generation of cinema goers abd the bar for exciting stunts and 'realistic' fantasy/science fiction worlds was raised. However, technological advancements in society also influences film. In recent years the progressed reaserch into stem cells and scientists battling for organ cloning to be legalised has inspired films such as 'The Island' (2005) to 'Never Let Me Go' (2010) which focus on the psychology of the cloned individuals who are created to provide organs for the rest of the population. These films reflect the science verses morality battle as in 'what does it mean to be human?'
"Science fiction is that branch of literature that deals with human responses to changes in the level of science and technology" said Isaac Asimov. Many films comment on alien invasion in the 1950's alluding to the paranoia created by the Cold War, for example the 1950's films like 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' and 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' as well as the infamous Roswell spacecraft crash in 1947, which heightened an already large fascination with UFO's. As technology in society progressed so did the topic of Science Fiction films, which began to focus on cyborgs, clones and post-modern implosions, such as 'Blade Runner', 'Planet of the Apes' and 'The Terminator' as well as Aliens.
"Science fiction is that branch of literature that deals with human responses to changes in the level of science and technology" said Isaac Asimov. Many films comment on alien invasion in the 1950's alluding to the paranoia created by the Cold War, for example the 1950's films like 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' and 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' as well as the infamous Roswell spacecraft crash in 1947, which heightened an already large fascination with UFO's. As technology in society progressed so did the topic of Science Fiction films, which began to focus on cyborgs, clones and post-modern implosions, such as 'Blade Runner', 'Planet of the Apes' and 'The Terminator' as well as Aliens.
Popular culture is a huge influence of film theme. 'The Joneses' (2009) is a film that presents a family, or 'unit', who were selected by marketing corporations to advertise products via 'stealth marketing' eg. word of mouth. This is particularly significant today as conspicuous consumption has been growing since the 1920's. Thsi films is a reflection of the weight we give material items and is an introspective look at films and television shows which have also begun 'stealth marketing' - companies pay for their branded products to appear in a film or show.
Popular culture serves as the medium of presenting the lives and behaviour or 'norms' of the individuals and from the 80's there was a strong drug culture prevalent, not just in people's everyday lives but in music as well, where some might say it was glamourified. In 2000 9.7% of youths 12 to 17 were current drug users and this figure rose to 10.8% in 2001. It was in the late 90's that scientists revealed a strong correlation between drug-abuse and mental illness. The reality of this is reflected in films such as 'Trainspotting' (1996) and 'Requiem for a Dream' (2000). This also highlights how crucial contemporary issues and news reports are to inspiring film plots and creating an evolution of genre.
The different experiences of each writer, living in different families, countries, and situations, will continue to keep new and original ideas appearing in the landscape of film and contributing new conventions to genres which will create gradual change. 'Trainspotting' is a great example of this as the film is an adaptation of the novel, of the same name, by Irvine Welsh and is a brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life where he grew up.
Popular culture serves as the medium of presenting the lives and behaviour or 'norms' of the individuals and from the 80's there was a strong drug culture prevalent, not just in people's everyday lives but in music as well, where some might say it was glamourified. In 2000 9.7% of youths 12 to 17 were current drug users and this figure rose to 10.8% in 2001. It was in the late 90's that scientists revealed a strong correlation between drug-abuse and mental illness. The reality of this is reflected in films such as 'Trainspotting' (1996) and 'Requiem for a Dream' (2000). This also highlights how crucial contemporary issues and news reports are to inspiring film plots and creating an evolution of genre.
The different experiences of each writer, living in different families, countries, and situations, will continue to keep new and original ideas appearing in the landscape of film and contributing new conventions to genres which will create gradual change. 'Trainspotting' is a great example of this as the film is an adaptation of the novel, of the same name, by Irvine Welsh and is a brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life where he grew up.National or community feeling also inspire certain genres to change or bring some genres to a new audience with new expectations and demands. Towards the end of and after the Second World War the adaptation of superhero comics to TV and film increased considerably. 'Superman' (1978) was the first major superhero feature film and proved a critical success and a commercial hit. The 2000s brought forward some of the most profitable superhero franchises in history, with Marvel Enterprises dominating the superhero film genre. The rise of Al-Qaeda, the War on Terror, and the global financial crisis all created a lower mood in society. Filmmakers countered this with an array of superhero films in which the evil in the world is personnified as a supernatural being or force, but one that is always conquered by morally pure heroes/heroines.
Economic factors also drive the change or sometimes even the stagnation of a genre. If a style of film is popular and generating mass income the film industry would consider the film a success and replicate the formula either through remakes or very similar themes or plots. In recent years Rom-Coms have been critisced for having lost originality and for being overly predictable. These reviews have forced the genre to be more creative, experimenting with more realistic depictions of relationships such as '500 Days of Summer' (2009) or focusing on a different kind of relationship, for example, Bro-mances as seen in films like 'Wedding Crashers' (2005) and 'Role Models' (2208).
Genre itself also aids its own change. Representation in film feeds subconsiously into society forming certain views or raising issues which then become contemporary news and so are depicted in film. A film expert, Neale, stresses that the society/film relationship is reciprocal: 'a genre develops according to social conditions; transformations of genre and texts can influence and reinforce social conditions'. Although this is a hard change to find examples of as it happens almsot subliminally, it could be argued that the representation of families and couples in film has evolvedwith the laws regarding guardianship and divorce yet also influenced the social view of it, combating prejudice. Some Marxist commentators see genre as an instrument of social control which reproduces the dominant ideology.
How genres have changed can be looked at specifically for each genre, but generally for all genres over the years new successful formulas have been created, adding to the conventions of a genre and broadening the number of interpretations of these conventions. Some genres are 'looser' - more open-ended in their conventions or more permeable in their boundaries, then others anyway, but most genres have then been divided again, creating subgenres. For example, the Horror genre has sub-genres of slasher, creature-feature and zombie films. Each of these sub-genres is the product of a reimagining of what horror and fear mean at the time. Sub-genres allow room for more creativity and unique concepts, preventing constant repetition of certain elements within film, with the same recycled story which would bore audiences.
Genre merges act in a similar way to sub-genre by mixing up the conventions of two or more genres, thereby making the film appear to a wider audience. This has been happening in the industry for a long time, for example, 'Star trek:The Motion Picture' (1979) was classified as an Action, Adventure, Mystery, likewise the 2009 reimagining of 'Star Trek' is an Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, yet also features a romance, some would argue also a Bro-mance and lines of comedy. it is rare to find a film that is purely one genre.
In conclusion, film genres are changed by values and contemporary issues/feelings of the time in which they are made, such as economic, political, technological and moral factors. Film genres have changed by merging or sub-dividing to keep generating new ideas and inspiring individuality. Character representation is adapted to be a reflection of the modern times, as are the storylines which denote to the new cultural/social climate. The genre of the film is the ambience and a crucial part of the media message. The interaction between genres and media can be seen as one of the forces which contribute to changing genres, for example 'The Social network' (2010) is a biographical drama which comments on modern media. Also introspective films such as the 'Scream' series (1996-2011) and 'Easy A' (2010) where the characters are aware of the conventions of the genre that they are in and the film is a comment on that genre, highlight the cyclical nature of genre change and change in genre. Genre is constantly adapting to the world in which we live because it is an embodiment of 'the crucial ideological concerns of the time in which they are popular'.
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Horror Codes, Conventions and Cliches
Realism is often skewed in Horror films for dramatic effect, an example of this can be seen where body counts are often bigger and death scenes much more elaborate.Moral and social values also influence the events and the audience's perception of the film. For example, in many teen horror films characters that do drugs, have sex or drink are much less likely to survive, which can be seen as a comment on morality in society and sometimes religious, expectation.
Examples of codes and conventions:
> Frighten the audience and cause panic
> Cause dread and alarm
> Invoke our hidden worst fears
> Capitivate and entertain us in a cathartic experience
> Often draws to a climax with a shocking finale
> Always a lead character, who often survives the film
> The conscious killer has a pattern eg. of victim or weopan
> Usually 2 characters in conflict
> Often the 'good' person will survive
> Weopans can be used to kill silently and require 'intimacy' eg. a knife attack, to some, is paralleled to rape
> Isolated, quiet locations
Cliches such as "I'll be right back" are a common theme through which the audience knows that something, usually of misfortune, will happen to one or more of the characters. However, sometimes these clishes are used to precede a 'false jump' in order to make the predictable, unpredictable.The cliches of horror films have been explored in the 'Scream' series and parodied in films like 'Scary Movie' and audiences have become more conscious of them. For this reason the horror genre is constantly adapting to create new codes, conventions and cliches to continue scaring and surprising the modern audience.
Examples of some cliches (mainly slasher)
> The protagonists are unsympathetic teenage groups
> Groups split up and are picked off one by one
> The police are inept
> Phones will be out of signal or battery or will cut off before the victim can relate the location to those on the other end
> Killers often have parental/ family issues and NEVER run
> Killers are often seen moving the bodies of their victims and/or displaying them
> The killer appearing to be dead and then returning to life
> Fake scares
> Beware of certain dates such a murder anniversary and the places where they happened.
> Twist or ambiguous endings in case a sequel is planned
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