Thursday 30 July 2009
Survey Analysis
From my questionnaire results, I now know what I am going to do for my film. The film will deal with depression and have one main character. The film will be set in a small town where not a lot of people live. It will be character lead and will contain lots of swearing. The main character is going to treat people badly throughout the film until the end when he saves a young boy from being hit by a car. The main character has no friends in the film. The film will have a moral message. The music in the film will be slow and soft. The actors will be young newcomers. The film will end with the main character dying.
Survey Results
(30 People)
1. Are you: Male 15 Female 15
2. What age category do you fall into?
18 – 25 12
26 – 32 10
33 – 40 3
41+ 5
3. What is your favourite Black Comedy?
(17 people said Pulp Fiction, 8 people said In Bruges, 3 people said Very Bad Things, 2 people said Grosse Point Blank)
4. What do you like a black comedy to deal with? (tick all that apply)
Death 19 Drugs 3 Terrorism 1 Rape 7 War 1 Sex 3
Race 3
Insanity 2 Depression 21 Other 0 (please specify)………………………
5. How many key characters would you like a black comedy to have?
1 8 2 8 3 9 4 3 5 2 6 0
6. What sort of place would you like the film to be set?
Isolated (e.g. in the lonely countryside) Busy (e.g. in a town centre)
16 14
7. Would you prefer the film to be character lead or story lead?
Character lead 19 Story lead 11
8. How much swearing would you like there to be in the film?
None 2 Some 9 Lots 19
9. Do you want the main character(s) to treat people badly?
Yes 17 No 13
10. Someone is going to die in this film. How would you like the death to be?
Comical 5 Sad 7 Dramatic 14 Sudden 4
Other 0 (please specify)……………………………………….
11. Should the main character have any friends?
Yes 3 No 27
12. Would you like there to be a moral or political message?
Moral 20 Political 1 Neither 9
13. Would you like there to be a love interest?
Yes 7 No 13
14. What sort of music would you like there to be?
Slow 14 Fast 4 Violent 2
Other 10 (4 people said Emotional, 6 people said Sad)
15. Would you prefer established actors or newcomers in the film?
Established 10 Newcomers 20
16. Would you prefer older or younger actors in the film?
Older 9 Younger 21
17. Would you like the film to be location centric, character centric or story centric?
Location Centric 10 Character Centric 10 Story Centric 10
18. The main character is going to save someone’s life in this film. What should he save them from?
A Stabbing 6 Drowning 4 Falling from a high distance 5
Medical Condition (e.g. a heart transplant) 5
Other 10 (3 people said being raped, 7 people said being hit by a car)
19. Should the person who is saved be male or female?
Male 16 Female 14
1. Are you: Male 15 Female 15
2. What age category do you fall into?
18 – 25 12
26 – 32 10
33 – 40 3
41+ 5
3. What is your favourite Black Comedy?
(17 people said Pulp Fiction, 8 people said In Bruges, 3 people said Very Bad Things, 2 people said Grosse Point Blank)
4. What do you like a black comedy to deal with? (tick all that apply)
Death 19 Drugs 3 Terrorism 1 Rape 7 War 1 Sex 3
Race 3
Insanity 2 Depression 21 Other 0 (please specify)………………………
5. How many key characters would you like a black comedy to have?
1 8 2 8 3 9 4 3 5 2 6 0
6. What sort of place would you like the film to be set?
Isolated (e.g. in the lonely countryside) Busy (e.g. in a town centre)
16 14
7. Would you prefer the film to be character lead or story lead?
Character lead 19 Story lead 11
8. How much swearing would you like there to be in the film?
None 2 Some 9 Lots 19
9. Do you want the main character(s) to treat people badly?
Yes 17 No 13
10. Someone is going to die in this film. How would you like the death to be?
Comical 5 Sad 7 Dramatic 14 Sudden 4
Other 0 (please specify)……………………………………….
11. Should the main character have any friends?
Yes 3 No 27
12. Would you like there to be a moral or political message?
Moral 20 Political 1 Neither 9
13. Would you like there to be a love interest?
Yes 7 No 13
14. What sort of music would you like there to be?
Slow 14 Fast 4 Violent 2
Other 10 (4 people said Emotional, 6 people said Sad)
15. Would you prefer established actors or newcomers in the film?
Established 10 Newcomers 20
16. Would you prefer older or younger actors in the film?
Older 9 Younger 21
17. Would you like the film to be location centric, character centric or story centric?
Location Centric 10 Character Centric 10 Story Centric 10
18. The main character is going to save someone’s life in this film. What should he save them from?
A Stabbing 6 Drowning 4 Falling from a high distance 5
Medical Condition (e.g. a heart transplant) 5
Other 10 (3 people said being raped, 7 people said being hit by a car)
19. Should the person who is saved be male or female?
Male 16 Female 14
Thursday 23 July 2009
Survey Questions
(please complete this survey in black ink)
1. Are you: Male Female
2. What age category do you fall into?
18 – 25
26 – 32
33 – 40
41+
3. What is your favourite Black Comedy?
………………………………………………………………
4. What do you like a black comedy to deal with? (tick all that apply)
Death Drugs Terrorism Rape War Sex Race
Insanity Depression Other (please specify)………………………
5. How many key characters would you like a black comedy to have?
1 2 3 4 5 6
6. What sort of place would you like the film to be set?
Isolated (e.g. in the lonely countryside) Busy (e.g. in a town centre)
7. Would you prefer the film to be character lead or story lead?
Character lead Story lead
8. How much swearing would you like there to be in the film?
None Some Lots
9. Do you want the main character(s) to treat people badly?
Yes No
10. Someone is going to die in this film. How would you like the death to be?
Comical Sad Dramatic Sudden
Other (please specify)……………………………………….
11. Should the main character have any friends?
Yes No
12. Would you like there to be a moral or political message?
Moral Political Neither
13. Would you like there to be a love interest?
Yes No
14. What sort of music would you like there to be?
Slow Fast Violent
Other (please specify)…………………………..
15. Would you prefer established actors or newcomers in the film?
Established Newcomers
16. Would you prefer older or younger actors in the film?
Older Younger
17. Would you like the film to be location centric, character centric or story centric?
Location Centric Character Centric Story Centric
18. The main character is going to save someone’s life in this film. What should he save them from?
A Stabbing Drowning Falling from a high distance Medical Condition (e.g. a heart transplant)
Other (please specify)……………………………………………….
19. Should the person who is saved be male or female?
Male Female
1. Are you: Male Female
2. What age category do you fall into?
18 – 25
26 – 32
33 – 40
41+
3. What is your favourite Black Comedy?
………………………………………………………………
4. What do you like a black comedy to deal with? (tick all that apply)
Death Drugs Terrorism Rape War Sex Race
Insanity Depression Other (please specify)………………………
5. How many key characters would you like a black comedy to have?
1 2 3 4 5 6
6. What sort of place would you like the film to be set?
Isolated (e.g. in the lonely countryside) Busy (e.g. in a town centre)
7. Would you prefer the film to be character lead or story lead?
Character lead Story lead
8. How much swearing would you like there to be in the film?
None Some Lots
9. Do you want the main character(s) to treat people badly?
Yes No
10. Someone is going to die in this film. How would you like the death to be?
Comical Sad Dramatic Sudden
Other (please specify)……………………………………….
11. Should the main character have any friends?
Yes No
12. Would you like there to be a moral or political message?
Moral Political Neither
13. Would you like there to be a love interest?
Yes No
14. What sort of music would you like there to be?
Slow Fast Violent
Other (please specify)…………………………..
15. Would you prefer established actors or newcomers in the film?
Established Newcomers
16. Would you prefer older or younger actors in the film?
Older Younger
17. Would you like the film to be location centric, character centric or story centric?
Location Centric Character Centric Story Centric
18. The main character is going to save someone’s life in this film. What should he save them from?
A Stabbing Drowning Falling from a high distance Medical Condition (e.g. a heart transplant)
Other (please specify)……………………………………………….
19. Should the person who is saved be male or female?
Male Female
Monday 20 July 2009
Film Certification Research
Both the `15` and the `18` classification pages have been copied and pasted from the `BBFC` website.
After looking at these two pages I have decided that my film will be an 18 as there will be strong language and imitable behaviour.
Saturday 18 July 2009
Review Page Research
Empire
This is a film review from the magazine `Empire`. The title of the film is in big font at the top of the page. The picture from the film takes up a little bit more than one page. There is the film details first (Director, Producer, Screenwriter and the Cast) and the plot of the film. Then there is the review. In the middle of the review is a quote in big orange font from the critic. Finally there is a summary of the review and a star rating out of five for the film. Depending on how popular the film is expected to be the reviews differ in size.
Empire magazine uses an informative but chatty mode of address.
This is a film review from the magazine `Empire`. The title of the film is in big font at the top of the page. The picture from the film takes up a little bit more than one page. There is the film details first (Director, Producer, Screenwriter and the Cast) and the plot of the film. Then there is the review. In the middle of the review is a quote in big orange font from the critic. Finally there is a summary of the review and a star rating out of five for the film. Depending on how popular the film is expected to be the reviews differ in size.
Empire magazine uses an informative but chatty mode of address.
Q
In `Q` magazine the image takes up less than half a page. There is the film title and details first. Then there is the star rating out of five and the review. Like `Empire` there is a quote from the critic in the review in bigger font. As this is a music magazine, the bigger sized reviews will be the films that have the most to do with music.
Q magazine uses a informative but chatty mode of address.
In `Q` magazine the image takes up less than half a page. There is the film title and details first. Then there is the star rating out of five and the review. Like `Empire` there is a quote from the critic in the review in bigger font. As this is a music magazine, the bigger sized reviews will be the films that have the most to do with music.
Q magazine uses a informative but chatty mode of address.
Friday 17 July 2009
Poster Research
In BrugesIncongruous Juxtaposition is used in this poster. It is to show the contrast between the tourist and the violence aspect of the film. There is a swan, a postcard rack and medieval buildings in the background and the main character is holding an ice cream which shows the tourist aspect of the film. Two of the characters on the poster are holding guns showing the violence aspect of the film.
The poster also shows what time of year it is in the film. We can tell from the clouds, the clothes and the way Colin Farrell is standing. He has his arms crossed and his collar up connotating that it is winter. All of the characters are wearing coats also.
The title of the film is quite large so that people straight away know what the film is called. The tag line is just above the title which is very common in film posters. The tag line also suggests that there is a tourist and a violent aspect to the film: shooting is violent and tourists sightsee. The three main characters names are on the poster so that people know what the actors' names are.
Finally in very small font at the bottom of the poster the rest of the main crew are shown, e.g. the director, the producer, etc. The production companies are also shown at the bottom.
FargoThis poster has a homely feel to it because of the tapestry effect. However there is a picture of a dead person and a overturned car. The title of the film is quite large so that people know the name of the film. The tag line is under the title. The filmmakers names are above the title instead of the actors names because more people would know the filmmakers names than the actors names as they are more accomplished. The audience of `Fargo` are also more likely to watch it because of the Coen Brothers rather than the actors.
Fight ClubThis poster shows the two main characters and their names in big font. They are accomplished actors. The title of the film is in big font at the top of the poster. The title is on a bar of soap because soap is a big part of the film. The tag line is under the title. The dark colours of the poster suggest that it is a dark film.
Grosse Point BlankThis poster has the two main characters on it. One of whom is holding a gun and wearing all black. The tag line mentions a hitman so you straight away know that the man with the gun is the hitman. The poster is quite a colourful one showing that it won't be a dark film. There is a body outline in the corner suggesting that there will be death in the film. The expressions on the characters faces shows that the film is a comedy along with the bright colours.
You can tell that these films are comedies from their tag lines. They are all rather humorous. Most black comedy posters use incongruous juxtaposition because the link between the two opposite things is funny.
Monday 13 July 2009
5 Minute Films
I have watched four five-minute films and I have noticed that there isn’t often a lot of dialogue in them but there can be. I think all five minute films differ overall. One of the only things they all have in common is they all only contain 2 - 3 scenes.
I watched a number of short films on Youtube for research on five-minute films. The films I watched were different genres. I did this intentionally so that I could see the differences in the genres.
The first one I watched was `Lovefield`by Mathieu Ratthe. This is a combination of Horror, Suspense and Drama.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4meeZifCVro
The second one I watched was titled `Monday Morning`. This is a Black Comedy.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jqqSPJKTfY
The third film I watched was called `Last Gasp`. This was also a Black Comedy.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RBYecVVTM8
The final film I watched was `Black Button`. It was a Drama.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrKnhOJ-R80
I watched a number of short films on Youtube for research on five-minute films. The films I watched were different genres. I did this intentionally so that I could see the differences in the genres.
The first one I watched was `Lovefield`by Mathieu Ratthe. This is a combination of Horror, Suspense and Drama.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4meeZifCVro
The second one I watched was titled `Monday Morning`. This is a Black Comedy.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jqqSPJKTfY
The third film I watched was called `Last Gasp`. This was also a Black Comedy.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RBYecVVTM8
The final film I watched was `Black Button`. It was a Drama.
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrKnhOJ-R80
Sunday 12 July 2009
Black Comedy Research
Competitors
In Bruges
Very Bad Things
Natural Born Killers
Fargo
The Cable Guy
American Psycho
Fight Club
Grosse Point Blank
Office Space
The Matador
Pulp Fiction
Burn after Reading
“Wikipedia” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedic_genres
Black comedy or dark comedy
Black comedy deals with disturbing subjects such as death, drugs, terrorism, rape, and war. Some dark comedy is similar to the horror movie genre. Television examples include Brass Eye.
“The Free Dictionary” http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Black+comedy
Black´ com`e`dy (blăk´ kǒm`ĕd`ŷ)
n.
1.
(Drama) a comedy that treats of morbid, tragic, gloomy, or grotesque situations as a major element of the plot.
Conventions (I gathered these black comedy conventions by watching the highlighted films above)
Character – Immoral. Quite strange. Normal looking. Usually more than one key character. Swear a lot. They do bad things but they don't do these things for immoral reasons, e.g. in `In Bruge` Colin Farrell's character was suicidal because he killed the wrong person, so he did feel bad for doing what he did.
Plot – Someone usually dies. Not a common sort of story.
Shot Types – All types are used. Close-ups used often.
Locations – Often isolated locations.
Music – Used very often, differs in type.
Black comedies are usually slow paced.
In Bruges (2008) – Bruges is quite isolated in the film as not a lot of people are there. A few people die in the film. The characters are immoral as they are hit-men (contract killers). They are average looking people. There are a few key characters. Slow music is used. The film is quite slow paced. There is also a lot of swearing.
Fargo – The location in this film is also isolated, they are in a small town with a low population from the looks of it. Also there are quite a few scenes on a really long empty road. The characters are immoral; one man pays for his wife to be kidnapped and some other men kill some people. There are a few key characters. Slow music is used throughout the film. There is a lot of swearing.
Fight Club – The house the two main characters live in is in the middle of nowhere, there is no one around for miles. The characters are also immoral as they are beating people up very violently. There is a lot of swearing in the film. They are average looking people. The film is quite slow paced.
Burn after Reading – There is more than one main character. They are average looking. The characters are immoral as they are cheating on their spouse, breaking into peoples houses and blackmailing others. People die in this film. The film is quite slow paced also. There is a lot of swearing.
Swearing is used a lot in black comedies because it makes the films a lot funnier. Not all black comedies have a lot of swearing in but most of them do.
In all of the films I have written about, close-ups are used to show emotions of the character. Emotion is a very big part of black comedies I feel.
In `In Bruges`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of Colin Farrell’s character, Ray. He is upset and feeling deep remorse for accidently killing a young boy.
In `Fargo`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of William H. Macy’s character, Jerry Lundegaard. He is worried because he has paid to have his wife kidnapped and it is all going wrong.
In `Fight Club`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of Edward Norton’s character. He is feeling deep boredom in his life and he is constantly tired because he is suffering from insomnia.
In `Burn after Reading`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of John Malkovich’s character, Osborn Cox. He is feeling bored and is getting more and more paranoid as the film progresses. For example, a close-up is used when he is sitting at home bored and then the phone rings; a sudden look of excitement comes on his face because he will get to talk to someone.
(I viewed all of these films to gather this information)
In Bruges
Very Bad Things
Natural Born Killers
Fargo
The Cable Guy
American Psycho
Fight Club
Grosse Point Blank
Office Space
The Matador
Pulp Fiction
Burn after Reading
“Wikipedia” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedic_genres
Black comedy or dark comedy
Black comedy deals with disturbing subjects such as death, drugs, terrorism, rape, and war. Some dark comedy is similar to the horror movie genre. Television examples include Brass Eye.
“The Free Dictionary” http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Black+comedy
Black´ com`e`dy (blăk´ kǒm`ĕd`ŷ)
n.
1.
(Drama) a comedy that treats of morbid, tragic, gloomy, or grotesque situations as a major element of the plot.
Conventions (I gathered these black comedy conventions by watching the highlighted films above)
Character – Immoral. Quite strange. Normal looking. Usually more than one key character. Swear a lot. They do bad things but they don't do these things for immoral reasons, e.g. in `In Bruge` Colin Farrell's character was suicidal because he killed the wrong person, so he did feel bad for doing what he did.
Plot – Someone usually dies. Not a common sort of story.
Shot Types – All types are used. Close-ups used often.
Locations – Often isolated locations.
Music – Used very often, differs in type.
Black comedies are usually slow paced.
In Bruges (2008) – Bruges is quite isolated in the film as not a lot of people are there. A few people die in the film. The characters are immoral as they are hit-men (contract killers). They are average looking people. There are a few key characters. Slow music is used. The film is quite slow paced. There is also a lot of swearing.
Fargo – The location in this film is also isolated, they are in a small town with a low population from the looks of it. Also there are quite a few scenes on a really long empty road. The characters are immoral; one man pays for his wife to be kidnapped and some other men kill some people. There are a few key characters. Slow music is used throughout the film. There is a lot of swearing.
Fight Club – The house the two main characters live in is in the middle of nowhere, there is no one around for miles. The characters are also immoral as they are beating people up very violently. There is a lot of swearing in the film. They are average looking people. The film is quite slow paced.
Burn after Reading – There is more than one main character. They are average looking. The characters are immoral as they are cheating on their spouse, breaking into peoples houses and blackmailing others. People die in this film. The film is quite slow paced also. There is a lot of swearing.
Swearing is used a lot in black comedies because it makes the films a lot funnier. Not all black comedies have a lot of swearing in but most of them do.
In all of the films I have written about, close-ups are used to show emotions of the character. Emotion is a very big part of black comedies I feel.
In `In Bruges`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of Colin Farrell’s character, Ray. He is upset and feeling deep remorse for accidently killing a young boy.
In `Fargo`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of William H. Macy’s character, Jerry Lundegaard. He is worried because he has paid to have his wife kidnapped and it is all going wrong.
In `Fight Club`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of Edward Norton’s character. He is feeling deep boredom in his life and he is constantly tired because he is suffering from insomnia.
In `Burn after Reading`, close-ups are used to show the emotions of John Malkovich’s character, Osborn Cox. He is feeling bored and is getting more and more paranoid as the film progresses. For example, a close-up is used when he is sitting at home bored and then the phone rings; a sudden look of excitement comes on his face because he will get to talk to someone.
(I viewed all of these films to gather this information)
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