2.4 External - 3 CreditsDemonstrate understanding of a media

genre

SCIENCE FICTION GENRE STUDYREVISION

Science Fiction Texts

• War of the Worlds 1953

• Independence Day 1996

• Signs 2002

• Minority Report 2002

• War of the Worlds 2005

• The Knowing 2009

Key Points about Science Fiction

• The first science fiction feature films appeared in the 1920s after the Great War

• Many early films are derived from sci-fi novels E.g H.G Wells WOTW• Many early science fiction films were merged with horror films which is

one reason why many conventions or elements of the horror genre are present E.g. Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

• Science fiction films are often used for future predictions and social commentary. They reflect the particular concerns of the period in which they were produced.

• 1950’s - Cold War paranoia, Space age, Nuclear fear.• 1990’s - Birth of the internet, fear of technology, the potential of man.• 2000’s - political situations surrounding the world Post 9/11, global

issues, environmental focus.• Science fiction films have been hugely influential on the development of

special effects technology on the film industry as a whole.

War of the Worlds 1953

Director: • Byron Haskin

• Dr. Clayton Forrester, a world renowned physicist, is on a fishing vacation in Pine Summit when a giant meteorite lands in the hills above the nearby town of Linda Rosa. At the impact site, he meets Sylvia van Buren and her uncle, Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins. The meteorite (actually a Martian spacecraft) unscrews and disgorges a machine. The alien machine along with others around the world begin their attack on earth. They are seemingly unstoppable – even repelling an atomic bomb launched by the U.S Military. However they eventually begin to die as the aliens lack immunity to Earth's viruses and bacteria.

Independence Day1996

Director: • Roland Emmerich

In the beginning of July, a strange spaceship heads towards Earth. Smaller spaceships begin to cover entire cities around the world and destroy them. When the world counterattack, the alien ships are found to be invincible to normal weapon systems. The President of the United States aided by Captain Steven Hiller and Scientist David Levinson defeat the aliens through a combination of

Signs2002

Director: • M. Night Shyamalan

• The Hess family lives on a farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Graham Hess is a former priest whose wife, Colleen, died in a horrific traffic accident. He cares for his children Morgan and Bo with the help of his younger brother Merrill. Things are uneventful in Graham's life until a mysterious crop circle appears in his cornfield. Aliens begin attacking earth but leave however after it is revealed that water is deadly to them. In the last scene Graham is seen preaching again – this reflects the return of his faith.

Minority Report2002

• Director:• Steven Spielberg

Based on the short story "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick. It is set primarily in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia in the year 2054, where "Precrime", a specialized police department, apprehends criminals based on foreknowledge provided by three psychics called "precogs". Precrime officer John Anderton is framed to cover up a flaw in the system.

War of the Worlds 2005

Director: • Steven Spielberg

The story opens in Newark, New Jersey with dock worker Ray Ferrier, his 10-year-old daughter Rachel and teenage son Robbie at his house. Large Tripod machines emerge from the earth after a storm and begin to vaporize all humans and buildings within range. The aliens are eventually defeated as they lack immunity to human bacteria.

The Knowing - Alex Proyas 2009

• In 1959 at William Dawes Elementary School in Massachusetts, a time capsule containing students' drawings of their ideas of the future is buried and set to be ceremoniously opened 50 years later. A girl named Lucinda Embry contributes a page full of seemingly random digits.

• In 2009 the time capsule is opened. A boy named Caleb receives Lucinda's envelope. His father, John Koestler, a widower and professor of astrophysics at MIT, takes interest in the paper and soon realizes some of the digits represent the dates and death tolls of every major disaster over the past fifty years, and suggests three disasters still to come.

• Meanwhile Caleb begins receiving visits from mysterious figures in overcoats, "The Strangers." During these encounters he hears their overlapping telepathic whispers. John and a fellow professor forecast that a massive solar flare will soon reach Earth, and the final disaster on Lucinda's paper will indeed be worldwide and apocalyptic.

• As the end of the earth draws closer the Strangers throw off their human disguise and reveal themselves as glowing, translucent figures surrounded by wisps of light. The Strangers invite only those who can hear their whispers to escape the destruction with them. John convinces an initially reluctant Caleb to go with The Strangers, and the vessel departs with the two children.

• From the vantage point of space, other ships are seen taking off from all around Earth. John travels to Boston to be with his sister and parents. While he had distanced himself from religion following his wife's death, John reconciles with his estranged father, a Christian minister. John and his family embrace as the solar flare strikes and incinerates everything on Earth.

• Elsewhere, Caleb and Abby are dropped off in an otherworldly field. Other ships are visible along the horizon, dropping off others. The film ends as the two make their way towards a large, white, solitary tree in the distance.

• The Knowing trailer• The Knowing Aliens

Codes and Conventions• Lighting - Low key. Cold dystopic colours (red, green, black, silver)• Cinematography (Camera shots) -Low angles on aliens, high angles on

humans. Canted angles create a feeling of chaos/confusion Reveals, POV shots used to create fear, suspense.

• Framing - often aliens are only partially shown – limits the viewers ability to see and this creates tension.

• Special Effects - technology a major focus (SFX)• Props - Horizontal blinds/shutters often used, creates shadows, obscures

view, originates from the horror genre. Creates a sense of fear.• Music - menacing, threatening, creates atmosphere• Sound Effects - Often sounds are used to imply chaos, fear, create an

emotional response. E.g. car horns, clock ticking, squeaking door.• Narrative - Science fiction plots often express the potential of technology to

destroy humankind, disasters/armaggedon-like events and Alien invasions or attacks. Contain a ‘hero’ who saves the day (god/scientist/everyman)

• Editing - pace varies at times. Quick cuts to create fear, tension. Long/Slow motion shots to increase a sense of impending doom or establish threat.

Developments in the Genre• Early films often used alien life forms as a threat or peril to the human race, where the invaders were frequently

fictional representations of actual military or political threats on Earth. Later some aliens were represented as benign and even beneficial in nature in such films as Escape to Witch Mountain and The Knowing. The ‘enemy’ takes on various metaphorical roles from Communist to Terrorists to Saviour/God.

• Themes change according to social concerns – Communist threat, fear of the unknown, mans destructive

capabilities, enemies within, fear of technology and the future of our world, fears of the unknown, enemies within, fear for the future of the world (environmental).

• Narrative – the saviour changes from God to man then back to God again. This reflects the questioning of faith. Humanity begins to lack belief in God and sees humanity as its own saviour. There is a return to ‘faith’ in God in later films. God even takes the form of Aliens to an extent.

• The role of the scientist has varied considerably in the science fiction film genre, depending on the public perception of science and advanced technology. Starting with Dr. Frankenstein, the mad scientist became a stock character who posed a dire threat to society and perhaps even civilization. In the monster movies of the 1950s, the scientist often played a heroic role as the only person who could provide a technological fix for some impending doom. Reflecting the distrust of government that began in the 1960s in the U.S., the brilliant but rebellious scientist became a common theme. This again changes in the early 1990’s where in an attempt to restore faith in the government the president is portrayed as the saviour of mankind rather than God.

• Since the 1970s, film audiences have come to expect a high standard for special effects in science fiction films. As the decade progressed, computers played an increasingly important role in both the addition of special effects and the production of films. As the software developed in sophistication it was used to produce more complicated effects such as wave movement, explosions. (Animation, CGI, Blue Screen etc)

Genre Essay• Write a 400 word response about the science fiction genre. You must

refer closely to at least TWO films we have studied this year in your essay.

• There are 3 parts to your response

1. Name and describe the genre. (Origins, purpose, conventions, plot)2. Discuss how ONE convention of this genre was used in at least TWO

films we have studied. (Lighting or Cinematography)3. Discuss developments of the genre over time with close reference to at

least TWO films we have studied. (Special Effects)

Please read the exemplar response on the wiki site for homework to help you with your essay.

Due Date: Tuesday 4th August