Genre & Trailer Research

Taylor Smith

Brief

You are to produce a Promotion Package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer (DVD), together with 2 of the following:-A website homepage for the film-A film magazine front cover, featuring the film (A4) -A poster for the film (No larger than A3)

Theoretical approach Postmodernism/Postmodern theory & Genre theory

PostmodernismWhat is it?Postmodernism is a term applied to a wide-ranging set of developments in critical theory, philosophy, architecture, art, literature, and culture, which are generally characterized as either emerging from, in reaction to, or superseding, modernism.

What are the characteristics?Postmodernism aims to avoid the mainstream conventions of narrative structure & characterisation. It also aims to be controversial and challenging.

Ideas:Narrative (whether the future will be beneficial to society/themes that challenge conventional film narratives e.g. anti-heroes & unclear representations) E.g. Blade Runner & Pulp FictionBricolage (taking ideas and images from other existing media styles and reusing them) E.g. Kill Bill & Django – Quentin Tarantino. He also used non-linear narrative in Kill Bill by jumping around with chapters & time. He also used anti-narrative in Django, by using flash backs & thought trails.

Postmodern TheoryFrederic Jameson – PasticheHis theory suggests that the hyperrealism that we are overexposed to in the media and advertisement world leaves us no room for critique and therefore all media becomes copied from previous forms & ideas. This is also known as pastiche.

Jean Baudrillard – Simulcra or HyperrealityThe idea that the boundary between reality and the media’s idea of reality is now undistinguished . Therefore we are only exposed to an unreal, hyperreal world, which is a simulation or copy of reality. So the signs we read in the media only represent reality. Postmodernists are aware of this new reality and try to play with and test these ideas. Critics argue that that this is too simplistic and it’s wrong to suggest that the media can’t be close to representing reality ever. (Reality TV)

Guy RitchieThe way his films are edited use postmodern camera work which is also known as ‘High art’. In ‘Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels’ the poker scene is a good example of post modernism. He uses ‘Focus pull’ to disorientate the character and this challenges the controversy of poker and gambling. It also emphasises how he feels unstable in this environment. In ‘Snatch’ the opening title sequence use postmodernism by using time remapping. Slowing down & freezing the shots, introduces characters and represents importance for certain shots. He also spins frozen shots which is disorientating.

Genre TheoryGenre is used as a fixed set of conventions which divide different media types into categories according to similarities or stereotypes. Adorno / Horkheimer suggest that genre must evolve as a creative tool. Genre evolves to its social and cultural context. This is why we have hybrid (further/more specific) genres. For example: Dystopia (hybrid: Science fiction, Action & Horror). Genre is defined by its expected conventions and these conventions can mutate and evolve. Genre was originally used by Aristotle in Ancient Greek theatre to establish a certain ‘quality control’ over types of plays, where eccentricity was discouraged.

Lacey’s Model on Genre

Lacey’s theory suggests, through the model, that genre is a ‘negotiation’ between Producers & Audiences as well as the Film.

Genre

Producer

Audience Film

Narrative Theory

Levi Strauss suggested that narrative was told through binary opposites (e.g. class & gender). This is used in ‘28 Days Later’ – the human & the infected people.Barthes suggested that narrative was told through narrative codes (e.g. enigma & cliff hanger).Todorov suggested that narrative was told through the narrative structure (equilibrium disequilibrium (disruption) realisation restoration (resolution)). An example of this is in ‘28 Days Later’, see further on.

Language Theory Language theory is the way in which the film or trailer is presented to you using codes and conventions. An example of this is in The Matrix, the name ‘Neo’ signifies a ‘new hope’ and so this represents this character as a revolutionary hero. Semiology/semiotics study of signs within a text. Iconic signs/iconography clearly defined/expected signs. Signifier actual meaning Signified implied meaningPolysemic more than one meaning

Genre – British Crime

Crime genre originated in the 1920’s from Hollywood gangster movies. Originally representing the prohibition era meant that criminal gangs racketeered. Each era reflects society’s crime fears.

List of British Crime films• Adulthood• Brighton Rock• Bugsy Malone• Checkpoint• Dog Eat Dog• The Escapist• The Football Factory• The Gambler & The Lady• The Hit• An Inspector Calls• Jackpot• Kidulthood• The Krays• Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

British Crime – Snatch trailer Character

s

Protagonist & Helper – Turkish & Tommy (Anti-heroes)

Helper – Mickey (Gypsy stereotype turns hero)

Antagonist – Cousin Avi (American gang leader stereotype)

Antagonist – Brick Top (British gang leader stereotype)

StructurePart one – Narrative equilibrium (Diamond heist by the American gang & parallel plot of boxing match)

Part two – Disruption (‘Where is the stone?’ & Action shots of fight)

Part three – Cast are introduced with spaghetti western influenced sequence & hints at fixing disruption

Camera, Editing & Mise en scene

Skewed framing – Unease

Props establish generic iconography

Time remapping – Accentuate action scenes

Still framing – Anti-narrative device & introduce characters

Genre – Dystopia

Dystopia is the opposite of Utopia (fantasy world) therefore this would mean that dystopia is an unsettled world. Postmodern themes challenging narratives hyperrealism (future nightmare)This genre tends to explore human flaws and mistakes from the real world and the characters aren’t always as clear cut as they used to be.

List of Dystopia films• Batman Begins• Blade Runner• Children of Men • The Dark Knight• Dark Metropolis• The Island • The Matrix• Oblivion• The Purge• Ultraviolet

Dystopia – 28 Days Later trailerCharacter

s

Protagonist – Average hero, Alienated, Postmodern cowboy

Antagonists – Zombies

Helpers? – Darwin, Survival of the fittest

Princess? – Love interest

StructurePart one – Dystopic equilibrium (Hyperreal world) (Silent London/Derelict) Set, Storyline, Protagonist Part two –

Disruption, Realisation, of infection, Rules of dystopia

Part three – Hints at survival? Developing action/Enigmas Developing character roles

Camera & Editing

Titles – Rough damaged, Flickery

Montage Establishing shots – Set Eerie

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is a good example of a dystopian film. It fits the main criteria of this genre by exploring the flaws of humans and the real world. The main character is the hero (Batman). But he is not as clear cut as hero’s in other film genres as he is not always portrayed in a good light. This is an example of a more challenging narrative. The representation theory used in this film is Proppian theory which is known as Narrative characters (Structural linguists). Typically this includes the Protagonist (Hero), the Antagonist (Villain), Damsel in distress, Sidekick (Helper), Dispatcher & maybe even a False Hero.

The Purge

The Purge explores the flaws of human behaviour, which is a typical convention of dystopia genre. It is an unsettled place where all crime is legal for 12 hours. This plot is initially shown in a beneficial way by the parents telling their children about all the good it does for their society. However they soon realise why it is not all good when they become victims of the purge. This means that the good and bad is rolled into one but depending on their situation. The main family are the victims and the purge (and the people who attack the family) are the antagonist. This follows the Proppian theory of narrative characters. Having the plot itself as the influencing factor for the antagonist is relatively postmodern and controversial.

Research

From our research we have decided that we will make a film trailer for a film of dystopia genre. This is because in the dystopia films that we have researched, we like more of the conventions and think that there are more areas to explore with narrative and editing our trailer later on.

Conventions we will use from trailer research

The first convention we are going to use is having an alienated hero. This idea was inspired by ‘28 Days Later’ & ‘The Dark Knight’. We are also going to use the princess/helper theme which was inspired by ‘28 Days Later’, ‘The Dark Knight’ & also ‘The Purge’.

Conventions we will use from trailer research

We also decided we want our titles to be damaged & flickery as this creates an eerie feel. We have taken this idea from ‘28 Days Later’.

Conventions we will use from trailer research

Establishing shots emphasise isolation and so we have taken this idea from ‘28 Days Later’ to show how alone the character is. We also want to create disorientation and hint at the narrative in our trailer, so we will do this by using a montage of shots. This idea was inspired by ‘28 Days Later’ & ‘I am Legend’.