https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jgxAfSq8Sw - Link to the opening credits The opening credits are very sinister and adds to the overall dark theme of the film. Whilst the pictures are being shown there is intimidating music to make the audience curious to see what has happened in the crime scene. Within the credits there is a picture of a man or a woman
Within
the credits sequence at the start of the film it has a black background with a
picture of the Maltese falcon in the background, which could symbolise what
could happen later on the film. This shows many conventions from the typical film
noir such as the black and white theme, the way they dress with the top hats
and they all smoke.
After
the credit scene there is an establishing shot of the city to show the typical
place where a film noir is set. This allows the audience to know where the film
is set and it allows them to have a quick overlook of the city. Throughout the
conversation with the two private detectives and the femme fatale there are
many close up shots to show the emotions the woman has to show she is genuine
about the current situation and gains the detectives’ trust. The woman is taken
by the man, which shows the power men have over woman in the genre film noir,
which provides an argument for woman against film noir nowadays. The men could
not keep their eyes off her and they were instantly attracted as they kept
looking up and down at her. This shows that men just see woman as a piece of
meat based on their looks. They looked even happier when she gave them money, as
the male would usually earn the money for the woman at this time.
There
is low-key lighting when the phone rings to show something dark has happened
and something has gone wrong. This is because his partner was just murdered by
the man they were meant to be watching and following. He then calls the woman
on the phone angel, which is ironic to what has just happened as angels are
there to protect people from bad things happening but it is the woman’s fault
he was shot.
He
plays the typical detective at this time, as he knows the police well and he
drinks all his problems away and asks the police to drink with him to get them
off the fact of them thinking he is a suspect.
The
film likes to use private detectives instead of normal cops as it makes it more
exciting because private detectives can do thing their own way instead of
having to follow specific orders.
As
the typical film noir film the femme fatale platys a devious, lying character
and plays the spider and the fly with the two private detectives to trick them.
After she has left the room from having the same conversation with the two
detectives they both argue over her like children to show they have both
already fell for her.
Throughout
the whole film a slow instrumental, orchestral sound of music is playing. The
sound of the music is shambolic which could represent what life is like in the
city.
The
protagonist does not change his tone of his voice so this shows he has no emotions,
which is good for a typical private detective.
In
the detectives office it is a typical setting for a detective as it shows old
newspapers and a handkerchief on the table, which usually symbolises people
from the older generation to show that is it set in the time of the film noir.
Certain representations have now become stereotypes (a widely held but fixed and over simplified image of a particular type of person or thing).
Christian Metz in his book language and cinema (1974) explored the development of genre film and suggested that genres pass through four phases of existences:
1) The experimental (The cabinet of Dr Caligari, 1919)
2) The classic (Hollywood films such as Dracula and Frankenstein, 1931)
3) The parody (Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein, 1948)
4) The deconstruction ( Se7en, 1995)
The experimental = This means the early phase of films which explored and experimented with the horror theme.
The classic = This is the phase of films that established the narrative. the horror genre was the most successful.
The parody = Films that mimicked the horror genre.
The deconstruction = Films that include two genres together for example a horror mixed with a thriller.
1.What is the 180-degree rule? A match on action? And eye line match? And a shot-reverse-shot? The 180-degree rule is a rule that should be followed in all aspects of film making. It is a very important rule. It is the idea that you can only film on one side and not the other so none of the props and characters look like they have changed position. A match on action shot where one bit of the scene is split into two different shots to show it from a different angle. An example of a match on action shot is someone going to pick up there phone in one shot and then changing to a different shot when he has got his hand on it. An eye line match it where the eyes have to be level in the shot. For example if there is two people talking to each other in a scene, it has to look like they are looking into each others eyes. A shot-reverse-shot is where one character is shown to be looking at another character and the other character is looking back who only has the back of their head shown usually. helps create tension and an element of suspense. 2.Describe how you incorporated (the shots above) into your final film? We used the 180-degree rule throughout the whole film as we filmed it all on one side. We used the match on action shot when the phone was exchanged from one character to the other character. The first shot is a two shot and then changes to a low angle shot when the phone is being passed over. We used the eye line match and a shot-reverse-shot in the same scene when the two characters are speaking to each other. This was good because it showed the focus on the characters face after being told what to do. 3.How did the film making process go, in terms of filming shots from the storyboard and filming around college?
The film making process went well because we had planned using a storyboard beforehand so we all had a clear idea of the storyline and what our roles in the film were. For example we planned a close up shot of one of the characters opening the locker whilst the camera was in it so this helped boost the intensity of the scene. However, whilst we were filming around the college we though of new ideas which helped improve our film so some of the shots were not presented on the storyboard. The area we used in the college was suitable for the film and allowed the filming to be done at a higher quality. 4.What did you learn about video editing on Adobe Premiere? I learned how to edit clips and put them together into an actual film. This included adding in transitions and music. The music and sound affects we added in were suitable to the film and it helped create suspense. We also learned how to add titles to the end of the film so we could have credits to shows who had which roles. We learned how to put the whole film together in one piece.
