Noir Conventions (by Hayden Woodcock)

Ancillary poster task (By Hubert Osinski)

Influential Figure-Alfred Hitchcock (By Hayden Woodcock)

Flash Card Deck created by woodcock-h-3 with GoConqr

Alfred's main intention was to "always make the audience suffer as much as possible."Therefore, we are planning on using satire to mock the audience and incorporating their worst fears through the antagonistic monster. Additionally, he said that "it must always be remembered that the primary aim of pictures is to provide entertainment. To entertain, one must capture their interest." This also relates to the fact that the audience tension from watching their fears increases their interest because they will likely be on their 'edge of their seat' and morally interact personally with the movie (personal identity.)
"Film examples: Notorious, Vertigo, Rear Window, Psycho, The Birds
Hitchcock's style: "Master of Suspense."Hitchock creatively used blocking, sound and shot types to create suspense, through the dynamic variation to highlight the climax's-the increase in pace enables the tension to increase and creates a crescendo.
Hitchcock's methods: engaging content, character emotions are clear, the camera should act as the audience, dialogue should not express the inner thoughts, montage editing, simple plot, characters must break clichés, humour for more tension, contrasting situations and irony for suspense. These methods are influential because we can include some of these to aid our trailer to success. For example, the camera will act as the audience through point of view shots from a particular level and tracking shots to achieve this. Additionally, we will aim towards contrasting situations by juxtaposing a murder to a calm and relaxing life of a laid back and safe character by cross cutting between the locations. Lastly, the montage editing through particular transitions such as: fades, wipes and short shots edited into a sequence to condense the time and information are all methods we will follow and consider in the editing stage of our production.
Awards: Golden Globe in 1972 and 1958, Won a BAFTA in 1971 for Academy Fellowship and a Lifetime achievement award in 1968.

Two of Hitchcock's most iconic and interesting shots:

This shot is influential because of the specific framing-in the foreground we can see three cups that decrease in size depending on the distance from the audience, this adds verisimilitude because it is naturalistic and the normality with distance. At the top right of the frame we see a shadow of a arm reaching our for the female. This connotes death and the position of the hand instantly signifies that she will probably be strangled. This use of the shadow is conventional for a Film Noir. Moreover, it is interesting how in terms of size the cups appear bigger than the female, providing a shallow depth of field because my focus seems to be drawn towards the foreground. The female is framed on the left of the shot in the background. The use of the filler light on her upper body draws attention to her fear and anxiousness, representing her as a Propp Damsel-in-Distress. The shadow anchors this as we will initially associate this with her downfall. The darkness behind her, juxtaposes the lighting on the opposite side, suggesting that she has a dark future in comparison to the mugs and the hand. 

This shot is a Dutch titled long shot, which is another convention for this genre. The use of lighting here is influential because we can not clearly see the male characters face, connoting secrecy and an enigma for the audience because we are cannot be definite upon whom he is.

Article on Alfred Hitchock

Ancillarly task Poster (By Hayden Woodcock)

Even though Eva Green's not a household name or a proven draw, the initial poster for "Sin City 2" was built around her image, in a clingy white dress that made her appear nude. The Motion Picture Association of America, the Hollywood lobbying group that oversees film ratings and movie advertising, balked. The controversy helped make the original artwork go viral, but that seems to have failed to persuade ticket buyers. Meanwhile, the controversy also kept Rodriguez and Co. from mounting a poster campaign in a timely manner. (http://www.moviefone.com/2014/08/25/box-office-sin-city-a-dame-to-kill-for/)

 

What are the main colours?

In this poster, the main colours used are black, white and red, which matches the films colour palate. The use of the white connotes purity and innocence, however it could also be encoded as cold, harsh and isolating. Therefore, the latter seems clearer since the character of Nancy has been edited with the colour white the most, and since she is represented as an important character through the framing. Whilst, these symbols could anchor the representation of a stripper. Furthermore, the colours signify the binary opposites of good vs evil and old vs new. As well as this, the abundance of the two opposites of the colour range suggests conflict between the characters. The use of the colours black and red connotes anger and blood, connecting to the use of violence, allowing this Neo Noir to be instantly recognisable because of the followed conventions.

 

What is the purpose of this poster?

The poster appears to have many purposes, which all advertise the film. Firstly, it establishes the Directors and the crew involved. Also, it clarifies the actors and the release date. Therefore, this would positively increase audience anticipation because it would create a 'hype' and the use of the cast and crew will either provide a diversion or entertainment and gratification in the way that many audiences watch a film for the actors and actresses involved and considering the Director.

 

What are the messages?

With the comic book style of the cover combined with the presentation that this is Frank Millers 'Sin City' sequel, one can tell that the tone will be desolate, isolated and violent, possibly taking the same bleak and apocalyptic colour scheme of the first film in order to create a similar atmosphere. Therefore, this would create the ideology that the characters narrative will either continue from the first film or the new characters background will relate to a particular sin. Thus, the audience will be aware that commiting a sin results in consequences.

 

What is the typography?

The main film's title uses a red, sans serif font, whilst Frank Miller and the second part of the film's title uses a white sans serif font. As a result, this provides juxtaposition within the colours because both have diverse connotations, creating another binary opposite. However, this typography choice is effective because it allows the background and the characters to match with the font, enabling a sense of combined narrative that involves intertwined plots. The register of the poster is also important, with the specific use of the word "Dame" instead of woman, girl, wife, signifies the power of the Femme Fatale. However, from this poster we may suddenly think that the Femme Fatale is Nancy, however the costume and the red lipstick seems to establish that Ava is the true films Femme Fatale. This sense of importance is reiterated through her being distinguished from other Dames, as "To Die For". In relation to this, the audience may conclude that the characters will have a similar objective of trying to attract her. So, this may increase the male audience gratification and reach.

What is the target audience?

There is one intertextual reference, with "Frank Miller's" being placed above the title, linking it to the previous Sin City Film. This has the effect of drawing in an audience which enjoyed the first film, which is likely a large proportion of action film fanatics due to it being considered one of the best action films of all time. The poster features Hollywood names such as: Jessica Alba, Eva Green and Bruce Willis, boasting a high valued cast, increasing the audience desire to view this film. The implied sexuality will also attract the male audience because they stereotypically prefer a sexual vibe within a film as it is believed that they gain more pleasure. The use of the modern day actors appeals to mainly a young audience, whilst the use of Rourke, Willis and Liotta appeals to the elder demographics and traditional action fans. Additionally, the use of the weapons as a prop will also attract the male audience because in particular males are stereotypical more aggressive than females and profoundly a gender that prefers the conventional violence.

Characters and background:

In the background of this poster, we see an urban setting, connoting another convention of this genre. Furthermore, this location establishes the main setting of the film and the snowy background is a polysemy reading because it could either signify a cold and dark atmosphere or connote that the characters are losing their senses both metaphorically and literally. But, the snow allows the white colour to blend and increases the brightness of the characters. In this poster, we see seven different characters, suggesting that this film involves many different narrative strands and character types because of the directors intentions of creating a community and complex plot. All of the male characters are interesting wearing similar characters, drawing parallel's between them, perhaps showing that they share traits. In this case, all of them appear to be represented as brave because their facial expressions are intentional and firm and their body language connotes masculinity, which is also anchored by the prop-a gun. Whilst, the female characters are very different in the way that we see a stripper, a Femme-Fatale and a violent assassin. The use of the different clothing represents the difference in class. Firstly, Ava's blue jacket represents a high class, connoting a wealthy character, whilst Nancy's lack of clothing and Gail's leather clothing provides these characters with a lower class. Consequently, we recognise another binary opposite perhaps relating to the clash between the characters. Also, as both Gail and Nancy are wearing black, this draws another parallel to the male poster characters, signifying that they are more masculine than Ava. Again, this represents a stereotypical female as the Femme Fatale is clearly fond of fashion and the opposite gender. Additionally, the lack of clothing connotes that she is a stripper, sexualising this character, for Mulvey's Male Gaze because this audience gender will gain gratification from viewing this particular character.

My reaction:

Overall, this poster is very effective because it maintains the comic book graphic style and it also creates an aesthetic style because despite black and white films often being boring because of the lack of graphic technique, this film is modern and the director chose to use this colour palate. Plus, this poster clarifies many well-known actors and portrays a large amount of detailed characters which provides me with pleasures because I prefer to watch a film that has many different characters I can relate to and enjoy, rather than one or a couple. Lastly, this poster instantly presents the genre because of the numerous of conventions I can already see, such as: black and white colour, urban setting, Femme Fatale, protagonists, the ideology of sins and the theme of violence.

 

Textual Analysis of 'Blackhat' website (William Guy)

Will has conducted this textual analysis of the website for the neo-noir film "Blackhat". Although he had been analysing material from the film "Se7en" it either did not have a website or the website no longer exists, so he has chosen a different (but still relevant) film for this analysis

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For web page analysis (Hayden Woodcock)

Textual analysis film trailer (By Hubert Osinski)

Film trailer analysis: Touch of Evil (Hubert Osinski) from Hubert Osinski

Textual analysis for film trailer (By Hayden Woodcock)

I think that the conventions will appeal to our primary target audience. Firstly, modern and younger demographics gain gratification from crime and violence, a Femme Fatale and probably from eroticism, linking to Mulvey's Male or Female gaze and late teens or young adults anticipation to see violence and crime for adrenaline and engagement. Whilst, the older range within this primary target audience will likely appeal to the setting and the complex plots, through recognition and the likelihood that they prefer to watch a movie that enhances the audience and allows them to consider the murderer or the crime etc. Ultimately, we will try to include as many conventions as possibly, as they do not only attract our target audience, but link to the genre clearly.

Ancillary task Poster (William Guy)

Will has completed this textual analysis of the poster for the film Se7en as part of the research phase for our production.

Textual analysis for Film trailer (By William Guy)

(By Will Guy)

30.6.16 Teacher feedback

Both of our current Media Teachers provided the entire class with feedback for a blog. Therefore, from an audience perspective I was set targets: to alter my Welcome post because they're some slight word errors, there is an error with the film noir trailers and the Response to the Brief could be developed through images. Therefore, I will improve these weaknesses as soon as possible. Furthermore, we are prepared to produce visual recorded production logs when we have any changes or developments to our production and evaluations to complete, such as: once we have completed the textual analysis research we will evaluate what we have learnt and how we will include this through a video.