Task 2: Research into Existing Products:

We've been researching the ways in which different films have been constructed to portray their purpose/meaning and fulfil their stereotype genres.

In a Textual Analysis you must look for:

• Mise en Scène (this is the overall construction - such as, clothing, props, sound, background etc)

• Camera Angles (e.g. High angled shots are used to show authority)

• Editing (this helps the audience understand the overall construction of the story)

• Shots.

• Sound (non diagetic which is not expected to be there and diagetic sound which is sound expected to hear, such as foot steps and cars driving)

• Special Effects.

Genres:

We have been looking at different genres since we've started Media AS, such as Romantic Comedies, Thrillers and Horrors.

Each of these main genres have certain stereotypes that they must conform to so the viewers have little or no confusion categorising these.

Some people still struggle to fully interpret Thrillers from Horrors - however, some movies do not conform to certain conventions.

These are a few conventions:

• Romantic Comedies (Rom Com's)
• Light-hearted non diagetic music in the opening
• The credit font is usually more welcoming and happy-looking
• Typical story lines is usually - "Boy" meets "Girl"
• The two characters in focus are sometimes from different backgrounds (opposites attract) *like the movie - Nottinghill*
• Establishing shots are used to set the scenes (usually where they live) *like the movie - Pretty Women*

• Thrillers
• Eerie non diagetic music at the start
• The credit font is more uneven and ambiguous
• Its usually about some sort of crime being committed, or one that has previously been committed.
• Based on revenge, it makes you think (and usually has a twist) *like the movie Se7en**
• Extreme Close ups used to show certain clues (detective-like) emotion.

• Horrors
• Scary non diagetic music for opening (screams/cries/deep breaths)
• Dark backgrounds, shadows, harsh atmosphere
• Font is deformed, or blood-like
• Usually based upon a death that has/will happen
• Graveyard scenes, or parks/woods - at night
• Tracking is used to follow actors so the audience feels intimate with them

In class, to better our knowledge on searching and understanding how to distinguish the differences between the three genres, we watched a few movie openings.

We watched the first few minutes of Pretty Women:

Pretty Women is a very popular Romantic Comedy which fulfills the true RomCom conventions as it contains the typical "Boy meets Girl"/"Damsel in distress" concepts. The movie begins with an establishing shot of this huge elegant house party, diagetic classical music is heard. It is a bright sunny day and there is an obvious sophisticated atmosphere. Medium Close Ups of people serving wine, conversations are being held about business, statistics, figures etc.

Richard Gere the "Guest of Honour" at this elegant party. And we first see him on the phone, talking to his partner, he is wearing a tailored black business suit. The viewer can tell that he is obviously far from a charmer with the ladies through the affectionate way he talks to his partner. He is seen looking down at the rest of the people at the party - and this shot proves his high authority in life in general.

The conventions are met through the elegant font of the credits, which appear on the screen in white and then subtly fade out to pink. Richard Gere also reveals his power when he takes it upon himself to leave the party and take his business partners car, as his limo is stuck in the car park due to all of the surrounding guests cars. This RomCom needs a woman now - a woman that is the total opposite to this important business man; we know that Richard Gere's character will meet her now because when he drives off, his friend shouts "Bevily Hills is down the hill!" But Richard Gere blatantly drives in the opposite direction.

The day subtly changes to night through this car journey, as well as the music - instead of this elegant, smooth diagetic music, it juxtaposes to this "wild" rock-like music which shows the change in mood, culture and backgrounds of these main characters. We see prostitutes, drug dealers, down and outs etc - and then we see Richard Gere driving through this.

Finally, we see Julia Roberts, her alarm clock goes off at 9o'clock showing the sheer difference in working times - he works in the day, she works in the night. She lives in a HOTEL (shown in an establishing shot, where only the letters "H" and "O" were in lights, and then rest were not lit). The camera's pan her routine: touching up her stereotypical long boots with black marker, applying her thick make-up, putting on her blonde wig etc. Then we see Richard's character again. It is obvious that they will meet - its inevitable; that's what makes this movie such an excellent RomCom - we, as the viewer want then to meet and fall inlove. And that's what we get.

We watched the first few minutes of SwitchBlade Romance:

This was a French horror movie which began with the diagetic sounds of Cécile De France's very fast whispering, it didn't matter that we understand what she was saying, because the way speed of her whispers gave the movie an automatic panicky atmosphere. Her haed was faced down, showing fear, or the fact that she was hiding something... a scar, her eyes... the truth? This is what thrillers do, they evoke questions.

The (Close Up) camera panned up her mistreated, bruised and wounded body, this was a slow movement, it shows the intricacy and fact that this girl was defineatly injured (or maybe tortured). The director wanted to allow the viewer to see the whole of this young womens scratched body - from her feet to the back of her head as she wasn't facing the camera; this invokes mystery and ambiguity.

She looked as though she was in some kind of asylum, bringht lights, white background. She had baggy white dress-like outfil on showing her freshly scarred back. Flashbacks were used, you could see the girl running through the woods (a stereotypical horror movie setting) rapid panning with Long Shots, establishing shots and frequent Close Ups of the girls face were used to allow the viewer to feel apart of the action. The girls heavy breathing was the diagetic sound. The girl has torn clothes and blood dripping from her. Through the panning of the girl - we know that she is running from something (or someone).

The viewer see a Long Shot of a car driving down a road near the woods. Then a Shot Reverse Shot is used to see the girl still running through the woods - this happens a few times. We see the car, then the girl, then the car, then the girl... The non diagetic music is tense and (personally) i thought it became louder and more racy as it fulfilled a feeling of claustrophobia. As the two finally collide, there is a close up of the girls bloody hands banging on the window.

I really enjoy watching horrors, and here's a few movie opening analysiss:

Children of the Corn 4:
Screeching and very disturbing non diagetic sound is heard straight away. Then a door is opened, and there is a close up of a young boys face, he looks sick and weak. Then the sound disappears, and you hear a woman's voice, ask the boy if he “needs help?” and he repeats “need help”. He shows his hand that has been freshly cut. There is a close up of his hand as he presses it onto the screen door that separates the two.

She invites him in and the panning follows the woman's hands to an extreme close up of her unlocking the door, the boy walks into the house. There is a high shot of the woman's point of view with her looking down at what she thinks is a boy in need. Then there is a long shot of the two, and her ushering him to the living room and then walking away from him into the bathroom.

Non diagetic sound fills the scene of a high pitched violin screaming almost. The you see a medium shot of the women opening the cupboard to look for some plasters maybe, then a glass breaks. The camera follows the glass as it falls and finally smashes in the sink. Then the radio in the next room switches on and you here a man on the radio talk about “the streets” being “red with blood” and connotations to death and blood.

The women then finally walks back to the boy, as the camera pans her movements. The women attempts to take the boys temperature, she puts a thermometer into his mouth as she says that he feels unusually “very hot”. This is followed by a sequence of extreme close ups, firstly the boys hand gripping the chair handle, then a bead of sweat dripping down the boys forehead, and finally blood dripping from the boys mouth.

There is then (like the panning of the glass breaking) the same sort of panning of the thermometer drop from the boys mouth to the floor and smash. The boy then rapidly drops to the floor and there is a long shot of him fall from his chair to the floor. He is seen with his face to the floor and his back to the camera where it is suddenly soaked with blood. And the women screams (close up of her face). Suddenly, the violent sound of the screeching violins get louder and even more piercing, then there is a close up of the boys face as he jumps to him feet and runs towards the camera rapidly, his face is deformed and zombie-like and hi screams. Then it flicks to the women (no more non-diagetic sounds) waking up in her bed, sweating, panting, and afraid.

Halloween:

The viewer automatically knows that this is a horror movie due to the non diagetic sounds of very heavy breathing and a rapid heart beat – it sounds as though someone has been running. Then on a black screen, there is a quote about “evil souls” proving its scary genre. Then, (non-diagetic) heavy rock music is heard, this again fulfils the whole dark stereotype of horrors themselves.

There is an establishing shot of an average looking house, in the day time, in a normal looking neighbourhood - one would assume that it would be at night, however, the day time makes it more ambiguous and challenges the genre. So here the convention of “the night” or in a “abandoned house” are broken which is unusual, yet it shows that, the norms and expectations may be met in different ways.

Yet, then you see a Close Up of a young child, wearing a disturbing looking clown mask, the boys long hair is unkept and he is talking through the mask to his pet rats. His voice is soft and rather soothing, however, distorted through the mask. Then there is diagetic sound of his mother and his step father arguing downstairs, it is quiet, but loud enough to tell that they are shouing.

So we then have a medium close up of his mother in the kitchen cooking breakfast, and her partner who is sitting down on the table. We also see a baby in a baby seat beside the man. They are loud and use an awful lot of profanities – this shows a broken and unhealthy home for a child. There is use of shot reverse shots whilst the two argue.

The baby starts to cry – but this is a screeching, disturbing, harsh cry – then the argument gets louder and more heated. Then, you hear the mother call the boys name. There is a sudden extreme close up of the boys hands, covered in blood holding a razor. She calls for him again, over this non diagetic sound or a high pitched, but subtle screech, as well as the baby still crying and the arguments still happening. This leaves the viewer feeling closed in, uncomfortable and claustrophobic maybe (which I believe are elements of a thriller). He is washing his hands in the sink, and you see a few hairs get washed away with the blood – this was the fur of the rat that he was previously talking sweetly to. This in itself is definitely disturbing for the viewer to see.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre:

From the opening few minutes of the movie, the horror movie conventions are met; through the Flashing (disturbing) images of skeletons, and blood stains etc. The opening few minutes are in black and white – there is no colour whatsoever – introducing a truly grim and uninviting atmosphere to the film. The camera is never focused on one set thing steadily – it is always panning around the “crime scene” area or shaking subtly to infer that the recording is either done by an amateur or there is true fear causing the cameraman to shake.

There is a running commentary, which sounds like a news report – therefore, the audience understand that “whatever” has happened, the story is “big” enough to get onto the News. The voice of the commentator was very monotone, it had no emotion or feeling to it which is quite disheartening to the viewer I suppose. There was “real footage” shown of the crime scene, the conventions are met with the non diagetic sound of a “heartbeat”getting faster and louder throughout this scene.

There were obvious visible editing – the shots were edited using a harsh camera flash, this was used to scare the viewer. The shots are sharp, the flash is bright and the images are of a stereotypical horror crime scene investigation. The majority of the shots were either close ups, or long shots – there wasn't much variety.

Panning was used frequently to allow the viewer to feel a part of the action. The reader feels puller along – the panning was smart also; the camera moved exactly how any person would move when in a crime scene area, it was slow, shaky, and there was obvious hesitation when looking around.
There were extreme close ups of the words “autopsy” meaning “deaths” had obviously taken place. As well as, extreme close ups of various newspaper articles about the deaths. You could hear non diagetic sounds of scratching and piercing screams when all was quiet – this definitely fulfilled the horror movie conventions.