ADVANCED PORTFOLIO RESEARCH

1. ADVANCED PORTFOLIO RESEARCH I am to going to produce a promotion package for a new film to include a teaser trailer, (DVD), together with two of the following:1.) A website homepage for the film.2.) A film magazine front cover, featuring the film. 3.) A poster for the film.

2. Postmodern Genre Theory Postmodernist film attempts to subvert the mainstream conventions of narrative structure, characterization and destroys (or, at least, toys with) the audience's suspension of disbelief. Typically, such films also break down the cultural divide between high and low art and often upend typical portrayals of gender, race, class, genre, and time with the goal of creating something different from traditional narrative expression. However, the term is open for debate.Narratives that question society and whether modern progress is for the good of society.Narrative themes that challenge conventional film narratives. (Anti-heroes, unclear/mixed representations).Non-linear narratives that challenge the three act conventions by disrupting the chronology of the narrative sequence.Anti-narratives that disrupt the narrative, such as freeze frames.Mixing/blurring the genres of film to create hybrids/new versions.Intertextuality makes references to other media texts for effect, for pleasure or as a homage to show respect.Brocolage almost steals images or objects from different styles, usually high art to create new meanings.

3. Postmodern Genre: ‘Kill Bill’ The postmodern Kill Bill Volume 1 is a pastiche of spaghetti western and martial arts movies, with a little anime. The writer/director Quentin Tarantino drew on his extensive experience watching films to create this, no doubt aided by starting his career working in a video store.  “When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them ‘no, I went to films,’” he says.Throughout the film ran a motif of ultra-violence – a sort of hyperbolic pastiche – both paying homage to the violence of the films that came before, while going over the top into the physically unreal with blood spraying across the room.  Bodies, body-parts, and blood cover an entire dance floor as one battle ends.Tarantino cited many influences in the making of the film, including the yakuza film, samurai movies, and the spaghetti western.  Influences for specific scenes include Brian De Palma, and the Italian Giallo (thriller).  Sonny Chiba reprised his role as Hattori Hanzō from the Japanese TV show Kage no Gundan (Shadow Warriors) that Tarantino watched as a kid.  Uma Thurman (given co-writing credit for the character “The Bride”) cites specific inspirations such as Sergio Leone / Clint Eastwood and Bruce Lee movies, John Woo’s The Killer, Coffy, and Lady Snowblood.This fusion of styles is echoed in the music, as Tarantino explains while citing just one example, “There is a piece of beautiful music – Zamfir the pan flute guy – that’s used in the movie in a very crucial scene; it’s actually even used in the closing credits. When it was played for me, it was like: this is amazing, this is Japanese Samurai meets Sergio Leone / Ennio Morricone … it’s like what the whole movie’s about, this fusion.” Examples of these fused styles pervade the film; in closing I will simply mention my favourite.  O-ren Ishii’s samurai clan rode into town on motorcycles with their samurai swords visibly strapped to the side of the bike in a way that was reminiscent of the gunslinger riding into town with their rifles strapped to the saddle-bags of their horse.  While the iron horse is clearly a step forward, the sword is clearly a step backward in time – but one that we readily accept, for it leads to the creation of one wonderful movie.

4. Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction explores the lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption. There are many Postmodern techniques used in Pulp Fiction, for example the challenging narrative and use of anti-heroes. Furthermore, the non-linear narrative is also very typical of the postmodern genre, as Pulp Fiction actually begins halfway through the film.

5. Crime Genre Theory The crime genre originates from Hollywood gangster films from the 1920’s. 1930’s – classic gangsters, prohibition era, dark sets.1940’s – alienated hero, femme fatales, moody lighting, film noir, dark thriller, dark lighting.1960’s – crime capers – reflected optimism both socially and economically, swinging 60’s, comedy, A list stars.1970’s – gritty pictures, Blaxploitation, foxy brown.1970’s Britain – Get Carter, gritty and hard edged. Typical Iconography: Guns, Drugs, Money, Knives, Posh Cars, Suits.

6. Crime Genre: ‘Goodfellas’ ‘Goodfellas’, is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book ‘Wiseguy’ by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film follows the rise and fall of Lucchese crime family associate Henry Hill and his friends over a period from 1955 to 1980. The film features many typical iconography within the crime genre, such as gangsters, suits, drugs, weapons, violence and plenty of money.Of course, even though ‘Goodfellas’, is based on a true story, the ending had to still show that crime doesn’t pay, which is very typical of the crime genre. Typical gangster attire Stern and dangerous expression Sharp and smart suits Weapons are very typical in this genre

7. Crime Genre: Casino Casino is a 1995 film directed by Martin Scorsese which explores Greed, deception, money, power, and murder between two mobster best friends and a trophy wife over a gambling empire.Casino features many typical crime genre themes, such as greed, power, wealth, murder.There are many uses of typical iconography, such as money, drugs, suits, guns. Casino: very typical mise-en-scene for crime genre Slick and smart hair cut. Elegant suit Italian-American: stereotypical of mafia crime films Alcohol, very typical in the crime genre

8. Dystopia Genre Theory Dystopian worlds: an imagined place or state which is opposite to utopia.Dystopia explores postmodern themes through challenging narrative themes.Narrative takes place in the aftermath of a disaster.Most are post apocalyptic films which have man made disasters.Relate to real fears in society.Agrarian societies often develop: return to pre-industrialised society.The possibility of human demise.These films create the sense of finality and in some instances a new beginning/revival/re-birth.Character types: usually male protagonists, postmodern cowboy , alienated or loner.Groups/tribes, (animal like), who seek to profit from violent anarchy. Hero encounters tribes that want to destroy him.Human survivor group – small groups of people from the pre-apocalyptic, modern world, struggling to survive in the savage new world.The helper – often from the alien/infected race who assists the hero in his quest for resolution.

9. Dystopia Genre: 28 Days Later The typical narrative themes for dystopia film usually stems off disaster/war which changes the face of the world. Using real contextual issues such as global warming or nuclear threat. Such as ‘28 days later’. This film explores four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary. The threat is a virus known as rage which has been spread by monkeys that were contaminated. The virus threatens to destroy humanity unless it is contained and destroyed. Each of these narrative elements are very typical of the dystopia genre and are reinforced by the characters, such as the male protagonist and the human survivor group that he meets.

10. Trailer Conventions The conventions of a trailer are very simple; firstly it is important that the genre is clearly established to entice target audience and thus sell the film. The genre can be expressed in a number of different ways, including the stars in the film, or the iconography, or mise-en-scene, etc. Furthermore, there is usually a voice over-narration/anchors-key points about characters/sound, which set the tone of the film for the audience. Finally, the trailer must make the audience want to see the film. By showing clips from the best scenes within the film, without ruining the plot.

11. Trailer Conventions: Inglorious Bastards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EffLMtC_Gc Textual narration Introduction to stars Action packed scenes to sell the film Introduction to narrative themes

12. Trailer Conventions: Scarface http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vREl66xmXsE Textual narration Iconography to set tone, and themes

13. Trailer Conventions: Cloverfield • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQFpMZ6glTo

14. Trailer convention ideas We will be featuring hard drug use as seen in Scarface. We took the idea of a femme fatale seeking vengeance from Scarface We will be using the idea of infidelity between friends resulting in danger from Casino We have taken the idea of an unstable and unpredictable character from Scarface