how does micro aspects in media attract audiences in the hunger games

8/13/2019 How Does Micro Aspects in Media Attract Audiences in the Hunger Games

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Sanjay Patel

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How Does Micro Aspects In Media Attract Audiences In The Hunger Games Rues Death?

Micro aspects in film can have a wide way of influencing an audience to watch a particular film.

Whether it is how the characters are dressed on screen (costume), or how the orchestral diegetic

sound playing will impact the audiences and characters emotions. During this essay I will look at a

variety of micro aspects inThe Hunger Games, Rues Death and see how they will influence people to

watch the film.

The plot of The Hunger Games explores a wide range of genre conventions in order for them to

attract the widest range of audiences as possible. IMBD states that The Hunger Games is an action/

adventure/ science fiction film, starring Jennifer Lawrence as the main protagonist Katniss Everdeen.

The plot of the film involves a nation named Panem, which is divided into twelve districts and a

Capitol. Each year two tributes from each district are chosen to take part in The Hunger Games. As a

punishment for the past rebellion. The Games are part brutal death and part entertainment for the

rest of the nation via. TV. While Katniss sister is chosen to take part in the Games, she soon

volunteers knowing her life will be in danger as soon as the Games begin. She and counterpart Peeta

must do everything in their power to win the Games and overall survive. The scene I will discuss

marks a major event during the film in my opinion. After forming an alliance with Rue (a twelve year

old girl from District 11), the pair decide to destroy the main competitors food and weapons in a

hope for some sort of advantage. Although this is soon successfully Rue is killed, Katniss later creates

a memorial of flowers around her body as a sign of admiration and respect, and as a result she is

more determined to win the Games than ever.

Although none of the characters are appear in this scene the audience will notice that characters

costumes living in the Captiol are known for wearing strange and outrageous types of clothing and

styles. This is so the audience are aware of the era that the film is set in. Because the film is set in the

21st

/22nd

/23rd

century (no clear indication is given) the audience can gather that time has moved

forward and the film is set in the future, and as a result clothing and costume have changed in order

for the people to adapt in the society that they are living in. When looking at the costumes that

tributes are wearing in the Games arena the audience will be able to see that each characters

costume is almost identical, consisting of a tracksuit style jacket and top with red stripes running

down its sleeves. While the red sleeves may connote the danger that each tributes pose on each

other the only piece of clothing that is non-identical to the other characters in playing in the Games

is the vest worn under their jacketthis is different for each district. By allowing the characters to

wear this type of clothing it ensures that each tribute feels comfortable while running and fighting in

the area, while also allowing the clothing to be manipulated by the weather. For example in the

Games-makers create freezing cold temperatures they are guaranteed that each tribute will not be

able to stand the significant drop in temperature and as a result die from natural causes. Finally a

cruel concept of making allowing the characters to wear identical clothing is so- in some

circumstances people will forget friends or people they have formed an alliance with and accidently

kill them through fear and pressure to win. Overall the use of this type of costume allows the film to

look professional and unique as well as having the remaining budget to focus on most expensive

functions within the film for example CGI.

While looking at this scene the audience as well as the characters on screen are able to notice that

the Games are taking place in a forest/ natural environment. Katniss- who is a talented hunter is able


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to use the area to her advantage as she is able to scene the natural dangers that may be imposed on

her. As a result the lighting used in this scene is very subtle and natural. Too much light may create

an unnatural effect and as a result the film may look very fake and unnatural for the viewers

watching in cinema or at home.

During this scene a wide variety of props are used which all prove crucial for each character that are

playing in the Games. At the start of the film the audience can clearly see that Katniss is carrying/

using a bow and arrow as her choice of weapon during the Games. By this point the audience will be

aware that Katniss is a skilled hunter and her preferred weapon would usually be a bow and arrow.

As a result the audience are also aware that she rarely misses which may connotes that she is a

threat to any other tributes within her target. Using this bow and arrow she is able to release a sack

of tennis balls and as a result blow up a variety of supplies providing crucial weapons for the main

enemies. These are the second set of primary props that the audience are aware of. The food and

weapons are surrounded by a circle of mines, although the audience are unaware of what is being

protected individually they would be able to connote that it would be basic food supplies to keep

each tribute from dying from starvation as there is little food supplies within the arena. Finally other

props of less importance include a blade, and also flowers. The blade is used to cu Rue out of net

that she is caught in; in spite of this she is still killed. Finally the flowers are used to surround Rues

body after she is laid to rest. From this final scene the audience are able to connote that Rue meant

a lot to Katniss, because she was the same age as her younger sister Primrose the audience would be

able to see the significance between Rue and her sister and the sibling relationship that they shared.

In addition by memorial during her death may connote to the Games-makers that Rue was not just a

tribute in the Games and her death meant a lot more to her and the audience watching the film.

There is a little range of camera work used during this scene of the film. The first and most basic is

linear narrative. This is almost an invisible form of camera work, because it is so regularly used. It

creates a scene of realism for the viewer while also showing that time is moving forward. By doing

this it helps ensure that the film is realistic for the people watching at home as well as it looking

professional and similar to other films. For example the use of to many flashbacks/ set in the past

while the story is being told in the present may disorientate and confuse the viewer and by the end

of the film the may not fully understand the purpose of the film leaving a bad impression. In addition

may close ups are used during emotional scenes of the film. For example while looking Katniss is

looking for Rue and also while Rue is dying. These particular shots during these scenes are used to

allowing the audience to see how the characters are feeling through facial expressions or actions as

well as manipulate the audiences emotions through camera angles, dialogue and types of sound.

There is little use of editing in the particular scene that I have chosen. Although later in the film CGI

is used to add the effect of brutal and lots of scenes include tributes killed in psychotic ways,

because of this a lot of fake blood was used on clothes, props and on characters to achieve a realistic

look of injury and death. This appealed to more of a wide stream audience because these particular

scenes ensured that the film looked like a blockbuster film with a large budget for the producer to

introduce a wide range of effects. When people were killed designers ensured that props and

mechanisms as well as injury's including open wounds that were used looked as realistic to the

actual items as possible without physically injuring characters (Eg. Blades, arrows and other sharp

bladed objects) as a result this helped create a scene of realism for the audience. Later in the filmthe use of CGI software allowed designers to create an effect of fireballs being thrown at characters,


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and wild dogs mauling people to death. As well as dangerous obstructions things like the Capitol in

night, and technology that is not of the day was made to look as modern as possible.

Although this scene is short a wide range of sound is used. From the start of the scene a variety of

natural sounds are emphasised, these sounds include breathing, twigs being snapped through

running and finally arrows being drawn and released. While this helps ensure that the film is realistic

as possible it also helps to the audience to notice sounds that will later be crucial for the characters

involved (leaves rusting as an enemy attempts to capture a character). Throughout the film dialogue

is constantly used, this shows the audience the thoughts inside a single characters mind or an open

conversation between two or more characters. Because the film was shot in a natural environment a

wide range of ambient sound was used for example birds tweeting, leaves rustling in the wind, this

helped the film be as natural as possible for the characters in the film and the audience watching at

home. During post-production artificial sound that would mimic natural sound may be used to help

keep the realism for the viewer. Finally during Rues death non diegetic sound containing a

orchestral piece is used to help manipulate the audiences emotions aswell as parallel music to

match the dying scene, adding this too Deep In The Meadow that is sung by Katniss during Rues

final words helps to ensure that the audience feel sad about the death of a character and hopefully

leaving a mark about Rue by the end of the film.

This scene/film only applies to three out of the four narrative theorists that have been studied in

class. Propp proposed that it was possible for the audience to clearly categorize characters in a film

through their role and action, below is a table where the characters and functions have been clearly

defined within the film.

Character Function

Katniss The hero (Wants to win)The Capitol, Games-makers and other tributes The villains (They created the Games, other

tributes are playing to kill the hero)

Peeta The donor (Helps Katniss win the Games, keeps

her alive)

Effie Tricket The dispatcher (Allows Katniss to volunteer in

The Hunger Games as a replacement for her

sister)

President Snow The false hero

From this the audience are clearly able to see that each character has a role within the film and as a

result fits Propps theory.

Torodov states at the start of a film there is a equilibrium then is then disrupted by an outside force

causing major problems within the film. Finally a new equilibrium is created. When the viewers

apply this to the film there are able to see the following

Equilibrium Outside Force New Equilibrium

Everyone is getting along

peacefully within each district.

Whether the district is poor or

rich they people within it make

the most of what they have.

The Hunger Games begin.

Katniss is sent to compete in

the area, where she is forced to

fight for her life.

The rest of the nation can only

Katniss wins the Games along

with her counterpart Peeta

Marlark. Even though the pair

think what they have done is

successful the audience will be


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watch and hopes that she wins. aware that more trouble is

approaching.

Finally applying Barthes suggests that each film has five codes allowing the audience to make a sense

of what is happening:

Action Throughout the scene/ the film. The constant

action allows the audience to remain engaged in

the film throughout. Having action within the

film also encourages mainstream audiences that

would normally avoid this type of film to be

encouraged to view the film in cinema or DVD.

Enigma Will Katniss survive the Games? This is a key

element within the film. The viewers are

instantly favourable to Katniss because of her

personality and skill. If the film ended with herdeath it would leave the audience feeling sad

and disappointed. Who will die? This is a similar

question that the audience will be thinking once

the tributes enter the Games area. The film

portray some characters are being bad ensuring

that the audience that they should be dead. Will

there be a sequel? This question will only be

answered by audiences who have already

finished the second book in the trilogy. Others

who are unaware of a sequel will be intrigued to

find out what happens next.Symbolic Katniss connotes that Rue is resemblance of her

younger sister Prim. She believes that it is her

duty to protect her as she thinks that Rue is to

young to be in the arena defending herself

alone.

how does micro aspects in media attract audiences in the hunger games

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