ASSIGNMENT

5 : FIL

M STU

DY

AND CONVENTI

ONS IN A

FILM

BY

RO

SA

L I N Z

EI N

AN

D A

MY

CL E

AR

Y

OUR TARGET LEVEL : GREEN B-A

To reach our target we must complete the following :

Title pageLevel checklistExploration of filmsFilm of choice and reasoningGenreSub genreHybridStam’s theory

Mittel’s theoryFuerer’s theorySemanticsSyntaxIconographyConventions list (At least 8)Conventions analysisDominant ideologyAudienceAudience theory

MIND MAP OF FILMS

FILM OF CHOICE AND WHY

The film we have chosen to do is My Sisters Keeper, as it has lots of dramatic elements being a film about terminal illness and the struggle for life. It creates a lot of suspense in the audience as they want to know what will happen to the girl who is sick.

Also, the movie shows a great amount of tension between the family and breakdown between the family members such as the youngest daughter Anna and her mother. It shows how this illness not only affects the daughter but the family as well.

GENRE

The main genre that the film falls under is drama, as it is based on a terminal illness, family relationships. It has elements of melodrama as it provokes sympathy and empathy from the audience.

It is also a tragedy as the sick daughter dies in the end creating even more emotion from the audience.

Our genre- drama- has many different sub-genres such as docu-drama, historical drama, tragedy, melodrama and action drama.

Here are some other drama films!Tragedy Melodrama

SUB GENRE

Subgenre Evidence

Based on a book.

Tragedy The patient is dying of leukaemia throughout the film.

Melodrama It deals with illness and family issues making the audience emotional.

HYBRID

The film is a hybrid as it has a mixture of drama, tragedy , romance and it is based on a book.

This scene shows the closeness of the characters and shows romance as it is an intimate scene.

STAM’S THEORYOther ways to classify our film:

Evidence

Big budget film $30,000,000

Based on a book My sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

Mainstream / Blockbuster $12,442,212 for opening weekend

MITTEL’S THEORY

Mittel’s theory relates to our film as it is based on a book so people are more likely to watch it as they know what the film is about.

The actors in our film are iconic and help to sell the film as people know them to be in good film and they might like the actors and their acting style.

Cameron Diaz

Abigail Breslin

FUERER’S THEORY

Fuerer’s theory is that genre is abstract, it is not easily defined because everyone has different Ideals, Ideas and life experiences and therefore interpret codes and conventions differently.

How does this relate to our film:

Evidence

Some people believe it is wrong to have donor babies.

The mother has another child to save her first child who has leukaemia

Some people might think it is wrong that Anna sues her parents.

Anna takes her parents to court to sue them for medical emancipation.

That the girl has sex in the hospital –and she’s not married

In different cultures sex before marriage is unacceptable especially in a hospital.

That the dying girl asks her sister Anna to stop helping her.

People wouldn’t understand why she asks her to stop if she wants to live.

SEMANTICS

Semantics How are these evident in the film:

Characters There are iconic characters within the film for example the mother who is really protective.

Locations The location for most drama films are based around hospitals as the patients are dying.

Story traits The are normally family arguments within these types of movies as there is a strain on the family relationships.

Semantics

How are these evident in your film?

Costumes

The character is wearing a white robe with his name sewn onto it. This costume is evidence that he is a doctor.

Semantics How are these evident in your film?

props

The machines around the girl and the tubes around her show that she is in hospital and is a patient.

Semantics How are these evident in your film?

Rituals

The ritual here is that the girl is going to prom and the family is excited and taking pictures of her and her date.

The family is excited to see the daughter in her dress – this is like the stereotypical family moment.

SYNTAX

What is the purpose of your movie?

The purpose of the movie is to show that life is sacred and that we shouldn’t waste our live- we should live each moment to the fullest and enjoy each moment of our lives.

It might help people who are going through the same situation get through it with hope.

ICONOGRAPHY

semantics

characters The mother is over protective and this relates to the film because in real life mothers are generally caring and worried about the children

locations This film is located in the hospital most of the time because the girl is suffering from terminal illness.

Story traits There is a strain on the family relationships as the girl is ill and the sibling wants to sue for the rights to her body.

costumes The doctors robe represents hospital which is where the film is based around.

Props The props shows that she is in the hospital and shows the serious side of her illness.

rituals The ritual of the girl going to prom and her family taking pictures shows that the family are happy and want a little bit or normalcy in their lives.

TONE The lighting around the girl is bright showing the intensity of this scene.

The lighting from the blinds is dim to show privacy between them.

The light around the mother and her daughter is dark showing that it is a serious conversation, this contrasts with the dying daughter.

The lighting also represents innocence and purity. It makes it seem as if this girl is the centre of attention.

CONVENTIONS LISTConventions of genre/subgenre/hybrid

Examples from range of real films

Use, develop or challenge?

Drama movies and generally serious

Titanic uses

The purpose of the story line is to move the audience emotionally.

The vow uses

The audience can relate to the situations.

Freedom writers uses

Portrays real life situations The pursuit of happyness uses

Conflict between characters e.g family conflict

taken uses

Specific subject matter e.g racial conflict.

crash Uses – terminal illness

Makes the audience feel empathy and sympathy.

The hunger games uses

Makes us think about our situations – what might happen if we had cancer?

Charlie St Cloud uses

CRIME DRAMAS- someone gets kidnapped

Taken 2 challenges

ROMANCE DRAMA - happy endings

Ps I love you Develops – the family are happy in the end however the daughter does die.

CONVENTIONS ANALYSIS 1#

Conventions of genre/ sub-genre / hybrid

Examples from your film:

Drama movies and generally serious The film itself is based on a serious topic – terminal illness.

The purpose of the story line is to move the audience emotionally.

The girl dies in the end.

The audience can relate to the situations.

People who watch it could also have cancer

Portrays real life situations Cancer.

Conflict between characters e.g family conflict

the daughter is suing her mother.

CONVENTIONS ANALYSIS 2#

Conventions of genre/ sub-genre / hybrid

Examples from your film:

Specific subject matter e.g racial conflict.

The movie is based on terminal illness.

Makes the audience feel empathy and sympathy.

With the girl who is dying and the family left behind.,

Makes us think about our situations – what might happen if we had cancer?

How we might deal with having a donor baby .

CRIME DRAMAS- someone gets kidnapped

challenged

ROMANCE DRAMA - happy endings Developed

DOMINANT IDEOLOGY

Dominant ideology Evidence / example

That while you are in hospital or sick you have your whole family there to support you.

It is wrong to use others They use their youngest for a donor.

The dad is usually the one who stays strong.

He is the one who stops the arguments.

When your dying you want your last days to be happy.

She goes to the beach with her family.

AUDIENCE

Details of audience

Target audience Secondary audience Why would they be attracted to the film?

age 18+ 15+ Because this is the age that would understand and might have experienced the same thing.

gender women Men Because it is showing the girls life but also her families struggle to be whole again.

ethnicity Mixed – mainly white any Anybody would be attracted to the movie s it isn't mainly about one ethnicity – every ethnicity could go through the same thing.

Social class Any Any Every social class would be attracted as anyone from any social class could go through the same thing.

Social group Any any it doesn’t relate specifically to one social group

Sexual orientation

Any Any This is because it can affect anyone.

Profession/role Anybody any It isn't aimed at certain people In certain professions.

AUDIENCE THEORY MCQUAIL

Reasons why people watch the film

Explanation

Entertainment People watch the movie for

Information People might watch this to learn more about cancer and how it can affect relationships, and if they know someone with cancer, it could help to understand how they are feeling.

Personal identity They might be in the same situation and want to be able to have a better relationship with their family.

Integration & social interaction They can talk about the film,