Short Film Task

Emily Fox

Idea Generation

• Possible genres:• Drama: modern/real life observations• Crime/Mystery-Detective: heist/film noir

inspired• Animation: stop motion/animation for an

older audience• Comedy/Spoof: college life

Goodfellas is 1990 American crime film based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, which chronicles the story of Henry Hill, a Mafia mobster who turned FBI informant. The film was directed by renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese and follows the exploits and rise and fall of the Lucchese family, a notorious crime family that played a large part in organized crime within New York City from the 1920s onwards. Goodfellas is consistently considered as one of the greatest films of all time, both in general and also within the crime genre.Nicholas Pileggi collaborated with Scorsese to write the film’s screenplay. The film’s budget was twenty-five million dollars, which was Scorsese’s most expensive film up to that point in time, and went on to gross over forty six million dollars.There is a direct reference to The Great Train Robbery, a short, silent film created by Edwin S. Porter in 1903 that is often deemed as a milestone in film history, in the form of the shot where Joe Pesci’s character shoots at the screen, showcasing that early motion pictures are still hold a prevalent influence on modern cinema. Scorsese commented in an interview that the storyline of Goodfellas is “basically a bunch of outlaws who do this incredible robbery, and they all kill each other and the police get them at the end”, he then goes on to say that it’s “exactly the same story” as The Great Train Robbery.

Research

The integral characters in Goodfellas are all typically white, middle aged men, meaning this could influence the audience that watch the film. For instance, the fact that the characters are male may create the perception that the film would appeal more to a male audience as they would be able to relate to the character. Furthermore, the idea that the film might be aimed at a predominantly male audience is enforced by the fact that the majority of the film is narrated by a male character, and violence, drugs and crime are principal themes within the film, which are matters that are stereotypically considered to be unappealing to a female audience. However, that is not to say that a female audience couldn’t enjoy the film; when the love interest of Henry Hill is introduced, she also narrates some of the story, giving a female perspective on the events and happenings in the film.

Similar to Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction is also part of the crime genre and is considered to be one of the most influential films of the 1990s. The film came out in 1994 and was directed by Quentin Tarantino, who is now well known for his satirical, violent, neo-noir pieces. Pulp Fiction is an American crime film that follows a non-linear storyline and combines violence and black humour. There are three storylines within the film that all intersect at different points.

The neo-noir genre originates from, and is a modern representation of, what is known as the film noir style. It has been said that, as a genre, film noir “operates within a circumscribed set of narrative and visual conventions”. With its dark comedy and settings, crime, drugs, boxing and violence, Pulp Fiction is a classic example of an updated film noir, hence its categorization as neo-noir. Tarantino said in an interview that, in general cinema, he believes that violence is the “biggest attraction” and that he is a big fan of “action and violence in cinema”, and therefore it could possibly be inferred that the intended audience of Pulp Fiction is, but not limited to, fans of violence and action. It could also be said that this film would perhaps appeal to audiences and fans of other '90s crime dramas and thrillers or films of a similar genre, such as Goodfellas, which came out four years prior to Pulp Fiction; Heat, which was released in 1995 and Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino's debut film that was brought out in 1992. In addition, Tarantino brings a distinct, recognisable style and aesthetic to his work, and as a result his films have built an impressive following, meaning a significant portion of the film's audience might possibly be made up of a niche fan base.

Heat is a 1995 American crime thriller written and directed by Michael Mann. The film stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, "two screen legends", and is based on the experiences of Chuck Adamson, a Chicago police officer, who had real life encounters with Robert De Niro's character in the film. De Niro plays professional thief Neil McCauley while Pacino is a veteran robbery-homicide detective, Vincent Hanna, on the case of tracking down McCauley and his crew.The film was shot entirely in California, with Los Angeles being a predominant location. Many shots within the film that showcase the city appear to depict it as a lonely, dark place; this might be perceived as unusual and at odds with how the city is normally portrayed, as it is typically bustling and vibrant. The reason Michael Mann illustrated Los Angeles in this way could perhaps be to reflect and echo the moods and feelings of McCauley and Hanna throughout the film. McCauley's loneliness is down to the fact that he doesn't let himself get attached to anything "you are not willing to walk out on in thirty seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner", while for Hanna the source of his loneliness stems from his dedication and obsession with his job, he admits that "all I am, is what I'm going after" and "my life is a disaster zone because I spend all my time chasing guys like you 'round the block".

These are scenes taken from Heat and Goodfellas. They both take place in diners or restaurants, which seem to be a recurring location within crime films. There are a number of possible reasons for this decision, one being the fact that the characters in the scene need a neutral, public place to meet or conduct business. In Goodfellas, the voice over of Henry Hill specifically identifies the reasoning behind the location of the scene, he says that “murderers come with smiles” and so “I met Jimmy in a crowded place”, this could be due to the fact that Hill is nervous to meet with Jimmy due to the fact that he thinks Jimmy might dispose of him in some way.

Both scenes include extras in the background, which adds more interest and reality to the scene.

The shot reverse shot technique is also used in both scenes. This adds to the idea of the encounter being a ‘face-off’, as the shot goes backwards and forwards from one character to the other and the viewer can’t see both of the character’s expression concurrently.

The restaurant scene in Heat is showing an interaction between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino’s characters. The meeting is almost a ‘face-off’ between the two, the fact that it occurs in a public place rather than in private adds tension. This scene is the first time the two characters are seen together onscreen at the same time. For this reason, you might expect their first meeting to be explosive and volatile, especially as they operate on opposite sides of the law, but both characters are civil and interact like “regular fellas”. In fact, Hanna tries to prevent McCauley from carrying out the intended “score”, as he doesn’t want to have to send McCauley to prison.

ReportAs a result of my research, I have found that, typically, the profile of the target audience for crime films is male and of a mature age, possibly somewhere between twenty-five to forty, or at least over eighteen. The three films I have researched specifically have '18' and '15' ratings, with Goodfellas and Pulp Fiction having the higher age certificate. The reason the films may appeal to an older, male audience is perhaps most likely due to the content of the films and the fact that a male viewer can appreciate the goings on in the film. Pulp Fiction and Goodfellas contain graphic violence, criminal activity, drug use and strong language, which are generally viewed as unsuitable themes and material for a younger audience.Heat, Goodfellas and Pulp Ficiton are all American films and therefore may appeal to an American audience. However, this doesn't mean that the films won't interest other audiences located in English speaking countries. For instance, Pulp Fiction's screenplay became the most successful in UK history after the film was released.For the majority of Goodfellas, Henry Hill, the protagonist, is in his twenties, which could mean a younger audience might be more likely to identify with the character, and in turn this would attract a varied audience that is comprised of younger viewers as well as mature. In Heat, however, Hanna is an aging police detective and McCauley an older, experienced thief, which could potentially have an effect on the age of the audience, as the two main characters might not hold as much appeal to a younger demographic.Although, the fact that Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, two influential and revered actors, play the starring roles might incur a larger audience for the film, as some people might want to watch the film for the sole purpose of seeing the two actors.

The voiceover in the trailer for Heat informs the viewer that “for the first time, America’s two most electrifying actors collide”. This markets the film in a way that causes it to seem as though the collaboration of the two actors is a monumental moment in film history, therefore creating and stirring intrigue and interest.While the storyline of Goodfellas is chronological for the most part, the film starts with a scene from the middle of the feature, similar to Pulp Fiction which jumps backwards and forwards in time. The use of manipulating the timeline within a film helps to grab the viewer’s attention and keep them engaged in the film.The storylines of Goodfellas and Heat are both based on true stories. In addition, the scripts involve scenes and characters that the directors have had experience with themselves, either through research or personal, first hand encounters. Using the experiences of the directors and the research they have amassed from sources and the people the films are based on helps to add reality to the feature and gives the viewer a truthful insight into the goings on of a world they may have only heard about, but never actually come into contact with in real life. In addition, utilising true stories as a basis for a film can be an effective way of evoking a variety of feelings within the viewer, due to the fact that the film’s storyline is a real depiction of an event, making the happenings all the more thrilling, engaging and, in some ways, frightening, as the events in the film actually happened and this means there is a possibility that they could occur again in the future.There is a scene in Goodfellas that involves a large group of men in a restaurant and one of the men, Tommy, is reciting a funny anecdote (this scene was written by Joe Pesci, the actor playing Tommy, based on his own experience in a similar situation). Henry tells Tommy that he's a "funny guy" and Tommy immediately takes this the wrong way and the tone of the scene swiftly changes from jovial to tense and anticipatory. Martin Scorsese decided to film this scene using

a mid shot rather than close ups of Tommy and Henry, the two integral characters in the scene. The reason for this was that Scorsese thought the medium shot was powerful enough to depict the scene the way he desired and close up shots weren't required. In addition, Scorsese was more interested in having the expressions and reactions of the characters surrounding Tommy and Henry on show, as he felt that the fluctuation of the other characters' expressions held more weight and were more telling of the tone of the scene, and therefore a medium shot was the best choice to ensure all the relevant characters were in view.The famous scene from Goodfellas known as "The Copacabana Shot" is a long tracking shot that was filmed using a steadicam. Scorsese didn't want there to be any separation between the character and the environment, and so he used a continuous shot. The scene follows Henry and Karen making their way through the back entrance of the Copacabana club all the way into the main function room. This technique seems to convey and showcase Henry's journey from the bottom of the figurative food chain within the mob to his rise up the ranks.“Last Day as a Wiseguy” is a sequence in Goodfellas that is full of pace and jump cuts. The techniques used in this sequence help to express the feelings and state of mind of the character Henry Hill, which is paranoid and out of control due to the fact that he thinks a police helicopter is following him and also the use of drugs. At one point in the sequence, we see Henry at his mistresses house taking drugs. As he snorts a line of cocaine, the music abruptly changes from “What is life”, an upbeat and cheerful sounding song, to “Mannish Boy”, a blues song, and a close up shot of Henry’s face. This jarring swap in song tempo and sound and the swift close up shot emphasises the action and effect of Henry taking the drugs.In Heat, the film culminates in a shootout between Hanna and the police, and McCauley and his crew after they carry out a bank heist towards the end. All the audio in the scene is from on-set; there were no sound effects added in during post-production, Michael Mann decided to instead keep the sound of the blanks echoing against their targets.

Martin Scorsese employs a freeze frame technique throughout Goodfellas. The use of freeze frames can effectively add emphasis and prominence to particular moments. For instance, at the very beginning of the film, when Ray Liotta’s character Henry Hill is first introduced, there is a freeze frame on Hill’s face after he says through the voiceover, “as far back as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a gangster”. Pausing on the character’s face can add impact and drama to a moment and also allow the viewer to digest what has been said or happened in the scene and take into account the significance or importance of the event or character.

In its opening weekend, 21st September 1990, Goodfellas made $6,368,901. Heat made $8,445,656 and Pulp Fiction $9,311,882 in their opening weekends. In total, Pulp Fiction grossed an impressive $107,928,762.http://www.boxofficemojo.com/

• Weapons: guns, knives • Dark colours: sets, clothes, night time• City locations: New York in Goodfellas (which influenced films of the future, for

instance, Christopher Nolan with The Dark Knight), Los Angeles in Heat• Locations: bars, restaurants, streets, nightclubs, houses- seedy and rundown or

grand and ostentatious • Relationships between characters: close family units/friends• Acquire goods: material possessions cars, clothes, property- houses, women

viewed as property• Power: gain power and influence, survival of the fittest, rise up the ranks-

hierarchy• Common antagonist: society, law enforcement- police/FBI/CIA/DEA, rival gang• Comedy: black humour interspersed within dialogue• Inspired or based on true stories

Similarities and Conventions: Notes

Sources for Goodfellas• http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/50-useless-but-genius-facts-about-goodf

ellas• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/technical• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV7btRCs3Wc -“Scorsese on…”• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bbzUZuxEB8 -“Making of”• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdyOVDgKsgA -“Last Day as a Wiseguy”- has

been re-edited, dialogue and soundtrack have been taken out and one song added in for duration of clip.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf8twMPk3Ps -“What is Life”-section of Last Day as a Wiseguy, however, with original dialogue and soundtrack.

• http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/11/women-not-capable-understanding-goodfellas-new-york-post-critic-kyle-smith -article

• http://nypost.com/2015/06/10/sorry-ladies-youll-never-understand-why-guys-love-goodfellas/ -article

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOaV06ruMqg -“Diner scene”

•http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6975563/Quentin-Tarantino-violence-is-the-best-way-to-control-an-audience.html

-article•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZmxSZ_0gac -interview•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlC1nVUFuck -interview•http://www.miramax.com/movie/pulp-fiction/ •http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/ -general information

•http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/heat/25530/michael-manns-heat-how-research-created-a-classic-thriller

-background information on film•http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113277/ -general information•http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/heat-1995 -review and summary•http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/blackhat/pacino-deniro-making-of-heat/ -film article • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TXVqdsU1LI -full film, used for quotes• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL9fnVtz_lc -shootout scene• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbBLJ1WGwQ -film trailer

Sources for Pulp Fiction

Sources for Heat

General Sources and Research Resources

• http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevel.php?pageID=filmgenre • http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-opening-our-eyes-2011-07.pdf• http://www.filmsite.org/crimefilms3.html • https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rdKHAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=frank+krutni

k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aNyDVbHvOoTV7AaYtoHgBw&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=frank%20krutnik&f=false / https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1682633.In_a_Lonely_Street - “In a Lonely Street: Film Noir, Genre, Masculinity” written by Frank Krutnik, published by Routledge in 1991- quote used about film noir.

• http://www.crimeculture.com/Contents/detectivefilm.htm