Unit 26 Film studies

By Daniel Vidal

Storyline

It is set in the present day, of the economic downturn of the world.

A very successful ceo of a multi-billion oil company crashes into debt, and Dave is blamed, he is then stunned to the street with nothing to his name.

While sitting in a doorway, Dave notices a commotion and goes to investigate. He sees a young man being dragged into a abandoned warehouse. Dave makes to snap decision to go in, he finds the man on a chair with a bomb counting down, Dave saves the man (lee) and get to safety.

Casting

Good Guy - Ryan Reynolds $15’000’000

Director - Paul McGuigan worth $5’000’000

Bad guy - Alan Ford $10’000’000

Ernie Reyes Jr.$2’000’000

Leaving my production with $60’000’000 for marketing

Inculding CGI effects and explosions $8’000’000

Advertisement Also the super bowl is a great time to advertise because it has millions of views at one time to watch my promotional trailer.

I will also use youtube to advertise my action movie, by using this form of media it would be shown to a wide range of people.

Diversion – to escape from ever day problems

Personal relationships – using the media for emotional and other interaction.

Personal identity – finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values for texts.

Surveillance – information which could be used for.

7 characteristics of blockbusters

• It is a ‘star vehicle’. • A large production budget e.g $100million.• A large marketing budget. • A range of merchandising. • A wide demographic. • A holiday release date. • Worldwide release.

4 audience theories

• Reception• Two step flow• Uses and Gratification• The hypodermic needle

Reception theory

Dominant (hegemonic): the reader fully shares the text code and accepts and reproduces the preferred reading.

Negotiated reading: the reader partly shares the text code and broadly accepts, but sometimes its modified to the person own position.

Oppositional (counter- hegemonic): complete opposite to the dominant code, so the reader understands the text code and rejects this reading.

Two step flow

The two step flow theory is based on the opinions of the socially accepted or powerful. Individuals who pay close attention to mass media

Opinion leaders pass on

their own interpretations instead of facts

Uses and Gratification

There are 5 main reasons why people watch media.

To escape

Social interaction

Identify

Inform & Educate

Entertain

The hypodermic needle

During second world wars media plays a vital role in both United States and Germany to made influence in the people’s mind. The Germany Hitler’s Nazi used film industry for Propaganda and they produced lots of movies about their achievements which made a great impact in Germans mind.

The media (magic gun) fired the message directly into audience head without their own knowledge. The message cause the instant reaction from the audience mind without any hesitation is called “Magic Bullet Theory”.

5 narrative theories

• Tordorov's equilibrium • Propp’s narrative structure

• Levi’s binary oppositions • Barthes’s codes • Shklovsky’s …..

Tordorov's Narrative Theory

Tordorov’s believed that the narrative theory was in every film/ story.

It starts with a state of normality, the equilibrium is then followed by a disequilibrium which is a disruption of events. The disequilibrium must then be recognised by the characters causing them to take action to restore the equilibrium. Since the characters cannot return to the original equilibrium, a new one is created in the process.

Propp’s characters roles

Between 1895 - 1970 Propp analysed fairy tales by there narrative structure

The Hero ((protagonist) has a mission)

The Villains ((antagonist) tries to stop hero)

The Doner (gives the hero something)

The False Hero (villain that pretends to be good)

The Helper (always with the hero)

The Princess (love interest)

Levi

Levi showed that in 1970’s there was always binary oppositions in films.

Strong – weak

Good – bad

Domestic – Savage

Philosophy - myth

BarthesAction code; something the audience knows and doesn’t need

explaining.

Enigma code; something hidden from the audience.

Symbolic code; something that symbolizes a more abstract concept.

Cultural code; something that is read with understanding due to cultural awareness.

Semic code; something that the audience recognise through connotations.