Advanced Portfolio

Brief: You are to produce a Promotion Package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer (DVD), together with 2 of the following:•A website homepage for the film •A film magazine front cover, featuring the film (A4) •A poster for the film. (No larger than A3)

My ResearchIn this course, I am researching into film genre (Dystopian and British Crime films) and I am going to use a theoretical approach.

I am going to investigate postmodern theory and genre theory.

Postmodernism Theory Postmodernist film attempts to subvert

the mainstream conventions of narrative structure, characterization and plays with the audience's suspension of disbelief.  Postmodern films upends typical portrayals of gender, race, class, genre, and time with the goal of creating something different from traditional narrative expression.

Theoretical key concepts:  

Theoretical key concepts: Genre theory and research into film trailers of a specific genreNarrative theoryLanguage Theory (semiology) and media literacyRepresentation theoryAudience theoryFilm trailer conventionsAll planning/amendments for your trailer ideas (storyboard etc.)Film promotion research/ideasAll research for you ancillary products

Postmodern Film Example Ridley Scott's Blade Runner might be the best known postmodernist

film. Ridley Scott's 1982 film is about a future dystopia where "replicants" (human cyborgs) have been invented and are deemed dangerous enough to hunt down when they escape.

There is tremendous effacement of boundaries between genres and cultures and styles that are generally more separate along with the fusion of disparate styles and times that is a common trope in postmodernist cinema. "The futuristic set and action mingle with drab 1940s clothes and offices, punk rock hairstyles, pop Egyptian style and oriental culture.

The population is singularly multicultural and the language they speak is agglomeration of English, Japanese, German and Spanish. The film alludes to the private eye genre of Raymond Chandler and the characteristics of film noir as well as Biblical motifs and images. The fusion of noir and science-fiction is another example of the film deconstructing cinema and genre. This is an embodiment of the postmodern tendency to destroy boundaries and genres into a self-reflexive product. "The postmodern aesthetic of Blade Runner is thus the result of recycling, fusion of levels, discontinuous signifiers, explosion of boundaries, and erosion.

Other Postmodern Film Examples There are many examples of

postmodern films and filmmakers. Blue Velvet, Pulp Fiction, Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Python and the Holy Grail, Thelma and Louise, Fight Club, Mulholland Drive, The Matrix trilogy and Memento are just a handful examples of postmodern cinema in practice.

Genre Genre is an important tool allowing

categorisation of texts according to certain conventions. You could call this iconography or semiology.

TheoriesTzvetan Todorov suggested there were 5 stages to a narrative:Equilibrium – A happy startA disruption of this equilibrium by an event – A problem occursA realisation that a disruption has happenedAn attempt to repair the damage of the disruption – the problem is solvedA restoration of the equilibrium, but a different equilibrium – A happy ending

BarthesBarthes had a series of narrative codes including the enigma code. This is the hook or mystery to be resolved for the audience.Barthes also believed the narrative was made up of signifiers which were objects that brought meaning to the narrative.

The Crime Genre The crime genre has evolved since

making it’s way into mainstream cinemas since the 1920’s.

The Crime Genre Timeline(1930-1960)1930’s: The Crime genre originally reflected the prohibition era (1920s) which lead to criminal gangs racketeering. Each era tends to reflect society’s crime waves or fears (It’s context). Films such as Little Caesar (1930) and The Public Enemy (1931) which starred James Cagney and Edward G Robinson.1940’s Film Noir: Studios copied the1930s dark lighting and minimal sets and updated the themes to reflect a more sinister side of life; reflecting wartime turmoil, including more confused roles for the genders - alienated heroes and femme fatales. The Big Sleep (1946) Key Largo (1948) Starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall are examples of this. British Film makers copied this idea and made films such as Brighton Rock (1947) and The Third Man (1949). Starring Richard Attenborough and Orson Welles. 1960’s Crime Capers: The sexual revolution became evident in Crime films of the 1960’s . Films reflected the economic and social optimism of the ‘swinging 60s’, with light hearted narratives and ‘loveable rogues’. E.g. Oceans 11 (1960) with ‘The Rat Pack’.

The Crime Genre Timeline (1960-Modern Day) 1960s - British Crime Caper: Britain followed suit and made films that mixed comedy with the heist movie using ‘cheeky cockney’ characters like Michael Caine of the Ealing Comedy era, romantic European settings and the original ‘cliffhanger’ ending. For example, The Italian Job (1969). 1970/80s – Gritty Gangster Epic: Reflected the economic depression of 1970s with hard hitting Dons and drug pushing. E.g. The Godfather (1972), Mean Streets (1973) and Scarface (1983). Starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.1970/1980s - Gritty British Crime: From the harsh downturn from the late 60s and early 70s, reflecting the notoriety of gangland figures such as the ‘well-groomed’ Kray twins came Get Carter (1971) and The Long Good Friday (1981). Starring Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins.1990 onwards Postmodern Crime: The likes of Tarantino brought in Postmodern crime films. It reflects the Postmodern age where society today is overloaded with ideas so borrows references the past with new and challenging narratives (Hybrid genres, heavily stylised and blurred representations). E.g. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994), The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995).1990s - British Postmodern Gangster: Borrowing ideas from past British Crime iconography, and American postmodern crime films, particularly Tarantino, often reflecting the ‘New Laddism’ of the 1990s, Postmodern hybrids offer mixed representations and heavily stylised production. E.g. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Sexy Beast (2000), Snatch (2000), Layer Cake (2004), London to Brighton (2006). Guy Ritchie is the leading director for British Crime.

Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)Tarantino's Pulp Fiction is well known for it's postmodern attributes including it's irregular narrative course and it's many intertexual references. By incorporating these intertextual references it makes those audience members feel included in the "in joke" which Tarantino is making. Such features also provides something to pick up on during second viewings, with their subtle inclusion making them harder to find.He split the film into three stories, "Vincent Vega and Marcellus Wallace's Wife", "The Gold Watch" and "The Bonnie Situation." It uses declining meta narratives over time, along with the increase of "mini-narratives". The audience have to think hard to work out where the narrative actually began if it were chronological. The demand for more audience participation is yet another example of postmodernism, as gone are the days where directors are simply presenting to a passive audience.The director has used title cards. This immediately reminds the audience that the film has been constructed, something Tarantino obviously didn't find damaging to his film. Such awareness of self-construction is a common element in postmodernfilms. Postmodern directors, like Tarantino, want to show off their film making credentials and put it in the audiences face that they’re making a film.

Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000) Snatch is a hybrid of three different genres, Crime, Comedy and Spaghetti Western.It borrows ideas from past British Crime iconography. It’s hyperimagistic, impressionistic display makes the film a postmodern technical masterpiece. The film borrows music from A Fistful of Dollars, pastiching that particular film. It has strong stereotypical characters such as Brad Pitt’s Irish Traveller Mickey O’Neil. Some would say this is offensive, but I think Guy Ritchie is doing it to push the stereotype.

Dystopian Films Themes: Dystopian worlds: unpleasant or bad places.

Environmentally bad places. Dystopia explores postmodern themes. Narratives take place in the aftermath of a

disaster. Relates to real-life themes in society. The possibility of human demise: survivors

struggle for existence. These films create the sense of finality and in

some instances a new beginning/ survival.re-birth.  

Dystopian Films Character Types: Heroic male protagonist Post-modern cowboy – loner, pushed

into action, constant threat and violence.

Dystopian Films Sub-Genre: Science-Fiction – A sense of science gone wrong

where the future is controlled by a big brother scenario, relating to fears in society. E.g. Metropolis, Blade Runner, The Terminator, The Matrix

Post Apocalyptic – end of the world scenario with limited survivors. It includes the idea of Darwinism. Mad Max, The Road, Planet of the Apes.

Horror – Presenting a chaotic world of mutants or Zombies created from human genetic problem. E.g. 28 Days Later, World War Z.

Dystopian Films Timeline: Pre-War (1920’s) Fear of mass production.

Metropolis Post War – Cold War fears, post apocalyptic

ideas. Planet of the Apes. 70/80’s – Fears of technologic advancement.

The Terminator, Blade Runner. 90’s and now – Fears of cloning, genetics,

viral outbreak. 28 Days Later.

Examples of Dystopian Films

28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, 2002): Disruption: Zombie apocalypse Hero: Jim and Selina Equilibrium: Disruption: Zombies attack England Restoration: The zombies starve, Jim and Selina get away from the army.

The Mist (Frank Darabont, 2007) The Weather, Species of bloodthirsty creatures Disruption: A Species of Bloodthirsty Creatures Hero – David Drayton Equilibrium: A family man is happily at his home. Disruption: The mist comes and they get stuck in the store and don’t know what’s out there. Restoration: The army save the day, but David has killed his family.

Similarities Brave, Male Differences Different ages This has taught me that to be different/postmodern I could use a female character.