Production, Distribution and Marketting

The Dark Knight & Adulthood.

The comparison of a huge, million dollar US film, to a relatively small, independent UK film shows just how much production and marketting techniques differ, depending on the size of a film.For example, "Adulthood". This was the Brtish film that my group and I researched. It was produced by Cipher Films and the Limelight fund, with help from The UK Film Council. These companies are very small independent organizations which were, in fact, only set up for the production of "Adulthood". The maximum amount onf screns that the film was shown in was 179, and it was only released in the UK. This meant that the marketting of the film was much weaker than that of "The Drak Knight". The advertising techniques of "Adulthood" were very simple, posters, radio and television. This dissallowed for mass audiences as it didn't make itself well known. It did, however, do well in atracting it's target audience, teenage or young adults from inner city areas who could relate to the themes and issues. They did this in a lot of different ways. The OST for the film was performed by Bashy, a very popular urban artist. The soundtrack was released including tracks from Dizzee Rascall, Bashy and Lethal Bizzle, who are all, again, popular urban artists. The film also starred alot of these artists alongside side very popular actors such as Danny Dyer (Football Factory, Love Honour and Obey).In contrast, "The Dark Knight" was produced by two huge companies, "Legendary Pictures" and "Warner Bros." These companies are funded by banks all across america which means they can afford to produce extremely high budget films. The marketting of this film was on a much larger scale also. It received endorsements from huge companies such as Burger King and had a website set up for the fans. Also, it starred huge actors such as Michaels Cain, Morgan Freeman and most of all Heath Ledger. The dvertising of the film was greatly helped by HEath Ledgers death as it turned into more of a tribute for him, as his "final film". This caused thousands of fans to rush to cinemas to see him in tribute.After researching both films it is clear to see that to make such a huge film like "The Dark knight", funding is crucial.

Sound- Insomnia

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer(s): Nikolaj Frobebenius
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.
Release Date: 30th August 2002.

In contrast to Taxi Driver the sound here is used to establish the genre.Before we see anyhting the music seems to creep up on us. The violins set a very sombre, depressing atmosphere that reminded me of death or funerals. The blurred out diagetic sounds that we hear is Nolan's attempt at pulling the audience in to the scene. It sounds as if we are just on the edge of sleep (as the character is). this goes with the title "Insomnia" The sudden jolt in music then "wakes" us up as it goes with the movement of the plane. The music and atmosphere are also reflected by the landscape which is very typical of Hitchcock, like in North by Northwest. it is very baron, plain and uninviting, which could be a hint at what is going to happen later on in the film.
The music that is playing becomes the films "theme". It does not actualy stop throughout the whole opening, just gets quieter. This is showing that the Detective is carrying parts of his city ife into this small town. this is very similar to Scorcese's technique in Taxi Driver.

Sound- Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver:
Director: Martin Scorcese
Release Date: 8th February 1976
Writer: Paul Schrader
Genre: Crime, Action, Thriller

In the opening scene of Taxi Driver music is mainly used to establish Robert De Nero's character. The big drum rolls as the camera moves around gives the taxi a real sense of importance and dominance. This music also seems very "military" which relates to the characters military background. The music then switches to a very sultry Jazz sounding score which then reflects New York city and the "seedy" sort of atmosphere. This shows the contrast between the characters city life and his previous military life. I think how the music changes when looking at the character shows that perhaps he may have split personalities?
The low drum beat symbolizes a heart beat. While the character is walking along the streets of New York there is a sort of "snooping" music which again goes with the seedy atmosphere. it is also as if he is inspecting the streets which goes along with his monologue where he is saying how disgusted he is at everything he is seeing.
The opening credits are very similar to Psycho by Hitchcock. The intense music reaches out to the audience and demands their attention immediately.

La Haine (The Hate)

Director:Mathieu Kassovitz
Writer:Mathieu Kassovitz
Release Date:17th November 1995 (UK) 31st May 1995 (France)
Genre:Crime, Drama.

Cinematography

• Begins with tilt shot lookiong up at sky. Clever editing which show time passing by (clouds moving very fast)
• Steady cam moving quite slowly, contradicts the sense of realism that Kassovitz is trying to create but also highlights the significance of the scene. Makes the audience remember it.
• The fluidity of the camera movement creates a sense of realism. The scene where the camera is following the group is particularly good for showing this. The shot goes on for a very long time with no cuts. This makes the spectator feel as if they are the fourth member of the group.
• Shallow/Narrow depth of field.Background slightly blurred. shows that we should be concentrating on the foreground, perhaps it has some importance?
• Shot from behind the character adds to the sense of realism as that is what we would be looking at if we were in the film. Relates to Guss Van Sant's "Elephant". it is all to create a sense of realism as if we were actually there within the film.
• The shot from behind also gives a sense of mystery as we cannot see the faces. Although this does make us concentrate on the conversation as we don't have alot else to look at. I think this is another way of stressing the importance of a certain factor in the film, in this case their conversation.
• The colour in this film is quite specific to the setting and genre. it is a gritty and at times violent film, so the black and white colour is good for showing the rawness of the setting.

Psycho

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writers: Robert Bloch (novel)

Joseph Stefano (screenplay)

Release Date: 16th June 1960 (USA)



The first shot, an extreme long shot of the city creates a real sense of atmosphere. It also makes the two characters who are first seen seem very insignificant, like it is two tiny characters inside this huge city. The zooming into the window also creates a rela sense of voyeurism. I think Hitchcock is doing this to really involve the spectator and make the camera "our eyes". The use of a side-shot, or twin-shot showing the man and woman at the beginning is used to disguise the main character as they both seem to have equal importance. The focus on the money on the bed also shows how this is an important factor in the film.

Fargo Analysis

Director: Joel Cohen

Writers: Joel Cohen and Ethan Cohen

Release Date: 31st May 2006

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

• 
  We learn alot about Lundergaards character by observing his body language. For example, the scene where he tells his father-in-law that his wife has been kidnapped we see him rehearsing how to tell him which shows us that he obviously has some involvement.


• 
  Cars are made to represent characters in the film. For example, bright lights breaking the dark horizon represent the witnesses prying eyes in the scene of the first murder. Also the crashed car upside down represents the helplessness of the victims along with the red brake lights in the snow which shows bloodshed. Cohen also uses sound to provoke tension amongst the spectator. For example the beeping sound in the car when the first murder occurs is consistent throughout the film and it almost acts as a warning to the audience that something sinister is about to happen.


• 
  The black, dark landscape that surrounds the first murder scene represents death as the coulour black has connotations of evil and death. The next scene then shows Margie disappearing in her police car into a pure white landscape. Not only does this show peace, innocence and light, but it also shows how she doesn't know what she is in for as she fades away into the distance.
  The landscape is also used to create tension. The blizzard like conditions prevent the spectator from seeing too far into the distance so we never know what is "around the corner" however art the end of the film when all is revealed it becomes alot clearer so I think that the clouded landscape represents Margie's mind as she is struggling to work the whole thing out.


• 
  Black is seen again when we see the Wife for the first time and her head is covered by a black cloth, showing death. We also see it again when Gerry's father-in-law is going to give the kidnappers their money. As he is driving his face fades into blackness repeatedly, I think this shows how the darkness is over coming him which it does as he tries to kill the kidnapper.


• 
  The flat, open landscape shows isolation, loneliness and gives the audience a real feeling of helplessness. This is alot like Hitchcock's technique in North by Northwest.


• 
  The costume also shows alot about Gerry. Throughout the film he wears very bland clothes, reflecting his bland typical car salesman job. Also, at the end of the film when he is finally caught by the police he is in his pyjamas. I think this shows his vulnerability and how everything has fallen apart for him.

Zulu

Director: C.Y. Endfield
Writer: John Prebble
Release Date: 22nd January 1964 (UK)
17th June 1964 (USA)
Genre: Action, Drama, Historical.
Plot: Outnumbered British soldiers from different military backgrounds do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorkes Drift

• Sounds of Zulu chants are very haunting, intimidating. Shows the vast numbers of them and how outnumbered the British soldiers are.
• Gunshots echoe around the land, shows the open space. Like in North By Nothwest, vast baron landscape, nowhere to hide.
• Use of a longshot to show a house in the middle of the desert shows how the landscape reflects characters. A tiny house amongst vast open plane. Again like in North By Northwest, tiny bus amongst huge baron desert.
• Landscape reflects characters!!
• An extreme longshot shows more Zulus hiding in bushes. Raises tension as we know there are more to come but the British do not.

Atonement- Mise En Scene

Director: Joe Wright
Writers: Ian McEwan (novel)
Christopher Hampton (screenplay)
Realease Date: 7th September 2007 Uk
Genre: Drama, fantasy, mystery, romance, war.

• The use of red in this film is very important and it is a great example of how colours can represent feelings and emotions. For example in the scene with the red roses I think red is used to represent love and how his love for her is being trampled. The colour is then consistent throughout the film and is used alot which shows that love is an underlying theme of the film.
• The scene in the cinema is good for showing how events within the scene can show themes, issues, or emotions. For example, when Robbie (James McAvoy) is stood infornt of the cinema screen he appears to be a small character infront of this huge love story. I think that this shows how he is inferior in the story and that he is totally overcome by his love for Cecilia.
• The buildings and surroundings are very good for showing the characters class and the time period. For example, Robbie is wearing a suit which makes the audience assume he is innocent as this is very upper class attire for men of that era. The buildings also have very elegant and wealthy looking design which shows the two characters' social class. It also show the time period as architecture of this sort was very typical of that time period.

North by Northwest

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writer: Ernest Lehman
Release Date: 22 November 1959 (UK)
6 August 1959 (New York USA)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller, Mystery.

• The first aerial shot encapsulates the whole desert in one shot, this is Hitchcock's way of conveying Cary Grants vulnerability as he is a tiny speck amongst a vast baron space. The emptiness of the desert also impluies that he has nowhere to hide and there could be danger ahead.


• The diegetic sounds of the cars go from relatively quiet to very loud showing the distance between them and the character which relaly puts the spectator into his perspective.


• Cary Grants costume implies that he is lost or in a place that he is not comfortable with. A suit in the middle of the desert....


• The editing cuts between shots of Cary Grant's reaction and the first person perspective shots shows his confusement and bewilderment. Hitchcok also seems to make a pattern of it, flicking from one shot to another for the same amount of time each time. I think that this showed how the character was looking around quite desperately 'clutching at straws' to find something or someone around him. This again enforces the idea of vulnerability thus raising tension amongst the spectators.


• Hitchcock also uses an anti-climax as the two characters meet. As a spectator we begin to become used to cars coming down the long road so when a car comes from a different direction we automatically become wary. As the man comes out of the car the tension is further raised especially as Cary Grant strolls across the road, almost paying homeage to the western genre. However, the tension drops straight away as they talk about a boring subject, the weather. This immediately drops the tension and lulls us as the spectators into a false sense of security. Hitchcock does this in many of his films so that when then tension reaches its climax the audience are very unsuspecting.