Questionnaire

The first question asked was:

I used this as an opening question to get a feel for the most seen film, then to analyse the varying aspects of that film.

The following question asked:

The options were either actors, storyline, setting/location or special effects. My reasoning for asking this was to know that what my audience thought was the most important aspect, so I could fully develope that element to match perfectly to my target audience.

One of the main reasons for making a social realism film is to make an impact in some shape or form. So in asking for a film that has made an impact on them, it would show to me a percentage of how successful they were at that objective.

I already knew the issue that I wanted my film to be based on, relationship abuse. However, I wanted to know whether or not my audience thought it to be a real issue to even consider making a film about. Therefore for one question I gave a five issues of a similar background that could be inter-linked, (one could lead to another), and asked if they thought them to be a real priority in society.

I felt strongly about having my opening credits actually within my film. I wanted to include this question to ensure that my idea would be well received by my audience.

From these two questions I could analyse the a couple of the elements given in those selected films to see how they were filmed, edited and performed.

This was aimed to help show me just how aware people are of social realism films.

My last question showed four male actors, some know well -known, some not so well-known. I asked them to select an actor then give a reason why. This would outline some features that I would look for in my actor.

Audience Profiles

Target Audience:

• Females, 15-19 year olds
• Lower/Working Class
• White-British ethnicity

FEMALE

• I am 17 years old.
• I am of white-British ethnicity
• When looking at British films I find that we are quite successful in the genre of social realism, for example; 'Bend It Like Beckham' (2002), 'About A Boy' (2002) and 'Billy Elliot' (2000).
• I take pride in my appearence and care about others opinions of me.
• When reading through magazines I love to read the real-life articles and problem pages.
• I regulary check my Facebook account to see what everyone is up too.
• The genre I favour mostly at the moment on my iPod is soundtrack. It doesn't matter to me whether the track is instrumental or not. If it is powerful in its communication of emotion and compliments the scene or shot it is used in, it goes on my iPod.
• I like for the plot to have an impact, but I prefer for them to contain an element of humour to lighten up the atmosphere from time-to-time in the narrative. I know that a film is good if even hours after the I've seen the film, I continue to ponder the storyline.

'Art Of The Title'

This Is England

Shots from left to right

Shot 1

• Not much is established about the storyline, other than what social class our character may be in and the general look of most of the setting and locations in the film.
• The title is shown first in bold and capital letters. The rubbign away of the white in the title coudl suggest how something within the storyline affects the innocence of a character.
• The mise-en-scene is of a run-down area of flats, this gives the indication of its genre (social realsim), but also similar locations will be used and the social standing of the characters.

Shot 2

• Show three males dressed in a common sub-culture group from the era that the film is set in, 1983.
• Credit is shown in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen in the same font style and colour as the title.
• Location seems to be a staircase from a a council flat estate, graffiti can be seen in the background to suggest this.

Shot 3

• A group of people are shown during a concert becoming quite aggressive (this is shown through their facial expressions).
• Again the credit is positioned in the bottom right-hand corner, still in the same font style and colour.

Shot 4

• From this shot we get no information about the film.
• Although it could hint at the age group/range that we will see in the film.
• Also the quality of the camera focus gives it a better sense of realsim.

Shot 5

• Showing three males wrapped in the UK flag, maybing hinting that there will some sort of unity between a group of characters in the film.

Shot 6

• Shows how developed technology which indicates a rough time period in which the film is set.
• We are known introduced to some racial diversity (the boy playing the game).
• Continuing with the font style and colour when presenting the credits and the same positioning.

Shot 7

• A group of people during a riot/fight. This could suggest political issue during the time period that the film is set.

Shot 8

• A wide/establishing shot is used to show the isolated location.
• The presence of the army could be to suggest that there is some sort of war going on in or during the film within the UK (showing of the UK flag).

Shot 9

• Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher are shown to express that there could be some political issues that are worked into the storyline. (Margaret Thatcher was a Conservative Prime Minister from 1975-1990. Ronald Reagan was the American President during 1981-1989) This could provide some knowledge of the political standing at the time the film is set in.

'The Art Of The Title'

To Kill A Mockingbird

Shots starting from left to right

Shot 1

• This first shot tells us nothing about what could possibly progress later on in the film.
• However we can tell that there is involvement of a young child (hands distinctly belonging to a child).
• The diegetic sound of the boy whistling, the rustling of objects being moved and the movements of crayon against paper all emphasis his innocence.

Shot 2

• The title of the film is in capital letters and in bold emphasis. A substance has been placed on the paper that spells out 'To Kill A Mockingbird', so that when the child scribbles the crayon over the top it would reveal the title of the film. 
• The presentation of the title is done in a creative and unexpected way which will stick in the minds of the audience. And as the title it is centered in the middle of the screen.
• Use of black and white could be a suggestion towards an issue that may be faced in the storyline (racism). But also may just be to use the colours of a mockingbird, to emphasise the title.

Shot 3

• The following opening credits are in the same style of font as the title itself, as well as being in capital letters also.
• The camera is panning along the other objects that were shown in the box.
• The credits are lined along the center of the screen, as though they were resting on top of the pen.
• The pen in the foreground is clear, where as the background is unfocused. This puts the audiences attention on the pen and opening credits.

Shot 4

• The marbles (one black, one black and white) agains hints at the issue of racism being present in the film. Or again to follow a mockingbird colour theme.
• The font style and use of capital letters stay the same.
• The word 'introducing' is slightly off center, so to stand out in contrast with the black marble.
• In the reflection of the marbles we can see the shape of a large window. This suggest that the location is a large open area/room within a building. (Attic style room or flat?)

Shot 5

• Once again we are shown the objects that were in the box at the beginning of the sequence.
• Two actors and their characters names (one male and one female) are presented next to the two dolls in the box of their allocated genders.
• Font style and use of capital letters is the same.

Shot 6

• Again the foreground is focused, where as the background is unfocused.
• Positioning of the credits is still in the centre of the shot but off to the right. This could be to show more detailing of the pocket watch (possibly significant?).

Shot 7

• Maintaining the colour theme a black and white marble is shown.
• The credits are positioned in the middle of the screen and have been placed as if to appear to be resting on top of the harmonica.
• Foreground focused, background unfocused.
• Fonst style and colour of the credits remains the same.

Shot 8

• Now we can see the what the result of the crayon sound is. A child-like drawing of a mockingbird, this could be signifying that the child is aware of racism but remains unaware of its concept.
• Again the colours are black on white.
• Credits placement is on the center of the screen.

Shot 9

• The drawing of the mockingbird has been torn.This could either suggest the denotation of a mockingbird literally dying in the film or the connotation that could mean their final understanding of something (racism).
• Credits are placed in the middle of the shot.

Textual Analysis of 'Kidulthood' (Menhaj Huda, 2006)

(stop viewing after 3:15)


Storyline
Within the first few mintues of the film, we can assume the structure of the narrative and storyline. The mise-en-scene states the ages of what a majority of our characters will be (15/16 years); this is clearly indicated by the school ground location/setting and the costumes of the characters being school uniforms. The narrative cuts from one group of characters to the next. This helps the audience to know where each group stands socially within the school. It is unknown what one character is doing, as we see him using some drilling equipment, yet it is not revealed as to what it is. We assume it is either something dangerous or illegal because he secretive about the object and hides it.

Enigma Codes

• What was that character doing with the drill?
• What was he hiding in that yellow bin?
• Why were the girl and boy behind the tree worried about others seeing them together?
• Why were the two girls getting bullied for?
• What did the group of boys that weren't in school uniform doing on school grounds?
• Why were they looking for a girl called 'Claire'?

Charatcers

• We feel empathy for the two girl that were getting picked on. From this we already have identified these two as 'unpopular' among fellow students.
• The boys that were not in school uniform were in conventional 'gangster' clothing (hoodies, use of colloquial language). This gives them an intimidating persona, as proven when the other students are fearful when approached by them.
• The character that is shown using the drill is undecided, he could be using it for some sort of school work. However on the other hand if what he was doing was innocent, then he wouldn't be hiding it.

Mise-En-Scene
Location: set on school grounds to indicate the ages of the characters and to help to show they social standing.
Lighting: natural lighting as it is during the day outside.
Costume: most characters are wearing a school uniform, except for those who have been given typical 'gang' clothing to set them apart from the rest.

Cinematography

• The camera is almost constantly moving, even when focusing on a certain point it is still slightly moving.
• When the narrative is going to change to one of the other groups perpectives, the camera pans quickly over to them. This gives you the illusion as though you were in the scene walking around and turning to look over at each group.
• Close-up and extreme close-up shots are used when the camera is focused on the boy using the drill. This then keeps the audience unknown to what the object it, as it may be a crucial part of the storyline.

Editing

• When the camera is panning across the scene, as people walk in front of the screen the shot is cut to a differnt group of people.
• During the opening credits of the film the shot of each credit is cut from one to the other.

Sounds
All the sounds made are dietgetic. The background noise of other students running around, kicking a football and talking can be heard throughout the opening minutes.

Titles
Font: type/style of font is varied. Logos or name brands have to be in their own style, opening credits were in a easy to read font yet the size of the text was slightly too small. Then the name of the film was in its own unique font type as well.
Colour: other than one logo/brand the rest of the text was in white, which made a strong contrast on a black background.
Positioning: all text was in the centre of the screen.

Textual Analysis of 'This Is England' (Shane Meadows, 2006)

Storyline
From the first few minutes of the opening credits, a sense of what the storyline may entail is given. This is displayed through the selection of short clips of different events that happened and are recognisable from the era that the film is set in. Frequently featured are clips that centre around the protests/riots, some racism and political figures. This would suggest that the storyline will follow the struggles in society at the time the film was set in (1983).

Enigma Codes

• Will the characters be involved in a riot?
• When will we get introduced to the main characters?
• Which side of the riots will the characters be on?

Characters?
We aren't introduced to the characters during the opening minutes and therefore can't make a judgement on their characteristics. However we can assume from the opening credits that the characters will be a part of the riots or the youth sub-culture group called 'skinheads'.

Mise-En-Scene
Location: shows run-down, graffitied garages/walls/council flat areas; suggests the charaters are working class.
Lighting: natural lighting because all clips used were filmed during the time that the events accured.
Costume: Typical clothing worn during the 80's

Cinematography

• Long shots are used to show the clothing worn to inform the audience of the era that the film is set in.
• At times the camera unstable in it movements as though it's hand-held. As well as the pixel/quality of the film clips are poor, this suggests most of the clips were filmed by real people on their own cameras.
• Panning movement of the camera provides a wider view of what is happening in the events shown.

Editing

• For the first 30 seconds the opening credits are inter-layed, for the rest of the credits the are super-imposed over the clips of video.
• The film clips are cut from one to the other, as if made by someone during that time to give the audience a feel of what life was like back then.

Sounds
The only sounds made are non-diegetic. A song is played throughout the whole of the opening credits, ('54-46 That's My Number' by Toots & the Maytals). The volume of the track increases as the credits progress.

Titles
Font: a majority of the credits are in capital letters and vary in size. All is easy to read, even though the font is worn out slightly in places of the text, it is to represent the era in which it is set.
Colour: all of the font is in white which stands out among the films clips used. This can also stand for the innocence of a main character and the worn out areas of the text shows the negative influence of the situation on the youth of England at the time.
Positioning: opening credits are varied in their position on the screen.

My Coursework Genre

After careful consideration of the pro's and con's of both genres, I have decided on my opening film sequence genre to be social realism. I have numerous ideas of how to present my opening film credits and feel that I have better access to locations in which to set my sequence. Unlike if I were to do the genre of horror, my desired setting would be slightly difficult to retain the level of access I would need to film in. Resulting in my finalised decision on social realism, as it would be the more successful on the two.