Chris Gilmore

Evaluation

2010-03-28T13:05:00.009+01:00

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our media product, Death3, uses many conventions of media products within the post-apocalyptic genre. For example, we use a variety of analeptic sequences detailing how the apocalypse happened and in what way it occurred. From our research we gathered that this was usually done through the use of news footage or the character’s personal experience. We decided to opt for the news footage as we felt this would offer us the most flexibility and would be much more simplistic for us to film, especially on a low budget. We then took this convention and transformed this into a montage of various clips ranging from news reports to clips of mushroom clouds over desolate landscapes with an added effect which mimics the idea of a ‘bad signal’ of the TV which was also inspired by the many films and trailers we saw during our research period. I feel that this decision created a highly effective outcome in terms of developing this convention as it resulted in the backstory being portrayed in a concise manner but at the same time have great cinematography in a highly effective manner.

One particular way our product challenges the genre’s conventions is by not using a slow build-up of suspense but rather to get straight to the point and the action by which the rest of the film’s narrative would be based upon. In my opinion, the decision to do this has resulted in interesting our audience much morem, engaging them in the narrative due to their better understanding and cognitive involvement right from the start.

The opening shot is also one of the areas in which we felt it best to challenge traditional conventions of our media genre. As many films tend to open with a large, wide establishing shot to show the desolate surroundings and give the audience some sense of location, it would go against the effect we wished to have upon the audience of that the characters themselves do not know where they are going. Therefore, we opened with a mid-close-up of a characters walking ahead (see image below) but because we have not seen where we are going as we would with an establishing shot, it reflects the notion they do not know where they are, where the going or what they are going to do which would most likely be the situation after an apocalypse.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Our media production represents the social group of teenagers to be quite contentious in the way they deal with situations as shown with the constant altercations between the three at the beginning of the film. That said, the purpose of our film was to present the story through a microcosm of these three characters and so film doesn’t necessarily aim to represent one particular social group in one particular way, but rather act as a generalization of most society and represent this ‘average’ person in the way which they would most likely act if they themselves were to be subject to such an event as that depicted within our narrative - defying many of the trditional narrartive theorists such as Propp and his theory of the 7 different character types. That is, quite quarrelsome, argumentative and unprepared which causes them to resort to simply fighting for themselves rather than together - shown by the fact that they only acknowledge the fact that the character is infected as opposed to help him.The image below shows one particular shot, where the three characters are all looking their seperate ways; taken just after an argument.

This representation is also constructed through the use of costume, as you can see in the image below the characters are all wearing extremely similiar clothing; dark, black coats with dark jeans, not only representing the dark nature of their situation but also the fact they are all the same and that everybody would react in the same way - arguing amongst themselves, shouting and so on.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Due to it’s wide appeal, many media institutions and studios would be interested in distributing this particular film however Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox have already released many post apocalyptic films under their name and would therefore probably be the best choice for distributing Death3 due to their experience with the post apocalyptic target audience. Some films produced

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for our particular media product would primarily consist of the young adult market. Most other films within our genre have a “12A” or “15” rating as classified by the BBFC and due to the huge amount of special effects typically used within post-apocalyptic films, it seems to be the most-interested target market and therefore would be the most profitable.

Despite this, the post-apocalyptic genre has a far wider appeal to audience beyond just young adults due to the huge flexibility that directors can take within the plots and story-lines of each individual film. For Death3, the film has a very universal approach in terms of including both the visual and special effects which would offer interest to much of the young adult market but also including depth and character to the plot as the film progresses later-on which would either complement the special effects for the younger audience or offer incentive for older audiences to watch the film. Though, the main target audience remains young adults where the post apocalyptic genre has a firm foundation within.

How did you attract/address your audience?

We attracted the audience in our media product by helping to engage and immerse themselves more into the actual narrative of the film. For example, we used characters of the same age and background to those of our audience, even with one line - “a few months ago I was trying to hand in my A-level English essay in on time, now I’m trying to survive a nuclear apocalypse” - which really shocks the audience with something that they can heavily relate to.

We also attempted to provide as many visual effects and wide angles as possible in a logical and natural way throughout the short two minute opening we were tasked with producing. These were generally included in the analeptic montage where wide angle shots of desolate landscapes hosting mushroom clouds can be seen as well as effects imposed upon these shots such as the ‘weak TV signal’. Not only is this technique a convention of the post apocalyptic genre, but it offers visual 'eye- candy' for the younger viewer in order to keep them interested as it is these visual and special effects which tends to be the predominant reason they enjoy the post-apocalyptic genre.

Similarly, the analeptic montage offered a hastening of pace of the film which again, is designed in order to keep the viewer’s interest rather than them getting fed-up of long, drawn-out and boring dialogue.

What have you learn about technologies from the process of constructing this media product?

My experience with media technology throughout this process has certainly been enriching and I have learnt a lot and the process of using this technology. For example, I have learnt a lot about the art of editing and it is best to have multiple takes of one particular scene in order to provide us with maximum choice and therefore flexibility when it comes to structuring the piece and choosing where to cut various shots.

In addition, the relationship between camera and tripod is vital in achieving a steady and watchable shot. Initially, we had tried to shoot a few scenes without a tripod but found this to be lacking in quality and essentially unfit for viewing. Therefore, we had to re-film these scenes in order to achieve a superior quality.

Moreover, I learnt that lighting a green screen was vital in order to achieve a smooth keying process later on in the post-production stages. Another issue faced during this stage was that one of our actors wore a shirt of a slightly green hue. Whilst this went completely unnoticed at the time, it wreaked havoc when we tried to key the shot and it eventually resulted in us having to cut that particular shot completely from the final edit.

Finally, I began to understand just how important sound quality is and how it is just as important as the video. Due to our use of the on-camera microphone when out filming, our film suffers from occasional low levels, heavy background noise from the wind and so on and so forth.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

One of the most prominent lessons I have learnt in progression from the preliminary task to our final product is the fine line between cinematographic techniques and the actual narrative. The very best of films balance the two perfectly and those which don’t, make up some of the worst of films. It was very easy going into the preliminary task as we had a set specification of which shots we needed and nothing else. Likewise, when producing the full product it was very easy to get caught up with the story of the film whilst completely ignore the techniques which would bring out the story on the screen - and vice-versa.

Another element which I learnt was the need for communication between the group which was essential in order to maximize efficiency. For example, when making a change to the script it was imperative that we then notified the person responsible for the story-boarding or camera mapping so that they could amend or add to the existing documents in order to avoid confusion and wasting time when out filming due to the contrasting different documents we may have.

StoryBoard

2010-03-05T08:55:00.005Z

Here are our first two pages of our storyboard, showing the opening shots of our film. Click the images for a larger, and clearer, version of the images.

By in large, our final film manifests a close resemblance to the original storyboard versions. There a few slight differences however; namely surrounding the montage sequence. As a group, we felt that we needed to reduce the number of clips used within this sequence so we could focus on more interesting shots which would further engage the viewer within the narrative without boring them with a plethora of clips which look very similiar.

Camera Map

2010-02-02T13:45:00.003Z

This is the camera mpa we used when out filming on location, overlayed onto a satellite image of our quarry location (courtesy of Google Maps). By in large, it is exactly what we stuck to however sometimes we adjusted the distance (either physical or zoom distance) between the camera and the subject for fear that the shots would start to appear incredibly 'samey'.

Shooting Schedule

2010-02-01T19:47:00.002Z

This shooting schedule depicts when our filming took place. We managed to film our entire film on just three seperate days and this is largely accurate however there are a few discrepancies. For example, on the first filming day when on location at the abandoned quarry we managed to finish at about 1pm. Secondly, the third filming day was originally intended to be filmed a week after the news footage was filmed however it was pushed back because of other commitments and equipment issues.

Analysis of Post Apocalyptic Title Sequence

2010-01-31T18:06:00.007Z

Jericho (2006-2008) - TV Series
The Jericho title is a relatively simple one, but at the same time is highly effective. Firstly, the font is quite rough, and the outline looks very damaged reflecting the damaged state of affairs that the USA is in after the nuclear attacks which take place within the narrative. Moreover, the text itself comprises of animated static which flickers slightly which connotes a loss of signal and thus, communication. This shows that Jericho, the fictional town where the series is set, is completely isolated from the outside world with no methods of communication available to them.

Following the above screen, there is a transition into the main show. This transition consists of a bright light which quickly bursts towards the viewer; almost mimicking the likely effect that a nuclear bomb would have on your vision if you were present at the detonation.

2012 (2009)

The title here is fairly basic and because of that, slightly ambiguous. There isn't much too it other than a very simple font and texture suggesting that 2012 is all about the 'unknown' as there are all these prophecies about the end of the world in 2012 however no-one is quite sure whether their true or if it is, then how it would happen?

The bold nature of the text as it moves closer to the camera suggesting that something big is looming and that it something too big to ignore reflecting the concept that the world is 'ending'.

Survivors (1975)

The Survivors title sequence offers a quick sumary of the story behind 'Death' (the disease which wipes out 99% of the world's popualtion) in a quick, simple and effetive manner. The use of passport stamps showing various different places is a very recognisable way to convey the global scale of this disease which is further reinforced by the intersecting clips of aeroplanes and various nationalities shown on-screen showing symptoms whilst masked in this animated shape which looks something like the spreading disease would look like under a microscope.

Technical Analysis - Film Openings within the Post-Apocalyptic Genre

2009-11-15T13:20:00.049Z

I Am Legend (2007) by Francis Lawrence

The opening of I Am Legend uses sound, camera angles and misé en scene very effectively. For example, we see many opening sequences of empty, desolate streets and locations in New York City; the choice of this familiar landscape helps the audience to immerse themselves within the action as they can relate to the film much better. Accompanying these scenes are amplified sounds of birds and other insects/animals, acting as indexical references to the empty environment they’re living in. This is because what would typically expected in scenes featuring NYC would be the noise of people, cars and the hustle and bustle of busy lives however it is so quite you can hear the crickets.

Furthermore, the aerial shot used shows us a car traveling however it only appears as a very small section of the shot; highlighting to us, the audience, the severe isolation of Will Smith’s character from the rest of the human race as he is alone in this huge city. Moreover, the car that the character is driving is red, connoting not only danger but also a notion of anarchy in this post-apocalyptic representation of NYC which emphasises to the audience that this character truly is alone and there is no government to speak of.

Up to now, we have seen mainly wide-angle shots and long-shots building up to mid-shots of the car. What we now expect would be to see the character however the first close-up is that of the gun, part of the iconography of this genre, acting as a symbol of the danger of this new world and that protection and security is the first thing to worry about.

Finally, when the car stops at the roadblock towards the end of the opening sequence, the noise of the car quite audibly echoes which again, connotes this sense of desolation the character is feeling, and that the director wants the audience to feel.

28 Days Later (2002) by Danny Boyle

28 Days Later employs the use of lighting and editing to positive effect. The bulk of the opening sequence uses low-key lighting in order to connote the dark and dangerous circumstances of the scene. Later on in the sequence, when the activists release the chimpanzees, the scene gets much more tense and fast-paced. The camerawork is shaky, and is edited into a very quick series of close-ups and extreme close-ups. The lighting during this sequence remains low-key however is very inconsistent and there are only flashes of red light appearing sporadically giving us a limited sense of what is happening. The red evokes and emphasises the dangerous nature of the actions which are currently in process and foreshadows the dangerous consequences that this will have. The fast-paced, shaky camera work, like the lighting, mimics the confusion shown in the sequence and aims to scare us and put us right beside the action.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004) by Roland Emmerich

The opening of The Day After Tomorrow uses various techniques in order to build up suspense. For example, Emmerich utilizes a high angle tracking shot in order to establish the scene, the subject of which is an Antartic ice sheet along with the ocean. The convention for this type of shot would be a low-angle shot of the ice to show it's power and ability to destroy our world but Emmerich decides to use a high-angle shot; the film acts as a cautionary tale about global warming, so the high-angle shot could be there to suggests that the audience, and therefore the human race, has the power to stop this (the ice melting as seen in the film) from happening. This shot continues for quite some time, prolonging the main action of the scene and helping to build up tension amongst members of the audience and almost makes them feel as though they're on a long journey, forcing them to ponder the question "Where are we going?". In addition, the non-diegetic orchestral music changes in speed and builds up a little more suspense when the research crew are visible in the shot.

Furthermore, the audience is shocked by the jump cut to the American flag ferosiously blowing in the wind after we've had all these smooth and almost graceful shots from up above. The American flag usually symbolises democracy, freedom and advanced civilisations however in this case it is shown to be a bad thing as Western and advanced civilisation with its technology and excessive use of oil have caused this danger to happen with the melting ice caps. The fact that is blowing in the wind quite hard and the sound of this is quite loud in the ears of the audience signifies the fact that the ice is threatening, including a superpower like the United States... and they can no longer stop it.

Survivors - Series 1 - Episode 1 "The Fourth Horseman" (1975) by Terry Nation

The opening scene begins with a close-up of a woman who is outside playing tennis. As the camera pulls out, more of the background reveals itself to show us more about the woman; from the large house and tennis courts it is clear she is a wealthy woman, most likely middle-class. The fact that she is playing tennis during the day shows that she is a lady of leisure and isn't used to the world of work or labouring. She even has her own servant.

As the scene progresses, there are also countless references to technology. For instance, there are numerous close-ups/mentions of the tennis machine, the phone, the train, the refridgerator. All this amounts to the paradigmatic concept that society now has an upmost reliance upon technology and science and it is incredibly integrated within their lives. This idea of what would happen if this technology was taken away from us, for whatever reason, is a common theme which takes place throughout the show. This theme is vivid from the outset, as shown when the phone line dies and the characters act quite bemused and can't quite understand what is happening.

How we will apply to this to Death3

One of the main elements from this research which strikes me, is the common convention of showing the 'dinosaurs' of the pre-apocalypse world which is then juxtaposed within the post-apocalyptic world. For example, Survivors shows us the use of technology and science and emphasies how integrated within modern society it has become. Similarly, I Am Legend shows us the cars and the buildings which once formed the bustling city of New York. This is something which we would like to implement within our own film and is something we'll sure we'll look into during the script writing process.

History and the Changes to Conventions in Post Apocalyptic Genre

2009-11-11T12:07:00.016Z

Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic fiction, though often seen as being a more modern genre, has its roots dating right back to the bible itself. A sub-genre of science fiction, the genre concerns itself with the ‘end of civilisation’, and any form of life which could take place after the so-called ‘end’. However, the multiple scenarios and situations that could possibly cause the ‘end of civilisation’ are limitless and therefore the genre is one of the most diverse out there giving writers and directors the maximum creative control possible. Despite this diversity, there are conventions which take place, also mentioned in this previous essay.

The earliest work of fiction that takes place within the apocalyptic genres is recorded as Noah’s Ark (from the Book of Revelations) which describes the end of a civilisation and its replacement of a better world. However, the earliest modern work is most notably, Mary Shelley’s The Last Man which becomes the story of a single survivor of the plague.

A milestone in the genre was after the end of World War Two. Previously, many works of fiction within the genre were known as “post-holocaust” or “post-catastrophe” however, there was consensus that the lexical choice “apocalypse” would now be much more suitable as the concept of ‘sin’ was immersed within this; reflecting the ideas among society that any form of imminent apocalypse would indeed be ‘manmade’ as they had now endured the devastation and turmoil of WW2 which transformed the world in to a much more pessimistic, or realistic as some would argue, place.

The was increasingly popular during the Cold War, with nuclear holocausts as the sole concept of films within the genre. This popularity was due to the fact that imminent threat of an apocalypse really was real; nuclear superpowers were at large and the threat of nuclear warfare was becoming ever more likely as tensions between the United States and Soviet Union increased. In eyes of many, the destruction was no longer fiction and an explosion of books analysing life and survival after what could be, a very likely apocalypse. This, in their opinion, (however the truth of this statement is open for debate) helped them prepare for such a scenario and they took comfort in the notion that people would know how to react, what to do and more importantly, what to avoid. Another angle of this, and one which I would agree with more, would be that even though it reflected reality in many ways, it offered a form of 'escapism' as people were able to see that things could be much, much worse - even though such a catastrophe was constantly on the cards for around 40 years.

Hence, films within this genre became increasingly dark. They were less about the great fresh, new societies that would be built after an apocalypse and more about how people would try and preserve ‘old’ society but it would collapse and fall about due to morally corrupt characters who when faced with such a situation would simply breakdown. Now, the genre was percieved amongst the general population as being more 'realistic' and films became increasingly more successful. For example, On the Beach (1959) grossed $5 million at the box office, a high ranking figure at this time, and also went on to win numerous awards including the 1960 Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Score.

Due to the huge technological advancement that has taken place over the past decade, special effects have become much easier, and cheaper, to produce. Therefore, there has been a renaissance within the post-apocalyptic genre making them far easier to produce with much better effects. After what some previously saw as a niché genre, response from the audience has been unprecedented; films like 28 Days Later (2002) and I Am Legend (2007) were considerably successful after gathering $82.7 million and $72.2 million worldwide in their opening weekends respectively.

Furthermore, life after the end of the world also became a hit on the small screen with the introduction of Jericho (2006-2008) which ran on CBS averaging 9.24 million viewers each week. Initially, CBS cancelled the show after it's 22 episode run, however the show proved popular and the fanbase was extremely passionated about the show and so campaigned hard for the show's return - which later proved successful with CBS officials announcing the return of Jericho for a second season.

Conventionally, the apocalyptic genre tends to form plots reflecting circumstances in current affairs. For example, in recent years there has been apocalyptic films about global warming, a commonly discussed issue at this moment in time. For example, The Day After Tomorrow (2004) focusses on the effects of global warming and global cooling which was hugely successful, grossing $85.8 million during its opening weekend screenings.

Another example would the upcoming Mayan 2012 prophecy of an apocalypse has taken the media and film industry by storm, as people are always interested in ‘What if?’ scenarios and therefore the films have a wide reaching audience. For example 2012 (2009) focuses on the 2012 Mayan calendar prophecy and was both hugely anticipated and received equally huge positive reception. The film topped the box office, grossing a total profit of $225 million worldwide with huge praise for the special effects.

Death3 Script

2009-11-09T07:59:00.000Z

Planning and Research (20%)

2009-11-09T07:56:00.009Z

Research

Planning- Death3 (Death Cubed)

The Post Apocalyptic Genre Conventions

2009-11-07T21:15:00.006Z

The post-apocalyptic genre is quite a diverse one; as there limitless scenarios that could be applied to a living after the end of the world and everyone has different takes on how it will pan out. This allows many film directors, writers and producers to have a vast creative freedom with their work within the realms of post-apocalyptic fiction.

Typical conventions to this genre include themes of desolation (obviously!), wanting the audience to feel the lonliness and helplessness right from the beginning. The audience also expect to see the extent to which the world has changed, how this change has affected characters and a society as a whole. A common convention to do this is to show the 'dinosaurs' of the old world, typically landmarks and other places which people can relate to. For example, '28 Days Later' starts with scenes depicting London, showing St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament in this post-apocalyptic world. Furthermore, many people believe that in a world after the apocalypse, the main danges would come from within us rather than outside us - which is a theme explored within many works of fiction from this genre.

The audience spans far across all walks of life. However, with the popularity of many post-apocalyptic video games such as Fallout 3, this has expanded the audience from teenagers right up to late-20s and so films are increasingly aimed at this audience with more of the film's budget being spent on special effects in an attempt to wow this new audience. For example, 2012 (2009) had a huge special effects budget and recieved huge praise. Whilst many critics felt the film lacked a decent storyline, they agreed that the special effects were second to none which is why the film was successful at the box office because people wanted to watch it for that.

One of the more prominent types of the post-apocalyptic genre is the 'cosy catastrophe', which grew in popularity after the second world war. This depicts a certain type of story, which is heavily focussed on the politics of a group of people who take advantage of the apocalypse and use it for their own personal gain whilst attempting to rebuild society on the foundations of their own beliefs and morals.

Death 3 Detailed Treatment

2009-11-06T09:42:00.010Z

The bulk of the opening in Death3 will be located within an old, abandoned quarry; this symbolic of being quite primitive and lacking modern technology, as in the ‘Stone Age’. The main characters will all be dressed in dark clothing, reflecting the dark and dangerous circumstances that they currently find themselves in. The only objects the characters have to speak of are their backpacks which show that they have no homes and are out in the wild to fend for themselves, an indexical reference to the nuclear apocalypse.

The scene will be lit using natural sunlight, connoting a sense of realism about the narrative which will allow the audience to immerse themselves within the plot which will force them to question the story and ask “what if...?”.

Throughout the scene, there will be little diegetic sound other than the dialogue of the characters. However, there will be noises of rustling of the wind, birds in the sky and crickets in the grass. These will be heard easily to connote the sense that the world is a much quieter place, and that these sounds can be heard quite loudly than previously would have been possible.

The film will open with a vertical panning movement, tracking the characters’ feet at first, walking away from the camera in a mid-shot until we see a long-shot of the characters facing into the distance, with their backs towards the camera. This shot puts the audience alongside the characters, as if they were walking with the characters which allows the film to be viewed as more realistic than other post-apocalyptic films; allowing the film’s themes to be conveyed more effectively and with more impact. It also breaks the traditional convention of opening with a wide, establishing shot as this shows that they themselves are still unsure as to where they are going and are just walking anywhere.

As Sam Appleby goes to sit down on the rock, the other two characters sigh and look annoyed and start to argue, with Jacob taking Sam’s side. This scene, at a macro level, is designed to represent the clear divides between the ‘friends’ as a direct result of the scenario which they are faced with.

We then proceed to Jacob pointing towards a skyscraper in the distance. The shot then cuts to mid-shot, with the building appearing directly in the middle and the heads of all the characters are looking in the direction of the building. The skyscraper in distance appears damage, and has been ravaged by greenery suggesting nature has taken its toll and the building has been left in a state of disrepair and neglect which in turn, symbolises the idea of a broken down society. This building has been broken down and so has society. The shot itself is iconic of the fact that the characters are survivors in this world and have for the whole been ‘looking on’ at the apocalypse and only affected rather than involved.

Subsequently, we go into a montage of news broadcasts and other analeptic sequences from the time of the nuclear bombs, providing backstory to the plot, following the post-apocalyptic genre convention. The news broadcast will start the montage off and the sound of the different broadcasters will fade in and out with each other smoothly giving the sense of a fast-paced action happening at the time as this allows the various different news reports intertwine with each other easily. During the speech of one of the news reports will be a hand-held shot of feet running (like somebody running away) and in the process, trampling over an American flag. The hand-held nature connotes a sense of confusion and panic and the rushing, running feet help question the audience further about the content of the film. For example “Why are they running, what are they running from”. The American flag usually symbolises democracy and freedom and is seen as a positive thing. The use of the flag within this shot is is symbolic in the sense that freedom has been taken away from people and there is no society now, only anarchy, death and destruction.

Following these shots in the montage of flashbacks is an address given by the President of the United States via the Emergency Alert System (EAS). He says that people should remain calm in the current circumstances. However, during the speech, numerous images of mushroom clouds appearing over various landscapes and locations representing the truth of the situation as opposed to what the President is currently saying. At the end of the sequence the transmission cuts short and the EAS logo kicks in once more; suggesting that the mushroom clouds were the results of other bombings in other cities.

The shot then transitions to where Jacob is now looking sad and then begins to shed a tear, as he does this the camera blurs. This blurring transition reflects the nature of Jacob crying; placing the audience right into the character’s shoes which helps, again, involve the audience an engage with them in a way which will help portray the film’s themes more effectively.

As we again fade through white back to the present day, we hear a muffed, distant diegetic voice. As the camera is still focussed in a close-up of Jacob, the suggestion is that we are still supposed to be within Jacob’s melancholy mindset.

As Jacob notices the sound, it gets clearer. We then cut to a long shot of Sam’s limp body with both Jacob and Terry leaning over it opposite each other. The long shot shows how alone they are and that nobody is able to help them, whilst at the same time the shot is slightly high-angle representing their weakness in the current situation.

After the next few lines of dialogue are exchanged, there is a jump cut to the Death3 and then another cut to static. This use of editing attempts to make the audience feel disjointed and almost confused, mimcking this sense of how the characters would have felt and connoting the overal feeling of confusion felt acrosst the world.

The History of Film : A Timeline

2009-11-05T20:06:00.000Z

Death3 Synoptic Treatment

2009-11-02T21:00:00.001Z

Death³ is a new post-apocalyptic thriller set after a series of nuclear bombs has been detonated across the United States in the midst of a global resource race. With increasing speculation and superstition surrounding the end of Mayan calendar in 2012, increasing occurrences of widespread terrorist attacks, re-emerging fears of nuclear superpowers and panic about the world’s dwindling resources; there has been renewed interest in the genre that was once so popular during the Cold War. With many people believing an apocalyptic threat is increasingly more likely, there has become high demand for more realistic and thought-provoking films surrounding the sub-genre of post-apocalyptic fiction evident with recent successes of 28 Days Later (2002), the TV series Jericho (2006-2008) and 2012 (2009) with the latter grossing a staggering $750 million worldwide - clearly the genre has a huge audience with a sure chance of success.

The film Death³ will primarily target the late teens, early 20s market; primarily due to the unconventional structure of this film and the nature of its plot line and use of special effects. Of course, no good fictional thriller is complete without a awe-inspiring backstory. The United States is part of a global resource race and consequently, has been subject to a series of nuclear bombs detonated in multiple US cities, which has plunged the US into an doom-laden dystopia with few survivors and even fewer resources.

The trio of protagonists within Death³ will feature in part of a microcosm, through which Death³ will portray a wider theme which focusses on the ‘decline of society and civilisation’. The film will focus on their reactions to the apocalypse as individuals, and how these reactions affect the dynamics between the three and in particular, how this reflects the wider view that society would rapidly decline if there ever was such an apocalyptic event.

The plot line consists of the three characters who find themselves forced to survive. They try to stick together however when the three are infected with a toxin from the nuclear radiation, they are faced with an impossible decision. There is only enough anti-dote for one character. They reach an agreement for neither to become tempted by it however they begin to fight amongst each other and in the end, kill themselves. It is then revealed that by working together, they could have found an adequate amount of antidote.

The first act of the film will set this backstory and will also show our characters on the day of the nuclear strike. The backstory will be told through the use of clips from news programmes from the day of the attack, these will also be followed by clips which develop the characters story lines and their own backstory.

Every act which succeeds the first, generally equivalent to the last hour of the film, will occur in real-time, complying with Aristotle’s unity of time theory; in the process breaking many conventions of the genre. This will heighten the sense of drama about the enthralling action and will also involve the audience a lot more, emerging themselves into the film. This will also help the audience question their own actions and morals if they found themselves in a similar situation.

What choices are open to film makers in how they begin their films? What techniques are employed and what effects do they create?

2009-11-01T21:13:00.001Z

There are many different devices available to film directors when opening films.

For example, within the narrative methods available, directors can use both proleptic and analeptic openings; with analeptic sequences more common as they are able to provide a back-story for the film, which then has a certain effect on the audience. An analeptic example is seen in ‘Flags of our Fathers’ by Clint Eastwood as the dream sequence shows the distorted memory of the character, which is also an emotion reflected amongst the audience as we do not yet know that what we’re seeing is in fact, a dream. ‘City of Gods’, on the other hand, uses a split narrative in order to show humour and threat the chicken escaping.

Camera shots and shot composition can also be instrumental in opening a film. This is evident within Sleepy Hollow by Tim Burton. The usual convention used within a film opening would be a wide angle (or establishing) shot however in this case, the use of close-ups and extreme close ups that Burton employs helps create a sense of mystery, reflecting the genre and nature of the narrative.

Furthermore, ‘Flags of our Fathers’ used misé en scene in order to emphasise the dreamer’s confusion and in doing this, making the audience more inquisitive. Eastwood does this by using unidentified and strange landscapes that look more like a stormy sea surface than a war field.

The film also uses sound to further this confusing impression created upon the audience. For instance the sound heard by the audience and supposedly the character is very muffled and we can’t quite make out what is happening or what is being shouted. Non-diegetic sound is also used within Sleepy Hollow as it creates a tense atmosphere which keeps the audience interested and sets the tone for the rest of the film.

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