Goodbye Lenin

Goodbye Lenin (2003) Directed by Wolfgang Becker is a film about the divide of east and west germany in 1989. The story follows a boy called Alex, who's mum belives very much in the east and west divide, one night she sees him getting arsted for being in a protest agiainst the divide.

Will wrtite the rest tonight! xxxx

Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run is a german film made in 1998, it is about a drugs deal that has happened and Mammi, Lola's boyfriend has lost the 100,000 marks to pay the boss. The story is split into 3 parts and shows what happens by a single decsion how much the outcome can change. Lola has only 20 minuets to get to Mammi, so she thinks of who is the best person to go to. After deciding her dad is best, she runs all the way to his office, but in each part it plays out diffrently and ends up with diffrent endings.

I really enjoyed the film and I like stories were they play out diffrently due to one change in a plan. I liked the film alot and I think I will be deffinatly watching it again. There was some heavy repeation in the film, such as the scene at the begging when the film is playing with Lola running donw the stairs, it should ither be cut down or not in there at all. But other parts of the film worked, like when they both got shot there flash backs were both questioning the other about there love and what the would do, but always come back to real time and start over again.

Overall the film was excellent and I am sure Franka Potente had a hard time doing all the running!

LIVING WITH CRIME

What social scenarios are explored within each film?
Bullet Boy: In this film, it is set in the East of London, so explores how closley related everyone in the area is related to crime and how the only way to really protect yourself is to keep your head down and own a gun.
Sweet Sixteen: The film is set in Greenock, Scotland. The film is set around Laim trying to get his mum into a safer place and away from her boyfriend and abusive Grandad. The fiml highlights how an 15 year old is forced to make choices for his mum who should be the mature one and looking after him. It also shows how it would be quite normal for drug dealings to happen as job in the area.
London To Brighton: The social sinario in this film is all about the prostitue bussines, and how the men who run this "business" have no regard for woman and see them as a way of making money and having fun. It shows how in some places in London this awful business of tretment of woman occurs. Which wouldn't happen in the normal everyday streets of the audience watching the film.

How is crime portrayed in each film?
Londton To Brighton: In this film there are many crimes being comitted. The main crimes is the prostuit businees that is run. It is illegal and can be put in prison if found. Also, about 3 murders are committed in the film making this a film all aboutn crimes committed and no one is found out or sent to jail.


In what ways are people deprived in each film?
What opportunities are available to the main characters in each of the films?
How are criminals portrayed within each of the films?
Can the protagonists (lead characters) escape from the situation they are in?
What punishments do characters receive for their crimes in each of the films?
How is violence portrayed within each of the films?
What social restrictions are evident within each of the films?
These next two headings require more thought and time!

How can the films be said to reflect aspects of contemporary society?
What links can be made between the socail situation of the film and the society in which we live?


Will finish this in my time!

Compare Three Crime Films

Three example of British crime films in the last 10 years would be, London to Brighton, Sweet Sixteen and Bullet Boy. All films are set in Britian and are all very simlar and diffrent. Lonodon to Brighton is about a prostuite businees and how the choice of a twelve year old leads to trouble in her life. Sweet Sixteen is set in Scotland and is about a boy called Laim

Will Finish this at home!

PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION and EXHBITION

Exhibtion Questions

1)Why are there no viable arts/independent cinemas in many areas? Why/how is Southampton able to sustain the Picturehouse (Harbour Lights).

There are not as many independent films for almost all film exhibitioners for example Odeon and cineworld which are owned by the film companies for example paramount, twentieth century fox which distribute all there films which leaves no room for British independent film. Cinemas such as the picturehouse aka harbour lights show mainly independent British films in contrast to bigger cinemas picturehouse only has two screens.

2) What is the relationship between movie going and video/dvd/blu-ray hire/sales?

A few years ago films would make more in the cinema than on video and dvd. Contemporary audiences now would rather wait to buy a film on dvd and watch it in the comfort of there own home.dvd quality has improved over the years so you can get the same quality as you would as home. Box office takings are all not about the cinema now, half of the money made by a film is down to DVD sales and merchandise.

3) What does the programming of the Sky movie channels and Film Four respectively say about the relationship between pay television, niche marketing and consumer behaviour?

With sky movies and film four there are movies on 24/7 and there’s also chose of different genres to watch. In between films there are trailers for the new films coming out and there are niche marketing schemes which promote a new released film. In these niche marketing schemes, there are exclusive clips and interviews with cast members.

4) What is the most appropriate response Contemporary British Cinema can make to Hollywood dominance.

British cinema should show more independent british films and not show as many Hollywood films.

5) Should British films be distinctive at the expense of profitability if profitable at the expense of distinctiveness?

6) Is it possible for British films to be both distinctive and profitable? If so, how ?(please use examples in your response)

In order for a British film to be distinctive and profitable, the film needs to be advertised more and seen as a more interesting film than a Hollywood film. Most independent British films don’t make it into the big British screens such as ODEON and Cineworld, so if more British films were in these cinemas are shown once a week, there might be a chance these films profit.

DISTRIBUTION QUESTIONS

1) How has Hollywood come to dominate world markets?

Hollywood has dominated cinema ever since fimls started being made. There was a new released fiml every week back in the 1940's where cinema was the main entertaiment, but since then the main disbutor of flim has been hollywood. Being known as "The Hollywood Machine" there is always a new Box Office hit being made. With only Holllywood films being made in mass quantatiy there is very little choice for the consumer to chose a film other than the new box office hits. Also, almost all the film exbitors in the UK being owned by some of the top production companies such as 20th century fox and Parmount.

2) Why do I get to see the films I do at the local multiplex?Most of the films that you are able to see at a local cinema is due to how popular and what production company own the cinema.

3) Do we get to see the films we want (demand led) or do we see films that are provided for us (supply led) and why?

Most of the films we chose to see is manily down to advertisment, and what films are being shown at the cinema. If we don't hear about a indepandent British film then we don't know if we want to see it or not. Almost all american films have a large budget when it comes to Hollywood box office films, so alot of people will know about the film and decide wether to go and see it or not. So we are almost being forced into which fimls to see and not given the choice to see that much British films.

4) Why are more people going to the cinema today?

People are being brought back into the cinema with more offers avalible to the consumer. Such as 3D films have encouged a large audience to see the diffrence between a regular 2D film and a new side to the cinema. Also, cinema's such as ODEON are creating reward cards for customers to collect points when they spend money in store. This then makes you want to go back to the cinema again and again to earn more point to get closer to earning a free cinema ticket. All these small detials makes people want to go to the cinema are are slowley making the cinema a diffrent experice for people to enjoy.

PRODUCTION QUESTIONS

1) How has the status and power of stars changed over cinematic history? The status of stars has completey changed the view's of Hollywood films. If a film has a customer's favorite actor in, it is more likely they are to go and see the film just beacuse there favorite actor is in it. Films are becoming less about a story line and more about the power of the stars who are in the fiml. Actors such as Johnny Depp have a huge fan base so when they have a new film coming out it is more likey that the film will mostly be seen for the role he plays in the film.

2)Take any film you have seen recently and find out who produced it. Then try to find out more about this person. What was their role on this particular production? What have they and others got to say about their involvement and contribution? What projects have s/he been involved in previously, were these ventures successful? Alice in Wonderland is an example of a recent film that has famous stars in. It is directed by Tim Burton who has had a string of famous films so he already has a large fan base. In almost all of Tim Burtons films, Johnny Depp is in them making almost a huge fan base wanting to see the film.

3)Why are certain kinds of films guarenteed to make large profits and others high risk? Some films which are book adaptations or have been a TV programme are more likely to make a large profit and not risk as much as high risk hollywood fimls with not that many high famous actors.

4) Which genres are currently popular/unpopular and why? Teenage chick flicks are an example of popluar modern genre which are a safe film which hollywood know will make a profit at the cinema. Another film genre which is popular is adaptaion's of fantsy novels such as A Seris of Unfortantte Events and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. These are examples of a genre that has been dicovered as a high earning film, so the industry is getting as much money as they can.

Is Cinema Dead?

British film is not what it used to be, with American films taking over the whole indusrty, British films are not as common as we used to see. The film industry has been decling in recent years now there are so many choices on how to view a film; Bluy-ray, DVD, downloading, even illegal piracy has led to the cinema having a decline in takings. Having the choice to stay at home and download the film for free is easier and much cheaper than having to leave the house and pay to see at the cinema. In modern day now, the film industry takes box office earnings from many diffrent ways sych as merchandise, DVD sales, downloads and fanchise deal's with bussinesses such as McDonalds.

Pro's

• There is more to a box office takings than one cinema, money can be earned through mechandise and snack sales
• Also there are more oppitunites to see a film for example orange wednesdays makes people want to go to the cinema on a day that people wouldn't nnormally think to go
• ODEON premiere club which you can collect points and get free cinema tickets
• See first films offer exlusive access to comsumers to see fimls which haven't been released yet for free.
• 3D films are only avalible at the cinema to encouge audiences to see a film in a new way in which they haven't seen a film before and that it is a whole new experience to see a film.

Con's

• LOVE film has caused trips to the cinema to go down and people to stay at home and watch a movie than having to go all the way to the cinema.

I will finish this tonight !!! x x

Is Cinema Dead/

British Cinema- Shaun of the Dead

• Sahun of the Dead was directed by Edgar Wright, and was released in the UK on the 9th April 2004
• The film was released in the US on the 24th of September.
• The genere of the film is a comedy, horror so it is a post-generic film.
• The director of the film was Edgar Wright and the producer was Simon Pegg who also acted in film.
• The film was also produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Felna and Nira Park.
• All the producers and the director and the cast were all British
• The main Production Company was Studio Cannal, Working Title Films and WT2 Productions.
• The film was indepandantly funded.
• The film was made in Ealing Studios London and Archway London.
• The film was marketed with the actor's Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. This was one of there earlier films and the film was marketed with them as the main stars.
• The film was a huge success in the UK taking over $6,000,000 at the box office, while in the US taking just over $13,000,000.
• The opening weekend the film made $1,000,000 in the UK and $3,000,000 in the US.

Hollywood Case Study- Avatar

Pre Production and Production

• Avatar was written by James Cameron in 1999. The early idea's for the script started in 1994 and was a 80 page scipt which Cameron didn't want to produce until "technology moved on". He had a vision for the film and wanted to look absoutly perfect, and the effects to fit the story of the film.
• The chacters in the film are simple and easy for the audience to understand. The film starts with the story of the main charater Jake Sully and the audience finds out how he got in the wheel chair and his story on how he is in space and is alowed to be in the Avata programme. The audience can understand the characters easily and can get on the same level as them.
• The estimamted budget for Avatar was around $237,000,000 and at the box office has grossed $595,752,416. Actors were paid an estimated at around $50,000,000. James Cameron made around $8 Million. He used most of the moeny he was paid to make the film so didn't have such a high income as some actors did.
• 5 Production companies were involved but the main distributor was Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. The other companies were Dune Entertainment, Giant Studios, Ingenious Film Partners and Lightstorm Entertainment.
• It was a mixture of generes including Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi and romance. The audeiene than is not to small and is almost a film for everyone, there is not age range.
• Avatar was starting to be devloped in early 2006, then filming with the actors started in 2007 and lasted for around 2 years. Filming eneded in early 2009 and the film was released at the end.
• The film was mostly animation, but the actors filmed most scenes in frnot of a green screen and then there action and facil expression was monited and then the action were copied on screen so the characters were more life like and the expressions. So most of the fiml wasn't done at a fiml set but 3D animation.
• For the film is all 3D animation there is alot of CGI effects. In the last 30 minuets of the film a massive fight breaks out which has alot of explosions and fire, so there is alot of CGI in the last few scenes. The use of this in the film is that is makes the auddience more excited and feels more part of the action and that the audience member watching can actaully feel like they are there.
• The music score in the film is composed by James Horner (The same composer as The Titanic score) The music in the film fits perfectly and moves the audience with the scene. The main theme for the film is a song called "I See You" which is performed by Leona Lewis. An example of a popular music artist will help draw an audience to the film.

Distribution

• The main distrubutior for Avatar was 20th Century Fox, but it was diffrent in some other countries for example in Finland the disribution company was FS Film Oy.
• The total so far for adversising and marketing the film is estimated at around $100 million.
• The film has released over 4 diffrent posters, and screen shots from the film. 3 trailers have been released and the film has it's own website. There is also game toy tage in which you hold up to your computer's webcam and than readsn what charcter you have got and then you are able to enter that world in the online video game.
• The marketing campagin started at the end of November until the release date in December.
• As well as clothes and toy merchandise, there was also a deal with McDonalds where there was toys with the Happy Meals for children and Avatar was used to advertise new Free Wi-Fi connection at McDonalds.
• The film is being shown in over 13 countires.

Exhibition

• The film was released on December 16th and is still being shown regulary 3 months afterwards. The film was released 2 week before it original release date.
• Avartar was released in over 600 screens in opening weekend in America.
• In the opening weekend the film took over $77,000,000 in the US only.
• The fiml is in cinemas for about 4 months.
• N/A

Top Gun

Top Gun (1986, Directed by Tony Scott) is an example of a High Conecpt film. The high Concept model, represents a 10 point forumla which indicates what films are big budget and what films have the most intrest in, and have the biggest stars. Top Gun is an example of an early High Concept Film, the budget was estimated at $15,000,000 and earned $8,193,052 in opening weekend. The overall gross from the Box Office was $176,650,237 making a large profit.

The High Concept Model

1. "Post-generic" Filmmaking
Film genres have changed alot from the begining of film. Modern Hollywood films now use a style called "Post-generic" film which is a hybrid of diffrent generes in Hollywood production. Top Gun is a cross between action, drama and romance. Mixing all three genres together, Top Gun is an excititng and enjoyable film that any action fan will enjoy. The audiecne watching the film were excited to see a hybrid film, not just the action of the planes, or a story line involving the main charters, plus a love story between the teacher and the pupil. Top Gun is exciting and audiences were not disapointed.

2. Use of extended montages
In high concept flims, extended montages are becoming more and more common. An extended montage is used to show passing of time, they normaly have a 3 minuete song playing in the background and is always has some significantce to the scene. Ectended montages are used for people who are training to do something. An example of a montage that tells the audience of a life is in the film UP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeLgjGEBWcY This is a link to the montage. The films starts with two children charters and then moves onto the montage of their life together. From this short 4 minuets thier whole life is summed up. The montage sets the pace for the whole film and answers and lot of questions. The montage sums up a large story very quickly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8rZWw9HE7o&feature=related There is a montage at the begining of Top Gun of the planes being prepared to fly while the opening credits are on screne. The audience can see what the film is about straghit away and know about what is happening and what they are doing.

3. Production Design Frequently

Adversisment is one of the most important components in making a profiting film, most new high conept films today spend over $3,000,000 on adversising and merchandising. Top gun released some trailers and posters along with the movie. The film being on of the early high concept films means not that mouch money was spent on advertising as most Hollywood films today. Also the film was hyped up with audiences to see Tom Cruise and also for people who loved action movies, so not that much advertising was needed.

4. Easily Replicated in Publicity

Trailers are designed to give the story line away but not the ending. Top Gun's trailers has some parts of one scene and also introduces the main chacters in the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN8ze3S0Uj8&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh+div-1r-5-HM :Link to the Trailer. In the Top Gun trailer we see a scene in which Marverick says he is going to be on the wall of fame, and the teacher says he likes that attidue. The audience can see the draw to the film and the likable factor of Maverick's character. The trailer was infulenced to draw in an audeince of action film lovers and romance lovers and the trailer said it all.

5. Formal Excess

The camera work in Top Gun are excting and are editided together really well to make an exciting feel as if you are on the place. Some cameras are on the wing of the plane so make and makes the audience feel as though they are flying on the plane. The camera angles in the flying scenes are fast moving and over-the-top. Making the film's prime scenes some of the best in the film.

6. Music Track interrupts.

High concept films use music to draw your attention from the action which is going on. The music makes sense to the scene and creates it's own nartative. In the scene where Charlie and Maverick are getting together ....

Will continue this at home

Writing the sheet in our own words

"Post-Genetic" Film Making Notes by Izzy and Jess

• New hollywood films are being charaterisd as 'post-generic' combining both old and new generes to produce something new.
• People select films and generes and the film industry needs to understand what the audience wants.
• Some generes advertised in the early 90's were, comedy, romatic comedy, furtirstic thirller, action drama, action thirller, dramatic thiller, romantic adventure, action adventure comedy satire, gangster and musicl's were just some of them.
• Science fiction can sometimes be labled as a"Futristic thriller".
• The industry decides on the films genere depending on the audience's emotion, whether the audience laugh, cry or be afraid.
• There is a diffrent response in male and female, so it's easy to guess what films genders will pefer.
• An example of a hybrid film is Men in Black (1997) comedy-sceince-fiction and attracted a huuge audience, including the science fiction/cominc fan base. because its funny and stylish it attraced a large audience.
• Wild Wild West is a comedy westen is a comedy western which didn't please the westen fans and wasn't seen as partically funny.
• Audience have not loast interst in the pleaseure of genres.
• In recent years only horror fimls and tean comedy and martial arts have foregrounded their generic roots.
• The scream series spoofed the post-modern fashion and was followed by the spoof of spoofs scary movie.

:) :)

How do people select films?

This is what my friend Alice told me about what type of films she likes to see and why!! :)

My friend Alice usally looks to see what Acotrs are in a film and even if she doesn't like the sound of the story she still must see it for the name of the actors in it. Her favorite films to see are films that were writtten as a book and then turned into a flim. Examples are Twilight, Ink Heart and Lord of the Rings. But she says with other films she see the films and then reads the book.

Alice told me she only went to see Avatar after seeing so many good reviews and how it was Number 1 at the box office. She enjoyed Avatar and is think about buying the DVD.