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.

New Moon- OMG!!!

Well here it is: Izzy's New Moon review!! I shall try my best to keep away from the idea of how Edward is the best and due to the film I Izzy Doyle became a little bit Team Jacob (I would like to say I said a little but Im still 100% Edward!!) They translated the book onto film really well. There was a couple of scenes they missed out and a few that they did wrong, like the end for example that was crap and made me really angry!!!! I won't say what happend for it might runin the film but let me say it did NOT happen like that in the book!!!

The film is actually really good!!! The camera angles are amazing and I really felt like how she felt. In the scene where Bella is left by Edward and the camera zooms out but turns 390 degrees really slowely. I liked this and gave you the sense of her being by herself and the dizzeness the situation is giving her. Another angle I liked was at the cinema that just showed show much of the situation!! I don't want to say to much more about some camera angles for I son't want to ruin it for some of you!!!

The SCORE in the film is amazing, they had a diffrent composer from Twilight and I liked this one more. The SOUNDTRACK in my opnion was awful!!!!!!! I mean I know I can't like everysong but this was SOMETHING ELSE!!!!

Okay New Moon rant over!!! Everyone who hasn't seen it GO SEE IT!!! Im seeing it for a 2nd time on sunday for my friends want to and I don't think I could pass up a oppitunity like that!!!!

What was you thoughts on New Moon???? Hate It?? Like It???

Coursework- Shawshank Redmption

For my coursework, I am going to choose the film the Shawshank Redmption. I am trying to choose between a few scenes at the moment and I am going to write down all the scenes I think would be good for the coursework.



Scene 1: The work on the Roof
In this scene the prisoners are having there first snese of freendome and are allowed to go outside and do some work to a roof that needs fixing. Natuarlly everyone wants to go and Andy and Red are two who are allowed to go. On the roof two prison guards are talking about some money they are getting and Andy steps out of line and gives them some advice. This is the start of what becomes Andy (the prisoner) helping the guards with there money.

This clip has got everything. Music is fantastic the shots are all amazing, there is a brilliant narration from Morgan Freeman that makes you want to cry for it is so amazing. Also the lighting in this scene is wonderful, set on a roof at the begining of the day it is shady and at miday it is right over heard and then its evening light.

Scene 2: Tossing Andy's Cell
From here we see the regular "checking" of the cells. The camera needs to move around a prison cell so there is not much moving to do, but the camera still follows the action around. I don't think I will do this scene but the music and lighting are really good.

Scene 3: Writing the Letters
Andy starts writing letters to the goverment asking for money to help fund a project to make the libary better. And in this scene he is writing the letters in a montage, also you see him becoming more friendly with the guards. Also we see time passing in this monatage. Its shows him doing the guards taxing and each year does more and more.
Music for this scene is excellent and the camera angles are fab!! And I don't know about you but I love nothing more than a montage.

Scene 4: The Song Scene
This is like the best part of the moive, Andy has got his books and some music so when he is left alone he puts the song on the record and plays it to the whole prison and for just one moment everyone is still and no one is moving.
Camera angle are excellent as always trying to fit in all the guards means alot of long shots.

Scene 5: Brook's Memorial Libary

The prisoners are setting up the new libary, building a new one. I like this scene for it is another narration and this one makes you feel in the film. he says "You might've read it in the paper" I like this for you feel as you've lived through it all to and I just liked how it was played out. Also camera angles are very good in this scene are there is a diversty. Also I like how the music goes from digetic to non-digetic.

Looking for coursework Movie with Jess :)

Father Of The Bride
Director: Charle Shyer
Released: 1995

The scene we watched was when both woman go into labor, the camera angles are moving everywhere for George wants to be in two places at once. As an audience member you can find the situation funny and happy and strange all at the same time. The music is happy and makes the audiences emotions chagne with the scene.


Of Mice and Men
Directed by: Gary Sinse
Released: 2004

Music helps reflect the mood for the scence. When the dog gets shot there is complete silence apart from Candy turning over in his bed. Then it cuts to the next morning and then men are going to work. The lighting is grey and it is raining and helps the audience get in the mood of the scene.

The Lost Boys
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Released: 1984

Lighting in one scene is bright and happy, the music is digetic and Sam is singing along. Then it cuts to Mike and it is dark and you can't see anything. The camera cuts between the two scene and then when it gets to the scene combining the camera quickly goes from one end of the corrider and zooms straghit to Mike. The DOG then goes Raaaawwwww and scares him away. The music is exciting and helps the auidence picks up on the build and then the music follows on.

Mean Girls
Directed By: Mark Waters
Released: 2004

Costumes fits chacter and helps the audience know which chachter is poular and which charcter isn't. This means the audience doens't have to think to much about who is who. Music in the film fits together and all have a theme. It is set in a american high school so lighting is natural and bright for it is summer.

City Of God- Mise-en-scene

Director: Fernando Meirelles
Katia Lund (co-director)

Release Date: 3 January 2003

The City of God is based in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, and is the story about the gangs in the City of God and it tells the story of two rival drug dealing gnags trying to win out the other. Throught out the film we follow a chrater named Rocket who is the younger brother of one of the memebers of The Tender Trio. The story follows the drama around the two gangs and it always comes back to Rocket and the story is always around him. I thought the stroy line for the film was reallly good. I liked how it always came back to rocket and how he always was involved with the story, also I liked the flashbacks when something needed to be explained.

Mise-en-scene

The films music is truley amazing. I really enjoyed it and thought it fit the film really well. My favorite piece of music is at the begining when they are trying to catch the chicken and the music fits really well to chasing this chicken. Also in this scene is a good example of good editing and camera angles. The angles are really low in this scene due to having a chicken chase. Sometimes it can be a POV shot and other times is just a shot following the chicken around. This adds efefct for you can alwmost feel both sides. As the chicken you can feel the need to get away and as the gang members you can feel the need to chase after the chicken and make sure it doens't escape. Jump Cuts were used in this scene to add to the quick fast moving pace and the speed of the chase. This add a sense of excitment to the movie and makes it seem more real. Also the fast pace of the editing makes the viewer uneasy and makes them feel the need to concentrate and to keep up.

The rest of the film follows in the same action, fast camera movments, wonky angles, up-beat and heavy music. The film is in spanish with subtitles and to some people this might be off putting and ghard to view but I got into reading the subititles and after a while you get used to it and it goes with the flow of the film.

Overall I realy enjoyed City Of God and I thought it would be a brilliant film for a good example of editing and Sound work.