Courswork: Summer Project 2018
1) Research: Film trailer analysis
You need to write detailed 250-word close-textual analyses of six film trailers in your chosen genre. For each film trailer, focus on a different aspect of media language, and embed each one on your blog:
Bend it like Beckham: Narrative and genre
How is narrative and genre communicated quickly and clearly to the audience?
They subvert stereotypes to communicate narrative quickly by showing a young, Indian girl playing football. This tell the audience that it is not a typical movie and and lets them know that her family is going to be an obstacle for her journey. Typically, it is seen that Indian women should learn how to cook and clean from an early age however, she has failed to do so and instead, challenges this by playing a manly sport in the park with men. This tells us that it is a coming of age drama as we have to watch and see how she overcomes this or if her family will accept her for she who is.
Kingsman : Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Think CLAMPS.
The use of costumes in this trailer is extremely significant. The fact that the protagonist starts of wearing teenage clothes, hoodies, jeans etc and then wears an upper class suit at the end, shows how much he changed in a short period of time. The setting is also significant and creates meaning as initially, it was set in an urban, run down, council estate area, and now there's a mansion. by showing drastic changes in the movie compared to from the beginning, it makes it more appealing for them as it is nice to see someone is a similar state as you, change for the better. There is a lot of action and movement which also suggests that it is an action movie as well, with some advanced technology. These props that are used create action codes which tell the audience that there will be a significant amount of action in the movie as they are shown plenty of weapons.
Paid in Full : Camerawork
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. E.g. Are close-ups used to introduce key characters to the audience? How are establishing shots used?
in paid in full there's a scene where mitch is in prison, the camera has a close up of a new character called rico, this is an enigma code which demonstrates that he'll be a main character for this film. During that scene there was various camera angles which shows how intense the situation is until the fight kicks off. for example, there's shot reverse shot of a male trying to argue with mitch and close ups of facial expressions which shows aggression and tension. as soon as the fight happens the new character joins in to help mitch and this was introduced by a tracking shot which makes us focus on what hes going to do whether its to help mitch or not.
The Meg : Editing
Analyse pace, transitions, number of shots and juxtaposition e.g. eyeline matches. Does the pace speed up towards the end of the trailer?
8 mile: Sound
Analyse both diegetic and non-diegetic sound - music, dialogue, voiceover, SFX, background or foley sound etc.
in the trailer for 8 mile the non digetic sound of the music towards the middle builds up as the beat and montage sync and the voice over starts when hes actually singing during the film so the film and song link. the voice over at the start of some parts do overlay into tjhe actual footage which goes from non digetic to diegtic sound. the dialogue portrayed in this makes us think hes living in a bad place, he has no hope but towards the middle his friend says hes going to help him come on top with him. the lyrics in the non diegtic music is him talking about his life and how he has one chance to get it and if you cant keep up with it you wont have another chance.
Jurassic World : Trailer conventions, intertextuality, graphics, text-on-screen etc.
Here you need to explore trailer conventions and intertextuality - what does this trailer have that you've spotted in all the trailers you have analysed so far? Are there any intertextual references? Look at conventions, text on screen, graphics, title, release date, social media links and more.
The trailer for Jurassic World uses key conventions of movie trailers to create this blockbuster of the summer feeling about the film. One of the first key conventions I noticed was the ominous piece of dialogue at the start where the parent said “If something chases you, run.” This straight away sets the tone of the trailer and the film as it is clearly foreshadowing what the protagonists will have to do later on in the trailer/film. The use of title cards creates this grand reveal of the park that the protagonists are visiting, in that it is dangerous and exciting, exactly like how the movie is going to pan out. They also give important information, like the release date of the film, which has its own title card to create this sense of importance around the date, almost like it’s an event, like the opening of the park would be. Due to the fact that this film is a reboot of sorts, there are clear intertextual references to the older Jurassic Park films, the main one being the font I believe as it looks similar to that of the font used in the designs of the older Jurassic Park films. In terms of intertextuality there is clear references to social media as well as the previous films, but there is also a theme park, or at least a section of a theme park, dedicated to Jurassic World, in Universal Studios which people can go visit, which is advertised briefly in the end slate of the trailer.
2) Planning: Film pitch
Here you need to plan your own film idea that will form the basis of your trailer and posters. This means developing a complete film pitch that outlines the narrative, characters and more.
Complete this film pitch template (you can copy the questions into your blog or complete on Word and link from your blog) to demonstrate you have planned a complete feature film in your chosen genre.
Title: Truth Be Told
Tagline: A day in the life of a black male in West London trying to break away from negative stereotypes.
Genre (and sub-genre/hybrid genre if applicable): coming of age drama, action
Logline – one sentence that sums up the film and hooks people in (25 words or fewer): A black male is trying to break the stereotypical stigma surrounding his race/ethnicity but because of his area, he gets dragged into the feud
Other successful films that are similar to yours: kidulthood, Boyz In The Hood, Coach Carter
Narrative structure – what happens in the film and in what order: The short scene would effectively be about a black boy who is confronted by a group of boys who threaten to come back after his football session. After his session, he leaves the compound and finds the boys waiting for him in a big group. They rush him leaving the protagonists badly injured. His coach (helper) then rushes out to help him but then he blacks out - causing the scene to fade to black.
Hero/heroine, their desires, the conflicts they encounter etc.: Nickholi (hero), group of black boys from opposing area - unknown (villains), protagonist gets hurt
Other characters, their narrative role and their audience appeal: Coach Kevin (helper)
Target audience for your film (age, gender, social class, interests etc.): 12-25, black males, ABC1, coming of age dramas
3) Statement of Intent
Write your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.
Guidance is provided by AQA in their NEA Student Booklet but we strongly recommend you also look at our Statement of Intent suggested questions document too.
4) Ignite presentation
Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:
Ignite presentations have very specific rules: you must create exactly 20 slides with each slide set to 15-second auto-advance. This means your presentation will be exactly five minutes followed by questions and comments from the class. You will deliver your presentation on your coursework planning in the first week back in September.
You need to write detailed 250-word close-textual analyses of six film trailers in your chosen genre. For each film trailer, focus on a different aspect of media language, and embed each one on your blog:
Bend it like Beckham: Narrative and genre
How is narrative and genre communicated quickly and clearly to the audience?
They subvert stereotypes to communicate narrative quickly by showing a young, Indian girl playing football. This tell the audience that it is not a typical movie and and lets them know that her family is going to be an obstacle for her journey. Typically, it is seen that Indian women should learn how to cook and clean from an early age however, she has failed to do so and instead, challenges this by playing a manly sport in the park with men. This tells us that it is a coming of age drama as we have to watch and see how she overcomes this or if her family will accept her for she who is.
Kingsman : Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Think CLAMPS.
The use of costumes in this trailer is extremely significant. The fact that the protagonist starts of wearing teenage clothes, hoodies, jeans etc and then wears an upper class suit at the end, shows how much he changed in a short period of time. The setting is also significant and creates meaning as initially, it was set in an urban, run down, council estate area, and now there's a mansion. by showing drastic changes in the movie compared to from the beginning, it makes it more appealing for them as it is nice to see someone is a similar state as you, change for the better. There is a lot of action and movement which also suggests that it is an action movie as well, with some advanced technology. These props that are used create action codes which tell the audience that there will be a significant amount of action in the movie as they are shown plenty of weapons.
Paid in Full : Camerawork
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. E.g. Are close-ups used to introduce key characters to the audience? How are establishing shots used?
in paid in full there's a scene where mitch is in prison, the camera has a close up of a new character called rico, this is an enigma code which demonstrates that he'll be a main character for this film. During that scene there was various camera angles which shows how intense the situation is until the fight kicks off. for example, there's shot reverse shot of a male trying to argue with mitch and close ups of facial expressions which shows aggression and tension. as soon as the fight happens the new character joins in to help mitch and this was introduced by a tracking shot which makes us focus on what hes going to do whether its to help mitch or not.
The Meg : Editing
Analyse pace, transitions, number of shots and juxtaposition e.g. eyeline matches. Does the pace speed up towards the end of the trailer?
The trailer for the Meg is edited so that everything is a slow reveal. In the beginning, the bite marks are the big reveal to the audience and heroes of the film that the monster they’re dealing with is absurdly big. The quick cut editing shows how much they care for their daughter roaming around alone, as well as how many people they have on board this futuristic ship. In addition to this, the music being cut at where the dog realises theres something wrong is a funny, yet almost sadistic shot as it shows the humans in danger, yet some audiences may be happier to see the dog okay and out of harms way.
8 mile: Sound
Analyse both diegetic and non-diegetic sound - music, dialogue, voiceover, SFX, background or foley sound etc.
in the trailer for 8 mile the non digetic sound of the music towards the middle builds up as the beat and montage sync and the voice over starts when hes actually singing during the film so the film and song link. the voice over at the start of some parts do overlay into tjhe actual footage which goes from non digetic to diegtic sound. the dialogue portrayed in this makes us think hes living in a bad place, he has no hope but towards the middle his friend says hes going to help him come on top with him. the lyrics in the non diegtic music is him talking about his life and how he has one chance to get it and if you cant keep up with it you wont have another chance.
Jurassic World : Trailer conventions, intertextuality, graphics, text-on-screen etc.
Here you need to explore trailer conventions and intertextuality - what does this trailer have that you've spotted in all the trailers you have analysed so far? Are there any intertextual references? Look at conventions, text on screen, graphics, title, release date, social media links and more.
The trailer for Jurassic World uses key conventions of movie trailers to create this blockbuster of the summer feeling about the film. One of the first key conventions I noticed was the ominous piece of dialogue at the start where the parent said “If something chases you, run.” This straight away sets the tone of the trailer and the film as it is clearly foreshadowing what the protagonists will have to do later on in the trailer/film. The use of title cards creates this grand reveal of the park that the protagonists are visiting, in that it is dangerous and exciting, exactly like how the movie is going to pan out. They also give important information, like the release date of the film, which has its own title card to create this sense of importance around the date, almost like it’s an event, like the opening of the park would be. Due to the fact that this film is a reboot of sorts, there are clear intertextual references to the older Jurassic Park films, the main one being the font I believe as it looks similar to that of the font used in the designs of the older Jurassic Park films. In terms of intertextuality there is clear references to social media as well as the previous films, but there is also a theme park, or at least a section of a theme park, dedicated to Jurassic World, in Universal Studios which people can go visit, which is advertised briefly in the end slate of the trailer.
2) Planning: Film pitch
Here you need to plan your own film idea that will form the basis of your trailer and posters. This means developing a complete film pitch that outlines the narrative, characters and more.
Complete this film pitch template (you can copy the questions into your blog or complete on Word and link from your blog) to demonstrate you have planned a complete feature film in your chosen genre.
Title: Truth Be Told
Tagline: A day in the life of a black male in West London trying to break away from negative stereotypes.
Genre (and sub-genre/hybrid genre if applicable): coming of age drama, action
Logline – one sentence that sums up the film and hooks people in (25 words or fewer): A black male is trying to break the stereotypical stigma surrounding his race/ethnicity but because of his area, he gets dragged into the feud
Other successful films that are similar to yours: kidulthood, Boyz In The Hood, Coach Carter
Narrative structure – what happens in the film and in what order: The short scene would effectively be about a black boy who is confronted by a group of boys who threaten to come back after his football session. After his session, he leaves the compound and finds the boys waiting for him in a big group. They rush him leaving the protagonists badly injured. His coach (helper) then rushes out to help him but then he blacks out - causing the scene to fade to black.
Hero/heroine, their desires, the conflicts they encounter etc.: Nickholi (hero), group of black boys from opposing area - unknown (villains), protagonist gets hurt
Other characters, their narrative role and their audience appeal: Coach Kevin (helper)
Target audience for your film (age, gender, social class, interests etc.): 12-25, black males, ABC1, coming of age dramas
3) Statement of Intent
Write your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.
Guidance is provided by AQA in their NEA Student Booklet but we strongly recommend you also look at our Statement of Intent suggested questions document too.
For my film production trailer, I plan on using a low-budget
means of filming and distribution to promote my coming of age drama. As my
media production revolves around the lives of young black men, I aimed to find
inspiration from films that either subvert or reinforce typical stereotypes.
The films that I found helped me to create a foundation for my trailer are:
Baby Boy, Boyz In The Hood, Moon Light, Coach Carter and a British film
production called kidulthood which was the first of its trilogy. With the
coming of age dramas I was inspired by I noticed they use cuts, speech from
characters (diegetic) and fast/slow paced non-diegetic soundtracks to heighten
or lower then intensity for the audience. I aim to ensure that the driving
force behind my trailer is centred on the actors’ voices - due to the
production being aimed at young black youth coming from a troubled background.
In order to engage my youth target market, I will be using
elements of personal identity and diversion from Blumur & Katz: uses and
gratification theory. I think it would appeal to more of an ABC1 audience
between 12-25 as I aim to explore topics that occur everyday life but seem to
go unnoticed. Usually the best coming of age dramas use S. Neals 'Repetition
& Difference' to show the same conventions but just in a different way. They
usually do this by converging comedy with drama but I aim to use Commons approach
in 'Letter to the Free' by sticking to the seriousness of the topic at hand.
i want to recreate a drama that both reinforces and subverts
traditional black stereotypes. within the media black youth are labelled as
criminals, lairs and a nuisance to society but never seems to promote those who
aim to break away from the cliché stigma given to young black youth. i plan to
use 3 locations within my production. One being a place where the youth can
interact in a safe environment e.g. Football pitch. Two being an area where the
youth are being a nuisance to society which could be shown through the use of
colloquial language. Lastly, the third one being the middle ground for good and
bad (binary opposition - Levi Straus) not by choice, but by circumstance e.g.
Council estate.
In terms of distribution and funding, i believe the best
chance if gaining a budget would be through the BFI's film programme to
encourage young film makers in London. in terms of distribution, it could be
broadcasted by companies such as Studio Canal and Film4 as it would have more
modern art-house feel that emphasis on narrative and cinematography.
4) Ignite presentation
Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:
- Your film idea: title, tagline, genre, narrative etc.
- Media language: how you will use conventions, camerawork, editing, mise-en-scene and sound to create an effective trailer and film posters.
- Media representations: how you will use or subvert stereotypes; representation theory.
- Media audiences: your target audience demographics and psychographics; audience pleasures; audience theory.
- Media industries and digital convergence: the potential companies or organisations that could fund or distribute your film; how your trailer and posters will use new and digital media and digital convergence to create an effective campaign.
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