#unit 26

[throughwavesofstarlight]

Me and my movies

Well. Here we are. The final task™ an exploration of ‘the relationship between the viewer and the films’ 
Since I was a young child, fiction has been there for me. It’s been as much an anchor as it’s been a vehicle to an escapists paradise, and honestly, my favourite vehicles are either magically created wooden beauties, or personal space ships.


Fantasy and Sci-if are my absolute favourite anything. Give them a touch of of the eldritch, and I think I’d be hard pressed to give you a definitive answer. Eh, don’t give them a touch of the eldritch, and it’s difficult to pick the victor. 
Sci-finand Fantasy films more often than not come from pre-existing works, like books, and comics. So they open themselves up to active spectatorship absolutely amazingly in that regard, because when the films don’t hold the answers you’re looking for the source materials come in clutch (the Lord of the Rings trilogy springs to mind. The amount of information missed out from the films from the books) and the other book for active spectatorship with these genres? The fact they don’t shy away from speculation, and they inspire many many people to delve, and dream. It gives you the opportunity to come together in groups, to discuss your favourites, and fall that much more in love with the two genres. 
And when I say groups, I don’t mean a couple here or there, I mean hundreds and thousands. And these groups are collectively called ‘fandoms’ (there are many subsets to fandoms. The word ‘fandom’ is probably roughly equivalent in nomenclature to 'human’ and the subsets, being closer to things like 'english’ or 'kenyan’) a couple of fandoms I would personally include myself in would be the jaeger pilots (Pacific Rim) the fellowship of the ring (Lord of the Rings) a tribute (Hunger Games) whovian (Doctor Who/tv) reveuer (The Night Circus/book) Divergent (Divergent) And Potter head (Harry Potter [there are even subgroups within this fandom, to be honest. It’s wild])(nb. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Not even close) fandoms mean family, to be honest. Being part of fandom involves participation, and you can’t do it by yourself. You have to make connections with people. And through this huge love of something enough to put your time and effort into, by either interacting with others, or creating art or fan fiction or music, you form friendships. I love fantasy and sci-fi for the messages they incorporate, aswell. Normally one of courage and bravery, causing the overcoming of evil by the protagonist of the story. Which is always the proffered reading, of the pieces. But at the same time, there is so much going in the film, you don’t have to take the proffered readings and can look at the world from completely different angles and still come away with same story, but an entirely different way of seeing it. The stories leave themselves wide open to interpretation, and it gives me so many chances to study, and learn, and fall deeper in love with the works They’re always really amazingly hyped too. There are teasers that get pored over, and obsessed about. Full trailers that get picked apart, and discussed and enthused about, and then the release! Cinemas full of people are coming together to bathe in the sheer epic joy created by the films, and then? The worlds of possibilities are opened. Do I fall in love? Do I love jump headlong into an obsession? Do I go back and collect as much merchandise as I possibly can, cementing my love in a physical collection? Do I watch the film online hundreds of times before it comes out on DVD with all the amazing extras like directors commentary, and deleted scenes, and outtakes, and extended scenes. I never much felt I had a place to call home. Sure I have family, but I've always felt out of place. Sci-fi and Fantasy has always been my "Who cares if you're alone. You'll find your place." And honestly that's one of the biggest reasons I've been involved with the genres.

[throughwavesofstarlight]

Bums on Seats.

 an online article by ya boi -MrOwenThornton There are many, many things the media industry does in order to get their products viewed. most of them involve advertising... sorry, marketing. 

And that list can start in so many places, no matter wether it be chat shows, such as Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence appearing on The Graham Norton Show a few weeks ahead of The Passenger being released in cinema. 

(yes, that is JLaw telling a story about her defiling a scred space in Hawaii, during hunger games filming, but it was during th passengers press phase) 

you have specific interviews for actors as part of the press tours, like Scarlet Johansen is currently doing before the Ghost in the Shell release in March. like this one with with Collider, or Ryan Reynolds and his year long press tour for his baby Deadpool, like this one on New Rockstars. Producers use clever advertising techniques, like Deadpool. one of their advertising campaigns were to advertise it as a romantic jaunt as a valentines , what with it having a release date of 10 feb 2016

This is among other ways that the films are advertised, a common way is product tie ins, like these gems, 

(the early noughties were absolutely wild from a marketing perspective and i miss it so much)

Premieres are another way to get the hype train going. In it we have the stars of the film, going and viewing their movie, in a semi public viewing, but allowing the public to join in somewhat, and inviting fans to come and get in person glimpses of the the cast, and selected crew, EG the DIrector.

(the cast for the Age of Ultron premier)

thing is, the advertising isnt the only way to draw in an audience. producers and directors can make changs to the films themsleves to make the more palatable to a wider audience, like censorship in a film to lower the age rating, meaning a larger segment of the audience can go see the film, like The Kings Speech, or even just changing up things to make it more apropriate.  

this is the catch up list, Steve Rogers keeps in the Winter soldier Film. its different for different regions the film is shown in, the middle one, (TV show - Sherlock) is the one shown in the uk.

and even with things like more kid-ish films, like inside out. 

they changed up the broccoli for green peppers for japanese releases of the film, because green peppers are more universally hated in japan, making it more culturally relevant, and more accessible to viewers. 

[cvby2-media]

Old VS New: Carrie

15 - 1976 Upon watching the first fifteen minutes of the original Carrie film, the following things were very apparent:  - Loud, sinister music.  - The lead actress’ expressions  - The Cigarettes and the ashtray spinning, and ultimately being shook/flipped off of the table.   - ‘Creepy Carrie’. Known to all of her peers, but still virtually nameless to the higher-ups in the school.  - Abuse at home - Religious, lots of images of Jesus, and being beaten with a religious text.

15 - 2013 (and Comparison) The remake doesn’t begin in a school ground. It begins at home. The original began with Carrie, and a focus on her at school, and her relationships there from an instant, whereas the remake begins with her mother, giving birth to her. Similarly to the first instance of the film, both believe themselves to be dying.

The original film uses lots of bright colours for the initial opening, with all of the school girls wearing bright colours. The remake begins in a darkly lit home, leading it to suggest that it is a horror film from the very beginning, whilst the original seems to try to hold that back from the audience. ‘You eat sh*t’ repeated in both opening sequences, from one of the schoolgirls, to Carrie. ‘Shower Scenes’ similar to one-another, in music and dialogue, except the remake is far less extended. However, one of the girls seems to be more sympathetic in the remake as opposed to how they acted in the original. Soon after, the teachers seem more sympathetic with the character in the remake, and have more of a dialogue with her than in the original. It’s actually mentioned that they call her mother in the remake, rather than her just receiving a call in the original.

Rather than the ash tray, it was a water container - Ash trays might not be as common, or even allowed in schools in the remake’s timeline.

The dialogue with her mother is in the car, rather than at home post-call. She eventually joins her inside, after the ‘Crazy Carrie’ boy has passed by. In the remake, the mother’s issues seem more involved with herself, rather than Carrie in an instant. There is less physical violence toward Carrie in the remake’s opening. Carrie stands up to her mother more in the remake than she does in the original. There is still that essence of fear, but she is able to stand up to her rather than being in complete and utter fear. There is more of an emotional, and physical struggle from Carrie in the remake, as she actually seems to have more emotional strength than the character did in the original.

‘Prom Blood Scene’ Comparison. 1976 The scene seems to be edited in a way that it actually appears to be in her head, her madness surrounding the event. The editing suggests that she is seeing everyone and everything at once as they are talking. The music is horribly loud, in synchronisation with the screaming voices of her soon-to-be victims.  The use of bright red colours, makes it hard to see a lot of the features of what she’s doing, until that red colour fades and the audience can see the blue tones of electricity, and the lights glaring on her facial expression.

2013 There is a lot more focus on expression, not only on Carrie but on the individuals she faces.  As the blood is poured, there is no real music to begin with. There is only just the silence of her reaction, and the video of her from the showers playing (which could be a reference to the advancement of technology).  It begins with the Gym teacher trying to help her, and she actually seems to be spared in this version, whilst in the first she is attacked outright just like everyone else. This might be because of how she defended her in the beginning.  Carrie actually seems to have more of an emotional reaction to those that showed her emotion, rather than in the original, where she seems to be in more of a panicked state, all in her head rather than thinking about others. The colours throughout are realistic rather than having a red-lit filter over the top. A choice made by the team in creation, but I believe it makes the features of each shot stand out more. I can clearly see what is happening, in not only the act but in the eyes/expression of each person affected.

[throughwavesofstarlight]

Narrative structure

3-act structure

Picture taken from Gorilla film online. Taking a look at a hollywood masterpiece, we’re going to measure against Peter Pan (2003) within the 3 act structure, the first 15 minutes of the film is the set up. the part of the film where you find out the tone of the film, the genre, what the story is about, and how it is to play out. in our version of peter pan, the first 15 minutes introduce a Wendy being told she’s to be taken away from her family, talks of great adventures that she is yet to have, and a strange floating boy and fairy.

moving into the first turning point, or plot point 1.  this part of the film occurs, usually between 25 to 35 minutes in.  immediately into the fray, 25 minutes start with Pan and the Darling children flying past “the second star to the right, and straight on ‘til morning” with Pan returning to never land, and setting up the main villain of the film the infamous Captain James Hook. 

act two is the main bulk of the film. it takes the set up, and the first plot point, runs with them, and gives you the lead up to the 2nd plot point, the second turning point, which is what sets up the final confrontation, the climax, and the resolution. the second turning point opens with Tinker-bell being dead, Hook, thinking he’s killed Pan, has captured the Darling children and the Lost Boys, and very quickly, we see an effort across both Neverland, and Earth, of children pronouncing their belief in fairies, and Tink returning to life, and Hook realising he didn’t manage to kill Pan. Hook then finds what he thinks is Pan’s weakness. Hook manages to use it to ground pan, and the end of the time set, Wendy gives Pan a 'thimble’, completely pulling Pan out of Hooks mind games.

  he climax is Hook finally being defeated. and the Darling children being returned home, to find their mother and dog waiting for them by the open window, getting into bed, and their mother not believing they were home. and the resolution being that they are truly home, and no longer missing, and, the end to the entire set up story, Wendy not being sent away.

The climax and resolution wraps the story up. it doesn’t give closed endings, usually, it closes the story, and shows that a chapter has come to an end, but it does allow for the hint of continuation for the characters involved, (Pater Pan gives the Darling family a whole host of new sons, Pan continues to live in Neverland, and even the Aunt trying to cause Wendy’s removal from her family home, for lady training, gets herself a son in the case of a Lost Boy. 

Also, Peter Pan is a linear film. Linear films are pretty self explanatory, its where a story flows form point A to point B in one sweep. it may skip over events, or lack thereof, to keep the film entertaining (theres not much entertaining about watching a group of people living life for a year when you get cuts that say “one year00  later” or the equivalent)

its chronological order, not complete timeline. 

the antithesis of the linear narrative, is a non-linear narrative.  non-linear narratives are stories that don’t follow a timeline rigidly. A lot of times, the stories have a timeline, and that timeline goes from maybe point H to P, but when it reaches K, it drops point E. Films often times do this, to explain whats happening, without giving a massive set up period. things that fall under non-linear narratives are films such as Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) the film itself follows the story of a girl, Ofelia, moving to the country, with her mother, and her mother’s new husband, a Falangist Captain, hunting down the opposition to the dictatorship regime. the beginning of the films starts with the girl dead, a narrator telling the tale of  princess from an underground realm, who ascended to the world, and lost her life and family, for the surface world, and hints that the girl is the lost princess, then the film starts proper. Following her want to escape the evil step father, with an overactive imagination, she finds a sort of escapism, that we cant ever be sure if she actually is experiencing this Faun, and his fairies, or of she is the lost princess. there are also breaks from the timeline within the body of the film itself. the film wraps up, with the girl laying dying at the centre of the labyrinth, and then being welcomed home, by her father, the king of the underworld. 

[reubenmediablog-blog]

04

 My favourite genre in film is Science Fiction. The genre appeals to me for a multitude of reasons; it pushes the boundaries for what filmmakers can create; different races, societies, alternate realities and timelines, and forms of technology. Due to the genre being an exploration of fiction it means that sci fi lends itself to every other genre, making it the most versatile genre of film: Blade Runner (noir), The Thing (horror), The Matrix (action) Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind (Romance) Star Wars (fantasy) etc. I also believe science fiction allows for the most creative and interesting exploration of societal and political themes making science fiction the home to many of the most interesting and widely discussed and interpreted films ever made.

Genres such as Comedy and Action are probably the more easily accessible genres for general audience members and the high concept themes and distinct tropes and styles present in several science fiction films can be off-putting for many, however the unique individualities of the genre also contribute to the highly passionate followings that the sci fi genre does have. There is perhaps no other genre with such a passionate following. 

There are numerous blogs and subreddits dedicated to science fiction that are evident of the passionate following. Lengthy discussions on film can be found here and conversations are being had regarding science fiction films perhaps more so than any other genre.

amount of subscribers per subreddit for different genres: 

There are also several Science fiction conventions attended by fans where they can go to panels, meet fans, meet people who work in the genre, buy merchandise and more. 

In films we have both active and passive spectatorship. Active being the viewer having their own interpretations of the film and passive being the viewer accepting the overt message(s) of the film without necessarily having their own individual interpretations. Most viewers fall into the passive category however in many of the more high concept science fiction such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Blade Runner there is more ambiguity and room for interpretation meaning that fans of these are typically more active spectators, this sparks discussion and is one of the best parts about being a fan of the genre.

Earlier i touched upon the societal and political themes often explored in science fiction and i believe that these themes along with others present in sci fi such as ‘what does it mean to be human’ make sci fi one of the most interesting genres when it comes to frameworks of interpretation. Depending on factors such as age, race, gender, class the understandings and interpretations audience members of a film have will differ. It is up to the filmmakers in science fiction on how universal the themes they explore are, some may have political themes that isolate anyone outside certain political cultures or without understanding of that culture (A Clockwork Orange for example). Where as some sci fi films will have themes and questions raised that audiences can relate to on a more human level (Arrival for example) and are therefore not restrictive in how far their appeal reaches. Also the variety in sci fi means that many of the best in the genre will be accessible to a wider audience, for example alien is a widely accessible horror film, and predator a widely accessible action films but on the other hand films such as Under the Skin and Primer are less accessible due to the style of ambiguous often unconventional and artistic filmmaking that is present.

The relationship between audiences and films also involves pre and post viewing experiences. Pre involves the watching of trailers and promotional videos of cast and crew such as interviews.

 And post involves discussion after viewing the film

Both of these are relevant to Science Fiction. As i previously said, science fiction films are some of the most widely discussed and interpreted films and also blogs such as the ones previously mentioned provide news on upcoming film projects. Pre and Post viewing experience is possibly most active in science fiction, particularly post as many other genres do not spark so much discussion. Pre and Post can also affect the viewers opinions on the film, for example after the trailers for prometheus many people built up expectations that were let down when the film wasn’t as closely related to the alien franchise as they had hoped as the trailers had suggested this. On the other hand many of the interpretations and discussion on films such 2001: a space odyssey can open up new perspectives for viewers to view the film from, this can add to the enjoyment and fascination the film brings about for the viewer. Also the way films are watched can affect reaction for the viewer, for example the difference between viewing gravity in 3D in IMAX at the cinema will differ from watching it at home on your computer or DVD/Blu Ray because of the audio and visual differences and how this will effect your immersion and ultimate enjoyment with the film.

[stubbsmedia-blog]

Task 4

I am going to write about me and my favourite films that I like to watch a lot. I love Sci-Fi, Fantasy and action films, these movies are interesting to me and are something that I can watch and not be bored by it and every time I watch it be impressed.

Fantasy films come from comics and this is mostly made by Marvel and people who have made a lot of books about the same characters and storylines. Viewers like me then know where the film could be heading in terms of the books that have already been made and therefore you look forward to seeing the movie and instantly get into the film before its even got going. For example The Dark Knight is based off of the Batman comics where you already know Batman is going to go against the joker in the streets of Gotham City. These kind of films are why I love Fantasy and with this film it also has a lot of action involved with all of the cops in Gotham trying to stop The Joker as well as Batman.

Sci - Fi films I love because Star Wars was created and this is and always will be my favourite Saga around. They take Sci - Fi to a whole new level with the films out at the moment. Star Wars is something I can watch a thousand times and still love watching it. I like watching Behind the scenes short clips and what the actors thought about being in such an iconic Saga.

These films get talked about all around the world and fans come together to talk about the films and they collect merchandise and learn more by buying books and comcic and reading about the timeline in between the films and what goes on during that time. This is why we love these genres as it brings people together and they can relate to eachother as they love the same movies.

One of the films I have fallen in love with is Star Wars as I formed an obsession with it and bought all of the merchandise and all of the films on DVD. I like how 8 films later and there are still more movies being made as we speak. This shows how much love there is for Star Wars as a big franchise and all of the awesome films that come with it.

Any Sci - Fi, Fantasy or Action films and I have probably seen them as I am a huge movie fan and all of these genres interest me and they always will do and I will keep watching any films that make these type of genres.

[stubbsmedia-blog]

Task 3

When new films get released the actors and directors do different things to promote their movie. This could be going onto talk shows to talk about their movie or having a premier of the film where the cast and crew go to as well as some of the public. They also release a trailer and do a lot of advertising for it. This includes Merchandise and also putting the movie on things like food boxes and yoghurt pots. This way it catches the eye of all kinds of people and therefore getting your film across to these people. This is called Product Placement.

For Example Andrew Garfield went on The Graham Norton Show to promote his film ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ as he talked about it with Graham and they showed a clip of it to the viewers and the audience in the studio. This means that the people who watch The Graham Norton Show now might watch Hacksaw Ridge and this means that the promoting was successful.

Sometimes the advertisement can vary as to what target audience they are aiming at with their films. This will show in how they promote.

[stubbsmedia-blog]

Task 2

The Films i have decided to write about are Spider-Man (2002) and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).

The original Spider-Man was mad was made in 2002 and this was the first ever Spider - Man film made after the cartoons. This included actors such as Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker), James Franco (Harry Osborn), Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn) and Kirsten Dunst (Mary-Jane Watson). 

Since the release of the film Spider-Man has become one of Marvels favourite Superheroes and they went on to make loads more Spider-Man movies after it. This film had no expectations as there were no other films at this point and this was the first time Spider Man was seen on the big screen. This was received well by fans and they made two sequels to this film before making The Amazing Spider Man and The Amazing Spider Man 2.

The Amazing Spider-Man was made 10 years later where Andrew Garfield portrayed Spider-Man, Emma Stone played Gwen Stacey and Rhys Ifans as Dr Curtis Connors. This film has a similar storyline to the orginal but they have changed parts of it to appeal to a different audience and make the fanbase of Spider-Man larger.

The reason they make Remakes is because of the advanced technologies and how much better CGI is now than it was 10 years ago and they can therefore add more detail to the films nowadays. For example the lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man looked like a real animal because of the CGI technology that has developed over the last decade.

The genres of the two films are very similar as they both are action packed and both have a very strong storyline about Peter Parker becoming the guy in the Suit from the being the school nerd and how he got his powers which both films had different ways of peter getting his powers. In the original Spider-Man he got bitten on his hand and in The Amazing Spider-Man he got bitten on the back of his neck.

There are also differences towards the characters as in the original Spider Man Peter falls in love with Mary Jane Watson but in the Amazing Spider Man he falls in love with Gwen Stacey and they show two different relationships but with the same problem, Peter is Spider Man and they both have to live with that.