Production Schedule

Unfortunately, within the last week of term the computers were down within sixth form and we could not access any of our files, however as an alternative we decided to create a production schedule by hand so we knew what we were doing and where in order to allow preparation for the filming of the final piece.

As a group we decided what day would suit us all best and be convenient for everyone within the group. We decided to have a male protagonist as mentioned previously and so we decided to use Jess’s friend who has had previous acting experience in GCSE to ensure that the task wasn’t too difficult and could be done more efficiently as we have to take into account how long it will take to film as it will become darker earlier and therefore more difficult to film.

When we were all sat down discussing roles we thought it would be appropriate to allocate similar jobs to that used in previous tasks such as the preliminary task and the starter task and so below is shown that Jess and Ashleigh will be on camera with me filming again. Listed also is the props and costumes we will need to use to ensure that we are prepared, we based these on typical action conventions we have all researched.

Shot Types & Effect

Fonts

Font from btaylorr

Distribution

Film production and distribution is extremely important as it reflects how well and popular your film will become depending on who you chose to go with as many film productions are related with different genres and expectations from the audience.

For example, when people view warner brothers they relate it to typically family films of a high quality, the issue with this is that we do not want our film to be perceived as something it is not and therefore let the audience down as they may be expecting something else solely based on the production company or distributor.

In order to decide on a film distribution company I watched different action films that tied in with romance to reflect a positive representation of our opening sequence as the production company will be related previously with the genre. Popular ones I have researched are paramount and 20th century fox, 20th century fox has a popular, recognisable iconic introduction strongly relating to action, due to it being so popular I believe this would be appropriate as it is something the audience can already be aware of alongside reflecting high quality.

Furthermore, with Fox, they have another distribution company for independent or British films called Fox Searchlight. By using Fox Searchlight as a possible distribution company, we are able to also utilise any benefits they may bring us as it is a massive worldwide company and so has a broader audience that our film could appeal to.

Alongside this, as mentioned previously I watched action films with sub-genre of romance, lionsgate appeared in both films watched relating to the romance genre and so as a co distributer we decided Lionsgate would be perfect as this company often make romance movies so it would represent our subgenre well.

Representations & Styling

In order to ensure that the characters are clearly portrayed in a certain way to the audience, I have created a mood board gathering all the research I have made into the appearance of both protagonist and antagonist characters, through the use of props I will ensure that characters are portrayed in either a negative or positive light. As shown, for the antagonist I have included both genders as this will develop the sub-genre of romance further, the type of masculine antagonist I am attempting to portray is the Jock stereotype that is always attempting to fight with other men, they are strong and always avoid being emotional which will create an issue within the narrative that must be resolved. The representation on men across all media are dependant on: Strength, Power, Sexual attractiveness Physique and independence, through the use of props such as a large gun, this will emphasise strength power and sexual attractiveness as the phallic shape will reflect the sexual attractiveness where as the power and strength will be reflected upon the violence that the gun connotes. Making the antagonist appear weaker and less dominant, I have provided them with a smaller gun to reflect lack of masculinity and power which supports binary opposite theory, as the opposites will drive the narrative further, almost like a fight for 

masculinity.

I have made the protagonist appear smart and sophisticated to reflect his professionalism and focus, with little stubble this could reflect the fact that he is rather dangerous as he doesn’t confine to social standards. Furthermore, I have made the female protagonist appear dominant and fierce which juxtaposes against the typical female role of being sexualised as she is in control of herself. The use of the black leather suite suggests that she is edgy and mysterious which goes well with her darker, smokier make up. despite the fact she is wearing heels and may suggest seduction of some sort, instead, I have used the heels to make her similar height to the male protagonist to show equality between the two.

Where the antagonist is concerned, I have made him appear less professional and more criminal, with items such as sunglasses and hats to cover his face which could also show mystery, the use of the ordinary clothing makes the character appear more realistic which seemed to appeal to the target audience when discussing in the focus group.

Research and Decision on Title

Impact of the title:


The impact of the title can lead the audience immediately to make a judgement on the film. Through research, it has become clear that the majority of successful action film's titles have included the name of the cast members, typically the main protagonist first a shown within Casino Royale as Daniel Craig's name is shown almost as soon as the credits start showing the importance of cast within the film as it would make the audience more engaged if a well-known award-winning actor was in the film. Furthermore, the first thing shown is the institution, whether it be their opening title or their name, they are included immediately when the film is showing, again, this may make the audience more aware of what kind of film they will be watching as the institute may be known to do films surrounding a certain genre. Producers and directors are also shown within the opening credits typically before the cast credits have been presented, after this production, costume and make-up design are also included. Throughout different action films, opening titles have varied between showing the title of the film either immediately or waiting until further on, this I believe is more effective as it will create tension for the audience and so I believe it would be more suitable to show the titles once credits have already been shown. Furthermore, graphics have been used to relate to the film title, I believe this gives it a more professional look as it shows the relationship between the name of the film and the film itself. Shown is an example showing the typical conventions of opening titles/credits within an action/spy film. 

Decision on title:
Coming together as a group we decided to create an effective title that would entice the audience in to watch our production. We wanted the title to reflect the target audience’s wants and needs, in order to reflect these we have produced a questionnaire previously to find out what would appeal to our target audience and why, the final question the questionnaire asked what titles were most effective and appealing, the majority of the people asked proffered short and simple however others wanted connotations to be included within the heading as it implies some sort of mystery wanting them to watch. 

Eventually, we decided that having a short and simple heading would be most appropriate with some connotation of both the main genre and sub-genre, by doing this we created a mind map of words we associate with action, as shown, this helped us come up with more appropriate names for an action film.

Coming up with the name for our film had some element of difficulty as we had to research every name we appealed to ensure it was not already a film name, alongside this we needed to ensure that the name would appeal to the audience and make them want to watch it. We all chose our best titles for the film, having two votes each which led us to a final four names, fortunately, we all had the same view on what were our favourites and so once they were finalised, this task was not too challenging for us.

We finally chose the name Red Bullet, this was Ashleigh and I’s favourite however Jess also liked it but it wasn't her chosen one, the idea of Red Bullet stemmed from the implications of red being simplistic and implying love which would juxtapose against the violence of the bullet implications which suggests violence and possibly death, by doing this we have included both genre and sub-genre. I like the name we have chosen as I believe it will intrigue both genders for a bigger target audience.

Location

Within our group we decided to discuss places that would be appropriate to film our opening sequence, we decided to stay in local areas that were able to be accessed at all times to allow our schedule to be simplistic and if any issues arise we have the opportunity to change what and where we were filming.

Our final locations were as follows:

This is a large space and greenery with droop down trees that characters can hide behind to create more tension and suspense. This park is usually very quite yet has a narrow stream along the side in which could be utilised however it is unknown how this could be done.

Canal Road

Along the canal road there are warehouses that can be utilised to create a more mysterious edge about the opening scene as typically these are related with illegal transfers to make the action film suit connotations and expectations as it will refer to the antagonist and include a possible introduction. Furthermore alongside this, the canal road has a canal running alongside of it which could be used for a chase, the canal is typically busy so we would have to film at a off peak time possibly earlier in the morning or just before rush hour begins as many pedestrians use it to get home. Along canal road itself though, there above is a bridge which could be used as an escape root for the characters, allowing the antagonists to escape which could develop the plot further, this will allow us to use both settings however with minimal camera work however look just as effective.

The surroundings are clearly shown as being realistic which could also be useful to make the audience feel as though the film is realistic, as when asked within the focus group people that watch action films do not like plots that are unrealistic and unlikely to occur in daily life, so by taking this into account we have selected places that are easily recognisable as real.

Abandoned Railways

As mentioned previously, along the top of canal road Is a bridge leading to an abandoned railway, this is accessible and would be ideal as it is extremely quite and has the scenery of the town behind it, this could represent power and dominance for the character, as the setting is secretive it could also imply to the audience that something dramatic is about to occur.

Below this, are also arches that could add more of a urban area feel to the setting, this can also reflect more secrecy and be used for more of the setting for the antagonist characters.

Romance Within Action Films

Within our group we decided that our action film will have romance involved, as a sub-genre to appeal to the female secondary audience. I believe that women appeal more to romance than action due to uses and gratifications theory which states that the audience is active and uses the text for their own pleasure giving them power not the media producers. Women could use the romance within the film to gain their personal identity on what their beliefs of relationships should be like, using the media as a model of behaviour of how they believe couples should act for an ideal couple, this relates to information theory, of people using the media in order to satisfy own interests and beliefs to ensure a sense of security is given through their own knowledge.

I have watched and studied a number of action films with the sub-genre of romance to develop my understanding further and to pick out key points that appear relevant in all of the films that I could possibly suggest to the group to use in our final piece.

Killers

Lionsgate produced this action film, it is about an ex-spy who gave up his career for a woman he met whilst carrying out an assassin and she is left to never know his prior career before their marriage however she soon finds out due to an unexpected break out in their own home when someone attempts to kill the couple, they find out it is one of their family, friends or neighbors and have to escape and her husband is forced back into the career he once loved however now Jen (the wife) is involved in the killing and they must now run from whoever is attempting to kill them. 

Representation

Throughout the film, stereotypes are extremely prominent, with the wife being extremely stereotypical and meeting social expectations by firstly being clueless and dependent on her husband to protect her and refusing to harm anybody which reflects women's innocence and purity within film. This is shown on the cover as she still maintains to be posing for someone which suggests that she cares highly about the couples appearance and the way they are perceived to everyone. Furthermore, she is wearing impractical clothing that make her seem sweet and almost basic, as where the costume is concerned she is wearing black and white which suggests simplicity which juxtaposes against her husbands suit which is a more detailed and coloured to suggest that he is more complex. She also appears dependent on her husband due to the body language used as her hands are resting on his body for support, if he left she would fall, symbolizing her love for her husband alongside this, the iconic lifted foot is used to reflect adolescent love to suggest she is so in love with him. The fact that she is dressed in a short skirt and heels and so reliant on a man may appeal to men, this supports the male gaze theory developed by Laura Mulvey, she expressed that women are placed within media for visual pleasure and are there for the use of male characters, this is true as without his wife, the male protagonist would not be in this situation. Furthermore, where props are concerned the male is also shown as meeting stereotypes due to him holding the gun, this shows that he has the power and that he is the most dominant and strong one within the relationship which is reflected again by the use of her body language and representation.

Mr. & Mrs.Smith

Produced by Regency Enterprises, this film is extremely well known and successful, due to its use of comedy and excellent choice of actors. Within this action film , a strong twist has been placed in, similar to most spy films, their jobs are kept secret from their significant other, the two protagonists have been married for five or six years hiding their career from their partner however it is soon revealed that each other are assassins, with each other as their target putting a huge twist on the romance sub-genre included within the film. The use of romance, action and comedy without this film helps intrigue both genders for a more wider audience.

Representation

Within this film I thought that the typical gender roles were altered due to the woman being seen as equal to her husband due to her career as the job requires violence, anger and control which women are stereo-typically not involved in due to their motherhood instincts. I believe the narrative is also shown within the cover/poster as their body language suggests. Both the protagonist's body language are far apart and looking away, to show that they aren't in love like other "normal" couples, the fact their eyes are looking away shows that they believe they are the superior which gives off a childish impression as they are refusing to look at each other. Despite the fact that the woman is presented as equal she is also portrayed in a proactive manner revealing her legs and upper thighs, this could relate again to the maze gaze theory as it would give visual pleasure for both the male character and the audience watching, the use of the prop of the gun along her upper thighs suggests that she will use her beauty and the act of seduction in order to kill her husband showing that she is smart and cunning. The use of her hands being free shows that she has nothing to hide and is able to use them at her will which juxtaposes against her husband as he has a gun in his hand showing that he is doing his job the professional way and is not afraid to show what he is willing to do for his career. Furthermore, he could be using the prop to refer and reinforce his masculinity within both the situation and relationship due to the prop being a phallic shape. The couple show their equality as they are both subtly using their love for each other in order to assassinate one an other alongside both having the same props and body language alongside the costumes worn, as they are both dressed in black which foreshadows death, yet is it the death of each other or something else? These queries make the audience eager to watch the production and find out what happens. 

Prelim Task

Evaluation On Prelim Task

When given the preliminary task, I was extremely eager to begin, we had many great ideas we were all looking forward to start filming, we all decided on dedicated roles to make the process easier and run more efficiently to ensure that everyone had an equal part within the task as this way it will be easier to reflect on what we have all contributed to the task set and also allow us to prepare for the main piece of coursework. Ashleigh was assigned as a small character and would help with any filming timings, telling us when to film and act and how, I was assigned camera woman and had to film the shots effectively and professionally, lastly, Jess was assigned as the main protagonist as she acted from an early age and was keen to be involved, we also thought that her appearance would suit the main character as she has dark hair which contrasts with her skin tone making the character seem more intense, this would also reflect against stereotypes which will be incorporated within our main task of a woman being the most dominance and independent character on screen.

We first began by finding the right setting, for the first shot we needed an empty room with a table and chair, we found a nearby classroom in which we could film in however noise from the corridor and surrounding classes was a small issue as we had to wait until everything had quietened down before filming to ensure there was complete silence to create the mysterious effect we were looking for. When filming we made the simplistic error of filming with the camera portrait instead of landscape on the Ipad and so we had to re-film, however this was not a major issue as we recognised the problem fast and approached it effectively and quickly to make sure we can continue filming as scheduled.

Within the first few shots we included shot reverse shot as this was one of the types of shot we had to include, here, we had a phone, Jess, the phone and back to Jess for a final time before the phone began to ring again, we decided to do this as it would show what the protagonist was waiting for; a phone call. This, we thought, would help build the tension and mystery at the beginning as Jess is shown to be nervous and impatient. In order to make the filming look effective, I used the same angle for the phone (a wide shot) to show what the main focus was and then the same type of shot for Jess also. I used a high angle shot to show the weakness of Jess and how dependant she appears to be at first on the phone, which links with the typical stereotypes of women being unable to be independent, however this soon changes as later on she appears to be powerful by taking matters into her own hands.

We had further issues when filming the dialogue as the microphone was not picking up what Ashleigh had mentioned, we thought that by editing the clip we could increase the volume however the volume is still minimalistic, here, I believe we could improve by re-shooting the clip, however the rest of the dialogue was accurate and went to plan as this scene swiftly links well with the match on action shot of Jess opening the door and running through the corridor to get to her desired parcel. However, the only issue we had with this was timing, as when we opened the door, people continued to come through the corridor, with this in mind, we could have improved the efficiency of filming by using a more appropriate setting to ensure that there weren’t as many retakes.

When editing, we had to ensure that the ringtone from the phone carried out into another shot of her eagerly grabbing it so when using Final Cut Pro we had to cut out some of the video extremely carefully to make sure that it sounded organised and had the ringtone flowing, however, an issue we faced with this shot was that Jess was absent at this time and therefore had to have me grab the phone instead of Jess but due to it being done quickly the improvisation is not that obvious. I believe that my editing skills have improved when putting the final clip together as we had to place things at appropriate timings and crop to allow the flow. Furthermore, to enhance the preliminary task we incorporated sound effects to ensure that the short film was as effective as possible. When the match on action shot was used we used sound effects to relate to other action conventions, for example we used a helicopter sound to suggest drama and secrecy as no one can see it yet they can hear it, as Jess is running it suggests some sort of chase which makes the narrative more entertaining for the audience. 

I believe that the coursework required us to follow the tasks set in order to allow us to practice our camera skills and editing skills, and for some acting skills. I think that it is beneficial due to us now being aware of the surroundings and how well we must plan everything and film everything, I feel that now we have completed the prelim task, we are more prepared for the final opening scene.

Storyboarding The Preliminary Task

When discussing what to include within our preliminary task, we first began thinking about what we needed to include; A character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character with whom they will then exchange conversation with the 180 degree rule, match on action shot and shot reverse shot.. We decided that we would link the storyboard with our genre of action to ensure that we begin to develop ideas for our main piece, we came up with the idea of  using comedy as a sub genre also, this was to make the task appear more appealing and give it a bit of an edge and uniqueness to it in comparison with others. 

We brainstormed ideas together, thinking about what action conventions are effective within a short film, we came up with the ideas of lots of fast paced motion and agreed that there should be an element of mystery that is withheld until the end to ensure that the audience is intrigued when watching, deciding on how to open the short task we decided to have a nervous and panicked character in a wide shot to show basic surroundings and emotion. Where the soundtrack is concerned we agreed to have it silent to create tension and mystery to give an edgy feel. For the main idea we decided to have Jess (shown on the right of the photograph) as the main protagonist, we would have her shown to be panicked stressed and on edge about a mystery delivery only for the ending to be revealed that it is only a pizza, giving it the comedy element. For the exchanged conversation we decided to have Ashleigh, another member of our group, come in and question her about the mystery delivery to ensure that we have exchanged conversation and also include the 180 degree rule as we do this. Where the match on action shot is concerned we have the protagonist run through several doors in urgency to create a sense of drama and thrill. 
Overall I believe that we have appealed to the audience of action films due to the fact that we have included tension and a lot of movement for example the protagonist chasing towards the delivery. We have ensured that we have included symbols and signs that the audience will be able to recognise to suggest mystery via semiotic value such as hidden notes to suggest that the mystery character should not be found but hidden away which supports Propp's theory of the narrative being driven by symbols and signs, points of cultural reference and simple description and reproduction. To creates mystery we ensured that simple description was used within dialogue however included lack of information to drive the plot further as it would intrigue the audience more and therefore made sure they continued to watch.

Certified BBFC

When discussing  BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) we decided that we were going to ensure that our film was a 12, this meaning that only people at the age of 12 and older are able to watch the production due to including; moderate violence, which will be included as it is a common action film convention, threat again typical as the antagonist  will be a  alarming frightening character further. Moreover, to add more of a comical sub genre some mild language may be used however nothing extreme to ensure that it remains a 12, alongside this,  to ensure that the film appeals to the secondary audience of females we have also decided to include romance as a sub genre, therefore sexual references may be included however done subtly and mildly to ensure it is not too obvious yet maintains effective.

To ensure we have chosen the appropriate BBFC rating, we further researched into other action films and their BBFC ratings and institutions to see if we could make comparisons or any links.

• The Hunger Games Mocking Jay Part 1 (Liongsgate): 12 Due to the moderate violence and threat of the action of the film, I believe this is a 12 as the threat would be unsuitable for a child as it may appear frightening and distressing.

• James Bond: Casino Royale (Columbia Pictures): 12A due to the acts of violence commonly found within action films, sexual nudity and a scene of torture.

• Lord Of The Rings (New Line Cinemas): 12 due to some mild language to create drama and to reflect emotion within characters and some violence that some viewers may find offensive at a younger age.

Other BBFC certificates we could've applied to our filming are shown below:

Exploration of representation of women

In order to go against most representation of women, I have decided to view how women are particularly portrayed in a drama based genre, this will allow me to explore in further depth how women are typically portrayed in order to create drama and excitement as this will enable me to incorporate these within my groups opening sequence. As discussed within the group, we have decided to go against typical representations of women, and so this will allow us to view the conventions in which we must challenge

Representation of “Naomi Clark” within 90210 from season 1-5.

90210 is a teen drama in which attempts to represent the lives of older teenagers within Beverley Hills. The audience are typically girls aged between 15-18 as the storylines target current events that could possibly be occurring in their life, thus giving them almost a relationship with the characters also supported by the idea that as the characters get older, so do the audience. Furthermore, the reason some people may choose to watch this as to aspire to their lives and escape from realism, as the life they portray as having is extremely busy and popular as they’re wealthy and young - a lot like within action films.

One of the main female roles within this series is Naomi Clark, although within the first season arguably she reflects many theories revolving around representation of women, I would now suggest that she is now challenging these representations and stereotypes within season 5. Within the first season Naomi was portrayed as superior and pretentious as she had extreme wealth and power over her peers as long as they were female for she appeared extremely dependent on the fact that she needed her boyfriend – Ethan. This was shown as shocking as she appeared strong and dominant which challenges typical representation and stereotypes as one of the six technical codes of presenting gender would suggest that women are less-dominant than men however she is shown to reflect male approval as even when she did not longer have feelings for her boyfriend she wanted his approval and attention.

As times have developed so has the character, thus challenging McNiel’s theory in 1975 of women’s movement being ignored, as Naomi became extremely independent, reflecting the typical, more recent views on women and their equality. Furthermore, Naomi is shown to challenge more feminist theories as she is shown to be career driven and ambitious as she is soon to make her own business showing that she does not aspire to have children and marry like the rest of her peers, she begins to show lack of emotion and becomes stronger when things don’t appear to go her way, again challenging typical stereotypes of women being more passive and emotional.

Despite this, Naomi does appear to reflect the typical “beauty” look where appearance is concerned throughout as she is constantly shown to be eager in fashion. Within season one however, she attempts to embarrass everyone who looks different however as she grows she begins to understand more and become more willing of change at the end of the series. She reflects the male gaze theory as she is sexualised, both by herself and men as she usually uses her body to get what she wants, constantly putting on bikinis and strutting around her slim body that most of the audience would aspire too. Thus may reflect Fouts theory within 2002 of young single women conforming to the girl next door appearance, tall and thin, whilst mocking any women that look bigger or “less attractive” this is represented when Naomi meets one of her old high school friends and expresses in delight “you’ve lost so much weight, you look great now”

Match-on Action, 180 Degree Rule, Shot Reverse Shot

Within most action films, match on action edits are used to relate one shot with another, this ensures that the audience are aware of the storyline or subject to continue which allows the scene to flow in a comfortable and professional manner. To help me visualise, I have researched a number of match-on action transitions such as within the Matrix however I have found a clip that will display the edit quickly to allow me to reflect more efficiently. 

Next I have researched the 180 degree rule, this is typically used to show a sense of direction for the audience. This transition is where characters within the scene are given the same left to right camera angle to help show the scene, usually this is used when showing conversations. 

A shot reverse shot is used in combination with the 180 degree rule commonly this shot used to show how a conversation is carried out, it is when one character is shown as looking at another point (usually the same direction as the other character) and then the camera flips to show the other character within the conversation, this is used within action to help show the reactions from other characters which could develop the audience’s understanding as shown within the hunger games.

Audience Profile

Blog Feedback

When receiving feedback on my blog I was pleased to see I had met the majority of targets set throughout the first term alongside managing to relate the majority of it to my coursework and genre. Within starting my blog many posts have helped me develop my understanding and further my research within media studies and film, for example when discussing angle shots I am now aware of what action films usually use and why furthermore developing my knowledge on suitable camera transitions between shots. With studying texts such as James Bond film poster I have developed an understanding of representation of both genders within the media, this has lead me and my group to decide that we would go against some representations however also support some to give the film more of a entertaining and unusual twist however still reinforce obvious action conventions such as “classy” costumes for the protagonist to show wealth and success. Moreover, I believe that within my blog I have successfully used a range of different platforms as I have shown videos, images, text and Powepoints however I am yet to use other platforms such as prezi, I have not yet used prezi as it is unable to work well with school computers and therefore would limit me to updating it within school. Within my blog I believe I have shown independence as I have left the lesson and researched topics learnt in class to broaden my understanding for example with audience theories I am now aware of some examples in which I could use to support them alongside the experiments used. Overall I believe that I have taken on board what was expected of me and ensured the essentials were on my blog however I believe I good develop my independent research further and upload more relevant information about my genre and how it would support me in my studies.

Collaboration

Recently, my group came together in order to discuss our ideas on action films, including the conventions and how we could incorporate them into our opening scene, we developed upon each others ideas and views on what we find most entertaining, thrilling and interesting within action films. To ensure that all our newly developed ideas were all together we created a mind map on what our film would entail.

 

First we discussed the opening scene, we believed that most of the greatest action films begin with a car chase (I am legend,  James Bond) as it is straight into the action and gets the audience intrigued suddenly. We decided that the costumes within the car chase should reflect each character and possibly create a plot twist and go against some action conventions to create more of a shocking effect on the audience. For example,  we have decided to place the antagonist in a black suite to foreshadow death which meets Propp’s theory of the narrative been driven by semiotics and points of cultural reference, this indicated to the audience that the antagonist will die, as they usually do as good defeats evil. The black suit is not typically stereotypical for the antagonist to wear as they are usually in more formal clothing, this will create the questioning to the audience of “who’s who?” and therefore will engage the audience further in order to answer their questions. For the person that is being chased we have decided to make her female, as this goes against the stereotype of women being weak and less dominant than men, we have dressed her also In a black suite as black reflects death, mystery and evil alongside being the opposite to white which suggests purity and innocence which goes against the final girl theory of the female that defeats evil is innocent and pure. We played around with the idea that the woman should have some sort of big dog that could show companionship and loyalty alongside having the stereotype that bigger dogs are more dangerous making the audience believe that she is evil when she in fact is the antagonist. We have decided to support the male gaze theory by having the protagonist have a gang leader which is also a female however is dressed very provocatively possibly to show a sense of danger and confidence however we thought that we could give her a scar to juxtapose against the proactive manner as the scar suggests strength and power to show that she goes against what she appears to be.

Next we discussed setting, from our research of action convention films and our surroundings close to us to keep a realistic view we begun to think about areas we could use. We began to think about the opening scene, the car chase, we knew that we would need a derelict road with no traffic or pedestrians around as it would keep the main focus on the two characters we have alongside making it more dramatic and entertaining. Furthermore we thought about after the car chase, "what would create mystery yet danger?" suggested Jess, from researching a variation of opening scenes and trailers we came to the decision that a dark room with minimalistic lighting would create the atmosphere we were looking for as this setting is commonly used for when attempting to interrogate a character as well as representing the dominance from the character who is questioning. 

Non-diegetic sound and diegetic sound was discussed within the opening sequence, from prior knowledge in action films we previously watched such as other a-level media film trailers and openings such as"The underdog" and other high budget films such as skyfall James Bond we realised that the majority of action films have an up-beat soundtrack, we decided to have this playing from the title credits through to the moment that the car chase ends as it allows a smooth transaction between the two and also gives the audience an idea of how the movie will begin however other non-diegetic sounds we are planning on incorporating are car breaks to show emphasis on the speed and danger both of the characters are involved in alongside having a wheel spin sound effect and an engine roaring. We are planning to use gun fire to ensure that violence is immediately conveyed as well as using a dog barking to create a sense of danger also. Where diegetic sound is concerned we have discussed that we will include dialogue heavy breathing to show the toughness of the situation, loud food steps to show the pace of how quickly the film has escalated which could link in with the sound of heeled shoes. 

With the narrative also being discussed we planned on using a flashback of a video with the protagonist meeting with the antagonist to create further questions for the audience to want to answer by reading on, this also creates a plot twist as binary opposites are not supposed to work together or be seen communicating unless attempting to threat or defeat one another however this does develop the plot further which supports Levi Strauss' theory. 

James Bond Poster Analysis of Representation

.Within this film poster of James Bond, certain action conventions are apparent. The use of the female slouching by the male protagonist's feet suggests that she is extremely dependant on him, moreover, the Bond girl also helps reflect Bond's representation as he appears more masculine as people are always relying on him and further suggesting that Bond is irresistible to women making the target audience of males to want to come and watch the film to aspire to be like him. Furthermore, the female's appearance and representation links with the feminist theory by Laura Mulvey who is a film scholar, she stated that females are used within media texts for visual pleasure, she deemed that females were objectified and sexualised for both the audience and for the male characters. This theory is supported as she is wearing minimal clothes which show her the majority of her body including her body language being extremely sensual as she is bending and rising her shoulder forward in order for her breasts to appear more forward which makes the representation of this woman quite promiscuous giving her the "Barbie Doll" persona of having no intelligence yet beauty. The fact that she is below him also emphasises power within action films as it shows that she is the one that is in need of his help as she is physically relying on him in order for her to stay stable, the use of him being stood up helps reflect his dominance and masculinity and also emphasises how small and little she is which also reinforces her being an object as she is almost irrelevant to him as he is showing no signs of compassion.

Bond himself however is represented in a completely different manner, he appears classy, sophisticated and also charming. The audience get these impressions from him by the use of his facial expressions, costume and props which have been used for example, his facial expression has one raised eyebrow and a smirk, this shows that he has confidence and high self esteem as it is suggesting he has a cunning plan which gives the audience the idea that he is unbeatable. The use of his suit costume gives him the appearance that suggests being wealthy and intelligent and very professional which may appeal to the second audience of females. The use of the prop helps reinforce his masculinity further as the weapon suggests that he is dangerous and is capable of violent actions in which a typical "man" is able to do, alongside this it is a long phallic shape which has sexual connotations which possibly threats other males and makes him appear even more masculine and dominant.

Action Narratives

Who are the audience for action films?

Typically, action films have a wide broad audience from older adults and elders from 50+ for the film “Las Vegas” to teenagers and young adults between the ages of 16-25 in the Batman films. Audiences tend to have the demographics of working class to upper class, this could be as the psychographics of the working to upper class tend to be aspirers, they aspire to have the lifestyle the characters have including all the gadgets and wealth further more they may use this as a distraction from daily life and a way to escape into media. The gender I would say is the majority male this Is because most protagonists within action films are men with a classy sophisticated lifestyle that are extremely muscular and masculine, they usually show lack of feelings towards killing as this makes them appear possibly weak and vulnerable,  this may appeal to men as they may aspire to be like them as mentioned previously however a second audience may be females as they may be attracted to the male character used furthermore may find the plot exciting and thrilling. As mentioned previously, the ages of the audience is dependant on the film however I believe action is mainly aimed at younger adults as they mind find the violence and fast paced action entertaining and exciting.. The ethnicity of the audience chosen may vary as there are a lot of actors and actresses of mutli-ethnic background which appeals to a variation for example Will smith in “I am legend” may appeal to a African American audience.

Opening Scene Analysis

Camera Movements, Lighting & Sound

Camera Movements include:

During a film, camera movements can be used to ensure that drama, excitement or action is.

Panning: When the camera moves from right to left or left to right on a pivot however a whip pan may also be used to create more intense action at a quicker pace , this is simply just panning at a faster speed.

Zoom: This is usually used in films such as action or spy, this is because it is commonly used when representing binoculars, zoom is a way of moving in and out of objects without moving the camera however is often rather shaky which suggests amateurish camera work.

.Tracking / dolly shots: To show car chases or fast paced motion to entertain, a dolly shot is when the camera moves to follow or track a person or object typically on rails to improve stability when filming.

Static camera: Camera in a fixed position and does not move, usually occurs before a dramatic event to prepare the audience and possibly shock, usually used in horror or thriller films. 

High angle or low angle shots: To help show who the superior person is (perhaps between the villain and hero). A high or low angle shot is a camera shot taken from either a lower perspective or higher to convey dominance.

The video example below shows off the techniques and camera movements within the car chase in "The sweeney" (from 0.45 seconds) I have included this as it will help me develop my camera skills when creating my action coursework as it puts in to act most of the shots I am looking to use.

Lighting

Where lighting is concerned, through research I have carried out it becomes apparent that where high tension action scenes are filmed the lighting is usually dark and with some high contrast. This, I believe allows it to look more exciting and edgy as the dark creates enigma for the audience and possibly reflects criminal behaviour however the contrast creates a more busy/action packed feel to the scene. Typically within action films artificial lighting is used to make the scene appear more exciting and vibrant however occasionally natural lighting can be used to make the scene appear more realistic and therefore believable. Within our production, we are most likely going to use artificial lighting to make it appear more professional and exciting as we will be doing some of the scenes at night and so will need artificial lighting for the opening sequence to be the best possible quality. 

Sound

With regards to sound, most action films use non-diagetic sound in order to make a scene more exciting, allowing the audience to be guided to how they should feel. For example, suspense can be created by starting off slow and gradually picking up the pace to become faster and faster, here this will allow the audience to feel the tension and possibly the importance of the scene. Soundtracks including electric guitar, piano and drums are typically used as they allow a specific beat and have a "pop" feel. Furthermore, where sound effects are also concerned, many action films utilise these to exaggerate what is happening on screen, for example when a police chase is happening the use of sliding tires and police sirens will be added in after to make the scene appear more dramatic and therefore exciting.