http://prezi.com/vpfqqpjn4d7_/ A link of my evaluation in prezi format is provided, also a PDF version has been embedded if required evaluation-of-media-film/media evaluation
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Monday, 27 January 2014
Research of Action Directors and Their Filming Styles
In looking at research before our film I have looked at some of the top credited action directors, and the kind of films they film and how they film them.
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin tarantino is known for directing only a few films but almost all of those films being big successes, such as Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction and more recently Django Unchained, throughout these films he is known for his over the top action style scenes, usually having massive amount of blood and violence, he is known that he likes to shock the audience with gruesome and sudden deaths of major characters.
Unlike other directors he is not afraid to show blood spurts and generally uses real life things to show effects rather than CGI like other directors. Almost all of his films are controversial due to having excessive violence or racist themes, such as in Django and Inglorious Bastards.
James Cameron
James Cameron is known for being ambitious rather than unique and like to try things other directors might be afraid of trying, he is also known as a director that, unlike Tarantino, like to use special effects whenever possible, films such as Avatar show this as he likes to show that he could make almost an entire film with green screen and special effects, because of this many of his films take place in the future and have a sci-fi theme to them, he originally became a director due to his sprawling imagination when thinking of movie ideas, and this still shows today.
Along with using many different special effects techniques he was also one of the first major directors using 3D filming in his film, while before it was very rarely used, James Cameron brought 3D back into the filming industry, he started of the 3D craze with Avatar, one the first films that could use 3D effectively and amaze audiences, now a days all most all films use 3D.
Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson is most famously known for the Lord Of The Rings series, and more recently the Hobbit movies, his style of action movies generally focus on a strong narrative rather than lots of action scenes, when filming action scenes he, like James Cameron, likes to blend a use of CGI while also using live action, he generally directs in the fantasy genre, but while they are fantasy they are also action.
His Lord Of The Rings movies are critically acclaimed, and as a directer he likes to tell a in depth storyline rather than overflow the movie with action scenes that don't bring anything to the movie, therefore you can learn from him that sometimes the story behind the action is more important than the action itself, if you use this in an introduction it means rather than actually showing action you just give the audience an idea of the genre to set up the action after the introduction.
-Quinn Nolan
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin tarantino is known for directing only a few films but almost all of those films being big successes, such as Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction and more recently Django Unchained, throughout these films he is known for his over the top action style scenes, usually having massive amount of blood and violence, he is known that he likes to shock the audience with gruesome and sudden deaths of major characters.
Unlike other directors he is not afraid to show blood spurts and generally uses real life things to show effects rather than CGI like other directors. Almost all of his films are controversial due to having excessive violence or racist themes, such as in Django and Inglorious Bastards.
James Cameron
James Cameron is known for being ambitious rather than unique and like to try things other directors might be afraid of trying, he is also known as a director that, unlike Tarantino, like to use special effects whenever possible, films such as Avatar show this as he likes to show that he could make almost an entire film with green screen and special effects, because of this many of his films take place in the future and have a sci-fi theme to them, he originally became a director due to his sprawling imagination when thinking of movie ideas, and this still shows today.
Along with using many different special effects techniques he was also one of the first major directors using 3D filming in his film, while before it was very rarely used, James Cameron brought 3D back into the filming industry, he started of the 3D craze with Avatar, one the first films that could use 3D effectively and amaze audiences, now a days all most all films use 3D.
Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson is most famously known for the Lord Of The Rings series, and more recently the Hobbit movies, his style of action movies generally focus on a strong narrative rather than lots of action scenes, when filming action scenes he, like James Cameron, likes to blend a use of CGI while also using live action, he generally directs in the fantasy genre, but while they are fantasy they are also action.
His Lord Of The Rings movies are critically acclaimed, and as a directer he likes to tell a in depth storyline rather than overflow the movie with action scenes that don't bring anything to the movie, therefore you can learn from him that sometimes the story behind the action is more important than the action itself, if you use this in an introduction it means rather than actually showing action you just give the audience an idea of the genre to set up the action after the introduction.
-Quinn Nolan
Monday, 13 January 2014
Research of action films production companies
To assist with our film production, conducting research on production companies who have produced action films will enhance our knowledge on the genre, and will also display that we can produce relevant research, which meets the criteria of AO4, which is marked on ability to produce appropriate research.
Lionsgate is a good example of a production company who produce action films. first major box office success was American Psycho in 2000, which began a trend of producing and distributing films too controversial for the major American studios including Lolita. Other notable films included Affliction, Gods and Monsters, Dogma, Saw, and the Michael Moore documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 which had been the studio's highest grossing film until the release of The Hunger Games in 2012. The hunger games films have been a huge success for the company, with the recent 'Catching Fire' instalment receiving rave reviews from audiences worldwide. In its first weekend, The Hunger Games grossed $152.5 million, making it Lionsgate's highest grossing film after just three days. This success underlined the companies glowing reputation which was further enhanced from the huge success of The Hunger Games.
Working Title are another example of a production company which have produced action films. Co-founded in 1983 by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe, Working Title have gone on to produce films such as the 2013 film 'Rush' which relives the intense rivalry between Formula 1 legends Niki Lauda and James Hunt. As of November 2013, the film has grossed $26,903,709, underlining the success the company has had in producing the film.
20th Century Fox is without a doubt the most well known company. Films such as Avatar, written and directed by James Cameron, has grossed a staggering $760,505,847 as of 12th November 2010. The success of this film underlines the huge status of the company, and secures its status as a giant in the industry.
With all these companies producing extremely successful action films, hopefully we can replicate some of the skills used, and use this research to our advantage, as we look to improve our film in any way we can.
- Jak
Lionsgate is a good example of a production company who produce action films. first major box office success was American Psycho in 2000, which began a trend of producing and distributing films too controversial for the major American studios including Lolita. Other notable films included Affliction, Gods and Monsters, Dogma, Saw, and the Michael Moore documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 which had been the studio's highest grossing film until the release of The Hunger Games in 2012. The hunger games films have been a huge success for the company, with the recent 'Catching Fire' instalment receiving rave reviews from audiences worldwide. In its first weekend, The Hunger Games grossed $152.5 million, making it Lionsgate's highest grossing film after just three days. This success underlined the companies glowing reputation which was further enhanced from the huge success of The Hunger Games.
Working Title are another example of a production company which have produced action films. Co-founded in 1983 by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe, Working Title have gone on to produce films such as the 2013 film 'Rush' which relives the intense rivalry between Formula 1 legends Niki Lauda and James Hunt. As of November 2013, the film has grossed $26,903,709, underlining the success the company has had in producing the film.
20th Century Fox is without a doubt the most well known company. Films such as Avatar, written and directed by James Cameron, has grossed a staggering $760,505,847 as of 12th November 2010. The success of this film underlines the huge status of the company, and secures its status as a giant in the industry.
With all these companies producing extremely successful action films, hopefully we can replicate some of the skills used, and use this research to our advantage, as we look to improve our film in any way we can.
- Jak
Friday, 6 December 2013
Research of films relating to our film
The film Stolen (2012) is a film which fits the criteria for our film. Directed by Simon West, A desperate thief has just 12 hours to steal $10 million and save his daughter from his vengeful former partner in this fast-paced action thriller reuniting Nicolas Cage and director Simon West. Determined to get the payout for a major heist gone awry, a degenerate criminal (Josh Lucas) kidnaps the daughter (Sami Gayle) of his one-time partner-in-crime (Cage), and threatens her life if he doesn't have the money in 12 hours. Now, with the clock ticking and his daughter trapped in a random taxi being driven around New Orleans, the frantic ex-con enlists the help of a former associate (Malin Akerman) to help pull off the heist that will save his little girl's life. Danny Huston and M.C. Gainey also star. This relates to our film, because the fast paced action over a short timescale is what we are trying to replicate.
The Town(2010) is another relevant film. Directed by Ben Affleck, Boston bank robber Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) falls for a woman his gang had previously taken hostage after feigning a chance meeting with her to ensure that she can't identify them in Affleck's adaptation of author Chuck Hogan's novel Prince of Thieves. The son of a tough Charlestown, MA thief, Doug passed on his chance to walk the straight and narrow in favor of becoming a career bank robber. Not only is Doug's crew one of the most ruthless in Boston, but they're also one of the best; they never leave a trace of evidence, and always make a clean break. Over the years, Doug's fearless partners in crime have become something of a surrogate family to him; Jem (Jeremy Renner), the most dangerous of the bunch, is the closest thing Doug has ever had to a brother.
But a divide begins to open between the two career criminals when Jem takes bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) hostage during a particularly tense heist, and the group subsequently discovers that she hails from their own tight-knit suburb. When Jem proposes that the gang make an effort to find out just how much Claire recalls about the crime, Doug fears that his volatile partner may do more harm than good and volunteers himself for the job. Later, Doug turns on the charm while pretending to bump into Claire by chance, and becomes convinced that she doesn't suspect him of being the same man who just robbed her bank. As the feds turn up the heat on the gang, Doug finds himself falling for Claire, and searching desperately for a means of cutting his ties to his criminal past. But with each passing day, Jem grows increasingly suspicious of Doug's true motivations. Now caught between two worlds with no chance of turning back, Doug realizes that his only hope for finding a happy future is to betray the only family he's ever known.
These all relate to our film as they are within the same genre and have a slight correlation to our own ideas regarding a heist.
- Jak
The Town(2010) is another relevant film. Directed by Ben Affleck, Boston bank robber Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) falls for a woman his gang had previously taken hostage after feigning a chance meeting with her to ensure that she can't identify them in Affleck's adaptation of author Chuck Hogan's novel Prince of Thieves. The son of a tough Charlestown, MA thief, Doug passed on his chance to walk the straight and narrow in favor of becoming a career bank robber. Not only is Doug's crew one of the most ruthless in Boston, but they're also one of the best; they never leave a trace of evidence, and always make a clean break. Over the years, Doug's fearless partners in crime have become something of a surrogate family to him; Jem (Jeremy Renner), the most dangerous of the bunch, is the closest thing Doug has ever had to a brother.
But a divide begins to open between the two career criminals when Jem takes bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) hostage during a particularly tense heist, and the group subsequently discovers that she hails from their own tight-knit suburb. When Jem proposes that the gang make an effort to find out just how much Claire recalls about the crime, Doug fears that his volatile partner may do more harm than good and volunteers himself for the job. Later, Doug turns on the charm while pretending to bump into Claire by chance, and becomes convinced that she doesn't suspect him of being the same man who just robbed her bank. As the feds turn up the heat on the gang, Doug finds himself falling for Claire, and searching desperately for a means of cutting his ties to his criminal past. But with each passing day, Jem grows increasingly suspicious of Doug's true motivations. Now caught between two worlds with no chance of turning back, Doug realizes that his only hope for finding a happy future is to betray the only family he's ever known.
These all relate to our film as they are within the same genre and have a slight correlation to our own ideas regarding a heist.
- Jak
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Knowing Our Target Audience
Firstly considering other action movies which are going to be similar to ours almost all are over 12, 15 or 18 age content, with that in mind we can consider what elements of our movie would make the target audience change, firstly because of the genre being action, and our film containing guns, death and bank robberies, it is likely that our film will appeal to a male audience rather than a female audience.
So considering our audience is male, it is likely due to the contents of our film, that our film would most likely interest young adults. The reason for this is because of the fact it has death and guns it would not be suitable for children, while also having a lot of excitement which would not appeal to people of a much older age.
Although our film would have violence, it is not excessive, and there are no sex or drugs scenes so I believe that the age rating would be 15, meaning I believe are main target audience is: Males, who are rom the ages of 15-30 years old, and are interested in action.
-Quinn Nolan
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Evaluation Of Preliminary Exercise
After posting the preliminary exercise 4 days ago we have had time to evaluate it, and consider what went well and what we did wrong. Firstly from this exercise I learnt how to properly use the shot/ reverse shot, and looking at the film I saw that I almost broke the 180 rule, which means when I film our final film I will know how to film the shot to make sure I do not break the rule, the way I will achieve this is by making sure that if my actors our on the right side of the screen, they need to ne looking across to the actor on the left side of the camera.
Match on action is another shot which is used in the film. In our preliminary film, the shot with the door displays our match on action, as the shot smoothly shifts from a shot of our actor approaching the door, to a close up of our actor opening the door handle. This shot was executed well and this reflects in our film, as the transition between shots are smooth.
The shot/reverse shot was another shot which was required in our 30 second film. This shot was also executed very well, as the shot was clearly identifiable when the conversation switches between the two actors in the shot, which shows the conversation from both character's perspective. A very minor improvement that could be made is the steadiness of the camera, as in our film, there are slight glitches where the camera has moved slightly which could be addressed with a steadier hand.
- Quinn
Match on action is another shot which is used in the film. In our preliminary film, the shot with the door displays our match on action, as the shot smoothly shifts from a shot of our actor approaching the door, to a close up of our actor opening the door handle. This shot was executed well and this reflects in our film, as the transition between shots are smooth.
The shot/reverse shot was another shot which was required in our 30 second film. This shot was also executed very well, as the shot was clearly identifiable when the conversation switches between the two actors in the shot, which shows the conversation from both character's perspective. A very minor improvement that could be made is the steadiness of the camera, as in our film, there are slight glitches where the camera has moved slightly which could be addressed with a steadier hand.
- Quinn
Friday, 8 November 2013
Preliminary Exercise - 30 Second Movie
-Quinn and Jak
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)