A film noir is traditionally used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, especially the type with sexual motivations and to emphasize cynical attitudes. Film noir is believed to of started from the early 1940’s stretching to the late 1950’s. This era of film noir is associated with a low key, black and white visual style. French critic ‘Nino Frank’ was the first person to use the term film noir. This was unknown to most American film industry professionals from this classical era. Film noir covers many different plots such as the lead role, which tends to be a detective, plain clothes police man, ageing boxer, hapless grafter, a law abiding citizen lured into criminal life, or a victim of incident.
In the beginning stages of a film noir most features where American productions, from the 1960 are onwards however film noir has been made throughout the world. Despite different producers and script writers, each individual film noir still contains attributes from the originals.
Neo noir are simply modern renditions and echoes of the classic version of film noir. “The first major film to overly work this angle, was French Director ‘Jean-Luc Godard’s’ Á Bout De Soufflé, which pays it’s literal respects to Bogart and his crime films while brandishing a bold new style for a new day”. Film noir and Neo Noir are generally set post date (before the time they were filmed).
Visual styles of film noir – They tend to use low key lighting schemes which produce light and dark contrasts, giving the film a dramatic shadow patterning. Film noir has developed ‘a cliché’ of sorts, this being the shadow cast upon a scene from venetian blinds or banister rods; this came before the Neo era. Due to the intensity of darkness from the black and white contrast, sometimes the characters faces are partially or wholly obscured in darkness; this is rare in conventional Hollywood movie making. Many directors and movie critics consider black and white cinematography to be one of the essential attributes of classic noir.
Plots, characters and settings. – all film noirs have the element of crime – usually murder. Motivations for the crimes are generally greed or jealousy. There will be in all film noirs an investigator, whom is prevalent, but far from dominant. False suspicions and accusations of the crime are a common trait in the plot. The heroes in the plots of film noir, who are morally questionable, are often fall guys of some sort. Film noir is generally associated with urban settings in cities such as: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco etc. The cities where they are set are said to be by critics “like a labyrinth or maze” – including settings within bars, lounges, night clubs and gambling venues; these tend to be the scenes of action! Commonly in film noir there is a lot of filming set at night or whilst it is raining.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Audience Research
Film Noir Target Audience
We intend to produce a film noir opening sequence with a rating of 15. Due to the research on target audience it means we could use some violence and bad language in the clip.
BBFC Classifications
We intend to produce a film noir opening sequence with a rating of 15. Due to the research on target audience it means we could use some violence and bad language in the clip.
BBFC Classifications
Typical Film Noir Classifications
L.A Confidential- Rated R by the MPAA which is equivelant to an 18 rating in the UK.
Sunset Boulevard- PG rated as it is set in the 1950’s
Double Indemnity- PG rated made around 1944
Memento- 15 rated made in 2000 contains frequent strong language
The Usual Suspects- rated 18 made in 1995 has an adult theme and strong scenes of sex or violence or bad language
The hays code had to be obeyed in earlier film times from 1930 to 1968. During these years film producers had to limit the amount of explicit footage seen or heard on screen. After 1968 it is clear that the ratings of film noirs dramatically increased due to the extra bad language etc that was added.
The Production Code enumerated three "General Principles" as follows:
No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.
Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.
Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.
Specific restrictions were spelled out as "Particular Applications" of these principles:
Nakedness and suggestive dances were prohibited.
The ridicule of religion was forbidden, and ministers of religion were not to be represented as comic characters or villains.
The depiction of illegal drug use was forbidden, as well as the use of liquor, "when not required by the plot or for proper characterization".
Methods of crime (e.g. safe-cracking, arson, smuggling) were not to be explicitly presented.
References to alleged sex perversion (such as homosexuality) and venereal disease were forbidden, as were depictions of childbirth.
The language section banned various words and phrases that were considered to be offensive.
Murder scenes had to be filmed in a way that would discourage imitations in real life, and brutal killings could not be shown in detail. "Revenge in modern times" was not to be justified.
The sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld. "Pictures shall not imply that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing". Adultery and illicit sex, although recognized as sometimes necessary to the plot, could not be explicit or justified and were not supposed to be presented as an attractive option.
Portrayals of miscegenation were forbidden.
"Scenes of Passion" were not to be introduced when not essential to the plot. "Excessive and lustful kissing" was to be avoided, along with any other treatment that might "stimulate the lower and baser element".
The flag of the United States was to be treated respectfully, and the people and history of other nations were to be presented "fairly".
The treatment of "Vulgarity", defined as "low, disgusting, unpleasant, though not necessarily evil, subjects" must be "subject to the dictates of good taste". Capital punishment, "third degree methods", cruelty to children, animals, prostitution and surgical operations were to be handled with similar sensitivity.
L.A Confidential- Rated R by the MPAA which is equivelant to an 18 rating in the UK.
Sunset Boulevard- PG rated as it is set in the 1950’s
Double Indemnity- PG rated made around 1944
Memento- 15 rated made in 2000 contains frequent strong language
The Usual Suspects- rated 18 made in 1995 has an adult theme and strong scenes of sex or violence or bad language
The hays code had to be obeyed in earlier film times from 1930 to 1968. During these years film producers had to limit the amount of explicit footage seen or heard on screen. After 1968 it is clear that the ratings of film noirs dramatically increased due to the extra bad language etc that was added.
The Production Code enumerated three "General Principles" as follows:
No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.
Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.
Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.
Specific restrictions were spelled out as "Particular Applications" of these principles:
Nakedness and suggestive dances were prohibited.
The ridicule of religion was forbidden, and ministers of religion were not to be represented as comic characters or villains.
The depiction of illegal drug use was forbidden, as well as the use of liquor, "when not required by the plot or for proper characterization".
Methods of crime (e.g. safe-cracking, arson, smuggling) were not to be explicitly presented.
References to alleged sex perversion (such as homosexuality) and venereal disease were forbidden, as were depictions of childbirth.
The language section banned various words and phrases that were considered to be offensive.
Murder scenes had to be filmed in a way that would discourage imitations in real life, and brutal killings could not be shown in detail. "Revenge in modern times" was not to be justified.
The sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld. "Pictures shall not imply that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing". Adultery and illicit sex, although recognized as sometimes necessary to the plot, could not be explicit or justified and were not supposed to be presented as an attractive option.
Portrayals of miscegenation were forbidden.
"Scenes of Passion" were not to be introduced when not essential to the plot. "Excessive and lustful kissing" was to be avoided, along with any other treatment that might "stimulate the lower and baser element".
The flag of the United States was to be treated respectfully, and the people and history of other nations were to be presented "fairly".
The treatment of "Vulgarity", defined as "low, disgusting, unpleasant, though not necessarily evil, subjects" must be "subject to the dictates of good taste". Capital punishment, "third degree methods", cruelty to children, animals, prostitution and surgical operations were to be handled with similar sensitivity.
Monday, 25 January 2010
LA Confidential's opening sequence
LA Confidential
LA Continental’s opening sequence starts off with a close up of brightly colour postcards of Los Angeles and yellow titles in the bottom right hand corner whilst a soundtrack of classical ballroom music plays over the top, with narration about life in L.A. A fade transition then bring us into the next long shot of a family on the beach in a hot summers day, portraying L.A. as a family place with good weather and this is portrayed in the next establishing shot of the whole beach. We then move on from the beach through a tracking shot of trees making the audience feels as though they are in a vehicle of some sort. The screen is then split in to four, each window showing classical jobs within L.A. with the title LA Confidential slanted across the screen. An establishing shot then shows us a small housing estate using a tracking shot as well, before moving on to another family scene in a pool and round the family table praying. Through out this, yellow titles are placed at the bottom of the screen allowing the audience that they are there without taking the focus off the action, as well as narration linking in to what is being shown on the screen. We then move on through the narration to what you may come across in LA, showing a close up of Marilyn Monroe greeting people on the red carpet, as well as other famous people. Each shot following is close ups portraying LA as a nice family place without nothing to worry about, a bit like paradise. A low angle is then used to show the height of buildings portraying businesses, following this are shots of different types of businesses which take place within LA, before showing again shots making LA seem like paradise as well as the narration complimenting the police for it is them who have made LA what it is. The narration then changes its tune by saying ‘but there’s trouble in paradise’ and naming the main criminal within the film as a pan leads into a zoom upon his face, as well as showing his bodyguard living up to his title, for when some one pops the cork of a champagne bottle he reaches for his gun realising what it actually was. A close up of money is then shown through a medium shot, portraying how much people earn through crimes, then listed through narration and the next few shots and how they are published. Through out this the narration has been used as a sound bridge linking all the shots together smoothly up until the narrator is revealed publishing what he has been saying on a typewriter. The opening sequence then ends with a black background and the yellow title of director in the middle of the screen whilst the soundtrack fades out.
LA Continental’s opening sequence starts off with a close up of brightly colour postcards of Los Angeles and yellow titles in the bottom right hand corner whilst a soundtrack of classical ballroom music plays over the top, with narration about life in L.A. A fade transition then bring us into the next long shot of a family on the beach in a hot summers day, portraying L.A. as a family place with good weather and this is portrayed in the next establishing shot of the whole beach. We then move on from the beach through a tracking shot of trees making the audience feels as though they are in a vehicle of some sort. The screen is then split in to four, each window showing classical jobs within L.A. with the title LA Confidential slanted across the screen. An establishing shot then shows us a small housing estate using a tracking shot as well, before moving on to another family scene in a pool and round the family table praying. Through out this, yellow titles are placed at the bottom of the screen allowing the audience that they are there without taking the focus off the action, as well as narration linking in to what is being shown on the screen. We then move on through the narration to what you may come across in LA, showing a close up of Marilyn Monroe greeting people on the red carpet, as well as other famous people. Each shot following is close ups portraying LA as a nice family place without nothing to worry about, a bit like paradise. A low angle is then used to show the height of buildings portraying businesses, following this are shots of different types of businesses which take place within LA, before showing again shots making LA seem like paradise as well as the narration complimenting the police for it is them who have made LA what it is. The narration then changes its tune by saying ‘but there’s trouble in paradise’ and naming the main criminal within the film as a pan leads into a zoom upon his face, as well as showing his bodyguard living up to his title, for when some one pops the cork of a champagne bottle he reaches for his gun realising what it actually was. A close up of money is then shown through a medium shot, portraying how much people earn through crimes, then listed through narration and the next few shots and how they are published. Through out this the narration has been used as a sound bridge linking all the shots together smoothly up until the narrator is revealed publishing what he has been saying on a typewriter. The opening sequence then ends with a black background and the yellow title of director in the middle of the screen whilst the soundtrack fades out.
Friday, 22 January 2010
our initial idea for our opening sequence of film noir
Idea 1
In the beginning we start with the credits. This is cross cutting with a person holding a camera in an eye line match. This person is running through a wooded area, panting and the camera keeps looking behind to show that they are running from something. The credits keep cutting with a calm but fast paced piano/brass piece over the top of the panting. The person then runs to hide and is killed. The credits end showing the title of the film. We then cut to the next day at a crime scene, the woman is dead and the inspectors are there investigating. The inspector is smoking. And at the end of our clip he flings the cigarette towards the body and walks away.
Group
My group consists of 4 people: Myself, Ashleigh Robinson, Christopher Hodgson, Caroline Huntley.
The genre of film we have decided to do is film noir.
We are currently discussing ideas for our opening sequence.
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