2. GENRE
Genre theory is used in the study of films in order to facilitate the
categorization of a moving image. Usually, a films Genre can be analysed
based upon various factors such as what the story line is about, whom the
director is and what are the expectations of the audience. Of which, during
the course of planning our production the three of us have carried out
research into different types of Thriller films, distinguishing common
conventions in which should help us in the making of our moving image.
This is because, it will allow our audience to view our piece and
instantaneously establish that it’s a Thriller Film which allows them to later
work out what the sub-genre is.
3. GENRE
In order to understand Genre we may need to look, at several examples. When an individual
references to a Western film, we know that within this collection of films we may expect to
find gun fights, horses, Indians, the solitary cowboy and to some degree the actors and
directors of such moving images. Another example would be a horror films where by it is
conventional that everybody is likely to die except for one, who is normally represented as
the protagonist with in the film. The audience whom go to view these films expect to see
zombies, wear wolves and more. They also expect certain content and a certain style of film,
with elements of low key lighting being apparent. In terms of the thriller genre we found that
there are many stereotypical conventions and element to the majority of thriller films which
includes dark locations and low key lighting as well as the use of violence to create fear and
tension for the audience.
4. HOW THIS IS GOING TO INFLUENCE
OUR FINAL PIECE?
This research will be useful to our final piece because we are intending to use the genre
of a thriller in our final piece. This research will help us because it helps us understand
how we could show a clear genre as well as how best we could use the genre in order to
make it look more like a realistic thriller film in the crime thriller genre. One specific thing
we are considering using that we found during this research is using low key lighting
within are piece to create a dark atmosphere.
5. AUTEUR
The Auteur theory is a theory of whereby when a film is created, it reflects the director's
personal creative vision. To apply this theory to our own work, as a group we aim try and
encompass some of our personal and individual preferences in relation to our production
piece that fits with the story line. Likewise, our intention is to make a somewhat personal
and recognisable production piece, not just another quintessential Thriller film. As
watchers of Thriller films, despite our limited knowledge, all of us can recognise the
typical main conventions enabling us to understand how our production should look.
6. AUTEUR
When it comes to distinctive style, there’s probably no better modern example than Wes
Anderson, the director of Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Grand
Budapest Hotel. The writer and director is one of the best examples of a modern auteur, with
a whimsical visual style with all his own and narrative tendencies remaining consistent across
his body of work. With a distinct colour palette that links everything from the production
design to the outfits, Anderson adheres to a meticulous set of visual flourishes that give the
director’s film the specific fantastical feeling that all Anderson films have. Corresponding to
framing, Anderson is known to keep his camera mostly stationary, preferring to shoot scenes
in straight-on fashion, something most directors avoid because it prevents the scene from
taking on a three-dimensional feel. This is what Anderson prefers, and the net result is a
series of a shots that often feel as if they are part of a painting rather than a three-
dimensional, moving image.
7. HOW THIS IS GOING TO INFLUENCE
OUR FINAL PIECE?
The auteur research will be useful because for our final project because we believe that
it helps us see what effect the director has on the piece stylistically. Therefore making it
more personalised to us. One way we can achieve this is always starting a new locating
with transition to make something specific to our company and director.
8. AUDIENCE THEORIES
Two step flow
The Two Step Flow theory, was a
hypothesis introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld,
Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet. The
theory consisted of two steps:
• 1. Opinion leaders get information
from a media source
• 2. Opinion leaders then pass the
information, along with their
interpretations, to others, such as friends,
family or acquaintances.
9. AUDIENCE THEORIES
Two step flow continued:
The opinion leaders are people who pay close attention to mass media and what
message they are putting across. They can also be influential figures who a similar to the
people they influence.
The people who receive the information from the opinion leaders are not really informed
by the media and look up to the opinion leaders.
For example, in elections, the opinion leader would be the politician or MP who is an
influential figure to people. They will use the media to influence others to follow them and
vote for them in the upcoming election.
10. HOW THIS IS GOING TO INFLUENCE
OUR FINAL PIECE?
This is going to influence our final piece by showing us how movies gain their audiences,
which will help us when we come to look at our audience in more detail during our
audience research as well as seeing the different types of audience the film is most likely
to have. This will also help us make sure we have the correct target audience as well as
making sure are style of thriller is something that would interest the audience we attract.
11. REPRESENTATION THEORIES
This relates to how people of different, ages, genders, ethnicities, cultures etc. are
presented in the media. The most common things that are represented are age, class,
gender and ethnicity, because, they can be presented in ways that the public will
recognise. This also links into stereotypes because many films use stereotypical
characters and non- stereotypical characters to show a contrasts within the film. For
example, in horror films, women are usually presented as weak and inferior, by the way
they scream all the time and often get killed rather quickly into the film. Class is usually
represented in historic films. There is usually a great divide between rich and poor, this is
often presented through the way characters speak or dress.
12. HOW THIS IS GOING TO INFLUENCE
OUR FINAL PIECE?
This is going to influence the way in which our production uses stereotypes to show the
different characters throughout the narrative. As well as looking at how other films used
stereotypes e.g. Gender to portray different character to make them seem more realistic
to everyday life. An example of how we are going to use stereotypes both stereotypically
and stereotypically because both the antagonist and protagonist are female.
13. NARRATIVE THEORY
Narrative theory is the term given to a typical storyline or the structure of a storyline in a
particular genre.
Todorov's Theory
An example of this is Todorov’s
narrative theory. This is where the
narrative starts off at equilibrium
with the story starting off at a
balance or showing everyday life
for the characters at the start of the
film. After that the equilibrium is
disrupted by something in the story
such as obstacles that the
characters have to overcome and
then the narrative concentrates on
the repairing of the damage in the
narrative cause by the obstacle to
end the story in equilibrium
Equilibrium
(start)
Disruption
of the
Equilibrium
Attempt to
repair
Equilibrium
New
Equilibrium
14. NARRATIVE THEORY
Todorov’s Theory
Todorov’s theory is used as a structure for many well known films. This includes the
cartoon film Up.
The equilibrium at the start of this film is normal life for Mr Fredrickson and his wife, until
her death.
Disruption of the Equilibrium is when people try to take his home he shared with wife and
put him into in an old peoples home. At this point he meet Russell and he decides to
attach balloons to his home in order to fly to Paradise Falls. Although he doesn’t realise
that Russell is still their and is flying with him.
Another disruption of the equilibrium is when they meet a colourful flightless bird that he
names "Kevin". As well as a Golden Retriever named Dug. The group is set upon by a
pack of aggressive dogs led by Alpha, a Doberman (who is also looking Kevin), and are
taken to their master, who is a elderly Charles Muntz.
15. NARRATIVE THEORY
Todorov’s Theory continued:
Attempt to repair the damage is when Carl
and Russell reunite Kevin with her chicks,
then they fly back to the city.
The new equilibrium is when Carl presents
Russell with his final badge for helping the
elderly as well as grape soda cap that Ellie
gave to Carl when they first met. The two and
Dug then enjoy some ice cream together.
16. NARRATIVE THEORY
Propp’s character type narrative
Propp’s narrative theory is based upon the belief
that certain characters or character types appear in
most film or story narratives. These include:
The Hero (protagonist)- who is on a quest,
The Villain (antagonist) - who works against the
Hero,
The Princess- who or what the quest is for,
The Dispatcher- the person who sends them on the
quest,
The Donor- who gives the Hero something to help
on his journey,
The Helper- assists the Hero,
The Father- who rewards the Hero,
False Hero- someone who appears to be a Hero but
is actually a Villain
Propp’s character types
An example as to where
Propp's character types are
shown to be present is in
most fairy tales which follow a
similar structure to this theory.
Although many of the
characters including Hero,
Villains and False Heroes' are
found in many modern
narratives as well.
17. NARRATIVE THEORY
Binary opposition
Is a key concept created by
Claude Levi- Strauss which is
found in the structure of many
films. This concept involves a
narrative which contains two
contrasting elements for example
winning and losing or heroes and
villains.
The reason why this structure is called
the classical Hollywood structure
because it is the most common
narrative structure used in Hollywood
films.
ACT 1- Set up, which is where main
characters and objectives are
established.
ACT 2- Development, where the main
characters encounter obstacles until
the climax.
ACT 3- Resolution, is where the main
Classical Hollywood Narrative Structure
18. HOW THIS IS GOING TO INFLUENCE
OUR FINAL PIECE?
In the way that we structure our opening sequence in order to make it seem professional
as well as making sure that the opening makes sense and fits with the genre of a crime
thriller. It will also influence the way in which we decide that are characters will react to
certain parts of the openings narrative.
The structure we believe that we would use for our piece is based on Todorov’s theory
because we aren’t having too much build up at the start of the thriller film because the
disruption of the main equilibrium is the protagonists death which happens in the opening
to the film, although we would have lots of smaller disruptions through the film until the
resolution when the antagonist is finally uncovered and caught.
We also intend to use binary opposites within the piece because we have both a victim
and a perpetrator which are binary opposites and we also think it represents opposites in
terms of good and evil.
