Narrative

In this blog post I am going to talk about what narrative is and the different theories with in a narrative.

The narrative is plot+story.

Plot- what the reader can observe audibly and visibly.
Story- what the reader understands.
Narrative- a chain of events in a cause and effect relationship in time and space.


Narrative theorist: Vladimir Propp











Vladimir Propp quoted that narrative structure can be determined by the roles of characters.

 Also Vladimir Propp quotes that "character roles help us understand the constructed nature of the narrative.

Villain- Struggles with the hero.
Hero- Reacts to the donor.
Dispatcher- Sends hero on a mission.
The false hero- Acts like a hero however is evil.
Donor- Aids the hero.
Princess- Mainly the reward of hero/ victim of the villain and punishes villain.
Father- Rewards hero.

Applying this theory to Batman Darks Knight.
Villain- The Joker
Hero- Batman
Dispatcher- The civillians
The false hero- Harvey Dent
Donor- Alfred
Princess- Rachel Dawes
Father- Police officer

Film studio research

I done this research to check different companies which create film on a large scale and small scale to see the different effects the size of the budget can have when creating a film.

Audience research.

I have researched about the genre that I have chosen to use in my project to see what aspects of action comedy audience like. The link below shows me asking questions to my target audience about what they enjoy of action comedy.

I have asked these particular questions to see what people aged 16 to 25 like to see in a action comedy genre and how I can implement these in there.

The questions I have asked to three of these individuals were what was there favourite genre and why it was there favourite genre. I asked these questions because I wanted to know specifically what I can add extra to my project to make it better. Furthermore these questions help strengthening my understanding of the genre and what people find most enjoyable in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66fsMDTJWMc

Cinematography

In this blog I am going to talk about the variety of camera angles and shots and which ones I will be using in my opening scene.

Close up -

Close ups are generally used to identify facial expressions. The certain area that the close up is focused on it normally takes up all the frame. Close ups are used for detail and to cut in. 

Long shot- 

Long shots are used to show surroundings and sometimes used to show the background. Long shots are used to show the audience the whole setting. 

Over the shoulder shot- 

Over the shoulder shot helps the audience get the feel of looking at one person from another persons point of view. Its common to cut through these shots during a conversation. 

Mid-shot -    Mid shot is between close up and long shot. Mid shot is used to show physical elements of the person on the cover or the background. Mid shot shows the face in a comfortable way without a close up. 

Mood board for Action comedy

I have created a mood board to show common visual elements from the same genre. These film covers are films that are action comedy genres. All the film covers have on thing in general none are close up shots or long shots, all of them are mid-shots to show gestures and expressions. Mid shots show the background as well as gestures and physical elements.

Creating a brand

                                                                  Creating a Brand

I have researched about Brands that produce comedy films frequently and I have found the most suitable studio is Colombia pictures.

In the logo of Colombia Pictures, we see a statue of a woman standing with a draped American flag wrapped around her body and her hand up with a really old torch shining on the clouds above her. We see that the sun is shining on the top clouds but the bottom clouds are dark. Colombia Pictures is a American founded, American film company. The logo is really figurative it stands out. The connotations of the blue sky is prosperity, meaning that the company are successful. The connotations of the statue holding a light to the clouds are the woman is shining the world up. The connotations of the clouds behind the statue that has no shine on them from the light the statue is holding is the company is making a difference.


My Logo:

I created my logo on Photoshop. It took me a hour to create the logo with some help from my teacher.

Action Comedy

Opening scene. Comedy.

 I have chosen to analyse a comedy opening scene as it has influenced me and my group to do comedy. I am analyzing Ali G opening scene. The film Ali G is a parody comedy. Parody comedy means something created to mock, comment on or poke fun on at an original work.

The typography of the opening scene of Ali G is Bold and White. Bold and white signifies purity and innocence.

Mis-en-scene in this opening scene you can see that there is a lot of gangsters on the road where Ali G is driving and the whole point of the film Ali G is to mock gangsters. We see two girls that are really good looking and Ali G trying to save them from the gangsters and he does so. Also we see that the gangsters try to shoot Ali G however Ali G is trying to save the kid that is crossing the road so the kid does not risks his life and saves the kid. However it is all a dream of Ali G wanting to be like that.

There is a enigma code used in the film as the gangsters are shooting the audience think that Ali G or the kid is going to get shot however they do not know that it is all a dream.

The genre of this film is Parody Comedy. Parody comedy is something created to mock, comment on or poke fun on at an original work.

There is a really interacting sound track over everything that is happening, the sound track is a old school 1980 Jamaican song. The Jamaican song is chosen on purpose because Ali G dresses like a Jamaican and also puts on a Jamaican accent.

There is a lot of close up shots in the film Ali G as it is trying to show facial expressions to make people laugh also there is medium shots to show how tough people are and if they have a weapon, what they are wearing and all these things. The medium close ups are used to show anything that signifies gangsters as it is a gangster mocking film. In this film I haven't witnessed more then 2 long shots.

There is abit of editing in the opening scene as it is a scene where the main character is getting shot at as the whole audience will guess that the main character wouldnt die in the beginning scene. There is a effect used when Ali G is getting shot at and he blocks a bullet with a ring.

In conclusion I think that Ali G has a really good opening for the opening scene because it gives quite a good taster of how the film is going to be to the ones who never watched it. It suits the genre of parody and gives of a really funny emotion.