Technical Research: Editing

We are not fully dividing roles because we are keen on exploring each of the areas in order to get a better practical understanding. Therefore, we are all responsible for everything: filming, directing, editing, acting and producing. However, Hubert has asked to be involved with the filming and directing more this year because he took on the role of the actor last year, so it is clearly fair that we edge towards this. In light of this, I have decided to focus my research upon photography, editing and acting. Following this, here is my research into editing techniques and considerations:

• At this level, it is preferable to edit on Final Cut Pro because it provides a clean finish and provides the editors with more software and techniques to use compared to IMovie. As well as this, this editing software is quite easy to use once you have a basic understanding. Within Final Cut, it is essential that I always consider: transitions, colour, sound and continuity.
• Transitions: These can be used during the cuts between shots to make the film to look more professional and to enable a continuation or lack of continuation (depending on genre requirements or conventions.) It is vital that the transitions relate to the genre conventions in the way that old fashioned films, in this case Film Noir used wipes and iris' because of the technology and consistence dominance during this period.
• Colour: The colour of the film can accessibly and easily be altered to suit our ideas and Film Noir/Horror look: black and white. This will enable the overall trailer to appear recognisable and stereotypical for this particular film.
• Sound: Due to piracy and downloading, I can access sound from iTunes or other uses sound on Final Cut. Although, it is necessary that the sound within a trailer is balanced between diegetic and non-diegetic and in particular, contrapuntal and parallel for tension, juxtaposition and to anchor the footage.
• Continuity: This can be achieved via the colour matching tool in Final Cut Pro, ensuring that it is the same throughout. Additionally, continuity is essential in editing techniques, depending whether it is linear or non-linear narrative and in typography (since the font should be the same size and the same font unless a reason against this is clear.)

Film Noir

•       Strictly speaking, Film Noir should not be clarified as a genre. Instead it is rather the mood, style or tone of various American films that evolved in the 1940s, and lasted in a classic period until about 1960. However, it has not been exclusively confined to this era, and has re-occurred in the form of Neo Noirs.
• Noirs are usually black and white films with primary moods of melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, guilt and paranoia.

Sub-genres of Film Noir:

1. Detective and Mystery-focus' on the unsolved crime (usually the murder or disappearance of one or more of the characters, or a theft). The central character is often a hard-boiled and serious Detective in the form of a protagonist. He/she will complete various adventures and challenges in the cold and methodical pursuit of the criminal to a crime.
2. Thriller/suspense=Thriller and suspense films are virtually synonymous and interchangeable categorisations. They are promote excitement, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety and tension. The acclaimed Master of Suspense is Alfred Hitchcock (previously considered as my Influential Director.)

Genre Research: Horror (Hayden Woodcock)

A horror depicts the audience emotions, worst fears, disgust and nightmares. This genre often includes scenes that scare the viewer, through macabre and the supernatural, as a result of intense imagery and sound. Most horror plots involve an antagonist trying to cause havoc or mayhem, often succeeding at the end of the plot, allowing the style and conventions within this genre to be clear. Elements that feature in this genre include: gore, weapons, dilemmas, enigmas, ghost, supernatural forces, serial killer and a lot of darkness.

 

Famous horrors include: The Exorcist, The Shining, The Babadook, It Follows, 31, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Psycho, Halloween, The Conjuring. The Descent, Saw and Evil Dead.

Progress Report

Following our initial research, here are our current idea possibilities for our Film Noir trailer, poster and web page.

Main production ideas:
Character types-

• Stereotypical Film Noir horror
• A traditional horror monster, e.g. werewolf, vampire or lunatic as the antagonist
• A conventional Detective who wears a fedora hat, a suit, uses a walking stick, a jacket, a Detective watch/magnifying glass, a pipe and leather gloves.
• A dead body
• And possibly a Damsel-in-Distress
• Stereotypical 1950's gangster

Plot ideas-

• The title sequence=shots of the decorative ornaments and church objects.
• A Detective is called up for a crime scene, which shows a dead body on the outskirts of a forest.
• We will have a shot of the antagonist biting his arm.
• Shots of detective body parts-but we do not see his face until the final shot.
• Narrative voice-over describing what's going on during the action and he will set the scene.
• Gangsters in a pub discussing the monster.
• We will have a shot of the victims hands crawling away from the murderer.
• The detective drives to the murder scene in his mini.
• An interrogation against the Detective from the Gangsters.
• Detective in a pub with a female character screaming, he rescues her.

Who is our target audience?

http://www.slideshare.net/SFDobson94/film-noir-target-audience-6762653

In consideration of the BBFC website, we have acknowledge that our age certificate would be a 15, because of the violence, interrogations and the crime scene setting.

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/bbfc-history/history-age-ratings-symbols

This link shows that a 1951 film would have had a restricted category of 'X,' meaning that the audience would be limited to those over 16. X-rated films issued between 1951 and 1982 by the British Board of Film Censors in the United Kingdom as a result of the Wheare Report on film censorship. This was later risen to 18+ because of the violence, language and other forms of strong behaviour being include in films. However, some 'X' rated films in the past were transferred to a PG in modern day, suggesting that audiences and rating classifications have clearly altered throughout the years. Within an 'X' rated film, adulterous relationships, hooliganism, violence and poor morals could be denoted. We are planning on using violence and aspects of hooliganism, so we think that it is necessary that we rate our film as an 'X' in old-fashioned Film Noir terms. Nowadays, our primary audience would be between the 15-20 age range because the actors are fresh and upcoming, and the narrative and the application of the conventions are appropriately modern.

To continue, our audience attraction will likely cover a wide range due to Film Noir being aimed at the older demographics because this is the type of film that was recognisable during their generation, Despite this, some critics believe that Film Noir can also be targeted to young audiences since they will desire to develop their information and understanding of this genre and how this lifestyle influenced culture. Thus, our informal audience would consist of the older demographic in their 50's or above. Therefore, this shows the wide attraction hybrids often reach because they attract varying people.

The target gender would be male, simply due to the fact that we stereotypically prefer violence and gore, in particularly action and horror genres. However, the female characters and sexualised gangsters will hopefully attract this specific gender, through Mulvey's male gaze. This is because they often gain gratification from attractive and muscular characters.

Chat conversation end

Social Networking Research on FB

Film Noir Pilot Survey / Questionaire

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3Y29CTW

This is our first Pilot Survey Monkey. We have released it to as many school friends and teachers as possible, for a range in feedback from different audience perspective. Ultimately, we were aiming to release it to our primary target audience.