Task 2: Research into Existing Products

Tools for textual Analysis:

• Camera Angles, movement and positing,

• Mise En Scene,

• Audio and sound,

• Editing

In class, we are researching three different genres: Romantic Comedies, Horror and Thrillers.


Horror


Unfortunately, I get incredibly scared at horror movies and therefore haven't watched more two films, so my knowledge of the horror genre is limited.
A horror film is designed to scare, shock and terrify the audience; in order to create these feelings, the films included a range:

• Camera Angles, Movement and Positing,

• Mise En Scene,

• Audio and sound,

• Editing

The camera angles, movement and positing, allow the audience to know how the character is feeling without even saying anything. Also, they can give insight to what is about to happen, or can happen and even help to add to the setting/location of a scene.


For example; in the film "Scream", the camera movement in the opening scene; between a character and the packet of popcorn symbolises the building distress. Also, it symbolises the quickening of pace between the girl and her killer but also the beat of her heart as she begins to get distressed and become afraid of the person lurking in the dark. Further more when a camera shot shows a shot of a garden door by its own, the audience are given an insight or suspicion that the killer is outside lurking in the dark, waiting for the opportune moment. Consequently also giving the audience, some information about the location of the house, as there where no other houses in the background/area. As far as the eye could see it was just wilderness; which means that the location of the house was in the countryside.


The mise en scene creates the whole scene and without it there wouldn't be a scare. Without the blood and gory props, the setting, the dark rooms and so on forth, the whole world that is created using mise en scene would fail.


The audio and music that is associated with horror films, is chilling and creates a spooky, mystical atmosphere.


Romantic Comedies


Audiences expect a certain structure from romantic comedies. Generally the basic outline of a romantic comedy is that boy meets girl via some sort of event or communication. For example, in the film “Notting Hill” the superstar “Anna Scott” meets the average, ordinary, English man “William Thacker” when he accidentally spills orange juice down her top, in a market street of Notting Hill. This is a typical beginning to a romantic comedy as the audience are shown that, “Will” and “Anna” share an attraction even though they are so different by their status and roles, it’s seems an impossibility.


However the is always some sort of obstacle between the two. Such as, in “You’ve Got Mail”, “Kathleen Kelly” is a small time bookshop owner; her shop is under the threat of closer. Due to a huge, new book chain store shop just opened nearby, owned by “Joe Fox”. The audience know that they are the perfect couple, by the way that they have been communicating via email, and are pinning for the couple to work out their differences and realise the are meant for each other. Unfortunately, the “perfect couple” are separated by their roles, as “Fox’s” company eliminates competition via discounts and “coffee”. “Kelly” and “Fox” are at a business war that can only end in the death of a business.


Finally, the climax of the story is when the character that realises their feelings at the last moment makes public statement, or does something such as an extraordinarily romantic gesture towards the person that knew their feelings all along. For example, in the film “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, “Marc Darcy” already knows his feelings, where as “Bridget Jones” doesn’t realise hers until the latest possible moment. Therefore means that she makes a heart-warming, embarrassing statement, which the audience greatly appeals to.


Also, in romantic comedy films there is a lot of pathetic fallacy used (when the weather matches the mood), for instance, in “Wimbledon” when “Peter Colt” and “Lizzie Bradbury” spend the day training together realising their feelings for each other, the weather is spectacular. The film shows a beautiful, bold, colourful sunset; which is a typical romantic situation, which the audience just falls in love with. In contrast further on in the film when “Bradbury” and “Colt” have an argument the weather is dark, gloomy and upsetting. Also, to add to the setting, there is rain on the ground when “Colt” turns up to “Bradbury’s” house to apologise, which symbolises the tears and upset which is keeping them apart at the moment.


The music/audio has a huge affect upon the audience and determines their feelings, meaning that the music indicates to the audience what they should be feeling at that particular moment. For example, if the music was slow, delicate and moving, the audience know that they should be feeling sympathy for that particular character or set of characters.


“Bridget Jones’s Diary: The Edge Of Reason” and “Notting Hill” uses a narrator throughout the film, or at the start, which is also an example of non-diagetic sound. This gives an insight about the character towards the audience, for instance they get a sense of the characters education, and personality. Also they feel as if they are a part of the film, especially when the film writers use rhetorical questions, which help the audience to see their point of view.


Within romantic comedies sometimes certain things happen that lack verisimilitude, such as in “27 Dresses”, when “Jane” finally realises her feelings for “Kevin” she crashes a wedding reception. This is a classic example of when a film hasn’t included verisimilitude, as the bride was ecstatic and excited to let this wedding crasher stand up and make a speech, which wouldn’t happen in real life.

The characters are also, quite typical, as there is one that realises their feelings first are generally the male, and the character that makes a public statement or romantic gesture is the female. This is the case with many romantic comedies such as: “Runaway Bride”, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” one and two, “Wimbledon”, “27 Dresses”, “There’s Something About Mary”, “The Proposal” and “Roxanne” so on so forth.


However, there are a few romantic comedies that have the male realise their feelings last the female first, such as: “Shallow Hall”, “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “The Break Up”. Which go against the audience’s conventions but make the movie a whole lot more enjoyable.


The main convention of a romantic comedy is the structure, meaning that the beginning starts off with boy meets girl, (either for the first time, or haven’t seen for a long time) there is some sort of obstacle keeping them apart. Then during finale/climax, the obstacle is removed and the last character realises their feelings makes a public statement, or romantic gesture.

Thriller

A thriller is designed to make the audience think and thrill them but not scare. There are many sub-genres they are:

• Action - "Die Hard", "James Bond", "The Transporter"
• Conspiracy - "Vantage Point", "Minority Report", "Mercury Rising"
• Crime - "The Godfather", "Seven",
• Disaster - "Transformers", "Poseidon"
• Drama - "The Prestige",
• Eco - "Dasavathaaram",
• Erotic - "Basic Instinct", "Fatal Attraction",
• Legal - "The Innocent Man"
• Medical - "Awake"
• Political - "Agency"
• Psychological - is a film that plays on the minds of the audience - e.g. "The Talented Mr Ripley"
• Spy - "Mission Impossible", "The Borne Identity"
• Techno - "The Hungt For Red October"
• Religious - "The Da Vinci Code",