national identity

Notes

40% is textual analysis

30% is prequel/ sequel script and 9 key frames

10% is planning - recce - location report

20% is evaluation

Elevator pitch and proposal for film 

All good sequel are literary adaptation 

A prequel is usually an explanation of the back story of characters or narrative links.

Sequels May or may not be based on original source material but incorporate the characters and general setting of the original movie or novel. 

Why do films need an iconic moment?

The memorable moment in a film that links to the other movies that makes the audience remember the movie and makes them want to watch prequel or sequel 

What is an iconic moment?

A memorable moment 

Three examples?

- the alien in alien

- darthvader in Star Wars

- gollum in lord of the rings/ the hobbit

Franchise: product: merchandise << business >> selling the film and making money

Disruption

The man is possessed on his way to the White House for some reason

The man starting to scream at the woman 

Video essay

Thesis(s)

V for vendetta

Female identity: evey (Tapz)

Male identity: v (Natasha) completed 

National identity: chancellor sutler (Anna) completed

Children of men

Female identity: julain/ kee/ Miriam (Charlotte)

Male identity: theo/ jasper/ Luke (nick)

National identity: advertisement (Natasha) 

Videos

Completed

National identity (Anna)

Completed

Female identity (Tapz)

Completed 

Male identity (nick and Natasha) 

National identity thesis

V for vendetta reveals a dictatorship fascist totalitarian government that rules through the device of fear; which is how they got elected in the first place- by planting a disease that only they could cure. This futuristic British government is much like its binary opposite: Germany using the same brute force like the nazis to rid the world of anyone they saw unfit and who didn't conform to their rules and regulations by using them in an experiment. Their flag is similar to that of the nazis flag which reinforces the idea of turning themselves into our worst nightmare.

Notes

National identity

National identity in children of me and v for vendetta are represented in slightly different ways; in v for vendetta it is ruled under a fascist dictatorship government where chancellor sutler rules through fear. In children of men the government communicates with it's society through advertisements which play on the people's desire to live longer. This is mainly done through the mise en scene and editing.

For example in v for vendetta Britain is now it's binary opposite taking on the role of its enemy Germany with the flag that looks like a nazi and a leader that thinks he is doing things for the better of the people when in fact he wants a society he can control and anyone that does not submit or conform is killed. 

Also there is a similarity with the way people are taken away when they do not conform to the rules and regulations of the government; in children of men this is the hippy woman getting black bagged when standing up to a police officer to protect kee where in v for vendetta Dietrich is black bagged for making a mockery out of chancellor sutler on his show saying he was behind the mask of v.

Furthermore the segregation of people that are not accepted into the dystopian society are made to be known in both films; in v for vendetta these are all the people like homosexuals, terrorists, transgenders etc that are put into an experiment to make a superior race that can be an army controlled by the government where in children of men the immigrants are treated like animals, huddled into cages and lined up to be shot.

Female identity 

Female identity in children of men and v for vendetta are represented in different ways through different micro aspects such as mise en scene specifically casting and costume. Shows women in masculine roles. Hippy lady in children of men is motherly and masculine in strength. Evey shaved head and wears male clothing to make her masculine role. 

Traditional femininity vs post masculine feminists

Evey is fighting with v with shaved head and roses in background which is yonic imagery gives sense of independence. Scene where she leaves v- he's a fatherly role and she is the stroppy teenager. 

Contradiction to Hippy woman defending kee- so kee is vulnerable and cannot stand up for herself.

Traditional feminity

Evey is in child prostitute outfit and is sweet and vulnerable which conforms to stereotypical female identity. Male gaze/ voyeurism. Evey holds power.

Kee is pretty much naked revealing pregnant is  belly. Conforms to stereotypical female identity.

Post modern femininity

Evey holding up arms in rain after torture is portrayal of independence>> reborn 

Kee is now independent and looking after baby now that theo is dead. 

Notes

V for vendetta is Hollywood

Children of men is indendent

V for vendetta conforms to superhero comic story

Children of men is like a documentary so relatable

V for vendetta is style over substance

Children of men is messages over visual experience

Both are sci if thrillers

Narrative

Escape from dystopian future. V for vendetta is a rebellion over the government. Children of men is a story of a baby giving hope and a revolution

Themes

Dystopian future

Style: CoM realistic

V is more comic book 

Reason: warning- style makes it more realistic (genre)

Genre

Although similar themes v has elements of a comic book where children of men is conforming to a thriller. Both thrillers. Both science fiction films. Sub genre: dystopian sci fi.

Which conforms more to sci fi genre? V for vendetta due to superhuman abilities

Set in future so gives a warning. 

Narrative

Neither film follows classic Hollywood narrative- no resolution

-theo dies which gives clouded resolution

-v has a clear resolution

-v is both protagonist a and antagonist- does not follow the hero's journey ( terrorist/freedom fighter)

-v is manipulating everyone (domino scene) 

-evey follows hero's journey (is reborn after torture)

-follows layout of beginning, middle, end and has clear identifiers as to who the hero, heroine and villain are

-subvert (undermine/ rebel against) expectations

-narrative reflects the government's manipulation and character's feelings

MACRO representation apply to CoM and v

Representation

-female

-male

-national identity

Notes

Genre determines which audience it is targeted at

V for vendetta and children of men are thrillers because of the mystery within the storyline but also the rebellion of countries fighting back against the government and the gun, cars, eery music and dystopian themes

Genre changes over time 

Most films fit into more than one category and are known as hybrids

Trailers and posters are important for the audience to know whether they like the film or not

They have expectations of the film

Not "RON" means it hasn't done what it should've done and leaves a dissatisfaction 

The directors like to change up the genres slightly e.g the wolverine

The genre is like a recipe for a film- it makes sure you follow the conventions

Conventions: things we have to stick to

2 groups:

-audience

-producers

V for vendetta is Hollywood film

Children of men is independent film

Casting of the character is quite important as it immediately tells the audience the rough storyline- usually a certain actor that is associated with a type of movie/ character

Genre heavily effects the genre

C

Apply concepts of genre to v and children of men

Key scenes in my opinion demonstrate the conventions 

Collage of key scenes by still images

B

Genre from a critical perspective

Compare to what extent the films use their genre

A

Which one conforms to the genre more than the other and why

What do they say through the genre

Why are they using this approach

Comic book movies

Give people goose bumps and make them feel bad ass deep down

Sin city 

Looks as if it was taken straight right out of the comic book pages-adaptation

Broke a lot of ground for visual effects and stylistic filming 

Black and white movie with pops of colour

Three story lines

Sexy doctor who got her arms cut off

Teenage mutant ninja turtles original

Grill style movie

Not over lit 

Dirty and nitty gritty

sweeping shots

Affects the audience

Watchmen

Visually stunning to look at

Smooth camera shots

Zac Schneider used good looking actor into the film

300

Bad ass Spartans

Historical background

used the Hollister model looks

Zac Schneider used the good looking actors again

Quite dark and gritty

Xmen 2

Characters come together and fight side by side

Opening shot is very different as it's quite aggressive

Enough screen time to each character to make them each as important as the other

Iron man

Drunk hungover character that is a billionaire - backstory

Not the usual 

The avengers

Ultimate collaboration of all the characters

Really good the first time but them fades after wards

Incredible Hulk stole the show

Perfect popcorn action fun

Kick ass

Tone, look 

Relatable

Low budget- respectable as they have to be more creative

Nicholas cage is a famous actor that brings a famous face into it

V for vendetta

Dialogue is smart and clever- well thought out

Surreal

Very believable 

Slowly but surely

Natalie Portman brings the inspirational segment of the movie

V is a symbol and gives everything

Batman trilogy

More than comic books-evokes emotions and true depth

The joker kept the dark knight movie together 

Batman begin's origin story made the first half investigate the criminal mastermind part 

The dark knight rises- batman was challenged by a real threat

Major themes in sci fi films

Science

Social concerns

Technology

Rationality

Politics and ideology

Humanity versus science

Uptopia and dystopia

The future

Sci fi is a very formulaic genre due to the fact that many of the narrative themes are repeated; it has proved flexible and popular enough to embody different fears at different times

Sci if has included different genres then rely heavily upon such as action adventure films where others have aspects of horror, zombie or thriller elements

Rise of the planet of the apes

Try to make apes more clever by injecting a drug that increases intelligence

V for vendetta

The government try to make a superhuman race that they can use in warfare by injecting a drug that boosts the strengths of humans

These two films use the idea of science to start the backstory

The matrix

Working against the world rulers. Superhuman abilities in fighting and saving others. 

V for vendetta

Working against the government. V has superhuman abilities that gives him the upper hand in majority of the film 

Star Wars a new hope

The rebellion. Darth vader wears a mask and full body disguise so his identity is unknown. He manipulates the people to get what he wants. Luke leads the winning act against the villains

V for vendetta

Rebellion against the government. V wears a mask to disguise himself and manipulates the people to get what he wants. Evey sends the train off to blow up the government which is the winning act.

Tron 2

A world we don't live in. Kill or be killed. It's a game- no longer. 

Walle

Set in the future- message to the people. Lonely but the finally meets a companion. Could be in love. Save for the human race. Technology should not be left in charge. 

V for vendetta

Set in future London and is a message to the people that if the government take too much ownership this will be our future. V is alone but then meets evey who becomes his companion in the rebellion. Evey is in love with v. 

Irobot

Technology should not be trusted. They replace humans. Robots fight back. 

V for vendetta

The government should not be trusted. The people fight back.

Total recall

Gets injected with a life he thought he had- does not remember his real life. World in the future- gritty and dirty but with improved technology. People are trying to make a living. 

V for vendetta

Gets injected and experimented on but does not remember his previous life. World in the future where there is a clean swept London governed and controlled by the government

Star Trek 

Searching for a better life. Child of two worlds. Spaceships. Other worlds. Different creatures.

V for vendetta 

?????????

Prometheus 3

Secret agenda. In another world. Other creatures. 

V for vendetta

Journey for his own personal gain- agenda for revenge.

Terminator salvation

In abandoned desolate world fighting machines. Not a future that is easily thought up. Fight for revenge. 

V for vendetta

Fight for revenge

Superhero genre

Sacrifice to save the world

Sense of rebirth

Dystopian sci fi genre

Rebellion/ uprising

Superhuman abilities

Survival 

Genres contain different conventions

What happens when the barriers between genres collapse/loose integrity?

Hybrid

Children of men can be viewed as a sci fi as it contains the theme: social concerns
here are scenes that show children of men as a sci fi

uprising

this clip shows how the terrorists are rebelling against the government- it is known as the uprising scene as they are finally in action of fighting back and have stolen kee and the baby to use them as a symbol of force.


survival- hope

this clip shows how people are fighting for survival- the baby's cries signal for the firing to stop which portrays how the baby gives the people hope, maybe for a better and more hopeful future but also that we can keep reproducing as it will mean the survival of the human race is under way

message-this is our future
this opening scene is very sad as the youngest person alive has died and all the older generation are grief stricken from this news. it is saying to the audience that this is our future if we continue as we are. people have no hope and are in fear of the next bad thing to happen.