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Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Research: KEY CONVENTIONS

 As a class we did some research on various types and genres of different film to find out what is included in the introductions. It became apparent that in each beginning of the films they show similar conventions.
All films introduced the main people who played a part in creating the films such as the production team, editors, costume, hair and make-up stylists and the crew who helped create the music - this was all shown in the credits sequence and is obviously the aim of it. As well as firstly introducing the crew more so on the technical side, the credits sequence often introduced the main characters and perhaps the bigger 'stars' who were playing roles within the films.
In some of the films such as 'In Search Of A Midnight Kiss' there was exposition in the first few seconds of the introduction which was shown in a 'quote' form. This plays sometimes a crucial part to the films and their narrative. For this film, because it is hybrid also known as a 'rom-com', the quote at the start which was "Between December 25th to January 1st, the number of people on Match.com, Craigslist and Myspace increases by 300%", gave the film a time and a place which happened to be just before New Years, this also tells the audience what they need to know by the writing - when it's set and that the film should be about romance. There is also use of a black and white picture montage of people kissing and the main character who is doing a voice over whilst the audience watch, enforces how alone single people are. There is a contrast in colour between the people in love, being black and white, to the single people who are in dull colours reveal the purpose of this, which is to show 'Binary Opposition' between people in relationships against people who are single and therefore alone. The introduction makes the audience favour couples in a relationship as they have the majority of the screen time. This opening gives quite a clear framework of comprehension; because the introduction is about him disliking being alone and single, it is quite predictable that the main character will try to find a relationship of his own. Just by the first few introductory minutes to this film, it unveils parts of the main plot.
In contrast, few of the films revealed different things within the opening title sequence. The film, 'Kick-Ass' for example. The credits sequence shows it is a big money film because the production is Universal, although the first few crediting titles are naming the cast and crew within the beginning seconds like the other films we researched. The voice over in the introduction to this film shows exposition and tells the audience exactly where they are and what time too. Exposition in this film also reveals the fact that the main character is a nerd who's life is consistently boring, this is shown by the elision of the months between the time where the main character's mother died and to where he is now. The beginning sequence's purpose is to introduce the main character - Dave, who is seemingly lacking female company. Through the research I believe that two of the three theories of narrative are used within the opening sequence to 'Kick-Ass', the first being Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition where there is a vast opposite between Nerds and 'Popular' people in the school, but in controversy to majority of teenage films the audience are positioned to favour nerds. Also, Barthes' Enigma Code is used where at first Dave's life is seemingly okay until his Mother dies and he then decides to change the consistently boring lifestyle he leads and perhaps doing this and finding love along the way, so this Enigma sets up the question for what is he going to do and how.                                                            
Barthes' Enigma Code is perhaps used in a better way in the film 'London to Brighton' where the introductory sequence immediately sets up many questions that the audience want answered. Although exposition is used at the start to let the audience know where they are and at what time, there is restricted narration as they have no idea as to what has happened or what is going to happen because of the reversed chronological order. So, the framework of comprehension is impossible after watching the opening sequence. Unlike the other films, 'London to Brighton' . Although there is a lack of naming the cast and crew also adds to the film being mysterious and a bit daunting.


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