The formula for box office hits I found from the highest grossing films of 2022 so far. There was a pattern of successful films that were part of a franchise of films, such as the MCU, which already have people prepared to watch the film. Additionally, every single film was created by a large production company, since they have a larger reach and more budget to advertise.

Economic – The financial situation of the time/place

Geographical – Where is the film set/made

Historical – The time period and events when it is set/made

Institutional – Where is it set/made within an organisation

Political – Ideologies of the time/place

Social – How the audience reflects on film

Technological- How advanced the technology is of the time/place

Art Film	Mainstream Film	Historically Significant Film
Fitzcarraldo	A Bug’s Life	Battleship Potemkin
Alphaville	The Shape of Water	Seven Samurai
Once Upon a Time in the West	Love Simon	The Wizard of Oz
	The Breakfast Club

Knowledgeable- You will need to have both theory and practical knowledge about film.

Risk-takers- You will need to take risks in film to achieve the best you can.

Balanced- You will learn a balance of theory and practical work in film.

Open-minded- When working in groups, you will need to be open minded to other students’ ideas.

Reflective- You will need to reflect back on your work to see what went well and what to improve upon.

Caring- You should be caring for other people’s opinions and if anyone asks for help you should help them.

Principled- You need to be respectful.

Communicators- You will need to communicate when working in teams to produce the best piece of work you can.

Inquirers- You will need to ask questions when curious about a certain subject of film and if you need help.

Thinkers- You need to be thinking on how to improve and what you need to do to be the best you can be.

What makes a film “good”?

I consider a film “good” if it leaves a lasting impression on me after watching, and I would watch it again. For this to happen the narrative of the film must be memorable, not just identical to other films of the same genre. For example, one of my favourite films, What We Do in the Shadows, is memorable due to it not presenting vampires how they usually are, seriously in the horror genre. Since it is a comedy, it shows vampires living somewhat normal lives with everyday problems such as the dishes not being washed, although the dishes are covered in blood. These sort of ridiculous scenarios occur throughout the film, such as when the police clearly miss the dead bodies in their house and are instead concerned about fire hazards. This also subverts your expectations of what will happen in the film, which is what I think makes a great comedy, as well as a film in any genre. This is one of the reasons why the film was memorable to me, and a reason for my interest in watching the TV show. The cinematography style fits in with the mockumentary genre, such as the shaky handheld camera making it feel like a real documentary. So I think cinematography is very important in making a good film, as even though the film is full of ridiculous scenarios, there has to be some realistic elements to get me absorbed in the narrative. I also think good characters are essential in making a good film. They should be memorable, unique and enjoyable to watch.

Hot Fuzz, my current favourite film, is another comedy which feels rewarding to watch. It does this by using small details that foreshadow and pay off at the end of the film. This makes the film incredibly rewatchable, as there are always foreshadowing moments you notice the next time. The use of action movie style cinematography enhances the comedy because the entire film is mocking the action genre. It does this by having very dramatic fight scenes previously called unrealistic earlier on in the film. Sound used effectively also makes a good film, for example in the fight scene, loud and dramatic action film music is played, as well as loud gunfire, adding to the whole action genre feel of the scene. I also think the editing adds to the comedy, such as a scene when a tv remote is pressed and immediately cuts off to a house exploding, as if that set off the explosion. Finally, I think realistic special effects help in making a film good. In Hot Fuzz, special effects are used for blood and gore to make shocking scenes. If the special effects were not as high quality, you would not be as immersed in the scene due to it being unrealistic.