for my Nea Film I plan on using a narrator, and the genre of drama, The idea of the narrator is inspired by la jete, to explain things in the story and the world and the genre of drama from
Until death do us part, to create a suspenseful story

Technological –

Behind the scenes of Pans Labyrinth VFX is evidently used throughout the film such as with the fairies, The fantastical throne room at the end and for explosions. Used In conjunction to VFX is the use of physical prosthetics such as with the faun and the male man. Due to the inability to create the appearance of the fantastical nature without breaking the immersion, VFX is used to mask out unneeded physical parts of the body.

Historical and political –

Set in the year 1944, in Fascist Franco-Spain, the story’s narrative is centred around the time period after the nationalist victory in 1939, were rebels of the communist Spaniards (presented as egalitarians) fight against an outpost of the fascist government where our main protagonist, Ofelia is brought to and lives within. The political message of the film drives home the message of the evils of fascism and how there can never be a ‘clean’ world as everyone is uniquely equal and not one group has the higher position. During the year of filming, 2005, this could be said that the choice to cover this politicial topic was to remind people the horrors of fascism as right-wing politics started to seep back into Spain’s political system.

Social –

Being set in the 1940s, the representation of women’s social problems stem from their patriarchal/Macho society they live in. Furthermore religion such as Catholicism is showed to be critiqued by director Del Torro in the scene where a local priest attending captain Vidal’s banquet says about the rebels “God has already saved their souls. What happens to their bodies hardly matters to him”. Although criticising religion, Del Torro does however show its representation with the religious-inspired ending scene where Ofelia is transported to a sort of heavenly place with colour and costumes similar to religious gowns.

Institutional –

Released in the UK by Optimum, It premiered at Cannes in May 2006 to Great acclaim. The 19 million dollar budget film was co-produced by many Spanish, Mexican and American production companies. The budget is clearly reflected with the production design with things such as period dressing and fairly large cast. The worldwide box office of the film was 83.3 million dollars which was seen as a huge success.

Del Toro’s work is now recognised as a recognisable auteur of fantasy/horror, which he could be seen to span across his other films such as Cronos (1993), Devils Backbone (2001) and Crimson Peak (2015). Other films apart of his auteur are the more mainstream, Hellboy (2004) and Pacific Rim (2013).

Men – Men in Pan’s Labyrinth are represented as the more powerful and authoritative figures, though it’s shown in different levels as the Captain, who obviously has the most power being the leader, he is more emotionless and has a more cold persona, compared to the Doctor, who has a warm and caring persona, and he is seen as one of the hero’s in the film, helping the mother and getting involved in helping look after the opposition.

Women – Women in Pan’s Labyrinth are seen as inferior to the men. They appear to have less power, such as Ofelia, being forced to live with the father of her mother’s unborn baby, Mercedes who the Captain uses to do his household jobs, and Ofelia’s mother, who is weak because of the pregnancy so is unable to do anything to help her and Ofelia escape. Ofelia and Mercedes both break the rules so end up holding more power than the males because of their role in their society. Like Ofelia is the princess of the fantasy world, and Mercedes holds lots of power for the opposition as she is on both sides so knows more information that can be used to help them.

Representation of Gender –

Men – Men, such as Captain Vidal, are represented as being overly masculine and autocratic, featuring patriarchal tendencies of being cold and having emotionless personalities. Also seen to be striving for their own goals, This is the case with Vidal, wanting an heir to his name and to crush the communist resistance.

Men, are also shown however as caring, passionate defenders who want to help others and fight for freedom such as with Mercedes Brother, Pedro and Doctor Ferreiro.

Women – Women, such as Ofelia, Carmen (Ofelias mother) and Mercedes are all patriarchally represented as subservient to men, forced to abide by their dictations and rules. However at the same time, Ofelia and Mercedes are shown as rule breakers and breaking away from the stereotypical representation by disobeying their infixed rules. For example, Ofelia dirties up her dress that her mother gifted her, goes against its stereotypical appearance of a maid-purposed outfit that she said she should feel ‘privileged’ to wear as para-phrased from her mothers words.

Another Example can be seen with Mercedes who uses her deceptive appearance as a house maid to go under the nose of captain Vidal to supply her brother and the resistance fighters with supplies to fight against the fascists and eventually hurt captain Videl.

Aesthetics –

Tone – The Tone of Pan’s labyrinth is both dark and heartfelt with elements combined to make you believe your watching a film made for children with its use of fantastical elements but also horror with the use of frightening and graphic scenes of the actions of Captain Vidal and the appearance of the Faun, fairies and Pale man.

Visual Style – Using a mix of dark and rich warm hues, the visual style is purposely used to create a visual style of a fairy-tale whilst also using darker scenes to show the bleak reality of events that fits within its historical context. The visual style as a whole shows the mixed reality Ofelia lives in of a fantastical world and also a painful real one.

Realism – Pan’s Labyrinth is a film that contains magic-realism with its use of characters such as fauns, fairies and monsters, this is used to create a fantastical world that Ofelia lives in, either as an illusion or a reality, regardless it is used to create a world far from our own to a illusive world we can escape to when watching the film.

NEA – SHORT FILM SCRIPT  

Characters: 

• Farmer 1 
• Farmer 2 
• German 1(Dead) 
• German 2 – (Can possibly play the 2nd Dead soldier)

Starts with in media res –  

Farmer 1 drags the lifeless body of German 1 across the floor whilst farmer 2 follows frantically in pursuit.  

Farmer 1: We are done for this! They’re going to kill us if they find out!  

Farmer 2 catches up and says in a panting breathe… 

Farmer 2: Calm down! We are almost there, once we’ve got the shovels, I know a place to hide the body! 

Sene cuts with an Ellipsis to both farmers digging a hole in a farm  

Farmer 1 stops to catch his breathe 

Farmer 2: this is not the time to take a break  

Farmer 1: I know I know * resumes digging*  

Farmers stop digging and grab the soldier who has been stripped of his heavier equipment and is a just in a shirt and trousers 

Farmer 2: I will grab his legs you grab his arms, got it? 

Farmer 1: got it. 

Lowering him in the camera is a worm level shot looking up as dirt covers it until the screen goes black.  

Text appears – A few minutes Earlier 

Screen fades in to a German soldier standing by a brick wall appearing to be on guard.  

German soldier 1: mein Godt ist zu heist 

Shot changes to Farmer 1 and Farmer 2 positioned somewhere high up with a hammer in one of their hands – both are out of frame from each other  

Farmer 2: OI, pass me the hammer there’s something loose over here! 

Farmer 1: yes yes, just give me a second * mimics hitting something of screen before chucking it off screen to farmer 1* 

Scene cuts back to German on guard in the same spot and positioning they were in before but a hammer comes down and hits them on the helmet knocking them out. 

Canted anle shows hes unconscious 

 Close-up shot –  

Farmer 1: Oh no.  

Farmer 2: Oh no.  

(In the distance) German 2: oh mein gott ist heist, ja Johan? 

Farmer 1: what are we going to do his friend will come and check up on him at any minute! 

Farmer 2: Let’s get down and well take him somewhere, anywhere, far from here! 

Running up to body the camera is a worm level looking up at both as they look down at the dead German. 

Farmer 1: God, (feeling for pulse) he’s dead, that makes this so much worse 

Farmer 2: we need to move him 

Camera shows both men fling an arm each over their shoulders and move him around a building corner  

German 2 is shown walking down the road to German 1s location 

German 2: (shouting now) Johan! Wo bist du? 

German 2 is about to turn the corner to where the farmers are hiding his body, scene cuts back to farmers –  

Farmer 2: we must make it seem like he’s fine 

Farmer 1: What! Are you mental that won’t wor- (cut off as farmer 2 flails German 1s lifeless arm using in a broken German impression) 

Farmer 2: Hallo kamarad, est ist gut  

German 2: Wirklich?

Farmer 2: errhh, Ja Tschuss

Dramatic pause is held as the camera at a canted angle zooms in on his eyes before stretching back out again

German 2: oh ok, auf wiedersehn *walks away*  

Farmer 1: what was that, you call that speaking German!?!?

Farmer 2: well, I’m not a bloody collaborator, it did the job! 

Montage of the 2 farmers commences, shows them moving the body to different locations, panicking and arguing, until finally they set eyes on farmer 2’s farm.  

The In Media res part – replays but shortened 

Scene starts right after they finish burying the body  

Farmer 1: Phew, I’m glad that’s over  

Farmer 2: yeah now lets get back to work so they won’t expect anything, we’ll say we had a lunch break

Farmer 2: Hey throw me the shovel ill chuck it with the rest of the tools 

Throwing the shovel, farmer 2 misses the catch and the shovel goes over a ledge killing another German down below. 

looking over ledge at the second German they just killed – camera is to their rear

switches to camera looking up them from below the ledge

Farmer 1: Oh for fu-  

Words cut off as end credits roll with music score.  

narrative & genre

The genre I have chosen for my NEA film project is a mix of horror and drama. I have chosen this genre because it creates effect to my final film and opens up the variations of ideas I can use in my film.

I will be using a non-linear narrative in my film by using flashbacks to illustrate change in time and dramatize the scene. For this I was influenced by the flashbacks featured in La Jette.

short film influences

In terms of inspiration for the narrative of my film, I have been inspired by ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ and the plot twist featured in the film. Also as mentioned, I was inspired by La Jatte and the flashbacks featured in that.

In terms of cinematic influences, I was influenced by cinematography of the shot captured as the broom goes to look for the bride and he exists the kitchen door, with the camera being placed on the door itself, it creates a more personal shot as it incorporates point of view, adding a sense of realism. I will be using this technique in my film, when my character goes to open the washing machine door and the camera is placed on the door itself so we see it properly open.

1. I will be using elements of a narrator combined with a non-linear narrative. I find this as a good way to explore a characters emotions and story from different points in their life. This can also leave a plot twist to be added at the end which adds context to all other scenes creating a whole new mood which I find very interesting.
2. I will be taking inspiration from La Jatee, with elements of Pasternak. The parts I like about La Jatee is the enigmas created from the beginning, and only being solved by the end, while the character takes a journey through time exploring his life. The parts I will be taking from Pasternak is the exploration and evolution of this brand new secretive character, and the dramatic shift in tone at the end.

SCRIPT:

THE OTHER BROTHER 

FADE IN 

Matt steps onto the pavement and the bus drives away, he’s standing at the bus stop. 

Matt takes his phone out of his pocket and phones his brother. 

Jamie (voice): Hello? 

Matt: I’m here, but I can’t see you?  

Jamie (voice): Good… 

CUT  

Jamie is approaching a house in an entirely different location and stops outside of it 

Jamie: … I’ll be there soon. 

Jamie sighs deeply as he walks up and knocks on the house door. A man opens the door. 

Seb: Matthew! Now this is a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in! 
Jamie follows Seb inside, maintaining a straight face.  

CUT 

Matt checks the time.  

Matt: It’s been 5 minutes; he only lives down the road!  

Matt texts Jamie – Everything ok?  

CUT 

Jamie, holding his phone under the table, looks at Matt’s message and replies – All good, won’t be long.  

Seb: Can I get you a cup of tea? 

Jamie looks up 

Jamie: No. I’m fine thank you.  

Seb sits down opposite Jamie 

Seb: So, I’m assuming you’ve come to settle your debts? 

Jamie: I suppose so.  

Jamie looks under the table again, and begins typing a message to Matt. 

CUT 

Matt walks back and forth, before hearing a notification and opening his phone – I can’t see you tonight. I have to make things right before Seb tears this family apart.  

Matt reads the message, mortified. 

Matt: What’s he thinking! He’s gonna get himself killed!  

Matt begins running from the bus stop as the camera zooms into his eyes. 

CUT 

Jamie sits anxiously, his foot continuously tapping on the ground.  

Seb: Come on then? 

Jamie looks at him confused. 

Seb: The money. Don’t play stupid with me, you know what happened to the last fella. 

Jamie, pulling out an envelope: Oh, right. 

He slides the envelope across the table. Seb opens it up and looks inside. 

Seb: Oooh. Sorry mate, you’ve only given me 12 grand. 

Jamie: … yeah? That’s how much I borrowed from you.  

 Seb: You’re forgetting about the interest. 

Jamie: But that wasn’t th-  

Seb, standing up and getting aggressive: Quite frankly, I don’t give a shit about what the deal is! Are you gonna pay me what I want or do we have to do this another way.  

Jamie: How much more do I need? 

Seb: I want double. 

CUT 

Montage of Matt running through different locations. 

He reaches one area (grosnez) and stops. He takes out his phone and rings Jamie. 

Matt: Come on, come on… answer the phone. 

CUT 

Jamies phone begins ringing in his pocket.  

Seb stares directly at him, growing more agitated. 

Seb: Put the phone on the table Matthew. 

Jamie takes the phone out of his pocket and places it in front of him.  

Seb: Now. Am I going to get the rest of my money or do we have to put an end to this another way? 

Jamie: Look Seb, I don’t have another 12 thousand to give you. 

Seb: Very well then. 

Seb reaches inside his jacket and pulls out a gun.  

Seb: I tried to warn you Matthew. But I should’ve known you wouldn’t listen to me.   

Seb lifts the gun, pointing it directly at the camera  

CUT 

Matt, running: Almost there. 

He freezes as he hears a gunshot from nearby.  

Matt: No…  

He runs out of frame. 

CROSS CUTTING BETWEEN SEB WASHING HIS HANDS AND MATT RUNNING TOWARDS THE HOUSE 

Seb turns around to see Matt enter the house. 

Seb rubs his eyes and looks again. 

Seb: I must be seeing things! You’re… you’re… 

Matt: I’m what Seb?  

Seb: Dead. 

Matt: No! You’re a liar! He’s not… he can’t be! 

Seb: Who is “he”??? 

Matt: My brother. I should never have told him about you! If he didn’t know he’d still be here!  

Seb’s attention changes from Matt to the gun on the table.  

Matt realizes where he is looking. 

Matt: Don’t even think about it.  

Both go to grab the gun 

OFFSCREEN GUNSHOT ENDS THE FILM.  

Part A–

The ideologies surrounding gender in Pan’s Labyrinth is so Cleary critical about patriarchal society. The female characters like Ophelia and Mercedes are expected to be subservient, stereotypical by their male counterparts, but instead turn out to be courageous and smart, the archetype of traditionally patriarchal views on women.

Part B-

Del Toro uses aesthetics in Pan’s Labyrinth to firstly take on the perspective of Ophelia, and her imaginative, magic – realism personality. The magical look of the movie as a whole reflects how in order to shield herself from the violent environment, Ophelia fabricates a world of her own, a fantasy world where suffering doesn’t exist and she’s the princess.

How is gender represented in Pan’s Labyrinth 

• Use of gold colour pallet – used in fantasy scenes and scenes with Ophelia. 
• Shadowy blue colours – used in scenes with the faun 

Analysis of frog tree scene –  

The use of intertextual references takes place in Ophelia’s dress that she takes off, the dress reminds the audience of Alice in Wonderland, and the fantasy world that both Alice and Ophelia explore. The way the dress is sullied contrasts with the expectation of women being put together and ‘polite’, whereas Captain Vidal is presented to be more put together, therefore inverting the roles of men and woman, and commenting on the absurdity of gender politics and roles. 

The use of ‘wipe transitions’ creates a parallel between Ophelia and Captain Vidal, both being binary Oppositions of each over. 

The use setting illustrates how Ophelia is ‘trapped’ in the world she is, she is living in a much smaller world, boxed in by expectations of society and gender stereotypes. Whereas Vidal is out in the open, exclaiming out to the woods, as if he owns it. 

The colour pallet also reflects Ophelia’s fantasy world, whereas Vidal is lit realistically, showing how he does not posess the same childish, imaginative mindset as Ophelia.