Invisible style does not highlight the narrative directly, and attempts to conceal the 2 dimensionality of the film.
2. What is continuity editing?
Film editing techniques that are used to blend multiple shots, taken at different times or locations to create a seamless flow throughout the film.
1930 – 1947 :
1) What were the Big 5 studios & what type of movies was each studio famous for?
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer – Wizard of Oz, Warner Bros – Casablanca, Paramount – A farewell to Arms, Fox – Miracle on 34th Street and RKO – Citizen Kane.
2) Explain what vertical integration and block-booking was?
Vertical integration – production, distribution, exhibition were handled “in house”, meaning the company takes ownership of 2 or more key stages of its supply chain.
Block-booking – An act or instance of reserving a large number of tickets, seats, etc.
3) Why and when did the original studio system collapse?
It ended when Block-Booking was banned in court on may 4th 1948. Causing the five major studios to take devastating blows.
4) What was happening in America(and around the world) at this time?
Due to the events of the Wall street crash in 1929, this led onto the ‘Great Depression’ where money lost most of its value. The film industry was effected as movie attendance and industry revenues had fallen by 40% by 1933.
Aditionally America was at War with Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan, as a result numerous films to raise money for the war effort were made.
With favourable climate for all-year round shooting and diverse landscapes and terrain California was a suitable setting for filming.
2. Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the silent era?
Charlie Chaplin – The circus, 1928.
Buster Keaton – The General, 1927.
Harold lloyd – Safety last!, 1923.
Many of the Stars where the director such as Chaplin and Keaton.
3. In what way was the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line?
Studios wanted to make money first and art second, this showed with the project output being 500 in 1937. These included recognisable film studios such as Warner Bros and MGM.
4. When and what was the first “Talking Picture”?
The Jazz singer, released on October 6th 1927, directed by Alan Crosland and released by Warner brothers.
5. Why did the end of the silent era cause problems for some performers working in the film industry?
Many of the actors onscreen, didn’t match their on screen appearance or were heavily accented.
6. What was happening In America (and around the world) at this time?
The Great depression had occurred after the wall street stock market crash, where many industries such as the film industry in Hollywood slowed down. With America supplying Financial loans to other countries pre-crash, the depression effected globally as America stopped providing to focus on itself.
Possible filming locations:
Grosnez Castle:
“who shares my kingdom and walks by my side” – With the word ‘kingdom’ in mind I thought of possible locations to film based of this word, Seeing how Elizabeth castle is shut for the winter, Mont Orguiel Castle costs money, so therefore Grosnez Castle was the best option.
Grosnez Lighthouse:
“up the hill and moorland I go.” – With Hilly areas near by to the castle this fitted this quote from the poem.
MP3 Observation tower:
“Cramped by your doors and your walls I dwell.” – With the large MP3 tower it acts as a somewhat metaphor to this quote as the German occupation in WW2 had many people feel trapped OR “Cramped”.
Grosnez cliff path:
“Here to the wind-swept uplands ascend.” – With high winds being swept up from the sea, this location matched with this quote.
Story board:
Realism:
Verisimilitude – The appearance of being true or real, being ‘believable’.
Social Realism – term used by film makers and other forms of artists to aims to draw attention to socio-political conditions of the working class as a way to criticise the power structures behind these conditions.
Magic Realism – depicts fictional and fantastical events in a mainly realistic tone.
Hyperreality – Inability to distinguish reality from being real or a simulation by inserting artificial parts of reality into a mainly realistic depiction of the world.
Visual style:
Iconography – Visual images and symbols, used in a work of art.
Intertextual Referencing – Implications of another text by using a distinctive, common or recognisable element of the referenced text.
Visual / Sound Motifs – A dominant or reoccurring image, design or sound.
colour grading – Post-production process of altering the appearance of film or photos.
Auteur Trademarks – A certain style of art linked to its certain author.
Tone:
Pathos – A quality that evokes pity or sadness.
Bathos – An effect of anti-climax after an presumed artistic greatness.
Suspense – An effect of excitement or anxiety of what may happen.
Comedy – An effect of something that will make you laugh or intended to.
Dramatic Irony – A literary device which uses the audiences understanding of events which surpasses the characters knowledge.
Distancing Effect (Verfremdung) – Makes what seems familiar strange.
Postmodern Humour – Humour linked to serious meanings
This Is England –
Trainspotting –
Sound –
Needle drops of 80’s music alongside the accompanied piano underscores, Is used as the soundtrack for the film to help imply the 80s era this films set in as well as give connotations to the emotional impact for a scene.
Editing –
Montages are used at both the start and at the end of the Film to convey Britain’s sway of public opinion and the backing to Shaun’s story. It implies how Shaun lost his dad to the Falkland’s war, although it isn’t mentioned that he is dead, it shows this through footage of conflict, losses of life and an eventual fade to a picture frame of his dad in a royal marines uniform. Public opinion is shown through footage of protests to government, military and nationalist marches of skinheads.
Mise-en-scene –
Props used in this film mainly are associated with their characters, an example of this can be seen with Combo with his machete. His prop connotes his aggressive personality.
Cinematography –
Used in scenes, such as this extreme long shot, they are used by Meadows to establish the setting of the story and the environment the characters find themselves in.
Additionally close ups are used to convey, deeper emotions that the previous shots are unable to show.
