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dylanmurphybth · 6 years

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Why are Films from the same Genre the same?

Introduction

In this blog I will be informing you on some of the narrative theories I have found from my analysis of fictional films from different genres (horror and action), there are a different range of codes and conventions for the different genres I have chosen. I will also be detailing how different camera and sound techniques, models and theory's are used by the director and writer to give a certain message/feeling to the audience, using certain detailed examples from the films I analysed.

Visual Storytelling

Narrative structures are used in all the films i have analysed they are essential to any film. They make sure the stories and plots work and that the audience aren’t left feeling confused about what they just watched. However, story and plot are two different things:

The story of a film is the continuous events you see on the screen, the actions and what the aftermath is.

The plot is what the audiences feels and infers from the story and the actions in it.

Plot devices are commonly used in films, they are good devices which entice the audience:

A plot twist is when something unexpected happens and it flips the film on its head. This is done to shock, surprise and grab the attention of the audience. They are normally done at the end of the film to give a shock ending and so the audience couldn’t have guessed it. E.g. in the ending of Seven, Mills and Somerset take John Doe to a random location and he teases Mills about a box and what is in it. We then find out Mills’ wife’s head is in the box, Mills then shoots Joe Doe.

A McGuffin is something that all the character’s want to acquire. This means it is the most important thing in the film and the film is normally the journey to get the item. E.g. in Lord of the Rings Frodo has a ring that everyone is trying to kill him for, he is defended because he has the ring and must destroy it before anybody else gets it.

Deus ex machina means ‘God from the machine’, this means that God intervenes in the film to change an outcome/event. E.g. in Donnie Darko when the car runs over Gretchin, this scares the thieves that are about to hurt Donnie, this was because God intervened.

A Red Herring is something used in a film to throw the audience off from solving the mystery. E.g. in The Usual Suspects Verbal Kint tells the story about Soze to the police and is let go but it is then revealed that Verbal is Soze. The red herring is that Kint was talking about Soze like he is a different person.

In Media Res is where the film starts in the middle of the story. E.g. in Pulp Fiction the film’s scenes are all mixed up and the first scene links should be at the end of the film.

Match on action shots are used when two locations are used to seem like one both on the exterior and interior. It is done showing characters walking into one location from the outside and they are seen walking into the second location from the inside.

Shot reverse shot is used normally when there is a conversation between characters. It goes from a shot of on character to the other then back to the first character.

Eyeline match is where we see a character look at something and then we see what the were looking at.

Lighting is important to any film as if we couldn’t see the film then we wouldn’t understand it or enjoy it. In action the lighting is high key so everything is seen and so nothing is hidden from the audience. In contrast, in horror films there is a lot of low-key lighting so the audience doesn’t see hidden things in the film.

The Horror Genre

Horror films are known for having similar consistencies in each film. This is a negative as this means that the audience know what to expect most of the time. Also, it means all the films are the same which means there is a lack of individuality in this genre. This could be seen as a positive as it clearly shows the genre as when you see theses consistencies you know you are watching a horror film.

Hush

‘Hush’ is about a deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears in her window.

There are two main characters in the film:

Maddie Young is a writer who is deaf and mute. She lives in a isolated house in the woods. She is at a disadvantage from the start as she can’t hear the man or see the man so must outsmart him to survive.

The man is a psychotic serial killer who tries to toy with Maddie so he can torture her mentally before he tries to kills her. The man is very strange and we learn little information about him (including his name).

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is important in all films and is also essential in Hush:

The film is entirely set in/around an isolated house in the middle of the woods in America. This gives an eerie feel to the film instantly as Maddie is very isolated and she is so open for attack so the audience is nervous from the off set. The colour of the house and the woods make the fill look quite dull. This could link to how Maddie (later on in the film) has to dull her emotions and has to compose herself to try and kill her intruder.

The man’s mask is a very important piece of costume used to make him more intimidating and frightening as his face isn’t seen (temporarily), showing that we don’t know his identity. The mask also blocks the audience from seeing the killer’s emotions. This is important as we can’t see if the man is serious, joyous, upset, satisfied, etc, this makes the man scarier as we can’t tell his reasons for the killing he is doing as we can’t see what he feels after he does it. Maddie is dressed in casual clothing to show that this attack was random and was an unexpected surprise (which makes more terrifying).

An interesting prop used in Hush is the corkscrew which is used in the end of the film by Maddie to kill the man. It is interesting as it is foreshadowed at the start of the film as we are given a close-up of the corkscrew to let the audience know it is important.

Camera Techniques

Camera techniques are important for every film. Without these we would not be able to watch the film and see what is happening in the scenes. Some interesting techniques were used in Hush. Some are:

A tracking shot is used to follow Maddie as she walks around her house and we follow her from behind. This creates tension as the audience are anticipating a jumpscare of Maddie getting attacked by the man and are waiting for the attack. We are behind Maddie so Maddie will take the attack face on (if there is one), something we cannot see. Staying with her and waiting makes the audience build tension in themselves, this is important for a horror film as tension building makes scenes more horrifying and memorable.

There are some shaky movements when there is a chase, action or an attempted escape. This shaking connects to a person’s head when they run as it slightly shakes. It also shows the victim is desperate as it looks like they are shaking their head to mean no to the man and the violence he wants to inflict on them.

A crane shot is used when Maddie and the man are on the roof and there is a chase in the window. This was used as a crane could get to the correct height so it is level with the characters. A tracking shot is used in the same scene as the man climbs up to the roof and chases the injured Maddie into the window.

A close- up is used by the director to convey Maddie’s emotions to the audience. This is because all her emotions are racing around in her head as she is stuck in this unthinkable situation. It is also used to show how oblivious she is of the man being outside her house after he killed Sarah the neighbour next to Maddie’s window.

A medium close-up is used to show the audience the window and the potential risk of the man smashing the glass and entering to kill Maddie. It also sets up a jump scare which the director could use to scare the main character and the audience so the audience feel like they are in the film and are in Maddie’s position.

An unusual dutch tilt shot is used when Maddie picks up a weapon. This could show us how Maddie’s head is spinning, possibly from the blood loss or the adrenaline as she can now defend herself from the man or attack the man.

Narrative Theory

Narrative theory is essential for any film, without these theories the audience wouldn’t be able to follow or understand what is going on in the film. Some theories used are:

Todorov’s theory:

Opening, establishes setting and introduces character. E.g. we meet Maddie and see her house and the open surroundings (the woodland).

Build up, Relationships established. Development of characters and their world. E.g. we see Maddie debating to call Craig who is most likely her ex-boyfriend. We also meet Sarah and see her friendship with Maddie.

Problem, a dilemma or series of complications. Characters are faced with an obstacle to overcome a mystery to solve, or often more than one. E.g. we see the man kill Sarah outside of Maddie’s window and then Maddie notices the man outside her house.

Events, a series of events/action as characters try to overcome obstacle, solve problem, discover truth and so on. Further complications may arise in the process. E.g. we then see Maddie trying to appease the man. Their are also a few moments of action/violence. John then goes to Maddie’s house to find Sarah but speaks to the man, which ends in the man killing John but he put up a good fight.

Resolution, the protagonists are victorious, problems are solved, truth revealed. E.g. Maddie and the man finally fight, it ends with Maddie stabbing the man in the throat with a corkscrew.

Ending, characters reflect on events, reinstate relationships and look forward. E.g. the emergency services arrive at Maddie’s house and we see her contemplating recent events on her porch steps.

Levi-Strauss’ theory of binary opposites:

Good (Maddie) vs evil (the man).

A person with a disability (Maddie) vs a person without a disability (the man).

A victim (Maddie) vs a murderer (the man).

A woman (Maddie) vs a man (the man).

Protagonist (Maddie) vs antagonist (the man).

Propp’s Character Types:

The Hero - Maddie Young

The Villain - The Man

The Helper - the voice in Maddie’s head

The Good Neighbor

‘The Good Neighbor’ is about a pair of mischievous high school kids try and create the illusion of a haunting on an unsuspecting elderly neighbor while keeping his every reaction under surveillance. A series of coincidences leads to tragedy.

There are two main characters in ‘The Good Neighbor’:

Ethan is a confident young man who is an aspiring filmmaker and he thinks that filming the so called ‘haunted project’ is a step to further his career. He seems to have a good friendship with Sean, however, he always wants to push the project to its limits (even if that means crossing the legal line). He lives with his mother and has an absent father, which seems to be a huge factor in the way he behaves.

Sean is the more intelligent and sensible out of the two friends and constantly questions the project, its purpose and how far to push Harold. Sean is very cautious of when the project crosses the legal line too far. Sean also supplies the equipment for the project from his wealthy father. This shows that Sean isn’t really doing the project for his benefit but more for Ethan.

Seeing the basement is an interesting McGuffin in the film as both Sean, Ethan and the police officer want to get in the basement. This intrigues the audience and makes them ask question like, what is in the basement? and what is Harold hiding?

Mise-en-scene

The film is set in the American suburbs which throws the audience off from the start as they expect the suburbs to be a peaceful and calm place and when something traumatic happens they are surprised. The suburbs are quiet bright places with good weather (depending on the season), however, the colours are fairly plain and the houses are the same build and colour. This could be supposed to show the audience that everyone in the suburbs is the same but this quickly changes as the film progresses.

All the characters wear similar clothing: a flannel, a t-shirt and jeans. This could be to show that the characters are more similar than they’d like to admit and that Ethan and Sean shouldn’t be doing this to Harold.

Sean and Ethan’s camera is used a lot in the film. They pass it back and forth and we can see what they choose to record and what to leave out in the project. This is evident when Sean confronts Ethan about the reason behind why Harold is the subject for the project, Ethan doesn’t want the conversation to be recorded and calls for the camera to be turned off because of this the audience doesn’t see the conversation, just like the camera. Harold’s wife’s bell is also used very importantly in the end of the film as Ethan moves the bell from the basement to the living room table. This cause Harold to commit suicide and we later learn that it was because he thought his wife was a ghost and he wanted to be with her again.

Camera Techniques

Close-ups are used in the film to show the character’s emotions after certain events and to also direct the attention of the audience to an object so they know what to focus on/look at.

Medium close-ups are used to show a character’s behaviour as this shot doesn’t show the audience too much to focus on but also brings their focus to a certain character and their mannerisms.

A very long shot is used in ‘The Good Neighbor’ to see the whole of the character including their costume and any props they might be carrying. This is important as if you only see the characters from the shoulders up, you may get the wrong image of the character in your head.

When Harold is watching the cop go through the items in his basement there is a slow zoom in and very dark low key lighting which builds a lot of tension and could also convey that the the mystery is getting closer to be solved. This shot also puts questions in the audience’s head, e.g. is Harold going to attack the cop before he finds something? This shot also makes Harold look like the villain in the film, however by the end of the film we learn this was just misdirection from the director.

Hand held is used in the film as it gives us the perspective of a character and makes the events to come more personal for the audience. It also suits horror genre perfectly s this shot is used in many horror films, such as the Paranormal Activity series. This technique also means there is shaky movement from the camera which makes the scene more realistic, it also shows the nervousness of a character and shows how scared they are.

A box frame is put around some scenes (when Ethan and Sean are they subjects) which could connote that they are in their own bubble/box and if they believe their project is a good thing to do then they will be surprised about the repercussions they receive.

Comparison between the two films in the Horror Genre:

Both films use the setting of a large house as another character, as one character is stuck inside the house and another is trying to break into it or do something to the house.

In 'Hush', the house is almost like a safe house that Maddie is trapped in as the man is outside and is ready to attack and kill her, so she has to try and outsmart him so she can survive.

In contrast, in 'The Good Neighbor' the house is seen as a place of mystery to Sean and Ethan (mainly because of the basement). They also want to break in and out of the house quietly, when needs be, e.g. to adjust a camera.

They both use low key lighting to hide things from the audience and to make it harder for the audience to fully grasp what's going on in the scene so they are always left not knowing the whole story so they continue to watch to understand what happened and what is happening.

'Hush' tries more than 'The Good Neighbbor' to put the audience in Maddie's position so they feel more sympathy for her and are therefore more invested in the film so it is easier to use a jump scare to keep the audience on the edge of the film and to remind the audience that the film is a horror and anything could happen at any time. 'The Good Neighbor' rarely used jump scares, there were times in the film, however, where the director tried to make the film darker in both look and feel.

The Action Genre

Action films may vary in story but they all have similarities that make the audience know that they are watching an action film. These similarities range from the high key lighting to the violent props used e.g. guns and knives. Action films are one of the most popular genres and may films come from this genre, this contributes to the fact that they will have some similarities.

Ride Along

Security guard Ben has tried to convince James, a veteran cop, that he is worthy of James' sister, Angela. When Ben is finally accepted into the police academy, James decides to test him by inviting him along to scare the trainee. However, events take an unexpected turn when their wild night leads to a notorious criminal.

There are two main character’s in ‘Ride Along’:

James Payton is a hero in the sense that he is a very good police officer but when it comes to his relationship with Ben he is very harsh and becomes a lot less likeable. He is a hard man that doesn’t show a lot of emotion however when it comes to his sister he is very protective.

Ben Barber is the comic relief of the film. With so much action and violence Ben is refreshing for the audience. Ben is hard-working and despite his failure he keeps trying and stays positive, this proves his love for Angela.

Mise-en-scene

The film is set in Atlanta, USA. This is a modern city with a high crime rate, which is appropriate as there is a lot of crime that needs to be solved. The high rise buildings tell you it is a city.

James wears big sunglasses and a leather jacket to show he is a smooth police officer who breaks some rules to get the job done. His flashy car also shows he is a good police officer as the car would be expensive. The fast car also shows James’ quick temper especially with Ben. Ben wears a dri-fit shirt to show his intelligence when it comes to minor details. He is also given a police jacket to show he isn’t as smooth and subtle as James.

A prop that consistently pops up in the film is a gun to clearly show the action drama and the violence that will be shown in the film. It also shows the serious consequences of violence.

Camera Techniques

Shot reverse shot is used in the film to show conversation and the contrast between Ben and James through their dialogue and interactions. Close-ups are used to show the character’s emotions so the audience can build a connection with the characters and can see them as real humans.A camera is mounted in/ on the car to show how James acts in a high intensity situation, and by his behaviour he is very successful in them and is a veteran in what he does at the Atlanta Police Department.

There is some shaky camera movements in the film which could connote that James and Ben's relationship is very shaky and may sometimes come of course but in the end they settle their differences and the shots are then smoother. There is also some smooth camera movement when James is the object to show James is smooth and confident in his job and what he does.

A jib camera is used in the big fight scene when Ben is crawling. This is used to show us action and the position of the characters. They are trapped behind crates and it looks unlikely for them to succeed but they do.

There was a POV shot when Ben is on the hospital bed with his gunshot wound. There is also a bit of sway in the camera from the POV angle, this shows that Ben has lost a lot of blood and he is going in and out of consciousness. It is also a low angle shot looking up at James, this shows us that Ben looks up to James and aspires to be like him one day.

Narrative Theory

This film is single stranded and closed as it has an ending, which everything is resolved. Ride Along is a realist film as there are believable scenarios and there aren’t any out of the world characters.

Todorov’s theory:

Opening, establishes setting and introduces character. E.g. James is seen doing police work, ending up in a car chase, then an arrest. Ben is seen playing a video game and being in a relationship with Angela.

Build up, Relationships established. Development of characters and their world. E.g. Angela and Ben are looking to get married, Ben needs James’ blessing. James is a veteran cop and Ben aspires to be a cop.

Problem, a dilemma or series of complications. Characters are faced with an obstacle to overcome a mystery to solve, or often more than one. E.g. Ben does his best to be a real cop with James but fails. The search for Omar is being investigated.

Events, a series of events/action as characters try to overcome obstacle, solve problem, discover truth and so on. Further complications may arise in the process. E.g. Ben gives James accidental clues along the ride along, James and Ben find where Omar’s deal is going down and Ben pretends to be Omar to save James but the real Omar appears. A fight breaks out and James and Ben are victorious.

Resolution, the protagonists are victorious, problems are solved, truth revealed. E.g Omar gets arrested.

Ending, characters reflect on events, reinstate relationships and look forward.

Levi-Strauss’ theory:

A stubborn person (James) vs a docile person (Ben).

A veteran (James) vs a recruit (Ben).

An intimidating cop (James) vs an unthreatening cop (Ben).

Good (James and Ben) vs evil (Omar).

Traditional (James) vs modern (Ben).

A cop (James) vs a criminal (Omar).

Propp’s Character Types:

The Hero - James Payton.

The Helper/Donor - Ben Barber.

The Villain - Omar.

The Princess - Angela Payton (Angela is a clear example of Mulvey’s theory that female characters are put in films so men can look at her and be attracted to her. This is clear with Angela as she is mostly seen wearing small amounts of clothes).

The Dispatcher - Lieutenant Brooks.

Die Hard with a Vengeance

John McClane, officer of the NYPD and hero of both the Nakatomi Hostage Crisis and the Dulles International Airport Crisis, must join forces with a Harlem shop owner to prevent Simon, brother of the late Hans Gruber and serial bomber, from stealing billions of dollars worth of gold from the Federal Reserve Building in New York City.

There are three main character’s in ‘Die Hard with a Vengeance’

John McClane is a police officer who is treated like royalty for his heroic duties in the previous two films. He is definitely the hero of the film who solves the mystery eventually despite bumps in the road. He is involved in all the action in the film and seems to beat all the bad guys he faces. Despite being the hero, he is no role model and is quite an unstable person with a lot of issues, including his marriage.

Zeus Carver is an ordinary man living in the poor neighbourhood in Harlem, who saves John McClane from getting beat up. Since this event McClane seems to trust him and Zeus follows McClane through the rest of the film helping him solve the mystery like a sidekick.

Simon Gruber is the villain in the film who toys/ controls McClane with a game of Simon Says with severe consequences. This distraction allows him to act out his real plan. He is a intelligent yet violent and dangerous man who isn’t bothered about his soldiers. In the end of the film he is outsmarted and then killed by John McClane.

Mise-en-scene

The film is set in New York City, a busy city which is crowded all the time, which is the perfect place for Simon Gruber to act out his plan. The city is surrounded by tall buildings which look quite plain with colours of brown and grey which make the city dull. There are also a lot of vehicles and people there, which makes it easy to blend in with the crowd. Nothing important or interesting is on the outside of the buildings but inside the bank and underground, there is lots of gold. This could signify that not everything is as simple as it looks and you need to see what is in the inside to truly see what things behold.

John McClane wears a simple shirt over a vest with long pants to make him look like a normal guy on the street but really he is a very complicated character who is quite extraordinary. Zeus Carver wears a similar costume to John McClane to show that they are quite similar despite the different jobs and attitudes. Simon Gruber wears a vest with pants by the end of the film to show the similarity between him and McClane, despite them being enemies. McClane’s costume gets increasing more dirty as the film progresses with blood, dirt and debris.

There are many guns in the film to clearly show the action genre and to show the serious consequences of McClane’s actions (if he puts a foot wrong he will be killed). A phone is used to connect McClane and Gruber in conversation so the story can progress. A briefcase is used to hold a bomb to show the casual nature of violence going on around McClane.

Camera Techniques

During a car chase scene the camera is mounted on the dash looking out on the road, to show McClane and Zeus’ view of the chase. There is also a camera mounted on the back of a car which drives in front of the cars which moves like a car with a shaky movement to give the audience a feeling like they are in a nearby car and are witnessing the action taking place and shows us all of the action taking place in the cars, as we can see the whole of the two cars and the road. A cameraman is then placed in the back seat to see all the action going on in the car between McClane and Zeus.

A tilt down is used when the security guard notices the boots on the German who walked in with a suit. There is then a pan to another German wearing the same kind of boots to show the audience. Tracking shots are used to follow the main characters and it also shows us how the characters behave. A crane shot is used as Gruber and his henchmen walk into the bank to show the size of the bank and to show the setting of an important place in the film. A jib camera is used when John and Zeus look over the side of the bridge at the cargo ship to show the size of the ship, the water and the distance of the fall.

In some scene the camera’s movement is quite shaky when the objects are John and Zeus, this could connote that there relationship is quite shaky, they don’t always agree and have different views. The way they have been brought together was also very unusual, like the shaking of the camera. It could also show how their situation is awkward as they are strangers that have to get along to be successful in the objective, to find Gruber. The awkward situation also links to how it is awkward to watch the scene as the camera is shaking and the audience aren’t use to that.

A match on action shot is used when Gruber and his associates walk through an entrance of two doors and then appear in a huge open bank. The exterior and interior of the bank are most likely to be different places but appear to be the same place to the audience as they assume the two places are connected.

There is a very long shot when Gruber and his crew walk in to the bank to set the scene and where the action will now take place. Also the fact we see the whole of the bank could tell us that Simon knows everything about the bank and has a vast knowledge of how to exploit it.

Narrative Theory

Todorov’s theory:

Opening, establishes setting and introduces character. E.g. it is clearly shown that the film is set in New York City, then there is a bomb explosions. This introduces John McClane and Simon (only his voice at first), who will progress the film along.

Build up, Relationships established. Development of characters and their world. E.g. there is a unknown connection between John McClane and Simon. Simon is the clear antagonist and McClane is the clear protagonist.

Problem, a dilemma or series of complications. Characters are faced with an obstacle to overcome a mystery to solve, or often more than one. E.g. Simon sets McClane challenges to complete and if he fails then there will be serious consequences. McClane meets Zeus doing a challenge, (Zeus saves John).

Events, a series of events/action as characters try to overcome obstacle, solve problem, discover truth and so on. Further complications may arise in the process. E.g. The challenges get harder and the audience sees Simon’s real plan is to steal gold from the Federal Reserve Bank.

Resolution, the protagonists are victorious, problems are solved, truth revealed. E.g. John and Zeus realise what Simon’s real plan is and try to stop him. He escapes but not long after McClane kills Simon to bring peace once again.

Ending, characters reflect on events, reinstate relationships and look forward. E.g. McClane tries to call his wife so they can solve their issues.

Levi-Strauss’ theory:

Good (McClane) vs evil (Simon).

An American (McClane) vs a German (Gruber).

Protagonist (McClane) vs antagonist (Simon).

A cop (McClane) vs a criminal (Gruber).

Propp’s Character Types:

The Hero - John McClane.

The Villain - Simon Gruber.

The Helper - Zeus Carver.

The Dispatcher - Inspector Cobb.

Comparison between the two films in the Action Genre:

Both films have the core story that there are police officers/detectives that are trying to find and arrest/kill a criminal. In 'Ride Along' James and Ben are trying to identify and arrest the mysterious Omar. In 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' John McClane is trying to find Simon Gruber before something bad happens.

This storyline is followed in a lot of action movies, this is done as this make it more realistic and justifiable that there would be so much action going on in the film between the police and the criminals.

Both films use high key lighting, like most action films, this is done so all the action is seen by the audience. It is also done in contrast to the violence, as the lighting is bright and the violence is dark.

'Die Hard with a Vengeance' is a more violent and dark action film than 'Ride Along'. This is evident as in 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' there are bombs that are placed on trains and even in a school full of children, whereas, in 'Ride Along there are just guns and explosions which are considered less violent and dark then bombs.

Comparison between the Horror and Action Genre:

The action and horror genre are two of the most popular genres as they are the most intense and exhilarating movies you an watch that keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole film. The fact that people keep watching these genres is because each film has some features that are the same. However, the differences in the action and horror genres are clear.

Lighting is the most obvious difference as action films stick with their high key lighting and horror movies stay with their low key lighting. These different lighting choices are definitely the correct moves for these genres as if you watched a dark action film then you would be struggling to see all the information shown on screen and the feeling given off from the film would be too dark and intense. In a similar way watching a bright horror film would make the film so much less scary as the audience can see everything in the scene and nothing would shock or surprise the audience.

On the other hand, there are small similarities between the films. One of them is the violence and action in the films. The audience are shown props early in the film so they know a character is prepared for any attack or violence that is headed for them, e.g. a gun.

Conclusion

Films from the same genre may be similar and some may be the exact same just with different names. This may be bad and boring as you watch the same film from the sae genre over and over again. However, when you notice that unique and revolutionary film it stands out from the rest and changes the way to make movies from that genre forever until somebody new does the same thing.

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