Enough of this blabbing, lets go...
Purpose:
The purpose of the film Tyrannosaur is to entertain the audience. This is because it shows the audience about the lives of these characters and how life isn't always fair. This films audience is very small(niche) and was made in order to create a profit. This is because Warp Films is an independent company.
Form:
The type of product I am analysing is a Feature film (spanning 92 minutes).
The film could have been viewed on; a DVD, streamed or showed at an independent cinema (Showroom Cinemas) or Television (thanks to joint ventures with Film Four). The film was screened on Film Four from 9th- 17th September 2012. Because of this, it means that people will be able to see the film all over the country (not just those in the niche target audience).
Genre:
My chosen film is in the genre Tragedy, but the sub-genre is Tragedy/ Psychological which links with theorist Barry Keith Wart(1958) theory on sub genres within genres. This is shown in the film when Hannah (played by Olivia Coleman) is showing signs of assault, which is both Tragic and impacts the audience psychologically (causes them to feel sad for the character). This helps to demonstrate social realism. This is because the verisimilitude created in the mise-en scene.
Style:
The style of film in Tyrannosaur is Modern. This is because it creates Verisimilitude (it looks realistic in day- day life). This is because if you look at the clothing in worn in the film, it is very similar to what we would see today. The Film also has verisimilitude because of the language the characters use and the way they carry themselves. This connotes that they have an in depth connection to the characters, if not on a personal level, but on a subconscious level.
Content:
My film (Tyrannosaur) does not follow Todrov's (1997) narrative structure. This is because the narratives diegesis begins with an equilibrium, which gradually gets worse before things begin to get better for our female protagonist and slowly begin to go towards an equilibrium. My film follows the narratives Orpheus &Achilles. This is because the female protagonist is almost perfect (or so it seems because of the abuse against her by her partner) and the loss of something personal within the narrative.
The Binary opposition in Tyrannosaur is Male vs Female. This is shown by domestic violence in the film. In the film the male characters are more dominant in relation to the female character, who is very meek and demure and try's to hide it and makes up excuses for her partners abuse. This follows Claude Levi Strauss (1958) Binary opposition theory.
Content and Meaning:
I do feel that John Berger (1972) "men act and women appear" applies in this film because our male antagonist objectifies and abuses our female protagonist. He abuses her by hitting her (domestic violence). This is also shown as our primary opposition (although they are seen together less often than our two protagonists.
Location -
The 1st example of a key location in the film is the Charity shop. This connotes the setting as a place of which our two protagonists keep returning too. This is because it is seen as a safe haven by our characters, where the rest of the world cannot harm them. The fact that this is a place of refuge to the characters connotes a feeling of security, much like that of a favourite blanket. An alternative connotation of this is that the location is the 'womb' for the characters and offers a maternal protection. This is much like the protection the female protagonist is offering to the male protagonist. This makes the reader feel secure in this environment.
The second example of a main location in the film is the streets. This is because it helps to reflect the different moods in the film. An example of this is at the beginning of the trailer when we find our male protagonist outside the charity shop. This makes the audience assume that he has nowhere else to go. The streets also connote danger and poverty. This could also be because of the peoples clothing (as mentioned later in clothing).
Costume-
The costume of our female protagonist denotes a blue cardigan, a dark blue top , a dark coat, and dark trouser. Her costume follows the diegesis of the film because it helps to give the film verisimilitude. The fact her clothing was modest connotes a lack of self-confidence (maybe due to the fact her partner is abusive towards her). An alternative connotation of this is that her clothes are a sort of security blanket from the outside world, so no one can harm her. Also the fact her clothes are dark connotes the sadness and anguish in her life. This shows the binary opposition between herself and the male antagonist. This is because of the modesty and her clothes making her seem more subservient to him.
The costume of our male protagonist is made up of a dark coat , a greyish top, a pair of tracksuit bottoms, and a pair of trainers. His costume follows the diegesis of the film because it helps to give the film verisimilitude and shows he is not a well off man. The fact his clothing is mainly dark in colour connotes that he has a past and his clothing reflects that. An alternative connotation of this is that the dark colours of his clothes reflect his emotions on the world he lived in.
The costume of our male antagonist denotes smart shirts, a blazer, ties and suit trousers. His costume follows the diegesis of the film because it helps to give the film verisimilitude. The fact his clothing is very normal and unsuspecting gives the film verisimilitude because it shows how it is difficult to tell who is abusing others. But the costume gives subtle hints at what is going on because of the smart and simple nature of his clothing this connotes that he is in control of everything and anyone in his life. An alternative connotation of his choice of clothes is that he needs structure and order in his life. His costume also shows the binary opposition between himself and our female protagonist, this is because his wardrobe makes him seem to be more dominant and controlling.
Prop/Property of the character/Iconography-
The first example of iconography in my film is; talking about their problems/ talking with a hot drink this is because this is a reoccurring scene in the film (from the trailer) and is shown to be a key element in the two protagonists lives. This is a key stereotype in what people believe happens in Britain in everyday society. This action also connotes bonding between the two protagonists. This links with social realism because this scene happens in less wealthy areas of Britain (as far as I am aware).
Another example of iconography denotes the charity shop. This is because they always go back there. This is because it seems to be a safe haven for the two main protagonists to escape from the terrible misdeeds happening against them in everyday life. This connotes a feeling of warmth and comfort that is not available elsewhere with anyone else.
Colours and lighting-
At the beginning of the film it shows low key lighting in the pub scene 00:24. This may have been done to show that is an ominous space where violence occurs regularly. This also connotes it is a very masculine place where pride rears its ugly head often.
In the film the scene that has high key lighting that stands out the most for me is shown at 1:21. This is because they used an natural but high key light (it was somewhere in-between the two) to show a sad moment in the film. This connotes that it is both a sad but liberating moment for the female protagonist. Warp films may have done this as a twisted sort of irony that it is a sombre time but they use lighting that is often associated with joy.
Gestures-
The female protagonist's body language is very stiff and uneasy. This may be from judgement from others or her partners abuse. Her body language connotes an uncertainty within herself about her worth in this world. An alternate connotation is that she calculates her actions to keep herself safe (almost like a coping mechanism.)
The male antagonist's is very loose and casual but with a menacingly calculated undertone. This makes the audience think that he is in control of himself and is a man around town. His body language connotes that he is in control, An alternative connotation is that he looks so in control when in actual fact he is insecure about details of himself.
This shows a very significant difference between the pair of people who are our binary opposition. Both because of the way they carry themselves (which is completely the opposite) and that they follow the stereotype of women being meek and mild whilst the male is dominant and controlling.
Editing:
To show the editing, shot types and camera angles I will be referring to parts in the official film trailer imbedded below:
Shot Reverse shot structure: This shot is shown at 00:56. This denotes the male protagonist looking at the female protagonist with a worried expression on his face. This is shown with a medium shot. The scene hen cuts to showing the female protagonist with a black eye in a medium close up shot. This connotes that the male protagonist has a fondness for the female protagonist and cares for her wellbeing. An alternative connotation to this is that he sees her as a sort of safety vessel for him and if she goes down, he will flounder alongside because she is his main support. This affects the reader because it makes them feel that they have become a fighting pair against the world (sort of like Batman (the male protagonist) and Robin (the female protagonist).
Cross cutting: This shot is shown at 01:04.This denotes the female protagonist being pushed against the wall by the male antagonist as soon as she walks through the door. The scene then cuts at 01:05 to the male protagonist in his room, getting ready for bed. This connotes that he is clueless at this point about the abuse inflicted on the female protagonist at home. This also connotes the binary opposition of male vs female in the narrative. This is because it shows the male antagonist being dominant ad using his power to frighten and manipulate the female protagonist to accept his abuse and being more pliable to his demands. This affects the audience because it makes them think of how this could be anyone in that situation and they just would not know (just like the male protagonist).
Action Match: This is shown at 00:59. This shot denotes the two antagonists walking down the street. The scene starts as a wide angle shot, then cuts to a medium shot at 01:00 and cuts again after showing the boy in a medium close up shot in the convocation at 01:01. The scene then cuts to another medium wide shot as they walk away. This happens at 01:02 in the trailer. This connotes a twisted calm after the female protagonist's abuse the night before. As if going for a walk will change what has happened and may help her think. An alternative connotation to this is that she is in need of friendship and the male protagonist is the closest thing to one that she has. This may link to the abuse inflicted onto her. In turn this makes the audience feel a combination of anxiety and happiness for the female. The anxiety may be because of the worry in case the male antagonist finds out about her friend. They may feel happiness because she (the female protagonist), finally has someone of whom she can depend on if she needs help.
Camerawork:
The first shot type used in the film is found on the trailer at 00:01. This shot type is an establishing shot. This may have been used to show the setting of this particular scene and give insight to the audience about the main characters background (both socially and economically). This shot denotes a middle aged man walking in the streets of an estate at night. This connotes that he is not a good person and spends a long time in the pub. This is also reinforced when we later see him leaning on the charity shop shutters. An alternative connotation to this is that he is lonely and the natural/ low key lighting helps to emphasise that and create verisimilitude within the diegesis. The shot causes the audience to feel wary and uncertain about the male protagonist at this point because he seems to be quite a shady/ dark character.
The second shot type used in the film is found on the trailer at 00:37. This shot type is an over the shoulder shot. This shot denotes the interaction between the male antagonist and the female protagonist where he dominates her (a common stereotype of our binary opposition male vs female) about why she wasn't at the shop. This connotes that he thinks of her as his position. This links with the binary opposition because in the past women were scene as subservient to men and should be gentle. After they married the woman was his property. An alternative connotation to this is that he cares deeply for our female protagonist but struggles to show her that and this frustration to do so causes him too lash out at her (thus domestic abuse happens in this unhealthy relationship.) The shot causes the audience to feel sorry for the female protagonist because she looks terrified when her partner brings up such a blaze topic of conversation with such a strong sense of passive aggression.
The first camera angle used in the film is found on the trailer at 00:06. This camera angle is a low angle, medium close up. This angle denotes the male antagonist leaning against the shutters on the charity shop This connotes that he has passed out drunk in the middle of the night because he was in no fit state to find his way home. An alternative connotation to this is that even though he is in a sorry state, he still has power. This is because the low angle is often used to show power in a character. This links in with the stereotype that males are dominant and powerful no matter what and this angle shows that. The angle causes the audience to feel both sympathy and maybe a bit of apprehension towards the character because he looks rough around the edges and the audience doesn't know the character yet.
The second camera angle used in the film is found on the trailer at 01:40. This camera angle is a high angle medium close up. This angle denotes the female antagonist crying after her partner assaulted her. This connotes vulnerability and fear from this character. This is because a high angle makes the person seem smaller and this is often associated with things that are powerless. An alternative connotation to this is that she is a weak and feeble woman (queen Elizabeth 1st anyone?) and this re enforces the stereotype that women need help from a man in order to survive in this world (that in this film the narrative is cruel towards our female protagonist). The angle causes the audience to feel sorry for the female protagonist and as if they are actually there and want to go over and tell her that everything will be alright.
An example of shallow depth of field is used in the film is found in the trailer at 01:44. This scene denotes the male protagonist, who is in focus, looking at the empty bed, which is out of focus. This connotes that he is deep in thought and not responding to outward stimuli. This may be because of worry for the female protagonist or some other strong emotion that has grasped him. An alternative connotation to this is... that he is reflecting on his life and the choices he has made. This is because during the film, the male protagonist's demeanour towards the female antagonist is a lot softer/ more compassionate or friendly as the film goes on. The causes the audience to feel that the male protagonist is more relatable to them and in some way they can understand why he acts the way he does in such a difficult situation.
Sound:
In this film, there are two background tracks that are non-diegetic. The first track is slow and ominous. This connotes that something bad/ negative is going to happen/is happening to our female protagonist. An alternate connotation of this first sound track is that it mirrors the male protagonist's emotions at this time; because of this it shows that the music is incidental. This makes the audience feel on edge and creates a nervous tension within them. This soundtrack begins at 00:00 and changes to the second soundtrack at 00.53. This because in the film, our female protagonist is assaulted by her partner. This follows the stereotype of women being subordinate/ weaker than men. This is because she try's to hide the fact she has been assaulted and makes excuses, which is a common ideology in this situation.
The second soundtrack in the film is faster and is a lot lighter in tone. This connotes that the narrative of the story is getting better (for one or both of our protagonists). Another connotation of this soundtrack is that it shows life going faster, taking the characters closer to death/oblivion. This soundtrack begins at 00:53 and ends at 1:47.
In this film there are many examples of diegetic sound, I will be analysing four that I feel best represent the film.
The first example of this is shown at 00:20 of the film trailer where our male protagonist breaks a shop window. This sound denotes the shattering of glass and the crash of the impact from the male protagonist’s actions. This connotes the anger of the character and the lack of ability to express the emotions in a non-destructive way. This sound also connotes how fragile the human body/ spirit is.
The second example of this is the dialogue between the characters throughout the trailer. This denotes them having a relationship (that is platonic). This connotes that they have a spiritual bond that has drawn them together (like a guiding force in the universe). The Dialogue of the characters gives the story verisimilitude.
The third example of this is the shouting between two characters at 1:33 into the trailer. This denotes two males shouting, having an argument. This connotes tension and lack of understanding of the other person’s emotions/point of view. This also shows the need for dominance that is often associated with masculinity and male pride.
The final example of this is the door opening of the shop at 0.58 in the film. This denotes that the shop is opening for the day. This action connotes that the door is an option to gain a better life. This sound helps to give the film verisimilitude.
Production Process:
The first thing that would have happened in the pre-production process is the creation of the script. This is because once the script is written it is scrutinised by everyone in the production team and then by the actors so that the narrative flows smoothly. Because of this, multiple drafts of the script are created until the final script (that is used in the film is created). This is a positive thing because in ensures the most effective scenes are used and this creates verisimilitude in the narrative diegesis. This can be seen in the film because the film has a narrative and the film is very realistic, which fits with the companies specialism (social realism).
The second thing that would have happened in the pre-production is drafting of the costumes. This is done so that the department responsible for the creation of the costumes are able to collaborate with the directors and the actors so that they can create the best look possible for the film and so that the actors are comfortable enough so that they can do the main scenes with minimal restrictions. Also this helps to give the character a memorable look and helps to promote any stereotypes (as mentioned in costuming for all three of our main characters.) You can see this in the film because of the numerous costumes used, not only by the main characters but by extras that will have been hired for the film.
The first thing that would have happened in production is the filming of the scene. This is done so that we have the actual filming footage that will be edited together in post-production. This is important because it allows the crew to capture the action in a non-chronological order so that it can be pieced together to form the narrative in post-production. This is shown in the film because you can see the physical footage (although edited slightly).
The second thing that would have been done in production is the actual wearing of the costume. This is done because as said in pre-production it creates/ emphasises stereotypes for the characters (as mentioned in costumes of the characters). It also is used to help the audience connect with the character throughout the film. This can be seen throughout the film because of the actors wearing the costume during the shot *see costume section above*
The main thing that is done in the post production is editing the raw footage together. This is done to give the film a narrative structure and illustrate the diegesis. This is important because I allows the audience to follow the story and keep them entertained with a roller-coaster of emotions (because this is the purpose of the film). This can be seen in the film because the narrative has been constructed so that it entertains the audience and so they enjoy the finished film.
That's all for this entry and I'll see you soon when we take an even bugger jump into the film Tyrannosaur from Warp Films.
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