AS Preliminary Task

Audience Research

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BBFC
The British Board of Film Classification is the organisation responsible for the age classifications for films in the UK. The classification is used as a safety precaution, to keep children safe from unsuitable content in films, as well as providing an overview of the nature of the film.

Many British Gangster films are rated 18 for the violence, bad language and numerous drug references. This tells us that the target audience is over the age of 18 and comfortable with the large amounts of violence and inappropriate behaviour shown in the films.

Analysis of Previous AS Work

Roses are Red

                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQuSHgsZc5c&feature=player_embedded








The Edge































http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=24nQdBL8M3w




Karma




























Deception

Born from the Streets

Made Man

From this task, I have noticed several trends that affect the overall quality of the clips. One very clear problem is the lack of a tripod. Many of the films featured a very unsteady camera at one point or another.
These clips have also shown me that considering my lighting and mise en scene are very important and shouldn't be overlooked.

Inspiration and Influences

Theory of Narrative Structure

There are a number of theorists who write about narrative structure. They each comment on different features of film narratives and give an idea of set conventions, not just in gangster films, but in virtually all films.

Tzetan Todorov
Todorov speaks about the structure of the narratives and the key steps. First, there is equilibrium at the beginning of the film. This does not necessarily mean that everything is good, but there is no major storyline and there are no issues that need to be solved. In gangster films, this is often a point when the gang is operating as usual and there is no threat to them.

The second step is disequilibrium. Something in the story happens that causes things to change. The lack of equilibrium now means that something has to be fixed. This is the build up to the main part of the film. Again, in gangster films this could be something like the police getting involved or the introduction of a rivalry between gangs.

Acknowledgement of the disequilibrium is next. This is when the characters become aware of the problem and realise that they have to do something. At this point, the protagonist gets ready to begin their task. This is often only a short part of the film, but it opens up the main story, attempting to repair the disequilibrium.




Attempting to repair the disequilibrium is often the main chunk of the narrative. The protagonist and other 'good' characters will try to fix the problem. This is where most of the action will take place, in gangster films especially. There will often be a variety of tasks for the protagonist to complete.

At the end, equilibrium is restored. This doesn't mean that everything is back to how it was before, but the problems that cause the disequilibrium have been solved and the film and characters return to normality. In gangster films, this often involves getting away with a crime, getting rid of a gang (From a police perspective), or reaching a point of power.

Commonly, gangster films follow this structure, albeit often only from the perspective of one character at a time. There isn't always one set protagonist for the story to follow and it often branches, following several different characters. Turkish's story from Snatch is one example.

There are also gangster films that don't follow this structure. Pulp Fiction doesn't have a linear storyline and as a result, the steps are in a different order.


Vladimir Propp
Propp speaks about the characters in films and how there are always characters that fit a certain role.

Protagonist (Hero) -- Leads the narrative. Looking for something/Trying to solve something.

Antagonist (Villain) -- Gets in the protagonist's way.

Heroine -- Prize or reward for the protagonist.

Father -- Authority figure. Offers reward for completing quest. Not necessarily an actual father.

Helper -- Helps the protagonist. Like a sidekick.

Donor -- Gives the protagonist something, e.g. a clue, a weapon.

Mentor -- Teaches and guides the protagonist.


Many gangster films follow this structure. There are often a lot of characters involved and as a result, most of the characters on the list are included. Gangster Squad is a good example of a film with this structure. It includes almost all of the characters listed, all of which are very clear.

Roland Barthes

Barthes came up with a theory for understanding the narrative of films. He identified 5 codes that help the viewer to interact with the film and think in a certain way. 2 of the most noticeable and important codes are Action Codes, and Enigma Codes.

Action Codes - An action that implies something to further the narrative. It indicates to the audience that something is going to happen, often relating to the the object or character shown in the action code. A good example would be a shot or a character, quickly cutting to a shot of a weapon, and then cutting back to another character.

Enigma Codes - An enigma code is any element of the story that is not explained, but is occasionally hinted at. This raises questions from the audience who want to discover more about the narrative.

Claud Levi-Strauss

Levi-Strauss' theory was called binary opposition. It was the idea that many things have opposites, and by exploiting this, it could give a much deeper meaning to the story. It is used a great deal in gangster films as it can help identify key points in the narrative. It is also used to help identify the Protagonist and Antagonist.

Common Opposites: | Light vs Dark | Good vs Evil | Noise vs Silence | Youth vs Age | Right vs Wrong | Poverty vs Wealth | Strength vs Weakness | Inside vs Outside |

Research into the British Gangster Genre

Influences of Style

A traditional representation of gangsters consists of often very formal attire such as dark suits and ties. Fedoras are also quite commonly seen. The outfits are occasionally worn in a very casual manner as well. Guns are a very popular prop in all gangster films.

Many British Gangster films have a far more modern representation of gangsters. Suits are still frequently used, however are much lighter coloured than traditional ones. If the character isn't wearing a suit, it is generally quite dark clothing such as a black jacket that they wear. The outfits are far more casual in modern representations and are often less obvious. In contrast to this, the characters use guns far more, which makes them stand out.

Research into a Director - Quentin Tarantino

Analysis of British Gangster Films - Opening Scene Timeline

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Rocknrolla

Layer Cake

This task has given me a good idea of what needs to be included in my opening. Credits are very important and many of them are shown during the opening. They do not require an entire title sequence, but can be implemented into the scene. This is the case in many British gangster films. The credits typically include the main actors, costume and prop designers, director, production companies and the title of the film.

It has also given me a good idea of what is expected in terms of mise en scene in gangster openings. They generally include some form of voiceover and non-diegetic music. The amount of dialogue varies from film to film, but it doesn't normally involve anything major to do with the plot, that is left to the voiceover. The early dialogue is often used to introduce the characters.

British Gangster Films - Production Details

From my research, I can see that there are some common companies and people involved in the British Gangster genre. Guy Ritchie has directed a number of British gangster films, many being very popular. He is a key part of the British gangster genre.

Sony Pictures is a company that comes up quite a lot in the gangster genre. They are quite a large company and far more well known and popular than most. Warner Bros. and Columbia Tristar are also common distribution and production companies in the gangster genre. They are all well known companies and do not just focus on gangster films. They work with films from many genres.

Conventions of Gangster Films

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - Opening Scene


Rocknrolla - Opening Scene
link: http://youtu.be/NRTymVjdLNQ

Layer Cake - Opening Scene

Snatch - Opening Scene


44 Inch Chest - Opening Scene

History of the Gangster Genre