Ideas for Film

Today we were thinking about target audience and location, throwing around some advanced film shot ideas too. Probably a bit early for that. Still, the timetable we drafted up said we should be finished filming by end of January.

Target Audience - Not really decided but our film would have mature themes running throughout, so under 18's is a definete no go area. We need an audience who could understand not just the literal aswell, so maybe 25 - 50. Too great a range? Probably, get back on this later.
Location - Derelict warehouse, empty alleyway, Tom's bedroom. All pretty disturbing places, could give out right vibes..

Analysis of Title Sequence - Apocalypse Now

Link to Analysed Clip : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b26BD5KjH0

In 1979 ‘Apocalypse Now’ was nominated for “Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Editing” & won two Oscars for both “Best Sound and Best Cinematography”. It is no surprise then that such a decorated film has such a purposeful, deliberate and thought provoking title sequence. Effortlessly it establishes its particular position in genre as a war drama, with props such as helicopters & guns present throughout. The title sequence for ‘Apocalypse Now’ would therefore take a preferred reading by its target audience, as the on-set props inform the viewers from the start that it is a war film, whilst as it is only the first few minutes of film, provides an opportunity for audience members to decide if it is not the film for them and that the genre does not suit their preferences. However, this type of film brings with it a common narrative trajectory and one where a military conflict is resolved through violence and so most audience member’s narrative expectations are fulfilled in the first three minutes & fifty-five seconds of film. From one minute & forty - nine seconds until the end of the title sequence, however, an extreme concerned face appears, leaving the audience wondering if they had judged the correct tone of the film, and whether ‘Apocalypse Now’ purely is an action filled war film or perhaps something deeper?

Francis Ford Coppola, director of ‘Apocalypse Now’, stated in an interview that films were like bridges, in that “They’re huge projects. They always go over budget”. Considering Coppola’s statement, it’s interesting to consider this film had an estimated budget of thirty - one million dollars and this is reflected in the title sequence alone. One minute and twelve seconds into the film, the audience witnesses’ huge explosions in quick succession, which interrupt the otherwise peaceful establishing, long take, shot of a forest. This serves to engage the attention of the audience, as they are instantly put on edge by the powerful sound and visceral imagery. We then see helicopters passing across the frame, informing the viewer of the text that they are witnessing a war film, which only continue to raise viewer’s excitement as helicopters continue, in great numbers, to pass across the screen. Particularly disturbing to the audience, is that the lighting is created purely on – set by the explosions themselves, alongside the red, hellish - like glow this presents. It could be argued that the strong use of flames and the lighting that is created by them and explosions could be a means of which Coppola could demonstrate ‘Hell on Earth’, and possibly a commentary then on the Vietnamese war itself. Towards the end of the title sequence, a pan shot shows a vast range of widely considered ‘Vices’. The audience is shown (From three minutes & fifteen seconds to three minutes & thirty - five) a bottle of alcohol, a pack of cigarettes and a gun. Some would interpret the presence of these items, as an indicator of the nature of the Vietnamese war and in turn American foreign policy. John Milus, screenwriter for ‘Apocalypse Now’, stated “It was becoming a psychedelic war... you really get the feel that it was a rock ‘n roll war. Things had gone a little further than anyone had realised.” This could be reflected by the objects on screen & that the war was not all for the right reasons.

Written by The Doors, “The end” seems to have been created purely for ‘Apocalypse now’s title sequence because it fits so perfectly. An inspired choice for a non – diegetic soundtrack, ‘the end’ has bass drops and lyrics that are synchronous with on-screen events. For example, when the first explosion of the title sequence occurs one minute and twelve seconds into the film, the song begins at the exact same moment. This is done to create a feeling of awe and astonishment, to match the attention ‘grabbing’ from the on screen explosions. At the start of the title sequence, we hear a quiet but progressively louder, incomprehensible sound echoing against the jet black background on screen. This serves to build tension as the audience is left to determine the source of the ambient sound, or what the tension is leading too. Three minutes and thirty two seconds into the title sequence, we are given a low angle mid shot of a fan on the ceiling, and running in synchronisation is the sound of a helicopter rotor. This leaves the decision of whether the sound is diegetic or non – diegetic, to the audience. This type of enigma tends to leave the audience with a feeling of unease, as they are left confused and unsure of the relationship between sound and picture onscreen.

One of the major uses of editing used by Coppola is the expansion of time. This is reflected with both sound and miss en – scene, with the helicopters and the noise they create both moving slower than in reality, but not slow enough for the situation to become comic. Slowing the helicopters, as well as the explosions and vast pillars of flame erupting, allows for the audience to truly admire and be amazed by the action on screen, and the visual beauty in destruction and war. This could be read by some viewers as an attempt by Coppola to inform the viewer of why certain people enjoy destruction and war, and the beauty they see that no one else can – which would challenge dominant ideology that war is generally not a good thing and barely anyone enjoys it. I personally feel that the production team decide to use slow motion in order to allow the audience time to reflect on what’s taking place on screen, and to give the events taking place some political thought. From twelve seconds in, when we first witness the first frame of the film, to one minute & fifty seconds, a long take can be seen to be used to highlight the destruction as a track shot highlights the destruction caused by this militant force on the jungle. Most viewers would take an oppositional reading to the event of such destruction and nature, as public opinion is generally against damage to any natural resources – including wild jungles. This is an effective technique used by Coppola, as it immediately draws strong emotions of either support for the destruction or opposition, both which serve to engage the viewer in the film through the title sequence. Almost entirely uniquely, ‘Apocalypse Now’(s) title sequence is without credits or titles, a rarity among box office film. The title ‘Apocalypse Now’ can only be seen as graffiti on the steps of the Kurtz compound late in the film, most likely a decision made by Coppola to allow the brutal destruction of the title sequence to allow a more disturbing impression that the title sequence could be reality.

Although both the track shot viewing the destruction of the trees and the zooms highlighting the eruption of fire in the jungle are powerful uses of cinematography to draw a response from the viewer of the text, none seem as powerful as the extreme close up of the American soldier’s face from one minute & thirty nine seconds onwards. The faded in, superimposition close up of the man’s face, allows for the viewer to continue watching the track shot of the jungle, but also take into consideration the emotions seen due to the extremity of the close up that reveals every twitch, quiver and contortion. The use of parallel editing here, forces the viewer to re-think their own ideas on the burning jungle and its connotations, political or not.

Overall, I feel Coppola once again flounces his ability to create outstanding pieces of cinematic film, as the political undertones that run throughout apocalypse now rival even those of ‘The Godfather’. The aim of ‘Apocalypse Now’ was to cause the audience to re-think their beliefs about the Vietnamese War, and the Title sequence does exactly that. The mix of brutal reality, alongside still unmatched editorial ingenuity forces you, the viewer, to reflect on the context of the film: the price of war. Still as significant now as it was in 1979, the title sequence for ‘Apocalypse Now’ allows the viewer to watch three minutes and fifty – five seconds of film and understand the message both Coppola and the production team were trying to portray. In George Lucas’ words the film was “like a quest or a trek or something that would take us through the various aspects of the Vietnam War and allow us to see it for the insanity that it was.” That was the artistic direction the production were allowed to take in the title sequence, and why they were so successful in portraying that with violent explosions, advanced camera movement and expensive props. Yet, with thirty one million as an estimated budget to spend, who could blame them?

Analysis of Title Sequence - Se7en

David Fincher’s 1995 Physiological crime thriller is a film with distinct themes of Death, darkness and obsession, all of which are established in the opening sequence. The opening of the film serves to introduce the main villain. Kyle Cooper, the lead production designer for the title sequence for ‘Seven’, stated in an interview that "You don’t see the killer until nearly 40 minutes in, so the titles needed to bridge that gap”. The character ‘John Doe’, who is the primary serial killer of the film, is prominent throughout the opening sequence and his character & mood, and that of the film as a whole, is reflected in the first two minutes and 55 seconds of film. In this analysis I will be looking at the different techniques used by Cooper to set up the character of John Doe, the narrative and generic direction portrayed in the opening sequence and the expectations these create, how the historical period is established & how the tone and ‘feel’ of the film is created from different aspects of production.

Although Howard Shore produces the score for the rest of the film, Trent Renzor was responsible for the non-dietetic soundtrack for the title sequence, using a remixed version of his own band’s song ‘Closer’. The continuous, looping sounds throughout the title sequence are created through the usual instruments associated with Bands (e.g. Bass Guitar, Drums), but more interestingly are the abstract noises. To the audience the sounds are unidentified screeches, which progressively grow louder and more obvious, in comparison to the almost incomprehensible background noise it starts out as. This is used to great effect, as it slowly builds tension and keeps the audience on edge, engaging their attention whilst forcing them to continue watching. However, it also reflects the character, ‘John Doe’, and his disturbing personality, in the way that as the soundtrack seems distressing and forceful – so should John Doe correspond.

Typography is a major tool used by Cooper, and ‘Se7en’ is often as recognised for the gritty, scruffy graphics seen in the title sequence, as it is for its plot. Norman Hollyn, an Associate Professor in the School of Cinematic Arts at USC, argues “Cooper’s titles for ‘Se7en’ transformed the written word into a performer”, a belief that is difficult to negate. The style of font used is white, and projects strongly off the far more prominent and more frequent black background, which perhaps connotes that darkness overpowers the innocence and purity of all that is represented by white for the rest of the film, and it’s scruffy, scratched imperfect lettering is used effectively alongside the soundtrack to cement the fear and horror the film evokes. Some viewers of the text could interpret the typography used, as a reflection of John Doe’s personality that informs the viewer the film will revolve around a deranged, crazed serial killer and therefore fulfilling its generic expectation as a physiological crime thriller.

Montage editing is exercised by Cooper to confound and confuse the viewer, with flashing images in-between cuts leaving unanswered questions at the forefront of the audiences’ thoughts. One minute and nine seconds into the clip, for example, a still image can be seen of a mutilated, fractured face. Although difficult to spot on first viewing, these images add to the dark and twisted mood established in the title sequence. On reflection of setting the tone for the rest of the film in a title sequence, Dan Bainbridge (Director of Real Subliminal) declares “The subliminal messages would strengthen and align your subconscious mind to meet your conscious mind’s beliefs”. In this sense, some would argue that Cooper effectively utilizes subliminal images when setting up the tone for the start of the film. Many would also agree that Cooper makes full use of Jump cuts between shots to establish a fast and an almost rushed sense, from the viewer’s perspective, of all the different objects. This creates a feeling of unease as the viewer is forced to witness many different, almost alien objects in quick succession.

The title sequence show’s John Doe surrounded by disturbing and sometimes incomprehensible objects of intelligence and torture, from the tattered handbook cover at one minute – sixteen seconds, to the sharp needle at two minutes – twenty six seconds. The extreme close ups of objects throughout the sequence, serve to both exploit a sense of uncertainty and disgust from the audience but also as a means of connoting the main villain, John Doe’s attention to detail, a common trait among serial killers, and so fulfilling not only the expectations of the genre and it’s themes, but also of the character John Doe and his personality. The successful use of these repeated, short cut close ups leave the audience tense and curious. For example, from forty eight seconds through to fifty three seconds, the viewer is exposed to an extreme close up of an open book at eye level. The hand behind is not in the field of focus, but still in the frame. This is used by Cooper to hint to the audience someone is involved in the scene, establishing an uncomfortable narrative position for the viewer. From fourteen to forty six seconds, we see a device that makes a small, diegetic clicking sound. We can tell its part of the fictional world of the text, as William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) turns the mechanism on, and seems at ease throughout as it makes its consistent clicking. Interrupted by long take zooms of Somerset lying in bed, and then short takes of the mechanism, tension is built at such an early stage of the film, as an eerie silence persists in the backdrop of this uneasy clicking noise. When then followed by a loud bass drop of silence, with a jet black background, connotations can be made about both the inevitability of time, and perhaps the cycle of life. To add to the uncertainty created by the sudden darkness in the frame, what seems to be diegetic thunder can be heard resonating in the background, however we cannot be sure as no details regarding this is bestowed later in the film. This, however, conforms to traditional techniques used by producers throughout film, to reflect the mood of the scene with the state of the weather. Throughout the filming of the title sequence, Cooper admitted that he had difficulties in empathizing with a psychopath. He stated “I had some moral objections to using a shot where a razor blade is cutting the word God out of a dollar bill (Two minutes – forty eight seconds)...But then I thought, John Doe would do it.” This conforms to dominant ideology, that serial killers who have lost all grip on sanity are willing to push the boundaries of what is acceptable. This would take a preferred reading amongst the majority of viewers, most of which have never been in the same position as John Doe, or have never known someone who has been, therefore not fully understanding the feelings experienced by someone in Doe’s position.

Miss – en – scene is used effectively by Cooper, from good use of lighting & colour, to a wide range of props. Non-diegetic lighting is used in the title sequence, with a pale green filter being placed across the camera lens, to purvey a sense of sickness and unrest to the audience, hopefully feelings felt by the viewers themselves at the present moment in time. Darkness is common in Physiological crime thrillers, to convey the shroud of mystery and suspense & in that sense the title sequence fully adheres to generic expectation. The colours of black and cream are prominent throughout the opening credits, complimenting the non – diegetic lighting put in place by producers. However, two minutes – seventeen seconds into the clip, red light spreads across the frame in a manner reflecting both ink and blood. The mystery of what the red liquid is happens to be reinforced by the faded image of film tape cross dissolved into the frame. This creates a disturbing enigma for the audience, leaving them to make the decision as to what they believe the liquid to be. Props, such as the implicit metal instruments seen towards the start of the intro sequence, engage the viewer’s attention, as they attempt to work out what the tools could function for. Items such as books and photographs also imply that John Doe has a reasonable degree of intelligence, again a common attribute associated with serial killers – therefore appealing to dominant ideology.

To conclude, the title sequence of ‘Se7en’ is majorly successful in establishing its historical timeframe through the use of modern music (Nine Inch Nails) and the modern equipment presented throughout. Cooper manages to construct a title sequence that is triumphant in engaging its target audience of a mature audience, with images involved being deemed “inappropriate” for younger minds. It’s 18+ rating is well reflected in this manner, and considering the intro sequence is not only an opportunity to engage the attention of the designated audience, but also a chance to discourage those who have decided upon watching the wrong film – the opening credits for ‘Se7en’ is therefore creative and functional, informative and entertaining, but most importantly summarises the key themes of the film & in “William Somerset’s” words, that is “This isn’t going to have a happy ending.”