Target Audience Research

Survey Monkey Research Questionnaire

Having watched many crime films before carrying out my Questionnaire I had already come to the conclusion my film idea would be pitched at an older audience of mainly adults and had envisioned an age rage of around 15-50 years of age of a male gender. I calculated this by taking into account the violence within my opening and the themes it had within, so taking this into account I decided to target my questions at that age range asking mainly adults.  

Questions and results

How old are you?

As I found most people were above 15 who wanted to watch this film and I had also seen I had attracted people over 30 which links to my prediction

What is your gender?

Also unsurprisingly I found my film should be aimed towards the male audience as it is uncommon for crime films to be aimed at a women audience.

Are you interested in Crime Thriller films?

From research I also found that no one I asked from the targeted audience was disinterested in Crime Thriller films proving it to be a successful genre to be using for my opening.

Do you enjoy violent elements to the film or prefer them to be off camera?

I chose to ask this question as from the pitch feedback there were some concerns about the violent elements my opening contained however from research I found people liked the violent elements and from the people asked none said they disliked the violent elements so rife in crime films.

Do Mafia films interest you?

For this one I also found most people enjoyed watching crime films including organised crime such as mafia and gang content.

What are your favourite elements of crime films?

For this question I really wanted to further explore what it was about crime films people enjoy so I could replicate these elements into my opening, I tailored the options also around the possibilities of my opening to include. I found fight scenes and location to be the two strongest things people liked which means I will have to find a very interesting location to film at that will have viewers visually pleased and a place that will suit the mood to my opening.

Who do you watch crime films with?

I found people to watch crime films with people of a similar age group so partners and friends which reinforced my idea of a target audience.

Do you have a famous Crime Film Director?

I found also people who watched Crime Films did not specifically have a favoured style the directors produce and were not as knowledgeable about crime films and just enjoyed watching them.

Roughly how many crime films have you seen this year? (2016)

From the people I had asked I found a lot of them were repeat watchers of crime films and that some of them had even watched above 10 films so far this year! making them a very sought after film genre.

What's your favourite setting of a crime film?

I found people loved the classic 70s crime films such as the GodFather type time period however people also loved to watch newer crime films set in modern times too and no one had an interest in Crime Films set in the far past around WW1 time. My opening is set in the present so this should not be a problem for my film also.




From this data I conclude my primary audience to be of age 15-50 males as this comes across in my data and through looking at similar films and data across various websites.

  

Key Directors in the Crime genre.

Key Directors in the Crime Genre.

Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Coppola and Depalma.

Martin Scorsese

Born in 1942 Scorsese is responsible for the directing of many crime films such as the famous Goodfellas, Gangs of New York and the more recent The Departed. Attending New Yorks University Tisch he quickly developed a world famous style which would be key to his success in the film industry. Scorsese's films are said to be works of art and however complex are still able to be considered "mainstream". Most of Scorsese's films have a running theme of community and this is a key theme throughout. From the close family in Goodfellas to the very close connection between Leonardo De Caprio and his employees in The Wolf of Wall street. Scorsese is said to be so indulged in the industry that he can recall most shots from most films he has seen and its because of this he is able to establish trends within genres allowing him to create a somewhat originality to his work which presents it as so poignant. An issue which has developed in quite a few of Scorsese's films is the error of some shots including camera equipment within the shot however Scorsese ensures to use the most raw and realistic takes to put into the finished article which sometimes can lead to these errors occurring however it gives Scorsese the most real look which he desires so much. Scorsese has a primary editor in which he uses in almost all his films, Thelma Schoonmaker. 

In many of Scorsese's films he uses the freeze-frame effect, giving us time to focus on the character presented complimented by a background voice this creates a dramatic effect putting the character in a position of power creating a very powerful still. Scorsese is not a man for making a film that flows and will often ( unlike other directors ) use very abrupt cuts such as the "flash" effect which uses a bright flash bulb accompanied by a 1960s camera sound effect creates a very significant effect in his films. Overall it is safe to say Scorsese and Schoonmaker create a very impactful duo and together have created some of the most iconic crime films in history, which many other more modern films have taken great inspiration from.

Francis Ford Coppola

Born in 1939 Coppola is probably most renounced for his famous series of films, The Godfather. Coppola is an American film Director considered to be a central figure of the new Hollywood wave of film making. He released the first instalment of The Godfather in 1972 said to revolutionise movie making in the crime genre. The first film was so successful is won several awards and was commended by critics. The release of the second film in 1974 followed a similar path winning many awards and being equally successful. The third and final film was released in the 1990s and did not hit as hard as the other 2 however was still commended and won many awards yet again. Coppola is one of only eight film makers to win two Palme d'Or awards. Coppola much like Scorsese is also fascinated by family in crime films and community is a very big part of The Godfather series as it follows an Italian mafia family through their life. Cinematography in The Godfather was revolutionary as previously films were overly lit so they could be viewed in drive ins however The Godfather series used mainly low key lighting to show the hidden darkness within the family throughout and to remind us of their purpose. Coppola also worked heavily with sound design in his films and graphic violence to create very striking and shocking moments in the films yet giving the audience a realistic and raw feel to these moments, which in some ways was magical.

Brian De Palma

Brian De Palma is the final director I looked into and is the genius behind films such as "Scarface" and "the untouchables". Being also an American director during the Hollywood film wave he was also considered a main contributor to the wave and with a career spanning over 40 years its impossible to deny he his passion for film making. De Palma is said to have a fascination with death which does feature in almost all of the films he has produced so far and it is this fascination that has lead to the complexities and great detail embedded within his work. A common occurrence in De Palmas crime films is the glamorisation of  a gangsters life such is shown in Scarface presenting the more irrational side to a criminal than Scorsese and Coppola for example. Graphic violence also spikes throughout De Palmas films in order to shock and horrify the audience and present a more realistic image the audience would be sure to find uncomfortable reminding them of the more practical side to the life of a gangster. The cinematography used by De Palma is very unique also as he tends to let the camera explore the location of the shot using often tracking shots and longer takes, he also uses birds eye view shots in Scarface particularly to show isolation when a character gets stabbed and is left for dead. The longer takes help to immerse us in the environment. De Palma was initially a physics student who was taken by the ways of film making leading him to leave the course of Physics and attend a theatre school.

Fidelity Synopsis Treatment

Fidelity- The Opening

Fidelity is a film about loyalty and trust and this comes across as a main theme throughout the opening sequence.

The opening begins with car noises and a black screen as the dents play, following is a shot from an ariel perspective looking down at a fast car which is driving calmly but fast along the moor roads. This whole sequence will be set at dusk leaving just enough light for the image to be visible yet still give a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere. The car contains the resident gang boss and to accompany these driving shots there will be some low angle interior shots to create this character as in a position of power and wealth. The sequence then cuts to an abandoned factory car park where there is an SUV and 3/4 guards waiting outside it, armed with guns and dressed in formal business attire, there is also a man knelt down with a blindfold on (a hostage) who is a neighbouring gang boss. The fast car pulls into the industrial estate and the music fades to give a more verisimilitude atmosphere to the sequence. The boss steps out the car leaving the headlights on to light the scene in addition the SUV lights are on providing more light to create a low-key lit scene. The gang boss comes over to the hostage who is knelt down bends down and delivers a very proud speech/ tells a story adding information about loyalty and fidelity. with significant meaning he then turns over to one of the guards and orders him to execute the hostage, handing him a pistol. The guard looks down the the hostage and raises the gun to his head, all is quiet, close ups on the guard can be used to show his thought process and raw emotion to this task. We hear several gunshots in which the guard kills everyone around him aside from the hostage and the boss. The guard tells the boss that sometimes shortcuts have to be taken in order to move up in the criminal world then delivers a bullet to his head and 2 further shots to him as he is on the ground. The Hostage thanks the guard and they both drive off in the fast car. The SUV is left behind with bodies littered over the car park ending the sequence and introducing the title sequence which is met with a solemn soundtrack. 

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction- Opening

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Genre: Crime Thriller

Year: 1994

Distributor: Miramax

Budget: $8 million

Worldwide Gross: $214 million

The opening of Pulp Fiction consists of no sound track until the end of the sequence putting emphasis on character dialogue throughout. The shot used is primarily a 2 shot throughout allowing us to capture the persona of each character throughout as we are able to see their posture and body language throughout. The camera is also at a slightly low angle putting out 2 characters in a position of power, this enhanced with the dialogue containing talk of crime and the irrational thoughts to follow depict them very much in the same category of criminal depicted by most film openings I have looked at. Tarantino is also a very famous director world renounced for his work on crime films. The use of low-key lighting creates a  very realistic feel but also showing our protagonists in shadow creating mystery like they are hiding/ living in the shadows, creating narrative enigma. There is no establishing shot aside from the two shot which establishes they are in a  canteen which suggests to us they are in America, this opinion is further reinforced through costume choice and following score to end the sequence. The use of shot reverse shot later in the scene allows us to get a sense of their emotion and reactions as individuals these shots are also shot from a low angle. The use of a push in dolly shot in this sequence also brings us closer into the characters perspective as he decides to rob the diner. The fact the waitress is not shown in the second time the protagonists ask for coffee shows how they see her as an insignificance as she is not within their community. The opening also shows the irrational mindset of criminals which is another common signifier through the film openings I have studied showing threat of violence and a bipolar change in events and mood in the space of seconds. Also at the end of this clip to introduce the titles a freeze-frame is used similar to in Goodfellas to introduce the soundtrack and shows the protagonist as a very strong character almost like a statue, something to be looked up to with immense power. The soundtrack is punk rock which is also a key signifier of this genre and is also the type of music I would like to use in my opening.

Harry Brown

Harry Brown

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Year: 2010

Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn

Genre: Crime Thriller

Budget: $7 million

total gross: $10 million

The opening of Harry Brown is far different to the glamorous lifestyle of a gangster portrayed in other films I have looked at. The opening sequence is shown through the perspective of a mobile phone giving a very realistic looking insight into the life of modern London gangs. Sound in this sequence is limited to only that of the phone recording giving a very raw feel to the scene and showing the true dark side to modern gang life. The gang members are not dressed in formal clothes which contrasts to previous openings I have looked at. Once again location is not established in the opening sequence and the first scene is shot at night in a desolate alley way. The scene is not well lit so we do not see faces of many members and are only made aware of one face who follows us through the scene, this allows us as a viewer to follow him from initiation to an insight as to what gang life is. The first scene is ended when one of the other gang members hands the newest member his first gun, this foreshadows the events to follow however this sequence also creates a lot of narrative enigma to us as an audience as we wander what the gun will be used for in the film. The promotion of drugs is often a theme in crime films as it is very often either the cause of wealth of the characters or in other films (The Godfather part1)  where drugs are very much frowned upon by the leaders of the families. A solumn simplistic soundtrack compliments the scene creating a sad tone in which we almost feel sorry for the boy being enrolled. Titles on the screen are very poignant and minimalistic linking to titles of other crime films I have looked at however it shows these criminals to be very insignificant and unintelligent in comparison to the bold text used in other gang films, like The Road to Perdition. The following scene also uses a shaky almost mobile phone look to it as the 2 gang members illegally ride through a park on a motorbike. The camera pans up to our previously enrolled character looking up at him, giving him more of a powerful look. The gun is pulled out and we are made aware of the fact the gang member is trying to shoot around the woman with the pram in order to scare her, this shows the criminals as stupid which contrasts to previous openings. The final shot kills the woman shown very graphically with the use of blood and the criminals show no remorse and ride off. The gang members in this opening are shown nothing like the members in any other film I have looked at, they have no intelligence at all and are genuinely just reckless and insignificant. The scene uses very cold blue tones creating a very clinical and raw feel to the image there is no happy emotions connoted throughout the scene and this helps reinforce this. The final shot is of the members being knocked off the bike by a truck at which point as a viewer we do not feel shock we feel relived they have been hurt. This and then a cut to black shows the gang reign as powerless and just a nuisance to the surrounding world.

Layer Cake Opening

Layer Cake Opening 

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Year: 2005

Genre: Crime

Budget: N/A

Total gross: $11,850,214

Gone baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone Opening.

Director: Ben Affleck

Genre: Crime Thriller

Distributor: Miramax

Year: 2007

Budget: $19 million

Total worldwide gross: $34,619,000

The opening scene of Gone Baby Gone follows many key signifiers of a crime thriller film. It consists of a monologue from the main protagonist this gives us a background and insight into his personality and aims in life. The narration does not give us insight into the story it just compliments the shots provided to give an insight into the protagonists views on the current world. Flags are shown in the establishing shots to give a specific location for the story setting, the use of the flags along side poverty instantly puts blame to government about the issue and how the flag is responsible for the surrounding poverty. No sound is used for the first 15 seconds of the intro to give an instant raw feel to the film allowing us as a viewer to focus purely on the mise-en-scene. Mid shots are used to show the poor people are insignificant in comparison to the previous close up of the flag, this complimented by a solemn soundtrack creates a very sad feel to the opening of the film. Key focus on family and community which is common throughout many crime films. Presentation of community within poverty soon creates a warmer feel to the sequence as sound track introduces synth. No violence throughout the sequence unlike previous film openings I have looked at. Voiceover shows good intentions to protagonist. Tracking shots of protagonist shows his journey through the local area and his reaction and acceptance for all people. Close up pan to police officer towards the end of the sequence hints at crime and the more negative side to society turning the mood of the opening to that of concern. The use of foreshadowing is also a key technique in this opening as the shot of the policeman follows with a shot of a missing girl who is the key focus of the whole film. Shaky camera also used to highlight the poverty and create an almost documentary style feel to the opening sequence. Cut to news report suggests further something very bad has happened to that girl that is in featured on the news. Minimal sound is used aside from the backing track which immerses us into the music giving it maximum impact and focus towards our main characters. Towards the end of the sequence the music fades and the foliage begins to increase in volume which brings us to the start of the story. The opening of this film creates a lot of narrative enigma leaving us as a viewer on edge to know what has happened.

Road to Perdition Opening

Road to Perdition

Director: Sam Mendes

Year: 2002

Genre: Crime drama

Budget: $80,000,000

Worldwide gross: $181,000,000

Distributor: Dreamworks

The opening of Road to Perdition is a flashback to the end of the film before the opening of the film begins. The opening consists of the titles first, they are san-sarrif and small in comparison to the screen. The only sound present during the titles is waves this creates narrative enigma and completely misleads us location wise. The first shot is of our protagonist from behind it is a push in shot almost as if we are getting an insight into his memory as the flash back ends and the start of the film begins. A voice over is used to give background information and also further creates suspense and narrative enigma. Dramatic and calming music is then introduced which gives a very peaceful and respectful attitude. This opening is very controversial in comparison to previous openings I have looked at as there is no sudden violence or shock. Our protagonist is introduced to us in a white environment, snow, and he is also small in frame, showing him as innocent and pure in contrast to the dirty, raining night time shots we see to portray the more gang involved adults. The opening sequence makes no relation to the gang life to follow which creates narrative enigma throughout and further deviates from the typical crime film opening. Shot cuts in editing are very rare which creates a vey calm atmosphere and civil city atmousphere, in addition there are several establishing shots to show the location in which the gang is stationed, depicting them as in control and that people are very aware of their operation within the location. The opening shows another key value I found in crime, gang films which is family. The first close-up of the protagonist is in shadow which contrasts to the previous flashback of the same character showing there is more of a dark side to him. He also steals something in the same shot which further hints at the crime background of the character. We do not see Sully in the whole of the opening scene which is very unusual as he is also considered a main protagonist. The final shot is a pullback on the same character which further moves on the story ending the opening. 

Heat opening

Heat

Director: Michael Mann

Genre: Crime Drama

Distributor: Warner Bros

Year: 1995

Budget: N/A

Total Gross:

No establishing shot or soundtrack is used in this sequence immediately dropping us into confusion as we struggle to understand what our characters are doing and where they are, this links to previous openings I have looked at and seems to be a common theme across crime film openings. Handheld camera is used and mainly and close up shots on the car drivers are used to show the close proximity and not reveal what they are doing or the location they are in. A tense score is then introduced which allows us as a viewer to understand the situation is dangerous and something bad is inevitable. Low angles are used on the characters as they become more and more seemingly villainous. The use of sudden violence is a recurring thing in the crime dramas I have looked at and it is often used to shock us as an audience and also help illustrate the world surrounding the characters who are involved in crime. Costumes in this sequence differ greatly from previous openings I have looked at in the sense they are not formal business attire, in fact the costumes are used to hide the identities of the criminals masking them as everyday workers and not violent bank robbers. The use of masks in this scene however stops us from understanding the true identity and persona of each individual in the scene, hiding them from the outside world. Violence in this scene is very clean and thought through, something of common occurrence in crime drama films. Emotions are masked through the masks so we cannot see how the characters are feeling and it also shows the lack of remorse and feeling they have towards the killing of the people, its almost treated as standard procedure and not given a second thought. Brutal and graphic violence is used to end the sequence showing the brutality and mind-set of the protagonist, it links to other crime films I have looked at also how defenceless people are often hurt or killed in the openings of these films. Shaky camera is used to add to the drama of the scene and immerse us in the chaos and action creating a very disorientating view on the robbery sequence. A very calm exit to the crime scene concludes the sequence using a Jib shot to reveal the previous vehicle (ambulance) which then explodes showing the protagonists to not be who they seem from the scene. Breaking the fourth wall is used in this sequence to create directed address to the viewer and make us feel uncomfortable as the we see the criminal through the eyes of the police man who is later executed.

Goodfellas opening

Goodfellas Opening Sequence.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre: Crime Drama

Budget: N/A

Total Gross: $46,836,000

Year of release: 1990

The opening of Goodfellas is very dramatic and very bipolar as many crime films is evolves from a very calm scene to graphic violence or intense suspense in a matter of seconds in order to establish the personalities of the characters. No establishing shot used as seemingly mandatory in crime films which doesn't reveal there exact location which creates narrative enigma. This opening in specific begins at the end of the film and is therefore a flashback, instead of a concluding soundtrack also we are met with narration which controls the path of the story for the rest of the film. Characters are very calm and do not once again show any facial expressions. Tracking shots of expensive car is used to show power and wealth of the characters also. Sound is minimal and characters are wearing formal clothes. Camera movement is very smooth and not handheld to show the power of the protagonists. Lighting in this sequence is used to create a mood of bloodlust and evil of the characters as it lights them in red during a very graphic and violent sequence. Violence is used to establish character personal and mindset and each character is shown to have more of an explosive mind set. There is no soundtrack in this sequence which lets us focus on a very realistic opening sequence where everything has a raw feel to it.

The Godfather Opening

The Godfather

Genre: Crime Drama

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Year: 1972

Budget: $6 million

Total Gross: $245 million
Distributor: Paramount

Black screen starts this sequence with the opening soundtrack running over, this creates narrative enigma to us as an audience and creates suspense as we do not know what scenario we will be put into when the sequence begins. Titles come at the start along with I-Dents. Titles are minimalistic and san-sarriff creating a very clean and clinical feel to the piece corresponding the the mafias attitude towards such things as violence and business. First character introduced to us through shadow and once again  there is no establishing shot to show us where the location is in context to what country and place we are being brought into, this shows the characters to live in secrecy and being in the shadows, creating narrative enigma I will try replicate into my opening. Characters are also not evenly lit which shows them as quite menacing and devious. Protagonist introduced from shadows and also not directly introduced to us as we see from behind him ( over the shoulder shot ) first before seeing his face for the first time. Soundtrack disappears with the start of dialogue showing the speech is very important for these characters, soundtrack then resumes at the end of the sequence. Pull back shot shows our initial character as becoming less and less in power. Minimal facial expressions are used to show lack of emotion of protagonist (godfather). looking up shots are used to establish his power further and wide shots used to establish his wealth and power as it is revealed he has more men in the room with him guarding him . Speech is and simplistic and spoken in a calm tone. Loyalty is of key importance in crime films and to the protagonist showing a sense of community in the crime which is presented through speech and tradition. Downlighting on actors gives a very unattractive view on them darkening the eyes and therefore hiding identity. Both characters are wearing smart formal attire also. Camera movement is smooth throughout. No violence is used in this sequence.