Key Term Definitions

Key Term Definitions

Audience- People who wish to view your film and who the film will appeal too

Subsidiary- A company that is owned by a larger company eg. Pixar is owned by Disney

Exhibition- The display of a film for example cinema showing

Institution- an organisation/ company

Distribution- The way in which a film is sent out to be viewed, through advertisement and distributing the film throughout the world.

Horizontal Integration- Where a parent company owns multiple companies in the same stage of production

Vertical Integration- Where a parent company owns multiple companies in different stages of production.

Marketing- How the film is advertised and presented to the public

Production- The making of the film including planning shooting and post

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