Adam Marshall - Research and Planning

Two cars, One night:

Genre: Social realism, drama, romance

• Filmed in an actual place, not a set
• Uses real people, this is how they actually act in real life
• Chronological structure

Conventions

• It’s socially possible, main point of social realism
• Main culture of the children is easily shown through the apparent dominance of males, even though the girl is a character who can stand up for herself.
• Use of camera shots sped up to show the movement of time, I like this because it is a good way to show how long the children have to wait in the cars, and that they have to create their own form of entertainment whilst waiting, this could be why the boy started off the banter with the girl.

Format and Narrative

• Show’s a memorable moment of the characters life, perhaps one that has had a particularly large influence, for example this could be the girl he falls in love with and that was his first time meeting her. But perhaps the director found this ring one day and sparked the memory.
• Short narrative shows the message is to the point and clear. Simple to remember.
• Chronology always linear so the narrative is clear.

Editing

• Mostly cuts at an average pace, this shows that there is no action or suspense in this film, it is just an average day in their normal lives.
• Some sequences sped up to show the passing of time, very clever as it could show the children’s boredom.
• Lots of camera movement and panning
• The whole film is in black and white, I really like this because it shows that this is either a scene from the past, or is a memory.

Themes

• Could be based on a specific memory of the director that has influenced him in his life
• Shows how children pass their time when on their own and how they make friends and meet people.

Signs:

Genre: romance, drama

• Mostly filmed in an office set to give the idea that they are actually in a working environment.
• There is very little dialogue in this film. To start with this is to show that the protagonist is lonely and has absolutely no one to talk to; he doesn’t even say much when his parents phone him. Later on in the film there is no need for dialogue as the signs they are both holding up is the only conversation you need to see.

Conventions

• The idea of holding up the signs to each other is a very clever and original idea, I like it because it has a humorous side to it, by seeing how shy the man is compared to the woman and how they develop a friendship by the showing of these signs.
• Simple and effective, as any short film should be, I think our film should have a simple idea like this.

Format and Narrative

• Chronology is linear so the narrative is clear. I think our film should be linear as I think many films that aren’t linear are too complicated to follow and would be very difficult to edit.
• Perhaps shows a significant moment in his life, perhaps this woman becomes his lover or wife, and this is where and how they first met.
• Based on the man being lonely and finding someone who talks to him and gives him something to look forward to.

Editing

• Not much camera movement
• Average paced cuts as it is everyday life and there is no real action or tense scenes.
• Wide depth of field in the beginning shows couples around him. I really like this because it shows how lonely he is feeling and how he wishes he had someone to talk to.

Themes

• Based on love and how it can be found in the strangest ways.
• Could be a past experience of the director and the protagonist is based on him.

Mahna mahna killer:

Genre: black humour

• Filmed outside in a showy forest, this is because it could be the scene of an execution such as in this film.
• Only dialogue is the singing but this adds to the humour of it.

Conventions

• The idea of singing just before being executed is ridiculous.
• The song is what adds to the conventions that this is a very quirky film
• It’s a very simple concept and idea, but this makes the gag that much more effective.
• I think the director has tried to make the opening seem like a really serious war film, this is helped by the blood down the man’s face, him crying and the digging of the grave. When he starts to sing, it is the last thing anyone would expect in a serious film.

Format and Narrative

• Chronology is linear
• Short narrative and very simple, doesn’t really need anything to add to it as it’s so simple.
• No particular storyline but it doesn’t need it, it has it’s desired effect without a story.

Editing

• The point of view shot at the beginning is very clever, it shows the man blinking and his body being dragged along, he has obviously just regained consciousness as everything is blurry. I really like this and would love to include it in our film somewhere.
• Canted point of view shot of the man digging a grave shows a variation of shots.
• Regular paced shots apart from a long paced shot at the end of the film of the man filling in the grave.

Themes

• Dark Comedy
• Shows that some people will do almost anything to stay living.

Get Off My Land:

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p00gs4yj

Genre: comedy, drama

• Filmed in the British countryside to show a realistic landscape of where a couple would be walking.
• All three characters have an equal amount dialogue; this is to show that each character is equally important.
• Based on real people and how simple misunderstandings can result in death. It’s a very clever idea and even though it is quite dark, the comedy factor is an over protective farmer who kills two people to keep his land. The main comedy line is “actually… I think this was a public footpath…” this is funny as the argument starts with the farmer saying that they’re on private property.

Conventions

• Takes a normal everyday misunderstanding and turns it into a double murder. This is a clever idea because things like this have happened in the past.
• Shows how overprotective some people are of the things they own.

Format and Narrative

• Chronology is linear
• Short and simple narrative

Editing

• Average paced shots even when the man is shot.
• Not much camera movement apart from occasional pans.
• 2 shots, close ups, big close ups, extreme long shots all used.

Themes

• Protective farmers who love their land.
• Young men who are looking for a fight and pay the consequences when they lose.