Review Analysis: Sight & Sound

This film review has a tagline and details about the film in a corner. Other than that its all the same. The review begins with the title and rating of the film. This is to quickly let the audience know how highly the reviewer has rated the film. 

There is then a shot plot overview detailed enough to explain what's going on. 

The review is kept short because too many words will put off an audience. This is why reviews include a verdict; it allows readers who aren't interested in reading the review to find out the general opinion of the film. There is a screen shot and a trailer of the film. A trailer is not just to advertise the film but also to give the audience a sense of what the film will be like.

I am going to use from this the Tagline and the Details about the film in my review.

Review Analysis: Empire

The review begins with a small synopsis explaining the plot. This stays short so that the writer doesn't go too in depth. The plot-line explanation isn't too detailed because a review shouldn't give away spoilers. The review itself is then kept short to avoid putting people off. The review begins by explaining what currently is happening during the film, before explaining why it is or is not entertaining or in-keeping with the genre.

The review goes into what sections fit the genre and how/if they are effective in their goals, before at the end reaching a Verdict (a short sentence concluding the review). The verdict is only one to two sentences long and sums up the review as a whole, I shall use this technique in my own review. There is also a rating out of 5, this film has only been given 3/5 stars, the reasoning is explained in the review.

I am going to use from this the Plot and Verdict section in my review

Production companies

I have done some research into production companies to determine which one would produce our film. Callum and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out of our film is British Independent, or mainstream. 

Film production/distribution companies in red are companies that might not produce our film. 
Film production/distribution companies in green are companies that might produce our film.

 Mainstream

Dreamworks
DreamWorks, is a California film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming. It has produced or distributed more than ten films with box-office grosses totaling more than $100 million each. Today, most of DreamWorks' films are marketed and distributed by The Walt Disney Studios

This would not produce our film because according to the IMDB it does not have any existing British films.

20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox Pictures, is one of the six major American film studios as of 2011. Located in the Century City area of Los Angeles, just west of Beverly Hills, the studio is currently a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.

This would not produce our film although it is possible that their subsidary company Fox Searchlight would.

Disney

Disney, is an American diversified multinational mass media corporation headquartered in Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California. It is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue.

This would not produce our film because the Disney target audience is way too low for our film.

Fox Searchlight

Fox Searchlight Pictures, is an American film division of the Fox Entertainment Group alongside the larger Fox studio 20th Century Fox. It specializes in independent and British films, alongside drama and horror as well as non-English-language films, and is variously involved with the production and/or distribution of these films.

It is possible that Fox Searchlight might produce and/or distribute Happily Ever After

Metro-Goldwyn Mayor

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. Once the largest and most glamorous of film studios. MGM went bankrupt and heads of their subsidary companies took over.

It is unlikely that MGM would produce our film as it is not famed for their rom-coms, neither have they released anything recently.

New Line Cinema

New Line Cinema, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner Bros. in 2008

It it not a film studio which would produce a film like Happily Ever After.

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a film and television production/distribution studio, consistently ranked as one of the largest (top-grossing) movie studios. It is a unit of American media conglomerate Viacom.

It is not a film studio which would be likely to produce Happily Ever After

Universal

Universal Studios Inc. (also known as Universal Pictures), is an American motion picture studio, owned by Comcast through its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal, and is one of the six major movie studios. It is one of the longest-lived motion picture studios to be located outside of Hollywood.

It is possible that Universal would produce our film but it is more likely that they would produce it through the subsidiary Working Title

Warner Bros

One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank, California and New York. Warner Bros. has several subsidiary companies, including Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Home Video, New Line Cinema, TheWB.com, and DC Entertainment

It is possible Warner Bros would produce our film solely because generally their target audience is the same as ours. Also the range of different types of film produced by Warner Bros is wide.

Working Title

Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London owned by Universal Studios. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. It produces feature films and several television productions.

Judging by the films it has previously produced (According to IMDB), the target audience that Working Title genrally make films for, and the fact that it is a British Subsidiary of a major Mainstream American production company, working title is probably the most likely company to produce Happily Ever After.

 Independent

I have not researched a large amount of independent companies, partly because their aren't many but also because my film is a mainstream Rom-Com blockbuster.

Artificial Eye
Artificial Eye is a British film distributor, specialising in foreign-language and art house films for cinema and home entertainment.

It would not produce our film.

BBC Films

BBC Films is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including An Education, StreetDance 3D, Fish Tank, Stage Beauty, A Cock and Bull Story, Nativity! and Match Point.

I would not produce a mainstream romantic comedy like Happily ever After

Channel 4 
Film4 Productions is a British film production company owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The company has been responsible for backing a large number of films made in the United Kingdom.

Because it produced The Inbetweeners Movie, it is possible that it would produce Happily Ever After

Studio Canal
StudioCanal  is a French-based production (as StudioCanal S.A.) and distribution (as StudioCanal Images S.A.) company that owns the third-largest film library in the world.

It is possible that it would play a part in the production of our film if we were to work with Working Title as the two companies have worked together on comedy films in the past.

Conclusion

After researching into existing Rom-Coms and their production & distribution companies, I have determined that our film would be produced by a British subsidiary of a mainstream American company like Notting Hill which was produced by Working Title - a British subsidiary of Universal Pictures.

Analysis of Short Film: SIGNS

 
Name of short film: SIGNS 
Writer, Director and Editor: Patrick Hughes 
Genre: Romantic Comedy 
Running Time: 12:13 min 

SIGNS follows the story of Jason who meets Tracey. They work in buildings opposite each other, and communicate through paper signs. It’s an interesting and unique way of showing a love story, as every day is the same in the sense they communicate through signs, but they say and do different things. Each day we watch as their relationship progresses. This is much like my short film, in the fact that you will watch my characters each day and you will see their relationship progress quickly over the course of the film. 

 Many aspects of my short film will hopefully be emulated from SIGNS. The use of sound in their opening is similar to what I what I hope my opening will do. SIGNS begin with the sound of an alarm clock in the background, constantly dinging, signaling the beginning of a new, dull, boring day. A cut to a birds eye view of the man, lying in bed, eyes wide open, with the alarm clock still ringing. In my film I will have the sounds of a classroom come in before the actual video starts.

Jason is struggling with the stereotypical alienation of a young office man new to the big city. Work is boring, the loneliness is heart-breaking, and the false expectation of family and friends who think you’re living it up to the max is soul-crushing. But, through the window and into the office across the street, Jason spots and draws the attention of the girl who might change all that. 

Signs is a classic boy meets girl in which the central concept is not too contrived. You couldn’t make a feature based off it, but it is the perfect size for a short. Many of the introductory moments that inform our impression of Jason as depressed, the photocopying at the office for instance, are inverted later on in a funny way to establish his renewed verve. Routine is presented at first in order to accentuate Jason’s dread of life, the mind-numbing banality of his existence, yet the pacing of the film and its editing, morph his morning routine into narrative development. The long-drawn out takes initially become progressively quicker to signify Jason’s energy and excitement, building to a fevered pace right before the moment he is let down at the end of act 2. 

 Nick Russel does a really laudable job as Jason, playing the role with the kind of earnest goofiness that has earned Hugh Grant millions of dollars. The role on both ends, the sad sack and the nervous comedy are both very easy to overplay, but he does not.


In the first three minutes of ”Signs” we see our “Hero” Jason in his ordinary, meaningless world. He is bored and loveless, his job is uninspiring, and most importantly, he is lonely. We see him on an escalator, spotting a lovely girl going in the opposite direction, in a park, shyly watching another girl, on a train watching lovers kiss, and at work, alienated from his boss and workers. Jason lives a loveless life. Even his mum and dad don’t understand him. 

When Jason glances at Tracey through the window of his office is the inciting incident. It’s where the movie starts moving. All that goes before it is setting up the ordinary world, and you can get away with this set up for quite a while, if it is done with style. In a 12 minute movie, Hughes waits 3 mins and 12 secs before that fateful glance. Structural Perfection. 

Jason looks away once, twice, three times. He is shy. He doesn’t want to get involved. His life may be boring, but he is too set in his ways, too comfortable in his misery to break out of his comfort zone. 

At 4:19 Jason smiles. That smile means that Jason is entering the special world of his story for the first time. This is the point at which the story takes off and the real adventure gets going. The hero Jason is now committed to his journey… and there’s no turning back. 

In this film, the venue is the space between the two buildings, but the challenge is clear. Jason has to engage with and keep interested this vivacious, beautiful young woman. One wrong note and all is lost. It’s dangerous. If he gets caught, then boss will fire him. He is wary and scared, but he goes for it, getting more and more confident. In a good rom com this sequence can go on and on and on as long as we like the characters and can engage with the hero, up the ante between him and the object of his desires. 

Jason dares to message Tracey in front of the boss. He would never have dreamed of doing these only days before. He is risking his career, all in name of love.

At 5:20secs there is the moment when the protagonist is in deep jeopardy. It usually occurs about half way through a narrative. Here, Jason risks all. He faces the possibility of exposure, ridicule, the sack, and whatever else, and for Jason it takes place in the meeting room, where he is so intent on “messaging” his new love, that he falls backwards on his chair but he survived. He now decides to take control with his new found courage. The hero’s supreme ordeal usually grants him a better understanding of women, leading to the moment in a love story where he finally decides to make his feeling clear. 

 The flirting continues and Jason finally decides to commit. He is stopped from taking the final plunge and asking her out but just when he goes for it...Jason loses Tracey. The film shows the same shots from the opening scene. Showing that Jason has returned to his word of boredom and loneliness. 

Soon afterwards, Jason sees that she is back and she left because she got promoted and is therefore more desirable. Also she is immediately forgiven for leaving. 

It takes him an instant to suggest that they meet. The timid Jason of Act 1 is transformed, and we love it! He’s ready, she’s ready, and he emerges from the special world, transformed by his experience. 

 Hughes is smart enough not to make the characters have a cliché kiss at the end, but leaves us with questions: Will they get together? Ever speak? Kiss? Is she deaf? 

 This shows the work of a true filmmaker who understands his audience and his characters. 

Analysis of Short Film: Love Sick

Name of short film: Love Sick 
Writer, Director and Editor: Kevin Lacy 
Genre: Comedy 
Running Time: 4:32 min 

Short Film Analysis 

Plot of the film 
A man has just got dumped by his girlfriend; he is devastated, however not for long. As he is walking back with a broken heart he suddenly falls in love with a lady walking into a train. He begins another mission to find her as he just misses the train. This is an unsuccessful attempt as the audience all expected. As he is sitting down in the dumps he ridiculously falls in love with another lady jogging past him in the park. 

Character portrayal 
The main character is portrayed to be full of unrealistic aims in life and alongside a hint of bad luck. Because he is shown wearing ordinary clothing, the audience expect him to be an average middle age man. However his comical thoughts surprise the viewers. The facial expressions and body language are synchronized with the sound of narration and the music. The ladies shown in this short film are extremely feminine and follow the stereotype of women that any man will fall in love with. The young teenager used in the short film is referred to as Justin Bieber for comical value and pop-culture reference to appeal to the films target audience.

Film techniques 
The music used in ‘Love Sick’ enhances the setting and themes of the film. The music used makes you believe that everything may go well, however his dreams are shattered as we first expected. The fast paced music increases to give the film an inspirational undertone. The film has been edited together by using a range of shots which makes the short film more comical and more interactive with the audience. By using shots, such as close ups, make the audience aware of the characters feelings.

I was impressed by the use of narration and audience interaction. This film exaggerates realistic emotions so the audience can relate to the main character but in a very comical way. The use of a narrator throughout the film helps keeps the audience’s attention though interaction. This creates a strong link between the narrator and the audience. 

 The short film takes you on journey of mans thoughts. The moral of this short film is that to always try hardest in any goal in life regardless if you achieve it, it’s better to attempt something rather than just accept defeat. 

In mine and Callums short film Happily Ever After I intend to use similar narrative techniques; such as exaggerating a realistic situation so that an audience can relate to the story but still find the film comical.

Roles

Callum and I had very different roles in the production stages of Happily Ever After. However, some of our roles were shared.

My roles were:

• Main actor - Callum and I were the two main actors along with Poppy
• Camera-Man - I shot all scenes including many that i was in.
• Director - Callum directed last year so we agreed to switch roles this year.
• Editor (of my own final out come)
• Music Composer - I wrote and recorded all the music.
• Location scouter - I found and aranged locations. Callum helped.
• Writer - I wrote the script, Callum made few alterations and helped.
• co-expenses manager - Callum managed the money, I helped.
• Producer - Callum and I both share role.
• Set design - I designed the set, Callum created it.
• prop manager - I decided on props and acquired them.
• costume manager - I decided on costume.

Callum's roles were:

• Main Actor - Callum and I were the two main actors
• Storyboard artist - Callum created the storyboard.
• concept artist - Callum drew up the script based on my descriptions
• co-director - Callum helped direct the film.
• editor (of his own film)
• expenses manger - Callum orginised all the money with my help
• producer - Callum and I share this role.
• co-writer - Callum helped with the script.
• make-up artist - Callum was in charge of all make up.
• co-costume manager - Callum helped gather costume.
• set creation - Callum built the set based on my instructions.
• co-prop manager - Callum helped gather props

Target Audience

Definition Of Audience: "An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art"

Romantic Comedy Romantic comedy films (abbreviated as rom coms or romcoms) are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as a true love able to surmount most obstacles. Romantic comedy films are a sub-genre of comedy films. Romantic comedy can also be used to describe some television series.

 My target audience Typically Romantic / Comedy films appeal to a young audience, of both genres who can appreciate and enjoy the story, the connection between the two people and how the story progresses. Therefore, I propose my production to be aimed at both a male and female audience with an age range from about 13-18, and a demographic of lower to middle class consumers with a reasonable disposable income and level of education to afford to watch the film as well as appreciate and understand the narrative plot. Despite this, due to the unique story-line I believe people within a higher demographic of an increased disposable income and higher level of education would also enjoy the film, with perhaps less well known actors. 13-18 year olds still attend school and are at a part in their life when relationships are very much on their mind. For this reason I believe the most profitable market for mine and Callum's film is 13-18 year olds. 

Review Analysis: TotalFilm

The review begins with the title and rating of the film. This is to quickly let the audience know how highly the reviewer has rated the film. 

There is then a shot plot overview detailed enough to explain what's going on. 

The review is kept short because too many words will put off an audience. This is why reviews include a verdict; it allows readers who aren't interested in reading the review to find out the general opinion of the film. There is a screen shot and a trailer of the film. A trailer is not just to advertise the film but also to give the audience a sense of what the film will be like.

I am going to use the rating stars and the screenshot from the film in my review

Poster and analysis of an existing poster

Thumbnail

I am going to try and make a poster which starts with a single image from my film which effectively relates to the story and represents the characters. I am going to make my first draft of my poster using the Thumbnail  I am currently using. I have looked at many different posters that fit under the genre of a romantic comedy (click here to see those posters) and I am going to try and make my poster to look like an advertisement of a Hollywood Romantic Comedy.

Romantic Comedy Posters

1. Everyone.
In these wedding photos every main character is in the shot. These are usually used for films with a lot of side stories and subplots.


2. Pick me up
In these wedding photos the man is usually shown picking up the girl. They show that the film will be more rom than com.


































3. The Back to Back.
These posters show the two main characters back to back. This suggests pretence, that they are not really as friendly as they are acting and that there is hidden meaning and selfish intentions behind their actions.

4. Two guys and one girl.
This either suggests a love triangle or a medling friend who thinks he's helping. This fits the catagory of mine and Callums film and I will therefore base my poster on this. "This means war" has a similar style to what I am going to try to emulate.

5. "Men Are Inept and I Have to Do Everything Around Here!" type poster.
This type of poster usually shows a man with a problem of some sort with a woman who is attempting to 'fix' him.

Meeting and interview with Age and Sons resturant about filming.

Before we filmed the resturant sequence we had a meeting with age and sons. In evaluation of this meeting, Callum and I should have been more prepared for questions about insurance. Also we should have planned out what we were going to say, so that we could have answered questions more coherently and concisely as we mumbled, went off topic and found it hard to get our points across.

Redraft Synopsis

Instead of the film opening with two characters (Benjy and Callum) discussing girls, the film now starts with a panning shot from the back of the classroom. This will give the impression of a full classroom. Callum admits to liking a girl in their class (Poppy) and Benjy makes it his mission to put them together. The next scene is the conference room (instead of the cinema). Benjy tells Callum he is going to train him how to get Poppy. Next there is a shot of a clock moving from 10:00am to 1:00pm and then a shot of a school bell ringing (as opposed to before which was a montage in the cinema) Benjy then says to Callum to say "how do you like your eggs? Fertalised" as a chat-up line. There is then a batman style "SLAP" title across the screen and it cuts to Callum rubbing a handprint on his face from where he had been slapped. Benjy then suggests a second chat up line which we don't hear him tell Callum. Benjy says "say..." then it immediatly cuts to Callum saying it. This chat-up line is equally cringeworthy and creppy and is "My friend and I bet you wouldn't take your shirt off in public". It cuts to Callum holding an ice pack between his legs. Benjy suggests a final chat-up line ("I put the STD in stud and all I need is U") and Callum decides against using it and instead aproaches the girl normally.

The girl agrees to go on a date with Callum and the date is seemingly going great until Callum goes to the bathroom. The door shuts revealing Benjy who tells Callum he has a plan. Callum tells Benjy to not do anything and that everything is going fine but Benjy ignores this and tells him to "wait until the bill arrives".

Callum spends the rest of the evening trying to avoid paying the bill by moving the subject away from the bill. When the bill finally arrives it is Benjy wearing a suit. He states that Callum asked him to ask her to marry him and pulls out a ring. Callum tries to explain he didn't say that but is interrupted by the girl saying yes. The scene quickly cuts to a wedding. Wedding bells can be heard before the fade to the new scene.

the guests at the wedding will be played by me and callum, cropped lots of times and pasted to make it look like the wedding is filled with guests.

credits begin to role up and it cuts back to the wedding where Benjy begins to say "when callum first asked me to be his best man" but is interrupted with callum shouting "I never asked you that!".

Notes for the second draft of 'Happily Ever After'

Analysis of Splitscreen: A love Story

Analysis of Cinematography

The lighting is very cleverly used to come from the same angles in both sides of the screen. This shows the audience that the two sides of the screen are connected. Every camera angle is exactly the same on both sides, continuing to let the spectator see that the two sides of the film are a connected story. During the escalator sequence, the two sides are going in opostite directions. This implies that the two storys are traveling towards one another.

Analysis of Sound

The first sound we hear is an F major paino chord with the overlay of two seperate alarms. Immediatly the audience knows that we are hearing two seperate stories. The F major shows it is a happy story with a happy begining. The sound motif of the same F chord is used throughout the sequence alternating between A minor. A minor is the common key signature of classical french music which is cleverly used as half of the screen is set in france. Other than the initial alarm sounds (where you hear two) in all the other shots you can only hear one sound effect, for example, when you see the shower you can only hear one shower sound effect, same with the train and walking etc. This brings the two split screen visuals together. Two seprerate visuals but the same soundtrack helps strengthen the way the film presents that the two stories are connected.

Analysis of MISE-EN SCENE

The film starts with the words 'splitscreen: a love story' coming out from either side of a point right in the middle of the screen. This introduces the splitscreen motif. The next shot is curtains. The split being in the middle of the screen shows two seperate curtains which are opened simultaneously. This connects the two sides of the screen. Once the curtains are opened, the audience can clearly see that the two different sides of the screen are paris and new york.

Location searching

Location searching

Location searching is a vital pre-production stage of filmaking and commercial photography. Once scriptwriters, producers or directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of their work that is shot outside of the studio, a search is begun for a suitable place or location outside the studio. Location searchers also look for generally spectacular or interesting locations beforehand, to have a database of locations in case of requests.

Location searchers often negotiate legal access to filming locations. Callum and I had a meeting with the manager of age and sons.

Location Requirements
 You have to consider many factors when finding a suitable location to film,

Overall Aesthetic

Financial cost to production

Logistic feasibility

Availability of parking, facilities, crew and talent

Availability of electrical power

Availability of natural light and artificial light and weather conditions

Permission from cooperations of the location owner and neighbors, local government and law enforcement

Shot List
Considering shots when considering locations is a vital part of location searching. Callum and I took a camera and tripod with us to out locations to check how filming might work. This allowed us to decide and alter our storyboard.
A shot is an uninterrupted sequence of frames taken by a video camera. In other words, this is the continuous film taken from when the camera has been turned on to when it has been turned off.

Actor List / Starting Positions I will need to choose the actors that i want in my film, once i have chosen i will need to create a script which will let my actors know what they have to do and when. It's easier for them as the actor knowing what's going on but also for me as the Director of the film.

Meeting with Age and Sons

We had been speaking to Age and Sons via email and the owner had said that she couldn't see a problem with filming there but she wants to know more about what we would be doing. We went along for a meeting on the 21^st June 2012. We asked if the meeting could be recorded and she said it could be. The meeting recording will be uploaded to youtube soon. During the meeting we discussed the storyline of the film and the sort of shots we would be using. She encouraged us to look around the fine dining section of her restaurant. We had already been there taking photos while location searching but she had made a few changes. When we came back we told her where we'd like to film. She told us she had no issue with us filming but had some concern over the insurance..what if one of us got hurt?

She allowed us to use the uniform that the waiters use so that everything will look like a proper restaurant. She also told us how the bill would be given and presented. At the end of the meeting I gave her my card which she referred to as professional she also likened the project we are doing to the BBC Production of 'True Love' starring David Tennant. Though we are aware that we aren't professional film producers or anywhere near, it does show us that she treated us like adults and gave us a better insight to what a meeting would be like in the media industry.

In evaluation Callum and I got huge insight into the complications of filming. If we are to have future meetings about filming somewhere, we will go prepared to answer any questions about liability. As it turns out, we are covered by their insurance as we count as the public and they are insured if the public injure themselves inside the restaurant. We thanked her for her time and we very pleased with the meeting. We will send over a small box of chocolates to thank her for giving up her free time for us.

Fonts for 'Happily Ever After'

Something I noticed about the titles of these proffesional and extremely successful films is that all the words are in capital letters. This isn't the sort of look I want for my film but it was interesting to look at how exsisting films create a romantic title. The look I am going for resembles pride and predjudice the most but I'm going to look at fonts rather than exsiting films to create an idea of what I want.

working title - Happily Ever After

At the moment, Callum and I are giving our film the working title 'Happily Ever After' because it appropriatly matches the narrative of the short film as well as being ironic as Callum's character is not happy with the result of his pursuit of the girl. For this title I will be experimenting with script fonts and calligraphy which matches a film beloning to the romantic genre.

Reply from the restaurant that I emailed to request permission to film.

Time Management.

This is how I so far and plan to manage my productivity in June.