Todorov
Equilibrium:
Emily is a geeky teenage girl who doesn’t have any friends at school. She spends most of the time by herself in her own world. She has a major crush on Chris, who is the most popular guy in her school. There’s a geography school trip being held to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and Emily and her class (including Chris) set off to Brazil where they’re going to look at the wildlife there.
Disruption:
Emily finds the Flower of Immortality which gets stolen off her the same night by Mr. Johnson, who appears to be the chaperoning teacher. Chris and Emily both go searching for him in the heart of the rainforest. On their search for him, they come across a trapped bear who they free from danger. After freeing the bear, the bear shape shifts into a human and is called Drafogus. Drafogus tells Chris and Emily that Mr. Johnson is actually a shape shifter, called Crabioid, who’s been searching for the flower for ages because every time he shape shifts, he’s gets a little bit older and eventually he will die, so he wants the flower to stay immortal and still be able to shape shift, as well as to help him take over the world. Drafogus then helps Emily and Chris find Crabioid.
Restoration:
Drafogus, Emily and Chris come face to face with Crabioid and there’s an epic battle between them, but only the Safagus Sword can kill shape shifters, which Drafogus has given to Emily to use. Whilst Drafogus distracts Crabioid, Emily comes from behind and stabs Crabioid in the back, instantly killing him. She then retrieves the flower and destroys it before any more damage is caused. At the end, Chris and Emily get together and they declare their love for each other and they all live happily ever after!
Propp
Heroine – Emily – Rachel Petladwala
Villain – Crabioid – Hugo Weaving
The donor – Drafogus – Shia LaBeouf
The helper – Chris – Taylor Lautner
Plot (shortened)
Emily is a geeky teenage girl who doesn’t have any friends at school. She spends most of the time by herself in her own world. She has a major crush on Chris, who is the most popular guy in her school. There’s a geography school trip being held to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and Emily and her class (including Chris) set off to Brazil where they’re going to look at the wildlife there. On the plane trip on the way to Brazil, a chaperoning teacher, Mr. Johnson, shows the students a picture of the Flower of Immortality. This flower gave whoever had it the power to live forever and legend had it that it was somewhere in the Amazon.
When the students arrive at the Amazon, they explore the new environment. As Emily doesn’t have any friends, she goes wandering around by herself and that’s when she finds the Flower of Immortality. At first she’s hesitant to take it as she’s scared of the consequences, but she soon gives in and takes the flower. At this point, Chris notices that she’s found something and she tries to quickly hide it from him but she ends up caving in and tells him everything. Chris insists that she tells one of the teachers about the flower but Emily argues against this and makes him promise not to tell anyone either. Whilst Emily and Chris are having this conversation, Mr. Johnson overhears it but he pretends as if he doesn’t know anything. On that same night, when everyone has gone to bed, Chris knocks on Emily’s door and he asks her to come on a walk with her and she happily agrees. Chris takes her on a romantic walk through the rainforest and they end up sleeping outside together under the stars. When Emily wakes up the next morning she finds herself alone. She walks back to her room. When she enters her room she finds it totally destroyed. Somebody had been in her room that night and they were obviously looking for something. Then she suddenly remembered that she hid the flower at the bottom of her suitcase. She quickly rummages through her suitcase but the flower was gone. She runs to Chris’s room and tells him what happened. Chris is confused when Sophie talks about her walk with him to the rainforest. That’s when they both realise that something very strange is going on. They soon find out that Mr. Johnson is missing as well and they come to the conclusion that it was him that stole the flower. Chris and Emily both go searching for him in the heart of the rainforest. On their search for him, they come across a trapped bear who they free from danger. After freeing the bear, the bear shape shifts into a human and is called Drafogus. Drafogus tells Chris and Emily that Mr. Johnson is actually a shape shifter, called Crabioid, who’s been searching for the flower for ages because every time he shape shifts, he’s gets a little bit older and eventually he will die, so he wants the flower to stay immortal and still be able to shape shift, as well as to help him take over the world. Drafogus then tells Emily and Chris that it was Crabioid that trapped him and that they must go and find him and kill him before it’s too late. The three of them then set off to find Crabioid. When they come face to face with Crabioid there’s an epic battle between them, but only the Safagus Sword can kill shape shifters, which Drafogus has given to Emily to use. Whilst Drafogus distracts Crabioid, Emily comes from behind and stabs Crabioid in the back, instantly killing him. She then retrieves the flower and destroys it before any more damage is caused. At the end, Chris and Emily get together and they declare their love for each other and they all live happily ever after!
Target audience
The target audience for my film would be boys and girls aged between 13 and 24. The main hero is a girl, so this attracts girls to go watch the film and also girls would aspire to be like Emily as she gets the hot guy at the end and she’s quite brave and adventurous. Boys would want to watch this film because they aspire to be like Chris and it also gives them escapism from real life. As well as that, the fights and a sense of mystery appeals to them.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Monday, 14 February 2011
Homework: My Film's USP
The USP of my film is that the hero is not the conventional action-adventure hero. In fact, the hero isn’t even a hero, it’s a heroine. The heroine is a geeky teenage girl who is very shy and not very popular in school. This is very different to your usual good-looking, strong hero/heroine. I think this makes my film unique as it goes against the usual conventions of an action-adventure film and makes it different compared to others, which would attract the audience towards it.
Homework: My Target Audience Profile
The main target audience for my film would be boys, aged between 13 and 24. It would appeal to the younger boys because they are of a similar age to the characters and can relate to them. Younger boys would also aspire to be like Chris. It would also appeal to young adults who enjoy watching action-adventure films as the action adventure genre stereotypically appeals to them as the conventions include fights and a sense of mystery. The film also gives them escapism and release from real life so my film would appeal to them. My film also has a secondary target audience of young girl, aged between 13 and 18. It would appeal to this audience because they are of a similar age to the main character, Emily, which allows them to relate to her. Young girls also aspire to be like her because of her adventurous nature and because she’s able to get a hot guy at the end too!
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Homework: My Film pitch
The name of my film will be 'The Flower of Immortality'
Director – Chris Columbus
Producer – Peter Jackson
Characters:
Heroine – Emily – Emma Watson
Villain – Crabioid – Hugo Weaving
The donor – Drafogus – Shia LaBeouf
The helper – Chris – Taylor Lautner
The target audience will be both boys and girls, aged 10+.
Plot:
Emily is a geeky teenage girl who doesn’t have any friends at school. She spends most of the time by herself in her own world. She has a major crush on Chris, who is the most popular guy in her school. There’s a geography school trip being held to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and Emily and her class (including Chris) set off to Brazil where they’re going to look at the wildlife there. On the plane trip on the way to Brazil, a chaperoning teacher, Mr. Johnson, tells all the students about a legend to do with the Amazon rainforest about the Flower of Immortality. This flower gave whoever had it the power to live forever. People have searched for it for hundreds of years but it has never been found. Mr. Johnson then shows the students the only picture of the rare flower which has a unique pattern on it which makes it distinctive from all other flowers.
When the students arrive at the Amazon, they are shown to their accommodation which is located at the edge of the rainforest and they unpack their stuff. They soon set out into the rainforest to explore the new environment. They are first split into groups of 10, each group with their own chaperoning teacher. In Emily’s group, she has been put with both Chris and Mr. Johnson. As Emily doesn’t have any friends, she goes wandering around by herself, looking at all the various plants and animals around her. That’s when she finds the one-of-its-kind Flower of Immortality. At first she’s hesitant to take it as she’s scared of the consequences, but she soon gives in and takes the flower. At this point, Chris notices that she’s found something and interrogates her about what it is. She tries to quickly hide it from him but she ends up caving in and tells him everything. Chris insists that she tells one of the teachers about the flower but Emily argues against this and makes him promise not to tell anyone either. Although he’s reluctant, he agrees to stick to the promise. Whilst Emily and Chris are having this conversation, Mr. Johnson overhears it but he pretends as if he doesn’t know anything.
On that same night, when everyone has gone to bed, someone knocks on Emily’s door. When Emily opens the door, she’s surprised to see Chris at the other end. He asks her to come on a walk with her and she happily agrees, ecstatic that the boy she’s mad about wants to go on a walk with her. Chris takes her on a romantic walk through the rainforest and they end up sleeping outside together under the stars. When Emily wakes up the next morning she finds herself alone. She walks back to her room. When she enters her room she finds it totally destroyed. Somebody had been in her room that night and they were obviously looking for something. Then she suddenly remembered that she hid the flower at the bottom of her suitcase. She quickly rummages through her suitcase but the flower was gone. She runs to Chris’s room and tells him what happened. Chris is confused when Sophie talks about her walk with him to the rainforest. That’s when they both realise that something very strange is going on. They soon find out that Mr. Johnson is missing as well and they come to the conclusion that it was him that stole the flower.
Chris and Emily both go searching for him in the heart of the rainforest. On their search for him, they come across a trapped bear who they free from danger. After freeing the bear, the bear shape shifts into a human and is called Drafogus. Drafogus tells Chris and Emily that Mr. Johnson is actually a shape shifter, called Crabioid, who’s been searching for the flower for ages because every time he shape shifts, he’s gets a little bit older and eventually he will die, so he wants the flower to stay immortal and still be able to shape shift, as well as to help him take over the world. Drafogus then tells Emily and Chris that it was Crabioid that trapped him and that they must go and find him and kill him before it’s too late. He also offers to help them. The three of them then set off to find Crabioid. When they come face to face with Crabioid there’s an epic battle between them, but only the Safagus Sword can kill shape shifters, which Drafogus has given to Emily to use. Whilst Drafogus distracts Crabioid, Emily comes from behind and stabs Crabioid in the back, instantly killing him. She then retrieves the flower and destroys it before any more damage is caused. At the end, Chris and Emily get together and they declare their love for each other and they all live happily ever after!
Marketing Plan:
The film will be released in July 2012 and it will be shown in multiplex cinemas. The different elements of the campaign are that there’ll be a trailer, film poster and film website.
The film poster will be a mid shot of Emily and Chris and the flower in the middle of them two. The background will be of the rainforest.
The trailer will show the best bits of the film in chronological order. It will first show Emily in school, then a shot in the plane on the way there, then several shots in the Amazon showing the action going on in there. There will also be on screen text.
The website will contain a synopsis of the film, a video of the trailer, cast, filmmakers and production notes, games and other links.
I was inspired by films such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Transformers.
Director – Chris Columbus
Producer – Peter Jackson
Characters:
Heroine – Emily – Emma Watson
Villain – Crabioid – Hugo Weaving
The donor – Drafogus – Shia LaBeouf
The helper – Chris – Taylor Lautner
The target audience will be both boys and girls, aged 10+.
Plot:
Emily is a geeky teenage girl who doesn’t have any friends at school. She spends most of the time by herself in her own world. She has a major crush on Chris, who is the most popular guy in her school. There’s a geography school trip being held to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and Emily and her class (including Chris) set off to Brazil where they’re going to look at the wildlife there. On the plane trip on the way to Brazil, a chaperoning teacher, Mr. Johnson, tells all the students about a legend to do with the Amazon rainforest about the Flower of Immortality. This flower gave whoever had it the power to live forever. People have searched for it for hundreds of years but it has never been found. Mr. Johnson then shows the students the only picture of the rare flower which has a unique pattern on it which makes it distinctive from all other flowers.
When the students arrive at the Amazon, they are shown to their accommodation which is located at the edge of the rainforest and they unpack their stuff. They soon set out into the rainforest to explore the new environment. They are first split into groups of 10, each group with their own chaperoning teacher. In Emily’s group, she has been put with both Chris and Mr. Johnson. As Emily doesn’t have any friends, she goes wandering around by herself, looking at all the various plants and animals around her. That’s when she finds the one-of-its-kind Flower of Immortality. At first she’s hesitant to take it as she’s scared of the consequences, but she soon gives in and takes the flower. At this point, Chris notices that she’s found something and interrogates her about what it is. She tries to quickly hide it from him but she ends up caving in and tells him everything. Chris insists that she tells one of the teachers about the flower but Emily argues against this and makes him promise not to tell anyone either. Although he’s reluctant, he agrees to stick to the promise. Whilst Emily and Chris are having this conversation, Mr. Johnson overhears it but he pretends as if he doesn’t know anything.
On that same night, when everyone has gone to bed, someone knocks on Emily’s door. When Emily opens the door, she’s surprised to see Chris at the other end. He asks her to come on a walk with her and she happily agrees, ecstatic that the boy she’s mad about wants to go on a walk with her. Chris takes her on a romantic walk through the rainforest and they end up sleeping outside together under the stars. When Emily wakes up the next morning she finds herself alone. She walks back to her room. When she enters her room she finds it totally destroyed. Somebody had been in her room that night and they were obviously looking for something. Then she suddenly remembered that she hid the flower at the bottom of her suitcase. She quickly rummages through her suitcase but the flower was gone. She runs to Chris’s room and tells him what happened. Chris is confused when Sophie talks about her walk with him to the rainforest. That’s when they both realise that something very strange is going on. They soon find out that Mr. Johnson is missing as well and they come to the conclusion that it was him that stole the flower.
Chris and Emily both go searching for him in the heart of the rainforest. On their search for him, they come across a trapped bear who they free from danger. After freeing the bear, the bear shape shifts into a human and is called Drafogus. Drafogus tells Chris and Emily that Mr. Johnson is actually a shape shifter, called Crabioid, who’s been searching for the flower for ages because every time he shape shifts, he’s gets a little bit older and eventually he will die, so he wants the flower to stay immortal and still be able to shape shift, as well as to help him take over the world. Drafogus then tells Emily and Chris that it was Crabioid that trapped him and that they must go and find him and kill him before it’s too late. He also offers to help them. The three of them then set off to find Crabioid. When they come face to face with Crabioid there’s an epic battle between them, but only the Safagus Sword can kill shape shifters, which Drafogus has given to Emily to use. Whilst Drafogus distracts Crabioid, Emily comes from behind and stabs Crabioid in the back, instantly killing him. She then retrieves the flower and destroys it before any more damage is caused. At the end, Chris and Emily get together and they declare their love for each other and they all live happily ever after!
Marketing Plan:
The film will be released in July 2012 and it will be shown in multiplex cinemas. The different elements of the campaign are that there’ll be a trailer, film poster and film website.
The film poster will be a mid shot of Emily and Chris and the flower in the middle of them two. The background will be of the rainforest.
The trailer will show the best bits of the film in chronological order. It will first show Emily in school, then a shot in the plane on the way there, then several shots in the Amazon showing the action going on in there. There will also be on screen text.
The website will contain a synopsis of the film, a video of the trailer, cast, filmmakers and production notes, games and other links.
I was inspired by films such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Transformers.
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Analysis of an Action Adventure Film
Narrative
Equlibrium: The equilibrium doesn't last very long. The film begins with Harry back home at the Dursley's and he's miserable there as usual. He soon returns back to Hogwarts for his second year there.
Disruption: Shortly after the start of term, Harry begins hearing an ominous voice and a message is found saying "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware". Mrs Norris, who is Filches cat was first to be petrified, followed by Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchy, Nearly Headless Nick, Hermione Granger, and Penelope Clearwater. Then Ginny gets taken into the chamber.
Restoration: Harry finds Ginny and Tom Riddle appears. Riddle sends the basilisk to kill Harry but Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, attacks the basilisk's eyes. Fawkes gives Harry the Sorting Hat, in which appears the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. Harry kills that basilisk but its fang pierces Harry's arm. Harry destroys the memory of Tom Riddle by piercing the diary with the fang. Ginny regains consciousness and finds Harry dying, but Fawkes heals Harry's wound with his tears. Dumbledore is returned to the school and Hagrid is released from Azkaban. Everyone who had been petrified is restored.
The narrative in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets follows the conventions of typical action-adventure films. It contains fight scenes, which is a common feature in action-adventure films and it includes a hero defeating the enemy which is another convention of action-adventure films. In this film, Harry defeats the basilisk in order to save Ginny. Rescuing a loved one is a convention of action-adventure films, as well as fast-paced music.
Iconography
The iconography used in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets also follows the conventions of action-adventure films. Props are very important in action-adventure films. Action-adventure films contains gadgets, weapons and the latest technology. In Harry Potter, there's the use of weapons, such as a sword which is a common weapon used whilst fighting in action-adventure films. Also, monsters and animals are used in typical action-adventure films, particularly in Harry Potter which uses key animals, such as the basilisk, a phoenix and a giant spider. Low-key lighting is also generally used in action-adventure films to make a scene look more scary and mysterious.
Characters
Hero - Harry Potter: He isn't a conventional hero as he's a teenage boy and he's quite geeky in his appearance. However there are more younger heros being used which is attracting more teenagers towards the film.
Villain - Lord Voldemort: He is a typical villain as he is very hard to defeat, just like the other villains in action-adventure films.
The false hero - Tom Riddle: Tom Riddle pretends to help Harry by showing him events from fifty years ago, but these events turn out to be made up in order to frame the wrong person. Tom Riddle isn't a conventional false hero because he turns out to be the villain as well as he is also Lord Voldemort but in his teenage form.
The donor - phoenix: the phoenix helps Harry by attacking the basilisk and giving Harry the Sorting Hate, in which appears the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, which Harry then uses to kill the basilisk. This isn't a conventional character either as it's an animal.
Settings
The film is mainly set in Hogwarts or around the school. It is also set in the forest in some scenes of the film which is quite a sterotypical setting for an action-adventure film as forests connote magic and adventure. Another setting of the film is an underground sewer system in the school which connotes danger and isolation as there's nobody down there and it's quite a dark, mysterious place. Other common settings in action-adventure films are planets, extreme environments, palaces/castles and cities (urban environments).
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