Media Mag: Openning Scenes

Today I  logged onto the mediamagazine that we were given to look through to help us with our coursework. While I was reading through i noticed an article about how the film Kick Ass created an openning scene which was very similar to other blockbuster super hero films. The openning to kick ass starts as many super hero films do; with a super hero wearing a costume and jumping off a building with a twist as instead of the hero flying off like superman or batman would do, this superhero crashes to the ground on top of a car failing at what he is trying to do horribly. This shows that with a slight tweek to what you would expect from a film you can keep the audience on the edge of their seats and will them onto to wtaching the rest of the film. Kick Ass used this so they could create a humouress film where as we could do the same but to catch the audience off guard to make them want to watch the rest of the film... Too bad there isnt going to be one.

The Sopranos Opening Theme

The Soprano's title sequence shows only one person throughout the sequence showing that he is the main importance of the story. As the driver is on his journey you see alot of items that are linked with the stero type of what people would expect a mafia boss to have. The character shows that he has a chain round his wrist and rings on his fingers and at one point he even starts smoking his cigar. The location of which the character is driving through does not link with what people would expect of a mafia member as the driver is on a journey through New Jersey which is not seen to be involved in the mafia. This gives an idea that he may be an outsider of the big families that run the mafia, and makes the audience think about the possible outcomes of what is to happen next in the story.

The Godfather: Title Sequence

The Godfather's titles consist of just the name strips which appear over police records of the mug shots that appear onto the screan. Or the names will appear as autographes on the back of pictures as they come onto the screen. All the titles are in white upon a blackbackground, other than the autographes. These tiltes are very small and slighlty draw just as much attention to them as needed. The shots many depict some irony, by showing mug shots, which are also used by police when someone is caught offending. They also show a gang, or gang culture and crime, as they are shown one after the other. Throughout the sequence the colours remain grey and dark to show that the pictures are old and possible to show what has been shown is in the past in the storyline of the film. The lack of colour also shows there may be some sort of darker side of the men shown.

Main Task risk assessment

Action Carried Out	Risk	How this can be prevented or changed
Filming the first shot of the opening scene.	The weather being different than forecast (snow) or a reflection in the windows which shows the film crew in the background from the windows.	Check the weather consistently and if the weather was to change, we can sweep any snow away out of the shot or break and remove any ice. We also shall angle the camera away from the door so there is not a direct reflection of the camera.
Lighting up the inside of the restaurant.	Wires on the floor causing health and safety risks. The angles of the lights may be difficult to produce and also in some cases depending on what is in the restaurant	Using proper ladders and stand if needed for the lighting and tape the wires to the floor to insure that there are no hazards of people tripping and injuring themselves.
Props and Clothing	All props and clothing may not match the theme and this would ruin the atmosphere. The clothes may also make the characters had to see in the light because of the colours used.	All clothing and props must be decided on and if this problem occurs the colours must be changed.
Glass Breaking in the shooting of the gun shot	Breaking glass would be really dangerous and this would be a health and safety hazard as someone could be cut or seriously injured.	There will be no real glass used in this shot but sugar glass alternative to resemble the smashing of real glass but with no hazard to anyone who is taking part in this scene.
Shooting of a gun inside a restaurant	The public outside of the restaurant maybe able to see into the scene while the shooting is occurring and may be distressed to see  gun being shot even though it is not a real one but a look alike. This could cause problems as a member of the public may do the correct thing and call the police although they are un knowing of what is going on. This coul get our whole shot into alot of trouble	As we are in a private place we should have no problems gaining permission to use guns on set although with this issue we will need to tell the authorities of the area of the restaurant that we are going to be using a look alike firearm to insure that there are no miss under standings and that no one is forced to waste their time

Inital Ideas

Title/working title	Clear Bets         (?)
Plot/outline summary	Due to the assassins actions 3 years ago, a gang rivalry has been created, two mafia families fight each other over the money being taken 3 years ago.
Opening sequence outline/summary	Assassin receives a phone call, and is told to murder 6 rival mafia guys who owe money. He then walks into a closed restaurant through the back door, and proceeds upstairs where an illegal poker game is taking place including thousands of pounds. This money is owed and the assassin then pulls out two guns and shoots everyone there, except the waitress who hides and survives, the assassin then takes the money.
Characters (consider genre, role, image etc)	1 – Main Assassin 5/6 – Gangsters gambling 1 – Barman 1 – Waitress
Mise en scene Setting: Locations: Costumes: Props: Lighting (what mood are you trying to create? etc)	Guns, Money, Poker related things, drinks. Dark, empty, closed restaurant. Upstairs. Restaurant Dark, not to reveal much character. Shirts, waistcoats, blazers. Guns, shot glasses,money, poker. Toplighting, backlighting to create a sense of being superior. Low ambient lighting. Few lights used with mise on scene.

Lighting

Key Light

Its the most important light, its mostly the highest intensity light.

Filler Light

Used to soften the harsh shadows created by the key light and the back light. There can be more than one filler light.

Back Light

This light is set at the back of a character or an object. It makes the character or an object standout. Back light also helps to counteract the effect of key light 

Top Lighting 

Top lighting is when the light source is lighting the character or an object from above.

Under-lighting

 Under-lighting is when the main source of light is bellow the character or an object

High Key Lighting  

Hight key lighting is when most of the shot is brightly lit with few shadows.

Ambient Light
The light already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added.

Incident Light
Light seen directly from a light source (lamp, sun, etc).

Reflected Light

Light seen after having bounced off a surface.

Spot

A controlled, narrowly-focused beam of light.

Flood

A broad beam of light, less directional and intense than a spot.

Tungsten

Light from an ordinary light bulb containing a thin coiled tungsten wire that becomes incandescent (emits light) when an electric current is passed along it. Also known as incandescent light.

Incandescent

Incandescent lamps produce heat by heating a wire filament until it glows. The glow is caused by the filament's resistance to the current and is called incandescence.

Halogen

Type of lamp in which a tungsten filament is sealed in a clear capsule filled with a halogen gas.

Fresnel

A light which has a lens with raised circular ridges on its outer surface. The fresnel lens is used to focus the light beam.

Codes and Convetions

Opening
This is the first few minutes of a film which is placed so that the audience watching the film know what the plot is, as the plot of the movie is in these first few minutes. If these few minutes are not good than these can make the audience feel confused and lost when the rest of the film is playing.


Gangster Movies
Motifs of The Gangster Genre

1. The hero is an immigrant who dislikes his low status in life and wants more.

2. Unlike the Western, this story takes place in the big city. The wide open plains have been traded in for the seedy alleyways and wharves of the urban jungle.

3. The gangster can only gain power by taking it. It is survival of the fittest, and the only law is the law of the jungle.

4. The only loyalty the gangster feels is for his own immigrant roots.

5. Success is measured in material goods - flashy cars, expensive clothes, and mansions. Women are measures of success as well.

6. The hero's antagonist is society, and the enforcers of the law. The police, the FBI, the CIA represent the enforcers of societal status quo.

7. The end justifies the means.