Audience Research

Do you know what a British Social Realism film is?

Most people had no idea what a British Social Realism film was and could only really say that it would be based in Britain, however when they was shown the definition they could think of films that were of that genre

What issues would you expect to see in a British Social Realism film?

Mainly every person that was asked mentioned poverty, violence, bullying and drugs as these are the main issues they see in the British region

How would you define British Social Realism?

Most people said that it shows the issues that are occurring in Britain, and how it doesn't glamorize it like the Hollywood genre would do and makes it as realistic as possible for the audience

What locations would you expect to see in a British Social Realism film?

Every person that was asked this question said that they would expect it to be set in a council flat or estate, and someone specifically said somewhere in Essex as this is typical of a urban area that 

What things would grab your attention, and make you want to watch the rest of the 

movie?

Most people said that a interesting story line would keep them engaged, whereas if the story line was boring it would be hard to get into and enjoy. Another thing was for there to be alot of action throughout and for it to be sometimes unexpected

What do you like about British Social Realism films?

People said that they found the themes and issues easy to relate to which made them more intrigued in the film. Characters also played a big role in making the film likable as if the characters were not typical in Britain it would be hard to get an understanding of them as they are the ones showing the issues and realism happening in Britain

What do you think about our idea?

Most people said that our idea was creative and is what we would see occurring in the British culture 

What would you change about our idea(improvements)? 

Most people said that some bits were quite unrealistic, and maybe not all them themes should be included so more focus could be made on one main theme and idea. Another improvement was to maybe say how this issue could be resolved instead of the ending being quite dark and upsetting.

What would you base your British Social Realism film on?

Most people said they would base their idea on drug abuse and violence as this is a reoccurring issue that happens in Britain and it would be the easiest theme to portray, however issues that are maybe less commonly seen in British Social Realism films maybe more unique and interesting for the audience

Would you watch the rest of our movie? 

The person asked about this said they would watch the movie as it was a creative story line  and it is something that would occur in society so it would be easy to show to the audience. Another reason would be because it includes different themes which are typical in the British region

By doing this research i have got a better idea of what my idea should be on and what the audience likes most. I found out from my research that the themes that would be best to show are: 

drugs

violence

poverty

These themes would be the best ones as they are easy to show but are effective and are typically seen in the British culture. Another point that we found with our research is that our film should be action packed as this is what makes the audience more intrigued and interested. The narrative should also be interesting and the characters should be relatable for the audience as they are the main reason for creating a good British Social Realism film. The locations that we would use would have to be suitable to show the typical regions that are found in Britain as this sets up a good idea for people who haven't seen what Britain is like and people that live around that area. By using a good location we can create the correct mood and atmosphere for the audience but if it doesn't fit there could be a problem with how the audience will perceive the British culture. Most people thought that our idea was creative and showed alot of themes that are typically found in a British Social Realism film, however we got given some improvements and developments. An improvement was that it could be seen as too unrealistic as so much trauma has happened to the Protagonist. We also found that it would be better if we stuck to one main theme which was regularly seen in Britain and showed that in the opening as it would be clearer for the audience.  A development would probably be to show her overcoming the issue, which goes against what is normally seen in a British Social Realism film but could work with the story line that we had come up with as a group. 

Production Log Week 4

What have you learnt about your target audience?

From carrying out research i have found that my targeted audience will be mainly teens  but a mixture of males and females depending on the themes being show in the film. For example films that include alot of violence such as Green street would be more suited for a male audience, whereas fish tank could be more appealing to a female audience who have dreams even though violence is still included.My target audience will be of a mixture of ethnicity's  as Britain is a very multi cultural area and it could be appealing to a very wide audience

What have you learnt about the institutions involved in the production of social realist films?

From looking at the background information of British Social Realism films, institutions like Film 4 are based in Britain so they can fully show the audience what Britain is like. Major companies stick to genres like fantasy and action whereas independent companies are more likely to create British Social Realism films. By independent niche companies creating this genre it means they have much more verisimilitude and gives the audience the correct perception of the British culture.

How will this inform your production?

This will inform my opening scene as i want the British Social Realism genre to be very clear to the audience. I will do this by showing a clear theme, typical issues that occur in Britain, typical locations and actors that can fit with what British teens are like. I will make it also seem very urban and down trodden to show typically what Britain is like 

BSR Sound Analysis

0:00-5:10

Mise-en-scene, Camera langauge and Editing in a British Social Realism Film

Production Log Week Three

What have you learnt about opening sequences and title devices?

In this week we looked at the credits used and the positioning that they were found in an opening scene. For example we looked at panic room and the way they set out the credits, the typography they used, and where they placed the title. This opening scene uses still images which pan from left to right which include a bold, capitalised white font. The title was then the 9th credit to be shown, the use of credits and shots in the background created a lot of enigma for me as an audience as it set the location but you wonder why its set there and who will be invloved as we are not introudced to any characters. I also created a visual timeline of the opening scene to east is east, it included many credits and many shots which introduced most of the main characters and also set the location and atmosphere. However it still creates enigma as we dont know why the characters start running and why they are walking in a parade around the streets.

How will this inform your production?

From looking at the credits I feel like i now have a better understanding of what credits i should included in the opening and which ones i should leave out as they would be included at the end of a film. I also know where the title should be placed and what i will show in the opening sequence to grab the audiences attention and to make them want to watch the rest of the film. In my opening scene i will use shots to introduce the characters but make sure that the credits wont take away the focus that will be going on in the background by making them too big or positioning them right in the center of the shot.

What methods may you use in the opening and why?

In my opening i would probably use a smash mouth, as this will grab the audiences attention and creates a good atmosphere for the rest of the film. I think openings such as London to Brighton which used this convention made me want to watch the rest of the film and created a lot of mystery and enigma as i was unsure on who the girls were, why they look like theyve been beaten up and why the girl is sitting in the toilet while her mum is out. I think if i used a similiar opening i would be able to encourage my targeted audience to want to watch the rest of the film. I think i would also use subtle credits as if they are too extravagant and over sized it could take away the impact of the smash mouth.

My possible locations for my British Social Realism opening

Chadwell Heath:

This location would be a good one to consider as it shows run down areas where we see alot of rubbish or fly tipping which shows the area is urban and not well looked after. There is also graffiti seen on the fences and the houses either look isolated or they just haven't been put to good use. 

 Goodmayes:

This location would be a good one to consider as there isn't alot going on but in the background we can see flats and a car park, and the metal bridge makes it seem quite old fashioned. This follows the typical conventions of somewhere looking abandoned and it looking run down.

Forest Gate:

This location would be a good one to consider as it is set near a train station, and its quite simple but i think if shot correctly it could be effective. The tall building in the back ground and the metal poles going over the train station make it look like its a dangerous place and could shadow what will happen in the rest of the film

 Romford:

This location would be a good one to consider as its round the back of a street of shops. I think this would be a good location as its quite mysterious and it would be easy to film there. The bins shown in the background and the shutters on the left make it look scummy and like a bad area.

How British Social Realism themes are used

Violence

Tyrannosaur:

The theme of violence is established through the actions and props used in the mis-en-scene. For example we see the protagonist using weapons such as a bat, and a hammer this clearly shows the audience that the character has violent outbursts. The sequence shows the theme of violence also through the characters faces, for example we see a close up of the mans face which is covered in blood, and we also see the female character with bruises and a swollen eye and this emphasises the theme that they are trying to portray to the audience. This is done successfully as we can tell that the male character is abusive and often takes hes anger out on other characters in the film, this makes the audience feel uncomfortable and quite often scared. I think this theme would be good if i used it in my opening sequence as it can be shown in many ways without actually showing the audience the content of violence. This is also a typical theme of British social realism and would be a good theme to show as it is seen alot in the British culture.

Drugs/Alcohol abuse

Trainspotting:

The theme of drug abuse is established through the use of props in the mis-en-scene. For example we see the protagonist smoke drugs regularly through out the opening sequence. This theme is portrayed by nearly all the characters included in the film as they all have some sort of connection to drugs. For example we often are shown close ups of the substance(e.g. pills).This tells the audience that drugs are a casual thing in British culture as the film is based upon drug addicts in Scotland. This is also gives a negative view and makes the audience feel quite on edge as drugs can be quite dangerous when used. In my opening sequence i think i could show the themes of drugs quite successfully as it would be an easy thing to show and would be clear to the audience what they are. I would explore this theme as it would inform the audience of how much drugs can affect a person and how reliant they become to the substance and this is also typical of most people in Britain.

Racism:

This is England:

This theme is established through the language and the actions that are done against the Asian character in the film. For example we see the protagonist call the shop keeper a "paki bastard", this reference to hes race shows he has a hatred towards them. The theme is portrayed through their actions by most of the characters seen in the film. For example the older man threatens the shop keeper with a machete and also refers to him as a "paki". This shows to the audience what British culture is like, even though there are several different religions and cultures in the region there are certain people who take a dislike to other races. This makes the audience feel quite uncomfortable due to the language used and could even offend some of the viewers. This would be a good theme to use in my opening sequence as it shows us reoccurring situations that occur in British culture, even though Britain is seen as very multi cultural.

Corruption of youth:

Kidulthood:

This theme is established through the dialogue,actions and situations the characters. For example one boy steals from a corner shop, but when the shop keeper see's him the boy chucks the glass bottle at him. The theme is portrayed to the audience in a way that seems like all British teenagers act exactly the same and are misbehaved. For example we also see the boys beating up an older boy to get revenge on him and situations like this are repeated throughout the film. This makes the audience feel on edge and intimidated by the characters. I think this would be a good theme if i was to use it in my opening sequence as it would be an easy theme to show, and would create a good atmosphere for the audience. This would also be a good theme as we could included different situations which would be classed under this theme of corruption of youth(e.g. stealing,sex,swearing,drugs,violence).

 

Petty Crime
Looking for Eric:

The theme is established through the actions that are shown in the film, mainly at the end as this is what the film builds up to. For example we see a group of men go to the mans house in masks with weapons. The theme is protrayed to the audience in quite a humourous way as they are not commiting a serious crime. For example the men that go to the house with weapons actually turn out to vandalise and trash the mans house, this is funny for the audience as the men who own the house end up covered in red paint. I think this would be a good theme to explore as petty crime can be shown in many situations (e.g. stealing,vandalising), this also shows typical things that hapeen in British culture and makes the audience feel like British people are not all serious and bad but they can still commit small crimes.

Opening Sequence Timeline

I looked at these films:

 

East is East

My name is Joe

 

I looked at the cuts that were used, what was being shown in the foreground and what credits were being show and for each one of these i listed down the timings.

 

 

 

 

Production Log Week Two

What have you learnt about social realist codes and conventions in relation to audience?

From looking at examples of British Social realism films in the past few lessons i have found out what is typically included in each film. The story lines that are chosen all follow situations that are happening or have happened. For example Four Lions shows the issue of terrorism in the British culture, this has happened previously so by using this synopsis its more relatable for the audience and they can get an idea of what peoples life is like in Britain. As the story line plays a big role in making the film successful, the film also has to have a good use of camera language. This means they use suitable editing, shots that match the action and creates a good atmosphere for the audience but also shadows what the life is like for the characters. A realistic mis-en-scene creates a accurate perception of what British life is like in all the different regions. For example in Fish tank there is a use of establishing and aerial shots which set the scene and location making the audience aware of what Britain is like and specifically what that region is like. By looking at several opening sequences i have got a better idea of where i will place the graphics, the institutional information and the title which can help stop it looking like a film trailer.

How will this inform your production?

These conventions have shown me what  a proper British social Realism film will have to include to fit that genre. I will have to make these conventions very noticeable when creating my opening sequence as i don't want it to seem more like a trailer for a British social realism film. I will make sure i include good camera language,editing,mise-en-scene and sound which will create a realistic image for the audience.

What texts do you find influential and why?

I found that the British social Realism film Kidulthood shows a typical representation of what life is like for a teen living in London in this generation. The themes of violence,sex,petty crime and drugs are shown very obviously and this makes it typical of a British social realism film. The sounds used and the way the characters speak shows their status and the region they are from. The mis-en-scene also used such as their costumes,locations,lighting all emphasis the typical stereotypes we see in society. I think this example of British social Realism film shows a accurate perception of what teenagers are like now days and their use of dialogue emphasized to the audience what that region is like through their behaviour 

Will you conform to conventions or subvert from them?

I will conform to these conventions as i believe this sticks to the simplistic yet effective ways of showing the British culture. I think if i used anything more developed the whole idea of the genre will be taken away and wont be as successful and could show more of a genre of Hollywood rather than British Social realism films. I think if i keep to these conventions i will create a realistic idea of Britain as a whole and this would then appeal to its niche audience.