Research: Feminist Film Theories

The feminist film theory deals with the way in which feminists criticise films for their approach on the representation of women. The development in the feminist film theory was heavily influence by the second wave in feminism and the development of women’s studies which occurred around the late 1960’s. More recently the feminist theory has been applied to things like television and digital media.

The two key themes within the feminist film theory are the male gaze and the female spectator and realism and counter cinema. Many female film critics are quick to point out the use of the male gaze in films which they believe stems from classic Hollywood films. Budd Boetticher summarises this view perfectly by saying “What counts is what the heroine provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love or fear she inspires in the hero, or else the concern he feels for her, who makes him act the way he does. In herself the woman has not the slightest importance”. Another theorist, Laura Mulvey, has identified three perspectives that occur within films to purposely objectify women onscreen. These are:

• The perspective of the male character onscreen and how he perceives the female character
• The perspective of the spectator/audience and how they view the female character
• The perspective of the male audience member of the male character onscreen

From the third perspective the male audience can look at the female as their own personal object as they are identifying with and relating to the male character onscreen. Obviously this is not how theorists from this theory, along with many others, want females to be viewed in film and in the media as this representation of women is demeaning and sexist.

The second of the two key themes, realism and counter cinema, supports the positive movement of more females in the film and media industry. Due to a growing number of females in the media, they can work together to break this male gaze view of women and help put across a more true-to-life image of women and draw attention to feminist issues while still using traditional film apparatuses such as moving camera, lighting and editing. The idea of counter cinema comes from Claire Johnston, who believes that films made by women have the potential to posit an alternative to traditional Hollywood films.

Research: Postmodern Film Theories

A postmodern film is one that goes against some or all of the generic film conventions in everything to do with or aspects of things like, the film’s narrative and roles within the narrative.

Postmodern features that may occur in a film are things like self-reflexivity, this is where a character from the film may stop and look directly at the camera and talk to the audience. This shows that the characters within the film are very aware they are in a film, instead of the typical fly on the wall style of viewing in the majority of films. Another postmodern feature of a film would be dissecting the narrative and mixing it up so there is not a typical linear narrative. This can confuse the audience and play tricks with their mind but can ultimately enhance the viewing experience for the audience as well as being incredibly postmodern.

The characters within the film can also come across as postmodern. Lots of characters appear to feel disconnected from the world, isolated or alienated. This runs in line with the postmodern feature of pessimism and the view that the future is bleak. Characters can often, especially in horror films, appear postmodern by challenging society’s stereotypes. For example a stereotypical looking chav may turn out to be the hero and the innocent looking character may turn out to be the villain.

As well as this many horror films have become victim to the postmodern feature of pastiche. As previously used as an example, Shaun of the Dead is a pastiche film of horror film Dawn of the Dead. Pastiche means to “imitate the style of” not for any particular reason and Shaun of the Dead does this adequately. Scary Movie is also another example of this and by doing this the pastiche films are turned into comedy-horror films, a hybrid genre, which is again, a feature of postmodernism.

Another example of a postmodern horror film is Scream, which takes horror conventions and turns them upside down. At the end of the film the last person standing and the hero is a woman, whereas normally it would be a man. The location of the film is also unconventional, instead of being an isolated location, the setting is a normal house, something you wouldn’t expect in a horror film. It is factors like this that make Scream appear scarier as it shows that bad things can happen in normal locations too. A final area of postmodernism evident in Scream is the lighting, conventional horror films favour dark, low key lighting  but Scream has taken this opportunity to use bright lighting. This also makes it harder for the audience to tell when the killer is going to strike, as there is no lighting indicator.

Research: Narrative Theories

Todorov

Tzvetan Todorov is a Franco-Bulgarian philosopher who came up with his own narrative theory involving equilibrium and disequilibrium. The theory itself is really simple, the narrative begins with a fictional scene with everything as is should be, this is known as the equilibrium. Then the equilibrium will suffer a disruption and there will be an obstacle to overcome. Towards the end of the narrative the equilibrium will be restored or a new equilibrium will be created. Todorov labelled five stages to his equilibrium and disequilibrium theory are these are:

1. A state of equilibrium (everything as it should be)
2. A disruption to the equilibrium
3. Recognising the disruption to the equilibrium
4. An attempt to repair and restore the equilibrium
5. Return to the equilibrium or create a new equilibrium

Todorov’s narrative theory can be applied to spoof horror film Shaun of the Dead, for example. At the beginning of the film stage one occurs, when main character Shaun and some of his friends, including flat mate Ed are in their local pub enjoying a drink. On Shaun’s way home from the pub he starts to hear weird noises and an eerie atmosphere begins, unbeknown to both the audience and Shaun, this is where stage two occurs. The next morning when Shaun returns from a quick trip to his local shop Shaun and Ed discover zombies in their back garden, this is where stage three happens. Stage four happens soon after when Shaun and Ed round up all of their family and friends and attempt to get them all safely to their local pub and “wait for it to all blow over”. After a long battle with the zombies, stage five occurs at the end of the film when Ed has been turned into a zombie but has been tamed and now lives in the shed.

Propp

Vladimir Propp was a Russian scholar who spent a lot of time analysing the basic plot components of Russian folk tales. It was this analysis that led to him developing his own narrative theory of characters taking on ‘spheres of action’ or functions. Propp came up with seven character types which all fit into the generic narrative of a film. These seven character types are:

1. The Hero – this is usually a male character and attempts to restore the disrupted equilibrium, often by embarking on a dramatic quest to save the victims.
2. The Villain – this is normally the character that creates the disruption to the narrative.
3. The Donor – this character usually helps the hero in some way by giving them something to save the day, this could be an object or a piece of information.
4. The Helper – this could also be referred to as the sidekick as this character helps the hero restore the equilibrium.
5. The Princess – also known in some cases as the victim, this is the character who is the most threatened by the villain and needs to be rescued from this threat.
6. The Dispatcher – this is the character that sends the hero out on their mission to restore the equilibrium.
7. The False Hero – this is a sly character in the film as they appear to be a good character until their evil ways are revealed.

Lévi-Strauss

Claude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist and ethnologist and came up with the theory of binary opposites, frequently used in media products. The simple definition of binary opposite is literally a complete opposite, for example, light vs dark. This relates to narrative theory as Lévi-Strauss observed that all narratives are organised around the conflict between such binary opposites. Other binary opposites often used in film narratives are:

• Good vs Evil
• Peace vs War
• Young vs Old
• Domestic vs Foregin/Alien

The latter being used in horror films the most. Using my continuing example in this post of Shaun of the Dead the binary opposites drawn from this film’s narrative are good vs evil and domestic vs foreign/alien.

Research: Independent Film Institutions/Studios

In order to decide which film studio would be best for making my horror film I needed to research both major and independent film institutions and studios. Here is what I found out from researching independent film institutions and studios.

An independent film is defined as “a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system” therefore I have decided to look at independent film studios and institutions from the UK, as all the major film institutions and studios previously looked at have been situated in the United States.

Film4 Productions

Film4 Productions is a British film production company owned by the Channel Four Television Corporation. Before 1998 Film4 Productions was known as Channel Four Films or FilmFour International. In 2006 the name Film4 Productions was introduced.

Films by Film4 Productions

• East Is East (1999)
• How To Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)
• Attack The Block (2011)

Website: http://www.film4.com/film4-productions

Warp Films

Warp Films is another British independent film company which is based in both London and Sheffield, UK. The company was founded by Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett and is also affiliated with Warp Films Australia (based in Melbourne, Australia).

Films by Warp Films

• This Is England (2006)
• Donkey Punch (2008)
• Submarine (2010)

Website: http://warp.net/films

BBC Films

BBC Films is the film making arm of the BBC which has been responsible for co-producing some of the most successful British films in recent times. Until 2007 BBC Films was located in Mortimer Street, London, UK but now BBC Films is based at the BBC Television Centre, London, UK.

Films by BBC Films

• Miss Potter (2006)
• Nativity! (2009)
• Tamara Drewe (2010)

Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms

Goldcrest Films

Goldcrest Films was founded in 1977 by Jake Eberts and is a British production company. The most successful time for Goldcrest Films was in the 1980s when they began making and releasing some very successful motion pictures, but has failed to achieve the same type of success since.

Films by Goldcrest Films

• Elvis and Anabelle (2007)
• Cass (2008)
• The Iron lady (2011)

Website: http://www.goldcrestfilms.com/

Research: Major Film Institutions/Studios

In order to decide which film studio would be best for making my horror film I needed to research both major and independent film institutions and studios. Here is what I found out from researching major film institutions and studios.

With the arrival of the Golden Age there became eight prominent major movie studios, these eight Golden Age majors are:

Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures is currently situated in Culver City, California, USA and distributes films worldwide. It has been going since 1918 when it was founded by Harry and Jack Cohn and Joe Brandt. It first existed as CBC Film Sales Corporation by was renamed as Columbia Pictures on 10^th January 1924. Columbia Pictures remained an independent film institution until it was bought my Sony in 1989. It is still owned by Sony to this day and has been responsible for bringing out some of the biggest movies in the world.

Films by Columbia Pictures

• Charlie’s Angels (2000)
• The Grudge (2004)
• Skyfall (2012)

Website: http://www.sonypictures.com/

20th Century Fox

This film institution was founded in May 1935 by Joseph Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck. Their institution includes some of the most famous film franchises such as Star Wars and X-Men. As well as movies 20^th Century Fox also provide some of the most famous American television programmes including The Simpsons, Family Guy and Futurama. Up until 1985 20^th Century Fox was classed as an independent film institution, however though, in 1985 20^th Century Fox was bought by News Corporation. The headquarters is currently located in Fox Plaza, Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA. 20^th Century Fox is also a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

Films by 20th Century Fox

• Ice Age (2002)
• Borat (2006)
• Avatar (2009)

Website: http://www.foxmovies.com/

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. was founded in 1918 as Warner Bros. Studios with Warner Bros. Pictures being founded on 4^th April 1924 by Albert, Harry, Sam and Jack Warner. The headquarters for Warner Bros. is located in Burbank, California, USA and is now a subsidiary of Time Warner after being a part of many other Warner companies including Warner Communications. Warner Bros. is also a member of the MPAA.

Films By Warner Bros.

• A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• Scooby-Doo (2002)
• I Am legend (2007)

Website: http://www.warnerbros.com/

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures was founded on the 19^th July 1916 by Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky. The headquarters for Paramount is currently situated in Hollywood, California, USA. Paramount is the fourth oldest existing film studio in the world, just behind Universal, Pathé and Gaumont Film Company. It is also the last major film studio with headquarters situated in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, as well as being a member of the Motion Picture Association of America.

Films by Paramount Pictures

• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
• School of Rock (2003)
• Charlotte’s Web (2006)

Website: http://www.paramount.com/

Universal Studios

Universal Studios was founded on 30^th April 1912 by eight people including Carl Laemmle, Pat Powers and Jules Brulatour. The headquarters is currently located in Universal City, California, USA, with other locations around the world including Universal Studios in Florida, Japan and Singapore. The studio itself is the oldest in America and the third oldest in the world, with the first oldest being Gaumont Films and second oldest being Pathé (previously mentioned). Like 20^th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios is also a member of the MPAA.

Films by Universal Studios

• Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
• King Kong (2005)
• Kick-ass (2010)

Website: http://www.universalstudios.com/

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, or MGM as it is frequently referred to as, was founded on 17^th April 1924 by Marcus Loew. The headquarters for MGM is currently located in Beverly Hills, California, USA and produces motion pictures and television programmes. However on 3^rd November 2010 MGM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and did not emerge from this until 20^th December 2010.

Films by MGM

• Legally Blonde (2001)
• Nanny McPhee (2006
• Igor (2008)

Website: http://www.mgm.com/

United Artists

United Artists was originally founded on 5^th February 1919 by D.W. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. The current headquarters for this company now though is the MGM Tower, Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA, because in late 2011 the company became a fully owned subsidiary of MGM.

Films by United Artists

• Jeepers Creepers (2001)
• The Amityville Horror (2005)
• Valkyrie (2008)

Website: http://www.unitedartists.com/

RKO Radio Pictures

RKO Radio Pictures was founded on 23^rd October 1928 by David Sarnoff and is the only major film institution/studio mentioned here which has their headquarters outside of California – RKO Radio Pictures’ HQ is in New York, USA. The corporation however has not released any more films under the name of RKO Radio Pictures since becoming  independent in 1989 with new name RKO Pictures LLC.

Films by RKO Radio Pictures

• Peter Pan (1953)
• Oklahoma! (1955)
• Carbon Copy (1981)

Website: N/A

Research: Teaser Trailer Definition

“A teaser trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term “trailer” comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the theater after the films ended, but the name has stuck. Trailers are now shown before the film (or the A movie in a double feature) begins.”

Film companies use teaser trailers as a promotional tool in order to get their film noticed. The trailer itself can vary in ambiguity, with the most successful trailers being the most mysterious as this makes the audience immediately want to know more.

The trailers can vary in time anywhere from 30 seconds to around the 2 minute mark. For this coursework we have been instructed to make our trailer 40 seconds long. This is a good length for a trailer because it is not too long to bore the audience, but is enough to draw the audience in and intrigue them to find out more.