Research 9: The Feature Film

I have just watched the full film based on the short film 9. The basic storyline was the same but the approach differs. Shane Acker, the director, partnered with producer Tim Burton. Before I watched the full film, I resonated the short with Tim Burton’s style. I found the collaboration interesting. The full film had a different approach maybe due to its production company and making it more marketable. The film came out in 2009 and was produced by Universal Studios. The film was longer so more detailed. It still followed the basic plot of the short. It’s a story about a dystopian world where rag dolls live. It is running and hiding from machines until it finally faces them. These machines are trying to wipe them out, similar to the short. This film had dialogue to make it more appealing. One last thing is that the film had a more optimistic view. It had a happier ending. This could be again a marketing tactic. If a full movie doesn’t have a happy optimistic ending it might not do well. The graphics were honestly a lot better. The detail in the characters and the setting further amplified the plot. The character development was further detailed due to the more time it has as a full length film.

Research 9: The short

I have just finished the short film called 9 by Shane Acker. This movie was very unsettling. It followed a robotic ragdoll and A dystopian world. The film was dark and I could tell it had a deeper meaning but overall I didn’t understand it. I did not like it because the scenery and lighting choices made it some thing out of a nightmare. There was a part where a mechanical beast-like creature removed the souls out of the friends of the main rag doll. The main character was called 9. He then ran away from the beast with its container of souls. It’s following the dolls  journey as it runs away and gets a chance to unleash all of its friends souls. Although he did not have a face, his gestures showed his emotions. One thing I noted was the fact there was no dialogue. I think it made it so much more dramatic overall. I think the details spoke for the plot more than words could. So many ideas were presented without one word spoken. The only sounds were natural sounds such as walking and gears turning. The movie gave me like junkyard vibes. It was very dark much like the film Coraline. The director was very creative but in like a scary, Tim Burton way. He showed a whole story in 10 minutes without any words so I must say it is a well executed film. I wouldn’t watch it again personally because it was very creepy. 

Genre Decisions

       So, now that I have researched all the possible genres, I need to make a decision. The possible films are a comedy, a romance or a drama. I originally only explored the idea of a drama. I wanted to make this emotional drama about mental health and feeling free. Although I still think that idea would be beautiful, I had to look inward. I would not enjoy making a film that serious. I would have such an amazing time filming a comedy, and that's the moral. As a person, I'm trying to go out of quarantine and have a fun time, like my character. I think if I actually was getting one night away with my friends, it would be fun and lighthearted, not emotional. I think experience is the best way to learn, so that is what I will do. I decided I want to make a lighthearted, comedic film about a group of teens having one night of freedom. This could make the film more genuine. The film I will be basing it off is Project X and The F*** It List. These two films are about teens going wild when they stop following their parents and societies rules and just making memories. Although I like the drama and romance ideas, the comedy film is more me, if that makes sense. The decision is one that I did not expect but I think the result is going to make a better film. My next step would be to start brainstorming details such as characters and scene ideas. Because I am choosing a comedy, I have to follow the comedy norms and genre structures. The one thing I need to keep in mind is that I cant make any of the comedy inappropriate or insensitive. Im not an insensitive person but comedy can be controversial so that is what I am trying to avoid.

Genre Research- Drama

             The last genre research I would be doing is Drama. This is one of my favorite genres because I feel that it develops the characters feelings more in depth and makes the story more emotionally relatable. My pitch is very personal. I am the girl stuck in quarantine longing for one night, but so is everyone. During this global pandemic everyone is forced to stay home and put a halt to the fun, lively lifestyle we are used to. The toll that quarantine has taken on me has made me appreciate my friends more than ever but has also affected my mental health as I feel everyday is the same and has no longing purpose. All these emotions can be portrayed in a drama film. One of my favorite camera movements in drama films are tracking shots that track someone walking or moving. The angles are usually eye-level, unless portraying the idea of being more/less powerful. The editing is very close or are cut to focus on reactions or the emotions of the cast. Examples could be eye line matches, which react to something such as a phone notification, which then cuts to the phone. Mis-en-scene is very broad depending on its subgenre such as teen drama or historical drama. The outfits are quite substantial, whether they are exaggerated or substantial for the character, one example of tis would be Wonderwoman's costume which is key for her character. The lighting is also very broad depending on the genre but while intense or deep conversations go on, the lights get dimmer and the background focuses so that the audience can focus on what they are saying and not get distracted by any side features. My favorite examples of Drama films would be Bombshell, Queen & Slim, and the show Euphoria. I actually want to base one of my scenes off of a scene from Euphoria where Jules was shown standing in a car with the roof open listening to music, feeling the wind in her hair as she goes through a tunnel. That scene showed her being free, happy and content. I like drama movies because they establish connections and do an amazing job of telling stories with an emotional perspective. Although, I dislike how some drama films are too serious and feel like I have to invest my attention every second or I will lose the story. Overall I think drama will be the best genre for me to do my film.

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Genre research: Romance

             When I got this assignment to make a 5 minute film, I immediately thought of a teenage coming of age movie. I did not picture it to be a romance but the more I think about it, the more I see potential for a beautiful story. The summary of my story is a girl who is tired of quarantine and longs for one normal night again. By adding a love interest, the story is about a forbidden love that has been building up for months. I have seen multiple movies quite similar to this such as Romeo and Juliet, Everything Everything, Midnight Sun and Five Feet Apart. In all these films, whether its a medical condition or a family rivalry, the two teens cannot be together. Romantic movies follow certain guidelines through filming and editing that enhance the romance in the film and establishes an emotional connection between the couple and the audience. The first example of shots used are two shots which usually show the couple next to each other; I feel they do this to emphasize to the audience what a beautiful couple they are. Producers also choose to have zoom ins a lot; I see this especially during that kiss scene towards the end of most romantic movies. The mis-en-scene is quite common as they usually wear casual attire but I notice that the women are wearing dresses a lot which I think further emphasizes the femininity in her role. The lighting is usually warm or dim as it creates a sense of tranquility, also street lights are usually blurred which again adds a soft tone to the scene. This brings me to editing. I see split screens a lot during phone calls in romance films. Fade ins and outs further amplify that soft effect I was talking about earlier. Some things I love about romance films are how the full story is shown, the happily ever after if you will. On the other hand, romance films are so predictable. You know in the beginning when she meets the one guy that they are going to end up together and in love, happily ever after and what not. I can never watch romance movies twice if they are strictly romance movies, because I know exactly what is going to happen. The story I have would be beautiful as a romance film but i think it wont focus on the mental health aspect as much as I would like to in the 5 minutes I have, because the story would be too focused on romance and getting the guy.

Genre Research: Comedy

         A fun and humorous way of twisting this story would be to make it a rebellious film about some rule-breaking teens who have the most epic night of 2020. Teen comedy movies about defiant kids do really well in box offices and are relatable to audiences in the teenage demographic. Some example of this would be Project X, Good Boys, and Ferris Buller's Day Off. Comedy movies use certain norms to enhance the storyline in a comedic favor. For camera angles and movements, some examples I can provide are zooming way too in or way too out. Its kind of a silly feature that makes you focus what is going on further emphasizing the joke. Another angle commonly used is the low or high angle. This could be funny as to show power or lack thereof such as getting lectured by a parent. I think Comedy uses the most sound effects next to horror. In comedy movies there will be random crashes or laughter or sometimes even no noise to let the audience laugh after a joke. The music in comedy films are usually upbeat or intense. The mise-en-scene of a comedic film depends on its subgenre. Goofy films focus on characters appearance such as dramatized features like a large nose or a mustache. Teen films dress realistic to teens unless making fun of a "dorky" teen or a high school stereotype. A very common editing technique used is shot-reverse-shot during conversation. One thing I love about comedy films is how they are usually light-hearted and are casual. They are easy to watch and the whole crowd has a good time watching it. To contradict what I just said, I don't like how not many comedy storylines don't get taken seriously and cant portray a deep message. A teen comedy would be funny and lighthearted in the quarantine circumstance but it would not portray the deep meaning on how leaving her house will help her mental health.

Genres I would like to research

           My pitch follows the narrative of a teenage girl that has been in her house for months. She longs for one night to spend with her friends making memories like she used to. The story takes place amongst teenagers and is an optimistic film so that rules out some genre choices. The best fit for my film would be a comedy, a romance or a drama.

            The first option is a comedy. Although I did not plan to make this pitch a comedy, I can turn this whole situation into a joke on how we cant leave our house. The story could focus on a group of teens rebelling against their parents to go break some rules and have an epic night. The film could be a rebellious take on the typical coming-of-age film. An example would be Project X, a movie about a group of kids who throw an insane party while their parents are out of town.

            The next option would be a romance. My pitch is vague enough to include a love interest so I could make the film about a girl who is longing to see her boyfriend or just a guy she has wanted to see during quarantine. This would be a more typical teen romance movie but I think the circumstance between a forbidden love would make a beautiful story. An example of this could be Romeo and Juliet, where the two love interests know they are not allowed to be together but put all costs aside in the name of love for each other. 

            The final option for tis story would be a drama. This film could be about a girl letting loose from the daily COVID-19 routines and breaking free from the restraints of her parents. This coming-of-age narrative could focus on how she finds happiness in herself and just enjoying all the things she once took for granted. This narrative would focus mostly on her feelings and her perspective on the world going on around her. An example would be Jem and the Holograms, a film about a girl breaking free from the restraints of the entertainment industry and just being herself and finding happiness.

            Overall I need to research these different genres more in depth to make a valid judgement. These three ideas I previously stated would all be great movies and follow my pitch but the stories would be completely different.