Preliminary Task

Target Audience- Research

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 How and why are films classified?

The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) examines and age rates films and videos before they are released so they can protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films and videos and to give people information they might need about a particular film or video before deciding whether or not to watch it. They look at things like discrimination, drugs, horror, dangerous and easily imitable behaviour, language, nudity, sex, and violence when they decide what to classify it. The theme is also an important consideration. They also look at context, the tone and likely impact of a work on the audience.

 
The target audience for my genre are males and females 18 and over.  I know this because most British gangster films are certificate 18 however there are some that are certificate 15 like 'RocknRolla'. They probably have high certificates because they contain violence and strong language. Also through my research I have found that British gangster films are watched more by males than females.



Certificated 15 film usually contain:

•  strong violence
• frequent strong language
• portrayals of sexual activity
• strong verbal references to sex
• sexual nudity
• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• discriminatory language or behaviour
• drug taking

Certificate 18 film usally contain:

• very strong violence
• frequent strong languageor very strong language
• strong portrayals of sexual activity
• scenes of sexual violence
• strong horror
• strong blood and gore
• real sex (in some circumstances)
• discriminatory language and behaviour

Analysis of previous students' AS work

Roses are Red:

The Edge:

Karma:

Deception:

Born from the street:

Made man:

The analysis of these openings will help me plan my opening because I can see what I need to include, like a range of shot types, lighting, costume and credits. Also I can see how to make it better because I will make sure that I have included the EBIs of what I suggested for the other openings.

Films That Will Influence My Opening

Inspiration:

• Different camera movements- Tracking shot, Side track, Tilt shot, Hand Held
• Different camera shots- Two shot, Mid shot, Long shot, Close up, Establishing shot, Point of view
• Diegetic sound- Dialogue, Ambient
• Non-Diegetic sound- Voice over, Music
• Humor
• Narrative
• Lighting- Natural, Spotlight/ Bright Light

 

Media Theories

Different media theorists and their theory by MeganFragopulu

British Gangster Films- Research

Influences of Style For My Opening

Inspiration:

• Red Dress/Clothing
• Suits
• Jeans
• Shirt/T-Shirt
• Money
• Guns
• Cigarettes
• Jewellery

Research into a Director- Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese

Analysis of Gangster Film Openings

Analysis of Layer cake opening:

Analysis of Dead man running opening scene:

Analysis of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels opening scene:

Key:
T= Title

Existing Companies

Gangster squad was released in the UK on the 10 January 2013 and 11 January 2013 in the USA.. The budget was estimated at $60,000,000 but on it's opening weekend it made $17,070,347 in the USA.

The production companies are:

• Langley Park Productions-

1. Haunted
2. The Lucky One
3. Arthur

• Lin Pictures-

1. Gangster Squad
2. To My Future Assistant
3. "Dare"
4. The Secret Lives of Wives
5. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
6. Poe
7. Sherlock Holmes
8. The Box
9. The Invention of Lying
10. Shorts

Village Roadshow Pictures-

Jupiter Ascending 
Edge of Tomorrow
The Lego Movie
Man of Tai Chi 
The Great Gatsby
The Lucky One 
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 
Happy Feet Two 
lfe as We Know It 
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Sex and the City 2
Sherlock Holmes
Where the Wild Things Are
Gran Torino
Yes Man
Get Smart 
Speed Racer
I Am Legend

The distribution companies are:

• Cinematografica Blancia
• Columbia TriStar Warner Filmes de Portugal
• Golden Village Pictures
• InterCom
• Roadshow Films
• SF Film Finland
• Villiage Films
• Warner.Bros.Entertainment
• Warner Bros.
• Argentina Video Home
• Warner Home Video

Scarface was released in the USA on 1 December 1983 and in the UK on 30 March 1984. The budget was estimated at $25,000,000 but on its opening weekend in the USA it made $4,597,536.

The production company is:

• Universal Pictures-

1. Oblivion
2. The Purge
3. Pich Perfect
4. Ted

The distributor companies are:

• Universal Pictures
• United International Pictures   
• Esselte CIC Video
•  American Broadcasting Company 
•  MCA/Universal Home Video
•  Universal Home Entertainment
•  Universal Pictures Benelux
•  Argentina Video Home
•  CDI Films

The Departed was released in the UK on the 6 October 2006 and in the USA on 26 September 2006. It's budget was estimated at $90,000,000 and on it's opening weekend it made $26,887,467. It is 151 minutes long and in colour.

The production companies are:

•  Warner Bros-

1. The Great Gatsby
2. The Conjuring
3. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
4. Magic Mike  

•  Plan B Entertainment-

1.  Kick Ass
2. Kick Ass 2
3.  World War Z
4. Charlie and the chocolate factory

• Initial Entertainment Group (IEG)-

1. Next
2. First born
3. Gangs of New York
4. Gardener of Eden

• Vertigo Entertainment-

1.  Abduction
2. The Grudge
3. The Grudge 2
4. The Incident

• Media Asia Film-

1. Romancing in Thin Air 
2. A Beautiful Life  
3. Once a Gangster
4. Aftershock 

 The distributor companies are:

• Warner Bros
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company 
• Entertainment Film Distributors
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution
• TFM Distribution
• Fox-Warner 
• Warner Home Video
• Argentina Video Home
• Entertainment in Video
• FX Network
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy
• Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige AB
• Village Films
• Warner Bros. Entertainment 
• Argentina Video Home
• Audio Visual Enterprises
• ION Television
• Sub
• Veronica 
• Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group

The Godfather was relesed in the USA on the 24 March 1972. It's estimated budget was $6,000,000and on it's opening weekend it made $302,39. It is 175 minutes long and in colour.

The production companies are:

• Paramount Pictures-

1. World War Z
2. Rise of the guardians
3. Paranormal Activity 4
4. Star treck into darkness

• Alfran Productions-

1. The Godfather
2. Making It
3. Little Fauss and Big Halsy

The distibutor companies are:

• Paramount Pictures
• Paramount Home Video
• Cinema International Corporation
• Paramount Film Service
• Pioneer
• Park Circus
• Argentina Video Home

Lock,stock and two smoking barrels was released in the UK on the 28 August 1998. Its budget was estimated at $960,000 and on its opening weekend it made $143,321.  It's 107 minutes long and in colour.

The production companies are:

• Summit Entertainment-

1.  Enders Game
2. Now You See Me
3. Step Up 4: Miami Heat
4. Twighlight 
5. The Twighlight Saga: New Moon
6. The Twighlight Saga: Eclipse
7. The Twighlight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
8. The Twighlight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
9. Letters to Juliet
10. Remember Me

• Steve Tisch Company-

1. Looking for an Echo
2. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
3. Wild America
4. Escape from Harm
5. Keep the Change
6. Victim of Love
7. Out on the Edge
8. A Whisper Kills
9. Evil in Clear River
10. Soul Man

• SKA Films-  

1. A Short Film About John Bolton
2. Swept Away
3. Mean Machine
4. Snatch.
5. "Lock, Stock...: ...And a Good Slopping Out
6. "Lock, Stock...: ...And One Big Bullock
7. "Lock, Stock...: ...And Two Sips
8. "Lock, Stock...: ...And Spaghetti Sauce
9. "Lock, Stock...: ...And a Fistful of Jack & Jills 
10. "Lock, Stock...: ...And 200 Smoking Kalashnikovs

• HandMade Films-

1.  Planet 51
2.  Life on Planet 51
3. Checking out
4. The Wrong Guy
5. Water
6. Bullshot
7. Mona Lisa
8. Life of Brian
9. Dinner at Fred's
10. The Stone Angel

• Polygram Filmed Entertainment-

1.  Where The Monkey Is
2. Lassie
3. Waking The Dead
4. Pet Shop Of Horrors
5. Choke
6. Maisie
7. Clay Pigeons
8. No Looking Back
9. Return To Paradise
10. I Want You

 The distributor companies are:

• Universal Pictures
• V8
• Poly Gram Video
• United Internationa Pictures
• Falcon
• Universal Studios
• BDG
• Universal Home Video

Snatch was released on the 1 September 2000 in the UK. It's buget was estimated at $6,000,000 and on its opening weekend it made $27,932. It is 104 minutes long and is in colour.

The production companies are:

• Columbia Pictures Corporation-

1. Ghost Rider
2. Hard Luck
3. Click
4. Yours, Mine and Ours
5. The Legend Of Zorro
6. Bewitched
7. Spider-Man 2
8. Big Fish
9. Peter Pan 
10. Bad Santa

• SKA Films

The disributor companies are:

• Sony Pictures Entertainment
• Colombia TriStar Films
• Veronica
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Prooptiki
• Screen Gems
• Falcon

From my research I have found that these film producers and distributors tend make a varity gangster films and also films in the genre drama, action, comedy, horror/thriller or romance. The Most famous companies are Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Summit Enternainment and Warner Bros.

Conventions of Gangster Films