Deconstructions

Shot Deconstruction

We used Revolver entertainment as our indent because after research into the different idents we found that films similar to ours and ones that inspired us such as ‘Kidulthood’ and ‘The Veteran’ are produced by them. We felt that it would give it the social realism edge right from the beginning.

The shot filmed from the train which shows an establishing shot of London was used to set the scene and start the journey of Jack Millers life. It instantly creates the urban culture of the trailer.

We decided to add in text that says ‘sometimes in life your choices are made for you’ to give an insight into the narrative and show that Jack Miller did not have a choice in what direction his life was lead in.

The first long shot of Jack entering the tunnel was used to display this part of his life beginning, entering the tunnel as if he is entering this stage of his life. It also shows the graffiti in the tunnel showing the gang culture and as well as this, it is the first time you see Jacks Dog, showing the friendship between them as they enter this stage together.

We decided to add that is was ‘by the makers of trainspotting’ because this gives the audience an idea of the genre of our teaser trailer as ‘trainspotting’ is also a british social realism. This means the audience can relate to other films and inspire them to watch it.

The establishing shot of London was used to set the scene in central London.

The long shot of Jack and his dog sitting across the platform is meant to portray that he is always waiting for something to happen as his life is in no set direction. This helps the audience sympathise with him.

We used the mid shot of Jack and the dog on the bench, again waiting for nothing, because it shows the bond between them as she moves in closer to him and he is stroking her showing his loyalty and affection.

The close up side view of his face shows his expression and makes the audience again feel sympathetic. The way this is prolonged creates the image of sadness.

The mid shot of the two at the bus stop was inspired by ‘The Streets’ album cover. It shows the working-class Britain and the culture Jack is around. It also again shows his waiting and lack of path.

The close up of the pair asleep shows the bond between them and the isolation the two find themselves in, they only have each other and they don’t have a home but this brings them closer.

The extreme close up and high angle of the dogs face shows she is fed up of the life they are currently living and also shows her loyalty to Jack and gives the audience a feeling of sympathy.

The close up of Jack taking change out of his pocket, later contrasted by him counting notes, is used to show his poverty at the beginning of his story and again feel sympathy.

 The mid shot of the dog jumping onto his owner Jack shows the friendship and love between them and shows them play fighting, and the playful nature. Also displays that the dog has a boisterous side as well, showing the codes and conventions of a social realism as a ‘status dog.’

The Veteran Trailer Deconstruction

Mid shot. Protagonist at the centre. London background to show location. Protagonist is alone, could mean he is vulnerable or confident. However, his body language and the way he is dressed shows he fits in with the location which suggests he is confident.

Low key natural lighting: night time.

Extreme wide shot of location. Shows the scale of estate and the insignificance of the protagonist. Highlights that he is not in control, there are much bigger things around him that control his fate.

Low key natural lighting: night time.

Fade to black. Text used to explain the narrative to the audience. All in upper case to draw attention to the words. The contrasting colour to the background makes the words stand out.

Establishing shot of location. Recognisable as London but not much focus on the iconic architecture of London. Shows that the film is set from a real life point of view.

Low key natural lighting: night time.

Close up shot of protagonist and people in the car. Shows their expressions and the contrast between the characters on screen.

Low key natural lighting : night time. Shadows cast on characters faces to add mystery and uncertainty.

Close up of protagonists face. Shot pans round his head while he stands still.

The background is out of focus showing the audience that the man is meant to be centre of attention and he is all that matters in that shot.

High key natural lighting: day time.

Mid/point of view shot of corridor. Ominous feeling created by the way the characters are positioned. Their faces are in shadow to show they could be dangerous. Adds tension and uncertainty.

Low key lighting. Slight use of backlighting to leave some of the characters on screen in silhouette.

High angle/birds eye view shot of protagonist walking along a footbridge. Gives the audience a good view of what sort of place the film is set in. Again shadow is used to show the darker side of the film.

High key natural lighting: day time.

Harry Brown Website Deconstruction

When you click on the website link the target board is the first thing to come up. Then the protagonist and the rest of the cast appear. From this we learn about the types of characters in the film and the target board gives an idea that the film includes violence but at the same time there is an aim or a point to it. The characters are in black and white, perhaps to show their dark side but the target board is in colour to show that it is the main focus of the film.

Reviews of the film appear in the target board on the home page. This immediately shows that the film has been successful. For anyone who wants to research the film before watching it these reviews will help sway their decision. The trailer plays automatically which will also temp people to watch more. At the bottom of the screen there is a link to buy a song by Chase and Status from the soundtrack. This will appeal to fans of Chase and Status and gives an idea of what style the film is.

There are links on the home page to different areas of the site. One link is for the gallery for the film. In this gallery we can see more of the film and the actors that are in it, again appeal to different audiences. There are links to social media site such as Facebook which allows people to share the film website. In terms of marketing this is very useful as the film can almost market itself without much intervention and money.

Another link leads to the synopsis for the film. Again, if someone wanted to find out more about the film before watching it this would give them a good overview of what they are likely to expect. The synopsis is not very long so as to not give too much away. The shorter the piece of text is, the more people will want to read it. 

There is a link to view the cast and crew. This is important for the film as they have well known actors. Sir Michael Caine will have his own fans which will be attracted towards this film because of his involvement. He is a well respected actor which gives the film credibility. Plan B is a well known artist who will also bring attention to the film. He will appeal to the younger generation whereas Caine might attract a more mature audience. 

The main element we wanted to take from Harry Brown was how realistic the use of a council tower block is throughout the film. We felt it was the most genuine depiction of what it is like to live on a council estate in modern times. This is because not only does the film show the youth but it also represents how they affect the rest of the residents on the estate. 

Kidulthood Poster Deconstruction

The backdrop of the poster shows that the film is set in a city and has an urban feel. This will give an idea of how the characters might act and talk. The background is dark to match the shadow cast across the characters. This shows that the film has a dark element to it. The weather also contributes to the atmosphere of the film.

This character is in darker lighting to show he is the antagonist of the film. He is also standing apart from the rest of the characters showing that he is not part of their group but still plays an important part in the film. He is also the only other character standing apart from the protagonist which again shows his importance. He is holding a bat highlighting that he is not afraid to use violence. His face is partially covered by his hood to add mystery and fear. He appears quite confident in the way he is standing.

The protagonist is one of two characters standing up. This shows his importance to the film. We can see his face clearly in comparison to the other character standing up. He is in the centre of his group of friends showing that the narrative is focused around him.

We can tell a great deal about this character by the way she is dressed. She appears to be confident and in touch with her sexuality. This is shown by her pink jumper and short skirt. She is sitting in a feminine pose with her hair down. A boys arm is around her which could mean she is in a relationship with him.

The typography used is bold, block letters in a contrasting colour to the background. All the letters are in upper case apart from the “i”. This could be to show that there is still an element of immaturity in the characters and they are not quite adults yet. The bold letters indicate the confidence displayed by the characters and that they are sure of themselves. They do not use stereotypical typography, such as graffiti writing, to show that the film has a serious element. 

The strap line shows that the film is about teenagers and their everyday lives. This will appeal to their target market. 

La Haine Poster Deconstruction

La Haine, translated as "Hate", is a French black and white film released in 1995. The poster intrigued us in many ways as it is not a conventional film poster. It is spilt in to three sections which makes the viewer take notice of each feature individually, not as a one whole picture.

The top section is a close up of a characters eyes. This section is in black and white, just like the rest of the film. This suggests that there is good and evil in the film as the contrasting colours suggest. The expression on the man’s face is angry. This is easy to tell despite only being able to see him eyes. He is looking directly at the camera which makes the viewer feel like he is looking at them. This gives the poster an intensity and suggests the content of the film is powerful.

The middle section carries the black and white theme on. The title of the film is in block capitals at the top of this section. The typography is bold with sharp, straight ages. This suggests the film is serious and has an element of violence or danger. The strap line is located in the centre of this section and the poster. It translates to “justice is good” which sums up the plot of the film. It is in lower case in white writing to contrast with the black background. The line itself is very threatening.

The last section contain the actors and directors names. The typography is small to show that the actors are not the main focus. It may also be because they are not very well known. The pictures at the bottom are in black and white but with a blue tint. This is the only colour on the poster but does not contrast too much. The colour highlights the darkness of the film and that it is night time.

The main points we liked about this poster was the background and the way they characters are shown. 

The background clearly shows that the film is set in an urban background. We like this subtle use of location. 

The characters are all unique but work well as a group. They are a believable group of friends with individual personalities as shown by mise en scene. 

"Shank" Website Deconstruction