Pre production -Settings

Next I am going to research settings within Film Noir, i have already done research into this somewhat by looking at the opening of some film noirs. Typically so far I have found out so far that the plots and story lines revolve around newyork and the location of the main characters home is usually a small flat in a large tower block.



From this still image you can see the room is darkly lit and that most of the light within the shot comes from the lamp. The mise en scene matches the time period, this also includes the clothing of the character. The lamp its self is old fashioned and is surrounded by the typical alcohol consumed at the time, whisky. The man, in the armchair, is also holding a revolver from the 1940's. This one shot however unlike a lot of the clips I have viewed isn't smokey/misty and the character is not smoking.



This shot from what i can make out is in a police station, again the mise en scene is very realistic for the time period and location and the costumes and props also fit, however, note again how the atmosphere is not smoky.


This image however is very smoky. The smoke effect is exaggerated by the femme fetal on the right breathing out the smoke from her ciggartte. Again the props and mise en scene is very fitting for the time period. From what i can make out the location is some sort of bar, due to the glass of whisky or some other similar spirit in the femme fetals hand.

Pre production - Possible main character for opening

Name - Michael Lang - I researched typical names from the 1940s - 1950s and looked at popular names used in film Noir, if which included a regularly used name of Michael

job/occupation - A Newspaper journalist, who after discovering a murder of a close friend decides to use his journalism skills to help him self and the police discover who committed the murder.

Appearance and attributes

•  low/middle class newspaper journalist who lives in a flat in new york
• Smokes 
• has no enemy's until plot unfolds and gets involved in discovering the murder 
• wears unironed shit with brown trousers and brasses 
• Appears quite lonely due to living on his own in his flat
• When out in the city, wears a large trenchcoat

Research - Conventions I Have Learnt From My Five Analysis

Mise-en-scene

• Fits the time period 100% (1940 - 1950), type writers and stacks of paper are examples
• Common props include; Guns, spirit glasses for drinks such as whisky, classic (American) cars, ciggerretes, type writers and anything else which would fit into the storyline or time period. 

Costume 

• Very formal, men wear mainly suits, trousers, usually black shoes (however not always the case) and a shirt. There are some differences between the good and bad guys however, it doesn't effect the costumes so much. The villains do sometimes wear more black compared to the good guy wearing more pale colours, however the biggest difference between them is usually the props, setting and the over all build of the character. The leader of the Villain is usually big built and shows off his money by wearing jewellery and being driven around in a large expensive car. 
• Women tend to wear unrevealing but extravagant dresses with well styled and perfect hair.  All the clothing and hair styles reflect the fashion of the time period. 

Plot lines

• Plot lines almost always revolve around a independent detective trying to solve a mysterious murder or crime. (Hollywood Crime Drama) The murderer usually has power at hand and over powers the 'Good Guy' with the help of henchmen, and in some cases, a Femme Fetal. The Femme Fetal however as we know can swich sides between the good guy and the villains. 

Lighting 

• The lighting in all my analysis was obviously Black and white, however i have done more research on producing the perfect lighting for a Film Noir Scene. I found a Video makers website with an artical explaining how to create a film Noir style of Lighting. (http://www.videomaker.com/article/13548/), i will copy some of the text, then highlight the important information within it. ( the Darker the Orange highlighting the more important I think the quote is)

First of all, to get a good crisp shadow, you need a small intense light. This is called hard light. You can create hard light with a small, very intense lighting fixture. The sun is the best example of a hard light. Step out on any sunny day, and you will see the crisp shadows created by this very intense but small light source. Reflector spots, Fresnels, theatrical lekos and ellipsoidals make great hard lights. A bare bulb in a socket is also a hard light, but usually it does not provide enough light to give you the effect you need to create film noir-style scenes.

The second thing you need to remember about lighting is the difference between high- and low-key lighting. Remember, it has nothing to do with the key light in your lighting setup. Low- or high-key lighting is actually a result of the intensity of your fill light. If you have a lot of fill light, you have created high-key lighting, where the key and fill are almost equal in brightness. However, if you have very little or no fill light, then you have created low-key lighting.

The final thing you need to remember about lighting is that you need to use more light to get solid crisp blacks and stark whites. Just because it seems that a bare bulb in the ceiling is lighting a scene doesn't mean it is. A lot of new videographers are so enamored of their camera's low-light capability that they think they can get away with natural light or lighting a scene with everyday light bulbs. This is a long way from reality. If you shoot with natural light or the bulb in your living room lamp, you will end up with a picture that is full of dull grays and gray whites. You need to add light to the scene to increase the contrast between the dark and light areas. You want your blacks and shadows to be crisp black. You want your whites to be white. To get this, you need a very good low-key lighting setup. You can still make it look like a single bulb is lighting the scene, but the single bulb will be a 1K Fresnel or reflector spot mounted near the ceiling with its light beam very tightly focused.

Shots and editing

• Most shots are very simple, usually tracking a character 
• There is few edits due to the tracking
• When there are edits, either quick-cuts are used or simple fade ins and outs during scenes
• Shots are usualy steady
• The time film noirs where produced, producers where experimenting with different techniques including extreme angles such as extreme high and low angle shots.
• Film usually opens with credits over some backing footage, of which sometimes is a establishing shot or scene 

Research - Conventions I Have Learnt From My Five Analysis

Now I am going to split the conventions down into categories. After I have condensed all of my research from the five openings I have watched and the additional research of which I am going to make into each category, I will then discuss with Chris what the next best way forward is.

We have already had a discussion about a possible plot line and opening of which there's a unidentified man typing on a typewriter. We would still have a extravagant title for the film, however the producers and actors est. will be typed up by the man. When finished, the man rips off the paper and then starts typing up the dialogue for the voice over. A bit like moulon rouge but with a film Noir twist. After he has concluded his paragraph there will be a fade transition of a murdered man or woman with a white crime scene line around them to express that the situation is a murder. We haven't decided on characters as of this far but we both think its quite a achievable opening. We still however need to brief up a few other ideas just in case we cannot use this one for any reason.

Research - Analysis Five (The Chase)

The Chase

The chase (produced in 1946) is like most film Noirs, being shot in black and white and being made in America. Its regarded as being a dream-like film Noir due to the plot revolving around a penniless world war two veteran who is tormented by bizzare dreams.

Content of the opening

• Starts off with a old fashioned radio playing music (slightly static in sound) over the opening credits (piano). Each credit fades, then another set appears. Producers, directors and actors all feature in the Credits.
• The backing image of the credits is of a beach with palm trees (its a still), the text is white. Maybe this might link to the story?
• When the credits are over it fades to white, then black, and the fades into the opening scene of a Man (black) flipping pancakes on a street stall. (only digetic sound is heard), I put that the man was in brackets because of thinking of why they actually put him in the opening due to the vast amount of racism and discrimination still around in the 1940's.50s, to dig deeper on the issue, I searched in wikipedia about the overall situation of racism at the time. It resulted in a interesting fact which put the situation right within the period of Film Noir, "Legally sanctioned racism imposed a heavy burden on Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Mexican Americans. White Americans were privileged by law in matters of literacy, immigration, voting rights, citizenship, land acquisition, and criminal procedure over periods of time extending from the 17th century to the 1960s." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_States) This does connect with how the black man has a potential poorly paid job. 
• Cuts are used between the pancake maker and the first fully established character who is a formally dressed male who is wearing a suite, hat, tie and trousers. There is also a couple of over the shoulder shots.
• The man appears to have dropped his wallet and franticly picks it up and checks its content, his shoes which you see are quite unconventional as they are white, during this sequence the only sound you hear is diegetic 

Research - Analysis Four (Return of the whistler )

Return Of The Whistler 

The "return of the whistler"was produced in 1948 carrying the typical Film Noir detective story. Its about a man named Ted Nichols who is trying to find his fiancée Alice Barclee, who he later finds in a mental institution. He discovers she has somewhat been brainwashed by another man who claims to be her husband.

   

• Opening credits start the film off, like all the other films which I have analysed so far 
• Its again conventionally in black and white (Film Noir style)
• From the very first second there is a loud orchestral opening 
• This time however the credits are just Black text on a white background
• Fades in-between each credit
• Once credits have finished it fades to black
• Still the music is playing which originated from the title sequence
• The first shot is of a nights sky and lighting
• After this shot you see a Shadow of a man standing in the rain
• Music stops, and only diegetic sound is heard, which includes the rain, lighting and the unidentified man whistling
• A voice over then begins introducing the man as "the Whistler"
• Chorded backing music tops the dialogue and slowly creates tension
• Mise en scene fits, an old 1950s car is driven away in the storm 

Research - Analysis Three (Sunset Blvd)

Sunset Blvd is a 1950 American Film Noir where the star Gloria Swanson (A faded silent movie star) draws the male star William Holden who is a unsuccessful screen writer into her fantasy world of which is her image of herself making a triumphant return to the big screen. Praised by many film critics when first released, "Sunset Boulevard" was nominated for eleven Academy Awards of which it won three. It is now widely accepted as a classic in many country's and often is viewed as one of the most noteworthy films of American cinema.

• First title to come up is over the image of a paving slab with the title of the film written on in (sunset blvd), The title to come up however is very unconventional reading "announcing, the most unusual motion picture in many years". This entices the viewer to stay and watch the film straight away, as you want to know just why its so unusual. Note, the camera tilts down and views the slab from a high angle shot. 

• Right from the fade into the picture there is a loud orchestral schoor of quite random music which helps engage the audience. 
• The camera then zooms out and tracks the ground, at the same time all the title credits appear. 
• This goes on for quite sometime due to the amount of people in the production.
• After this a voice over begins giving the plot of the film of a man found dead in a swimming pool (common theme).
• During the tracking of the police cars there are many cuts between shots and fast pans to emphasis the speed of the reaction of the police to the murder. 

Research - Analysis two (Port Of New York (1949))

Port Of New York was shot in 1949 in a semi-documentary style and is located in Down-Town New York. The movie was directed by Laszlo Benedek with cinematography developed by George E Diskant.

Opening Analysis

• Right from the start, there's a loud orchestral piece of music to entice the target audience in.
• From black, a image of the production company immediately appears with the music. Black and white obviously. 
• Opening wide angled long shot: camera tracks a old styled harbour boat in the port of new york
• Immediately after the shot establishing the location and boat appears a classic film Noir Title comes up which unconventionally has a drop shadow on it. 
• Following this are the credits of the cast and production crew. 
• Camera slowly pans around to reveal new York in its 1940 glory. *Note there has been no cuts*
• Finally there is a fade transition from the establishing tracking shot to a shot of the boat coming into the harbour. As the cut is made a voice-over begins giving a introduction to what the port of NewYork is.
• Following this there is a selection of quick cuts establishing the port in more detail going around the boats and ships. Shots include long shots and high angled shots of boats coming into the port. 
• Low angle shot of pedestrians
• A introduction in to the story now begins with the voice over. Not that no characters have been introduced in the first two minuets. 

Research - Analysis One (D.O.A)

OK ... Now to the clips, some of the conventions should be much easier to spot after watching demonstration video and the introduction to film Noir lesson we had. After giving detailed descriptions of each clip i can then use my reaserch to start to thinking up of possible ideas for an opening to our film noir task with Chris.

Clip one ( D.O.A 1950 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fMDJ6pwSfo)

• 
  
• Right from the opening low angle shot covered by the opening title there's a Domineering orchestral schoor
• Tracking shot behind a character walking into of what I can make a hotel, he is formally dressed in a short and suite. 
• As he walks into the building more title credits cover the screen with director and actor names
• Fades from slip to clip, each clip is very long (the tracking one) and when it does change its a fade not a cut.
• Noticed the walking is at the same pace as the music
• Music stops at the same time as the character gets to destination (door in hotel) 
• Music re starts almost imediatly after it finished but much quieter to go under the dialogue. 
• Dialogue is very formal 
• Room is very smoky
• Typical line.... " I want to report a murder"

That brings me to the end of the opening two minuets. After I have viewed and analysed each of the next four clips i will consolidate the reccring themes and take ideas of which we could use in our own production. I will discuss my reaserch with Chris on friday over MSN, a piece of free communication software to see if we can consolidate our research and come up with a simple plot line and create some possible ideas for our opening.

Research - Demonstration video

We decided to more closely at the beginnings of the Film Noirs because of the task set to produce the opening two minuets. To find conventions and similarities that work I will watch five different examples picking out key points of props, Mise en scene, plot lines (if established in opening), music, voice overs, character names and voice accents. 

Before however I came across a YouTube clip of a film makers guide to producing a realisiticly produced film Noir. 

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mYb2gN00dg)

(i did not make this)

The clip was very helpful in picking out some typical of the typical conventions and methods in producing effects such as bullet wound bleeding.

Techniques discussed in the video 

•  (must be) Shoot with wide panning shots, instead of using multiple angles. This was done due to the editing techniques not being as intense as today's. 
•  (must) Film or edit in black and white
• Use close ups of characters or items to emphasis who they are (for example a close up of a holstered gun could symbolise them being a gangster)
• Good tip is to use shadow effects to create suspense of a subject being followed  
• Use realistic costume, either shirts or suits. Trench-coats are also good as they can cover up what a character is hiding.
• Due to being under-age we cant use alcohol, but you can add food colouring to water to give the same effect 
• Use chocolate syrup as blood ( you cant see the colour due to the black and white editing, however gives the same grey like colour as blood when edited.)

Research - Research Of Film Noir As A Whole And Stereotypical Characters

The French name of film Noir in English is simply "black film" hence the colour of the films. (German Expressionist cinematography)  They became popular around the 1940 to the 1950s and where produced in mainly America when European directors and producers moved over to America from countries such as germane to get away from the war situation.

The films revolve around extravagant Hollywood styled crime dramas of which most revolve around down town New-York. The Main character is predominately a "goody" who is a private detective trying to work out who and why some one is killed. He usualy holsters a gun, however not to gain power, just for protection. he is dressed formally, in suite, tie, black trousers and black shoes. He also talks very formally and gets to the point using clear language.

Other conventional characters of film Noir include;

The Femme fatale (French for "deadly woman") - A mysterious and seductive woman who is usually early on shown as being part of the "bad guys" side, however usually wants revenge on him for doing something to her or a loved one so uses the good guy to get her desire. Within Film Noir she usually gets the good guy in and out of trouble. Usually by reasoning with the "bad guy". She is dressed seductively in fashionable clothing for the era. Usually wearing seductive make up such as red lips and having perfect hair.

Bad guy (villain) - Very smartly dressed usually showing power by showing off jewellery. Usually is fairly big built and lazy, dressed in a suite, tie , shirt and black shiny shoes. Has authorative power over many of his men do to do his small dirty jobs such as tracking down owed money. Due to having many at his finger tips he can also exert his power, of which is usually done on the good guy.

Henchmen - Works for the "bad guy", usually doing his small dirty jobs. Generally dressed similarly to the man in power, however is usually thin and equipped with a gun to gain authority. Usually also has a strong accent, which is a wide comparison compared to his formal appearance. The facial expression is also usually a emotionless snarl showing little emotion.

Pre Production -The new final main task-

'You will make the titles and opening of a new film noir movie of which has to last a maximum of two minuets. you will also be required to produce a DVD complete with box, cover and directors extras including a making of section'

Organisation 
Between me and fellow media studies student in the parallel class to my own have organised to produce the movie and extras between the two of us. (Chris Hales)  We have previously both worked with one another when completing our GCSE opening movie for a horror movie of which we both worked well together completing our GCSE task successfully to a good standard. The only problem however is that we wont be able to work with one other within lessons due to having them at different times, however if we keep good communication and update each other regularly on tasks we need to do between us we should be able to produce a high quality Film Noir opening.

Positives of working within a small group is that it will be easy to track the work which we complete between us. It will also be easy to exchange ideas and should be easier to organise and produce shooting schedules which revolve around the both of us.


Plan of action for research



Before we produce and evaluate anything we need to do some in-depth research in what ingredients makes a film Noir movie. In all the clips I research I will analyse the following;

• Mise-en-scene
• Music
• Storyline/plots
• The names of characters
• Props and costume of the characters
• Lighting
• Dialogue and speech style

All this research we do will be essential in making the Film Noir opening movie we are producing successful. We will join together the conventions within all the example clips and produce something original but of which follows all the typical conventions.

Preliminary task video

PRELIMINARY TASK VIDEO

Preliminary - Evaluation in 1000 words

1000 word production evaluation

Two weeks before the end of term we were given the preliminary task to produce a short continuity scene which involved someone opening and walking through a door. At the start of the task we were split into two groups of three to produce the short film, production schedule, storyboard, health and safety sheet, script and sheet including all details about characters.

We started by building on a idea which I had of a comedic, parent speed dating service. In the same lesson we came up with character profiles and tried connecting them with people which may be willing to play the parts.

Once split apart we decided to sign roles to write up the paper work, I was allocated to write up the health and safety side of the production and the production schedule. Tom and Liam on the other hand went off to write up a professional script for the characters we produced in the lesson previous.

When writing up the health and safety sheet I had to assess the risks of the production and write up how to avoid the problems. I typed it up into a table to display the potential risk and how to avoid it. When typing up the production I needed to go into detail, typing up how to communicate within the group during the task with phone numbers and email addresses, times when we were going to produce the film, actors names and their phone numbers (with their roles), props and locations.

During the following lesson after I did my share of the paper work, we decided on actors (of which we already had a list), times and locations. We updated the production schedule template and put the information into our blogs. After the production schedule was filled in and completed we filled out the equipment form so we could get access to the equipment when we needed it (after school on a Tuesday).

Tom, a few days before the shoot gave me a list over the internet via FaceBook of the props each of us where bringing in, a summary of times and a summary of decided actors. This was helpful as everyone could give feedback to tom on what each of us could bring and that we would be ok for the shoot.

The following week after school we shot the film; I had a problem getting at the shoot  on time due to a meeting, however as soon as it was finished I got to the set and helped set up the props and role the camera at times. (which included myself opening a tin of tuna and putting it in a washed out cat food tin) One problem we had during the shoot was that some of the actors found it hard not to laugh, this meant that some of the scheduled shots took longer to shoot due to having to re take shots multiple times, we still however had plenty of time planned (after asking permission) if we went over the allocated time slot. The actors overall performed well, fitting their character profiles. The most difficult part of producing a party was that it needed to be funny and personally I think we achieved that after hearing the feedback from the teacher. It was also demonstrated on set where many shots where hard to film due not finding it hard to keep a straight face. The technical aspects of the shooting was however un complex due to many of them being simple cuts and reverse shots between characters.

When the shooting was completed I was set the task to produce the PowerPoint presentation to go with our production, I kept it simple using a pre set formal black and white style. I produced a professional feeling PowerPoint covering our ideas, when we filmed, our actors, what we did well and what we didn’t do so well. At this point I was unaware that Liam had been removed from the school so our group went from three to two. This however didn’t seem to effect the production due to personally think that Liam himself didn’t pull his weight and that most of the work ended up being put on either me or Tom. After asking Tom if he had started the editing he replied with a Yes so I assumed that he was up to speed with it, I asked a few more times however he started to get quite aggravated, however I don’t feel that i was stupid being on his back that he actually didn’t finish the production on time and could only show part of the production even though I was ready with my paper work and presentation. The editing however he had done was up to a good level and was obviously quite funny due to the teacher finding the comedy light hearted and fun.

In conclusion I personally feel that the production made was of a high quality even though our group was dropped to only two members. We also had excellent communication between the group and actors via mainly facebook even though each of us had each other’s mobile numbers. We organised the production well with help of the production schedule, we got permission to shoot after school behind the hall, signed out the camera and equipment and retrieved all the props and equipment we needed. At one point we had to change one of the character profiles due not being able to get one of the props, however quickly changed the idea to one in which we could produce and add into the film. The only downside however was not being finished on time, but after a point felt like it was a little out of my control, i did offer to edit the film but Tom did seem quite adamant in what and how he wanted the production to look.