Blue Velvet

The opening starts off with non-diegetic sound of a violin type sounding music, it starts off quite calm and quiet and then gets louder. This along with the first few scenes gives the reader a false sense of security as we see a typical suburban life in America. The music building up could represent what will happen in the film, it will build up to something drastic. A tilt shot is used first to reveal a nearly cloudless blue sky with a white picket fence and red roses, it looks like a perfect setting- normal community based home, like something out of a Disney film, this adds to the idea of everything being a bit too perfect and the viewer gets a foreboding feeling- as time goes on something will change this 'perfect neighbourhood'.

The red roses in the opening are significant as red represents danger and blood but as a contrast roses are meant to be seen as romantic and loving, this shows the contradictions throughout the film. The roses could also represent loss or a funeral, which again could be something that comes later on in the film.
In the next scene it is sunny still and we see and establishing shot of a house with a car parked on the drive, this shot is a bit darker showing how this house could be a negative impact on the film. It cuts to a man watering his garden and then to his wife sitting and watching television inside which has a gun on it, another foreboding feeling of death which it quite a contrast to the upbeat, happy music.

 We then see a few close ups of the tap and hose pipe the man is using, not working, the pipe twists which shows something is going wrong and the straight after the man has a heart attack which is very surprising as you would expect the it to be raining or the scene to be quite dark but it s not. there is then an establishing shot and a pan of the surroundings which look idyllic and there is water spraying everywhere, we also hear the diegetic sound of a dog barking and then see the dog and a child in the background, all of the combined with the still cheerful music makes the heart attack seem positive or normal. 

We then finally see a close up of a small insect in the grass, this represents the seedy underbelly of suburban life. And also how something like this death is nothing compared to the bigger picture as the insect is tiny compared to the rest of the grass.

Media- film script draft

CAST

Detective Lance Bullock – Callum Prendgast

Tony Slinger/ Maroni Falcone – Charlie Bell

Bobby Slinger – Reece Mountford

Lisa Statham – Georgia Turner

Ben Woodward - Thug

SCRIPT

Scene 1 – LB’s Intro ET: 35 seconds

*Throughout this scene “I don’t want to set the world on fire by the ink spots 1941 is playing, almost as an alarm. There is an establishing shot of a house at night; the only light source is lampposts in the shot and the shot will fade in from black and will last about 3 seconds. The shot will then cut to grass blowing in the wind, until finally a close up of an alarm/radio clock that is the source of the music. A hand reaches out and smacks it down, this stops the music. The room is dark, only a portion of light is reaching the room via blinds. A man (whose face you do not show during this opening scene) sits on the end of his bed rubbing his face. A narration begins:

Detective LB:  “Todays gonna be a helluva day, Head guy Phillip J House has made sure of that, he’s been busting my balls about this for a while now, he’s got it out for me I swear. See he’s got me inspectin’ some kind of college for a Maroni Falcone, see you wanna hear a funny story? 3 murders, one of them a cop and over 15 assaults and this guy is hiding in a school would’ya imagine? Me personally *pause* I think it’s a load of crap but like I said; House may be an ass, but it’s rare he’s wrong. and so that’s where I come in, me, Detective Lance Bullock, I gots to find this guy, if there even is a guy and take him out. Easier said than done when hiding in a hoity-toity school, and better yet, word is that his men already know that we’re catching up and planning this little undercover shindig, if Maroni really is there, he’s good, but I’m better”

*Throughout this scene there are different cuts of the detective. One stumbling to the blinds and peeking out, doing his top buttons up, lighting a cigarette with a match (shisha pens and vapour) and a shot of the smoke blowing out, and finally a shot of him doing his tie up and walking out of shot, this shot should be when he says “But I’m better”

Scene 2 – TS, PS and BS Intro ET: 

The shot then cuts to an EST shot of the school, until a OTS shot of Bobby walking down the main halls, past the stairs, then a mid-shot of him walking towards the camera (David Fincher style) with the camera on a dolly, he fixes up his tie. He pauses as he hears loud noises he looks around the corner and the camera does the same. Tony has Paddy Statham up the wall and Bobby is watching in intrigue

Lisa Statham: Please honey I'm sorry!

Tony: Just get out of my face damn it

Lisa runs off past Bobby crying.

 

Tony spots Bobby and Smiles. He’s wearing a different type of Tie to Tony.

Tony: Bobby my boy!

Bobby: Uncle Maroni!

Tony Slaps Bobby

Tony: Keep your god damn voice low, it’s Tony here, and will be till I can secure a way out to Mexico, none of this Maroni business, you get me?

Bobby: Yeah sure uncle…Tony

Tony: Good any questions?

Bobby: What was that about just?

Tony: Don’t you worry your pretty little mug about that said whilst gently slapping his face walk with me boy.

They walk down the corridor, the detective walks past the shot casually but the audience don’t know it’s him as you never see his face in the first shot

Tony and Bobby walk down the corridor dolly camera again.

Tony: Reece, you’re new, you’re my nephew but you’re not special, I don’t care if you’re my son, you don’t cross family understood?

Bobby: Understood boss

Tony: I like you already. 

As they walk off the camera pans to the detective watching from the second floor balcony. A high angle shot showing that he is superior and he has been watching

Feedback 1

A sound analysis of features in film noir that shows that you have processed information from whole group activity.  You could analyse the opening sequence from a film noir in further detail to show full undertanding with examples from a key text.

You are beginning to move beyond the descriptive to analyse key features of opening sequences and how meaning is created. You are using subject specific terminology which will develop as the course progresses.

When analysing texts you are covering the key points and reproducing points discussed in class which shows that you understand the task. 

The next step is to go beyond the obvious to extend the analysis showing perception and initiative in conducting further research to enhance your understanding.

Analyse the opening sequence from Blue Velvet to see if you can de-construct this individually.

Use images and clips to enhance the presentation of the blog.

Codes and Conventions-Film Noir

Film Noir is a genre of film based around the 1940's. The films are normally in black and white, theses colours are used because at this time Warner bro's- the main makers of these films, had little money and the dark shadows would prevent the viewer from seeing the set and other things that shouldn't be in the shot.



The plot to these films are often the same- there is a detective who is quite hard faced and who doesn't speak much, a woman who is very beautiful and who seems innocent (femme fatale). The woman almost always is in some kind of trouble, she goes to the detective for help and he then tries to help, towards the end of the film we find out that the woman has the power and she has deceived the detective who at this point cares about her, the woman is then brought to justice and the detective will probably then fall in love with the 'good, reliable' woman. in every film there is some sort of enigma- something the plot revolves around- it is usually and object that someone wants.

The reason there are so many of these type of film with the same plot is because most people like these kind of films and therefore it is a good,easy way to make money.

In Film Noir the iconography is:

• A trilby hat and trench coat for the detective.
• Alcohol consumed by the detective quite a lot.
• The detective smokes a lot.

These three aspects allow the viewer to instantly know what type of film it is, alongside the black and white/ dark colours, these are the features that define Film Noir.

In these films there are may different shots used, a key ones are high and low angle shots. If the  woman is a level above the man and a low angle shot is used to look up at her, this shows her superiority, the same effect is given when there is a high angle shot down onto the man, this shows his lack of superiority.

Other shots used are- close ups to show someones reaction, establishing shots to show where the film is set, mid shots and long shots to show what the characters are wearing. These all set the scene and allow the viewer to be drawn into the film.



Lighting is a big thing in these sorts of films. In general there is little lighting, most blinds are down so no light is let in through windows, there is usually 1 light which highlights the characters face and makes lots of shadows to create tension in the film and add to the effect.



At the start of the film there is normally a voice over or titles to tell you what s going on, in Maltese Falcon there is no voice over but titles to tell the viewer what is happening. A voice over is effective as well as it allows us to have an insight into what the detective is actually thinking and to give us information fast (another way to do this is to have a picture of the front page of a newspaper).


In these films the costumes are dated and usually formal. They represent the upper class with the detective wearing a trilby hat, suit, and trench coat. The props used are normally things such as guns and other such things related to detectives. Most of the scenes are set in a office, or outside in a well known place such as a big city.


Music also plays a big part in Film Noir, in most scenes there is music in the background to create tension- in light hearted scenes the music is up beat whereas in more serious scenes the music is quite low, this adds to the mystery. When something big in the plot is revealed the music increases in tempo to put the viewer on edge.


The detective uses language such as 'darling' and 'sweetheart' to try and show superiority and give the woman innocence. It also shows the difference in gender roles at the time because if a man did that now he would be seen as being sexist. This adds to the whole narrative of the film and the idea that the men in this film should be seen as the better person. An English accent is also commonly used for the femme fatale as it is viewed as high class and a woman like this should be of that class.


In 'The Maltese Falcon' a famous film noir, all of these aspects are included. The detective- Sam Spade and his partner get a visit from a woman- the femme fatale, whom turns out to be a murderer and she gets sent to prison.


In the opening we see the 2 main characters so it immediately sets the scene and the plot, Establishing, mid and low angle shots as well as close ups. The costume, lighting, locations and props are all typical to film noir, the detective wears a suit and trench coat, it is in black and white with only one light used. There is a gun used and the start of the film is based in an office. Throughout the rest of the film the features mentioned above are all used, therefore showing all of the classic aspects of film noir.