WEEKLY FILM - TANGLED

'Tangled' is a 2011 animated adventure comedy directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. The film explores themes of truth, family, perception , love and the exploration of an individuals character, we follow our protagonist Rapunzel as she discovers the outside world after being trapped and exploited for her magical power since she was a young child. Her journey made possible due the unexpected arrival of thief Flynn Rider who is currently on the run from various characters due to his illegal antics. The misunderstanding of many characters due to judging them from appearance was a consistent theme emphasised throughout the film, the 'mothers' vanity being the reason in which she had originally taken Rapunzel. The appearance of many of the characters met at the ugly duckling automatically allowing us to construct negative opinions on them due to the stereotypical brute/villan displayed in many films, Tangled cleverly flips this opinion leaving the audience shocked when we realise the only real antagonist is the 'mother'. 

WEEKLY FILM - AMERICAN BEAUTY

'American Beauty' is a 1999 romantic drama directed by Sam Mendes, the film includes themes of love,family,freedom,identity and most importantly gives a very different perspective on American culture as appose to many over films which may portray the 'American dream' in an unrealistic light. The film revolves around our protagonist Lester Burnham, a sexually frustrated character who becomes involved in many not so perfect circumstances in his perfect stereotypical A merican neighbourhood. Many circumstances which are not usually dealt with in American films due to the truth within the illegal activities displayed through out the film shedding a negative representation upon American people. However the film was nevertheless very successful gaining 5 academy awards including best picture. 

The film follows a linear narrative structure with the occasional flashback in order to allow exposition for the audience, many topics such as drugs,child abuse,adultery and the sexualisation of teenagers in the modern day is dealt with in a subtle manner, only emphasising the normality of many of these very relevant issues within American society. I personally think the combination of sound and performance is to credit for the particularly eery atmosphere provided for the audience while viewing the film, this experience constructed in this way using the obvious stereotypes alongside the controversial topics that are often not considered when attempting to portray American culture. Much of the film also centred around the insecurities of each individual characters within the Burnham family, I thought this was clear evidence that despite the large house and social class the family had achieved happiness was not evident in any of the characters, again supporting that materialism and 'stuff' is not as important as the bond between family , the lack of their family bond perfectly illustrated by the dinner table scene where they are all purposely quite clearly disconnected from each other emotionally.

FILM DEVELOPMENT - INITIAL SHOOT

After writing a shot list and developing the progression of my film in terms of narrative I decided to travel to one of many locations I will use in my film and attempt to capture my desired footage, I personally think the initial shoot was successful as many clips captured where effective and possessed my desired look aesthetically, the 'trailer' produced above also displaying many of the techniques I intend to use in the actual film itself. Montage editing being an element I would like to perfect progressing towards the final outcome, this style to be accompanied with music in order to attempt to provide suspense of the viewing audience. The cinematography displayed above being something I intend to improve on by reshooting many of the clips, although I think the range of shots included is effective in providing my desired effect.

La Jetée

'La Jetée' is a 1962 short film directed by Chris Marker, the piece is a hybrid of romance and drama and also contains elements of documentary filmmaking. The short film holds themes of war,love and humanity, even though much of the film seems as if it is left to an individuals interpretation. 'La Jetée' tells the story through a combination of still images and a voiceover, providing an experience completely different to any other film I have seen before. The film also following a unique narrative set in the aftermath of WWII, in which a man becomes an experiment surrounding the science of time travel, two key memories becoming the focus of the film as he travels from various stages of his life including the future. I personally think this is a beautiful film telling a story I suspect was very experimental at the time it was made, the visual aspects of the film also taking my keen interest as I find it intriguing how such a complex narrative can be told effectively using still photographs and a narrator. 

COMPLEX - developing ideas

In development and proceeding towards the production of my A2 film I decided to shoot on location at alexandra and ainsworth estate , choosing this location due to its impressive urban architecture and vibrant community which I intend to capture for my A2 film surrounding the major themes of 'wealth and power'. I didn't particularly capture much of my desired footage in the short clips displayed in the video above due to restricted time and the ever daunting problem of light, both elements of production I intend to improve on moving forward towards my A2 film. Although I didn't personally think my short film surrounding the estate was successful I was able to recognise and learn from the practice of shooting the footage and editing , allowing me to have a much more clear picture of the range of shots I will have to capture in shooting my A2 film for the final product to be effective and successfully project the themes I originally intended. I will be returning to the estate in the near distant future in order to gather more footage that I will intertwine into my A2 film in the stages of editing, possibly improving on the footage already captured above as well as enhancing this by including elements of the unique community found in the 'complex' structure of the estate. 

Weekly Documentary - VOYAGEURS 8K

Voyageurs 8K is a short documentary which displays various shots of Voyageurs national park in the region of Minnesota, focussing on landscapes and in particular the pristine lakes and kaleidoscopic colours of the autumn season. I personally thought this short film would be useful in developing my own personal project as I focussed on how colour in particular can be appealing and immersive for the watching audience, even though no narrative was evident the film was still able to captivate an audience due to the enhanced visuals visible in the short doc. This has lead me to believe that with a intelligent use of mis en scene, colour palette and the application of colour grading in post production I will be able to produce a visually exciting experience for the audience through the use of vibrant colours ,combined with innovative cinematography and a provocative theme. 

MOODBOARD part 1

In order to visualise elements I intend to include in my A2 film production I decided to carry out a photo shoot in a location that fitted my desired environment, this location successfully displaying a derelict building that is run down and has clearly been forgotten about hence the vandalism and lack of maintenance on the building. In my A2 piece I intend to develop these photographs into moving image and effectively expose this harsh urban landscape, alongside this I will juxtapose well maintained buildings filmed in central London as appose to this abandoned building located on the outskirts of the city. I personally think this juxtaposition will be effective as I will focus on displaying visually provoking moving image in order to indicate my underlying theme visually rather than informing the audience of the theme through dialogue or text. The focussed themes surrounding my film will be 'wealth & power', I will attempt to expose the extreme difference in wealth using contrasting locations where I focus on the people and environment in the area, the shots I will included in the film emphasising this difference between various social classes in a range of locations. I will attempt to use a number of dynamic shots and include innovative movement in order to display these contrasting environments in a different light, as well as this approach hopefully captivating the audiences attention and allowing them to interpret my intended themes as individuals. 

Samsara - Documentary Case Study

'Samsara' is a 2011 poetic documentary which explores and displays various locations from sacred grounds to impressive industrial structures, filmed over 5 years in more than 25 countries the film is a sequence of visually enthralling shots captured on 70mm film. 'Samsara' is a documentary that subverts the expectation of the more common documentary, instead of informing the audience through narrator,dialogue or text the film focusses on encourages the audiences individual interpretations which are inspired by the visuals and music which combine the ancient with the modern. Exploring the cyclical cycle of life and its reflection in the rhythm of the planet the film projects link between humanity and nature through an expansive range of powerful moving images, these visuals accompanied by fitting cultural music which emphasises the theme and aids create a dramatic atmosphere among audience members. I intend to use this poetic approach in my own A2 coursework as I personally think the immersive style of filmmaking is effective in delivering the intended themes. 

FALL - SHORT DOCUMENTARY

Long Live The Kings - Documentary

'Long Live The Kings' is a 2012 short documentary directed by Clement Beauvais, the documentary provides the audience with an insight into the hopes and desires of those who set out on a motorcycle road trip, personally I felt as if the short doc provoked themes of freedom as the beautiful wide landscapes were captured by the authentic feeling 16mm film camera. In my opinion I felt as if this documentary could be categorised as poetic due to it attempting to allow the audience to understand the emotions felt throughout the doc rather than informing them of how the individuals felt, the visuals displayed being a clear connotation of these vivid emotions. The major theme I felt the short doc projected was freedom, many of the wide moving shots of the bikers gave a real sense of the freedom among the bikers which I personally think was the aim of the film, these smooth flowing shots used frequently throughout gave us (the audience) the perspective of a biker as we gain an insight into the immersive backdrops surrounding the individuals in the film, allowing us to understand the freedom felt by the bikers without informing us through the use of a voiceover or other types of narration. 

What Is Documentary - Part 2

Blackfish - Documentary Case Study

'Blackfish' is a 2013 documentary film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite , the film exposes the controversial captivity of killer whales and focuses on Sea World in particular and how their exploitation of orcas has lead to the increasing danger of both orcas and humans involved in the corrupt industry that had with held information from the public eye for many years until the release of 'Blackfish'. This documentary effectively exposed Sea World and sparked protest amongst many people eventually leading to Sea World bowing to the criticism and unwillingly closing the park, this being a perfect example of how powerful a documentary can be and the affect it can have on any industry regardless of how much money is involved. Blackfish can be categorised as expository documentary as its only purpose is to inform the audience of a current story that many audience members worldwide will be unaware of due to the story being hidden from the public due to the corruption and illegal activity involved with corporation of 'Sea World'.  

What is Documentary ? - Initial Thoughts

Documentary is a type of film that focusses on various aspects of reality, its aim is to deliver a particular message, or document a focussed biographical account or situation. Documentary's often differ in style due to some documentaries being made with a 'run and gun' approach in order to accurately capture its intended footage, as appose to some documentaries taking meticulous planning and patience to capture the intended footage. I personally think documentary film is much more challenging in production stages as the intended atmospheric moods are only available to capture in real time, meaning if missed the delivery of the message will not be seen by the audience and therefore the subject matter may become un interesting. The topics often chosen by documentary film makers divert from the more usual mainstream topics that are continuously covered through out the film industry, and therefore may cover untold stories or stories the film maker feels passionate about. The drive behind many documentary film makers often being political and the films intention being to spark controversy and conversation surrounding the topic , educating the audience throughout the viewing of the film as appose to entertaining. 

Undefeated - Film Analysis

'Undefeated' is a 2011 sports documentary directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J Martin, the film provides the audience with an insight into the lives of various characters who live in the on going struggle of poverty in inner city Memphis. Themes of poverty,crime and hope are displayed through out the film as coach (Bill Courtney) strives to give hope to the Manassas Tigers football team, nurturing the individuals in attempt to give the them an opportunity to escape their current crime filled living environment. Directors took a 'run and gun' approach to the production of the film meaning the two directors where in charge of cinematography and sound on set as well as the post production editing, this approach to the production resulted in the over 500 hours of footage being accumulated, this allowing the two to hand pick the most effective clips filmed resulting in an extremely emotional documentary which successfully delivered a message through visual means as well as detailed characterisation.  This emotion filled documentary recognised and rewarded  in the form of a 'best documentary' oscar in 2012. I personally thought the cinematography through out the doc was effective in accurately portraying the lives and emotions felt by particular individuals , many establishing shots were edited in a montage manner in order to emphasise the extent in which the poverty stricken neighbourhood expands to, the recurring shots of various locations over and over again clearly displaying this poverty in which the individuals in the film are surrounded by in every day life. 

La Haine - Film Analysis

'La Haine' is a 1995 social realism crime drama, written and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, the film gives audience members a detailed insight into the lives of our three protagonists (Vinz, Hubert, and Saïd) over 19 consecutive hours. The narrative revolving around their battle against police oppression in the French ghettos were racial tension is high after a  incident involving the police left a member of their diverse community in critical health. Themes of the film included friendship, violence, oppression, and injustice, all three of our protagonists contributing to the effective delivery of these themes due to the difference in characteristics, concluding in a thought provoking experience for audience members as we are able to relate to different characters as they continuously contradict their character traits leaving us questioning who is in the right through out the film, and how we would personally react if in their situation. 

Cinematography was exceptional through out the film in terms of capturing the environment and displaying various emotions felt by each of the characters, as well as creating deeper meaning and possibly even adding to the films notorious reputation as one of the best films to come out of the 90s. Many stylistic elements evident in the cinematography as well as the urban realism can be closely compared to Spike Lee's 'Do The Right Thing', which also focussed on a particular area in which racial tension was high between people resulting in tragic finales.                                                                                                 

12 Years A Slave - Micro Features Analysis (Final Draft)

12 Years a Slave is a 2013 drama adaptation of the 1853 Slave narrative by Solomon Northup, a New York born state free African-American man who is kidnapped in 1841 and sold into slavery. Solomon (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor) works on various plantations across the state of Louisiana for 12 harsh years before his release. The film directed by Steve McQueen was nominated for 9 oscars and won just 3 in total, the film also won another 223 various awards.12 years a Slave was produced by a number of people including Brad Pitt (who was also featured acting during the film) and director Steve McQueen, various production companies included; Plan B Entertainment, Film 4 Productions and Regency Enterprises, in 2013 the film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Summit Entertainment to soon achieve a box office of $187.7 million with a budget of only $22 million. 

I chose to analyse this particular scene in '12 Years a Slave' as it was one of the most hard hitting moments for me in the whole film, the scene features the protagonist Solomon as he fights for his life after being hung by the slave owners assistant Tibeats. Within the scene there are many micro features that are used in order to portray how a horrifying situation like this would of been viewed as normal for many people at the time. I will be looking at how performance, cinematography and sound is effective in doing this throughout the 3 minute scene.

Firstly the use of cinematography is very effective through out the scene as a variation of shots (long shots, mid shots and over the shoulder shots) are used in order to show the surroundings of Solomon but also to give the audience an idea of how long he had to endure the severe pain for as the day continued. The establishing long shot of the solitary figure of Solomon hanging from the tree was purposely dragged out for the first 1 minute, 24 seconds of the scene to emphasise the length of time Solomon has to endure this horrifying pain and suffering for, but also using this shot constantly builds up suspense as we (the audience) become unsure if he will survive this possibly fatal occurrence, we are finally relieved as we change to a close up of him receiving water providing us with hope of his survival. I think the composition of this particular shot was purposely constructed like seen in the film in order to display the complete juxtaposition of the bright colours in the trees and the grass compared to what Solomon was experiencing as he tiptoed in the dark muddy pit in order to stay alive, I thought this conveyed the theme of major injustice as he suffered this extreme punishment for standing up against a man who intended to whip him for no reason but because he enjoyed doing it. A medium long shot is also used pointing the camera towards the slave owners house as the overseer acts completely oblivious to him even being there, suggesting he isn't fazed by watching such a horrific act like this shows pure hatred. A mid shot of Solomon is used when someone attempts to help save his life by giving him water, in the mid shot we see him covered in mud where he has been thrown around by the group of men who hanged him, this for me showed how some people(Tibeats in this example) completely dehumanised Black people as Tibeats treated him inhumanely by hanging him in a dirty muddy pit to die. I think the grand white house in the background of the shot is purposely inserted into the composition of this scene to again show how unfairly and disgustingly Black people were treated during this time period compared to White people, we know Solomon really should be at home with his loving family in his own house, but instead has been hung outside someone else's for something so little as standing up for himself. Finally a long shot is taken in which Solomon is placed central still hanging as the day becomes evening, I thought this again emphasised the normallity of this situation for many people back then as he was ignored during the day then forgot about as people went to sleep, the weather in this shot also possibly symbolising his life as the sun goes down and his life runs out. 

The performance of all the actors in the scene made it seem like this horrifying event was a normal everyday occurrence (which is possible) as all but one person acted almost completely oblivious to what was happening to Solomon, other slaves probably avoided aiding Solomon as they also did not want to suffer the same severe punishment. One of the best examples of this is were we see an over the shoulder shot of Solomon which includes young children playing in the background, we see the young innocent children laughing and playing with each other not even acknowledging Solomon's situation. This could suggest that they are so used to such traumatic incidents that it no longer bothers them, or more likely that most people just faced the tremendous fear of such punishments happening to them and therefore did not become involved. Chiwetel Ejiofor who plays Solomon Northup was also key in making this scene all the more accurate as he did not attempt to struggle or escape the noose as he knew no one apart from the Slave Owner would help to save his life. This could possibly portray the theme of loneliness Solomon endured as a slave as he clearly had no one willing to risk their own lives in order to save his, this is made obvious by the other actors in the scene(due to their convincing performances) as most of them do not even acknowledge him, never mind attempt to save his life. 

Finally I thought sound in the scene was key in providing the audience with an accurate description of the severe pain Solomon endured throughout the incident and how his surroundings completely juxtaposed with what he was going through. Throughout the scene we constantly hear the buzzing of the insects in the fields surrounding Solomon, this buzzing could usually be associated with a hot summers day, which in this case it is for many people not having to suffer Solomon's punishment, in contrast to that we hear Solomon chocking quitely as he struggles to stay alive. I thought this comparison could possible represent the insignificance of Solomon's life to many people on the plantation as they probably couldn't even hear him as the buzzing of the insects was louder than the noise he was producing. This could also show how many people at the time attempted to avoid and forgot about the horrors happening in the world, just like how the noise of the insects was louder than Solomon dying allowing people to block out what was actually happening to him. A lack of sound was also evident through out resulting in the scene being possibly more shocking than if dialogue/sound was included , this is because focus is completely kept set on Solomon, due to the audience paying close attention to the minimal sound used as they are concerned if Solomon will survive due to him gradually becoming more overpowered by the surrounding noise of the insects as his chocking is drowned out, his life threatening situation was made clear by the realistic chocking noises put in place. 

In Conclusion I think the cinematography,sound,and performance used in this scene was very effective as it allowed an insight into how badly Black people where treated during the Slave Trade era ,and gave an accurate visual description of some of the sort of horrific incidents that many people endured and experienced in that time. I personally think the main theme this scene presented was the major injustice many people suffered due to the evil hatred and power of others,just like Tibeats who was clearly not as well educated as Solomon but had complete power and authority over him due to the laws of Slavery at the time. The combination of these micro features used in this scene resulted in a highly emotional experience for the audience as suspense is created leaving the audience in general concern for Solomon as he continues to fight for his life through out the traumatic scene. 

Postbox - Reflective Analysis

For my AS Film coursework, we were given the task of creating a short film (3-5 minutes) which effectively displays the five principle micro features of cinematography, mis en scene, sound, performance and editing. I decided to name my short film 'Postbox' as I thought this would be a provocative title due to the audience only being able to understand the meaning behind the title after realising the significance of the object in the film itself. I intended to follow the conventions of the phycological thriller genre as I i included flashbacks throughout the linear structured narrative in order to create a feeling of time disorientation and confusion among the audience due to it being hard to decipher what is present and past in the film. The major theme evident throughout my film is revenge, revenge takes place after my protagonist becomes fed up of continuously being physically bullied at college by my antagonist, consequently striking back and having his long awaited revenge. I will be analysing how three micro features in my short film effectively followed the thriller conventions and consequently created meaning for the audience. 

Mis en scene was very important in my film as it was key in displaying my protagonists emotions visually, I used a predominantly greyscale colour palette at first to connote the dismal, depressing emotions my protagonist had to go through on a day to day basis due to him undergoing bulling at college. A change in character is evident in 'the following day' during my film as this colour palette is disturbed by a vibrant coloured red jumper, connoting danger and foreshadowing the rage my protagonist is soon to unleash. The colour red also significant in my film due to the ironic link between the colour red and the postbox, I intended to use the colour red in my protaganists costume in order to display the rage and danger his character now possessed as his intentions changed due to him preparing to combat his fear of the antagonist. The link between his red jumper and the postbox being that he usually uses the postbox as an outlet for his anger, him now wearing the colour red showing confidence and a change in his character as he physically wears the colour representing danger, possibly foreshadowing his revenge. This particular micro feature was able to create meaning by giving a clear visual indication of the change in my protagonists intentions throughout the film, also emphasising the dismal emotions he went through with the greyscale colour palette. 

Editing was key in accentuating my film with maximum suspense. I used a particular editing style during the scenes of violence in my film where short series of shots were used displaying brief glimpses of the on going conflict, this consequently making these scenes more tense as the violence is only shown in short glimpses. This immediately catching the audiences attention and making these particular scenes more rememberable due to important information (the revenge of my protagonist) being condensed into a short sequence which still displays the importance of the on going violence effectively, ultimately leading to suspense and tension among the audience. Montage editing was also used in my film successfully, I used this technique during the revenge scene in which my protagonist strikes back against the antagonist of my film in a particularly violent/important scene. I had two layers from two different times in my film playing simultaneously which again is effective at creating suspense due to the audience possibly being confused due to the time disorientation as clips from both the present and past are inserted into the film, I thought in this important scene in which my protagonist gains his revenge this technique is key in reiterating the anger his character possess due to the on going bullying he has suffered, this was displayed clearly due to editing as I sharply cut into the clips of the past and present mirroring the rage my protagonist was personally going through as he decided to strike back at the antagonist. 

Sound was very important in my film as it allowed suspense to be created through the use of a non-digetic sound scape, I also used harsh sound in my film in order to fit the conventions of the thriller genre effectively accomplishing suspense and a desired atmosphere among the audience. I used a continuous recurring sound in my film to emphasise on the everyday occurrences of bullying my protagonist had to suffer, portraying his emotions as the continuous non diegetic sound inserted played again and again, exactly like how he had to unwillingly face my antagonist every day as he continues to get bullied. I also used sound effectively in 'the following day' in which my protagonist decides to strike back against the bully, as my protagonists character changes visually I decided to again insert non-diegetic sound that was a clear indication of this sudden change in character. The tempo of the sound increases dramatically making this change obvious in the film as we know there is something different due to the dramatic change in sound as well as the distinct visual changes, again creating suspense as the audience are unsure of why these changes have happened, the impending sound foreshadowing that a dramatic occurrence is soon to become as tension is built through out the sound scape. 

Pathé

'Pathé' is a major film production and distribution company, the company owns a number of cinema chains in Europe but mainly in France where the company was founded by the Pathé brothers in 1896. The company dates back to being the second oldest film company (that currently still operates) followed by recently acclaimed partners in the industry, the 'Gaumont Film Company'. Over the years the company has been responsible for many successful films, the most successful of all being 'Slumdog Millionaire' which won 8 oscars after its release in 2008, gaining $377.9 million at the box office with just a $15 million budget. Pathé have more recently been responsible for the distribution of a few successful British independent films, such as 'Pride' and 'Suffragette'. 

Spike Lee & Quentin Tarantino

Spike Lee is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor, best known for films such as; 'Inside man', 'Malcolm X' and 'Do The Right Thing'. Spike Lee's films often look at the discrimination and racial tension that may be inflicted on a particular ethnic minority, exploiting the events that may of occurred surrounding racial discrimination but not gained much publicity, like my case study 'A Miracle at St.Anna'. He has often gained publicity and criticism for his films commonly focussing on the discrimination of black african american people, consequently leaving many people who are unable to relate to the struggles of black/african American people un-entertained by his films. I do not personally agree with this criticism as i think many of his iconic films (such as 'Do The Right Thing') effectively deliver a message (that may often be missed by a large amount of the worlds population), as well as following an interesting (often un told) narrative, and are in my opinion continuously visually impressive due to his individuality as auteur. 

Quentin Tarantino is an Italian-American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor, best known for films such as; 'Pulp Fiction', 'Kill Bill' and 'Django Unchained'. Tarantino films often contain grotesque gore and excessive violence, he has gained a lot of controversy over the years for many of his films because of this possibly being viewed as provocative or disturbing due to the renowned amount of violent content evident in most of his films. He is currently fighting an on going dispute after his massive success; 'Django Unchained' was criticised for its excessive use of the now extremely offensive term 'nigga' ,which was delivered in the screenplay 113 times as he claims he used the term in order to portray a realistic story which took place in 1858 America. His work as an auteur is very impressive as he is able to create characters which possess great depth through the use of remarkable actors and unique characterisation. Stylistic traits are able to immediately make a Tarantino film recognisable from other directors consequently resulting in some of his films receiving academy awards and usually making a large profit due to his mass audience continuously enjoying the films he creates.  

Room - Weekly Film Analysis

'Room' is a 2015 drama, which briefly displays elements of a thriller in parts of the film, the film is directed by Lenny Abrahamsson who also directed 'What Richard Did' which is one of my key case studies for 'living with crime', this film also fitting into that category, as well as   possessing many similar characteristics to 'What Richard Did' due to Lenny Abrahamsson being an auteur and his distinguishable techniques being evident in both films. The film includes themes of violence, love, imprisonment, isolation and freedom as we watch protagonists Ma (Brie Larson) and Jack (Jacob Tremblay) in an extraordinary story told in the form of a linear narrative structure, the devotion and dedication Ma has for Jack as she continues to create and sustain the universe she has created inside 'Room' is evident due to the outstanding performance of both actors through out the film. This creates a realistic/believable relationship between the two characters, resulting in a heartfelt experience for the audience as we see Jack's normality settle in the confined space which Ma euphemistically named 'Room'. When comparing 'Room' to 'What Richard Did' I personally think there is a commonality in the subtle approach Lenny Abrahamsson takes to both stories , in both films an event/events takes place which may be displayed dramatically in many modern films, instead Abrahamsson focuses on the reaction of characters which in my opinion is just as effective as showing the horrific events in grotesque detail. As protagonists in both films accurately portray the various emotions felt in the reaction of the event, meaning the event can be delivered in a more realistic viewpoint for the audience , which could also be more effective as the incident feels more real as the grim nature of the event is shown accurately visually as well as emotionally without unnecessary gore in most cases. 

Brie Larson had an outstanding performance in the film, consequently leading to her winning an academy award for best actress of the year for the film. Her determination and dedication to the trade was evident in her preparation for the film, previous to the film she prepared by staying in the darkness of her apartment as well as loosing weight, this resulting in her being able to accurately portray the character we see in the film visually, as well as delivering an excellent performance as Ma. I thought this added to the already grim realism displayed in the film as it was evident that her character (Ma) would go to any extent in order for Jack to live a life as normal as possible, even in the shocking circumstances they were under her hope was displayed through the clever choice in the various micro features, but ultimately her performance was key in portraying the love and dedication Ma felt for Jack in 'Room'.  

What Richard Did - Weekly Film Analysis

'What Richard Did' is a 2012 drama directed by Lenny Abrahamsson, the film follows protagonist Richard Karlsen (Jack Reynor) as we get an insight into the life of well respected rugby captain Richard, the undisputed alpha male of a privileged set of South Dublin Teenagers. The film explores themes of love, friendship, greed, guilt and regret as we watch Abrahamsson's subtle approach of exposing a boy who turns out to not be who he first believes he is after a devastating incident. I personally thought quite sound and a clever use of cinematography being used through out the film resulted in the audience almost feeling uncomfortable due to us feeling like we are encroaching on his very normal day to day life, which we are. Abrahamsson may do this in order for the protagonist (Richard) to seem very relatable to the audience as we watch his very normal everyday life over the span of a summer. Until one unexpected event that may be looked over as nothing by many people causes devastation among his friends and family, as well as his own mind , he begins to doubt who he truly is providing the audience with a thought provoking experience due to everything in the film seeming so subtle and un dramatic when really the seriousness of the situation completely juxtaposes to what we are seeing/feeling from whats up on screen. 

This film can also be linked to a number of my case studies , this due to it being a film exploring the 'living with crime' topic, which is evident a number of times through out the film, also classifying as a British film and having a lot in common with almost all my case studies, the most obvious being the commonality they share in a young teenage protagonist.  'The Selfish Giant' , 'Fishtank' and 'What Richard Did' were also all distributed by British film distributers; 'Artificial Eye' , who specialise in the distribution of independent and art house films. This film could definitely be a good example in future work surrounding my case studies due to the commonality in distributers and directors. Lenny Abrahamsson's originality as an auteur is clear after seeing more than one of his films, often subtle euphemisms are taken providing the films with a more interesting/relatable narrative as situations often become ambiguous due to him purposely approaching a particular problem or incident a lot less dramatically than seen in many hollywood blockbusters, leaving the audience thought provoked as the mystery within the film/character gradually unravels. 

Inglorious Basterds & Miracle at St.Anna - Compare & Contrast

'Inglorious Basterds' is a 2009 action/comedy film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, the film follows a multi protagonist vigilante group of jewish men and women named 'The Basterds' as they seek revenge on Nazi's during the WW2 time period. The themes displayed in Inglorious Basterds include violence, revenge , and war, despite the film being about a serious topic matter in WW2 ( the mass slaughter of Jewish people ), in true Tarantino style comedic elements are placed in the individual characters through out the film in order to make this film unique to many other classic war films, each of the characters in the film contributing to the grand finale where the true horrors of war are shown in the form of an on screen blood bath. With a production budget of $75,000,000 and a profit of $325,000,000 worldwide the film was a massive success. Tarantino's first war film was well received by its audience as his brutal story featuring the group of Jewish vigilantes clearly appealed to many people as the dramatic violence inflicted on many Nazi's in the film may be seen as well deserved after the utter devastation they caused many people during WW2. 

'Miracle at St.Anna' is a 2008 action/crime drama directed by Spike Lee, this film takes a different approach to the horrors of WW2 as a much more realistic display of War is shown (due to the narrative,violence and characters) after a group of African American Soldiers (known as the Buffalo Soldiers) are ambushed by Nazi troops, consequently ending up fleeing to and becoming trapped in a small Italian village in the year of 1944. The film explores themes of prejudice, survival, loss and war as we view the 'Buffalo Soldiers' attempt to keep their lives after becoming outnumbered and surrounded by the unforgiving nazi troops. With a production budget of $45,000,000 the film was clearly not as well received as it only achieved a profit of $9,000,000 worldwide, many audience members and  critics put this down to its unclear narrative as the non-linear structured film features episodes of war at different time periods possibly leading to confusion among audience members.  

It is very clear having watched films from both directors including these two that they are both auteurs in there own right due to there films being recognisable, distinguishable techniques and characteristics of their films make ever film made personal to them.
Obvious comparisons of the two films can be made immediately as they both focus on particular events (fictional and non fictional) that accurately display the unforgiving brutality of the Nazis in the time period of WW2, consequently leading to a strive for revenge in the characters featured in both films. The awaited revenge in both films is also centred around characters of particular ethnic groups (African American men in 'St.Anna' and Jewish men and women in 'Basterds'), this element making both films unique as the perspective of both ethnic groups is not usually explored in this way (revenge narrative) in many war films. Other elements such as the use of foreign language becomes evident when watching both films. Also the clear display of violence is used in both films in order to accurately display the brutality of the Nazis through out WW2, I think gore (which Tarantino is well known for) is dramatically used in his fictional interpretation of revenge in WW2 in order to create a glorious victory for the Jewish vigilantes featured in the film, as the onslaught of Nazis is displayed in this fictional take that many people will enjoy due to the harsh reality of this particular war resulting in the complete opposite for many people (in particular Jewish) in the historical event of WW2. Spike Lee approached the factual event of the horrific onslaught of many Italian people by the Nazis in a different manner, visuals in the film were more realistic as he accurately portrayed the fear of the people, and the dominant brutality many Nazis possessed as they continued to slaughter the people outside a church in the town St.Anna.Differences in the films were evident due to budget of 'Inglorious Basterds' being around $40,000,000 larger than 'Miracle at St.Anna' , this leading to less effective/realistic action sequences displayed in the lower budget film, possibly resulting in its small turnover in comparison to the large success gathered in 'Inglorious Basterds'.

The Revenant - Weekly Film Analysis

                                                    

'The Revenant' is a 2015 adventure/action film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film follows the adventures of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he ventures across the harsh terrain of 1820s America, seeking revenge on former and fellow crew member John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). The film includes themes of; love ,family ,revenge ,isolation ,survival and greed as the extremely determined character of Hugh Glass continues to fight for his life in the deadly conditions that are displayed through out the film in order to carry out his long awaited revenge. Glass' struggle in surviving the extreme weather and harsh terrain was made clear to the audience in the cinematography and performance during the film. For me these stand out micro features provided a film ultimately consisting of a very common revenge narrative with much more than that, as the audience can become submersed in the beautiful landscapes shot by cinematography genius Emmanuel Lubezki (Chivo), and Leonardo DiCaprio's outstanding performance as Hugh Glass allowing audience members to sympathise with the character as we see him go through countless incidents of intense physical/emotional pain through out the film. 

Cinematographer Chivo done an outstanding job in using a variety of unique shots to create a film delivering a deep powerful message within the visuals themselves in 'The Revenant ', like done in his previous films renowned and awarded for their cinematography ('Birdman' and 'Gravity'). Chivo once again proved his creativity as he shot a broad range of beautiful landscapes, used continuously through out the film in order to possibly reflect the emotions felt mentally/spiritually by Glass (for example: the sunset could possibly represent his hope fading away as his suffering become increasing worse) ,but these shots were also a constant reminder of the vast landscapes and extreme weather Glass was enduring in his struggle throughout his isolated expedition for revenge. I thought the continuous display of the harsh yet beautiful scenery shown in the wide shots really allowed the audience to become submersed in the environment, providing the audience with an insight into what Hugh Glass had to suffer in his isolated adventure through the various terrain shown in the film, this ultimately leading to the relatable feeling of being exposed to the elements as we begin to feel Glass' pain as it becomes clear he will do almost anything to survive and pursue his revenge. The wide/long shots clearly displayed this feeling of his insignificance in comparison to the overpowering force of nature. Even though Chivo was able to experiment using these powerful visuals of nature capturing the element in which Glass had to struggle through, there are also many long continuous hand held shots that he was well awarded for during his success in 'Birdman', this time he shot action using these continuous shots, I thought this was very effective as the length of the shots really left the audience in suspense as the violence between the fur trappers and Native Americans ensued. In this case the length of these shots could also emphasise the brutality and suffering the Americans caused each other as many lives were taken from both sides as the onslaught proceeded giving the audience an accurate insight into the violent battle between opposing sides in detail, the camera is panned and taken into positions where close ups of various characters being attacked can be seen, underwater where people being drowned and blood flowing through the water becomes very obvious on screen, providing the audience with grim details within the battle making it seem more believable and dramatic. Even though Leonardo DiCaprio was given little dialogue for you're average protaganist his eyes and facial expression were extremely effective in giving us a clear insight into how he was feeling in various situations through out the film, we see his physical/emotional pain clearly displayed even when he's not talking for much of the film, leaving the audience sympathetic for his character as we see him experience a variety of emotions over the time of the film.

In conclusion I thought the cinematography displayed in this film created deep meaning as it was effective in reflecting Glass' various emotions felt through out the film by showing the audience significant landscapes he himself was surrounded by.While also allowing the audience a brief insight into the harsh conditions in which Glass was exposed to during his expedition for revenge.The determination of his character was evident through the outstanding performance of Leonardo DiCaprio as he was able to display his hard felt emotions using his facial expressions(in particular his eyes), allowing the audience to relate to the range of intense emotions felt by him as they were accurately transferred on screen. 

Legend - Weekly Film Analysis

'Legend' is a 2015 biographical crime drama directed by Brian Helgeland, the film follows the lives of identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray as they rise to power through their organised crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s. The film includes themes of greed,family,drugs, and pride as the Kray brothers attempt to regain their brutal reputation as 'Gangsters', as well as fighting their own personal battles as Reggie try's to regain his relationship with Frances (his newly wedded wife), and Ronnie suffers from severe paranoid schizophrenia resulting in his extremely un predictable personality. 

Tom Hardy does an exceptional job playing both Reggie and Ronnie through out the film as he uses incredible method acting in order to switch between the twins and accurately portray their very different individual personalities, achieving detailed characterisation for both brothers, but still allowing the audience to see the clear similarities between the twins due to to Tom Hardy's physicality remaining the same. As well as Tom Hardy delivering dialogue in a particular cockney accent and using vocabulary associated with the particular time period, I also thought production designer Tim Conroy included detail in the set production that added to the authenticity of the film as it allowed the audience a strong insight into the environment of which the Krays lived and worked in during the 1950s-1960s. When watching the film it soon becomes clear that Reggie's soon to be wife Frances (Emily Browning) delivers much of the dialogue in the form of a voiceover, this provides the audience with an honest opinion on the twin gangsters as her opinion and love for the two brothers begins to decrease over the linear structured film , this happening as the Krays begin to become completely absorbed in the increasingly more dangerous life of crime, eventually leading to their downfall as they are caught and imprisoned.

In conclusion I think Tom Hardy's outstanding performance as the notorious Kray twins provided this film with an accurate portrayal of their very different individual personalities ,as the audience gets a clear insight into the different intentions of both brothers through out the film as they both attempt to deal with there own personal problems while regaining their reputation as gangsters. This stand out performance provided the film with the characterisation of both brothers that I personally haven't seen in any pervious Kray films, concluding in a dramatic biographical story allowing the audience a detailed insight into the rise and downfall of the notorious twin gangsters, while also allowing the audience to be sympathetic with the brothers as the film also displays the problems they faced ( Ronnie's sexuality constantly being the joke of their rivals and enemies), not only focusing on the crime they partook in.

Starred Up - Weekly Film Analysis

'Starred Up' is a 2013 crime drama (also containing elements of a thriller) directed by David Mackenzie, the film covers themes of corruption, family, and violence as Eric Love (Jack O'Connell) is moved to an adult prison in which he has to fight his own demons while he becomes surrounded in a prison full of men that have committed a variety of intense crimes, one of which we find out to be very personal to his past.

I thought cinematographer Michael McDonough done an outstanding job of making the various viewpoints in the film personal to the viewer by making us feel like we are directly inside the institution , he done this by using p.o.v shots multiple times through out the film providing the audience with an insight of being trapped in the enclosed prison, allowing us to sympathise with the characters as we come to realise their harsh reality . The p.o.v shots used are often shot through the wires and fencing used in the interior of the prison that are used to separate prisoners, this makes us (the audience) feel like we are personally seeing the on going drama as it un folds, also capturing the harsh environment the prisoners have to live in on a day to day basis as we immediately realise the wires separating the dangerous individuals in the film, giving us an accurate view point on what it may be like for many prisoners living in the hostile environment. Jack O'Connell was extremely successful in the role of the newly 'starred up' Eric Love, I personally think this was down to him being a very talented physical actor who is able to merge into a variety of characters, this allowed his emotions to be expressed through his physical movement in a realistic manner due to his passion in the role, the role of this particular character also suiting his physical acting as he is allowed to express Eric Loves clear chaotic thoughts/emotions through his strong physical performance through out the film.  In the key scene where Eric Love spits at a police officer after covering his body in oil in order to make it harder for the opposing police to restrain him, his body language/facial expressions clearly connote his clear intent and confidence in wanting to brutally fight with the riot squad who proceed to enter his cell, the strong performance showing a convincing  personality in the character of Eric Love in various situations, and the rage he goes through due to his complicated past.

In conclusion I think the micro features in this film were able to create and allowed the audience to escape and gain an accurate insight into the brutal grim reality of the prison world, Jack O'Connell's performance was key in reflecting the motives many 'starred up' youngsters may have in todays world as they attempt to earn a name for themselves in the corrupt prison hierarchy, while also trying to avoid becoming a victim of the various sinister predators that run the prison internally.

Fruitvale Station - Weekly Film Analysis

'Fruitvale Station' is a 2013 biographical crime drama directed by Ryan Coogler, the film follows the life of Oscar Grant on new years eve (2008) where we see him encountering and meeting a variety of people ranging from family and friends to enemies as the day goes on. The film includes themes of love,friendship,drugs,pride,money, and discrimination as we see the protagonist Oscar Grant (played by Michael B. Jordan) attempt to keep his pride and provide for his family while trying to overcome his own personal issues. The film follows a linear structure with flashbacks as we see his day predominately in chronological order with brief glimpses of his past scattered through out in the film in the form of flashbacks.

Michael B. Jordan provided the audience with a convincing character as he played Oscar Grant during the film, because he was successful in his performance this allowed the audience to relate and emphasise with his situation as it was clear he deeply loved his daughter and only wanted the best for her, even though he struggled with drugs and becoming involved in crime Michael B. Jordan's performance was key in showing that he did want to make a change in his lifestyle for his daughter. The compassion Oscar (Michael B. Jordan in the film) felt for his daughter was perfectly demonstrated with the help of Cinematographer Rachel Morrison, in the scene where Oscar races Tatiana (his daughter) back to the car Rachel Morrison decided to use a slow motion shot, this was so effective as it allowed the audience to see the true love in the relationship between the two as we could clearly see them both genuinely enjoying themselves as it was in slow motion there facial expressions were clear. This choice of slow motion also allowed the audience time to reflect on how Oscar is fully committed to give up his life of crime in order to watch his daughter grow up as we see him racing Tatiana back to the car not bothered about what people think of him as he stands on top of the car proclaiming his victory in a childish manner , clearly showing us how he is willing to give up his past pride for his daughter he clearly loves so much.  

In conclusion I think the way micro features were purposely used in this film intensified the emotions and sympathy felt for Oscar as we already knew the outcome of the film from the beginning, micro features were used to accurately portray his character, his emotions and the struggle he went through as a 22 year old black male from the Bay area, making the already devastating event that occurred more emotional as we are given his perspective and an insight into the real struggle many people have to deal with due to the discrimination towards Black people in this particular area of America on a day to day basis.