Vladamir Propp suggested that characters took on the role of narrative 'spheres of action'. Propp came up with seven different character types to support his theory:
Hero - This is referred to as the protagonist. They are the characters who would want to solve the disruption and create the new equilibrium (relating back to Todorov's theory). There are two sub types of hero to consider - The victim hero, and the seeker hero. The hero is usually in the epitome of the action, as well as the villain.
Villain - This is the cause of the disruption, and is usually the enemy of the hero (exceptions occur in ransom type movies, where they look to blackmail the hero, such as Taking of Pelham 123).
Donor - This is a character which doesn't consistently help the hero along their journey, but provides a bit of information or a tool which can help the hero solve the disruption. This is not to be confused with the 'helper'.
Helper - This is the 'sidekick' of the hero. They aren't as influential as the hero, but they do help in resolving the disruption and making the hero's job a bit easier.
Princess - This is the victim of the disruption, and the character that the hero will be looking to save. For example, in Taking of Pelham 123, the victims are the passengers on the train who are being threatened by the villain. So that they don't die in the hands of the protagonist, the hero's task is to save the 'princess' (passengers), to avoid any harm being done.
Dispatcher - This is the character that assigns the task to the hero. They may also be have the features of other characters, such as the hero, donor, or princess.
False Hero - This a character which is introduced in rare occurrences. They are represented as a helper, but turns out to be helping the villain and finds out 'inside' information from the hero and their colleagues.
I have reviewed some trailers in reference to this theory, to understand how it is used in horror trailers, and apply the concept to my group's trailer.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Wrecking - Location choice
Me and my classmates have been escorted down to a very derelict, wide-open location, which were inspirational and provoked thoughts and ideas of torture scenes that could possibly take place. Below are pictures which have inspired us:
(Pictures)
I have had the idea that this could be our antagonist's lair, and could be used to torture her victims. A scene like this has been inspired by The Last Exorcism's poster.
(Pictures)
I have had the idea that this could be our antagonist's lair, and could be used to torture her victims. A scene like this has been inspired by The Last Exorcism's poster.
Song choice and analysis
After partaking in an extra curricular activity, Film's Cool, with the owner of the Ivor Novello awards, Gary Osbourne, we have chosen a song that would be best fitted towards our synopsis, and our trailer.
We have chosen to use 'Mad World' by Gary Jules, as it is a very downbeat, and depressing song (much unlike the other songs on choice from the Ivor Novello award winning category). Choosing a downbeat song such as this would help create this gloomy atmosphere that would be needed in this trailer, since our synopsis includes talking about a girl who has committed suicide.
Below, I have analysed the lyrics in it's implied contextual and subtextual meaning, and how it could possibly influence the composition of our trailer.
Click to see lyrics
'All Around me are familiar faces, worn out faces, worn out places'
From this, I imply that familiar faces that the person is speaking about are faces that he regularly sees. However, he represents them in a much negative mood, claiming that the environment and these people are 'worn out', suggesting that they're soulless and lifeless, rather than exuberant and vibrant. As this is the first line, it already sets the dark and depressing atmosphere to this song.
'Bright and early for the daily races, going nowhere, going nowhere'
This may suggest that in the writer's point of view, it is much different to wake up now than it was before. "Bright and early for the daily races" suggests that he's waking up to set off to whatever he's meant to do, just like it was a normal day. However, this line is quickly hit with a contradiction, since he explains that he's "going nowhere". This turns this line into some kind of a paradox, since there would be no point to get up early if you are going nowhere. So, what the line is trying to say is that the writer is getting up for no reason, which may represent his direction in life, since there is no reason to wake up to anything anymore, and is therefore meaningless. In terms of the
'Hide my head and drown my sorrow, No Tomorrow, No Tomorrow'
This heavily suggests suicide, or to forget bad memories. "Hide my head and drown my sorrow" suggests that he would want to
First synposis draft
After creating a preliminary storyboard based in a school, we have been asked to focus on creating a synopsis based on our final trailer. Using the school as a base, and a real life story about a teen's suicide, me and my new group (consisting of Will and Shenade) have created this plot.
Inspiration to our synopsis - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/11/amanda-todd-suicide-bullying_n_1959909.html
"A few weeks ago, a girl committed suicide by drinking bleach and hanging herself, because of the amount of abuse she were receiving from other students. This girl used to be a fun, bubbly, and magnificent individual, but when a very discrete picture spread around the school, the girl could never recover from such torment since. Even from that day, the bullies that put the pictures up and aggravated her death continued to mock the girl’s actions, including making sick remarks on her decision of suicide. Not long after her death, the group of bullies proceeded to express their final mark of ultimate disrespect, by urinating on her gravestone. However, as the heavens opened up, the girl reappears in front of the boys but clothed in a white, angelic robe, and with a face that is best described as demonic. The girl starts to reappear in their school, and in their personal premises, with the intent to avenge the vandalised memory that was left of her. Terrified by the bloodstained mirrors, the notes foreshadowing decease, and the vile presence of the girl they once bullied, the group that heavily influenced her death could only wonder how close they may be to death’s unforgiving clutch. The tables have drastically turned, and their psychological welfare can never be the same."
Inspiration to our synopsis - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/11/amanda-todd-suicide-bullying_n_1959909.html
Preliminary storyboard
In our media lesson, we have been asked to create a horror movie based in a school. This is to help stimulate ideas when it comes to the final idea, and we have a brief idea of how to plan scenes with the knowledge we already know. Below is a copy me and my partner's storyboard.
(Storyboard scan)
Our storyline idea was to mould the protagonist as a demented, mentally-ill student who was stalking and peering at a group of girls. The protagonist would then stalk one of the girls back home, where he would abduct her and take her back into a mysterious building, which is yet to be decided.
(Storyboard scan)
Our storyline idea was to mould the protagonist as a demented, mentally-ill student who was stalking and peering at a group of girls. The protagonist would then stalk one of the girls back home, where he would abduct her and take her back into a mysterious building, which is yet to be decided.
Stock Characters
When producing my final trailer, it is important that I mould my characters as scary as possible. To understand what features are effective of stock characters (protagonist - the villain), Below, I have carefully analysed the features of popular stock characters in horror movies.
(Presentation)
(Presentation)
Learning about stereotypes
In media, stereotypes usually influence the audience on how they view people in society. Stereotypes is defined as a group of people that are labeled in one group, because they share certain similarities. There are two types of stereotypes that media applies to their characters - Hegemonic and pluralistic stereotypes.
A hegemonic stereotype is the common, yet over-exaggerated type of personality given to a character. For example, for an old man, you would imply that he is hunched over, with a walking stick (like the Grandad in Only Fools and Horses). Other examples includes Bruce Willis in the DieHard series (representing masculinity), and Mary Jane in Spiderman (representing femininity). Usually, the passive type of audience are likely to relate to these stereotypes the most. This is because this is the type of audience that would believe anything they see (referred to as the 'lazy' audience), and it heavily influences their thoughts when looking at modern day society. They sometimes find it hard to differ between the fictional, and the real world, as a result of the media's hypodermic needle.
The hypodermic needle is when the media metaphorically 'injects' the viewer (most likely the 'passive' audience) with information. Passive audiences will rely on the media to provide their information and manipulate their thoughts, rather than being independent and think for themselves.
In comparison to this, an active audience are the type of people who will take it among themselves to analyse the subtext of information, rather than settle with the contextual information that is given to them (which the passive audience tends to do). They still consume information from the media, but are more analytical when it comes to making final thoughts and decisions on matters.
Pluralistic stereotypes are two stereotypes put into one, usually in attempt to challenge one stereotype. For example, Lara Croft is a woman, and you would expect her to represent the feminine stereotype. However, she is symbolic of a few masculine features (as she is a heroine), which means she is taking both stereotypes, and challenging them.
A hegemonic stereotype is the common, yet over-exaggerated type of personality given to a character. For example, for an old man, you would imply that he is hunched over, with a walking stick (like the Grandad in Only Fools and Horses). Other examples includes Bruce Willis in the DieHard series (representing masculinity), and Mary Jane in Spiderman (representing femininity). Usually, the passive type of audience are likely to relate to these stereotypes the most. This is because this is the type of audience that would believe anything they see (referred to as the 'lazy' audience), and it heavily influences their thoughts when looking at modern day society. They sometimes find it hard to differ between the fictional, and the real world, as a result of the media's hypodermic needle.
The hypodermic needle is when the media metaphorically 'injects' the viewer (most likely the 'passive' audience) with information. Passive audiences will rely on the media to provide their information and manipulate their thoughts, rather than being independent and think for themselves.
In comparison to this, an active audience are the type of people who will take it among themselves to analyse the subtext of information, rather than settle with the contextual information that is given to them (which the passive audience tends to do). They still consume information from the media, but are more analytical when it comes to making final thoughts and decisions on matters.
Pluralistic stereotypes are two stereotypes put into one, usually in attempt to challenge one stereotype. For example, Lara Croft is a woman, and you would expect her to represent the feminine stereotype. However, she is symbolic of a few masculine features (as she is a heroine), which means she is taking both stereotypes, and challenging them.
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