Hurtlocker Introduction Analysis

narrative, sound, mise en scene and special effects.
The Hurt Locker conveys its unconventional practices straight away. Usually, you would see opening credits at the very start of the film, whereas the hurt locker gets straight into the action with no on screen text. This benefits the viewer because they can then focus purely on what is happening in the film.




The sound used in The Hurt Locker's introduction is used to emphasise the intensity of the situation. The only non-diegetic sound used is the music at the start, after that, all sound is diegetic (you hear what the character can hear). The music used is very eerie and long, this really helps to complement the intensity of the situation. Also, the diegetic sound helps to make the viewer feel as though he/she is there, for example, the eerie silence makes the viewer think like the characters do by thinking that someone is going to set off a bomb etc. In my opinion, the most important diegetic sound is when the bomb goes off and you hear the rocks crashing down on the floor, this makes the situation a reality for the viewer.


The mise en scene in The Hurt Locker shows how rural the area is, the film is filmed like a documentary. Foe example, it shows the locals hanging around with the abandoned shops in the background. Also, the film is filmed in a documentary-style way when the bomb goes off and the camera begins to shake, this once again makes the viewer feel as though they are there. The dry desert environment gives the viewer an idea that the soldiers are in the middle east, which is backed up by the darker skinned locals living there.


Finally, the lack of special effects is very poignant because it emphasises how plain and boring the environment is, this gives the viewer a false sense of security before the bomb goes off. One of the only special effects is the use of an old fashioned camera, this is to give the effect that everything is being filmed by a go-pro from one of the soldiers' helmets.

Action Film Convention

Action films have a range of conventions and stereotypes which appear in almost every film of the genre. The first convention that I am going to discuss is the lighting on the character, for example, the terminator is shown with bright lights all over his face which implies that he is the limelight of the film and the main character.

Secondly, during action films, the main character who is usually a strong male will have battle scars on their face. The reason that it is put on their face is so that the audience can see what has happened, also, it emphasises how much that character has been through during the film. One example of this is the scars on the face of Bruce Willis during die hard (1988). The scars really portray the character as a warrior and a real hero.

Another convention of an action film is the use of background music. Often, you will find that the action film is made in America due to the high budgets needed to film these shows, this causes the film producer to try and appeal to and cater for the American audience. Film producers cater for the American audience by playing patriotic music in the background which links with the usual patriotic character. For example, the first Captain America shows him singing 'The Star Spangled Man' which is a play on words of the spangled stars on the USA flag.

Finally, I will be discussing the common location in action films. Generally, action films take place in major cities across America, cities such as New York or Los Angeles are used in order to get the American audience to relate to those places as most American people have been there or fantasised about going there.

Conventions of Comedy

Acting – usually characters are happy or exaggerate a certain type of role (e.g. a angry character overreacting more than usual)

Lighting – Usually all scenes are bright and light is on the actors as they are normally the ones you need to see for the comedy

Mise-en-scene – This is everything that is in the scene, including costume (could be exaggerated for character), make-up (also could be exaggerated), the props, and settings (usually relate to the plot, or the type of comedy)

Plot – usually a basic plot, designed primarily to make the audience laugh, normally with an underlying message such as friendship

 Camera angles and cinematography – close-ups to capture characters’ expressions, mid shot to capture stance and background, long shots focus on location of the characters which may be of importance to the plot, a zoom between shots can be used in humour, such as long shot to close-up showing a characters responding expression, or a close-up to long shot to reveal odd location or costume

Sound – Most of the time the music would be light-hearted in sound (e.g. camp piano in a chase scene). A deliberate wrong choice of music genre for a scene could also be used to create a comedy moment. There may also be some use of slapstick sound effects when someone is injured

Editing – Fast cuts for joke after joke based comedy and slower cuts between scenes for a build up to a punch line. Hardly any use of special effects as most comedies are set in real life situations.

Title sequences – Used to introduce the characters to the audience and in a few seconds try and define what type of character they are (e.g. a silly character), could be classed as a stereotypical view

     

Conventions Of Thriller

Thriller Film is a genre that revolves around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem – an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a Thriller film falls into, it will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax.




Firstly, I will be discussing the common conventions that are involved and associated with Thriller films. The first convention that I will be discussing is violence. All Thriller films contain traces of violence or violence itself. For example, the story will usually be based off someone threatening to kill another person and hunting them down. This is an essential part of thriller films because it creates the suspense.


The next convention of Thriller films is the involvement of the police, army or government. The reason that this is done is to show the audience that the situation is very serious so that they stay hooked in on the film. In addition, the involvement of the police and government emphasises and also exaggerates the importance of the storyline.


Another convention of Thriller films is that they all have the same aim, to create suspense and therefore make the viewer excited about what will happen next. There is also a common device used in order to create this tension, this is the use of a dangerous and intimidating character. Usually, this character is one that becomes obsessed with the innocent person in the film and starts to follow him/her everywhere until they get killed. This is the whole idea of creating suspense.


Finally, I am going to discuss the environment that seems to be common across all Thriller films. Often, you will find that Thriller films are set in busy cities or urban areas, the reason that this is done is to emphasise the strange behaviour of the evil character by getting the viewer to compare the behaviour of the general public and evil character.

The film 'Full Metal Jacket' is a film that shows the life of a soldier in Vietnam, it portrays the brutalities of the Vietnam war, particularly because it is one of the most notorious wars that has ever happened due to war crimes on the Vietnamese citizens etc.



To start off with, you will instantly see the name of the two companies that contributed to the creation of the film. The Warner Brothers logo appears 3 seconds into the opening credits, whereas 'A Stanley Kubrick Film' appears 12 seconds into the opening scene, straight after the Warner Brothers have their logo shown. These are called conventions, a convention is something that is common, and seen as the normal way to do things, so the opening credits of this film are very conventional.



Secondly, you hear the music throughout the opening scene. The music playing was from that period of time and was originally made about Vietnam. This is also an example of convention, because you will frequently hear background music in the opening credits of the film. Full Metal Jacket's opening credits are also relatively unconventional due to the music contrasting with what is about to happen, the music is rather relaxed and upbeat, whereas the film shows how brutal the Vietnam war was at the time.



In addition to this, you see the shaving of the heads of the new recruits, this signifies the removal of character straight away. Also, you can tell that from that point on, everyone is considered equal. It also shows that their past life is behind them, and they are completely committed to their duty.

Finally, the characters are given nicknames, this once again shows how the characters have completely left their past lives behind and have been thrown into the lifestyle of a soldier.

Horror Film Stereotypes

There are many characters that appear in horror films which always seem familiar, they may not be the exact same character but always seem to have very similar characteristics and make very similar decisions throughout the film. These are called stereotypes. 
1) The Monster/Creature
Every horror film has a character in it that creates the suspense. This is usually the scary monster or strange looking creature. The role of the monster in horror movies is stereotypically to chase down the other characters and try to kill them. Often, they are found lurking in forests or haunted houses riddled with ghosts. Overall, I believe that the monster is the most common stereotype in horror movies, with this tradition dating back to the early days of black and white films with no sound!



2) The Dumb Blonde
No matter which horror film you watch, there will always be the dumb blonde who is seen to only be in the film because of her looks, although, that is not always the case. The dumb blonde is also used to create suspense, they help to create suspense by making stupid decisions which lure the monster in. For example, entering a dark alley on her own where the monster is waiting to attack, while she is totally oblivious about the situation.



3) The non-believer
The non-believer is one of the most classic characters in horror films. The non-believers are usually the siblings or most responsible members of the group in horror films, they are usually the ones who get told about the monster and dismiss it instantly, usually by saying the line ‘you’re just seeing things!’  



4) The Jock
The Jock is usually the wild one of the group, typically male, he goes to see if there is really any danger and tries to find the monster. Often, you will find that he has an argument with another male who is less alpha, causing tension between the two characters. This is a very clever move from film producers because it takes the viewer’s mind off the monster, so that that it is more of a shock when the monster does appear.



5) The eye candy
The ‘eye candy’ is usually an attractive woman whose only reason for being in the film is because of their looks. The reason that this stereotype is used is to keep the viewer drawn in and paying attention to what is happening. Typically, you will find that this character is the most scared and anxious, the jock usually protects her, this creates a relationship straight from the off, this idea of warmth and safety helps to create and contrast with the brutality of the monster.



6) The old person
The old person is often used to create a sense of vulnerability within the group, but also a sense of togetherness. Typically, the old person will have grey hair and a grey beard with glasses (if they are male), whereas if the old person is female, they will be portrayed as innocent and frail. The reason that the old person creates vulnerability is because they are seen as the weakest link, but also brings a sense of togetherness because everyone is looking out for the old person.

What will be in my media blog?

My name is Nick Wynne and this is my media blog. Throughout this blog, I will be discussing many different aspects of film, and taking on many different challenges which come along the way. For example, I will have to film a preliminary task and I will also have to learn to use filming equipment and editing software correctly!

My name is Nick Wynne and this is my first post for my AS blog.