NINE FRAME STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

ICONIC SOUNDS

Iconic sounds of the dystopian genre cross over with iconic sounds of the science fiction genre. The first iconic sound comes from the 1951 film 'The Day the Earth Stood Still". The oscillating, high-pitched sound was introduced with this film but has now become familiar to the ear and synonymous with aliens.

 

The Wilhelm Scream is a recording which has featured in over 300 films. It is iconic to many genres, dystopian being one of them as the films often have war and destruction which results in screaming.

Terminator 2 features some iconic dystopian, cybernetic sounds. However one of the most memorable comes from the scene of a termiantor sliding through prison bars. This sound was created simply by sliding dog food out of a can. 

ICONOGRAPHY

ICONIC DIRECTORS

Fritz Lang 

Fritz Lang created Metropolis in 1927. This was the first film in the science fiction genre and set the foundation for science fiction films to come. It takes place in a dystopian setting that features many of the conventions seen in dystopian films today. It features a range of special effects that make it clear it is a dystopian future setting.



Ridley Scott 

Ridley Scott has created many iconic science fiction films such as Alien. However Blade Runner has set him apart as an iconic dystopian film director. The film examines the impact of technology on human society and existence. It is to this day an iconic film. This film was the first to incorporate conventions from film noir, its dark style and futuristic design influenced films, television and video games to come.






Stanley Kubrick 

Kubrick has created many iconic films including The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. However his adaptation of A Clockwork Orange is iconic within the dystopian genre. Kubrick created a dystopian future in Britain with artificial lakes and elevated walkways. The film explores free will within humanity.


Our film has inspiration from all three of these directors as they have set the foundation for dystopian films today. All three films mentioned have a dystopian futuristic setting that has influenced the setting we have created. Also all three explore or make a comment on a wide social issue. This is what we want to do with our film.

GENRE RESEARCH - conventions and history

INITIAL IDEAS

After careful consideration we decided out first idea will not be suitable. The technology may be too difficult to do with our budget and ability. Also for it to work it would have to be set in America. Stalking films have been done so many times before, our second idea is a lot more original.

MOODBOARD

GENRE THEORY

STEVE NEALE 

Neale's belief is that genre is constantly evolving. The main stages in genre are:

1. Form finding itself 
2. The classic 
3. Stretching genre boundaries
4. Parody
5. Homage 

Applying the horror genre to these  steps: 

1. Psycho 
2. Halloween
3. Nightmare on Elm Street 
4. Scary Movie 
5. Scream 

ANDRE BASLIN 

Baslin introduced the idea of genre theory by looking at Westerns in the 1950's. He was the first to look at significant advantages of genre from the point of view of institutional perspective. For example the re use of sets, props etc. He felt genre was practical, it makes sense and people like categories. 

ROBERT STAM 

Stam believes genre is so hard to define that it does not even exist. It is a concept made up by theorists and critics. The four main problems with genre are: 

• extension (breadth or narrowness of labels) 
• normativism 
• monalithic 
• bioligism 

REPRESENTATION THEORY

LAURA MULVEY 

Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist. She suggests that the 'male gaze' is where women are portrayed through the eyes of heterosexual men and presented as passive objects of male desire. Women are objectified and seen as sex objects. She also stated that women are either shown as virginal, innocent characters or in a promiscuous way. This is called the virgin/whore dichotomy. Mulvey also created the Bechdel test. It tests if in a media product two named female characters have a conversation about something other than a man for two minutes.


ANGELA MCROBBIE

McRobbie is a British cultural theorist who looks at the way in which gender roles are represented in the media. She believes the media socialise us into our gender roles. The media portray men and women in a very stereotypical manner. Men being aggressive, masculine and powerful. Women being weak, victims and mothers.

STANLEY COHEN 

Cohen suggests that groups are demonised by negative representation in the media. Moral panic is spread about the group when 'a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests'. An example of this is how recently immigrants have been portrayed in the news negatively. As a result more people are demonising immigrants.

BELL HOOKS 

Hooks is an American author and social activist. She talks about how the convergence of sexism and racism during slavery has contributed to black women having the lowest status and worst conditions of any group in American society. She talks about stereotypes refusing to die through the devaluation of black femininity and rape of black women.

LIESBET VAN ZOONEN 

Van Zoonen looks at the difference between the representation of women's bodies and men. She says gender is performative meaning we construct our ideas about masculinity and femininity from what we do rather than what we are. She also says the internet is not a feminist utopia, this view is too simple as it ignores the rich diversity of how gender is articulated on the internet. 

AUDIENCE THEORY

RICHARD DYER

Dyer suggested that audiences consume media products as a form of escapism. He says they wish to escape reality and the negativity it brings. He said there were three reasons why audiences consume media:

• social tension
• inadequacy 
• absence 

These reasons are generated by reality and the consumption of media provides a Utopian solution. 

BLUMLER AND KATZ

These theorists created the uses and gratifications theory. This theory attempts to understand mass communication. It looks more at the consumer than the actual product. It says the audience are not passive but rather play an active role in choosing and interpreting media. The audience specifically choose media to satisfy their needs. Blumler and Katz said there are five things the audience are trying to fulfil when choosing media: 

• Being informed or educated 
• Identifying with characters of the situation in the media environment 
• Simple entertainment 
• Enhancing social interaction 
• Escape from the stresses of daily life 

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE 

This theory suggests that an intended message implied by mass media is directly and wholly received by the audience. However this is discounted by many people as it is based on assumptions on the human nature. It suggests the audience are completely passive or just empty receptacles waiting to be influenced. 

STUART HALL

Hall created the theory of encoding and decoding. Encoding means the creation of texts and decoding refers to the interpretation of texts. This theory explores how media messages are produced, disseminated and interpreted. It claims that media audiences are presented with messages that are interpreted differently based on an individuals culture, background and economic standing.