Wednesday 20 June 2007

Review

Pride (2007)

Directed by: The Blood Brothers

Starring: Jaspreet Hayer, Amandeep Brar, Kabir Aggarwal, Deep Munde, Manvir Chana & Narinder Hayer.

Review:

What do people look for in a good opening? Creative cinematography? Originality? Enigmas? Authenticity? A bunch of hot guys perhaps? 'Pride', a British art-house film set in London which explores the world of an Asian crime syndicate impressively offers all of that that, and more!

"Be as fully creative with the camera to the point that we're using shots no groups have used before. Be as flexible with the storyline as possible so that we're targeting a mass audience rather than a niche audience. Finally, and most importantly, be outrageously original and creative when producing the final product, afterall, that is what's going to win us the best award."

These were the three ambitious targets the Blood Brothers set themselves before filming. A well constructed non-linear narrative propelled by an excellently written script; a dazzling cast of Indian actors; an honest and accurate potrayal of West London.. Who can argue the 'Brothers failed to achieve what they set out to do?

- Aman

Interesting Facts:

Anyone curious about where Kabir's gonna end up in the future, think Beauty Parlour. The 'bruises' and 'cuts' seen on Aman's and Deep's faces were all brilliantly done by Kabir using some lipstick, eyeliner and mixed red paint.


Saz didn't actually do s**t, b******.

Whilst Jas rested his head against the table in red paint so we could capture images of him for the opening juxtaposition scene, he started drooling. It mixed well with the paint though, so mad propz!

During the process of both filming and editing, a new language was created for us to converse in. Mad shout-outs go out to Kabir n Jas as the founders.

At one stage, the tension created as a result of long editing led to Aman being kicked out of Kabir's house after a heated exchange of words. Big crisis! Not quite, they made up the next morning.

- Aman

NOTE THE COLOUR BLUE. YEEEEE, MANZ IS REPPIN CRIPS, NUFF RESPECT GOIN OUT TO MA HOMEBOY TOOKIE.

Monday 18 June 2007

Review

Starring- Jas, Ma Dad aka Mr Hayer, Aman, Kabir, Deep,Saz.


Pride depicts the lives of many Asian people who first arrived to England and were forced of making money through breaking the law. Morover Pride portrays a family rather than a typical group of gangsters who are decieved by one of their own
.


The opening scene makes use of various cinematography and a flashback to create an identification between the audience and POA. Additionally Pride incorperates a voice-over narration familiar to the film "Casino", this used to to present the plot to the audience and outline Propp's theory of Hero and Villan.

-Jas

Reviewww


Pride - Deep, Aman, Kabir, Jas and Saz


Pride is based upon the breakdown of a mob, rather a family and how one corrupting member can break the foundations. Deception and the murder of the Pride of Asia's founding member leaves two of his closest friends within Pride of Asia questioned by the police and seeking revenge.

With the use of a montage shot within a car our production offers exceptional camera work, which exemplifies our superb technical proficiency. Additionally, a range of camera angles allows the audience to be sutured into the film as it allows the audience to view the poker scene from all angles - to put themselves into the players positions, aswell as being able to understand the mood and feeling where myself and Aman are being interrogated.


Interesting facts

- We "re-scripted" Pride about 10 times and re-shot a lot of footage
- We tied Vivek to a chair and slapped him for a bit even though it was funny we kinda did it for no reason
- We edited everything on 4 computers
- A lot of editing was done from 10/11 in the morning until 4ish the next morning
- We said we'd be the best, and everyone doubted us.. yet we got 65/65 which no other group can say.

-----------------------

- Deep

Tuesday 29 May 2007

Monday 7 May 2007

Jaspreet S. Hayer
Evaluation

For my practical production I worked in a group of five to bring forth the opening scene to a gangster film called “Pride”. The films opening scene plot is about the demise of the once most notorious Mob boss (me) “Jova Jatt” in London. To concur with the theme of a gangster film we chose of the film to be “Pride” as it symbolises a pride of lions or a mans pride that leads him to his death. These connotations may persuade the audiences to watch and purchase the film.

We decided to share the responsibilities as this benefited the production as all ideas were put forward by five people. It benefited our productions as Kabir and I thought of interesting shots as I had the camera if they didn’t work the rest of the group would input ideas. However in the beginning filming and editing the production was difficult as all the group members had commitments like work, tuition or me going to America. But near the end everyone thought the production came first, however it was evident that some members put in more work into the production than others. Nevertheless my role was to get intricate shots, producing ideas before filming and ways of editing.

Having studied “Bullet Boy” (2004) as apart of module 2 and being inspired by Pulp fiction we used a non-linear narrative and incorporated special effects, which were hinted out to us by “Sin City”. We made use of the black and white shots with certain aspects of highlighted in red for example the blood. We used this effect as we wanted the connotations of red to be in the minds of the audience, hinting the genre and violence. The shots proved to benefit the beginning of the production as it makes a huge impact on the audience.

The productions non-linear narrative as flashbacks are used in the beginning indicated by fades and dips to blacks. The production also subverts Todorov’s narrative theory as we use a flashback “the good old days” which is juxtaposed in the present bad day (the death of Jova Jatt…the boss) and the production ends with the boot closing containing weapons. This would leave the audience in suspense as the gangsters are leaving the car with guns and closing the boot, creating suspense and enigma codes.

Our cinematography was well thought of before hand which enhanced the quality of the production. The montage of the driving sequence was a pastiche to The Sopranos however we altered so that it was created with our own ideas instead of duplicating The Sopranos; we reversed The Sopranos sequence. We used The Sopranos sequence to pay homage to the show; this was mostly my idea which was approved by the group. Some shots were shaking however this was a typical convention of the opening sequence of the show and created authenticity as it depicted movement instead of a static shot. We used edits such as speeding up scenes like the BMW car to show that the killer wants to leave the country as fast as he can and freeze frame the character in the poker scene to create an identification with the audience.

There are many types of settings in the film such as the hotel shot with the killer and Jova in his office dead, The Sopranos sequence and the poker room. The mise en scene that we created and chose was to outline the characters as the killer and the gangster. The hotel with the killer in has low key lighting to create a sense of a negative atmosphere and portray the character as a heartless murderer. Furthermore the driving sequence outlines the Britain’s and Southall’s location like in CSI: Miami. Additionally the gangsters have a yellow tint and high key lighting to portray them not as the hero’s people who fight for their rights, which challenges Propps theory. Furthermore the costumes worn were Indian clothing, it was used to create authenticity and a sense of realism, which would relate to the Asian audience.

Moreover, in the opening of the production uses non- diegetic sound; the sound was the sting of the infamous Sunrise radio station in Southall, there was also after the sting a radio report which is a voice over. We used the voice-over to outline the opening sequence and the stages like in the humorous film “the Godson”. Furthermore during the driving sequence non-diegetic sound is used again “Putt Jattan de” by Surinder Shinda. We changed the gangster conventions used for example in The Sopranos opening and incorporated an Asian feel to it. We did this to create authenticity and so that it would appeal to ethnic audiences. Moreover the poker scene begins with a voiceover this is so that the audiences will an understanding and will have identification with the gangsters also it has another Indian track playing as background sound or filler sound “Miteran de Motor de” by KS Makhan. Additionally the interrogation sequence uses diegetic and non-diegetic sound like in “The Usual Suspects” 1990. The track we used was “Magnet”, we used this track to create sympathy for the mob members and try to portray them as “shaheed” (martyrs).

One of the weaknesses in the production was the dialogue in the beginning as tried to use method acting but did not succeed however in the end we decided to write a script together. Furthermore the other weakness was the sound of the voiceover; it was unclear and also had no emotion it sounded as if it was read, we got this from the feedback we received from family members.

Additionally in the beginning we used a font similar to times new roman which we thought was un-original and so we tried incorporate some more of an Asian feel to it by using an Asian font called “Prakrta”.

The distributor we decided to use is “Miramax”. This is because they are an art house Distributor and have distributed films such as “Kill Bill” .We would like to distribute the film to cinemas such as Odeon and Vue, this is because audiences would appeal to the Vue cinema as they have deals from network providers such as Orange. After the movie has been taken off cinema’s we would want our movie to be shown on channel such as Film 4. This is because programs such as “The Sopranos” are played on E4 and “Godfellas” on Film Four which have a gangster genre so this means we would get high ratings.

Overall, I think we have made a successful opening sequence that has special effects, voiceovers and finishes with an enigma. In the beginning we encountered many problems with time, file conversions and using different computers we have overcome and made a production to be proud of which can also stand up to Strap.

Blood, Sweat, Tears & Memories to last a lifetime...This is the final say from Kabir.

Mission accomplished! It was certainly a struggle but, it's finished and it looks like how a true Blood for Blood Production should. I think back to December when the 'Rose Mob' first came into the picture, the vision was vague but, the one thing that was clear to all of the group was that we have to be the best. Truthfully speaking, this attitude led us astray and we all underestimated the time, thought and effort involved in becoming the best; time went on and the finishing line didn't seem to be approaching. We found ourselves in a position where time wasn't a luxury anymore and we had to get the ball rolling. So surely enough, we did and the production for the first time looked like it was heading in the right direction. A memorable moment for us as a group was when we presented our work to Mr Bush for the first time, all eager to leave him speechless and he didn't seem very impressed at all. Naturally us being who we are, were distraught and our Pride wouldn't let us see that this production is not as good as we could have made it. Once the smoke cleared and we looked at the production we realised that we were trying to conform to something that doesn't define who we are as a group. Since, Pride was the reason we were even placed in this situation, we thought it would only be appropriate if our movie depicted such Pride. Trust me, things would never be the same again, we had a new found motivation and a subject matter for our production which we could all relate to. The idea of perfection was back on the agenda in full force, but like anything in life, it takes hard work, patience and one must always prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Many nights were spent sleepless in front of computers and at eachothers necks (trust me, these productions are true tests of friendship), we encountered every problem that you could think of, but looked up and overcame them... Many memories were created along the way, some of them almost bring a tear to my eye, it was truly an experience worth going through, as far as what comes next for us... Enjoy the fruits of our labour! I am truly Proud of what we have made, I hope that everyone enjoys it as much as we did... Well Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, you've just experienced history in the making... This is a fine big screen production presented to you by the Boys at Blood for Blood... This is Kabir Dev Aggarwall signing out for the last time...The End.

P.S. Just for future reference, for when im old, senile and grey, we can't forget the words that were so frequently used along the way:
  • Bangst
  • Jukky
  • Duttybuch
  • Stanley Tookie Williams
  • Jukky Crease
  • Mad Propz
  • O-oook-ook-oookayyyyy!
  • Yeeeeeeeee Boy-eeee!
final blog report

okkkk okkkk okkkay mad crazy propz (a language we created during editing or 4/5 guys editing/trapped, in one
room in the middle of the night),
we are finally done after going through every problem unimaginable (yer thats right) , from losing clips, corrupting clips, no sound, moving from one computer to another (we were computer gypsys). this production cost us 4 weeks of our lives, 3 weeks back we thought we were done and celebrated only to find out on our tutorial we have to add more scenes and edit. we were the group with the best ideas but just could not get around to making the scenes scripted and relied on our intricate shots. last week we edited hard, i came back at 4 on monday mornin from kabirs' house; my parents think im living the life of a drug dealer walking in the middle .one thing i've learnt is to make a solid script and expext the unexpected. although our production was late and our group has earnt the rep of the under dog i am more than happy with it and excited to get what we deserve on media awards evening.


-Jas

Public Service Announcement

Basically..

Our production is THE BEST =D

Thursday 3 May 2007

Final Progress Report

After every possible problem has happened, our production is finally finished and I'm extremly happy with our production. We've worked really hard until stupid hours in the morning, and hopefully it'll reflect when everyone watches it next friday, and on the awards evening night.

-Deep

Evaluation

My evaluation seems to have disappeared off my PC, so when or if I find it, I'll post it up.

-Deep

Thursday 12 April 2007

Saturday 24 March 2007

Progress Report (Reality Check)


23/03 - We presented what we believed to be our *final* cut of the opening sequence to our production to MC Gab, Jatinder and two members of the 'Dot Com' production. The night before, myself, Kabir n Jas had spent roughly three hours putting it together. We were more then satisfied with what we had produced, so much in fact that I went around the next day boasting to everyone about how *good* it was. Boyyy were we in for a bit of a reality check. To begin with, after watching the sequence, the looks on their faces resembled that of a 'is that it' look. To make it worse, Mr.Bush then began by saying he thought the footage that we had posted on the blog was better (the same footage that was put together in less than half the time it took to put the final cut together).

After their feedback, a few things have evidently become apparent:


1] We've completely underestimated competition. The DotCom production at present looks to be by far outdoing ours.
2] Our lack of committment is costing us.
3] Our production.. It's not rubbish, but nor is it exceptional. Infact, it's far from exceptional.

Our aim is to produce a practical production which will rightly warrant the 'Best Media Practical Production' award. Right now, our footage is not good enough to even pose a threat, but considering the talent we have in our group I'm sure we can put things right =).

Over the course of the weekend and next week, we're going to film some extra footage to replace the shots that are letting us down. Then we'll edit. Then we'll return by the end of the week with a substantially improved opening sequence.

- Aman

Wednesday 21 March 2007

Progress Report

Tomorrow, we will continue editing. The opening scene is complete and we're extremely happy with it, we need to now just compose the rest of the shots into an order we're happy with. We can then aim to edit them until we're satisfied with what we have.


-Deep

Sunday 18 March 2007

Deep's Self Evaluation

Attainment - 1 - It's good (?)

Effort - 1 - I always complete my work.


Punctuality - 1 - I'm always early

Submission and quality of homework - 2 - It's sometimes late, but in terms of quality just ask Ms. Stevens

Ability to work independently - 1 - I try and ignore Pardeep.

Quality of writing - 1 - Ask Ms. Stevens about my essays.

Organisation of Media folder - 3 - In the last two to three weeks, it's become a bit messy.

Oral contributions in class - 1 - I contribute often.

Quality of coursework - 1 - It's amazing.

Standard of Module 3 blog (Year 12s only) - 1 - It's neatly composed and we're always up to date with our progress reports.


b. Make a list of three targets/areas for improvement to be achieved before study leave.

- Revise.

- Concentrate more.
- Try not to get bored and draw stuff.

Aman's Self Evalutation


Attainment - What's attainment again?

Effort - 2; Regurlarly complete classwork and homework. Always contribute to class discussions.


Punctuality - 2; Rarely late or absent.

Submission and quality of homework - 2; A lot of effort always put into my homework. Rarely handed in late.

Ability to work independently - 3; I get lonely and bored.

Quality of writing - 1; Punctuality, grammar, range of vocabulary.. It's all first class.

Organisation of Media folder - 3; At present it's in a bit of a mess.

Oral contributions in class - 1; Always have something to say.

Quality of coursework - 1; The clips speak for themselves.

Standard of Module 3 blog (Year 12s only) - 2; Layouts neat. We regurlarly post progress reports and other stuff.


b. Make a list of three targets/areas for improvement to be achieved before study leave.
- Learn to work independently.
- Pay more attention in class.
- Stop dissing Naziya.


Saturday 17 March 2007

rough cut of opening scene



apologies for the lateness

from the group

Tuesday 13 March 2007

Blog Report

we have finished all the scenes and hav started editing, also we are searching for sound effects and we found a couple of people that fit the role of the narrator.

from jas

Wednesday 7 March 2007

Progress Report

We've finished all the scenes that needed to be shot. Over the weekend we will proceed with editing, and discuss music and other editing ideas.


-Deep

Tuesday 27 February 2007

on the 21st of feb 07 we re-shot deep's scene so that we could improve on it. we used a variety of shots such as close-ups and pov shots and others.

following week (26/02/07)

furthermore we shot the other finishing touches to the othe key characters, howver we are unfinshed as we have paid too much attention to detail and are setback a little longer that the deadline. we will have finished our practical production footage by the end of the week and then start editing.

jas

Monday 26 February 2007

Progress Report For Week Starting 26/02

We will unfortunately not be able to complete our filming for tomorrow's deadline. Whilst we have filmed 3/4 of the footage required to make up our proposed opening scene, we have collectively come to the decision that a lot of the footage is not good enough to make the final cut. This is for a variety of reasons. In particular, the quality of the lighting and sound in some of the footage has proved to be a big let down.

With this said, we now believe we have the right settings and equipment to avoid a repeat of the previous setbacks. We will be aiming to complete our filming by the end of the week.

- Aman

Wednesday 21 February 2007

Progress Report

Yesterday (21-02-07) we completed my flashback which was the final version.

During the week, we'll finish off Kabir's flashback as we need to shoot the end of it and we'll re-shoot Saz's flashback. We'll also discuss a few changes that have taken place.

Then at the weekend, we will finish off any shots we need etc.


-Deep

Saturday 17 February 2007

Blog Errors

Some of the text might be out of place etc, as the blog isn't working properly. I'll try to fix it as soon as.


-Deep

Test Screening Feedback


MCCAT

  • Media Language (A)
  • Conventions (B)
  • Creativity (A)
  • Attention to Detail (B)
  • Technical Proficiency (A)


Positive comments

  • Cinematography

    The POV shot was very creative as well as being good. A variety of shots were good as well as the re-use of shots. Excellent editing, additionally the use of a blurry shot was well thought out.
  • Mise-en -scene

    The setting was good. The use of props was very good; the cocaine, suit and ring were excellent.
  • Lighting

    There were good effects such as the use of lighting.
  • Sound

    The parallel music was used to great effect, also it suited the genre, scene and was a good choice overall.
  • Conventions

    The mise-en-scene suited the genre, where by the audience can relate to it.


Constructive Criticism

  • Cinematography

    We received no criticism.
  • Mise-en-scene

    More gangster conventions needed.
  • Lighting

    The lighting was too dull, perhaps dark lighting would have suited the scene better.
  • Sound

    We received no criticism.
  • Conventions

    We received no criticism

Suggestions and Ideas

  • What else would you (or the target audience) like to see in this production?

    The shots could be longer.
  • Suggestions for post-production/editing

    We received no comments within this section.


    - Deep

Tuesday 13 February 2007

The Priest Mock up Flashback



This is a mock up flashback of Saz'z (Priest) it uses typical conventions like parallel sound and mise en scene. We shot this on the 11th of feb at Saz'z house. The flashback uses a Pov shot with a blood drip effect to create the effect that blood is all over the victims eyes and face.

P.S. Thanks Vivek for being victimised

By Jas

The Baptist Preview Flashback




This is a short unfinished Preview of Kabir's (Baptist) Flashback. It was shot on 8th of feb at my house, in the garage. The Mise en scene is perfect as it gritty and grey which is a typical convention, used in gangster films such as in Reservoir Dogs. The sound is parallel as it describes The Baptist's role and his personality.

By Jas



Monday 12 February 2007

'Blog Comments'

1.
What do you think of our blog?

What do you particularly like about it? What's especially impressive?

What could be improved? What's missing or could be added?


2.
Based on what you've read on the blog (and maybe seen in test screenings in class) what suggestions do you have regarding what we could do to make our Practical Production really successful?

What other things could we include in the production?

How should we go about filming any remaining scenes or editing the footage during post-production (+ suggestions for music, etc.)?

Sunday 11 February 2007

Progress Report

Today (11-2-07) we completed Saz's flashback, everthing went well. We don't need anymore footage for this shot, so we can now look towards re-shooting my flashback aswell as the other characters.

During the week we will finish of Kabir's flashback, aswell as drawing up the tracking shot. We may also begin to record the voice over, however we may opt for using an extra for the voice over.

Also, thanks to George and Vivek for helping us out.

-Deep

Saturday 10 February 2007

Progress Report

The work completed so far

My mock up flashback was completed, and we are happy with how it went as well as being happy with the quality of it. However we began to use the camera more, and began to be aware of important factors such as lighting, mise-en-scene, sound and many other aspects. We now believe that we have learnt more and are now in a better frame of mind on how to achieve things. I know personally feel that my mock up, although cited as being excellent by many, that is was honestly a poor attempt in terms of what we are capable of.

At the moment, we have completed Kabir’s flashback and we are happy with the footage we have. However, we do feel that once we begin to edit we will need more footage for the end of his scene.


Research and ideas

I began to watch more and more home made films, as well as many previous GHS student videos. As well as reading a lot of articles, I now know that reaching a higher level of quality is very achievable. By watching a film and analysing shots, it becomes easier to learn now to achieve x angles, and y lighting by putting yourself into the scene and considering how the director did this or that.

Over the next week

On Sunday 11th February we will begin to shoot Saz’s flashback, as well as considering my own flashback. However, this may not be the case, and we may have to shoot both flashbacks during the week. The tracking shot will be planned and drawn up, then executed as a mock during the week. By next weekend, we should have all the flashbacks completed.


- Deep

The Priest: Flashback

Big P aka The "Priest."


{ Screen is black, the only sound heard is heavy breathing and muttering....
POV shot is shaking, due to the intesity of the victims beatings....}

{ POV shot from the victims eyes at a silouette of Big P, disguised by the shadow }

Big P: " So you thought you could just take the money an' leave eh? Not so clever now are we child...."

{ Eyesight/ POV shot still blurry and shaky. Quick glance on the silver object to Big P's side }

{ Fear can be heard from the victims voice }
Victim: " Please P, I didn't mean to run, I'll get the money, I promise..."

{ Camera tracks to shot of Big P's fist clenching and reaching towards his right side. He slowly draws for his gun with a hint of smoke in the background }
Big P: " Promises dont mean nothing to me, Im a hitman, you know these things { pause }... the killing, this whole business it comes easy to me, I get paid great money to do something I love. But... snakes like you dont deserve a place in this world. "

{ POV shot from Big P's side, see a man tied up, harshly beaten with his shirt ripped open and the letter 'P' engraved into the victims chest. Lighting is dim, with hints of smoke floating around from the half finishd cigar in the ash tray }
Victim: " No P, please, im begging ! "

{ Sounds of distant struggling in the background, but all sound zoned onto the words of Big P, as if the mic was right beside his mouth }
Big P: { To himself } " Though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil, for i am the baddest motherfucker in the valley. "
[ Gunshots ]

- Saz

[This scene is the base idea, however it may be altered at a later date - Deep]

Thursday 8 February 2007

Whiskey's Mock Up Flashback




This is Deep's (whiskey) flash back this is not the final one as we will try oout more ideas. We used parallel sound to emphasis what he is doin... snorting "coke". Also we layered a clip onto another clip to create that effect he is "high" also we used a thick piece of glass (this is the pov shot). We took a shot of a multicouloured lamp shade to create the effect of him"high " as there are various colours. We got this idea from the pov shot in Kidulthood when Trevor is drunk in London.

By Jas

Monday 5 February 2007

Whiskey's Flashback.

Deep’s Flashback

Within the restaurant, the tracking shot follows the ‘Rose Mob’ sitting down, drinking and talking to one another. The shot goes past a few people; the camera then stops at me where the camera is placed in front of my face. I am currently looking straight into the camera.


Post production additions

-Black and white effect to be added
-Freeze frame needs to be faded out of the tracking shot, and back into the tracking shot
-Text written: “Whiskey”
-Narration needs to be added to talk about who Whiskey is



Straight cut to a short clip; Whiskey’s flashback. (Back to normal colours)

Whiskey’s character and personality will be developed here, this is where the audience will be able to identify with how I fit into the film, and where I lie within the ‘Rose Mob’

The short clip shows me sitting in an office/at a desk sniffing cocaine. To my right will be a mountain of cocaine, where I continuously rub my nose and sniff. Lines of cocaine are in front of me, the camera sees me put my head down to sniff a line presumably, where the camera can only see my arm and the crown of my head. The camera would then switch to the door where a policeman would walk in and he waits at the door. The camera would switch back to the desk, then slowly move down to show me lifting my head up to reveal the lines are gone with my wiping my nose continuously and sniffing.

-Deep

Wednesday 31 January 2007

Location Spotting













On Thursday 1st Feb at period 3 and 4 we are going to find a venue for where our main shoot will take place... a restaurant. We will make our way to old Southall and search for restaurants that fit the feel of a typical gangster restaurant. We already have one restaurant in mind, Monsoon. We have chosen to see this restaurant as it is near our homes and the people from GHS, who will be in the film. This will be an advantage to us and them as they can reach there on time and also it is near their homes as well. We are going to meet the manager and inquire about what days are vacant and ask what the price rates are (including other restaurants in Southall). This is so that if we choose this restaurant or any other we can sell the tickets fully knowing what the price is.

By Jas

Tuesday 23 January 2007

Snatch





Snatch released in 2000 is a British film by writer/director Guy Ritchie. The target audience is 18-30 year old males, of a working/middle class background. This is due to the colloquial language used; many events such as robbing the bookies are commonly known measures by this age and social class group. Additionally many of the characters are from within this section. This would indefinitely be shown on Channel 4 as they predominately show British Gangster/Crime films after 9pm.

The camera work shown in this clip is very unorthodox however it suits the style of this film as many of the characters; their names and what they do are also unorthodox. Typical conventions come from the use of cockney names, slang and also clothing. For example, long coats and shotguns would be associated with London, rather than France or America. The location of London is also very conventional as many other British films are featured here.

Where each character has their own short scene we could attempt to feature a similar sequence to describe what they do, and how the fit into the ‘Rose Mob’. Also, we would use a freeze frame on the characters face similar to Snatch’s’ however, we wouldn’t use colour, rather black-and-white would seem more appropriate.

- Deep


Pulp Fiction Research



Pulp Fiction was produced and directed by Quentin Tarentino in 1994, where Roger Avery co-wrote the screenplay alongside him. The target audience would be 18-30 year old males, this can be identified as drugs, guns and violence are heavily used within this film.

This text would be shown on Channel 4 as this genre (Crime/Gangster) is mostly shown because of its mature factors, where BBC One would rather show a Harry Potter film. This is due to the fact that BBC One also caters for many young children, where Channel 4 rather wants to appeal to late teens and adults.

The reason I chose these scenes are because of the fact that they show people eating whilst having a conversation where we would have the same principle. The camera work used allows the audience to view both characters in speech, whilst allowing the audience to also view their surroundings that often come into the conversation. I think that we could employ the same principle if we wish to do so quite effectively. Typical genre conventions can be seen where sophisticated wording is used which creates at times, enigmas for the audience. The question is the answered in a conclusion like ending of their ‘speech’.

I would like to employ the idea of shooting important characters from their side, viewing their actions. By viewing what they do we can create the characters basic personality and habits. We can then go to the characters flash back, and further develop those ideas given of by that particular character.

For example, we could shoot one of us from our side smoking a cigar, which is similar to John Travolta’s scene. During their flash back, they could open a draw full of cigars and perhaps drugs. Those drugs could then be rolled up into a cigar, where this would show the audience that he’s the drug lord of London with the use of a narrator or additional characters involved.

- Deep
Jas's Film Recomendation..."The Business"



I recomend this film "The Business"(2005) directed by Nick Love, it is about the rise and fall of a south London ganster aka "cardboard cut-out ****".
Ways To Shoot A Tracking Shot




These are ways me (Jas) and Deep thought of how to create a tracking shot and keep the camera steady...any other suggestions would help (excluding the rose-mob group).
Jas's Carlito's Way Research



Carlito's Way is a 1993 gangster film based on the novels Carlito's Way and After Hours by Judge Edwin Torres. The film adaptation was scripted by David Koepp and directed by Brian De Palma. It stars Al Pacino.

The target audience once again would be males aged 18- 30 as this is a gangster genre film, which contains violence and strong langusge. The film would most likely be broadcasted on Film $ and other channles such as sky movies or TCM, which is another films broadcasting channel. The reason i thibk this is because films such as the usual suspects has been broadcasted on these channels. It would be likely that the time for the film to be shown would be after 9 pm.

The special features that this scene uses is no dialogue for around 30 seconds as it is full on action. Additionally the director uses cleaver cinematography as he uses refelection in this scene, refelection is used on the guys glasses. This is a grat technique that can be used in our production. The clip has fast pace cuts and the sound is parallel also non diegetic and diegetic sound is used, this is to create the atmosphere full with suspense. The typical cnventions used are the leather coat worn by Al Pacino, also the setting is conventional as it is a bar. This is where most deals take place also a place of relaxation.
Jas's Reservoir Dogs Research




Reservoir Dogs is the 1992 debut feature film of director Quentin Tarantino. It incorporates many of the themes and aesthetics that have become Tarantino's hallmarks — violent crime, pop culture references, memorable dialogue, and nonlinear stories.

The film is tarheted at 18-30 year olds as the film especilly this ear scene caontains sidistic violence and black humor; Mr Blonde makes a joke out of cutting the cops ear off. The film can be seen on any mainstream channel, however i feel that the channel 4 family are more likely to broadcast the film, (film four) or even itv2. the time would most probably be afetr 9pm as this is when over 18 programmes are broadcasted.

The distinctive camerwork this clip has are the quick cuts from Mr Blonde to cop and also the tracking shot used when Mr Blonde goes out of the wharehouse to get petrol. The sound used is parallel as the song is about someone who is scared and cautious. The setting is a wharehouse which connotes an "unhomey" feeling also a secret hide out, (once again) the "gangster den". these are the tyoical conventions the setting also the attire is stereotypical as they are all wearing suits as a way to be noticble amongst each other. the key elements that we could use from this practicle production are the tracking shot, also if we are using flashbacks i hope that i can get a scene similar to this, (blowtorch scene). I can therefore learn from the actor.

Monday 22 January 2007

Goodfellas Research





1] About the text

The text is a clip from the film Goodfellas, produced in 1990. It was directed by Martin Scorsese.

The target audience would be 18-30 year old males of a working/middle class background. This can be identified as many males of that age range watch Gangster films. Additionally, actors ‘Robert Di Nero’ and ‘Joe Pesci’ are traditionally featured in many gangster films, which would mean they are easily identifiable, by their target audience. Also, both actors feature in many ‘Martin Scorsese’ films, which would appeal to their audience.

Goodfella’s would be shown on many TV channels, although perhaps Channel 4 would be most likely. It would have to be shown after the 9pm watershed as many channels have viewing policies and obligations to abide by.


2] Different features it has

The most distinctive camerawork within ‘Goodfellas’ would be the 3 minute continuous tracking shot where the camera follows
Ray Liotta and Karen Hill (?) into the back of a restaurant to their table whilst Ray Liotta tips many staff members. The reason behind this shot being so successful is where there are no edits, the shot is continuous and clean. Diegetic sound is used where music and other sounds come from within the kitchen and restaurant itself.

Many of the male characters have sleek combed hair, which is a typical convention of the Gangster film genre, which can also be seen in other Gangster/Crime films such as Casino and Reservoir Dogs. Additionally, almost every male character wears a suit if not always a shirt, which is another convention, used. Ray Liotta hands ‘tips’ to the staff members, which is also known to be used.

We intend to use a tracking shot, which is a mix of two tracking shots used in Goodfellas. The first is the most famous, where we would follow ‘The Rose Mob’ into the restaurant and move around characters whilst they sit down and begin to socialize. Continuing from this same shot, we would then go to the 5 key members and begin to speak about them, this shot is similar to the shot used in Goodfellas where the camera moves around a nightclub, accompanied by Ray Liotta’s voiceover that identifies the members of the gang.

- Deep

Lock Stock Research (Kabir + Aman)

Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, 1998, Guy Ritchie is a British production which makes it very closely related to our planned production. this particular scene shows Vinnie Jones terrorising another character while he is in a tanning booth, immediately it comes to ones mind that this is a black comedy, which takes seemingly life threatening issues and twists them to make it sinister and somewhat paaletable to the audience. i belive this is a more than successful aspect of the movie and i feel that it would be wise to consider some humour reminiscant to the one in this clip for our production. moreover, i feel that the combined use of point of view shots with high angles are critical. the man in the booth is shown looking up at Vinnie and therefore vinnie looks emensely more powerful to the audience, this is another aspect that can be put in to our production because as in any gangster films, power is always central to any occurances. the cut to white is also a very good shot as the it is quite shocking and catches the audience of guard therefore forcing the attention of the audience. this is very good for a movie of this sort because any production strives for one common thing which is engrossing the audience to the fullest.

- Kabir

1. About the text...
The text is a clip from Guy Ritchie's British Gangster film 'Lock Stock n Two Smoking Barrels', produced in 1998. It is aimed at 18 - 30 year olds primarly because of it's combination of adult themes and explicit violence. With the possible exception of BBC, this film can be expected to be seen on any channel playing mainstream films.

2. Different features it has...
The most distinct shot used in this clip is the point-of-view shot which switches from the perspective of the abused and abuser. The long leather jacket worn, accompanied by the cockney accent is a typical convention of the gritty natured British Gangster films. As we are planning to have a torture influenced scene as one of our flashbacks, we will undoubtedly be using the POV shot as it enables the audience to successfuly identitfy with both characters involved.

- Aman

Goodfellas Analysis (Kabir)

Goodfellas,1990,directed by Martin Scorsese is undoubtedly one of the epics in the genre of gangster movies. this particular movie was targeted at 21-30 year old adult males. i have said this as the certificate and content very much suggest adult issues as well as manly behaviour. in this particular scene, Ray Liotta is shown being wary of police patrolling and searching for him in the form of a helicopter. i was intrigued by this scene very much becuase of the use of point of view, shot/reverse shots. i am definately interested in incorporating these aspects into our text. i feel that this was used cleverly to show the hurried behaviour and edgy feel to the character, as well as this it suits the fact that the character is under the influence of drugs. as well as this the use of diegetic sound is very well placed in order for the scene to seem more real and yet still let the music be a successful accompaniment for the scene.

Kabir

Goodfellas Research (Jas)

Jas's research

1. About the text...

What is the text? When was it produced? Who produced/directed it?
this is a clip from Goodfellas which was directed by Martin Scorsese and distributed in the 1990's.


Who is the target audience? How do you know?

the target audience for the Goodfellas would be mostly males from a middleclass and working class backgorund. the reason for this is, the gangster genre was and still is a lhuge hit with the audience. the middle class audiences would watch the film because of the director Martin Scorsese, however the working class would watch the film because of famous actors they idolise.


Where would you usually expect to see this text? What channel? Time? etc.

i would expect to see this film on tv, on film 4 as channel distributes classic films such as scareface or the usual suspects and Goodfellas. iwould expect that this film would start on at 9 pm or 11pm on a thursday as this is when the sopranos are shown on e4, this is a recognised day for channel 4 families gangster night.

2. Different features it has...

What is distinctive about its camerawork, editing, sound, mise-en-scene, etc.?

the most distinctive thing about the film is the 3 miniute tracking shot which is amazing, as the cost for this shot would've been sky high. this id the clip i have chosen from Goodfellas, it uses no editing like fades or cuts " sometimes the least amount of editing could make the film and scene unique". the sound is parallel to this scene as they are in a restaurant. this restaurtant is like the entertainment area for the gangsters, "the gangster den".

What typical conventions of its genre does it use?

the typical conventions the this film uses for its genre are that the characters are wearing clean sharp italian suits, with an american accent. this indicates where the americans are from, giving the audience the idea that the characters areliving the "amrican dream". the other typical convention i when the gangster ray liotta is goving big tips to doorman and the restaurant workers, this shows that he is a "big shot. additionally the "greasey" oiled hair suggest that they are typical gangsters.


What elements could you appropriate (borrow) for your production?

the elements that we could appropriate from th efilm and the scene is the tracking shot as this is hardly used in films and neither have we used this type of shopt. however this shot may be difficult to shot but we are prepared and willing to put the time and effort into the shoot.

Kabir's Project Outline


With this project we strived to take the seemingly cliche genre of gangster movie and add an original and authentic twist. It occurred to us that a full narrative may not work well with the time span we are working with and therefore opted to just create a more elaborate opening scene. We feel that we can make our production very professional looking and set this production apart from previous ones. The narrative is simply one that depicts the demise of a london based mob due to the members within it. The opening seen will be showing the most powerful member being killed and the rest of the movie will follow the story behind the killing. we hope to introduce fresh new camera techniques and use a clever use of sound to create a dynamic piece of work.

Kabir

Sunday 21 January 2007

Practical Production Research (Aman)



1. About the text...

What is the text? When was it produced? Who produced/directed it?
The text is a clip from the film 'The Usual Suspects'. It was directed by Bryan Singer and released in 1995.

Who is the target audience? How do you know?
The target audience is middle/working class middle-aged men. This is because: all the main characters in the film are males; it is set in an 'every-day' location; 'every-day' clothing is worn; the film has a very complex storyline which teenagers in particular would not find appealing.

Where would you usually expect to see this text? What channel? Time? etc.
When released, in a cinema. Now on DVDs and any channel really which plays movies. Shown after 9 due to it's 18 certified rating.

2. Different features it has...

What is distinctive about its camerawork, editing, sound, mise-en-scene, etc.?
(Mise-en-scene) What is supposed to be a serious scene is made out to be comical as a result of the characters' approach to the scenario. Each character is dressed moderately average. High key lighting is used. (Sound) Diegetic sound used in the form of dialogue, non-diegetic sound used in the form of the voice-over. A long shot is used when showing all the individuals. A close up is used when showing one individual. Straight cuts are used.

What typical conventions of its genre does it use?
In this particular clip, the setting - A police station.

What elements could you appropriate (borrow) for your production?
The long shot which shows the group as a whole. The close-ups when concentrating on one individual. The voice-over which will aid narrating the scene.

Jas's Outline of the project

Jas's outline of the project
The films opening scene (plot) is about the demise of the once most notorious Mob boss (me) “Big Man Rose” to exist in London. We have decided to leave the ending of the opening scene to the film “The Rose Mob” a cliffhanger is it will create authenticity and an enigma, making the audience curious and left with wanting more.
Aman has completed with the script everyone had an input to the script whether some things should be changed or left alone. The final script is made and everyone is satisfied with the script and their character roles in the film.
We decided to research on British film so that we can use keep and use that authenticity of British moving picture has. Having studied “Bullet Boy” (2004) and researching movies such as “Snatch” (2000), “Lock Stock…” (1998) which contain a gangster genre. additionally we admire the shots used in "A Touch Of Evil" and "Goodfellas"; we intend to use a tracking shot like in these to films.
I've got a camera but we need to conevert the clips format to make it comaptible wih adobe "a long process", after that we will be able to shoot whenever we want to. In the following week we will try to look for a venue at a restsaurant and get some props from camden.

Thursday 18 January 2007

The Rose Mob.. What Is It?


The Rose Mob is set in fictional present day London. It is the most notorious British mob in existance which is responsible for many of the underground dealings, from drug smuggling to political bribery going on in London. Whether you're a politician, a police officer, a gangster or just generally an innocent citizen on the street, everyone fears the mob. They know anyone who chooses to rebel will get whacked.

At the top of the heirarchy which exists in the Mob is 'Big Man Rose'. Creator of the mob, he is arguably the most powerful man in London. Then there is 'The Baptist', Rose's right hand man. He carries the responsiblilty of collecting debts for the boss and participates in only the very special cases concerning outsiders. Below these two men come a group of individuals all equally as powerful as each other. There's 'Big P', otherwise known as 'The Priest'. He controls all drug smuggling, weapons importation and the black market ring in London. There's also 'Whiskey', commonly referred to as the 'assassin' of the mob who carries out hits for the boss. 'The Chef' is as his name says, a chef. Outside of the kitchen, he controls the prostitution ring in London. Below them lies the rest of the mob, individuals who give the mob it's name and reputation.

Whilst it has enjoyed a successful decade of undisputed power, the mob is beginning to experience corruption, deceit and betrayal within it's own ranks.

-

The last bit is what forms the basis of the storyline. We'll reveal the actual plot if necessary at a later stage. Research needs to be posted up first.

Aman


Tuesday 16 January 2007

Aman's Words of Wisdom


Outline of Production:

We're producing the opening scene to a British gangster film. The scene will serve to introduce both the origin of the storyline and the relevant characters to the audience. It will be set in a restaurant with a limited number of shots being used (we hope). This is because the scene will be filmed on the basis of a tracking shot, a technique we studied and admired most notably in the films 'Goodfellas' and 'A Touch of Evil'. The scene will be narrated using a voice over. Whether we will use diegetic or non-diegetic sound in the form of music will be decided when filming.

Current status:

I've completed the script and I'm pretty satisfied with it. =) A lot of the ideas for the script originated from films such as 'Goodfellas' and 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells'. While people may argue we're not being original, the storyline hasn't been copied and more importantly, if we're gonna' produce a film under the 'gangster' genre, we have to stick to conventions.

We're using Jas's HD Camera, so we're free to start filming whenever really. We're hoping to have filmed at least one of the flashbacks which will take place in the opening scene by the end of the week. Unfortunately, we're still looking for a restaurant to film in; every one seems to be asking for money! If worse comes to worst, we might have to find some sort of an alternative location to film the scene.

Peace,
Aman

Sunday 14 January 2007

Outline of our production

Our production is a short film based on British Gangsters. The proposed title for our production is 'The Rose Mob'. We have decided to do the beginning of a film. We will focus on 'The Rose Mob' itself and each key member where we will show their personality and how they fit into the mob.

At the moment, we have a script although some alternations need to be made as we've decided to add a few more scenes as we feel that it may be too short.

We've been watching a lot of films and have gathered various ideas. For example, ‘Reservoir Dogs’, 'Goodfellas' and ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ have all given us inspiration, although I don't want to mention what we're going to include. We've also looked at 10 different scripts for ideas and inspiration.

Next week, we'll receive the camera, and all other equipment. Once we've added and changed a few things within the script we’ll have to begin to storyboard the entire film. Once we have planned each scene, we will begin to shoot over the next weekend.


-Deep