1. Who were the co-founders of Working Title?
Working Title Films was co-founded by producers Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe.
2. When was the company founded?
1983.
3. Where is Working Title based?
Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London, UK.
4. Who are the co-chairpersons of WT now?
Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner
5. What awards have Working Title won?
Six Oscars, 26 Baftas and prizes at Cannes and Berlin.
6. How many full time staff does WT employ?
42 full time staff
7. What is Working Title’s philosophy?
The Working Title philosophy has always been to make films for an audience - by that I mean play in a multiplex.
8. List 5 box-office hits that Working Title have made.
- Four Weddings and a Funeral
- Bean
- Notting Hill
- Bridget Jones's Diary
- Elizabeth
9. List 5 flops that Working Title has made.
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin
- Thunderbirds
- The Boat That Rocked
- A Serious Man
- Green Zone
10. What is Richard Curtis’ relationship with Working Title?
New Zealand-born British screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually and The Girl in the Café, as well as the hit sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley.
11. List 2 famous directors that Working Title have worked?
Richard Curtis and Nick Moore.
12. What is Hugh Grant’s relationship with Working Title?
Hugh Grant once remarked that, while most British production companies are run by awfully nice chaps who once worked for the BBC, there’s a level of professionalism about Working Title which sets it apart. ”Tim and Eric are the definition of real producers,” said Co-Chairman of Universal Pictures Donna Langley. “They stay close to the process and maintain their ability to hand pick and produce each of their films in a very individual way. Their unique vision and taste has been key to their success.”
13. Find out about the Coen Brothers (films, genres, status) and what do they have to do with Working Title?
Joel David Coen born November 29, 1954 and Ethan Jesse Coen born September 21, 1957 known together professionally as the Coen brothers; are American filmmakers. Their films include Blood Simple, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit. Their films combine dry humour with sharp irony and shocking visuals, most often in moving camera shots. The brothers write, direct and produce their films jointly, although until recently Joel received sole credit for directing and Ethan for producing.
14. Who owns 67% of Working Title films? When did this happen? Why did this happen?
Universal Studios owns 67%. In 2004 Working Title made a profit of £17.8 million, and as of 2007 all its films were being distrubuted by Universal Studios (which owns 67% stake in the company)
15. List two of Working Title big blockbuster films and find out their budgets.
1994's Four Weddings and a Funeral - Budget $4.4 million, Box office $245,700,832.
1999’s Notting Hill - Budget $43 million, Box office $363,889,700.
16. What genre of films is Working Title most famous for?
Working title films produces and details with various genres from comedy to family films, which cater for a large target audience from U rated moves to 18 rated movies.
17. What other genres do Working Title films like to make? romantic, comedy and family - any range of film genres.
18. Find out as much as you can about WT2?
In 1999, Bevan and Fellner launched a subsidiary company named Working Title 2 Productions, commonly known as WT2. The company is an independent film production arm run by Natascha Wharton, and has produced films that include Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The Calcium Kid.
19. What information can you find out about Working Title through their web page?
You can find out news and upcoming trailers, highlights and films. Also theatre news too.
Friday 28 October 2011
Sound
In its simplest form sound can be broken down into two categories
Diegetic - sound which occurs naturally within a scene (e.g. dialogue,sound effects)
Non - Diegetic - sound which has no obvious source and is added on (e.g. Jaws theme during and attack)
Within these categories there is however important distinctions to be drawn.
Diegetic -Dialogue. An actors voice can add important information about a character just by varying pitch and tone.
Synchronous sounds are those sounds which are synchronized or matched with what is viewed. For example: If the film portrays a character playing the piano, the sounds of the piano are projected.
Synchronous sounds contribute to the realism of film and also help to create a particular atmosphere. For example: The “click” of a door being opened may simply serve to convince the audience that the image portrayed is real, and the audience-may only subconsciously note the expected sound. However, if the “click” of an opening door is part of an ominous action such as a burglary, the sound mixer may call attention to the “click” with an increase in volume; this helps to engage the audience in a moment of suspense.
Asynchronous sound effects are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen. Such sounds are included so as to provide an appropriate emotional nuance, and they may also add to the realism of the film. For example: A film maker might opt to include the background sound of an ambulance's siren while the foreground sound and image portrays an arguing couple. The asynchronous ambulance siren underscores the psychic injury incurred in the argument; at the same time the noise of the siren adds to the realism of the film by acknowledging the film's (avowed) city setting.
Non-diegetic sound
Background music is used to add emotion and rhythm to a film. Usually not meant to be noticeable, it often provides a tone or an emotional attitude toward the story and/or the characters depicted. In addition, background music often foreshadows a change in mood. For example, dissonant music may be used in film to indicate an approaching (but not yet visible) menace or disaster.
Background music may aid viewer understanding by linking scenes. For example, a particular musical theme associated with an individual character or situation may be repeated at various points in a film in order to remind the audience of salient motifs or ideas.
General terms
Sound bridge. Adding to continuity through sound, by running sound (narration, dialogue or music) from one shot across a cut to another shot to make the action seem uninterrupted.
Diegetic - sound which occurs naturally within a scene (e.g. dialogue,sound effects)
Non - Diegetic - sound which has no obvious source and is added on (e.g. Jaws theme during and attack)
Within these categories there is however important distinctions to be drawn.
Diegetic -Dialogue. An actors voice can add important information about a character just by varying pitch and tone.
Synchronous sounds are those sounds which are synchronized or matched with what is viewed. For example: If the film portrays a character playing the piano, the sounds of the piano are projected.
Synchronous sounds contribute to the realism of film and also help to create a particular atmosphere. For example: The “click” of a door being opened may simply serve to convince the audience that the image portrayed is real, and the audience-may only subconsciously note the expected sound. However, if the “click” of an opening door is part of an ominous action such as a burglary, the sound mixer may call attention to the “click” with an increase in volume; this helps to engage the audience in a moment of suspense.
Asynchronous sound effects are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen. Such sounds are included so as to provide an appropriate emotional nuance, and they may also add to the realism of the film. For example: A film maker might opt to include the background sound of an ambulance's siren while the foreground sound and image portrays an arguing couple. The asynchronous ambulance siren underscores the psychic injury incurred in the argument; at the same time the noise of the siren adds to the realism of the film by acknowledging the film's (avowed) city setting.
Non-diegetic sound
Background music is used to add emotion and rhythm to a film. Usually not meant to be noticeable, it often provides a tone or an emotional attitude toward the story and/or the characters depicted. In addition, background music often foreshadows a change in mood. For example, dissonant music may be used in film to indicate an approaching (but not yet visible) menace or disaster.
Background music may aid viewer understanding by linking scenes. For example, a particular musical theme associated with an individual character or situation may be repeated at various points in a film in order to remind the audience of salient motifs or ideas.
General terms
Sound bridge. Adding to continuity through sound, by running sound (narration, dialogue or music) from one shot across a cut to another shot to make the action seem uninterrupted.
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Narrative Codes
Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes was a semioligist; basically he was paid to look at the texts to decipher how they were put together. He described it like a ball of string, texts may be..
open - unravelled in lots of different ways
closed - when there is only one obvious thread to pull on.
Threads you pull on to try and unravell meanings are called Narrative codes and can be catagonsed in five ways.
Action code – something that implies something is going to happen
Enigma Code – something within a story makes you hink whats going to happen
Semantic Code – anyhing that siggests a particular often additional meaning by way of connoation
Cultural Code – relyson audience knowing same thing – body of knowledge
Symbolic Code – binary opposites
Binary Opposites - Levi Straus
He believed that the world was split into a series of binary opposites. Essentially only one thing can be defined in relation to something it isn't. E.g. a hero is only a herp is there is a cowardly option.
Ideology
An organised collection of ideas. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision as a way of looking at things, a belief which helps explain the world around us.
Roland Barthes was a semioligist; basically he was paid to look at the texts to decipher how they were put together. He described it like a ball of string, texts may be..
open - unravelled in lots of different ways
closed - when there is only one obvious thread to pull on.
Threads you pull on to try and unravell meanings are called Narrative codes and can be catagonsed in five ways.
Action code – something that implies something is going to happen
Enigma Code – something within a story makes you hink whats going to happen
Semantic Code – anyhing that siggests a particular often additional meaning by way of connoation
Cultural Code – relyson audience knowing same thing – body of knowledge
Symbolic Code – binary opposites
Binary Opposites - Levi Straus
He believed that the world was split into a series of binary opposites. Essentially only one thing can be defined in relation to something it isn't. E.g. a hero is only a herp is there is a cowardly option.
Ideology
An organised collection of ideas. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision as a way of looking at things, a belief which helps explain the world around us.
Mac Vs PC
Mac
- Young man
- Fun and healthy
- Simple and clean
- Laidback and humble
- Women attractive and blonde
PC
- Old man
- Boring and geeky
- Old and stuffy
- Boastfuland arogen
- ‘women’ is man in drag with beard.
- Young man
- Fun and healthy
- Simple and clean
- Laidback and humble
- Women attractive and blonde
PC
- Old man
- Boring and geeky
- Old and stuffy
- Boastfuland arogen
- ‘women’ is man in drag with beard.
How are the Mac and PC represented in the advertisement?
Mac in this advertisement are represented as a young, fashionable, laidback and attractive in comparisons with the PC which is represented as old, boring, stuffy and geeky. The cultural code we can recognize through this is that we realize PC is the old and arrogant meaning its not as good as the Mac which is laidback and fun. Mac man is young, dressed stylish, clean and he is also humble which gives us a feeling that he is cool and fun which then relates to the product of Mac giving a positive feel of the cool simple laidback life it can give- which is what everyone wants. PC man on the other hand is old, fat, boring, geeky and wearing dull browns in office wear. He speaks arrogantly towards Mac which makes us dislike the Pc man compared to the Mac man, who we favor. This too is a cultural code. The whole advert is a symbolic – binary opposite – Pc and Mac are opposites. Another cultural code is the Mac women and the Pc man/women. Mac use a famous super model, candice swanepoel, who is beautiful, blonde and attractive and well spoke where as Pc have a fat, ugly, bearded man wearing the dress the supermodel was, who speaks slang and rude. This gives us the impression that Mac is a lot better than Pc as the supermodel in comparison with the man is beautiful and attractive which draws us to their product and like the Pc man, the Pc women/man is rude and arrogant which sends a negative vide which draws us away from their product leaving us favoring again the Mac. There is also an enigmatic and action code when we see the Mac’s ‘movie’ and then we know it is the Pc’s turn to show his ‘movie’ which leaves us wondering what will be shown. Ideology of this advert is that if you have a Mac instead of a PC you’re cooler, someone others will aspire to be like and will be superior to anyone who has a PC.
How does Calvin Klein represent males in the advert? Are they objectified or sexually empowered?
Throughout the media, women and men are portrayed in different ways according to the ‘male gaze’ theory and to how this appears to the audience its shwon to. Women are often portrayed as innocent but sexual objects who are dependant on men, where as the men are portrayed as stronge, dependant and the more dominant figures.
In this advert, the male model is featured at a mid shot, positioned slightly to the right of the shot and takes up the whole shot. Firstly the attention from the viewer is to the models Abs,as they are in the center of the picture and eyes are drawn mostly to that area. Then eyes are usualy drawn down to which is where to product is, although this advert is aimed for men they may find this uncomfortable and would not like to be caught looking further down. The logo and text is also places slightly of center where the attention is first drawn to so we notice the brand and we know straight away that it is an underwear advert if it wasnt already obvious. Having the logo and text where attention is drawn is important because it puts a name on the advert so it will be remebered and it also sells the brand which is intended.
The model is a fit, strong, attractive and powerful man which will be insperational to many men. Having a well toned and muscled man as the face of the advert is imporant to sell the brand because men will aspire to be like him and will believe that if they have that underwear they migh have a chance of looking half as good as Freddie Ljungberg. The expectation of a stronge and powerful man is also shown through his muscles but the tattoo too. Although everyday normal men can relate as the product is simple and sophisticated which is shown through the colour, black.
Freddie Ljungberg is posing in a seductive shot; his eyes are less wide then usual, no emotion is on the face, just a stare straight into the camrea, lips are slightly pouted. He isnt clean shaved, so he has a rouged, bad boy look to him, he is also shown slightly sweaty or wet looking - this also will attract the other gender, females, as they will find his face and body on show comined attractive and will then want their partners to have some Calvin Klein underwear like in the advertisement to just think that their partner could look or could be wearing something similar to he attractive man in the shot.
The model is a fit, strong, attractive and powerful man which will be insperational to many men. Having a well toned and muscled man as the face of the advert is imporant to sell the brand because men will aspire to be like him and will believe that if they have that underwear they migh have a chance of looking half as good as Freddie Ljungberg. The expectation of a stronge and powerful man is also shown through his muscles but the tattoo too. Although everyday normal men can relate as the product is simple and sophisticated which is shown through the colour, black.
Freddie Ljungberg is posing in a seductive shot; his eyes are less wide then usual, no emotion is on the face, just a stare straight into the camrea, lips are slightly pouted. He isnt clean shaved, so he has a rouged, bad boy look to him, he is also shown slightly sweaty or wet looking - this also will attract the other gender, females, as they will find his face and body on show comined attractive and will then want their partners to have some Calvin Klein underwear like in the advertisement to just think that their partner could look or could be wearing something similar to he attractive man in the shot.
The Male Gaze and Facical expression
The concept of the gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented.
- How men look at women
- How women look at other women
- How women look at themselves
- How men look at women
- How women look at other women
- How women look at themselves
Gaze and Feminist Theory
Laura Mulvey coined the term 'Male Gaze' in 1975. Film audiences have to view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.
- Camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and events which occur to women are presented largely in the context of a man's reaction to these events.
- Relegates women to the status of objects. The female viewer must experience the narrative secondarily by identification with the male.
Laura Mulvey coined the term 'Male Gaze' in 1975. Film audiences have to view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.
- Camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and events which occur to women are presented largely in the context of a man's reaction to these events.
- Relegates women to the status of objects. The female viewer must experience the narrative secondarily by identification with the male.
Criticism of Theory
Some women enjoy being looked at (Beauty Pagent). The gaze can also be directed toward members of the same gender for several reasons, not all of which are sexual, such as comparison of body image or clothing.
Categorising Facial Expressions
Women - Marjorie Ferguson (1980)
Chocolate Box - half/full smile, lips together/slightly parted, Teeth barely visible, Full/ three-quarters face to camera
Invitational - Emphasis on eyes, Mouth shut with a hint of a smile, Head to one side or looking back at the camera
Super-smiler - Full face, Wide open, toothy smile, Head thrust forward or thrown back, Hair often wind blown
Romantic or sexual - Includes male/ female 'two-somes', Dreamy, Heavy lidded, Overtly sensual/ sexual
Men - Trevor Millum (1875)
Seductive - Similar to cool/level, Eyes less wide, Expression is less reserved, but still self-confidant, Milder
Carefree - Nymph like, Active, Healthy, Vibrant, Outdoor girl, Often smiling/grinning
Practical – Concentrating, Engaged in business in hand, Mouth closed, Eyes object directed, Sometimes a slight frown, Hair usually short style or tied back
Comic - Deliberately ridiculous, Exaggerated, Acting the fool, Pulling faces
Catalogue - Neutral looks of a dummy, artificial, wax like, Features may be in any position- but most likely eyes wide open and a smile, Looks remain vacant and empty with personality removed.
Some women enjoy being looked at (Beauty Pagent). The gaze can also be directed toward members of the same gender for several reasons, not all of which are sexual, such as comparison of body image or clothing.
Categorising Facial Expressions
Women - Marjorie Ferguson (1980)
Chocolate Box - half/full smile, lips together/slightly parted, Teeth barely visible, Full/ three-quarters face to camera
Invitational - Emphasis on eyes, Mouth shut with a hint of a smile, Head to one side or looking back at the camera
Super-smiler - Full face, Wide open, toothy smile, Head thrust forward or thrown back, Hair often wind blown
Romantic or sexual - Includes male/ female 'two-somes', Dreamy, Heavy lidded, Overtly sensual/ sexual
Men - Trevor Millum (1875)
Seductive - Similar to cool/level, Eyes less wide, Expression is less reserved, but still self-confidant, Milder
Carefree - Nymph like, Active, Healthy, Vibrant, Outdoor girl, Often smiling/grinning
Practical – Concentrating, Engaged in business in hand, Mouth closed, Eyes object directed, Sometimes a slight frown, Hair usually short style or tied back
Comic - Deliberately ridiculous, Exaggerated, Acting the fool, Pulling faces
Catalogue - Neutral looks of a dummy, artificial, wax like, Features may be in any position- but most likely eyes wide open and a smile, Looks remain vacant and empty with personality removed.
Jonathan Schroeder 1998
To gaze implies more than to look at- it signifies a psychological relationship of power in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze.
Vladimir propps charecter types
Vladimir Propp's Character Types
The Villain - Struggles with the hero
The Doner - Character who gives the hero something to help them on their quest
The Helper - Accompanies the hero on the quest
The Princess - Sought for person (usually a woman) who exists as a goal
The Dispacher - Sends hero on the quest
The Hero- Goes on the quest, reacts to the donar and usually weds the princess
The False Hero- Claims to be her, often seeking and reacting like a hero
The Villain - Struggles with the hero
The Doner - Character who gives the hero something to help them on their quest
The Helper - Accompanies the hero on the quest
The Princess - Sought for person (usually a woman) who exists as a goal
The Dispacher - Sends hero on the quest
The Hero- Goes on the quest, reacts to the donar and usually weds the princess
The False Hero- Claims to be her, often seeking and reacting like a hero
Boundin' Pixar Short
The Villain- Farmer
The Doner- Jackalope
The Helper- Jackalope
The Princess- Happiness/ Boundin'
The Dispacher- Jackalope
The Hero- Lamb
The False Hero- Lamb's Friends
Linear Narrative- Chronological order
Beggining Middle End
Beggining Middle End
Non Linear- Non chronological
Tuesday 25 October 2011
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