Reflecting upon this workshop I have started to feel slightly uneasy towards the next project brief/ genre sketch as we can’t use the same component and genre. This is going to lead me to really step out of my comfort zone (as I do feel comfortable with horror) and try something new such as a bank of images or a video. When thinking about this genre sketch the way I am looking to approach this is similar to my Horror sketch in which brainstorming common conventions of the genre chosen and being able to present them in my personal and unique way consciously through my sketch. I sort of find this confusing and feel that I will need to pick a genre I feel comfortable about and that has conventions I can relate to.
For now I will be doing a lot of brainstorming and research!
In our week 5 workshop we discussed our first genre sketches. It seemed that majority of the class had done the horror genre which was interesting to see how people find that the most relatable genre to make a sketch out of. In our class we watched a few of these horror sketches (as the weekly genre was horror) and talked about the common elements of them. I think everyone was quite reluctant to show their’s (I defiantly was) but I found it very useful to see how each person went about making theirs. One thing that stood out to me was one of the video ones I watched and how it was all in black and white and the different camera angles enhanced the creepy surroundings and uncomfortableness within the audiences. I think this was very effective because it engaged the audience into wanting to see more and also made it very clear of the genre in such a short timing of a sketch.
I am very interested also in theories and conventions of the horror genre and what is expected to be seen in horror films such as sexualisation of women and them usually to be the victim. One theory I did research into last year was the ‘Male Gaze’ written by Laura Mulvery in 1975. This theory stated that women were often objected in Hollywood cinemas and seen as ‘objects’ to the male heterosexual pleasure. I saw this in both the film ‘Alien’ and ‘Alien’s’ watched in class where Ripley wears loose singlets were the camera focusses on her body looking her up and down (emphasising her lady parts). When they wake up off the space ship Ripley is also in her under wear and a singlet exposing her body a lot more than the men.
For my genre sketch I have decided to follow these typical horror conventions and theories as I feel this is the original idea of a horror film. Although these horror films are changing to be more engaged with the changing role of women and now they are becoming the antagonists themselves, I feel that it is more understanding and clear cut to see a weak women put in a unfortunate situation.
For my genre sketch I thought that it would be a good idea to watch some of my favourite horror films to remind me of ideas and issues within this genre I would like to investigate further. In my last year of school, I focussed my media studies exam around the horror genre because I enjoyed the conventions of horror films and found the changing role of the female characters so distinctive and relatable to society movements in the period of time that the films were released.
This week I decided to watch the original ‘Alien’ film released in 1979 because yesterday we watched ‘Alien’s’ in class. The genre we were looking at was sci-fi, but this can also I believe that this can be a hybrid genre cross with horror. I did some research into the time period of this film where I discovered at the time ‘Alien’ was released there was a new social movement that took stage for women where there was a lead of civil rights as well as the mounting protests against the Vietnam war. This film particular relates to this women’s movement as the protagonist has a unisex name ‘Ripley’. She is shown to be tough and willing to fight Alien’s off the ship. What I also got from this film is that the characters have been stripped of their first names to further remove any sense of gender as this film was concluded as a feminist film.
I was so excited that we were watching a Rom Com in class yesterday because its such an easy genre to relate to and makes you feel so much emotion for the characters and put yourself in their shoes. I had never seen ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ and it is truely your typical Rom Com genre film. What we discussed in class was that the target audience for this film would be a middle aged female, and a classic Bridget Jones personality. The women who watches romantic movies and cries the whole way through it. I think this is so funny because you can just imagine women looking for a love that is shown in this film- and even though it is so unrealistic for the events in this film to happen in real life it gives you a sense of hope about fate and the idea that everything happens for a reason. Another point that was raised in class that I thought was interesting is that genre is predictable so what is the point in creating predictable movies? Someone raised a point that there is always universal themes and always going to be an audience for them. For example you crave foods, you also do crave these films which I can relate to because there are defiantly times when I need a Rom Com film to brighten my mood.
For the continuation of the second week we looked at the Western film genre. In the reading for this week it was really interesting to see where the how Asian cinema emerged with Westernisation. It was said that international films played a huge role in constructing the category of Asian cinema. One point that was raised that is key to this category of cinema, is that in order of Asian cinema to establish itself to be viable of film history “it must involve more than a tracing of the globalisation or westernisation of Asia cinema”. This shows that in order for it to be recognised it needs to have its on sort of ‘tail of Western cinema and as they reading says- a sort of ‘Asianisation”.
This reading also raised points that were seen in the film ‘Sukiyaki Western Django’ directed by Takashi Miike in 2007. For example, in Western film genre it is known that the male protagonists don’t say much showing they remain control and mystery over the other characters. We see this evidently by the gun slider in this film as he represents this tradition ‘silent’ hero. What I really liked about this film as it was very clear to see the difference between the two clans (one being red and one being white) this easily showed there was a battle between them as red is a symbolic colour of anger.
An issue that can be seen in this film that this Asian cinema film has undertaken is the discrimination of women/ sexualisation of them. This is interesting to see, because I know that in other genres such as horror and action/adventure women are undermined but never had I thought a Western genre film would also follow this trend of women. This is something interesting I would like to further look into maybe for my genre sketch as it was an issue raised in the earlier years of genre films such as the ones listed above.
Week 1 of this class I was still overseas but from my understanding in the Monday session they talked about Genre and what it entails. I thought that it would be a good idea whilst over seas to think about what genres I enjoy to watch and how that will benefit me in this studio. On the plane ride back to Melbourne I watched ‘Eye in the Sky’ which is in some what a war film but falls mostly under the thriller genre. This got me thinking about this genre to understand how directors and producers work to find new ways to continuously excite audiences. I find that whenever I watch a thriller movie it is not one that I can fall asleep to, and in order to understand the plot you need to be constantly engaged. With the development of this genre what you can see is that they move with society and what is actually going on in the world. For example- the main protagonist of this film was a women working for the army which in previous war films this wouldn’t be seen as it is more of a male driven work force. I think this is good because it shows that they are staying with the times and portraying films in a more realistic view.
Case Study ‘Halloween’ directed by John Carpenter (1978)
The film genre that I find most interesting today is the one of horror. In the earlier years of horror, the conventions, theories and technical skills used by the directors and producers was seen to me as very straight forward and when analysing the film closely the directors intent was always shown vividly. This is what I admired the most about the horror genre, but over the past few years I have noticed a change. What these conventions and theories once were have become somewhat blinded and confused as genres become hybrid as audiences are not effected as intensely as they used to be.
One earlier horror film that I feel shows horror conventions and theories well is ‘Halloween’ directed by John Carpenter in 1978. In this horror film the film maker relates the plot line towards movements that are happening in the world. Through a bit of research into this film I discovered that during the late 70’s statistics show that 6 million woman were attention college which was now the same number as men Carpenter relates this film towards this movement as we seen a seen of the protagonist forgetting her chemistry book on her way home from school and going back to get it revealing that she cares about her education. I believe that Carpenter tests horror to an appropriate level and uses real life situations in order for audiences to relate and engage with them on a personal level.
In this film ‘The Final Girl’ theory by Laura Mulvey is tested where protagonist Laurie is seen as a virgin as if she was pure whilst her friends do the opposite. This divides the protagonist from the other characters and shows the audiences that in this theory in order to survive you need to show traits of innocence. Carpenter convinces the audience well of these conventions and society movements which creates a relevant story line and links to the time period the film was released.
‘Halloween’ is a beneficial film to the horror genre because it shows audiences want they want to see leading them to engage with these horror films as they continue to develop with the change in society such as earlier change in the role of women throughout the world.
For the coming of semester two I intend to broaden my knowledge about genres in not only films, but in other media platforms. I find this area of study very interesting as directors and producers have to continually understand and develop towards what audiences want in terms of genre and feel this area of study continues to grow over many years to come.
Throughout this studio I would like to become more knowledgable in specific genres such as horror or documentary. In school I did some study about the horror genre and feel the conventions and theories were very interesting in which they engaged with audiences and had a clear connection to the directors intention of the films. Specifically in this genre I would like to look into ideas such as the male gaze and iconography and understand how this has developed over the years in order to keep engagement with audiences and help the horror genre to keep growing in the media industry.
I feel very governed by the documentary film genre as I see it as a very important part of everyday life. It is a good way to keep informed in a visual way. I think that it would be interesting to look at the conventions of these films and how they differ from other film genres as it is more of an informative genre and has a clear directors purpose of the film.
For both of these genres but possibly more so horror I want to look into technical skills such as camera angles and lighting in order to understand why they are used, and how that reacts with the audiences engagement. This research can then further lead to discovery about the changing of genre conventions and how today genres have had to become hybrid as audience are no longer as engaged with straight genres as they once were.
Finally my group has finished PB4 😀 I am static with the results and happy that we completed everything in a valid time frame and didn’t have to stress all day to get it done. I now will use this next month and a half to relax and go home!!