Storyboard continued 2

After taking the photos for my storyboard i am now more confident to film as it has given me a good visual and broadened my ideas. Here are a few shots from the storyboard.

Storyboard Continued

Today i will be taking the pictures for my storyboard and i will be one step further to creating my 5 minute film.

Props

These props are going to be within my storyboard and film;

• Mirror
• Door
• Cigarettes
• Books
• Blinds
• Table
• Lamp
• Files and Papers
• Chair
• Lipstick
• Anklet
• Staircase

Storyboard

This week i have been concentrating on my storyboard and how through images i will show the specific conventions of Film Noir. Things that i have had to take into consideration are the recognisable stylistics within the mise en scene that recognise the genre and because of its visual style. I have had to pick specific settings that link with Film Noir's conventions and stylistics, in addition to this it is key that i get the lighting right and show a strong contrast of light and dark, a style known as chiaroscuro. When taking the images i am also going to use disorientating camera angles to convey the characters feelings and also the convulted storyline.

Aims and Context

Context: A short sequence from the film 'Double Crossing'. The Film is based on the genre Film Noir. It focuses on two main characters and expresses themes of Sex,Lust and Desire.

Aims: Using Cinematography and Mise en scene to portray the underlying issues of the sequence. By using the coventional low angle, dutch angle shots to convery the disorientation of the narrative and both characters. In addition to this using reflective shots through mirrors will represent the Femme Fatale character within my film.

By using Mise en Scene i will be able to express the mood and tone of the short sequence. Film Noir is known for it's striking visuals. So with the use of costume and props i will be able to conventionally stick to the stylistics. Another is lighting which casts shadows across the interior of my chosen place to film. This is known as chiaroscuro.

I also aim to use flashbacks as this links to the disorientation of the films narrative and disrupts the connection from one scene to another.

The target audience for my film is 18+ as the storyline can be confusing at times and also expresses sexual desire. This is something people can relate to as desire is a common feeling within society.

Convetions of Film Noir

Conventions of Film Noir

When looking at Film Noir there are many stylistics and thematic that accompany each other to create this iconic genre. Over the years there has been many controversy whether to label this ‘art form’ a genre because of it’s classic independence.

When looking at the classic visual style of Film Noir they are associated with low key lighting, contrast of light and dark and dramatic shadows of lines and patterns, this style also known as Chiaroscuro. These shadows of Venetian blinds or banister rods reflect upon a character, wall or the entire room and is an iconic visual within Noir. Visual style is shown through Cinematography in film noir and is easily recognisable because of its expressive lighting, deep focus of depth of field camera work, disorientating visual schemes, jarring editing or juxtaposition of elements, ominous shadows and skewed camera angles. Shots of characters reflected in one or more mirrors, shots through curved or frosted glass.

These cinematic choices emphasise the story’s themes and moods. Film Noir presents themes of anxiety, pessimism, suspicion, alienation, disillusionment, disenchantment, good vs evil, moral corruption, desperation, paranoia, cynical attitudes and sexual motives.

When looking at the storylines of Film Noir they were often elliptical, non linear and twisting. Narratives were frequently complex, maze like and convulted and typically told with foreboding background music and flashbacks. The flashbacks were shown through dissolves, wipe of fades. The plot and feelings of characters were narrated through voice over’s as a narrative structure device.

The plot is always a crime usually murder and is an element of most Film Noirs. The motivation of the crime is usually due to greed, lust and jealousy. In other common plots the protagonists is involved in heists or murderous conspiracies often involving adulterous affairs. In the heart of various settings Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco. Chicago. These high class places famous for wealth and beauty is turned into the underworld where Film Noir expresses the dark side of the human mind.

The most iconic characters within Film Noir is the Main Protagonist who is presented on screen as lonely and easily led. He captures the eye of a Femme Fatale who leads him into her manipulative and corrupted schemes leaving him to take the blame.

The use of mirrors and the framing of objects link to the conventions of Film Noir. It also brings you to attention that this film is about double crossing characters with only certain things on their mind. Murder and Sex.

Storyboard Influences

I recently watched Sin City directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, 2005. I purposely knew that it origins from Film Noir and German expressionism. Looking at the harsh contrast of black and white certain scenes within the film have influenced the creation of my storyboard. For example;

These two images are the same shots in the comic and the film. As you can see there is not much difference between them both and have a clear visual link to german expressionism. The disorientation of the image links to the storyline of Sin City and also the conventions of Film Noir. The iron bars create height emphasising the entrapment of the character.

Character Profile: Frank Lawrence

Character Profile: Virginia Miller

Virgina Miller is the wife of a very wealthy buisnessman and with the use of her corrupt mind she traps banker Frank Lawrence into commiting the murder of her husband.

Synopsis for the film Double Crossing

Synopsis for the film Double Crossing

Financial advisor Frank Lawrence enjoys his job managing finance for many residents in his area. He is friendly and many of his clients have high praises for him. They are oblivious though to his desires. He is desperately seeking for something better and wants more out of life, because he knows there is something better, whatever this ‘something’ is.

A couple move into the residential area and Franks services are called upon to help their financial problems. He rings the doorbell and the door opens to reveal a beautiful woman (Virginia Miller) in a dressing gown smoking on a cigarette. Frank is startled and instantly lusts after this woman. She invites him into the house and introduces her very much older and wealthy husband.

After many meetings with Virginia Miller at the coincidence of her husband working away. Frank and Virginia embark on a affair that fulfils their sexual fantasies but has dangerous consequences.

Virginia’s husband finds out about their scandalous affair and pays a hit man to murder Frank. But with Virginias corrupted mind she has already thought of ways her and Frank can kill off her husband and run of with his money. Frank doesn’t know what has hit him and is quick to want out. But Virginia uses her sexual motives and beauty to manipulate Frank. He is soon on board and together they murder Virginia’s husband. They dump his body in a lake far out in the countryside. But before they plan to leave the area the Virginia’s husbands body is found and there is now a detective on the case. He is quick to pick up on the relationship of Frank Lawrence and Virginia Miller and holds them in question overnight. They are soon released free of charge and plan to leave in the afternoon. While Frank packs, Virginia goes to pick up some cheques from the bank and is hit by an industrial lorry leaving her dead.

Textual Analysis 1

Double Indemnity, 1944, Billy Wilder

When looking at the opening scene of Double Indemnity it is a-typical to what Film Noir is all about. It instantly shows the contrast of light and dark. Set in the night downtown in the heart of Los Angeles we see a driver speeding through the streets and running a red light. The theme of corruption is already exploited 60 seconds into the film.

A low angle shot shows Walter Neff walking into his office, iron railings surround him connotating his entrapment, also his figure is duplicated by shadows whoch also connotates his dual personality and the light and dark side of him.


He then sits down in his office and starts talking into a Dictaphone machine, which becomes the story of the film and is told in a flashback. Flashbacks were commonly used within Film Noir and were used as a narrative structure device, and Double Indemnity is a example of this.

A dissolve (another convention within Film Noir) takes us to the past where Walter Neff first meets the sultry Phyllis Dietrichson. When driving up to her home you can instantly see the difference in the mise en scène. Its set during the day and the setting is exposed to bright light, connotating the fact that he has not yet entered dangerous waters. He is still Walter Neff the insurance man. This is a great example of how Film Noir uses light and dark to manipulate the mood and tone of the narrative.

A low angle interior shot is used to reveal Phyllis Dietrichson. This use of shot makes her introduction powerful and is used to connotate the Femme Fatale side of her. With the use of costume her naked body is covered in nothing less than a towel revealing her flesh. This links back to the Femme Fatale character and how she uses her beauty and sexual persona to capture Neff.

A medium close up shows the iron railing banister over her frame, above i mentioned how Film Noir uses shadows and objects to reflect upon a character to capture the mood, tone and the character. The iron railing has spiral interwined and connotates the disorientation of her character and how she manipulates Walter Neff into commiting the murder of her husband.

This shot is a-typical of Film Noir. The Venetian Blinds reflect into the room casting shadows on screen. This connotates how he is now trapped as he has entered her trap.

By looking at Double Indemnity it is a great example of how Film Noir uses specific visual stylistics and theamatics to express the mood and tone of the narrative and the characters involved.

Conventions In Film Noir

German expressionist films were made in the 1920's and highly impacted the creation of Film Noir and its conventions. The visuals within Film Noir match perfectly to the visuals in German expressionist cinema. The darkness, disillusionment and tone/mood of the films. Other films that were influenced by German expressionism and is showed through Cinematography are Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, 1982. Chinatown, Roman Polanski, 1974 and Devil in a blue dress, Carl Franklin, 1995.

 Item 1

This image is from the film Blade Runner and clearly shows a stroung link to German expressionism with the dark lighting, omnious shadows. The use of staircases that create skewed angles on screen and convey the narrative.

 Item 2


This image is from the film Chinatown. Like the image above it clearly shows a strong link to German expressionism and Film Noir. The use of contrast with the characters suit, desk and the harsh background. Also the line shadows that are reflected into the shot by the use of lighting.

 Item 3

Here is an image from the film Devil in a Blue Dress and has a clear obvious link to German Expressionism and Stylish Hollywood Crime. The main image reflects the stylish gangsta linking to Hollywood Crime. In addition to this the sepia effect reflects the Hollywood sun and also is a nice contrast to Denzel Washingston's skin tone, and makes the black shadows more bold. In the background there is a clear shadow of a woman with a dominant stance (femme fatale). The bold images that create the setting of Hollywood (palm trees). Overall the composistion and use of visual imagery and shadows link to Neo Noir and German Expressionism.

     

Narrative Structure of Film Noir

The Narrative Structure of Film Noir is complex and is shown through the use of flashbacks and voice over narration. The structure goes as follows;

1. Crime Discovered
2. Detective Investigates
3. Detective Reveals Crime
4. Crime Planned
5. Crime Commited

This is the strucutre for many crime films as it creates tension and involves the audience questioning the mystery of the murder, stitching them into the narrative.

Research Into Film Noir

For my Creative Project i am going to make a short film (5 minutes). I have chosen the Genre of Film Noir because of its visual stylistics and the use of cinematography.

Film Noir came onto the screen in the 1940's to the late 1950's. They were low key, under budgeted films without major stars. The films were very dark and expressed themes of depression, anxiety, entrapment, futility and pessimism. The storylines were often elliptical and non linear.

Relationships In Film Noir

Usually in Film Noir theres two main characters. The leading male and the Femme Fatale. The leading male appears as a strong, wealthy man who encounters on a beautiful female that excites him but never actually truly loves him. She uses her beauty and sexual motives to weaken him and munipulate him into conspiring a murder. Leaving him to take the blame of the conspired murder.

Femme Fatales in Film Noir

In Film Noir a Femme Fatale was a major character and was presented on screen as a beautiful but double crossing woman. The Femme Fatale would be munipulative who would capture the lust of a man and delve him into commiting a murder.

My First Blog

Today i have created my own personal blog. I will be recording my research and planning that will lead up to my Creative Project.

Brief

My brief is to create a short film 3-5 minutes long. With the choice of a genre i must stick to the genre conventions and stylistics.