Research: Genre

 This is my research into the genre of my Film opening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK76q13Aqt0 

Typical conventions from the Action, Thriller, Shooter genre: 

Films from this genre usually include . The narative is normally about a conflict between 2 opposing parties either due to fighteing over a mguffin or due to the antagonist doing something to the protagonist such as killing their loved ones. The films opening is often used to Introduce the characters or inrtuduce the conflict

John Wick 3: Parabellum (2019)

Produced by: Lionsgate & Summit Entertainment

Distributed by: Lionsgate

Genre / Sub genre:

Action, Thriller

What conventions does it conform to?

The convetions that the opening conforms to are the shots of the protagonist John Wick running through a busy street bloodied and bruised this shows that he had been in a fight beforehand aswell we dont know at first what hes running away from. In terms of props he is holstering a gun which is a common weapon in modern action movies. The mice en scene such as the rainy weather and night are also convetions within this genre as they help build tension adn create an intense atmosphere. The non-diagetic song playing aswell is thumpy and discordant which again helps build the suspense and is a conforming to conventions. Another way it conforms is by using establishing shots to set the setting and mood in this example it shows landmark such as the statue of liberty showing us that were in new york city.

What conventions does it subvert?

One way this movie subverts is by not showing us what John wick is running away from this creates hermeneutic codes and is unussaly of a film like this as they ussualy show they're atangonist this leaves john without a purpose exept to survive. Another way this opening subverts is by cutting away to a vintage call center which is a perculiar setting/location as this film is set in modern times although they operate as a bounty agency which bounties can be seen as a conformity. 

What representations are there? (people/places/events)
What technical elements are used to give meaning to the representations?

The scene begins with an establishing shot of the statue of liberty then diagetic sounds of rain and thunder which set the scene and atmosphere of gloomy and moody. The statue of libery could also act as a symbolic code of how john wick wants to be free from his past and liberated from the orginazation.  The extreme long shots and push ins of the city makes the audience get lost witin the sheer size of the city and the bright lights help create beautiful imeragery especially within the reflections from the puddles created from the rain. Then the camera zooms in onto a clock which puts the readers attention and focus towards the clock which creates hermeneutic codes about the importance of the clock.

Then the camera cuts into a medium close up shot of john wick running; The medium close up shot puts the audiences attention towards John Wicks wounds such us bruises in his head and a gun shot would above his hip it also brings attention to movements which looks like hes tired and injured not really running smoothly. John wick is aswell wearing a suit which gives us the idea that John is a proffesional. As John is running the camera aswell is very shaky using a handheld camera which empahasis the action and the tension. In this scene aswell it rapidly cuts between John wick and the dog which not only puts more focus on to them but also makes the scene feel more fast paced. Next the camera cuts into a close up of another clock again signalling the importance of time in the movie.

The score of this scene is discordant which creates this tension and helps fill up the noise whilst diagetic sound such as rain and ringing phones and cars help immerse the audience into the world.

Bullet train (2022)

Produced By: Columbia Pictures

Distributed By: Columbia Pictures

Genre / Sub genre:

Action, Comedy. Even though it is an action comedy it has various action scenes which peaked my intrests and would be useful to research.

What conventions does it conform to?

The opening is more of a character or relations opening so it does not have the typical action climactic conventions although it does conform as it introduces the antagonist and his motives and the constume he is wearing is dirty and messy as well as his hair and facial hair is unkept this shows that he might be unwell.

What conventions does it subvert?

The way this opening subverts by actually not showing the main protagonist instead opting to show an antognist and his motives. Another way it subverts conventions is by giving a heartfelt background to the antagonist whilst action movies tend to have 2 dimensional antagonist where they're evil just because it creates a polar opposite with the protagonist.

What representations are there? (people/places/events)
What technical elements are used to give meaning to the representations?

The scene opens in a sunlit hospital room which gives the room this nice warm ambiance which gives this contrapunctal lighting effect where though warm lighting ussualy means something happy for example summer but in this context it's not a happy scene where lying in the hospital bed is an injured child. On the floor there is a fallen flower this could be a symbolic code of how the child fell from the roof. The scene then cuts to a close up with a slight push in to the childs face, from here we see that he is injured bruises on his head with a diffribrilator. The use of the close up and push in is to make the audience focus on the childs injuries and feel sympathy towards him. Then it cuts it cuts into a close up of the father crying the cut is used to empahsis the reaction and makes this moment hit harder with audiences and shows the relationship between the Child and the father and how he blames himself for what happend to the child.

Later The heartfelt moment is disturbed by diagetic sounds from the japanese comercial and a close up to see a childrens cooking show episode about bad luck this again could be symbolic of how bad this situation is. The father then switches into a news chanel about a stolen venoumous snake from the zoo the boomslang this could be forshadowing as maybe in the future fight scenes the use of venom will be used effectively especially since the Boomslang is a very lethal snake. Next another close up on the flower as the Father is picking it up and uses a low angle to show the father face it feels as if the flower is looking back at the father. This all shows the father as being vanurable desperate and afraid for his son and that he would do anything for his health.

Then the scene introduces the grandfather with a close up on his face from which we can see a scar running down his face under his left eye this shows that he maybe a retired fighter maybe a mercinary or millitary and creates a hermeneutic code about how he got his scars. He then cousels the son about the duty of fatherhood which shows the relationship between the characters and highlights the importance of family in the story. 

Then the scene flashes back to the scene of where the son was pushs off the building and by using camera movements such as handheld and shakey shows a desperate scene of the father trying to get into the crime scene which then cuts back into a close of the child which creates empahsis then a match cut into a close up of the father crying the flashback scenes aswell have a darker more cool lighting total contrast to the warm lighting of the hospital scene this creates a striking effect of the dark lighting creating more mystery. Especially as the camera frantically pans to the shoes of the son.

Here are some texts that I will look at a little more broadly to see how they appeal to audiences and how they can inspire me.

Hitman: Agent 47 (2015)

Produced By: 20th Century fox

Distributed By: 20th Century fox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw_ysaoVlt4

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

A target audience for this film might be adult men who maybe into video games especially the Hitman Series of video games. The way they appeal to gamers and fans of hitman is by using iconic weapons from the franchise such as the fiber wire which he used to incapacitate the bodyguards aswell as his iconic suppressed pistol which was use to shoot the target in the head, although this movie was heavily critisized for being unfaithful to the game as Agent 47 in the movies unlike the games tends to kill people (which are heavily discouraged in the games) rather then knock them out. Towards Men and adults they appealed by using alot of mature elements such violence and intense fight scenees and blood

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

I liked how agent 47 is portrayed as a mysterious figure always being shown in flashing blue lights which makes it harder to see him and his actions aswell they introduced him by lunging at a guard in complete stealth and incapacitating them with a wire. I will use the idea of dark lighting and keeping our protagonist mysterious in the film opening.

Another thing I would use is the choreography. I beleive the choreography of this fightscene to be very instresting and exciting as whilst fighting what seams to be an endless flury of guards agent 47 practices very cool moves such as throwing someone of a balcony or even roling to dodge guards then reloading but especially when he dual wields his pistols.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

The one thing I disliked from this opening was the flashing blue lights I felt as if they were disorenting and added little for the scene i wish instead they kept the dark enviroment with a few static lights such as flash lights or even artificial moonlight that enhance the mysterious tone.

John Wick 4 (2023)

Produced By: Lionsgate

Distributed By: Lionsgate

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

This film also targets adult males they do this by making the main character an adult male which can help the audience reflect with the character. Also like other action movies the protrayl of violence and actions also tend to pander towards males.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

From this opening I would like to use the dark and gloomy mise en scene which was done by using dark lighting and underground settings. Another thing is the way they introduce the protagonist; at first we only get too see him bpunching a wooden plate with his fist until it bleeds this shows us how powerful and dedicated he is aswell not instantly showing us that this is john wick makes the audience ponder bout who this is.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Produced By: 20th Century fox

Distributed By: 20th Century fox

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

They use violence and fighting to pander towards adult males they also have hightech gadgets that may also appeal to fans of Spy movie

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

I like the fight coreography of this scene and how choatic everything is and how action packed every move is. I love how he uses the enviroment such us books to block knife hits aswell i love the use of pov shots as it helps us be more immersed into the character.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

1 Thing I would like to avoid from the opening is having multiple protagonist I believe it would be easier and better to flesh out one specific character rather then a team filled wth dynamics aswell it will make the individual protagonist look much stronger like super human.

Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Produced By: Blackbear

Distributed By: Lionsgate

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

History buffs: They appealed to history buffs by using historical figures are parties such as Nazis as well this movie is based on a historical event.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

I like how they incorporated humor along side their action with jokes and especially waving to the ship with the dead body. I may also want to experiment with contrapuntal music such as in the opening. Their use of suppressors is also interesting as it gives the guns a satisfying sound and helps lower down the costs of effects.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

1 Thing I would like to avoid from the opening is having multiple protagonist I believe it would be easier and better to flesh out one specific character rather then a team filled wth dynamics aswell it will make the individual protagonist look much stronger like super human.

Max Payne (2008)

Produced By: Abandoned Entertainment 

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Target auience, and how are they appealed to?

Gamers ( fans of the max Payne franchise): They are appealed to them by referencing characteristics and tropes from the games such as the inner dialogue and his motives and values which for the most part stays true with the source material.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

Max Payne's costume is very cool and interesting and makes him look tough and grizzled with the long leather coat and all black color scheme. I want to incorporate this mise en scene to make my main character look more tough and powerful.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

As we are now doing an Action comedy I would like to avoid the darker tones from the inner dialogue as well as the setting of dead bodies sinking under an icy river. We want to be more comedic and light hearted.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

Produced By: Columbia pictures

Distributed By: Columbia pictures

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

History buffs: They appealed to history buffs by using historical figures are parties such as Nazis as well this movie is based on a historical event.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

I like how they incorporated humor along side their action with jokes and especially waving to the ship with the dead body. I may also want to experiment with contrapuntal music such as in the opening. Their use of suppressors is also interesting as it gives the guns a satisfying sound and helps lower down the costs of effects.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

1 Thing I would like to avoid from the opening is having multiple protagonist I believe it would be easier and better to flesh out one specific character rather then a team filled wth dynamics aswell it will make the individual protagonist look much stronger like super human

Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)

Produced By: Universal Pictures

Distributed By: Universal Pictures

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

History buffs: They appealed to history buffs by using historical figures are parties such as Nazis as well this movie is based on a historical event.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

I like how they incorporated humor along side their action with jokes and especially waving to the ship with the dead body. I may also want to experiment with contrapuntal music such as in the opening. Their use of suppressors is also interesting as it gives the guns a satisfying sound and helps lower down the costs of effects.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

1 Thing I would like to avoid from the opening is having multiple protagonist I believe it would be easier and better to flesh out one specific character rather then a team filled wth dynamics aswell it will make the individual protagonist look much stronger like super human

This is a video that helped me with generating the idea and defining what a film opening  is

This video showed examples of different film openings and types of film openings, this helped me figure out the right film opening idea and type I want to create. Overall this video helped me make a more effective film opening.