Monday, 7 December 2015

BatMan Begins Codes and Conventions

 In the movie Batman Begins, there are lots of ways in which it proves to be a superhero film. 

 Firstly, the first half of the movie is based around the origin of batman (where he came from) and how and why he became Batman. The reason for this is to let the audience know what they are watching, so the right people are watching the movie and will enjoy it. Origin stories are mostly about ordinary people suffering some a sort of transformation. Unlike some movies, the superheroes do not choose to become what they do. For example, Spider-man, he gets bitten by a spider which gives him special powers and abilities therefor does not choose to become what he does. But Batman on the other hand, does want to become a hero to save Gotham from evil and stop its corruption and ending.

Secondly, like all Superhero films they have to have an enemy these are called super villains. Batman has the Scarecrow and is typically the binary opposite of the super hero. His aim was to poison Gotham and drown it in the people's own fear. If there was no villain in a superhero movie there would be no point in it, as the main reason that superheroes exist is to fight crime and protect the people. 

Thirdly, Batman wears a cape, mask and a black armored suit. This convention is associated with the superhero genre and the audience would probably only need to look at the hero to know what genre the movie is. Every stereotypical super hero would use a mask to hide and prevent people from knowing  their true identity (Bruce Wayne). This is to save and protect the people they love from harm. All superheroes have a theme, this is shown in the name, costume and colors. for example spider-man's costumes is the same color as the spider that bit him, his name comes from how he got his powers ( 'Spider' Man), and his costume resembles a spiders web. Similarly, Bat-Man's costume is black like a bat, his cape and mask have the features of a bat (wings and ears) and his name, Just like spider man's starts with the animal they are resembled too. Also super hero costumes and out of the ordinary and something we do not come across in our everyday lives, therefore they are easily spotted and are only associated with this genre.

Lastly, like all superhero films the typical conventions are that they have extraordinary powers, skills, wealth and technology. Bat-man has abilities no other average person has. For instance he is  very wealthy, therefor most of his 'powers' where bought. He bought a cape made out of special material that can fly, his suit that a bullet cannot pierce and the bat mobile. All these things added to his strength and ability to defeat the villains and their 'minions'. Without these abilities the hero would be too easily defeated, the same goes for the villain, if they are weak they could be defeated too easily and the film would be boring. So the hero always has to have a weakness to create suspense within the movie.             

















    

Sunday, 29 November 2015

SpiderMan- How do we know it is a superhero film?

In the 2002  Spider-man movie the audience can clearly work out the genre of  the film. This is done by a series of important conventions that people have come to associate with the superhero genre. Firstly, the Spider-man movie was set in New-York, most Marvel films are set here so audiences can associate with other superheros films that they may have watched. Also a big city like New-York would have more crime and destruction in than a small town  would, therefore it is more appropriate. If Spider-man was set in a small town with few people and buildings, then it wouldn't be as exciting and fast moving as a busy city. Secondly, the Spider-man movie shows us the origin of how Peter Parker got bit by a spider and turned into a spider-man. This is present in most superhero films. So allows the audience to actually know what is going on and gives us some background information on the hero's true identity. Leading on from identity, Spider-man wears a tight fitted full body suit and a mask. This relates to most superhero films because they wear clothes that are not worn by normal people, also they wear a mask eg Captain America. The mask hides the hero's (or Vilains) true identity from the world.  If his identity were a matter of public record it could possibly be accessed by his enemies and  it would place his loved ones in jeopardy. Lastly Spider-man has special powers, these include climbing abilities, strength and the ability to shoot webs from his wrists. We know we are watching a superhero movie if the main character has special abilities because they use these abilities to save the city from the villain. Every superhero has at least one special power that normal people would not. eg. The Hulk has super strength, Iron Man has a special suit that can fly and shoot bullets and bombs and Thor is a God and has a hammer only he can use to fight with. Therefore powers, costume and setting  are a key part of the superhero genre to ensure the right people are watching the film. 
 

Monday, 16 November 2015

DC and Marvel comics

 
DC AND MARVEL COMICS 


DC Comics, Inc. is an America comic book publisher. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment, a company of Warner bros Entertainment, which itself is owned by time warner. DC Comics is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in American comic books, and produces material featuring numerous well-known heroic characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman , green lantern, the Flash, Aqua Man , hawkman and Green arrow. It was founded in late 1934 or early 1935 by Malcolm wheeler Nicholson. DC's first logo appeared on the April 1940 issues of its titles. The letters "DC" stood for Detective Comics, the name of Batman's flagship title. The small logo, with no background, read simply, "A DC Publication".  The initials "DC" came from the company's popular series Detective comics, which featured Batman's debut and subsequently became part of the company's name.



Marvel Worldwide Inc. commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American publisher of comic books and related media. In 2009, the Walt Disney company acquired Marvel entertainment, Marvel Worldwide's parent company. Marvel counts among its characters such well-known properties as Wolverine, iron man, Captain America, Spider man and the Hulk, such teams as the avengers, the fantastic four, the X-men , and antagonists such as Magneto, Mystique, Green goblin, Doctor doom, Dr octopus  and Loki. Most of Marvel's fictional characters operate in a single reality known as the Marvel universe , with locations that mirror real-life cities. Characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, Daredevil and dr. Strange are based in New York City, whereas the X-Men have historically been based in Salem centre, new y and the Hulk's stories often have been set in the American Southwest.


  

Sunday, 1 November 2015

Star wars movie Trailer

                            The Sounds Within Star wars

        


Diegetic Sound- When  the source of the sound is visible on the screen. The actors can hear and see where the sound in coming from, either another actor speaking (dialogue) or an object in the scene making a noise. for example, a radio or a television. Diegetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. 

Non-Diegetic Sound- When the source of the sound is not visible on the screen or to the actors. It is usually used in films as mood music to create suspense, sadnness, happiness ect. Examples of non diegetic sound is narrators commentary, sound effects that add dramatic effect and mood music. Non diegetic sound is represented as coming from a source outside the story space.

  In this Establishing shot (0:18) non-diegetic sound was used. This is because mood music was being playing in the background that the actor cannot hear. A single note on a piano was played, this is because it shows the emptiness and quietness of the characters surroundings. It also adds to the suspense of the scene as the audience would want to know why the characters environment was so vast and abandoned. It also shows  how silent it was there, because the single note played made a big difference to the quietness.      

  This scene is an example of Diegetic sound. This is because there is a storm and rain which the actors can hear and are aware of. Because this sound is not a 'sound affect' it makes the scene seem more realistic and draws the audience into believing in the science fiction film; as if they where there.