A QUESTIONAIR TO GATHER IMPORTANT PLANNING INFORMATION

QUESTIONAIR




1) WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE GANGSTER FILM?
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2) WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GANGSTER FILM?
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3) DO YOU PREFERE:
- CRIME
- MURDER
- DRUG RELATED
- ROBBERY ET.
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4) DO YOU LIKE GANGSTER FILMS?

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5) WHAT KIND OF ADVERTIZING DO YOU SEE FILMS IN:
- WEBSITES
- MAGAZINES
- POSTERS
- ADVERTS

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6) WHAT AGE ARE YOU?

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7) MALE/ FEMALE?

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8) WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN A GANGSTER FILM?

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( The idea of this questionair was to get information from freinds and family about gangster films.. this will help us with our planning and should help us to get ideas from what people expect/like to see in a typical gangster film. We are starting to plan our ideas together - and having four people in our A2 group - we should come up with some good ideas! Also it means four sets of different data from our individual questionairs and will be important when we start filming )

FILM MAGAZINE FRONT COVERS

USING EMPIRES MAGAZINE FRONT COVER

OF THE HEADLINING PUBLIC ENEMIES..

USING A PAIL BACKGROUND AND USING JONNY DEPP IN A DARK SUIT GIVES THE POWERD EFFECT OF EDDITING. IT IMPLIES HE’S POSSIBLY AN ASSASSIN OR SIMULAR, WEARING LEATHER GLOVES AND HOLDING A GUN WITH SERIOUS EXPRESSION.

USING A SUPER-IMPOSSED PICTURE OF JONNY DEPP, AS THE MAIN ‘GANGSTER’ CHARACTER, IMPLIES THERE IS CRIME IN THE FILM WITH THE SUB-MACHINE GUN HE IS HOLDING.

USING AN EXCLUSIVE, THIS IS A STORY COVERED ONLY BY THE MAGAZINE AND IS INFORMATION FROM THE PROMOTION COMPANY FOR EMPIRE ECT. ON OTHER POSTERS THEY MAY HAVE QUOTES FROM INTERVIEWS INSIDE THE MAG.

ADDING A BARCODE AT THE BOTTOM LEFT MEANS IT’S OUT OF THE MAIN FOCUS, BUT ALSO MAKES IT OBVIOUS YOU COULD BUY THIS MAGAZINE. AND KEEPING THE SAME FONT COLOURS AND BACKGROUNDS SIMULAR MAKES IT MORE APPEALING AND PROFFESIONAL. ADDING A RED CROSS AT THE BOTTOM LEFT, IMPLIES THERE IS ALSO A PLUS IN THE MAG, SHOWING MORE INFORMATION ON OTHER DIRECTORS AND THE CROSS DRAWS YOU DOWN THE MAG COVER TOO THE BOTTOM.

ON THE POSTER THERE ARE A LOT OF CONTRASTING FILMS, EG: IRON MAN – IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO PUBLIC ENEMIES. THIS IS TO OPEN THE READING AUDIENCE AS A MARKET, AND DOSENT JUST FOCUS ON ONE GENRE.

USING A RED BOLD TITLE, IT MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT THE MAGAZINE IS BY EMPIRE AS A PRODUCEING COMPANY, THE COMON READER WILL REALISE THIS.

USING PUGS – SUCH AS THE PRICE, DATE, LOGO OR A PROMOTION SUCH AS THE EMPRIE WEBSITE IN SMALL WRITING, ARE ALL WELL PLACED TO CATCH THE AUDIENCE/READERS EYE OFTEN AT THE TOP LEFT OR RIGHT HAND CORNERS, ON THIS PARTICUAL MAGAZINE – THE PUGS ARE SITUATED ALL OVER THE COVER, WHICH MEANS AS THE READER LOOKS AT THE MAIN PICTURE OF A SUPER-IMPOSSED IMAGE, THEY SEE DATES – PRICE – AND WEB ADRESS OF EMPIRE. THIS GIVES EMPIRE MORE PROMOTION. THE TITLES OF THE MAG IS ALWAYS AT THE TOP, THIS IS TO KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR THE READER, AND ALTHOUGH USING SUPER-IMPOSED IMAGES OVER THE TITLE WRITING, ITS STILL OBVIOUS FROM THE BOLD COLOUR AND FONT OF THE WORDING.

EXAMPLES OF 'THE TYPICAL GANGSTER'

Black and white images, suits, guns, old fashioned outfits/cars. these are all helpful to us to find ideas on what to film and what the typical gangster looks like. i got some personal ideas from family members who said:
DAD: 'the typical gangster is a stubbern and agressive type - but calm on the first impressions.'
MUM: 'i would say gangsters these days have still got the image of the oldschool gangster - wearing suits, smoking, with flash cars made to look old'
BROTHER: 'i studied 1960's gangster's at uni and realised that gangsters back then are the same image of the mafia these days, and that they still walk around in groups and still carry weapons ect.'


We have now begun planning with my group the synopsis of my 'British Gangster' film trailer. As a group we discussed several different plots and ideas. The plot includes a love interest between a man and a woman both offsprings from two rival gangs. This is eventually found out by the girl's Father, who puts a hit on both of them.

PROS, AND CONS OF MAKING OUR GANGSTER FILM TRAILER..

Pros:

- Costumes are day-to-day clothes; smart/casual wear with trench coats, or other long coats – these are comonly found in the wardrobe of the average male therefore there is no need to purchase new costumes,
- Locations are readily available – backstreet loactions, perhaps a view of the london skyline,
- No special effects needed as British Gangster films are created in a realist style
- Characters would include an average looking middle-aged man, aged 30-45 years old – this is a pro as normal or little known actors would be used to play the characters due to the realist style,

Cons:
- Often weapons such as guns are widely used in this genre of film – convincing replicas are difficult to source
- We need to make sure we have the right location, as our film is based around flash cars, speed boats and harbours. Athough we have a member of the group who has access to these..

youtube trailers of gangster films..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXceJA-eoJg
american gangster

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf16Vc3iZjE
godfather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COgiPZnYJbo
gangsters paradice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93l6EGR72yY
rock 'n' roller

INFORMATION ABOUT CRIME AND GANGSTER FILMS

Crime and Gangster Films are developed around the sinister actions of criminals or gangsters, particularly bankrobbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing and violently murdering their way through life. In the 1940s, a new type of crime thriller emerged, more dark and cynical - see the section on film-noir for further examples of crime films. Criminal and gangster films are often categorized as post-war film noir or detective-mystery films - because of underlying similarities between these cinematic forms. Film gangsters are usually materialistic, street-smart, immoral, meglo-maniacal, and self-destructive. Rivalry with other criminals in gangster warfare is often a significant plot characteristic. Crime plots also include questions such as how the criminal will be apprehended by police, private eyes, special agents or lawful authorities, or mysteries such as who stole the valued object. They rise to power with a tough cruel facade while showing an ambitious desire for success and recognition, but underneath they can express sensitivity and gentleness.

a2 media gangster

GOOD POSTER, USING A DARK BACKGROUND THEY HAVE MAXIMISED THE MAIN FOCUS ON THE CHARACTER WEARING A WHITE SUIT. ALSO USING BLACK AND WHITE CREATES A GANGSTER FEEL TO THE POSTER AS MANY CLASSICS SUCH AS; 'THE GODFATHER' USE BLACK AND WHITE SHOTS THROUGHOUT THE FILM. AMERICAN IS UNDERLINED WITH RED 'BLOOD' THIS IMPLIES THERE IS MURDER OR VIOLENCE INVOLVED.. BOLD PICTURES AND NOT A GREAT DEAL OF WRITTING ABOUT THE FILM IS IMPORTANT - IT DRAWS THE READERS EYES INTO FINDING OUT MORE..



COMPLETLY DIFFERENT POSTER WITH ROCK 'N' ROLLA - MAIN FOCUS IS ON THE BLACK SUITED CHARACTER AND THE GUN SITUATED OVER HIS SHOLDER. THIS IMPLICATES MORE 'GANGSTER' ACTON INVOLVED WITH THE FILM. HAVING MORE THAN ONE KEY ACTOR AS THE POSTER IS ALSO HELPFUL - IT INDICATES THE MAIN CHARACTERS AND THERE ROLES WHETHER IT MAY BE AN ANGRY FACE OR POLITE EXPRESSIONS - THE READERS ARE EXITED TO FIND OUT MORE. THE KEY LINE OF THIS POSTER IS 'A STORY OF SEX, THUGS, AND ROCK 'N ROLL' THEY HAVE USED 'SEX DRUGS AND ROCK 'N ROLL' BUT HAVE GIVEN IT A THUGGY-GANGSTER APPROACH.






PUBLIC ENEMIES IS OUR GROUPS KEY FILM IN RELATION TO WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIVE WITH OUR FILMING. THE POSTERS ARE SIMPLE BUT ENTHUSTIASTIC - A SIMPLE SHOT OF JONNY DEPP, DRAWS THE READERS EYES INTO HIS FACIAL EXPRESSION, GIVING OFF A SUSPENCE - AND KEY ENROLMENT INTO WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FILM. THE OTHER POSTER CREATES A DIFFERENT FEEL, THE SHOT WITH CHRISTIAN BALE AND A SUB-MACHINE GUN IMPLIES MURDER OR SIMULAR KINDS OF CRIME. ALTHOUGH THE FILM IS ABOUT JONNY DEPP AND HOW HE MANAGES TO ROB BANKS IN STYLE, BOTH POSTERS DONT GIVE THIS STORY AWAY. THIS BECOMES A TWIST TO THE FILM WATCHERS WHEN THEY SEE IT. WE MAY USE THIS KIND OF POSTER IDEA IN OUR COURSEWORK - AS IT ADDS TO THE TRAILER TWISTS.

THE TOP 5 GANGSTER FILMS OF ALL TIME..

a2 media

( THE WORK ABOVE IS MY A2 COURSEWORK... THE WORK BEFORE IS MY AS COURSEWORK!!)





















( A2 MEDIA COURSEWORK ^^^^^^^^ A2 MEDIA COURSEWORK ^^^^^^^^ )