For our focus group, we decided to give out a questionnaire to our target audience and from that decide whether our film was good/whether it fit the requirements we had for our main task. After giving a brief overview of the full synopsis and outline of the opening sequence, we gave a select amount of people in the target audience a set of questions. Here is a link to our questionable: Google Document of Questionnaire
Our questionnaire was given to 10 people aged 15-20. Their responses were to each question:
1.The majority agreed that the opening had an interesting plot, most thought that it was somewhat relatable to teenagers/those who would see the film and that the alien aspect seems positive. But others thought that the plot was lacking comedic aspects and therefore thought that it was not as interesting as they hoped.
2.Most believed the film fit into the genre of comedy, however some thought that the alien aspect of the opening sequence made it more sci-fi.
3.Most thought that they would like to see the film because they thought it was interesting and thought it would be amusing and they like comedy films.
4.Only a few thought that it needed improving in the comedy aspect, this included possibly having slapstick comedy features such as people falling or being hurt.
5.It was a half and half response, most thought that the alien made it interesting. Some thought on the other hand that it was not humorous enough and needed to be more comedic but nearly all thought it was engaging.
The responses meant that we were going to add more comedic aspects to the film, including the knocking over of the bag and changing the ending by having the student hitting the other in a comedic nature .This meant that the film would attain the comedic genre we originally had it as.
Below is an image of some of our target audience completing the questionnaire.
In my group, we decided that our film was going to be that of a social comedy, focusing on the comedic aspects of two opposite characters. As research, I looked into the history of the comedic genre of film.
In my research I found a historic timeline of comedy films, TIMELINE, from this timeline I have chosen pivotal points in history about the genre and how it has changed.
As shown above, the differences in years between each aspect of history, and especially the difference between how films used to be, is the clear reason for the change. As worldwide, life-changing events happened, such as WWII, comedy films began to change. There are 4 main time eras associated with comedy, these eras are labelled for the aspect of comedy which was most prolific. The table below, from the same website as the timeline, shows these eras.
Within all comedy films at least 1 of the 5 main elements for comedy are used. These are: Farce, Situational Comedy, Slapstick, Comedian and Timing. In silent movies, timing and slapstick were the main feature, seeing as there was no sound, the actors and director had to use physical features to make the audience laugh. In modern times, situational comedy is the main one used, however farce is common too. Comedians have been used through-out, Laurel and Hardy were one of the most well known comedy duos and still are, even though they were actors in silent films, now, comedians are placed in films possibly for audiences to know what they're 'going to get' from the film. A well known comedian in a film, means fans of that comedian are going to see it.
While films may have changed from silent to full on blockbusters, there are still elements which have condtinued though time, the comedic element of timing is a feature which is prodominante in all comedy movies, being on of the elements which makes a comedy...well, a comedy.
As a genre, pure comedy films are not known for having a high grossing result in comparison to some genres, especially in the 2000s. The table below shows the top 10 highest grossing pure comedy films (with no cross-genres) with only 1, no.10, being made in the 2000s.
While these are the top GROSSING comedy films in history, opinions on the 'greatest' comedy films is much different. Through research, I saw that the top 5 'greatest comedy films', voted by the hundreds of 'comedy writers, comedy directors, comic actors and stand-up comedians' List here are: 5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Narrative - The narrative appears to be that of a bystander talking about the main character of the film and his life, AFTER the film itself. The song that plays in the opening mentions the name of Brian multiple times, from the view of a third person. The special effects of the opening, the comic style animation, alludes the audience to the narrative of Brian's life, the human body that is shown throughout begins as a baby and grows into a young boy, then a young adult and so on, until his death; then proceeding to show his after death experience, until his is shot while rising to heaven (a comedic action in relation to the film).
Representation - The representation of the time period of the movie setting is shown in the movie, images of Roman brickwork and buildings, the animation is given the design of old and ruined. Another representation of religion is an aspect of the opening that can be seen, during the ending and the angelic images.
Genre - Through both the comedic timing and actions that occur during this opening, the genre is evidently comedy. The music fits to the actions in the opening.
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Sound -The song of the opening introduces the audience to the main character, whom the film is named after, and sings about his life.
Mise-en-scene - The mise-en-scene of the opening animation orientates to audience to the time period and setting of the film, the old appearance of the buildings, the Roman design of the environment etc.
Editing - The jump cuts between scenes work in time with the music, for example, as the lyrics 'and he started to grow' are sung, there is a jump cut between the animation of Brian falling as a young boy to him falling as a teenager. The editing continues to consist of 'jump cuts' through-out, moving between scenes. The editing of adding the Cast and Crew's names is within the animation, thus meaning there would be no editing required.
Special Effects - The entire opening is animation, thus is 'special effects'. The opening uses this animation to set out the plot of the film and orientate the audience into the setting and time period of the film. The animation also includes the names of the actors and crew of the film, these names appear as part of the animation, rather than just appearing over the opening itself.
Narrative - The narrative of the opening is questionable, while there is no character which the narrative consists of, the narrative could be seen as the car itself or the siren itself, showing the viewpoint of the car during a possible police chase. However, the fact that there is no evidently specific narrative, I personally just see it as the narrative of the car.
Representation - The opening sequence repesents the main characters in the movie, the film is of copy genre, along with comedy, so the opening represents the features of the movie which are these. The police siren is the cops and the actions of the car and the mise-en-scene is comedic.
Genre - The comedic nature of the opening, the driving up on the pavement, the car going into a house and driving around it, the driving into a girls locker room, and the car going onto a roller-coaster, all emphasis that the film is a comedy, along with this, the music chosen is comedic as well, somewhat 'silly' in comparison to what audiences would expect from a police film.
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Camera - The entire opening consists of one camera placement. On top of a police car with a siren in front of the camera. This is one of the comedic elements of the opening.
Sound - The theme song of the film opens with the music sounding similar to that of a police siren and the fast pace of the tune throughout the opening matches that of the action that is occurring As the opening draws to a close, the music slows
Mise-en-scene - As the opening sequence starts, the siren on top of the car is the main focus. As it continues, the locations and scenery are shown to be evidently different areas, the house, the gas station etc. The mise-en-scene of these locations seperates them and provides objects which are manipulated by the camera/police car, such as running into people/objects.
Editing - The editing in relation to the camera consists of jump cuts between the difference locations that the cars enters, this sudden change keeps the pace of the opening fast and creates the humourous element.
As we decided to do a comedy based on social differences between two characters, creating a social comedy, the film we decided to look at as a timeline was the film 'Starter for 10' (a social comedy-drama)
'A period comedy set 1985, the story chronicles the adventures of Brian Jackson, a student in his first year at Bristol University. A somewhat gekky gifted accumulator of knowledge, Brian has been a fan since childhood of University Challenge. That TV show's famous catchphrase - 'Your starter for 10' - give the film it's title. Soon after arriving at university, he seizes upon the opportunity to join Bristol's University Challenge team. He promptly falls for his glamorous teammate Alice, though he may be more compatible with his Jewish counter-culturalist friend, Rebecca. Additionally, Brian finds himself caught between his new life, amongst the academic university set, and his old, with his working-class family and friends in the seaside town of Southend-on-Sea, Essex.'
From our group discussion, we noticed that when making the timeline, we each looked at different aspects, I focused on the set up of credits, while another person focused on the camera shots and action along with the credits. However, from our discussion, we all saw that this comedy film started slow and used jump cuts between locations, as Brian leaves home and goes to his new house. I noticed that in the entire opening, Brian always has his suitcase, in all the shots, his suitcase is visible from this we discussed the possibility of having 1 consistent aspect in all shots, whether that be a part of the outfit, or in the background.
0:00 - 'Paramount Pictures presents' 0:03 - Opening shot of police car and siren (on) driving down a road with music playing. 0:05 - 'a Zucker Abrahams Zucker production' 0:10 - 'Leslie Nielsen' 0:16 - 'The Naked Gun' 0:17 - 'From the files of Police Squad!' 0:22 - Cuts to car driving up pavement with people jumping out the way. 0:24 - 'Priscilla Presley' 0:30 - 'George Kennedy' 0:32 - Cuts to car going through a car wash. 0:35 - 'Richardo Montalban' 0:41 - 'O.J Simpson Rayne Birk' 0:44 - Cuts to car going into a house and moving between rooms. 0:50 - 'casting by Fern Champion, C.S.A and Pamela Basker, C.S.A' 0:56 - 'associate producers John D. Schofield Kevin M. Marcy' 1:03 - 'music by Ira Newborn' 1:09 - 'costume designer Mary E. Vogt' 1:13 - Cuts to siren in a girls locker room 1:15 - 'editor Michael Jablow' 1:21 - Cuts to siren on a rollercoaster 1:23 - 'production designer John J. Lloyd' 1:27 - 'director of photography Robert Stevens' 1:31 - 'witten by Jerry Zucker Jim Abrahams David Zucker Pat Proft' 1:35 - 'produced by Robert K. Weiss' Cuts to final shot 1:38 - 'directed by David Zucker'
Timeline of our film
Above is the timeline for our film, from this we can see the shots that are needed, along with any props and mis-en-scene details that are required. We also know that our opening will be 1 minute and 40 seconds long.
Synopsis of our film
Title of film: School's Out
Genre: Social Comedy
Target Audience: 12+
Logline: 'Two opposite students are tasked with finding the missing people from their school.'
Full Synopsis: Two (hating each other) students awake in an empty school, with no recolation of the day. School staff and students has disappeared appart from these two. After an earthquake alarm went, these two students were fighting and promptly knocked each other out. After waking up, they attempt to find the others, not aware of the earthquake alarm, and therefore that everyone has evacuated. Their mission apears to be finding clues to everyone's whereabouts with hilarious misunderstandings of an alien abduction and kidnapping that eventually brings the students closer.
Opening Sequence Outline: The two students will be shown waking up in a dark classroom, they stumble up and leave the classroom to go back to a room they had been in earlier.
