Megan Richards

Unit 10: Film Production Fiction Learning Aim A Understand codes

and conventions of fictional film production

Thriller: Gravity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKW-Gd_S_xc

Romance: Letters to Juliet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_SP7JZSJR4

Format and Purpose:

Gravity is a film from the thriller genre and is a hybrid genre; set in space

and filled with action as two remaining astronauts try to find a way

home. I chose this film as the opening scene is very important and sets

the course for the rest of the film. The film was co-written by Alfonso

Cuaron and his son Jonas Cuaron. It was released by Warner Brothers in

2013 and directed and produced by Alfonso Cuaron. It is typical of this

director to make this film as he has directed other thrillers in the past

such as Children of Men. Warner Bros. makes all kinds of genres of films

so this film would be typical of the genre that this studio makes as it is a

mainstream film.

The budget for Gravity was $100 million and it made a massive $723.2

million at the box office. The running time of this film is 1 hour and 31

minutes, so it is classed as a full length feature film. The films purpose is

to keep the audience in suspense and fully immerse them in the action

on screen. This film is a one off and not part of a franchise as it has a

closed narrative so there is not a way of carrying on the story. The target

audience for this film is quite wide as it can appeal to anyone, probably

most likely to teenagers and up as it is marketed by the BBFC as an age

12 film. Therefore the audience is quite mainstream so this is probably

why it appealed to so many at cinemas.

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Letters to Juliet is a romantic genre film and a rom-com in places as well.

Its about a young woman who wants to become a writer and travels to

Verona and finds a letter written to the secretaries of Juliet 50 years ago.

This films closing scene is very typical of the genre as it is romantic and

happy so I thought it would contrast well with Gravity as they are both

very different genres. The film was co-written by Jose Rivera and Tim

Sullivan and realised by Summit Entertainment in 2010. This company

makes a wide variety of films and many are romance or romantic

comedies e.g. The Twilight Saga and Warm Bodies; so it would be typical

of the genre that this studio makes. This film had a budget of $30 million

and made $80 million at the box office. It has a running time of 1 hour

and 45 minutes so is also a feature film. This films purpose was to make

the audience empathise with the characters as well as the narrative as

you can see the characters develop throughout the film. Letters to Juliet

is a one off film that does not have a sequel as it has a closed narrative

with a satisfying ending for the audience as the two main characters get

together in the end. This is very typical of the romantic genre. The target

audience for this film would most likely be women from teenagers and

upwards and appeal to quite a mainstream audience as well due to the

story being an easy one for them to get into and enjoy. This film

contrasts with Gravity due to it being very relaxed and a calming story

and Gravity is non-stop action and a fight for the characters.

Narrative:
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This extract of Gravity is from the start of the film. In this clip we see the

astronauts outside the space shuttle sending data to Houston. Suddenly

debris from a satellite flies past hitting the shuttle sending Dr Stone

spinning as she was still attached to the shuttle arm. This scene is

important as it starts off the struggle that features throughout the film

and creates enigmas about whether the characters will survive; also

showing the audience how this causes all the other problems the

characters face in the film. This is a good example of a cause and effect

chain of events. The narrative is told via dialogue between the characters

and also through the action as the chaos is revealed on screen. Cause

and effect is used in the clip as we see that Dr Stone does not unclip her

belt holding her to the shuttle arm and therefore when the shuttle is hit

she is sent spinning. The protagonists are desperately trying to survive

the ricochet from the satellite and retrieve Dr Stone from the arm and

find another way home. In the clip, the narrative is open-ended as the

audience do not get a definite answer as to what happened and we do

not see what happened to the characters. This leaves the audience

unsure as to if the astronauts survive or not and makes them uneasy.

However the film as a whole has a closed narrative as we see the only

surviving astronaut return safely. The narrative is linear, which means

that the events are in a chronological order. It is also realist, as all the

events are quite possible in space as many things go wrong in space

travel. This is a contrast to other conventional Sci-Fis where there are

fantastical creatures and impossible situations. The film as a whole

follows Todorovs Theory as it does end in a resolution at the end despite

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the hardship. The first stage, (the equilibrium) sees the astronauts

working to collect data, the next stage, (the disruption) occurs when the

shuttle is destroyed and the astronauts are separated. There is a

realisation when Dr Stone works out how she can get home and fly the

escape capsule. The resolution at the end of the film shows Dr Stone has

returned to Earth and is taking her first steps on land. However, the clip

ends with an enigma code as we see Dr Stone get catapulted into space

away from the shuttle, which leaves the audience wonder whats going

to happen to her and if shell get found.

The characters are not massively stereotyped as Dr Stone is shown as an

intelligent woman as she is an astronaut, which subverts the convention

that women are not smart and are only attractive objects. However she is

portrayed as the damsel in distress as she ends up in trouble due to the

debris. Sandra Bullock was chosen to play Dr Stone as she is a well-

known actress and makes the audience have feelings of familiarity with

her as the main character, and this means they empathise with her more,

in dangerous situations.
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The other astronaut Kawolski is slightly stereotyped as he is shown to be

the calming, saving-the-day type American male as hes trying to save Dr

Stone. George Clooney was chosen to play Kowalski as he is a very

famous actor and this makes the audience want to root for him as the

second lead character and wants him and Dr Stone to survive.

Makeup is very minimal if any at all, as the characters are in space and

have a job to do, so they therefore do not have time to worry about

appearances as their purpose is to complete the mission. The costumes

for all characters in the extract are space suits and helmets as they a

roaming around outside the shuttle. Kawolski has a jet pack to move

around when not attached to the shuttle, this also helps to show the

audience how he was trying to save the mission as it enabled him to

move around and detach particular objects from the shuttle. Props such

as the shuttle are used as they are obviously in space and this is their

only lifeline to get home. When the shuttle is then destroyed by debris is

gives the audience a sense of hopelessness as they dont know how the
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astronauts will survive. The two characters we see are the protagonists

who are trying to stay alive; the only possible villain is the satellite that

was blown up as its debris is attacking the astronauts and shuttle.

This extract from Letters to Juliet shows Charlie searching for Sophie

after she ran away upset from the wedding. Charlie is the grandson of

Claire who wrote the letter to the Secretaries of Juliet many years ago.

Sophie wrote a letter back and on their journey to find Lorenzo the pair

have slowly become closer. Charlie sees her appear on the balcony and

tries to find out what happened. This leads to them confessing their love

for each other, which is an intertextual reference to Romeo and Juliet as

they also confessed their love on a balcony. Charlie then falls off the

vines for the scene to end with a kiss. This scene is important in the film

because its the final scene shows a resolution and the audience finally

gets to see the characters end up together which is satisfying to them as

the characters had been denying their love for each other throughout

the film. This is conventional of the genre as the couples always end up

together at the end of romance films. The narrative is told via dialogue

between the characters as they engage in conversation. The motivation

of the protagonists is for them to end up together as their goal is to be

happy. The narrative is closed as the audience see a satisfying ending

that doesnt really have an alternatives, so another film could not be

made after this one. The order of the storytelling is also linear as the

events are chronological. The events are realist as these events could

possibly happen and the narrative occurs in a realistic setting. This

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narrative contrasts to Gravity as the clip ends with an open narrative

where as in Letters to Juliet the clip has a closed narrative to leave the

audience satisfied. Todorovs theory applies to the film rather than the

clip as it follows the structure of starting with an equilibrium, there being

a disruption or problem, a resolution and a regained equilibrium. The clip

applies to the last two stages of the theory. For example the film starts

off with Sophie and her fianc travelling to Verona (equilibrium) and

then her fianc becomes busy with business so she is alone (disruption)

until she finds the secretaries. She then goes on an adventure with

Charlie and Claire to find Claires long lost love (resolution) and then

Charlie and Sophie get together at the end (a new regained equilibrium).

This structure is pleasing for the audience as it is predictable and gives

them the ending that they want to see, compared to Gravity where the

clip ends on a cliff hanger and the audience dont know how it ends.

Sophie subverts the stereotype of being a blonde American woman as

they are typically portrayed as being dumb however Sophie subverts

this as she is intelligent due to being a writer at a magazine. Sophie is

played by Amanda Seyfried who has been in many romantic films such as
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Mama Mia and Lovelace, so it makes sense for her to be cast in a

romantic comedy.

Charlie adheres to the stereotype that British people are posh and rude

as he is very full of himself and obnoxious until the end of the film where

he cares about someone other than himself. Charlie is played by

Christopher Egan who has been in a variety of different films so is quite

well known so gives the audience a sense of familiarity.

The makeup is natural especially on Sophie, she is made up just enough

for her to look natural but still look pretty. There are not many props in

the extract other than the balcony that Sophie is stood on as that is quite

significant. This has connotations of and is an intertextual reference to

the famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet and helps to show the

romantic feelings between Sophie and Charlie. The costume is very

formal; Sophie is wearing a romantic dress thats very whimsical and

fairy-like and Charlie has a suit. The princess in the extract could possibly

be Sophie however she is not a damsel in distress and subverts that.

Charlie could be the protagonist as hes the good guy at the end and

gets together with Sophie at the end of the film.

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Genre:

The genre of Gravity is a hybrid genre as it is a thriller but also sci-fi due

to it being set in space and a genre within a genre. It is easy to tell that

this film is a thriller because in the extract you can feel the suspense as a

viewer as the soundtrack intensifies and situations get worse, keeping

the audience on the edge of their seat. There is not much iconography in

the film that signifies a thriller except for the location of the film; space is

very isolated and therefore signifies a thriller. One convention of a

thriller are confined spaces. Despite the characters being in space, they

are in confined spaces inside their spacesuits and the audience can feel

that there is increased panic when situations worsen. I would also say

that space is very isolating despite being empty so the thought that no

one is around to help them; only a vacuum and the planet below could

make the characters feel quite confined. The camerawork is typical of the

genre as long shots are used quite often in thrillers to show the

surroundings that the characters are in and this can help to make the

audience feel helpless if the characters are trapped somewhere they

cannot escape from. Another shot used is close ups, as they tend to focus

in on an object a character is using to help solve a problem or on the

characters faces to show their expressions of fear and panic. Editing

tends to be fast paced, more so when the tension is rising and the

danger is getting greater, making the audience feel tense as they have to

keep focusing on the action. For example the camera changes what it is

looking at; the astronauts and the debris. The mise-en-scene in this

extract is very much focused on the props and costumes as a lot of the
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background is CGI due to the setting of space. The props and costumes

are not typical of the thriller genre per se but of the sci-fi one definitely,

as the props are the shuttle and Hubble that they are attached to, which

are both futuristic objects. The lighting changes between low-key and

high-key in the extract depending on where the characters are as Earth

is below them reflecting the light, but low-key lighting is very typical of

the thriller genre as it helps to create mystery and uncertainty, which is

very present in this extract. The sound in thrillers usually consists of

strings and drums as they can both increase in speed and reach

crescendos which creates suspense. Drums are used especially because

they can be used to mimic a heartbeat which makes the audience feel

the tension on screen. The narrative is typical of the genre as it follows

the idea of equilibrium at the beginning but then things go drastically

wrong and lives are threatened; usually ending with a closed narrative.

The conventions of a thriller are adhered to in this film as there is low key

lighting, shadows, tense music and quick cuts. These all help to build the

tension and make the viewer feel uneasy. This film is a sub-genre because

it is a sci-fi within a thriller. This is due to the theme of space and science

fiction and the tension of a thriller being a part of the film. The film caters

to the audiences expectations as in the extract we can see it starts off

with a normal situation, with the astronauts working to collect data and

then something threatens them, such as the debris from the satellite. The

film provides the suspense the audience expects through the intense

action, soundtrack and editing.

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The genre of Letters to Juliet is a romance but also a rom-com in places.

You are able to tell that this film is a romance especially in the extract as

there is a male and female love interest, who are both attractive and are

placed in a dramatic situation. There is definitely iconography from the

genre from this film, for example: the big kiss scene at the end of the

film; we see an example of this at the end of the extract. Another is a

happy ending; after the couple have had a disagreement and found their

ways back to each other they end up happily together creating an

idealistic image. There is sometimes an antagonist who tries to get in the

way of the couple, the antagonist would be Sophies ex fianc as he gets

in the way of the couples feelings for each other and its only after the

engagement is broken off that the couple can be together. A final piece

of iconography is the happy music played at the end of the film, usually a

love song about people being a perfect match and ending up together,

just like the characters do in the end of the film (What if by Colbie

Caillat). Camerawork in the film is typical of the genre as there are many

mid-shots as these show a lot of the actor but also keeps focus on their

face and expressions; its used a lot when the characters are having

conversations. Long shots are used frequently to show the romantic

locations the characters are in for example in the extract the characters

are in Italy at a vineyard, they can also be used to show the characters

running toward each other, which we can see Sophie do in the extract

after Charlie falls off the vines. Close ups are another conventional shot

especially in this genre and film, in the end of the extract the camera

focuses on the couples faces in the lead up to the kiss which creates the
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sense of intimacy and obvious romantic feelings between the characters.

Each shot is quite long, therefore the editing is quite a slow pace until

the shot-reverse-shot during the conversation; this is done to build

intensity. The mise-en-scene is typical of the genre as the costumes are

very romantic and formal and make up is natural yet still present. The

lighting is almost always high-key so that the audience is able to see the

actors faces and actions and the actors are attractive to make them

appeal to the audience more. The sound in the extract features

background noise from the wedding but then dies off until its just

dialogue. However a quiet string and flute song comes in at the

background when the characters are resolving their confusion. The flutes

suggest the resolution of the upset caused between the characters and

the start of their relationship. The extract ends with a pop song, which is

typical of the genre as each of the soundtracks are calming and romantic

which eventually reach crescendos. The narrative is typical of the genre

as it is linear with a closed narrative as it usually ends with a happy

couple at the end. The film does follow the conventions of the romance

genre, it is very much boy meets girl and has the couple go their

separate ways due to an argument or disruption but then they re-unite at

the end which we see in the extract. There is usually a wedding at the

end of romance films however it is not the main couples wedding in the

film its Charlies grandmothers. This subverts conventions of a regular

romance film and is used to help the couple realise (due to a romantic

situation) that they should actually be together because a wedding is

obviously a symbol of love. The film is very much aimed at a female

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audience as it has a very romantic story set in a romantic location and

attractive female and male leads, which would make it appeal to women

more as they wish they could be in the situation. The film caters to the

audiences expectations as it is your typical romance film that would

appeal to the audience as it has an appropriate storyline, setting and

actors that make the audience fall in love with the film.

Technical analysis:

Interestingly in the Gravity extract it is one continuous shot, and has no

cuts or invisible cuts and moves with the characters using pan shots and

tracking shots. This could have been used to connote that as an

astronaut there are not cuts and everything seems to happen at once in

life or death situations. It also makes the audience feel like they are there

with the astronauts as the camera acts like a head as it turns to focus on

different things and what the characters are doing.

Gravity tracking shot

In this shot the camera travels with Kowalksi as the moves to assist Dr

Stone. The camera follows him in a smooth movement until he grabs on

to the shuttle arm which jolts him round and the camera jolts as well.

This creates a sense of immersion as it makes the viewer feel like they are

watching the action unfold as an omniscient being and are right there.

Gravity pan shot

This pan shot is used to show Kowalski looking at the debris from the

satellite flying towards him. Its almost used as a point of view shot but is

a pan in terms of camera movement. This shot helps to communicate

what the character is thinking about as we can see what theyre focusing
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on, and therefore the audience can understand the characters next

actions better due to seeing what they were thinking about. This shot

also features bottom part of the Earth and pans across it, which shows

how vast the area is that debris is flying toward them from, which also

connotes its speed as it has crossed that distance very quickly. This

overall gives a sense of helplessness.

Gravity zoom in close up

This shot starts as a long shot much the subject is brought quickly into

the camera making it into a close up. We see Dr Stone spun around

attached to the shuttle arm and reaching out to grab on to the camera.

This movement creates a sense of panic for the audience as they see the

speed in which the subject is brought up very close to the camera. It

shows Dr Stones facial expressions of distress and panic as shes

desperately looking for something to grab on to, to stop herself spinning

therefore making the audience feel tense and uncomfortable.

Letters to Juliet high angle

In this high angle shot we are looking from Sophies perspective, as she is

looking down on Charlie from the balcony. This shot shows him looking

up at her which has connotations of her being a goal and a prize, or

something significant in his life. This shot is used to show how vulnerable

Charlie is as he is confessing his feelings for Sophie. The shot also makes

him look very small which suggests how small his ego has now become

due to him revealing how much he cares about Sophie rather than

himself.

Letters to Juliet shot-rev-shot

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These shots are mid shots that are also shot-reverse-shot between each

character and show the conversation between the couple. These mid

shots show the actors from the waist up so you can still see their faces

and expressions. Which adds some humour when Charlie says that New

York is overrated and due to it switching quickly between the

characters, you get to see Sophies expression which lightens the mood.

This also counts as an editing technique due to the quick straight cuts

between the characters faces.

Letters to Juliet close up

This close up is at the end of the extract and shows both Charlie and

Sophies faces. This is a very intimate shot as it shows their faces just

before the big kiss scene, we see Sophie and Charlie smiling at each

other which has connotations of how much they like each other now

that they are together rather than separated by the balcony. This shot

signifies that the couple can finally be happy and together.

The editing is Gravity is minimalistic as the extract appears to be a

continuous shot however the way in which the camera moves does

change. The pace is a big factor as the camera appears to stay still at the

beginning of the extract before the disruption but as the situation

worsens, the camera moves quicker between subjects that its focusing

on. This Increases the tension as it mimics the way in which a person

would look around quickly, immersing the audience and creating

empathy. Transitions are not present here as this would distract from the

action that is happening at a quick pace which matches the pace of the
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camera movement as well. Continuity is obvious here due to the

continuous shot, so if the scene does in fact have invisible cuts then they

would have used continuity editing to make it flow and also show cause

and effect.

The editing in Letters to Juliet is very slow paced, this is due to the lack of

action in the scene. The connotations of this editing are that it creates

emotional intensity and enables them to feel the emotion in the scene as

its the moment theyve been waiting to see. There are straight cuts the

whole way through the extract so doesnt contain any transitions as its

meant to reflect a real life situation and be in real time. Straight cuts are

very common and used here during the conversation between Charlie

and Sophie to create continuity editing, in real time. This helps the

audience to feel like they can relate as it looks like real life events. As

aforementioned, shot reverse shot is used to show the actors faces rather

than just an over the shoulder shot as it makes the audience feel like they

are watching the action unfold and helps to show the conversation

going on between them.

The costume in Gravity is very simple as the astronauts are in space suits

as this is in regards to their surroundings, and are obviously needed for

the characters to survive which connotes the severity of the situation.

The lighting in the extract is a mix of low-key and high-key lighting due

to the light being reflected on to the astronauts from the Earth and Sun.

The low-key lighting helps to create tension and mystery due to the
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shadows it creates. The actors chosen: Bullock and Clooney are both very

well-known and attractive actors who fit the role of an astronaut as they

both have the correct physique and could survive in space. Make up is

not really present in this extract from Gravity because they astronauts

faces are shielded by their helmets quite a lot; makeup is also not needed

for an astronaut as their sole purpose is to complete the mission rather

than looking nice while doing it. Props in this extract include the shuttle

and the arm attached to it, which relate to the sci-fi genre and are

presented as life lines for the astronauts so when they are destroyed it

creates a sense of hopelessness. The setting is in space above earth

which enforces the idea that the astronauts are alone up there and

shows how dangerous it could become if something goes wrong.

The costume in the extract from Letters to Juliet is formal due the setting

being at a wedding. Sophie is wearing a romantic, flowing dress and

Charlie is wearing a suit which are both indicators of the romance genre.

It creates the idea of them being an idealistic couple and perfect together

as they look like a prince and princess. The lighting is high-key

throughout which could connote how their feelings are out in the open

as nothing is hidden and means that the audience is able to see the

actors and their expressions. The characters are both young, attractive

leads and create the idea of a perfect couple. Makeup is only used on

Sophie but it is quite natural and makes her look pretty fitting the

occasion they are attending. There are not many props in the extract as

the scene is purely about the characters, therefore the only real prop is
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the balcony that Sophie is stood on. This has connotations of the balcony

scene from Romeo and Juliet and re-enforces the idea of romance. It also

acts as a barrier between Sophie and Charlie until they have confessed

their love for each other and its only when Charlie falls off the vines and

Sophie rushes down to see if hes alright that the barrier is removed. The

setting is at a vineyard in Italy which is a very romantic location re-

enforcing the genre. Also the characters are at a wedding which is a

symbol of love suggesting that this was the last push for them to realise

their love for each other.

The sound in Gravity very much consists of a soundtrack and dialogue.

The soundtrack in the background has a loud of loud beats like drums,

which are used to mimic the sound of a heartbeat which in turn builds

the tension for the audience. The music reaches a crescendo when the

action is at its climax and the situation is life-threatening. The dialogue is

also altered to make it sound like they are talking through an intercom in

their helmets which helps make it seem like the action is real, this also

makes their breathing sound louder increasing the sense of panic for the

audience. Part of the dialogue involves the characters screaming which is

very typical of the thriller genre but also shows how intense and scary

the situation that the characters are in. This is very different to the mood

in Letters to Juliet which is serene and calm. A lot of the sound in the

extract is non-diegetic, as there are a lot of explosions and crashes that

are added in after to make the events seem more real and loud for the

audience.
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The sound is Letters to Juliet is very serene and calming. You can hear

diegetic sound in the background at the start of the extract as there is a

band playing at the wedding, but it eventually fades out when the

dialogue starts. There is also diegetic sound from the wind in the

background as you can hear it rustling through the trees. The soundtrack

returns with a very soft sound of strings playing in the background when

Sophie starts to explain why she was upset which makes the audience

feel sympathy for her. The music picks up to a happier beat when Sophie

and Charlie are talking about their feelings for each other, this has

connotations of the fact that they both realise they love each other and

there for are no longer upset but joyful. A non-diegetic sound is added

when Charlie falls off the vines and lands on the ground and makes a

crashing sound as a real fall would hurt the actor so a sound is edited in

after. In the few moment before the big kiss moment the strings reach

a crescendo and then changes into a pop song called What if by Colbie

Caillat. This song talks about being made for each other which echoes

what is happening on screen and suggests that the characters are finally

together and should be as theyre perfect for each other. The sound in

this film is very different to Gravity due to it being happy and calm and

relaxing compared to the suspense and panic in Gravity.

Conclusion:

The first key difference between Gravity and Letters to Juliet is the

atmosphere you experience in each extract. Gravity is full of suspense

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and tension where you are watching astronauts desperately try to

survive debris flying at them, whereas, in Letters to Juliet the mood is

very romantic, calm, relaxing and serene. The audience is also

encouraged to enjoy the story and immerse themselves in it. A second

difference is the obvious difference in the narratives, one is about

helping someone find their long lost love and then finding it themselves,

and the other is about an astronaut mission that goes horribly wrong

and turns into a life or death situation. There are not really many

similarities within the two films at all, due to the contrasting genres. The

only similarity is that in both extracts there is a woman in distress, one is

emotionally upset due to a romantic situation and in the other a woman

is facing a death-defying experience attached to a space shuttle hit by

debris. The genres are clearly contrasting and therefore the audiences

are also contrasting. Gravitys audience is interested in suspense and

action and is quite a wide audience that does not apply to any gender or

sexuality so many people could enjoy the film. However Letters to Juliets

audience is very much interested in a romantic calm story with attractive

actors and are usually women if the story is about a heterosexual couple

as they can imagine themselves in the situation. The camera movement

and editing are also very different in both as Gravity has very fast paced

and immersive action which the camera follows throughout, changing

between subjects quickly to keep up with the action. Letters to Juliet has

slow paced editing with each shot being quite long in order to convey

the emotion felt by the characters. Each extract is very different and aims

to make the audience feel different things when watching whether it be

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fear and panic or love and emotion, but both are effective and typical of

their genre.