Age ranges of people who are interested in Film Noir's
Target Audience Conclusion
From this graph we can clearly see the results from the amount of people who are itnerested in Film Noir's for differnt age groups. We can see that the further along the x axis, the older the group of people are.
From these results we can come to the conclusion that it is generally shown that the higher the age group, the more people are interested in Film Noir. This could be down to many reasons, one reason being that the older generation are probably more interested in the Film Noir Genre because it is more suited to them and can relate to them more, simply because they have lived and breathed in the days which this Genre is set and based around.
From these posters we can see that there is a glamerous looking female in every single one. A glamerous looking female is stereotypically used in the posters as it is very eye catching. This means the public will be able to notice this poster very easily. This therefore means more people looking at it, which in turn could mean more people will go to watch the film.
Also two out of the three colours use a lot of colour even though the actual film is in black and white. This is mainly done for the reason to catch the public's eye as when colour is used it looks much more attractice. The only downside to using colour when these posters were published and created was the cost.
Also in all of the posters, very bold text is used. This is to give the effect of the importance of the film poster and of course the film it is advertising. Bold, large text is also used to display what the film is about and to catch the public's eye with striking text fonts and styles.
Mystery Occuring, the person putting something into their boot.
Music coming from the car.
Long shots
Mid Shots
Close ups are used so we can only see a small region, creating tension as we cannot see what is happening around them or in the background.
Conventions of this Film Noir Opening scene that i would like to use in my own film:
When i make my own Film Noir, i would like to use some of the conventions that were used in this opening scene because they create very good suspense and tension and keep the viewer very involved, entertained and interested in it.
I would personally like to use all of the differnt shots in my film, like they are used in this opening scene. This is because the long shots are fit for purpose, as well as the many other shots that are used.
I will also put titles in at the start of my Film Noir, like it was used in this film. This is because titles are one of the conventions in a film of Film Noir.
Film Two - The Suspect, Charles Laughton, 1944
Opening Titles
Opening Music
Variety of Camera shots to create effect
Long shots
Mid Shots
Close ups
Close ups and extreme close ups used to show emotions etc.
Conventions of this Film Noir Opening scene that i would like to use in my own film:
Many of the conventions that are used in this opening scene are conventions that i would personally like to use my self. As i said for the first opening scene of the first film, i would like to encorporate titles at the start as this is stereotypical to the Film Noir Genre. I would also like to have some kind of music at the start to create the effect of a Film Noir film.
I would once again like to use the variety of the camera shots that are used for differnt affects i may want to reach. And typically use extreme close-ups and close ups to show things such as the emotions on characters faces etc.
Film Three - Blues in the Night, 1941
Stererotypical convention of film noir - It contains titles at the start as such every other opening i have watched.
Jazz music which creates a strong vibe and creates excitement at the start.
Interesting Camera angles and shots.
Dull harsh lighting is used throughout which is also another convention of Film Noir's
Smartly dressed people - Shirts, Ties, Jackets
Cigars and Cigarettes
Conventions of this Film Noir Opening scene that i would like to use in my own film:When i create my Film Noir opening i will want to use all of these conventions listed above from this film opening. I want to use titles as they are in every single Film Noir opening are are a sterotype of Film Noir's. I also want to implementate some kind of Jazzy music to go over the top of the title's to keep it interesting and keep the audience hooked in.
Another convention of Film Noir films are the use of interesting camera angles and shots, and this is present in this film opening. I want to use this convention as it yet again keeps the audience involved and interested and keep the film entertaining.
Also harsh lighting is used throughout, which is another convention of Film Noir films that i wish to use and implementate in mine, this is because it creates a good effect and creates sillioutes and shadows on the walls.
Also in Film Noir film's people are generally smartly dressed, and this is the case in this Film opening. I would like the characters in my film to wear the black hats, and dress smart, such as wearing ties and shirts etc. I also want the ladies to look glamerous with old fashioned style hair as this is also a convention of Film Noir films for the ladies to look glamerous.
The story starts with the murder of Spade’s partner Miles Archer. Although he never really liked him, Spade is honor bound by his personal code of ethics to track down his killers. Along the way he will get involved with the sultry Miss Wanderly and a group of criminals who seek a gold-encrusted falcon sculpture known as the Maltese Falcon. As Spade gets closer and closer to discovering the identity of his partner’s killer, he gets more and more involved with the search for the priceless statue.
Laura
It follows detective Mark McPherson as he investigates the death of famous advertising executive Laura Hunt. Suspects include the venomous newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker, the man who promoted Laura at the start of her career, her fiancé Shelby Carpenter, her rich aunt Ann Treadwell, and her housekeeper Bessie Clary. As he begins to interview them, he begins to realize that every one of them was in love with Laura. Even stranger, he discovers that he is beginning to fall in love with her as well, at least until Laura shows up alive one night at her front door.
Sweet Smell of Success
It follows Sidney Falco, a press agent without the burdens of morality. He is hired by J.J. Hunsecker, New York’s premier newspaper columnist, to stop his sister from marrying Steve Dallas, a fresh, young jazz guitarist. So, Sidney plants some reefer on him and spreads rumors that he is a Communist. Things work at first and the relationship is destroyed.
But that isn’t the end for Sidney- he is summoned to Hunsecker’s penthouse only to find the sister attempting suicide. Hunsecker walks in on Sidney saving her and accuses him of rape. From there, fates are decided and lives are destroyed as the truth comes out.
The Killers
We learn that the Swede (played by Burt Lancaster) used to be a member of a gang of thieves whom he was pushed into betraying by femme fatale Kitty Collins Colfax (played by Ava Gardner). Like so many film noir characters, the Swede is fully aware of his transgressions and knows that he cannot escape his fate. And so he greets his punishment like a man instead of trying to escape from it, as so many other film noir characters would. We then follow an investigator and a police detective as they struggle to track down his killers and bring them to justice.
The Big Heat
It all starts with the death of a police sergeant. The detective assigned to the case, Dave Bannion, thinks that foul play may be involved. Bannion has reason to believe that a powerful gang of criminals has infiltrated the police force and bumped the sergeant off. But the department’s higher ups force the case closed and one of the only witnesses willing to provide information is murdered. Enraged, he insults the suspected mob boss only to have his wife killed with a car bomb as a result. This puts him on a war path of furious vengeance as he swears to take the culprits down.
There are 5 main sectors within the conventions of Film Noir, are these sectors are:
- Costume - Characters/Actors - Location - Camera Angles and Shots - Lighting
There are many differnt conventions of film noir, one of the main and easily noticable conventions is the fact that it is in black and white.
Costume in Film Noir is a very important factor of the end product, as it is in any other type of film it plays a big role. Costume in Film Noir is used to represent the differnt types of characters and how they act, it also helps to define the characters within Film Noir, one example is the Male actors tend to wear a hate and a coat and most of them smoke a large Cigar.
Also in Film Noir the female characters are usually wearing glamourous clothing and they are also stereotypically very attractive. This is Stereotypical in Film Noir films as it makes the female character stand out, also in the film posters they tend to stand out because of how Glamarous and attractice they are.
Film Noir films are also stereptypically very dull with harsh and dim lighting. This is to reach the desired effect on the film so it can be portrayed to the audience. In each scene there will be very little lighting, but with the little lighting there is it should be used to show the most important parts of the scene, so that the audience can see the important aspects and what is going on. You can see in the picture below the use of Dull lighting to create effect.
The camera work in Film Noir usually used very strange and interesting camera angles. Some other angles they also use is Dutch tilts, high angles, low angles and wide angle shots. Sometimes interesting camera shots are used in conjunction with the lighting to create strange affects, such as silhouettes on the walls behind people. This creates a sense of mystery to the audience and keeps they well interested.
Stereotypically the location of Film Noir is usually set in a city. Within a city very interesting camera shots can be found and used, which helps to keep the film interesting. Usually in Film Noir's there is Crime and Corruption which is almost always present in big city's and not the type of thing you would see to happen in the country side, this is why they are set in the big cities.
Film Noir is French for the words Black Cinema, Film Noir was first founded during the post war years becuase of a select amount of hollywood films which included an amount of darkness and cynicism that had never been seen before.
Most of the Film Noirs are based around the sub genres of Sex, Crime and Corruption.
It is also a movie characterized by low-key lighting, a bleak urban setting, and corrupt, cynical characters.
