Film Research

By: Vanessa Justino

DramaDrama is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional situation.

Dramatic themes : alcoholism, drug addiction, betrayal, moral dilemmas racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty and many more.

What Makes Drama Human Dramatic Irony – Audience knows something that characters don't. Reason use: To involve audience. Comments when not on the right situation Long Movements Big face expression Deep Breath Narratives Spectrum Motions Lots of Drama, then slows down

Sub- Genres Crime drama and Legal drama: Involving criminals, law enforcement and the legal system.

Historical drama ( WAR): Films that focus on dramatic events in history.

Docudrama: It uses professionally trained actors to play the roles in the current event, that is "dramatized" a bit.

Comedy-drama: Balance of humor and serious content.

Melodrama: plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience. Often deal with "crises of human emotion, failed romance or friendship, strained familial situations, tragedy, illness, neuroses, or emotional and physical hardship.

Romance: a sub-type of dramatic film which show romantic love.

Tragedy: Is when character's breakdown is caused by their in judgment and imperfection

Drama History

60 & 70s it brought politically driven dramas focusing on war.

80s Dramatic Film put emphasis on Highly emotional themes,

The first ever work on theory in drama and dramatics was Aristotle's Poetics, published in c. 335 BCE.

Directed by: Frank PerryProduced by: Frank Yablans, David Koontz, Terrence O’Neill, Neil A. MachilisRelease Date: September 18, 1981Running time: 128 minutesCountry: United StatesLanguage: English

Rated PG-13

Plot: Joan Crawford is one of Hollywood's biggest stars. She tells her boyfriend lawyer Greg Savitt that she isn't satisfied living in her Brentwood mansion with just her dedicated secretary Carol Ann and housekeeper Helga. Greg arranges for Joan to adopt a baby girl. Joan is obsessed with perfection, and Christina finds it impossible to live up to her mother's standards.

Angles / Shots

CharactersJoan Crawford & Adopted Daughter Christina,

We can see they come from a upper class, very wealthy by the big silk hats and Designed Dresses. (Older Days only Rich people where those clothes)

This scene from the film makes it look dramatic because they exaggerate on the size of the hats and also face expression (Smile, mouth open and Eyebrows raised)

The theme explores child abuse making it dramatic as it is defined as a drama film.Medium shot: was to

show facial expressions but also how body language.

Target Audience Parents that put their fame, success, job... Before families and Love.

Directed by: Mark WatersProduced by: Lorne Michaels, Tony Shimkin, Louise Rosner, Jill MessickRelease Date: April 30, 2004Running time: 97 minutesCountry : United States & CanadaLanguage: English

Rated PG-13

Plot: Cady Heron moves to a new home from the bush country of Africa. She goes to a new school where she meets Janis and Damian. Her new friends warn her to stay away from the Plastics: the A-list, popular, crude, and beautiful clique headed by Regina George with Gretchen and Karen. When Cady sees Aaron Samuels, she falls in love. When Regina discovers this, she seeks revenge by taking and dangling Aaron in front of Cady. Now Cady, Janis, and Damian plot to bring Regina's status down. However, as Cady continues to spend more time with the Plastics, she begins to become one of them.

Angles / Shots

This Drama portrays use of alcoholism and betrayal

Full Shot / Long shotshows the image as approximately "life" size i.e. corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema

Close up shot: To show emotion of response from character.

Target Audience Teenage girls, that wants to be noticed in school.

Directed by: Tate TaylorProduced by: Chris Columbu, Michael Barnathan, Brunson GreenRelease Date: August 10, 2011Running Time: 146 minutes Country: United StatesLanguage: English

Rated PG-13

Plot: Skeeter is a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives -- and a Mississippi town -- upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter's best friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up - to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community.

Angles / ShotsTwo Shot:To show two people in one shot. By this shot, we can see both of the women's action in the scene.

180 Degrees:Normally used when having a dialogueBasic Guideline in Film, making the 2 characters or other elements in the same scene.

Over the Shoulder :Show a conversation between two people. It helps the audience place the characters in their setting.

Target Audience Male 25+, Female 25+

Directed by: Edward Zwick Produced by: Edward Zwick, Scott Stuber, Marshall Herskovitz, Charles Randolph, Pieter Jan BruggeReleased date: November 24, 2010Running time: 112 minutesCountry: United States Language: English

Rated: 15

Plot: Maggie is an alluring free spirit who won't let anyone - or anything - tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie, whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie's evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love

Angles / Shots

Eye level Shot:Shows that the characters are in equal footing with the subject being filmed.

Long shot: To shows the entire human figure and also where the action is taking place.

Main CharactersJake GyllenhallAs Jamie Randall

Anne Hathaway As Maggie Murdock

Target Audience

Directed by: Pedro AlmodocarProduced by: Agustin Almodovar , Pedro AlmodovarRelease date: May 19, 2011 & August 26, 2011 (UK)Running time: 120 minutesCountry: SpainLanguage: Spanish

Rated 15

Plot: A brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.