Hot Fuzz

1. Find the publicity poster released in November 2006. What famous film is this a pastiche of?

The Hot Fuzz poster was a pastiche of Bad Boys II. They also did pastiches of Miami Vice and Magnum Force. Matrix was also a film which it is debated whether or not they took inspiration from.

2. Why do you think the producers chose to mimic this films poster?

They chose to mimic the films poster are everyone knows the film and they would recognise the style Hot Fuzz is parodying. It also gives a clear image of what the film is about and what to expect, if it is parodying something you expect it to be funny and light hearted.

3. What is synergy marketing?

Synergy marketing is using lots of different methods of marketing. for example, through the internet.

4. How do the producers of Hot Fuzz make use of this?

Hot Fuzz did not use a lot of normal advertisement techniques, for example they only have 1 TV advert, but they did other methods of attention, such as video diaries with the cast which included snippets of the film.

5. Which car company helped to promote the film?

Volkswagen was used throughout Hot Fuzz to promote the company, many of the cars were the Volkwagen make and behind the scenes featuring the cars were also featured. They also promoted the film while it went on tour.

6. What are the benefits of synergy marketing to a film producer?

Benefits of synergy marketing to a producer is that it is much cheaper than the normal method of advertising, it relies on the general to public to increase awareness and there is no need to pay them for doing that. By using synergy it allows you to spend more money on other methods which may be weakened by using a mix of methods of distribution, it saves money.

7. What possible down sides can you think of to synergy marketing?

The downsides of synergy is that you are relying on the general public to advertise your film, if your film doesn't get the right attention from the general public then it will fail and be critcised before it's even come to the cinema.

8. What is a video blog?

A video blog is a form of blogging through videos on the internet instead of typing.

9. What are the benefits to producing ‘video’ blogs to film producers?
   They are able to track the progress of the film during production without actually being there, this gives them more flexibility.
10. Who are these specifically aimed at? (Watch the Hot Fuzz Blogs and analyse how these are designed to appeal to their audience)

The Hot Fuzz video blogs appeal to their audience as they show the comedic side of the actors and actresses within the film to make you want to see what they are like in the film. It also promotes inside jokes within the film and makes you want to go and see how it links to the film. It also shows you exclusive methods of filming techniques and the equipment used to give the viewer inside knowledge of the film.

11.  How many pieces of merchandise can you find for the film Hot Fuzz?  - Not much, some shirts, posters.

12.  How many different versions of the Hot Fuzz DVD are there (you can include imports)? – 4

13.  What special features are contained on the two disc special edition DVD? – Commentaries, outtakes, storyboards, deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, video blogs, featurettes, galleries, hidden Easter eggs.

14.  Why do you think they place different ‘special features’ on DVD’s and who are these designed to appeal to? – To make the movie more interesting, they’re designed to appeal to those who are interesting in more things than just the movie, for example, the making of.

15.  How many Oscar winners appear in the film?  - Two. (Cate Blanchett & Peter Jackson)

16.  What was the film’s opening UK box office takings? - £7.1 million.

17.  What is its current world wide gross? - $80, 573, 774 worldwide.

18.  What convention did Nick Frost and Simon Pegg attend in order to promote this film? – Comic-Con convention in San Diego, California.

19.  Why do you think they chose to attend this particular convention?  - Because It’s the biggest convention of the year.

20.  Use this web address and watch the reviews of the film. What audience are attracted to the film and does their behaviour contradict the view of Blumer? – Nerdy guys/Fans of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Working title

1. Who were the co-founders of Working Title? Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe.

2. When was the company founded? 1983

3. Where is Working Title based? London, UK

4. Who are the co-chairpersons of WT now?   Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.

5. What awards have Working Title won? Two Academy Awards for Senna, six Bafta nominations for Pride and Prejudice, 3 Bafta nominations for Love Actually, coveted accolade for Shaun of the dead, etc.

6.How many full time staff does WT employ? 42 – split between main Working Title production arm, and its low budget offshoot WT2.

7.What is Working Title’s philosophy?  The Working Title philosophy has always been to make films for an audience - by that I mean play in a multiplex. We totally believe in this because we know it is the only hope we have of sustaining the UK film industry.

8.List 5 box-office hits that Working Title have made. Four weddings and a funeral, Dead man walking, Bridget Jones: The edge of reason, Hot Fuzz

9.List 5 flops that Working Title has made.  Captain Corelli's Mandolin

10.What is Richard Curtis’ relationship with Working Title? Richard Curtis is a screenwriter for British films, e.g. Four weddings and a funeral, Love actually, Bridget Jones Diary. As well as sitcoms, like Blackadder, Mr bean and the Vicar of Dibley. 10. Richard Curtis began his career through working title after they produced his first film, The Tall Guy (1989) came well known through working titles, by writing Four Weddings and A Funeral (1994). He has continued to work with them ever since on films such as Notting Hill, Bridget Jones diary and Love Actually.

11. One famous director, working title have worked with is Richard Curtis, who has directed Love Actually, and The Boat That Rocked. The second is Tim Robbins, who directed films such as Dead Man Walking (1996) and has been nominated at the Oscars for Best Director for this film.

12. Working Title and Hugh Grant are long time collaborators, as Grant prefers to work with friends. Working Title feature Grant in a lot of their films, such as  Bridget Jones, Love Actually, About A Boy and Notting Hill.

13. The Coen Brothers are two brothers who work on films together on films such as Burn After Reading and A Serious Man. They specialise in dry humour and shocking visuals.

14. Working Title’s films are distributed by NBC Universal who owns 67% of the company and are classed as the Parent company, this partnership was as of 2007.

15. Hot Fuzz had a production budget of $16 million whereas Billy Elliot had a production budget of $5,000,000

16. Working Title is most well-known for its Romantic Comedies.

17. Another example of genres is the heritage genre which films like Antonement and Pride and Prejudice have done.

18. WT2 was founded in 1999. The company is an independent film production arm run by Natascha Wharton, and has produced films that include Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The Calcium Kid.

19.   What information can you find out about Working Title through their web page?20. Working Title films more recent films are Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and One DayYou can find out ‘what’s new’, you can find out about films, what films are coming soon, the film of the month, films on release, out on DVD, etc. You can watch trailers, find out the news about films. E.g. The Johnny English reborn publicity tour. You can play games, like matching pairs. Can find out about theatres, like Billy Elliot. You can get details about a training programme from working title films.

You can find out ‘what’s new’, you can find out about films, what films are coming soon, the film of the month, films on release, out on DVD, etc. You can watch trailers, find out the news about films. E.g. The Johnny English reborn publicity tour. You can play games, like matching pairs. Can find out about theatres, like Billy Elliot. You can get details about a training programme from working title films.

Memento narrative and character roles

The polaroid at the start of the film fading from picture to nothing to be a metaphor to his memory.

He appears to be the hero but is really not.

Character Roles

Vladimir Propp

The villain - Who struggles with the hero (formally known as the antagonist)
The donor - A character who gives something to the hero to help them on their quest
The helper - A character who accompanies the hero on their request
The dispatcher - A character who sends the hero on the quest
The hero - Who departs on a search (seeker-hero), reacts to the donor and weds
The false-hero - (Or antihero), who claims to be the hero, often seeking and reacting like a read hero (i.e. by trying to marry the princess.

Linear - Beginning, middle, end. (Chronological order)
Non-Linear - Non chronological.

The male gaze & Facial expressions

'The male gaze' - Laura Malrey

It comes in 3 different forms
 - How men look at women
 - How women look at themselves
 - How women look at other women

Male gaze - 1975
 The audience view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male.

Features of the male gaze
 - Camera lingers on the curves of the female
 - Women are always having to be saved by a male
 - Relegates woman and objects, the woman must experience the narrative secondly by identification with the male.

Some women like being looked at either for men as sexual objects or as comparison in body image/clothing - e.g. beauty pageants.

'Catagorising facial expressions'
Woman:
- Chocolate box
-Invitational
-Super smiler
-Romantic/sexual
Marjorie Ferguson

Men:
-Carefree
-Seductive
-Comic
-Catalogue
Trever Millumi

Women - Marjorie Ferguson - 1980s

Chocolate box
-Half/full smile
-Lips together/slightly parted
-Teeth barley visible
-Full/three-quarters of face to the camera

Invitational
-Emphasis on the eyes
-Mouth shut with hint of smile
-Head to one side or looking back to the camera

Super - Smiler
-Full face
-Wide open, toothy smile
-Head thrusts forward or chin thrown back
-Hair often wind blown

Romantic/sexual
-Includes male/female 'two-somes'
-Dreamy
-Heavy lidded
-Overtly sensual/sexual


Men - Trever Millum 1990s

Seductive
-Similar to cool/level
-Eyes less wide
-Expression is less reserved but still self-confident
-Milder

Carefree
-Nymph like
-Active
-Healthy
-Vibrant
-Outdoor girl
-Often smiling/grinning

Practical
-Concentrating
-Engagedd in business in hand
-Mouth closed
-Eyes object directed
-Sometimes a slight frown
-Hair often tied back or short style

Comic
-Deliberately Ridiculas
-Exaggerated
-Acting the fool
-Pulling faces

Catalogue
-Neutral look - As of a dummy
-Features maybe in any position - Most likely eyes open and a smile
-Looks remain vacant

Narrative Codes

Roland Barthes - Narrative codes.

Roland Barthes was a semiologist: basically, he was paid to look at 'texts' and decipher how they were put together. (Imagine a story like a ball of string)

Open text - Unraveled in a lot of different ways.
Closed text - There is only one obvious thread to pull on.

Action code - Something that implies something is going to happen.
E.g. Someone pulls a gun, you know they'll shoot it.

Enigma code - Refers to any element in a story that is not explained and, therefore, exist as an enigma for the audience, raising questions that demand explication.
E.g. A distraction story.


Semantic code - Any element in a text that suggests a particular, often additional meaning by way of connotation.
(Connotation - Things that make you think of something)
E.g. ....


Cultural code - Any element in a narrative that refers "to a science or a body of knowledge". In other words, the cultural codes tend to point out shared knowledge about the way the world works. (Different culture, different ways).
E.g. Some movies have the bad people wearing white, whereas others have them wearing black.


The symbolic - Binary opposites.

Binary opposites - Levi Strays believed that the world was split into a series of 'binary opposites'. Essentially one thing can only be defined in relation to something it isn't.
E.g. A hero is only a hero if there is a cowardly option.


Ideology - An Ideology is an organized collection of ideas. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things, a belief which helps to explain the world around us.

Film Techniques

Angles change perception.
Framing is important - Is it moving or still? In full colour? Bacl and white? Desatirated colour? Special effect? Accompanied by music, or silent?
Atmospheres can be created:

Mise en scene - What the director chooses to put on the scene.

Tight framing is usually used for close shots, whereas loose framing is used in longer shots.
Rule of third: Divides the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically.
If you intercept a line, there's a point of interest.

When an object in placed centrally, it becomes confrontational.

Cinematic mise en scene encompasses both the staging of the action and the way it's photographed:
- Set design
- Costume
- Props
- Compostion
- Lighting
And the general visual enviroment, as well as camera placement and movement, placement of actors and what they say and do.

Aspect Ration - ?

Deep space - When significant elements of an image are positioned both near to and distant from the camera.
These objects don't all have to be in focus.

Shallow space (opposite to Deep space) - The image is staged with very little space.

Wide shot - Does not refer to the actual width of the shot, since the frame width can't alter.

Extreme wide shots - establishing shots: often have great depth.

Despicable Me Marketing

Sneak peaks of Despicable me were shown in episodes of  The Biggest Loser. It was featured on Last Comic Standing, when Gru comes in to audition, the minion came in to audition too but he was mute for the duration.

IHOP resturants promoted the film by introducing three new menu items, a kids’ breakfast mean, and a drink all having the word “minion” in them.

Airheads (candy) released packages of the characters and came with a code for the Despicable Me (video game)

Best Buy released a free smartphone application called “movie Mode” that translates what the Minions are saying during the end credits, special content can be unlocked from the application after seeing the film.

Three books which were related to the movie were published, as well as the children’s puppet book featured in the film.
The first one was rated as a preschool book, the second was rated as being a Juniour Reader for ages 8-12, the third was rated for ages 3-6 years old.

The puppet book was written by cinco Paul and Ken Daurio and was illustated by Paul.

The first - My Dad the Super Villain

The second -Despicable Me: The Junior Novel

The third - Despicable Me: The World's Greatest Villian

The puppet book – Sleep kittens.

A video game called Despicable Me: The Game was released for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii.

A version for the Nintendo DS was released under the name of Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem.
Namco also released a version for the iPhone and the iPad platform, titled Despicable Me; Minion Mania, which was developed Anion Games.

Despicable me was released on DVD, Blue-ray and Blu-ray 3D on December 14th, 2010.

The release included three new short films titled Home Makeover, Orientation Day and Banana.

Minionmadness.com This website was launched to promote the home media release.

Despicable Me