Tuesday 23rd September 2014

Non filmed sequence

A synopsis- overview of the scene

A script for the non filmed sequence

A treatment- a written storyboard how the scene will be shot- present shot- link it to Kubrick

A recce report- locations- who it belongs to- how does it fit- camera shot- 

Evidence of casting considerations- who will you use in your scene- need someone u will use and someone u won't use- arrows across face- 

Layouts for 20 key frame stills- describe each layout

A risk assessment

Homework for next lesson 2 weeks

Finish synopsis

Screenplay 5-10 pages

All of them started to an extent

1000 words essay draft

Screenplay divided into scenes- new time period or location- new scene

Slug line- INT EXT DAY NIGHT 

Scene direction 

Character cue

Actor direction

Dialogue

No camera shots or angles

Initial First Essay Plan

In a 1969 interview, Stanley Kubrick said that ''Where each viewer brings

his own emotions and perceptions to bear on the subject matter, a certain

degree of ambiguity is valuable because it allows the audience to 'fill in' the visual 

experience themselves. In regards to this, how does the spectator theory

influence Stanley Kubrick as a auteur.

In a interview in 1969, talking to Joe Gelmis about his film '2001: A Space Odyssey', he says that 'ambiguity is valuable because it allows the audience to 'fill in' the visual experience themselves.' [1]

Using this quote, we get a insight into how Kubrick constructs his films, the 'subject matter'. Does he use his audience as a recurring construct for his films, which impacts them stylistically and thematically or is his use of audience a singular construct designed specifically for select films to create a message designed for that film. This would form the core of my research.

Key Primary and Secondary Texts 

The primary texts I will be studying in this research are six of Stanley Kubrick's films which

are 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut. My secondary texts will be a mixture of initial critical reception and later critical reception of his films, articles and essays on Kubrick and the spectator theory, analysis of the primary texts and IMDB reviews to show a modern day reaction to Kubrick's films.

Hypothesis

I feel that all of Kubrick's films contain the theory of spectatorship and influencing the audience as a construct to some degree, particularly A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket. However, it remains to be seen if the rest of his films follow  the theory of spectatorship so evidently as the former two. Therefore my two hypothesis are

1- Do all Stanley Kubrick's films have aspects of spectator theory in them as a construct?

OR

2- Is the use of spectator theory in Stanley Kubrick's films specific for certain films to separate them and add significant meaning for them?

[1] 'An Interview With Stanley Kubrick (1969) Joe Gelmis, The Film Director As A Superstar

Essay Plan related to Mark Scheme

. An introduction explaining the focus of the candidates reseach (200 words)
Lots of references are explained in details from reviews, critics and theorists
Creativity in my approach- use of stills quotes font and structure
Write in proper good english
Use correct film terminology

. A description of the key texts both primary and secondary (films and studies based on films) (200 words)
Awesome analysis of films
Use and apply the theories of critics to the films analysed.
Write in proper good english

. The aims of research- details of what the candidate is seeking to find out in the form of a series of research questions (200 words)
Use and apply the theories of critics to the films analysed.
Write in proper good english.
Lots of references are explained in detail from reviews critics and theorists.

. A discussion of ideas, texts, and secondary research in light of the candidate's aims- Paragraphs seperated into resarch questions sub headings (600-800 words per sub heading -3-4 research questions
Awesome analysis of films
Lots of references are explained in detail from reviews critics and theorists
Use and apply the theories of critics to the films analysed.
Creativity in my approach- use of stills quotes font and structure
Write in proper good english
Use correct film terminology.

. Conclusions- a clear statement of what the candidate has discovered in response to their aims
Conclude and evaluate findings well in all paragraphs
Awesome analysis of films
Use correct film terminology

. Bibliography and filmography
Use correct film terminology.

Student Friendly Markscheme

Level 4

32-40 Marks

There is evidence of a excellent level of research into film topics. You will have to do it on your own with little help from teacher.

. Excellent analysis of the films you are looking at, showing understanding through looking at them closely.

. Understanding the context of the films and how it relates to the film.

. Excellent understanding of theorists. Explaining and understanding the theories well and confidently.

. Excellent presentation skills, carefully planned and creatively.

. Excellent ability to come to conclusions

. Excellent evaluation of your coursework.

. Make sure all your work is spelt correctly and structured properly with no errors.

. Excellent referencing of the source materials, making sure all your references are detailed with correct publishers.

. Excellent use of terminology, making sure it is correct. 

How does the spectatorship theory influence Stanley Kubrick as a director?

A Clockwork Orange

In this scene, the main character Alex and his gang break into a house and beat up an old man and rape his wife. It is clear from the first shot of Kubricks style, slow pan shots, medium shots and preferring to look at the action from afar. The house is very colourful and brightly lit, which fits A Clockworks Orange futuristic setting. The lead character Alex beats the old man and woman up to the tune of 'Singing in the rain' as he starts to sing. The use of 'Singing in the rain' conflicts the audience who associate the song with Gene Kelly and swinging around on a lamp post. Now, the audience associate singing in the rain with the rape Alex has committed. This audience re-association is very clever because later in the film, Alex is re-conditioned by the government to be unable to hurt anyone, otherwise he feels physically sick. In Kubricks own way, he has re-conditioned his own audience similarly to how Alex has been re-conditioned.

An brief segment of an essay also connecting the use of audience reconditioning.
In this essay, the writer also points out the use of Beethovens ninth symphony used in the scene of Alex's reconditioning. The scene shocks the audience due to its distressing imagery whilst playing a piece of classical music that the audience will now associate with for the rest of the film.



The Shining 

In this scene, it illustrates Kubrick's desire to alienate his audience and weird them out. Wendy walks up the stairs and sees a man in a bear costume performing a sex act on a hotel guest. The music is very intense and demonic in this scene and the fast zoom in surprises you. This scene does have context however because the Stephen King novel 'The Shining' includes this scene in much greater depth however Kubrick has intentionally taken this scene, took it out of context and put it in his movie to shock his audience. Essentially, the audience is put into the shoes of Wendy who is experiencing the ghosts of the hotel reappearing.

Full Metal Jacket

In this clip, we see Hartman and Pyle meet for the first time. In this clip, Kubrick does not align the viewer with Hartman and Pyle. It is up to the viewer to decide if they feel empathy for Pyle or that he deserved it. This also foreshadows Joker's conversation later in the film about the duality of man. Kubrick does not present the war film as a film discouraging or encouraging war. It is neither an anti-war film or a pro war film. Instead Kubrick presents it as depiction of war and it is up to his audience to decide. In this clip, Pyle could be personifed as anti-war, he is not masculine, he is fat, and has no respect for his superiors. Whilst Hartmann is definitely pro war, he shout obscenties, challenges Pyles masculinity and strangles him. 

Eyes Wide Shut

In the trailer for Eyes Wide Shut, Kubricks last film, towards the ending of the trailer, We see Bill and Alice kissing whilst the camera zooms in on Alice looking uncertain. The scene is interrupted by a split second shot of Bill at the morgue, with a doctor pulling a body out. This scene links to the spectatorship theory by the use of Mulvey's theory that the cinema is viewed from a male perspective. The camera acts a phallic object and the zoom in can be alluded to sexual excitement. This is called voyeurism. However the juxtaposition with the split second shot of the morgue creates an visual link between love and death, Both love and death feature prominently in Eyes Wide Shut.

Barry Lyndon

Barry Lyndon is a film set in the 18th century. It follows the adventures of Redmond Barry, an irish farmboy who finds himself living in a royal family. However, Barry soon neglects his family, abuses his wealth, and becomes an alcoholic gambler who loses everything. The film is based on a book written by William Makepiece Thackeray. This is an example of intertextuality, a film based on a book that the spectator may have already read. However, Kubrick alters his film so that it doesn't strictly follow the narrative of the book, making a few plot differences and ending the film earlier than the book does. Stylistically, Kubrick makes every shot in this film resemble a watercolour painting to echo that time period.

Coursework Ideas

Race in Quentin Tarantino's film

Lots of Quentin Tarantino's films handle race in different ways. Jackie Brown, a homage to 1970's blaxpoitation films and Django Unchained, an spaghetti western set in the American south during the slave trade era both have themes of black culture which could be explored in my coursework. I could also explore other races in the coursework, for example, the Japanese in Kill Bill or how white people are represented in his films and Tarantinos controversial and excessive use of racial slurs in his films.

Relevent Film Theory
Postmodernism- Jameson
Auteur Theory- Bazin

Films to look at
Jackie Brown
Django Unchained
Kill Bill 1 and 2

Spectatorship in Stanley Kubrick's films

Stanley Kubrick was a director who used his audience's emotions and reactions to his film in order to create a mood or tone for his film. He liked to confuse his audience or shock them . Examples of this are A Clockwork Orange where the use of 'Singin in the rain' in a rape scene changes the audiences reaction to that song since they would have associated it with that scene. In 'The Shining' Kubrick challenges the audiences perceptions of the main characters with the use of supernatural visions. To add to this challenging of perceptions, after close observation, the setting of the film, 'The Overlook Hotel' was intentionally designed by Kubrick for the layout of the hotel to be physically impossible.
If I explored this in my coursework, I would look into why and how he used spectatorship in his films and if any other important examples of spectatorship occurs in his films.

Relevant Film Theory
Spectatorship Theory

Films to look at
A Clockwork Orange
The Shining
Eyes Wide Shut
Full Metal Jacket
2001
Eraserhead (david lynch film influenced the shining)

Auteur Theory and Lars Von Trier

Lars Von Trier is a controversial director from Denmark who has directed independent Dogma 95 films and arthouse films. His most recent and popular films are Melancholia, Antichrist and Nymphomaniac however he has been directing for nearly 25 years, with previous films, Breaking the Waves and Dogville both critically acclaimed. In terms of the auteur theory, Von Trier has referred to his last three films, Melancholia, Antichrist and Nymphomaniac as a 'Depression trilogy'. All three films subject matter is about depression, loss, grief or death. If I were to use this for my coursework, I would explore why Von Trier is an auteur and how his films have similar themes and styles. Also why is the controversial nature of his films correspondent to his auteur status as a director.

Relevant Film Theory
Auteur Theory- Bazin
Feminism (Melancholia and Nymphomaniac)- Mulvey
Psychoanalysis - Freud

Films to look at
Melancholia
Antichrist
Nymphomaniac Pt 1 and 2
Breaking the Waves
Dogville