Assignment5 Freedom Writers

ASSIGNMENT 5: FILM STUDY & CONVENTIONS IN A FILM

BY M O N A E - C O L O U R B L U E

&

N I C O L E - C O L O U R R E D

E D I T I N G D O N E T O G E T H E R

FREEDOM WRITERS

TARGET: YELLOW By choosing the yellow level we would

need to do all tasks in black and yellow.

Yellow includes talking about hybrids, Mittel’s theory, props(semantics), syntax, 7-8 conventions, comparisons of other films in the same genre/sub/hybrid, dominant ideology, secondary audience and the audience theory.

EXPLORATIONS OF FILMS

FILM OF CHOICE AND REASONING

The reason we chose Freedom Writers is because it was a strong background based film that includes real life issues such as racial conflict. For example the scene where one of the students says that “if you were Latino, Asian, or Black you could get blasted anytime you walk out your door”.

The student formed themselves into racial groups in the classroom. It then shows how they find themselves, come together and respect each over. This hard hitting film confronts issues that wouldn’t usually be seen in the media.

GENREThe main genre Freedom Writers falls

under is drama.

A drama film usually has a character dealing with a problem including alcoholism, selling or taking drugs, racial prejudice, sexuality, poverty, class divisions, or some sort of violence and destruction that put the characters in conflict with themselves, others, and even in society.

SUBGENRE The subgenres included in Freedom Writers

are:

School drama Teen drama

Romance drama Crime drama

HYBRID

The hybrids included in Freedom Writers are:

Biography Courtroom fiction

Tragedy

STAM THEORY

Stam’s theory says that genre is not so easily defined under the ‘main genres’ but can be classified in other ways such as budget, ethnicity focus or performer based.

In relation to this, Freedom writers can be classified by the ethnicity focus, this is because the film is strongly about the race of the characters and what the characters have been through.

In addition the social class of C2/D/E is how freedom writers could be classified as well.

MITTEL THEORY

Mittel’s theory is that genre is used to sell products. I can not relate this theory to Freedom writers. This is because hard hitting dramas do not usually sell products due to the different things and peoples striking stories to tell in the films, there would not be a product to sell. Whereas Spiderman is a action film and had products

selling, such as kids bags etc, because of the superhero icon that was for a mass audience.

SEMANTICS

This reflects how women have been given strong roles in modern films, as in the past films their roles were simply to do the ‘household roles’, but things have changed for example ‘Salt’ played by Angelina Jolie with strong role as a actress.

Characters- First time teacher, Mrs Gruwell, is represented as a white middle class woman who wants to make a change in these students lives through making them aware of the outside world. She could also symbolise the key to freedom.

The students stereotypes made them not believe in themselves, as

teachers, such as the head of department look down on them.

Not giving the students new books to read and telling Mrs Gruwell to

take off her pearls.

SEMANTICSLocations: Real-life settings of the ghetto

Shootings at the corner shop

At high school

Courtroom

Jail

Holocaust museum

Balcony were one of the characters lived

Story traits:Freedom Writers is based on a true story

where a first time teacher played by (Hilary Swank) faces a group of students who have been named by the government as “un-teachable, at-risk” teenagers. The movie represents teens who have all witnessed fights, shootings and murders of random people as well as their own friends and family. This film shows how ethnic groups fall into different categorisation and how negative stereotypes affect them all.

SEMANTICS

Costume: Loose and street like

clothing. The male teenagers

wear hooded tops, which gives a negative connotation, as well as baggy jeans and loose baggy t-shirts.

The girls dressed similar to the boys due to the people they associate themselves with, for example Eva.

Teachers were smartly dressed.

Semantics

Props: Weapons, such as knives and guns (which

strengthens the negative views of the individuals).

Classroom props such as tables, chairs and a board etc.

The pictures and cards around the Holocaust museum.

Semantics

SYNTAX

• To get out of the poverty world and to do something with their lives.

• Fighting against the bosses to accomplish something.

• Friendship. Sticking with the right people.

TONE

- The lighting in the scene where Eva is on the bus looking is natural lighting bouncing off her face, makes the scene look dramatic as the lighting creates shadowing on her face to create a sorrowful atmosphere because of the darker background. This was a good close up on Eva showing her expression on her face. - In addition, the “Toast For Change” scene is very bright with all the natural lighting involved from the outside. It also has quite bright colours in this scene grab. Blue representing nature, calm, and fresh and yellow representing bright, happiness and summer.

CONVENTIONS

Conventions of genre/sub/hybrid

Examples from range of real films

Students disrespecting teachers Kidulthood

Poverty Slumdog Millionaire – The kids grew up in poverty

Stereotypes of individuals Philadelphia – The man with aids was stereotyped

Family loyalty Johnson Family vacation - They are sticking with their family

Sticking with your gangs The Godfather – You need to stick together.

Racism Hairspray

Challenging relationships She’s All That

CONVENTIONS ANALYSIS


Examples from your film(bullet points and screen grabs)

Comparison to other films in the same genre/sub/hybrid?

Racism -Separated in to their racial groups in the classroom-Gangs sticking to their own race -When the black boy gets an insulting picture passed around the classroom.

The Secrete Life of Bees.

………..Conventions of genre/sub/hybrid



Historical -Learning about the Holocaust -Having dinner with the survivors - The talk about Ann Frank

Titanic

………..




Crime -A boy gets shot dead in a corner shop -in the flashback Marcus’s friend accidentally shots himself - Brandy watches her father beat her mother

Kidulthood

DOMINANT IDEOLOGY

Dominant ideology Example/evidence from film

If you grow up in poverty people will always look down at you.

The head of the department told Mrs Gruwell to not wear her pearls to class, indirectly stating that the students may steal it from her.

People can change, you just need the right person to help them.

One of them threw his weapon away, others were changing themselves from how they were to who they were going to be ‘Toast For Change’.

The minorities in the film have to work twice as hard even though they do not want to.

When the head of the department refused to give the students new text books, as they wouldn’t be able to read it and that they will damage it.

Details of audience

Target audience

Secondary Audience

Explanation of why they would be attracted to watch the film

Age 13-19 20-40 Its about education / the star of the film.

Gender Girls Boys The violence within the film may attract them.

Ethnicity Mixture (Blacks, Latinos, Asians)

White The target audience may be attracted as its about their backgrounds. The secondary audience may be attracted to see how different white people portray themselves to other.

Social class

Lower class/working class

Middle class It shows how other classes work.

Social group

Young boys (gang members)

Chavs The film is about gangs, violence, drugs and life.

Sexual orientation

Straight people Homosexuals To see how they are portrayed in the film.

Profession/ Role

Students Parent/teenagers

It may be something they have been through, also the film may have gave a good message. Also to educate them.

Audience a) This movie is for a niche audience because of the historical and poverty context in the movie and because of the amount of already known actors in the movie.

AUDIENCE THEORY (MCQUAIL)

Reasons why people watch the film

Explanation

Entertainment - In their holiday they began to make their changes, for example:Moving back in with the mumThrowing the gun awayTelling the truth in court - They are breaking free from the

old them. - Making a better person out of

themselves to get out of the stereotypes.

AUDIENCE THEORY


Explanation

Personal Identity - The characters are from different backgrounds- They all share different norms and values within their culture- They tend to look after their own

AUDIENCE THEORY


Explanation

Integration & social interaction

-Started off hating each other and only interacted with their own people. -The teacher made them find out about history. -Students began to tell their story and how they felt.- After finding similarities they had also how much they had been through, they started to interact with each other slowly. -Personal hand shanks were formed. -The students then began to feel like they belonged, especially the first year of high school with their teacher.

Assignment5 Freedom Writers

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