PRODUCERS & AUDIENCES - Section A: Exam Feedback

The Oscar winning The King's Speech is an excellent example of a current film that could easily be used to support all areas of the producers and audiences exam.

Most of you have written a response to Section A now. Whilst the questions on Horror and Noir are more predictable and much easier to revise for, Section A is notoriously difficult to predict and tends to leave us guessing what exactly will appear. However, certain areas have appeared over the years which continue to be important to this section:

• The State of the British Film Industry
• Hollywood Cinema Today - High Concept, Franchise, The Opening Weekend
• Film Stars and Audiences
• Film and Technology - consider here the emergence of 3D, Imax and Digital Screens
• Marketing
• Distribution
• Exhibition
• The Studio System
• Film and The Internet
• Fandom
  

What is most critical really is being able to keep up to date with developments in the American and British Film Industry as the examiners tend to look favourable upon those candidates who are able to engage with current films on release. It is imperative to move beyond the stimulus material you are given and think about what is not so obvious - this will likely to get you the higher marks.

The following are useful websites for film news and developments:

http://www.screendaily.com/
http://www.slashfilm.com/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film
http://mubi.com/notebook/posts

DOUBLE INDEMNITY (Dir. Billy Wilder, 1944, US) - Wider Reading

Here are some useful links for Double Indemnity that offer more contextual and wider reading:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/peppersnot/film-analysis

http://blog.cinemaautopsy.com/2008/10/09/notes-on-film-double-indemnity/

http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/88/an-analysis-of-billy-wilders-double-indemnity

http://filmsnoir.net/films/double-indemnity-the-unseen-ending.html

http://hubpages.com/hub/Double-Indemnity-Mischief--Murder--and-Mise-en-Scene

EXAM ADVICE for SECTION C: AMERICAN CINEMA - FILM NOIR



Answer ONE question out of a choice of TWO.

This is a COMPARATIVE STUDY and you must discuss the similarities and differences between the TWO NOIR FILMS studied in class:

1). Double Indemnity

2). The Last Seduction

For revision consider focusing on key sequences from both films - use your detailed class notes and the booklets. Additionally, the following areas have appeared on the exam before and likely to do so again in May:

1). Gender representations; the femme fatale and the weak, guilt ridden male protagonist

2). Key Messages & Values in the two films; violence, crime, sexuality, gender, death, the past, corruption, capitalism, the american dream

3). Openings and Resolutions to both films

EXAM ADVICE for SECTION B - British Film Topics: HORROR

Answer ONE question out of a choice of TWO.

You must discuss a minimum of two British films in your answer.

Horror Films to use in the exam include:

Main Films

• The Descent
• 28 Days Later

Supporting Films

• Tormented
• Eden Lake

Areas to consider for the section on Horror:

• Narrative techniques and storytelling
• Horror Conventions
• Horror as a reflection of British Ideas/Values

Additionally, revisit key sequences from the films studied in class. Either re-watch the films on DVD, explore the extras/special features and consider using YouTube for sequences.

AS FILM EXAM ADVICE: Section A - Producers & Audiences

The exam will be on MONDAY 16 MAY. The paper is made up of 3 sections and they are equally weighted (40 marks for each section). You are expected to spend 50 minutes on each section. Effective time management is essential if you want to respond adequately to all 3 sections.

SECTION A - Producers & Audiences

Answer ONE question out of a choice of TWO.

Stimulus material will be provided in the form of posters, articles, box office stats.

Potential areas that could come up:

• Stars and Audiences
• Hollywood Cinema Today
• Marketing & Distribution
• British Film Industry
• Film and Technology
• Box office/economics of the industry
• The Studio System
• Exhibition Issues

You must use examples and case study materials for Section A. Consider using the following:

• Kick Ass
• Monsters
• Avatar
• Inception
• Slumdog Millionaire
• Tron Legacy
• High Concept Case Study Materials
• Materials on British Horror; 28 Days Later, The Descent, Eden Lake
• Your own case studies & independent research

Hollywood Cinema: SOURCE CODE (Dir. Duncan Jones, 2011, US/France)

Whilst British director Duncan Jones made the brilliant science fiction film Moon on just a budget of $5 million dollars, the $35 million budget for his latest film Source Code seems like a major step up and also sees him making the leap to Hollywood mid budget film making. Source Code has received some of the strongest reviews of the year and it is likely to be one of the most talked about films before the Summer Season launches in May/June. A good place to start with the film would be to read the 5 star review by The Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/mar/31/source-code-review Source Code raises a number of questions regarding Hollywood cinema today:

• What kind of concept is being sold to audiences?


• How well does the trailer work as a means of marketing the film?


• Will the film succeed at the box office given the intelligence with which the film approaches the science fiction genre?


• How does the film compare to Moon in terms of genre, production values and the end product?

If you do get a chance to watch the film this weekend then let us know what you made of it - how does it stack up as a science fiction film and is it really a five star movie?