Our film opening Unforgotten, which is a contemporary thriller, has a modern, urban setting located in Greater London and features a number of social types. These include a middle-aged mother who has lost her beloved daughter, two teenage daughters who have a huge bond and a young, determined female journalist.
It is important for audiences to recognise the 'types' in a film, particularly in a film opening so that the narrative (characters and events) are picked up quickly. Therefore, film makers often use stereotypes to make it easier for the audience.
For instance, in our film it should be made clear quite rapidly which characters are the protagonists and what kind of role they have as well as what genre the film is.
In our film, it is clear that one of the central characters is the younger sister as the film opening revolves around her and the dilemma she in with finding her sister.
Another character who plays a significant role is the mother. She is under a lot of stress as her daughter is under witness protection and she is having to lie to her youngest daughter and tell her she has died to stop the younger daughter putting herself in danger trying to find her. Society often stereotypes mothers into being overprotective, affectionate and risk-averse. For example, in the television series In Plain Sight, about people who are taken into the Witness Protection programme, there are often distraught mothers who are left behind, unable to make contact with the children. Our mother is presented as very frantic because she is not allowed any contact with her daughter, Cara and uptight with everyone she talks to concerning Cara.
In order to investigative stereotypes and groups, I undertook research by creating a Pinterest board where I have collated images and representations of the social groups in my film opening. I have added analyses and descriptions in the comment box below the image.
Additionally, we went to great lengths to develop our characters through a series of interviews in which we 'hot seated' our characters by devising interview questions, scripting responses and finally recorded the results. We drew on the advice of Pen Densham, author of Riding The Alligator and Oscar nominated film maker. In this book, there is a list of questions he believes the author or director should ask themselves when they are developing their characters. This means they can get a deeper understanding of their characters to help the actors and motivating the characters choices or actions. Our character interview which helps develop our characters is shown in this conversation on Whatsapp between the two sisters.
Our group went to great lengths in order to develop our characters. this was done by a series of interviews where we asked our characters questions with scripted responses and recorded the results. We drew on the advice of Pen Densham, author of Riding the Alligator and Oscar nominated film maker.
Please open my live link HERE ON PINTEREST
In order to investigate stereotypes and groups, I undertool research by creating a Pinterest board where I have collected images and representations if the social groups in my film opening. I have added analyses and descriptions in the comment box below the image.
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| Here are the screenshots of my Pinterest account |
Excellent work, Ally. You write fluently about the different character types in your production and you relate them, such as the mother figure, to TV programmes that you have investigated. You have researched, collated and commented on the social groups in your production using a Pinterest of some 21 images with captions. You have shown creativity in scripting 'interviews' with your characters and presenting the results using What's App, a platform that your characters would use. You explain the inspiration for your 'hot seating.
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