Film Noir Fan Sites

http://noircast.net/
http://www.filmnoirfoundation.org/
http://www.noircity.com/
http://www.film-noir-alley.com/

Ambiance

In filmmaking, ambiance is the atmosphere created through sound, consisting of the sounds of a given location or space. It is the opposition of 'silence.' Every location has distinct and subtle sounds created by its environment. These sounds include wildlife, rain, running water, thunder, leaves rustling, footsteps, cars going by, machinery noise, music, speech, etc. If ambient sound doesn't fit with the film, the audience will feel confused, so it generally doesn't contradict with what is being shown, and would be seen as asynchronous or contrapuntal sound.

Foleying

Foleying is a sounds effect technique for synchronous or live effects. They are laid manually, and not cut in to film. It amplifies sounds that would not be easily heard otherwise in original filming. Sounds are added in post-production. For example, metal tubes are filled with metal trays, empty soda cans, knives, forks, broken staple guns etc, to create sounds from comedy crashes to adding presence to something as serious as a car crash. The purpose of this is to make the quality of sound better. This video gives more examples;

SoundWorks Collection: Gary Hecker - Veteran Foley Artist from Michael Coleman on Vimeo.

Few other foleying devices used:

Wind machine: A sheet of canvas over a revolving drum of wooden slats. The fierceness of the wind is determined by the speed of the revolution. The drum is turned unevenly, for wind never blows at a constant speed. Adjusting the tension of the canvas as it's free end can also alter the sound.

Rain box: 2 wooden boxes 6'x6"x6", the floors of which are studded with nails hammered up from outside. Dried peas inside. Boxes are see-sawed to make the sound of rain.

Thunder sheet: Suspend a sheet of galvanized iron from a plank or pipe. Affix a handle. Rattling the iron yields affective thunder. The larger the metal, the more substantial the thunder.

Storyboard

For my practical I am working with Katherine and Rachel. Ours will follow ideas from traditional film noirs, by involving murder, heavy lighting, conventional characters like the femme fatale in our opening title sequence.

Frame one: Shot focuses on the corner of a table where you see a pool of blood, slowly dripping down.
Frame two: The shot cuts to the lower leg of the table where we can see a puddle of blood that has been formed by the drops, and you can see an arm laying across the floor in the background.
Frame three: The camera is at a low angle, so the corpse's body is shown. A woman in heels steps over the body.
Frame four: The corpse is lying in the corner of the frame while the centered woman walks towards an open dorr, pulling her coat off a chair on her way. The light from the doorway creates bold silhouettes.
Frame five: A side profile of the woman is seen. The camera tracks her from that angle while she walks along a brick wall at night. Her breath can be seen against the cold.
Frame six: A low angle shot of the woman walking down the street from behind, so her shoes are visible, and in the background someone else's feet can be seen, when standing under a street lamp.
Frame seven: Side profile as the woman approaches the man (who has a larger build than her) and hugs him.
Frame eight: When they are hugging, the man slowly pulls out a knife from his sleeve and our opening title sequence will end.
Because of being filmed at night, there will be dark lighting and heavy shadows, which works well with the typical story. We aim to quickly build tension in our opening title sequence, which is unconventional as traditional noirs were generally slow paced.

Audiences

Effects models:

The hypodermic needle model: The intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the reciever

Two-step flow: The people with most access to media, and highest media literacy explain and diffuse the content to others. This is a modern version of the hypodermic needle model.

Uses and gratifications: People are not helpless victims of mass media, but use media to get specific gratifications. (Diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, surveillance)

Reception theory: The meaning of a 'text' is not inherent within the text itself, but the audience must elicit meaning based on their individual cultural background and life experiences.

Obstinate audience theory: This theory assumes that there is a transactional communication between the audience and the media. The audience actively selects what messages to pay attention to.

Demographics- National Readership Survey: (studying groups of people) Typically between D-B, predominantly male audience, we are aiming ours at younger adult women aged 17-25 in categories D-B.
Mode of address: (how does the media product communicate to you) It is typically moralistic, with a message of 'beware of women' the message coming from ours is how you 'can't trust anyone'.
Audience positioning: (male gaze, female gaze.. what characters you want the audience to sympathise with..) Ours is going to be from a females perspective.
Effects models: Typically hypodermic syringe or uses and gratifications. Ours is going to be a receptive audience, they have to figure it out.
Audience decoding: (how most people think) Typically follow a dominant hegemonic. Ours will be a oppositional hegemonic.

Film Noir Iconography

Todorov's Theory

Todorov's Theory; equilibrium, a disruption, a recognition, a reaction, and new equilibrium.

The Killers- does follow Todorov's theory, even though there are small parts which break this idea, but they are overlooked because most of the film follows the generic idea.

Double Indemnity- doesn't really follow Todorov's theory, because it starts at the end.

Shot reverse shot is where one character is filmed looking at another character, and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character.
180° rule that states two characters in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other.
Match on action shows a strong continuity of action and linking the two shots metaphorically.

Neo noir;
Blade Runer (film)
Mulholland Drive (film)
The Red Riding Trilogy (Tv series)

Red Riding:
Typical:
-story being told (more likely to be male)
-midshots/closeups
-well dressed
-smoke and drink
-sepia filter
-(1970's- browns/yellows used)
-mention of crime- he's a crime reporter
-living up to his dad who died
Untypical:
-no black and white
-acoustic guitar music
-rural and not urban
-blood is shown

Mulholland Drive:
Typical:
-dark lighting
-music (but not as dramatic)
-womens makeup
-smoke on screen
-transition- slow
-in a city
-shadows
Untypical:
-not black and white
-no anti-hero

Blade Runner:
Typical:
-light shining through window
-smoking
-in a city

Representation of visual conventions

The use of font in the titles:
The titles are typically a red colour, which symbolizes blood, passion, crime, etc. The titles tend to be quite short, and are normally displayed in a bold, scribbled font. The red shows violence, and sexual attraction, and there's a sense of breaking societies rules. In neo noirs, these are seen in films like sin city, basic instinct, fatal attraction, and in traditional films like the killers, and the blue dahlia.

Sound and understanding how to use it

My initial thoughts on using sound in film: It helps you understand what is going on and can show you how you should be feeling, with what is being portrayed in the film, so you can connect with the characters emotions.

-Synchronous sound: sound that is apparently synchronized with on screen action.
-Asynchronous sound: sound that is apparently not synchronized with on screen action, its amplified through contrast.
-Contrapuntal sound: sound that totally contradicts with the action or mood.
-Foleying: a sound effects technique for synchronous effects or live effects.
-Diegetic: sound whose source is visible on screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film. (characters voices, sounds made by objects, music)
-Non-diegetic: sound whose source is neither visible on screen nor has been implied to be present in the action. (narrators commentary, sound effects for dramatic effect, mood music)
Another word for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.

Certificate ratings- BBFC research

Universal: suitable for all audiences. No discriminatory language/behaviour, unless shown it's disapproved of. No references to illegal drugs. Scary sequences should be mild. No potentially dangerous behaviour, or emphasis on realistic or easily accessible weapons. Infrequent use of bad language. Occasional natural nudity, with no sexual context. Mild violence only.

Parental Guidance: general viewing, some scenes unsuitable for young children. Discriminatory language/behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly disapproved. Drug misuse must be innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug message. Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or intense. No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour. Mild bad language only. Natural nudity, with no sexual context. Sexual activity should be discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references only.

12A/12: Aggressive language/behaviour unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned. Misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail. Moderate language is allowed. Strong language should be infrequent. Sexual context must be brief and discreet. Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. No emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.

15: Must not endorse discriminatory language/behaviour. Drug taking may be shown but the film must not promote or encourage drug misuse. Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised. May be frequent use of strong language. Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. Portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

18: Where material or treatment appears to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society, e.g. any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use. This may include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence. Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality, safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted

R18: Explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Any material which is in breach of the criminal law. Material likely to encourage an interest in sexually abusive activity. Portrayal of any sexual activity which involves lack of consent. Infliction of pain or acts which may cause lasting physical harm. Some allowance may be made for moderate, non-abusive, consensual activity. Any sexual threats, humiliation or abuse. Strong physical or verbal abuse, even if consensual, is unlikely to be acceptable.

Buster Rayburn is in a prison cell. His voice over can be heard, 'here I am again, they said I wouldn't make it on the outside. If only I didn't meet that dame'

The gangsters girlfriend Lacey Lane appears. Buster cant't take his eyes off her.

Buster is back at the same bar drinking bourbon. Lacey Lane walks in and whispers seductively in his ear.

Buster and Lacey meet in his dingy hotel room. She thanks him and says that she'll run away with him that
night.

Lacey gives Buster a gun and a kiss.

Buster waits for Lacey at the railway station. The cops turn up and arrest him. Lacey can be seen in the background. She has obviously reported him to the police.

Buster quickly grabs a policeman's gun and after a struggle, manages to fire a shot which hits Lacey and she dies.

Back to Buster in jail. His voice over can be heard, 'you see, dames always bring a man down. She won't hurt anymore suckers now.'

Buster is drunk in a bar on his own and is greeted by a gangster who says that he has a job for him. Buster turns turns down the job.

Back to Buster in jail. Voice over, 'if only I walked away when I had the chance.'

Buster shoots the gangster as he leaves his house one morning.

We do not follow Todorov's theory, and these event aren't in a very clear order.