Preliminary Exercise

This is a video we made at the beggining of the course to improve our camera skills. We had to film a variation of shots and record some dialogue using microphones. We had to follow such camera rules as the rule of thirds, the 180 degree line rule, 30 degree line rule and so on.

I believe we succeeded at following some of the camera rules, but others could use improvement. We could have used more variation of shots, longer shots, and recorded more handles to make the editing easier and the continuity look more flowing. Also our framing could use more work, improvement on the rule of thirds and over the shoulder shots are some areas that need major improvement.

The areas that we did well at, i believe, are following the 180 and 30 degree line rules, the recording of sound and the use of lighting. Hopefully these are areas we can improve on in our next camera exercise.

Images of the Film & Neo Noirs i selected.

Examples of Film Noir & Neo Noir

Note: Sources used are wikipedia.org and other links of the site, used for initial research.
3 examples of classic film noirs are:
Touch of evil (1958) directed by Orson Wells.
Double indemnity (1944) directed by Billy Wilder.
Out of the past (also known as Build my gallows high) (1947) directed by Jacques Tourner.

Touch of evil

Touch of evil, is a film noir based around the story of a couple who are entangled in a bomb attack directed at the USA from Mexico. The story progresses with the main character being accused of terrorist activities. It then goes on to show how the corrupt detectives frame him so they can try and steal away his wife. He then goes to prove his innocence while discovering the identity of the real culprit. He then justifies his innocence and takes his wife away and the film leaves you with a feeling of justice and righteousness.
This film takes on the style of a typical film noir, its shadowy settings and dark atmospheres give the idea that this film will have a dark and evil story. It has the usual characters, foolish and easy to manipulate man, the typical femme fatal, and background characters which all have some importance to the main characters. The use of little light and dirty settings give an impression of the setting’s relevance to the story.

Double Indemnity

This film is based around the death of a woman’s husband by being thrown of a train. She goes to an insurance dealer before hand, and takes out life insurance for her husband. She then plots with the insurance dealer to kill her husband and then they would split the profits. The murder spirals out of control and the detective investigating the murder soon figures out her involvement. The insurance dealer, who knows and respects the detective, soon feels the guilt of what he has got involved with. He then confesses to the detective his part in the death and announces that he is leaving to go to Mexico. He does not succeed in this and collapses before he can leave. The woman is then arrested and imprisoned for the murder of her husband.
This film noir is based more around men’s weak spot for attractive women. The femme fatal seduces and convinces the man into having any part in her devilish scheme. He, foolishly, accepts her proposal and just like a typical noir, regrets it later through the film. The setting is the same as any typical noir, the city more importantly the darker and uglier part of the city.

Out of the past

Out of the past, is based around the past life of the main character coming back to haunt him. He appears to be a regular man at the beginning of the film until a man from his past recognizes him and tells him of a man he used to work for wishes to meet him. He then confesses to his past of being a private detective and agrees to the meeting. He then has a long memory of what his life used to be like before he moved away from it all. He meets the man and agrees to work for him. Along the way he meets a woman. They begin to fall in love and agree to run away from their previous life. They then are caught in the city and the woman disappears. He then returns to the man who hired him and agrees to another job only to find the woman he ran away with has also returned. The story takes a turn for the worst and he is framed. He meets many of his old friends who then are killed. He returns to find his boss murdered by the woman. They agree to run again because of the murders they both are suspects. The man then double crosses the woman and turns her in and she kills him but she is then shot dead.
This film noir is also based around man’s weakness for women. The things that men will do for women is a powerful tool in this film. The location’s in this film change frequently, to represent the mood at that time. The bright sunny shore of Mexico when there is love in the air, to the dark damp city where blackmail is common.

3 examples of contemporary noir films are:
Chinatown (1974) directed by Roman Polanski
Klute (1971) directed by Alan. J Pakula
Blade Runner (1982) directed by Ridley Scott

Chinatown

The film is based around a private investigator that is following a man that works for a water company. He soon discovers plans for a large dam to be built in the area and reports straight back to his employer. He then sees the man with another woman and arguing with an old man in public. The old man then turns up dead a few days later. You then find out the argument was about the land that they want to build the dam on, and the old man legally owns it. Once the investigator finds this out he returns to his clients house. He then discovers that the blonde woman he saw him with is his contractors daughter and sister. He then asks if it was rape and she neither denies nor confesses to this. Later on he finds out he is facing a murder charge and that he is going to be arrested. He then tries to flee to Mexico but is shot in the arm and the woman he is with is shot dead.
This neo noir has similar characteristics to film noir in the respect of the femme fatal and the traditional story of blackmail betrayal and lies. Although the use of setting can be completely different to traditional noir, it tries to create the same image of desperation and darkness.

Klute

The film begins with the disappearance of a man, whose family hires a friend, a police officer, to look for him. A typewritten letter found in a desk lead Klute to his only lead, a prostitute who the letter was supposed to go to. The man becomes drawn into the woman’s seedy world, discovers several other prostitutes have been killed by a crazy man and that she herself was nearly killed by the same man. After an uneasy start the two work together to track down the killer. The man and the woman then fall in love and they end the film with them together after solving the case.
This film has a slightly different ending to traditional noir. It ends happily between the man and the woman and it does not end with a murder. The image throughout the film is generally more happy and bright than normal noir. Also the man is not lured in by the love but the woman is introduced to this new feeling.

The Blade Runner

The blade runner is a science fiction film based on the creation and extermination of genetically modified beings. They look near human and they are almost human although they are not allowed to be like humans. So the main character is sent to kill them after their illegal return to earth. The story takes many twists involving the traditional female interference. He then proves his worth by killing the four duplicates and returning as a hero.
This film is different to other noir based films. It is set in the future and is not based around everyday life and is not something you can relate to as the audience. Though it still; has the same dark atmosphere, it uses unique props and effects to create a more suited atmosphere to the genre.

History of Film Noir

AS media: Noir research work 1
Film noir or "black film", the term originated from France and is used to describe a certain genre of film. The term was coined by a French critic named Nino Frink. Film Noir was at its prime between the 1940’s and 1960’s. The idea of this new style of film drew in large audiences intrigued by this new film style.
Some key things that may have inspired the creation of film noir are: pressures of WW2, which may have inspired certain directors to create this new darker and shadowy style of film, the change in lifestyle at the time. People were experiencing a whole new life with resources low at home due to soldiers needing it abroad and personal experience such as heartbreak, which would cause such a dark view of some of the women/men in Film Noir.
Some directors associated with Film Noir are Fritz Lang, F.W Muranau, G.W Pabst and Robert Wiene. These are only a select few. Many European directors a renowned for their additions to Film Noir. Though they are not as well recognized as some of the larger and better-respected American directors.
Film Noir is largely considered to be a genre. This is because it had such a new style to all previous films, that it was then considered as a whole new type of film. However, some people believe that Film Noir is not a new genre and is closely related to romance or detective/crime films.
The style of Film Noir was greatly influenced by budgeting and the technology available at the time. Directors us of lighting had a huge impact on Film Noir as the mood had to be represented. For example a murder has taken place and it is a dark time so the light levels would be low and the camera would focus mainly on tension spots. Budgeting would effect Film Noir as well because of the equipment used would be of a lower quality to a bigger movie due to lower budgets which the director would have to make up for using whatever resources he had.
Film Noir was seen as a B movie. This was because of the lower budgets, which obviously had a knock on effect to the genres quality. Although, people still enjoyed the films because of the new styles and stories entailed.
The use of new camera angles and sound combinations with lighting made it possible for noir directors to create something new and truly special. This is what changed these films from your average romance or crime film. Although the stories were always different they usually share the same sort of events and character backgrounds.
Neo Noir is the term given to a modern film, which tries to incorporate features of Film Noir into a new film. For example the use of lighting and other features to create the same effects.
A film Noir is traditionally based around a male character who encounters a seductive female or "femme fatale" who then seduces him but turns out to be corrupting the male character. It also usually includes a murder which then sparks the meeting of the main character, usually a detective or crime specialist, to meet the female and the events then unfold as the story goes on. Such films are: The Maltese Falcon, Murder my sweet and Double indemnity.
Film Noir uses Mise-En-Scène to create a certain atmosphere. It will use a certain amount of light to let the emotions and feelings of the characters fill the room. Also the use of dark and large costumes, perhaps to hide the characters and in a metaphor hide their feelings and emotions. However the female characters are usually exposed or in tighter costumes to draw the men’s attention to this type of character.
Film Noir was quite widely produced in Germany and France, so many of them would have had to been voiced over. Suspense music was used in many of the films and also, on occasion, romantic music was played. Quite often the music would be used to represent the mood, which mainly was dark and shadowy.
Film Noir mainly used high angled camera shots focusing on the higher areas of the body. Obviously this would change at times. They would also include wide shots to show everything important, Pans, tilts, trackings and many other shots. Quite often it would contain many close ups and focus on one point of interest.
Flashbacks are used to great effect in Film Noir. Characters going back over previous encounters/ events in the films or over their lives. These will always heave great relevance to the story and will usually display a key event. Special effects are not really used in Film Noir, the use of guns, bullet wounds, car crashes, dead bodies or dreams are the main uses for special effects in Film Noir.
Overall Film Noir is a certain style of Film, which usually entails a man and woman relationship, mainly complicated, the events are usually dark and the style of the film is shadowy.