Mid module recap.

Learning Objectives
Discuss the ways Hollywood filmmakers can get
inspiration
Re-cap our knowledge of
Pre-Production
Stars
Franchises & Industry
Develop an A grade Exam answer

Starter Task
Before a film is made, studio producers will attempt
to identify a story, plot or film type that will enable
them to maximise profits
As we will see with Avatar and John Carter, making
the correct decision is VITAL!
In pairs, create a list of the possible sources
filmmakers use for inspiration when planning their
films

Starter Task
In pairs, create a list of the possible sources filmmakers use for
inspiration when planning their films:
Original
Screenplay
Book / Short
Story
Comic / Graphic
Novel
Real life
events
Re-make “Re-imagining”
TV Adaptation
Plays
Video Games
Legend /
FairytalesFactual Book

Re-Cap
We will now split the lesson in to TWO segments, each
recapping the key points for each of the topics mentioned
earlier
As we go, we will build an essay answer to the following
question:
How important are STARS and GENRE to a films success at the
box office?

Production Re-cap
One of the first, and most important decisions a producer can
make, is to decide the genre of their film
Picking a genre that is in trend can boost box
office potential, but producers must ultimately
give audiences want they want
Genre Task – How can we link GENRE and STARS?
As audiences, we have been conditioned to
EXPECT certain things from certain Genres
What would you EXPECT to see in a WESTERN
film?

Production Re-cap
Working in pairs, create list of the genre
conventions of the ACTION GENRE
As you can see from these posters,
even the marketing materials are
designed to appeal to audience
EXPECTATIONS
If a film meets our
expectations, we are
more likely to have a
positive experience,
than be left
disappointed

Production Re-cap
Working in pairs, create list of the benefits, and
draw backs, for both audiences and producers, of
using a specific GENRE
Genre provides reliability for both
AUDIENCES AND PRODUCERS
It is used to appeal, and meet our
expectations
Audiences are offered a certain
degree of security that their money
won’t be wasted
Whilst producers can identify what
audiences want and create a
product that would appeal to them

Production Re-cap
Write at least three paragraphs to the question:
How important is genre to both audiences and
producers?
You must include:
• Pro’s and Con’s for both
audiences and producers
• Case studies to support your
points
• Analysis of the case studies in
support of your points

Stars – Re-cap
Actors make the transition to film star when they have
clearly identifiable ‘STAR QUALITIES’ that both audiences
and producers can identify
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Star Qualities:
• Muscle bound
• Action star
• Potential for
humour
• One liners
• Former Mr.
Universe
The star qualities
are an INDICATOR
of what audiences
can EXPECT

Stars – Re-cap
Working in pairs, create a list of the appeals of Arnold
Schwarzenegger to both audiences, and producers
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Star Qualities:
• Muscle bound
• Action star
• Potential for
humour
• One liners
• Former Mr.
Universe
• He offers security to both groups as he generally
plays a certain TYPE of character
• Audiences WANT to see him play action heroes with
one-liners, humour and action sequences
• Producers will use Arnie is similar roles and give
audiences what they want
• By playing the same role over and over again, he
creates a series of expectations – that audiences
find appealing, and studios can use to draw
audiences to the cinema

Stars – Re-cap
Film stars like Schwarzenegger also appeal to audiences as the
characters he plays embody, promote and reinforce our
‘IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE’
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Star Qualities:
• Muscle bound
• Action star
• Potential for
humour
• One liners
• Former Mr.
Universe
Ideological perspective – a belief system, or set of
beliefs that shape the way we perceive the world
The characters Schwarzenegger play are generally
protagonists or GOOD GUYS
The up hold the law, oppose evil and are agents of
justice
He often play militaristic characters who fight against
the real life enemies of the United States -

Commando (1985)
Commando:
Arnie plays an ex-
marine who is fighting
against a corrupt South
American government
Real life:
USA and south
American
governments
(Nicaragua, Bolivia,
Venezuela) who the
US say as a threat
Commando reinforces the
IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE of the USA,
with Arnie embodying the
American view point that
the USA promote
freedom, whilst the south
American governments
promote Autocracy.
Obviously, the USA wins
and the IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE is
reinforced!

True Lies (1994)
True Lies:
Arnie plays a spy who
is out to thwart an
Arabic Terrorist and his
plan to detonate a
Nuclear Bomb in the
USA
Real life:
1993 – Bin Laden is
behind the bombing
of the World Trade
Centre and becomes
the poster boy for anti
US hate across the
world
True Lies reinforces the
IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE of the USA,
by portraying the main
enemy to the country as
‘Arabic Terrorist’
Arnie saves the day, kills
the terrorist in a hilarious
manner, and:
IDEOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE is
reinforced!

Stars – Re-cap
Film stars like Schwarzenegger also appeal to audiences as the
characters he plays embody, promote and reinforce our
‘IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE’
Why do audiences find characters that reinforce their
ideological perspective appealing?
How can producers manipulate this appeal to boost box
office performance?
How does this limit ‘stars’ in the roles they accept?
How does this help film stars increase their fan bases?

From Russia
with Love
(1963)
Film: Bond must defeat Russian
enemies to retrieve an
encryption device that was
stolen
Villain = Russian
Reality: The Nuclear Arms race is
on going with the Russians seen
as the greatest threat to western
way of life
Enemies = USSR/Russia Moonraker
(1979)
Film: French billionaire Hugo
Drax (former Nazi) plans to take
over a space station and unleash
chemical weapons on Earth from
space
Reality: The Space Race is
ongoing and tensions between
US & Russia are heightened. The
US developing a space based
missile defense platform called
‘Star Wars’ – criticised by Europe
and Russia
The Living
Daylights
(1987)
Film: Russian KGB plot to kill
enemy agents. Bond travels to
Afghanistan and with the aid of
the insurgents (Taliban/Bin
Laden) defeats Russia
Reality: Cold War at its height, Russia are
at war with Afghanistan,
(insurgents/Taliban) who are supported
by the US and UK
Enemies = USSR/Russia
Allies – Afghan Insurgents/Taliban
TBC (20…)
?

Using the spaces provided, create
a synopsis of a future Bond film in
which Daniel Craig would
embody, and reinforce the
IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE of
modern, western audiences.
You must develop:
• A title
• Synopsis
• Villains
• Links to real world
• Explain in detail how your
Bond film would reinforce the
ideological perspective and
appeal to audiences
Title:
Synopsis:
Villains: (who are they? What is their
ideological perspective?
Links to the real
world:

Stars – Re-cap
Using the notes made from your ‘Star’ lesson, mind map all the
points you can consider when answering this question:
How important are stars to audiences and producers?
You must consider the four points of C. Gledhill’s theory
Stars as:
• Capital Value
• Construct
• Deviant
• Cultural Value
First, complete the task for
AUDIENCES
Then repeat the task considering
PRODUCERS

Stars – Re-cap
Capital Value:
• What money do they make for the studio?
• Do they help a film generate a greater profit?
• How much are they worth to the studio?
• How far can it be argued that their
appearance in a film helps the film make
more money?
Construct:
• What is the stars image?
• How are they involved in the construction of
their own image?
• How can this image be used by producers?
• How do they appeal to audiences, create
expectation and draw them to their films?
Deviant:
• They live outside the normal rules of
behaviour?
• How does their deviant behaviour appeal /
put off audiences?
• How can producers capitalise on ‘Deviant’
images?
Cultural Value:
• Stars signify moral, social and Ideological
values
• They promote ‘right’ and fight ‘wrong’
• Are they aligned with our individual
ideologies?
• What is their cultural legacy beyond the films
they appear in?

Stars – Re-cap
Capital Value:
• Cruise (in his prime) would add a significant
number of dollars to a box office gross
• His high profile celebrity status keeps him in
the news – especially useful to studios when
they are promoting a Tom Cruise film
• Cruise has an excellent rapport with talk show
hosts and media outlets and is an excellent
ambassador for the films he promotes
Construct:
• Cruise maintains an excellently constructed
image: married to Hollywood starlets, father,
philanthropist, action hero in real life and on
screen, thrill seeker – excellent relationship
with fans – versatile actors
• Cruise has publicly chosen his church over
involvement in his daughters life and has been
heavily critical of mental health practices –but
these things are less well known
Deviant:
• A prominent member of the Church of
Scientology and as such, is seen a
controversial figure. He appears a lot in the
news as an outspoken advocate of a
challenging ideology and his high profile
marriages have attracted a lot of media
attention.
Cultural Value:
• Cruise is a Hollywood philanthropist and
works with several charities, including UNICEF,
Aids foundations, B. Davis centre for
Childhood Diabetes
• He plays characters that embody a pro-
American ideology – underdog overcoming
huge odds and promoting the values of
freedom and justice

Stars as Construct Re-cap
The Producers of Monument Men (2014)
have harnessed the ‘Constructed’
images of George Clooney and Matt
Damon and are using it too appeal to
audiences
The Stars:
• Play the exact same type of characters from
Oceans 11
• Are shown in a very similar way to the
characters from Ocean’s Eleven
• ‘Constructed Image’ is being manipulated by
the producers to appeal to audience
expectations
The film appears to promise a
very similar experience to
that of Ocean’s 11
We get the same types of
characters, similar narrative
goals, but a new setting!

Production Re-cap
Write at least three paragraphs to the question:
How important ARE STARS to both audiences and
producers?
You must include:
• Pro’s and Con’s for both
audiences and producers
• Case studies to support your
points
• Analysis of the case studies in
support of your points

Re-Cap
With each module this year, we are able to identify several KEY
WORDS that we can use as a basis for our understanding
For example, for section C - Extermination & Assimilation
Using your post it note, write down
THREE key words from todays lesson
On your way out, post you note on
to the board
You must put your name on the post
it!

Mid module recap.

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Mid module recap.

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