Video - Film Openings: Initial research

I have decided to go with the video task rather than print, this will involve me creating a 2 minute opening sequence to a film of my choice. I have decided to do a film within the genre of a Gangster film targeted at a main stream audience and possibly are well known production and distribution company.

In order to find out what forms and narrative i should use within my own video production, i did some research into the main classed films such as Hollywood films, Social Realist films and Art House films. This way i will find out the typical generic conventions within the films and the key conventions tied within them.

The main generic and multi national films are usually classed as Hollywood films, So through the research of gangster films (like 'Scar Face','Angels with Dirty Faces'and 'The Departed') i found that there conventions and narrative structures all very similar. They usually have a storyline where the main character of the film begins life off in the slums of a major city and dreams of one day being respected by all, but to do so they delve into the realm of imprisonment and the dealing of drugs and stolen goods. They usually consist of guns, robbery's, dealing in things they shouldn't, death and respect.

Social realist films however are aimed at a working classed audience meaning there narratives are structured in order for the audience to be able to relate to the issues, making there subject matter more detailed and complexed, with a not so happy ending. So Films like 'Burning an Illusion','This is England' and 'The Full Monty' all consist of characters from a slum area of a main city, who are attempting to cope through issues like Relationships, politics, unemployment and racism.

Art house films are similar to social realist in there complex and detailed narrative, but within an Art house film there usually more personal with difficult subject matter, This attracts a more sophisticated and middle classed audience. So when researching into films like 'Inland Empire', 'Funny Ha Ha' and 'Morvern Callar'
that they usually have a narrative in which your following a character on a journey, either through there life or through a situation in which they need to overcome. These conventions seem to attract a more middle classed audience