Film distribution

Marks on post it note

Mock exam grade

Film Censorship Mock

"Film censorship is motivated by fears about audiences and technologies." Discuss this statement in reference to the concerns expressed about uncensored and unregulated video content in Britain in the early 1980s.

Many films during the 1980s had very graphic and gory images, which people didn't like to watch. Therefore, they didn't watch the films like that leading to a downfall in cinema attendance and a lose in profit for film producers, and the studios selling food and drinks. This didn't apply to certain age ranges, because the films are certificated, for example 18 or 21. But this didn't stop people who were under age to watch horror 'video nasties', and technology has introduced VHS, so anyone can watch these films. The main fear is that the younger generation will be influenced and like what they see on screen and try and copy some of the things they see. Studio's also fear that no-one will ever attend the cinema ever, due to VHS.

Owning a VCR in the 80s made people look wealthy and 'cooler' than people who didn't own one. As this was new to people, they found it fashionable to stay at home. VCR allows people to easily watch videos in the comfort of their own homes without having to go out and pay for an expensive cinema ticket. This was also more convenient for people who couldn't easily travel to cinemas. The disadvantage of this was that film piracy had risen, creating a threat for cinemas and a huge drop in cinema attendance.

Secondly, video nasties caused a lot of discussions about whether these types of  films should be shown to the public. Low budget films, like The Evil Dead, should have some film censorship due to the explosive images that people see when watching films like it. The fear of some people not liking these types of films cause a threat to cinemas earning money. This is because people were too afraid of going to see video nasties, for reasons such as not liking blood or disliking the idea of death and guts on big screens. The reason people were so shocked about video nasties is that it was so uncommon to see it in films in the 80s.

There was a way of preventing younger people from seeing nudity and violence, through the use of pro censorship. This protected the viewer from seeing any pornographic material and harmful information. It also prevents violent events from being viewed, only promoting good morals. That meant that inappropriate material could not be viewed by. UK pressure group, national viewers and listeners association was a campaign founded in 1965. It was against broadcasts of media that contained sex, violence and blasphemy  It was a follow on from the "clean up TV campaign" which was released the year before.

Overall, I feel that film censorship is motivated by fears about audiences as they will be restricted from what type of films that are available at the cinema. Many people don't like the idea of seeing very explicit and sexual content on their screens. But this was only in the 1980s as they didn't expect that kind of material which shocked them. In the present day, we have become de-sensitized to this sort of material as many films contain it. Also, younger people have had easier access to horror films due to the quick development of films. To quite a high extent, some parts of the films should have been censored due to how they might play with peoples minds and make society corrupt. On the other hand, this will make films boring as some people find it entertaining to watch. Therefore, some people may not watch censored films.

3d homework

Directors on 3d
social - everybody feels uncomfortable wearing 3d glasses, which makes them less popular for certain people.
technology - despite 'extraordinary work' being carried out in 3d, Danny Boyle doubts the technology will survive.
Martin Scorsese says - 3d is special with that extra element.

'Pacific Rim' to get 3d conversion
economic - other big budget production companies aren't spending money to do 3d post-modern films, but warner bros isn't.

Kermode: 2d or not 2d?
How 3d works:
In 3d you can tell whether something is further away and with 2d you can't.
3d glasses take 3d pictures and turn them into 2d so there is no point in watching a 3d film.
3d is supposed to draw into the drama and it isn't about things that point out at you
technology: films are better in 2d as the image is clearer and brighter and not alienated by the 3d glasses.
cameras developed by NASA.
2009 was the year of 3d - when 3d looked like it could be the future of the cinema 
3d is all about the image, it doesn't add to the story/drama, it can't do that much

Resurgence of 3d
online movie piracy:
you can't watch 3d films at home
The industry is the problem for online movie piracy, and the consumers aren't. Hard copies are taken from somewhere within the industry so the public are not to blame.

3d is not the answer to cinema's problems
people are being ripped off
tech: Avatar used 3d as a cinematographic tool
social: audiences for films in 3d are projected to decline in 2013, first drop since 3d exploded with Avatar in 2009. ground breaking digital 3d technology
having to wear glasses puts people off the idea of 3d viewing
economic - avatar became the biggest grossing film of all time

people now have HD smart/3d enabled TV's therefore don;t need to go to the cinema and watch 3d films

Questions and Answers - Multiplexes/Cinema Attendance

When was the first Multiplex in the UK?
The Point, Milton Keynes, was the UK's first multiplex and opened in 1985.

What was cinema attendance like in this time?
Cinema attendance was relatively low during the 80s, and even in the late 60s and 70s.

What films were being played in the new Multiplexes (name and year)?
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Who's That Girl (1987)
Godzilla (1985)

How were these Multiplexes encouraging audiences to go to the cinema?
Newly converted multiplexes were big, spacious and had new screens which delivered films with a high quality compared to flea pits  Multiplexes main audiences were teenagers as they are the most likely age group to go out and visit the cinema. They attracted them by many attractions such as fast food, free parking, and making the films look interesting.

Where are these Multiplexes built instead of the High Street and why?
They are usually built in out-of-town sites close to motorways that allowed plentiful space for surface car parking and offered fast food outlets/shops/other attractions for their target audience.

What had happened to audience leisure patterns that meant 'Flea pit' cinemas lost popularity?
VHS was introduced allowing people to watch films and rent them at home. People were reluctant to spending money due to recession, and preferred to stay at home to watch a movie.

What advantages did Multiplexes offer cinema audiences and film distributors over Fleapits?
Multiplex guarantees a larger audience due to more screens, with a higher sound and picture quality, whereas flea pits are run-down and have very little quality.

What reasons was cinema attendance low?
As technology is developing very quickly, people are finding ways of illegally downloading films online and watching them for free instead of having to pay high cinema ticket prices.

Fleapits & Multiplexes

How multiplex cinemas saved the British film industry 25 years ago

Technology:
several-screens-in-a-shed phenomenon
the point - with ten screens, the UK's first true multiplex, had arrived
start-of-the-art technology (made an impact on British market)
Cannon opened the second British multiplex at Salford Quays in December 1986, and between 1987 and 1991 around 500 new screens sprung up nationwide
The multiplex is currently pupating, waiting for it's next phase of evolution, as digital projection and 3D arrive.

Economic:
copious free parking space
a vast array of snacks on sale
The point sold 2m tickets in its first two years

Social:
Mid-80s - cinema attendance was in the doldrums (low)
The impact the Point had: "You couldn't move in the foyer on a Saturday night. There were so many people there waiting for shows to start."
increased choice of films (impact on British market)
a miracle in a climate that had seen the national cinema attendance drop to just 55m by 1984 (the peak had been 1.6bn in 1946)
new screens sprung up 1987-1991, by which point British cinema admissions had risen to 100m.
The Point was the beneficiary of a push to revive the UK film industry: 1985 was declared British Film Year, and a PR campaign was launched on behalf of cinemagoing.

Cinemas and Cinemagoing: More screens, more choice

In the early 1970s, the circuit cinemas in the smaller towns and suburbs began to be subdivided into three-screen 'film centres'.
Many Odeons were inexpensively converted into 'triples', without closing, by blocking off the rear stalls and subdividing the space into two small cinemas.
These provided poor sightlines and tiny screens had sound penetration problems.
ABC cinemas closed for conversion into three auditoria - new screens - greater capacities.

Technology:
60s/70s - low cinema attendance due to further television channels and arrival of video (enabling renting of films)
1985 - new ten-screen 'multiplex' cinema*
Modern generation of multiplexes - large screens in large auditoria, state-of-the-art sound systems, stepped seating and generous leg room.
'Premier screens' charge higher prices for more luxurious seating, private bars and other extras.
From the late 1990s, the range of titles reduced as several prints of major attractions are shown in different auditoria with staggered starting times.

Economic: 
Cinemas became dependant on sales of food

Social:
Late 60s/Early 70s - attendence continued to decline because of high ticket prices, and widespread of feeling that cinemagoing was no longer a fashionable activity.
Annual admissions reached a low of 54m in the 80s - half the figure of 5 years before.
* 1985 (info cont.) - ten-screen multiplex attracted over 100m within first year. Many attractions such as fast food for their key audience, teenagers.

The cinema boss who made room for a Vue

Economic:
The great depression of 1929 ushered and the repeated in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
UK box office grossed £1.05bn in 2009.
Data shows cinema attendances held up in the recessions of 1974 to 1976, 1980 to 1982, and 1990 to 1993.
Vue has saved billions of dollars processing and transporting the 35mm prints into digital projectors.

Technology:
Cinemas have been showing many basic forms of 3D films since the 1920s.
The leap of digital 3D began in earnest with the release of Chicken Little in 2005.
Vue has 68 cinema sites - 654 screens across the UK - state-of-the-art digital projectors to replace 35mm film.

Social:
Many industry executives feared the downfall box office grossings "many people were nervous"
People have scaled back on buying cars and holidaying abroad, and spend more on activities at home. Recession leads to an "increased demand in escapism as a psychological response".
Cinema attendance was the high-water mark for 2004 - 176 million, but in 2006 it was in the doldrums.
C.A was boosted by the success of Slumdog Millionaire and the latest Harry Potter movie, then Avatar.

Cinema Attendance Notes

Cinema Attendance:
There was a gradual decline in the 1950s, before a dramatic drop throughout the 60s and 70s.
Why did the cinema decline so rapidly in 1960s, 70s and 80s?
- Growth of TV Ownership. People could watch films or other television for free.
- With growth of car ownership, people had greater choice of less traditional entertainment.
After 1970s, the growth of VHS and video rental, nearly killed the cinema industry. It now became fashionable to stay at home, rent the movie of your choice and save the money of going to the cinema.


Since 1984, Cinema attendance has grown so strongly because:
- change in culture preferences: people like the opportunity to get out of the house and enjoying a film without distractions
- even though the price of the cinema has increased above inflation, demand has continued to rise due to rising incomes.
- growth of the multiplex cinemas which are easily accessible by car and also offer a wider choice of films.
- new technology such as digital screens and 3D screens have offered new dimension
- cinemas have benefited from the growth in the movie market as DVD sales and online films have grown even faster than cinema attendance.

More notes on Cinemas and the movie market:
- the three major UK exhibitors cineworld, odeon UCI, and Vue account for over 70% of the total box office receipts and 60% of screens.
- the rest of the market is smaller multiplex operators and independent, non-multiplex cinemas (less than 5 screens)
- greatest earning film is Skyfall (over £100m) beating Avatar into number 2, and Toy Story 3 in third.

Cinema Attendance (cont):
- During the 1930s and 40s cinema was popular because there was no TV, internet or games consoles.
- they went as escapism from the war and hear news about it.
- high employment also played a role.
- late 40s/early 50s attendance began to fall due to television ownership

Skyfall lifts cinema attendance in 2012:
- ticket admissions were up 24 per cent in october and 36 per cent in november, as Skyfall became the first film to rake in more than £100m at UK cinemas

Blockbuster Homework Notes

Task 1 - 
Question 8. Describe the rise of Cineplex and the resulting changes to film distribution:
Cineplex has risen from the 70s and 80s, and was known as the decade of blockbuster hits, and publicity campaigns, of new technology such as CGI and special effects, which appealed to a wide audience. Previous trends such as "the buddy film", "the vigilante film" and "the disaster film" began to fade away in the film industry during the mid-70s.  They were replaced with slasher films, space operas, youth films and slap stick comedies. Many film-makers remade films, by referring to old, original film ideas and including their own material. In some cases, parodies or comic send-ups were made. Others simply reused the exact plot of an old film, and modernized it completely. This has made films become boring and repetitive, therefore people are becoming reluctant to going to the cinemas as they know that the story will be the same. On the other hand, people are falling into the trap of thinking that they are going to see this amazing, original and new film, when they are not.

Question 9. Discuss the phenomenon as a contributing factor in the rise of the blockbuster:
The factor that contributes the rise of the blockbuster is CGI and Special Effects, as technology is developing everyday and many film makers are being benefited by this as their films will look more exciting. This will entice the viewer to go to the cinema and watch these high quality explosions and 3d effects. This means that the film will make a higher profit as more people will have paid money to watch the film in the cinema or buy the dvd.

Task 2 -
How Jaws spawned the modern blockbuster:
- Jaws was the film that made Spielberg
- It would become the first film ever to gross over $100 million at the Box Office giving him A-List director status, only at the age of 27.
-It is directly responsible for the genesis of the Blockbuster and the Hollywood Summer movie mould as we know it today.
- It marks the true beginnings of Spielberg as we have come to know it.
- It has all the hallmarks of a Spielberg film: the everyman, the father/son relationship and an iconic score from John Williams.
-Jaws taps into one of our most primal fear - the fear of the unknown
- The Jaws poster gives us the feel of a lurking predator.
-The mechanical shark had many technical difficulties.
- Jaws changed how major Hollywood studios treated the release of their large-scale productions.
- Product tie-ins and colossal advertising became the norm for large studio pictures.
- As production costs began to rise, instead of original and exciting material, studios didn't want to take risks so they have endless sequels, remakes, reboots, and adaptations.



Jaws - The First Blockbuster? Arguements:
- very different from blockbuster movies as it has a sense of place, character driven, no special effects, rubber shark didn't appear much and wouldn't work 100% of the time

Star Wars was more of a typical Blockbuster:
- star wars changed a generation 
- people wanted to marry some of the stars
- hype/excitement to buy it on DVD

- The Jaws creature and comparatively tiny young swimmer became iconic in the 70s and was seen everywhere: t-shirts, pin badges, posters, billboards, book shops etc.

Context groups:
Star wars: 
- M&Ms (tie-ins)
- Special Effects (technology)
- got money from sales of star wars action figures and toys (economic)
- terrible Star Wars merch:
christmas album
scarf
perfume
ear muffs
cardboard cut-outs
books
bath products
tongue pop
playsets for action figures

How Star Wars changed the business:
captured imaginations (social)
official fan-clubs - waiting outside for new releases(social)
society became sinical
teenage cruising

The high concept movie: every film we see has a formula and small details are changed, such as character names and locations, as films have been told in thousands of different ways.
High concept films are:
-easily recognisable/digested
-one-line pitch
-instant iconography
-consumer appeal
-easy marketability
-star-name
-the plot can be summed up in one or two sentences
- a simple title tells you most or everything you need to know about the film
-based on an idea that breeds easy-to-sell marketibility: tie-in pop music, soundtracks, star vehicles and franchises, consumer goods and dominant, impact-inspired themes.
They introduced cinemagoers to bite-size movies.

Summer Blockbusters Info

Summer Blockbuster	How much spent on production	Director/s	Director’s other films	Other films stars are associated with	What they made at box office	Is it in the top 50?	Rotten tomatoes rating
Avengers Assemble	$220 million	Joss Whedon	Much Ado about nothing, and serenity.	Robert Downey Jr: Zodiac, Iron Man, Sherlock Homes	$623.2 million	Yes	8
Brave	$185 million	Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews	The Prince of Egypt	Billy Connolly: The Last Samurai, The Boondock Saints, Lemony Snicket’s A series of unfortunate events Emma Thompson: Love Actually, Nanny McPhee, Sense and Sensibility	$ 535.2 million	No	6.9
The Amazing Spiderman	$230 million	Marc Webb	500 days of summer	Andrew Garfield: The Social Network, Never Let Me Go Emma Stone: The Help, Easy A, Zombieland	$753.2 million	No	6.7
Men in Black III	$225 million	Barry Sonnerfield	RV, Wild Wild West, Adams Family	Will Smith: Hancock, I am Legend	$624 million	No	6.1
Total Recall	$125 million	Len Wiseman	Live Free or Die Hard, Underworld, Underworld: Evolution	Colin Farrell: Total Recall, Phone Booth, In Bruges, Alexander	£198.4 million	No	5
Prometheus	$130 million	Ridley Scott	Alien, Kingdom of Heaven, Body of Lies, American Gangster	Micheal Fassbender: Inglorious Bastards, 300, X-men	$403.3 million	No	6.9
The Bourne Legacy	$125 million	Tony Gilroy	Duplicity	Jeremy Renner: The Hurt Locker, Avengers Assemble, Mission: Impossible – ghost protocol	$276.1 million	No	5.9
Dark Knight Rises	$250 million	Christopher Nolan	Memento, The Prestige, Inception	Christian Bale: The Prestige, American Psycho, The Dark Knight	$1.08 billion	Yes	8

Dialogue for Submarine Sequel

The dialogue moves the story forward as it is the disruption of the sequel. The character Oliver will have to confront being apart from Jordana, now that she is dead. It follows the theme of coming of age as he will have to overcome the fact that she has gone, and move on with his life to become a more independent person with having to rely on her. I feel that the dialogue is believable as it has the typical language that Jordana has used in the first film, for instance, swearing.

To improve I will need to show a clearer relationship between the two characters by saying about past experiences and show their bond through actions.

Mock Exam - Stereotypes

In the two films I have studied, Children of Men and V for Vendetta, there are messages behind the typical stereotypes they use. Although, Children of Men doesn’t follow the typical stereotypes whereas V for Vendetta does. V for Vendetta follows the typical stereotypes to a much higher extent than Children of Men. There are many views and stereotypes, such as, the final girl, hyper masculinity, objectification of women and phallic/yonic imagery.  

Firstly, the final girl is conveyed as sexually pure, independent and the last one to survive. In V for Vendetta, Evey is the final girl and has to make wise decisions and actions on her own. The resolution to the film is tragic, but she is the one who confronts the oppressive government and blows up the parliament, helping V to achieve the freedom he has wanted all along. Although, Evey isn’t seen as a sexually pure character as she visits Dietrich to have sex, this shows that, even though the audience doesn’t see it, she flaunts her body around men. Although, later on in the film her hair is shaved off to show a more masculine side to her, which challenges the view of the final girl. In Children of Men, the final girl is Kee but she is not alone as she still has her baby. This is shown in the scene when Theo dies on the boat, and there is no specific ending to whether Kee has survived or not. It is typically stereotyped that the final girl has brown hair which is what colour Kee’s hair is. Kee doesn’t confront the threat, which doesn’t make her look like the typical strong, independent final girl. The message that is trying to be put across by the director is that we can only survive as a human race, as long as we have our child.

Secondly, another stereotype is hyper masculinity, which is clearly presented in V for Vendetta and less in Children of Men. For instance, in V for Vendetta, V is portrayed as a typical super hero, as the clothing her wears looks like a costume. Throughout the film, he is shot many times which gives him very unrealistic strength making him seem immortal. He uses his physical strength to fight of his enemies. V also has a very feminine side, as he cooks breakfast for Evey wearing a typical feminine apron. On the other hand, in Children of Men there is no hyper masculinity because Theo is shown as a quite a feminine character. This is because when his former lover is killed, he shields himself behind a tree and cries for a few seconds. But he gets back up and carries on trying to save Kee. The only very masculine characters are the police forces that have guns and the rest of the society, apart from the women.

Thirdly, the objectification of women is used more in V for Vendetta than in Children of Men. For example, the opening scene in V for Vendetta shows Evey pampering herself in her room. She also gets changed and her bra is revealed, with close ups of intimate parts of her body such as her stomach. This is known as the male gaze as the female character is being invaded of her privacy by an anonymous viewer. The audience also sees her being almost raped by the finger men. In contrast, Children of Men doesn’t have any female characters that may be an appeal to the audience. Therefore, it challenges the objectification as the only women in the film are the Kee; a pregnant woman, Miriam; who doesn’t look the type of sex appeal, and Julian; who is killed almost half way through the film. The director has done this to try and keep focus on the child who is the only one that can save the human race.

Finally, the use of phallic/yonic imagery is used in both films to show the status of a man, but also represent the objects used as sexual. In Children of Men, the character Luke and the other police officers use guns which convey the idea that they are men with power and control. The film also challenges phallic/yonic imagery as the main protagonist, Theo, doesn't use any guns or weapons. He uses his knowledge to guide Kee to her safety. This suggests the message that you don’t need violence and weapons to win, which is a more positive influence for the audience. Likewise, in V for Vendetta, we clearly see that V uses a knife which is symbolic of sexual penetration. It also conveys that he has power, but it gives us a strong idea that it’s a slow painful death and mirrors the idea of physical torture which Evey receives in the Lark hill concentration camp. V for Vendetta also challenges phallic imagery as he uses he hands to strangle Creedy, which informs us that you don’t need a weapon to kill someone as you can do it with your own physical strength. Moreover, Evey sends the train which is yonic imagery as she is giving birth to the revolution. There is also the rebirth of her when she goes out into the rain, which symbolises that she is cleansing away her fear and turning into someone new.

Overall, both Children of Men and V for Vendetta conform and do not conform to the typical stereotypes. Although I feel that V for Vendetta conforms to the stereotypes to a higher extent that Children of Men. This is because the character Evey acts more like the final girl and is shown as a sex object; V is more of a hyper masculine character with eternal strength; and there is a lot of phallic/yonic imagery. Whereas, in Children of Men Kee doesn't act like the final girl as she doesn't do anything to help protect herself or the baby. Theo doesn't have any special powers and acts feminine at one point of the film; there are no sex objects and there is very little use of phallic/yonic imagery.

Marking of students presentations

V for Vendetta and Children of Men characters analysis

V for Vendetta:

V – he is the main character in the film. He is the freedom fighter and has beliefs that the government are wrong.

Evey – she is the second main character of the film and is one of many people that has a curfew. V convinces her to fight with him for freedom.

Sutler – founder and leader of The Party. Founder of the norsefire and is the dictator of Britain.

Prothero – He is “The Voice of London", and is a mouthpiece for the Norsefire government. 

Creedy – He is both Norsefire's party leader and the head of Britain's Secret Police, the Finger.

The people – they support V’s belief that the people should be free from the government’s control, and they protest whilst wearing the mask of V, so they symbolise that V is an idea and he is very powerful.

Dietrich –has religious books and has a haul of possessions, which are priceless and could get him in a lot of trouble with the government. He is homosexual, which could also have got him in trouble as the government disobeyed homosexuals. 

Children of Men:

Theo - typical everyday guy who has given up with life, and probably has a boring life. He is devastated as his child died during a flu pandemic. He is important as he has to look after another character called Kee - he is the hero.

Kee - she has the most important role as she is the only pregnant women in the world and has the human race in her hands as she is the only one that can carry it on. She is an african immigrant and had to be protected by Theo as she could be kidnapped by the immigration officers.

Jasper Palmer - he is a wise, benevolent and pot-smoking old friend of theo. Even thought there is a gloomy future for humankind, he still keeps a humorous, optimistic but practical attitude.

Julian Taylor - the tough and intelligent leader of the underground rebel group, the Fishes, and also Theo’s ex-wife. Although their marriage ended because of their only son’s death, Julian still entrusts Theo with the fate of humankind.

Syd - is a soldier at Bexhill’s refugee camp and a friend of Jasper’s. He is a person of no allegiances and acts upon his will.  

Luke - the calculating and pragmatic co-leader of the Fishes. Due to his frustration with the government’s branding of the Fishes as a terrorist organization, Luke orchestrates Julian’s death and plans to use Kee as a tool to gain support for the Fishes’ revolution.

Essay Draft

For my Textual analysis I am comparing the ways in which both films Submarine and LOL present the theme of coming of age through the MACRO elements: Messages and Values and Themes.
Submarine is a 2010 British coming-of-age comedy-drama film adapted from the 2008 novel of the same name by Joe Dunthorne, directed by Richard Ayoade. The main character Oliver Tate is a fifteen year old boy who struggles with school popularity but when he meets a girl he is determined to impress her. Meanwhile his mother’s ex-boyfriend moves in next door, so Oliver tries to ensure his parents stay together.
The second film I am analysing is LOL, a 2012 coming of age comedy-drama-romance film directed and co-written by Lisa Azuelos. The film is a remake of the 2008 French film LOL (Laughing Out Loud).  In a world connected by Facebook and other social networks, Lola Williams and her friends navigate the peer pressures of high school romance and friendship while dodging their sometimes overbearing and confused parents.

Both films present the theme of coming-of-age in different and similar ways and I am doing a Textual Analysis to find out how the directors have done this and the reason why they have done it. Submarine and LOL, both include the same aspect of a typical coming-of-age film which is sex. The only way for a teen to grow up and 'mature' is by losing their virginity which is clearly shown in both film's as it's something that makes someone take that big step from childhood to adulthood.

The first point I am going to analyse is how teenagers struggle to grow up and become their own people by having freedom of speech. One of the two key scenes that show this idea is when Oliver’s mother is talking to him (Submarine). The scene is set in his bedroom which symbolises his only place of freedom which his mother has invaded. The way the characters are positioned in the frame shows that they are not very close and Oliver wants her to give him personal space. His mother is sitting higher than Oliver, which reinforces her control over him, whereas he is lying down looking vulnerable and under pressure. Also, the other film LOL has a scene when the main character is in a similar situation which is when Lola is in the bathroom with her mother and sister (introduction scene). Lola’s mum is not happy about her ‘grooming choices’ and is not letting Lola have her own independence to do what she likes. The director has set the scene in the bathroom to reinforce the idea that a bathroom is an intimate private place and Lola’s mother is interfering with Lola’s privacy. The dialogue clearly shows that Anne is being the dominant character and Lola doesn’t want to be told what to do. The lighting is mostly shown on Lola and Anne which illustrates that they are the most important characters in the frame and the little sister is just part of the background. The main message that both of the directors are trying to put across is: the obedience of mothers can make teenagers really irritated and it’s best to let them grow up at their own pace without treating them like children.

Secondly, family members such as your mothers/fathers play a huge part in a coming-of-age film but not always for the good reasons. Parents can be depicted in negative ways just like how I explained it in the previous paragraph. The scene in Submarine when Oliver witnesses his mum cheating on his father with her ex-boyfriend clearly conveys this idea. The lighting in the frame is very dark which creates a lurking, ominous feeling and reflects Oliver’s role during this scene as he is technically spying on his mother doing something bad. When it cuts to Oliver’s mum with her ex-boyfriend the flashing lights which reflect on the van turn from blue to red, which could represent the calm atmosphere turning into doomed destiny. Then it cuts to Oliver on his bike, with fireworks edited into the background to reflect how his mind is conflicted and confused with many thoughts of the act he has just witnessed. He has to be the mature grown up character to figure out how to save his parents from splitting up. Likewise, in LOL the scene when Lola hears the conversation between her mother and ex-husband talking reveals that they have also been secretly sneaking around behind Lola’s back. The main prop is her diary which is a typical object a teenager girl would own and it’s set in her room which indicates she is the only one that knows. Her facial expressions in the frame suggest how shocked she is by them not telling her about it. The room is messy with shoes and clothes on the floor and she is wearing slouchy clothing with her hair in a messy bun which the director has done to depict that she physically acts and looks like a teenager but mentally feels like she is an adult. Both scenes tell the audience that family can affect young people even if they are growing up. Also, some adults may have grown up the irony is that they still act like teenagers as they are sleeping around with people.  

Thirdly, one of the most common aspects of a typical coming-of-age film is sex which both films include. The scene I am going to talk about in Submarine is chapter 4. During it the viewer finds out that Oliver and Jordana have just had sex, this is because of the micro aspect: mise-en-scene. The scene is set in Oliver’s parents’ house and mostly his own room. This conveys they idea of secrecy and intimacy, and as there are no adults around, Oliver and Jordana are the adults in the house. Oliver had invited Jordana to have sex with him but she firstly didn’t want to do it but in the end they do. The first room they go into is the kitchen, and they have a romantic meal which is a typical ‘adult like’ date, then cuts to his parents’ bedroom. It’s foreshadowed that something would happen as the colour ‘red’ appeared a lot and many props, such as the bed throw and lights, were red which represents love and romance. The light is low-key and gives the impression that Oliver wants Jordana to be comfortable and a sense of privacy. The director has also done this as when the lights are low in Oliver’s parents’ bedroom he knows they are making love so he wanted to do the same. It then cuts to Oliver lying in his own bedroom, and he is not wearing any clothing on top and the viewer is not quite sure if his wearing any bottoms as it’s not shown but we get the idea he isn’t wearing anything at all. The viewer is informed that Oliver and Jordana have just had sex and have now grown up physically. Likewise, in LOL there is a scene when Lola and Kyle have sex in Paris. The scene is set in a French family’s house, as the teenagers are on a trip. Lola and Kyle are in a single bed when the viewer is revealed to something happening between them as they are the only ones in the room and are wearing underwear. There is little dialogue but it tells the audience a lot as the director has to make sure the viewer knows what is happening; Lola says that it’s her first time and the frame cuts to her mum saying the same thing but says it’s her first time since the divorce. These two different shots are parallel edited as the characters are positioned in the same place and are doing the same thing. The light is also low-key to convey privacy and close intimacy; there is only a bit on light shining on their faces to convey they are the only people in the frame and there is no other important or interesting things for the audience to look at. The micro aspects indicate the key messages that have been put across, which are that teenagers have officially grown up when they loose their virginity. The main message the director has put across in LOL is that adults can get caught up in similar situations at the same time as teens but they don’t actually realise that they can help out one another.

Overall, the two films Submarine and LOL have clear connections and contrasts to present the theme of coming of age through the MACRO elements. The two main characters in Submarine have a strong relationship which relates to the two main characters Lola and Kyle in LOL. The directors of both films have included a downfall through the narrative to show the audience how difficult it is for teens to turn into adults. However, they are affected in different ways as Oliver Tate is trying to save his parents’ marriage while in LOL, Lola is trying to figure out her real identity. Coming-of-age is portrayed in a different way to how society thinks it would be. This is because teens are depicted as animalistic, whereas in Submarine and LOL they are illustrated as mature people looking for their self identities and trying to get what they are looking for in life. Adults think that adolescents can never really grow up at such a young age as they don't know what it's like to have such big responsibilities and be able to make their own choices. Whereas, particularly in LOL, the director is trying to put across that many events that happen are very similar between adults and teens; which is ironic as you wouldn't think they could get caught up in similar situations when they can. My personal opinion concluded would be that it's not easy for adolescent’s to go from being a teenager to a young adult as there will always be something in the way that you will have to overcome to become more independent.

Essay Plan Presentation

Essay Plan

MACRO: Theme of Coming of Age

Point 1: Struggle
Examples: Oliver and his mum talking in his bedroom (Submarine) and Introduction - Lola in the bathroom with her mum and sister (LOL).
Analysis: look at mise-en-scene: costume- how it represents the character's personalities and lighting of the scenes to create a mood/feeling. Go into the details of both scenes (what's happening)
Synthesis: explain how and what themes and messages are put across by the two directors of coming-of-age.

Point 2: Family
Examples: Oliver witnesses mother going into ex-boyfriends van (Submarine) and when Lola hears phone conversation between her mum and ex-husband,.
Analysis: Talk about how the characters are being represented and how they react to these situations. Also look at the mise-en-scene: costume, setting, and facial expressions/body language.
Synthesis: talk about how family can turn you into a more independent person and how the directors put across the themes/messages: adults can act like teenagers sneaking around and teens look more like adults in both films.

Point 3: Sex
Examples: When we find out Oliver and Jordana have just slept together (Submarine) and also when Lola and Kyle sleep together (LOL).
Analysis:  Lighting and what they are wearing to tell the audience what is happening and the setting and lighting of both scenes.
Synthesis: Explain the main element of a typical coming-of-age film which is presented in both films and messages.

Point 4: Resolution of both films
Examples: The ending scenes
Analysis: Look at the mise-en-scene: lighting/colour, setting, how characters are positioned and costume
Synthesis: How the characters overcome their problems and whether the ending is positive/negative and how their relationships are concluded. (The endings are positive for both Submarine and LOL). 

Conclusion

Overall, the two films Submarine and LOL have clear connections and contrasts to present the theme of coming of age through the MACRO elements. The two main characters in Submarine have a strong relationship which relates to the two main characters Lola and Kyle in LOL. The directors of both films have included a downfall through the narrative to show the audience how difficult it is for teens to turn into adults. However, they are effected in different ways as Oliver Tate is trying to save his parents marriage while in LOL, Lola is trying to figure out her real identity. 
Coming-of-age is portrayed in a different way to how society thinks it would be. This is because teens are depicted as animalistic, whereas in Submarine and LOL they are illustrated as mature people looking for their self identities and trying to get what they are looking for in life. Adults think that adolescents can never really grow up at such a young age as they don't know what it's like to have such big responsibilities and be able to make their own choices. Whereas, particularly in LOL, the director is trying to put across that many events that happen are very similar between adults and teens; which is ironic as you wouldn't think they could get caught up in similar situations when they can. 
My personal opinion concluded would be that it's not easy for adolescence's to from being a teenager to a young adult as there will always be something in the way that you will have to overcome to become more independent.