Additional research for Children's film - DreamWorks Animation SKG, inc.

DreamWorks Animation SKG, inc.

For our groups Children's film project, we want to go down the route of animation but we were not quite sure which style of animation to do. So we decided to each do research about a particular type of animation, mine being that of which is done by the company DreamWorks Animation SKG, inc. (DWA), their most successful animations being The Shrek series, The Madagascar series and Kung fu Panda. They specialise in CGI films which may be difficult for work in a classroom as the technology they use is worth millions. 

DWA specialise in U films and PG films but mainly U films because they make films brightly coloured and want to appeal to the a big film target audience, children. They are a good company to study therefore, as what they do year in year out is what my group aim to attempt but on a smaller scale. The classifications are important for DWA as they do not want to ruin their image as a family brand. 

Photos from several successful productions from DreamWorks Animation SKG, inc. 

Happy Chapman - Garfield

Background information on the film:

Garfield the movie, which came out in 2004, and it was directed by Peter Hewitt, produced by John Davis, John Kilkenny, Michele Imperato, Brian Manis and Neil Machlis. The film was made in America and was released on June 11th 2004 and made just under 200 million dollars. Although the film made a lot of money, it was received badly and has been given many bad awards such as the rotten tomato award. The film stars Bill Murray, Breckin Meyer, Mac Davis, Anne Murray, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Stephen Tobolowsky who plays the intriguing character of Happy Chapman. 

Happy Chapman's personality in the film is mainly represented through the use of mise-en-scene. The characters body langauge, shows his personality as being rather humerous for the audience ecspecialy the children who watch it. However he also has a sinister side as his face always has sarcastic overtone, this can scare children but it adds to the humour as he can change personality rapid. The use of the micro features in the film are used to show Happy Chapman's lust for success and general insanity through the use of close ups on his face to show how Happy identifies situations.

The character himself has a moral behind him as he doen't like the other charcaters in the film as none of them please him and he also thinks they are below him because he is reasonably wealthy yet he still wants more. The use of body language is used to show Happy Chapman's personality, as rather blunt but funny for children to watch. The film also indicate the importance of family and friendship, as Happy Chapman is a lonely, sour character. 

Happy Chapman also appears as funnier for young children with the way he dresses and acts. The film uses lots of colours in the form of Garfield as he is a bright orange cat contrasting with the rest of the cast to show he is different and the CGI makes the film appeal to younger veiwers and made it look more realistic. 


The film is certificate U as I think it contains no sexual references, no swearing and violence is shown as the only outcome in some cases, none of which is shown. I would agree with this certificate as the language in the film is suitable for the target audience. 

Back To The Future Story Board

Storyboard 


          The task we had to do was to watch a clip from Back to the future and analyse its story storyboard factors such as mise-en-scene, framing, shot types and information such as sound. We were told to do a storyboard as it was practice for the final children's film task so that we knew how to organise our thoughts on the paper. Once we had made notes we put them into the form of a storyboard, drawing the shot types and mise-en-scene, while writing underneath the sound and framing. 
          Connor looked at the mise-en-scene in which he noticed that the main props were household items such as clocks, a toaster, dog food and a television. The clothing was 1980's in fitting with the time period, and the setting was an old mans house which was full of junk, showing the modern life of the time of trying to find new ideas since the boom of television. 
          Adam Mulcahy looked at sound and diegetic sound throughout the first sequence of the scene where the house hold items such as the clocks were ticking, differed in pace to create suspense and confusion. This portrayed the confusion of the old mans character and when the young boy comes and finds that the man is not there, it adds to the mystery of this obscene character. 
          The main shot types which Mel looked at was a pan of a mid angle close up of the house hold items showing that on their own they created a simple scene but the pan then shows that the sheer amount of them compacted into the house just shows the complexity of the characters and the objects in the house. When the guitar goes off at the end of the scene, there is a fast tracking shot of the boy as he flies backwards from the blast of the amplifier. 

Our storyboard of the film Back to the Future, which includes sound, framing, shot types and mise-en-scene. 

Childrens Film Project Idea

One idea I've had for what we could do for our children's film opening, would be based on the popular iphone game, 'Angry Birds'.

I thought about this as I was playing the game on my own phone and was also surprised to find that the handheld game is soon to become a console game for the likes of the Xbox 360 and PS3. This is where I drew my inspiration from.

The film itself would be and animation by using cut out images of the characters on a drawn background. It would be focused around the typical game setting. The green pigs steel the birds eggs and the birds retaliate by sligshotting themselves into the pigs castle. Various types of colourful birds are introduced to create a sense of variety amungst the characters.

The film would be classified as a possible PG. This being that there could be potential referances to war and fighting, which do not create good morals for children to live by. We would have to reinforce the real moral that is to 'stand up to your enimies and for what you belive in'.

Willy wonka

Willy Wonka - Charlie And The Chocolate Factory 

Backround information on the film:

Charlie and the chocolate factory came out in 2005, and it was directed by Tim Burton, who has recently done the re-make of Alice and wonderland this year (2010). The film was made in America and came to screens in the UK on the 29th of July 2005.

The over all budget of the film was 150 million dollars. And also featured the Hollywood star Johnny Depp, who played one of the main characters in the film Willy Wonka.

Willy wonka's personality in the film is mainly represented through the use of mise-en-scene. The characters body langauge, shows his personality as being rather humerous for the audience ecspecialy the children who watch it. The use of the mirco features in the film are used to, show Willy Wonkas love for his chocolate factory. By using establishing shot's to show the sorroundings of the chocolate factory.

The use of bright colours used in the film make the character (Willy Wonka's), personality stand out more, as being fun. The character himself has a moral behind him as he doen't like the other charcaters in the narravtive as some of them come across to be too greedy or spoilt, and Willy Wonka chooses the most well mannered child to win his chocolate factory. The use of body language is used to show Willy Wonkas personality, as rather blunt but funny for children to watch. The film also indicate the importance of family, and friendship, as Willy Wonka and Charlie become best friends and working partners. 

The film was orgigianly made in 1971 and was directed by Mel Stuart. But was re-made to look more appealing for the audience of today. The latest version was a huge sucess as the use of colours ans CGI made the film appeal to younger veiwers and made it look more realistic.

Willy Wonka also appeared as more funny for the young children with the way he dressed and acted.

Film classification - Watership Down

 

We gave this film a classification of PG because it promotes some violence and continues to do so towards the end of the film without sign of holding up, and it doesn't counter balance within the end of the sequence shown. 

We later found that the film was A U classification, in some ways this was a shock to the group because there is a lot of violence permitted within part's of the film, and there were many distressing images. 

We think that the classification, was not right because there was  not enough violence shown within the film for it to be classified as a PG, and because the film was animated, so it did not have as a big effect as if the image was a real life filmed image. 

However when we did some research, we found out that many adults who had seen this film also suggested that it should be classified as a PG of in some cases some even said as a 12. 

Overall we came to the conclusion that people have different opinions that don't necessarily fit with the generalisations film classifications offer. This creates a very topical issue in our modern day media society.  

We found such images like this in the clip which came across as rather disturbing. 

We thought this because children don't see rabbits as being evil, as it's not the impression that such an audience would get, however the animation makes the film look less realistic, which reassures the children's audience

Information about the BBFC

The BBFC  

 

The BBFC are a a British film classification company, it is non-governmental and it was set up in 1912. 

The BBFC are designated for the responsibility, of classifying the films and DVD's. The BBFC, stands for- The British Board Of Film Classification.

The term classification stands for- classifying something into different categories, within the same meaning. Other words/ terms for classification are; categorising, sorting, grading, repressing and identifying. 

The difference between a PG film and U classified film.   

 

•  A PG film stands for parental guidance, which means it is advise that a parent should be watching a film with a child under the age of 8 years old. 
• No bad language is authorised or permitted. 
• Must contain an anti-drug message if drug use was to be used. 
• No frightening sequence's are aloud. 
• No detailed prolonged behaviour is permitted. 
• Mild bad language is aloud. 
• Natural nudity with no sexual content 
• Mild sex references 
• Theme should be where more serious issues are featured.
• Moderate violence used.  

 

U film is suitable for and audience of the age for or over. 

• A U film should be positive and should counter balance violence.  
• No drug references.
• No discriminative behaviour. 
• Scary sequences should be very mild 
• Infrequent use of mild bad language
• Occasional use of natural nudity 
• Theme should be treated sensitively. 
• Occasional mild violence only. 
•  

Adam Mulcahy's Chicken Run Research

Question answers based on the film:
1. Who do you think the different target audiences could be and why?
The target audience could be children because it is an animated film which revolves around unrealistic plot devices such as Chickens being able to talk. However, older adults could be the target audience as the plot revolves around the film 'The Great Escape' which only adults will have seen. The film also has many other references to other films but only minor.

2. Would you class this as a children's film and why?
- Yes because the rat characters tell many jokes which revolve around toilet humour.
- The colours are really defined and bright so they stand out to children.
- The obscure characteristics of the chickens would make children laugh.



Institutional Information
Directors: Peter Lord/Nick Park
Writers: Peter Lord/Nick Park
Stars: Mel Gibson/Julia Sawahla/ Phil Daniels
Release date: 30 June 2000
Genre: Family and Comedy
Budget: $42,000,000
Gross: $106,793,915
Production company: Dreamworks SKG
Run time: 84 minutes

References to: 
The Wooden Horse (1950)
Ace in the Hole (1951)
A Town Like Alice (1956)
Separate Tables (1958)
The Great Escape (1963)
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
"Star Trek" (1966)
The Italian Job (1969)
Escape of the Birdmen (1971)
Enter the Dragon (1973)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Hooper (1978)
Alien (1979)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
"Tenko" (1981)
Rocky III (1982)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Back to the Future (1985)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
"The Simpsons" (1989)
Silent Cries (1993)
Wallace & Gromit in The Wrong Trousers (1993)
Braveheart (1995)
Rocky (1995)
Wallace and Gromit in A Close Shave (1995)
A Bug's Life (1998)
Gladiator (2000)

Mel- Chicken Run research

Chicken Run was inspired by a a co-director who used to work in a chicken packing factory and slauter house when he left school, he descibed the experience as awfull, The idea was then passed on to Dreamworks director Steven Speilburg, and was said to be the "Great escape with chicken's."

The film was also inspired by The great escape which was an American film about allied prisoners who tried to escape in world war two.

Chicken Run was a children's film inspired by this. It was directored by Nick Park and Peter Lord is was also written and produced by the two of them. It was a British Childrens film wich was distributed by Pathe, (England) and Dreanworks (USA).

Overall the film had a budget of $45 million dollars, and was released on the 28th on June 2000 in USA, and on the 30th of June 2000 in UK.

Monsters Inc.

Monsters Inc.  

 

• Special effects used animation allows us to know that it is a children's film. 
• Jumpy happy music 
• Held hand camera movement allows the film to look for realistic for the children 
• Mid close ups introduce the characters quicker. 
• Panning over camera allows the children too see where the film is taking place
• opening credits allow the audience to no that it is a children's film because of the production company. 
• Plot is shown early into clip making it simple for the children  

 

 

• Plot is also outlined within the opening sequence; monsters coming in and out of doors. 
• The characters are engaging- because they all look different 
• Monsters are not always scary, come across to children as funny. 
• Let's children face there fears in a safe environment without being scared 
• Slow pace of editing allows the children to keep up with the film and whats going on in it. 
• Dialogue is clearly structured and well spelt out. 
• Genre is fantasy and adventure Hybrid genre

Favourite children's film

Finding Nemo 

• Finding Nemo was remembered so well for all of us because it was the first animated film about fish alone. Also because of the use of the bright colours used throughout, as well as the narrative. The plot gave us the reassurance  that family are important to us and that we should never give up on them. 
• This film appeals to children because it gives them a sense of imagination, and adventure. It also gives the children an idea of life underwater and being able to make-believe.  

•  The impact that this film had, was the significance, the loyalty of being a parent. 
• It shows that children with disabilities, and people who come across to others as being different doesn't matter because, we are all the same and should be treated equally, for example Nemo in this film is a prime example of this. 
• The moral of the story is to never give up no matter what's in your way. 

One of the opening scenes from Finding Nemo 

Childrens Film Characters

Children's Film Animated Character
Kevin the Bird

• This character is represented as a comical addition to the film story line as well as playing a crucial part. 
• The character is conveyed as an attractive, brightly colored bird, which instantly appeals to the young target audience.
• The animal's non-naturalistic attitude contributes to this dynamic image shown. Kevin performs a variety of obscure actions such as swallowing Carl Fredricksons walking stick, only to choke it up again. 

The bottom Clip below is the first time the audience is introduced to Kevin the bird. 
In this clip there is a range of uses of cinematography. There is a lot of Low angles in the clip which makes the the bird look more power full. However this contrast with the use of the mid shot used when Russell (the little boy) tells Carl ( the older man) that he found the snipe. Which makes the two look in more power.     

Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task we thought...

• We learnt that working as team for this task was highly important. 
• It went really well because we all worked together, and came prepared and brought all the props we needed for the day, so that we could film. 
• We were also able to use moving image with the teddies which made it look more realistic.  

story board ideas

• 2close up of teddy in cage 

                  

• 1 Establishing shot of stranded teddy in change 

the voodoo doll will be standing on the left hand side of image 

 

• 3 match on action shot of teddies hand opening hand

• 4 reaction shot of the voodoo doll looking at the monkey  

      

                 

• 5 Long shot of classroom where  the monkey and the evil voodoo doll will be standing

• 6 conversation of monkey and teddy 

• 
  
• We have decided to use teddies for this task because it will give us some practice for when it comes too filming our actual children's film. 
• There is the main Teddie; monkey who is the hero, (Adam monkey), and he has to save the stranded teddy (mel-bear), because the evil voodoo doll (connor-B) , has locked her up somewhere and, she can't get out. 
• We are going to be filming this in a class room due to the weather incase it rains.  

Script: 

Voodoo "mwhahahaha" 

Mel -bear in shot 2 -"help! help!" 

Adam monkey in shot 3- " I will save you"

Voodoo doll- "HUH?" - shot for 

Mel-bear "YEY, it's Adam the monkey", Adam the monkey "Err- yes it is."

Voodoo doll " Bring it on then" shot 6

Adam bear "I will" 

what each of us are doing 

Mel - blog updater and teddy positions 

Connor- editing

Adam - camera work