Research: Intertexuality

Intertexuality is a term used to describe the  transformation or borrowing of texts from another. The term can describe the visual referencing between films. Certain aspects of a film such as camera angles, editing, sound and mise en scene could be 'borrowed' and then can be noticed by the audience as they watch the film that has used this feature. It would be a popular scene or theme for it to be continuously  used by other films. Examples of how intertexuality is used is demonstrated as follows:

Scream (1996)

The film Scream is an original move where various aspects are used throughout different films as the years go on...

Specifically listen to the line "What's your favourite scary movie?"

Scary Movie (2000)

Scary Movie is a spoof of Scream. Sequels are continuously being made for Scary Movie to follow up the films of Scream and use some of the same jokes, dialogue and mise en scene, for example:

Now listen as the same line is used "What's your favourite scary movie?"

Scream is famous for the 'Scream Mask', the killer character in the white mask and black costume.This aspect of mise en scene has made a big impact in various movies and is a good example of intertexuality. It is even used in reality, for Halloween costumes and so forth.

This video shows more examples of intertexuality!

Intertexuality can influence our own thriller film as we could also 'borrow' a feature that is popular and well known that we could use. Which then the audience would recognise and be more familiar with.

Research: Student Film Opening Analysis

As part of our research, we had to analyse thriller openings which were created by previous students. I have chosen to analyse the opening ‘One Way 61363.’ The thriller starts with the first part of the film being shown, with the titles superimposed on the screen; this is known as a narrative opening structure.

This is the thriller opening 'One Way 61363:' 

 

A variety of camera, editing, sound & mise-en-scene techniques are used in the opening to give the audience a clue that the film is a thriller.

 The clip starts off with a close up shot of a phone, whilst there is a diegetic sound of the alarm ringing.  The angle and shot then switches to a man who is turning around to switch off the alarm, and as he is doing so non diegetic music is introduced. This music has a slow tempo, but is slowly building to a crescendo; this helps to create a tense atmosphere for the audience.

A high angle shot is used to show the audience that the main character is in power as he is on top/above the female; the use of tense music connotes that he has probably done something to the female sleeping next to him (who may be dead). This thriller opening is set in a slightly messy bedroom which connotes that the male has not yet sorted out his problems/mess.

An over the shoulder shot was used here to show that the man is looking at his reflection in the mirror. From this shot we can see that he looks nervous and therefore connotes that he may be contemplating about something which he has done. 

This clip used fade to transition between scenes, as well as a lot of cuts.

A match cut is used in this clip. This helps to show the audience what he had dropped and was picking up. It showed the man bending down to pick something up, and then cut to a closeup of the ticket which had dropped and showed him picking it up.

Different structures of film openings - Research

There are 3 main structures used within a film opening, these consist of:

1. A narrative opening
2. A discrete title sequence
3. Stand alone titles

narrative Opening
A narrative opening is when the first part of the film is seen with the titles either superimposed or intercut. Narrative Openings are mainly used to introduce the story whilst capturing the audiences attention but when its superimposed its not disturbing the film to much as the titles come above the film so you still see whats happening in the background. However when it is Intercut the titles cut to a seperate screen which mainly stands out more and after the titles have been seen it cuts back to the film opening. A great example of a film using a narrative opening is Panic Room:

Discrete title sequence
A discrete title sequence is when there are shots, images, scenes that stand apart from the film with titles. It may have some aspects from the film that will show the viewers suggestions about the plot or and genre of the film, it is not part of the narrative. Discrete title sequences are seperately edited sequences that stand apart from the film opening. They are stylised and heavy edited, and they support nearly all of the opening credits and film title. A great example of a film using a Discrete title sequence is Seven:

Stand alone titles
A stand alone title sequence is on its own and leads directly into the film. The titles are alone and not combined with the scenes. There is no indicator of the plot or genre and the titles lead directly into narrative.  A great example of a film using Stand alone titles is Donnie Darko here are screen shots of the opening title sequence: 

Intertextuality Research

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is the way in which texts refer to other media texts that producers assume audiences will recognise. Intertextuality is the shaping of texts'. It can include an authors borrowing and transformation of a prior text or to a readers referencing of on text in reading another.

The main use of Intertextuality used in films is arguably the shower scence from the film "psycho" many other films have borrowed the idea of a murder occuring in bathroom.

All the films below share some aspects of the shower scene from "Psycho" including the props used Mise en scene, the setting and also the sound. By the films using these aspects from "Psycho" Intertextuality is created.

PSYCHO:

WHAT LIES BENEATH:

FATAL ATTRACTION:  

When we create are opening thriller scene the use of intertextuality is going to be very important when creating it because it will give us ideas of what to do and how to do it and this will help save time and not overthinking as we will borrow aspects from other film scenes instead of coming up with a brand new idea.

Research: Structures of a film opening

Research: Intertextuality

Intertextuality is the way in which similar or related piece of work influence, reflect or differ from each other. This is done by using references and similar technical areas (camera, editing, sound and mise-en-scene) from other texts to relate them together. Intertextuality is common in the media industry; an example of this would be the way the film ‘What Lies Beneath’ has borrowed aspects from the film ‘Psycho.’ They both had a similar shower scene - it involved the use of the shower curtain and a view from the shower head and the sound of water. Although ‘Psycho’ is filmed in black and white, we can tell that the lighting used I in ‘What Lies Beneath’ is similar. The film ‘Friday 13^th’ also shared the shower scene and similar music with ‘Psycho’

Psycho

Friday 13th

What Lies Beneath