Natasha's Film Blog: March 2014

Monday 31 March 2014

Around the world in 80 actors...

STARS
A list of famous and successful actors from around the world.
We can apply Christine Gledhill key points for film stars to the actors.

•Stars as capital value

•Stars as constructs

•Stars as deviants

•Stars as cultural value

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Styria, Austria

Best known in America for:
Terminator

Other films
Predator
Commando
True Lies

James McAvoy

Port Glasgow, Scotland

Best known in America for:
Robbie Turner
Atonement

Other films:
The Last King of Scotland
Wanted
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

http://www.listal.com/list/around-world-80-actors

Friday 14 March 2014

Wednesday 12 March 2014

What is FindAnyFilm.com ?

While reading articles on piracy I keep reading a website FindAnyFilm.com and wanted to know more about it.I went to their website and found out about them.

"FindAnyFilm.com is one of the UK's leading websites for film fans looking to watch, buy, download or rent great films.

Think of us as your nerdy film friend, so whatever film you're looking for, in whatever format suits you, we aim to show where you can find it (and how much it costs), from cinema, Blu-ray, DVD and TV, to totally legit download and streaming services.
In true film nerd style, here at FindAnyFilm, we're committed to becoming the UK's most comprehensive film-watching search engine. That means we're increasing the number of titles and choice of reputable retailers all the time. So if a film is not listed, you can be sure we'll be working behind the scenes to make sure it will be soon.
And because, like you, we're film fans who love film for its capacity to blow us away / scare us senseless / make our jaws hit the floor (delete as appropriate). Every single film on here is totally official. As it should be. Hence the strap line…
All films. All in one place. All above board."

I think this is a great way to tackle piracy as people know they are getting the best price for a film and its all legal.

WEEK 24 Steal or no steal: tackling the changing face of movie piracy

In 2013, the Digital Citizens Alliance, say $227 million was made through pirate sites purely through advertising.
'you wouldn't steal a handbag, you wouldn't steal a car' were happening," said Bales. "The thought was that piracy is a crime and that is what should be communicated."

Many campaigns are in place to stop piracy
FindAnyFilm

http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/steal-or-no-steal-tackling-the-changing-face-of-movie-piracy-1230538

Oscars success puts British film industry in limelight

Substantial investment through the National Lottery has funded training of technicians and screenwriting, while Film Four, the movie arm of the independent Channel Four broadcaster, and BBC Films have helped develop productions.

12 Years a Slave: British filmmaker Steve McQueen and starred London-born Chiwetel Ejiofor.

A BFI spokeswoman told AFP “These are British stories being told with a very British sensibility and audiences around the world are responding to that.”

“Philomena”, featuring Judi Dench as an Irish woman searching for her baby son who was given to an American family by nuns, is completely British-funded, while Somali pirates hijack drama “Captain Phillips” was directed by Britain’s Paul Greengrass.

The BFI points to the studio facilities available at Shepperton — home of “Gravity” — and Pinewood, where the new “Star Wars” films are in production. The natural beauty of locations such as the Scottish Highlands is an obvious draw for filmmakers too.

“Definitely the amazing know-how, quality and sophistication of the British film industry made this film happen,” Cuaron director of Gravity said on the Oscars red carpet.
“I’m talking specifically about companies like Framestore or the amazing crew that I worked with.

One of the biggest factors has been tax relief for productions based in Britain, which has helped attract productions from California.

Info adapted from read more :
http://www.thenewstribe.com/2014/03/04/oscars-success-puts-british-film-industry-in-limelight/

The film industry finally wakes up to what artists have to offer

http://theconversation.com/the-film-industry-finally-wakes-up-to-what-artists-have-to-offer-24246

Steve McQueen’s success at the Oscars has prompted much talk of the connection between art and film.

But gallery artists like Steve McQueen, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard are standing their ground and proving that they can make great filmmakers on their own terms, and on the terms of the mainstream itself.

Artists are risk-takers. Their artistic decisions are visual-led, rather than being drama-led. This is arguably what led to the success of 12 Years a Slave, a film many consider to be the first to look slavery straight on. It did not cut things up into a more standardised editing thought to be more accessible to a mainstream audience.

Artists are trained in a culture of experimentation – they are taught to not respect boundaries. This means that they are not constrained by technical dos and don’ts.

Most of all, artists have begun to circulate within the celebrity system of the art world since the YBAs began to receive popular mass media attention.

Prestigious showcases such as Locarno and the Venice and the Rotterdam film festivals have been celebrating the work of artist filmmakers now for several years, not to mention the recent Oscars. These previously exclusive places are now showing artist-led films that depart from standard narrative. Change is in the air, and discussion and debate are beginning.

WEEK 23 Hollywood is STILL making silent movies – for women: actresses get just 30 per cent of speaking parts, study finds

Women are still taking only minor roles in the majority of top films
San Diego State study says women take only 30 per cent of speaking roles
This figure of speaking roles is unchanged since cinema in the 40s
Women portrayed in films are often younger, and have identified jobs
Trend explains popularity and marketability of stars like Jennifer Lawrence

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2579117/Hollywood-STILL-making-silent-movies-women-actresses-just-30-cent-speaking-parts-study-finds.html

Saturday 8 March 2014

The British technology behind Gravity's Oscar-winning visual effects

Gravity has been widely recognised for its stunning visual effects and game-changing use of 3D.
Gravity has also been widely recognised for its pioneering use of 3D.
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I found it very interesting that this form of technology has not been used since Avatar.
One or two films have been made in this way before, such as James Cameron's Avatar, for example. However, Avatar had the advantage of being set in a fantasy world, whereas Gravity is not fantasy film.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/10667457/Gravitys-Oscar-winning-visual-effects.html

Oscars 2014: 12 Years a Slave enjoys post-awards boost

Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor (centre) in 12 Years a Slave

Steve McQueen's drama will play at more than 1,000 locations in the US and Canada from Friday, up from 411 last weekend, according to Variety.

Solomon Northup's book is now in 16th place, having previously been ranked in 326th place before Sunday's ceremony.

According to Screen Daily, film distributor Lionsgate is also planning to increase the number of screens that Dallas Buyers Club is playing on in the US and Canada.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26431595

Monday 3 March 2014

WEEK 22 Stereotypical Roles of Women in Films

Amazing explanation of female stereotypes in films. Follow the link to see examples and learn more about the stereo type of women.

"In the 1940s the production code, a way of censoring movies to make them more appropriate, kept the sexuality of women out of many films. At this time, women were shown as competitors to men in the workplace, such as many Bette Davis and Katherine Hepburn films."

"Sexuality reemerged in the 1950s, when women were shown as blatantly sexual and seductive threats, such as Lana Turner or Ava Gardner"

"This stereotyping of women’s roles in films is nothing new, and will not go away unless women, who make up half of the film audience, voice their opinions of what types of films, and what types of leading ladies they want to watch."
Totally agree !!!

info from
http://ksmith-hollywoodwomen.blogspot.co.uk/2008/12/stereotypical-roles-of-women-in-films.html

Women, gay and black people still shown as stereotypes in film, says study

Interesting article on some stereotypes in film and what audiences think
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/18/women-gay-ethnic-stereotypes-in-film

The Oscars 2014 Winners and the selfie that broke down Twitter

Best Picture12 Years A Slave

Star Selfies

Best Director Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

Best Animated Feature
Frozen

Best Live Action Short Film
Helium (Anders Walter, Kim Magnusson)

Best Visual Effects
Gravity (Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk, Neil Corbould)

Best Film Editing

Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger)

Best Sound EditingGravity (Glenn Freemantle)

Best Original Score
Gravity (Steven Price)
Best Original Screenplay
Her (Spike Jonze)

Best Sound Mixing
Skip Lievsay, Niv Adirj, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro (Gravity)

Foreign Language Film
The Great Beauty, Italy

Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

Best Actor in a Leading RoleMatthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) Best Actress in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Best Actor in a Supporting RoleJared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) Best Actress in a Supporting Role Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave)
Best Make-up and Hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club (Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews)

Best Animated Short Film
Mr. Hublot (Laurent Witz, Alexandre Espigares)

Best Documentary Feature
20 Feet from Stardom

Best Cinematography
Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki)
Best Production Design
The Great Gatsby (Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn)

Best Documentary Short Subject
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Best Original Song
Let It Go (Frozen)
Best Adapted Screenplay
12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)

Oscars presenter of 2014 Ellen handed out pizza to the stars

Ellen's selfie that broke down Twitter and had 1.7 million retweets in less than an hour
Including Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Meryl Streep

Jennifer Lawrence repeats last year's Oscars fall as she trips over gown on red carpet Looking Beautiful !!!!

The Oscars , Jennifer Lawrence didn't win any awards but didn't fail to make it in the papers
1) she has fell over again
2) She looked absolutely stunning

Jennifer Lawrence looked stunning in her orange dress and silver necklace back piece

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2571723/Jennifer-Lawrence-repeats-years-Oscars-fall-trips-gown-red-carpet-prince-Nicholas-Hoult-comes-rescue.html

Saturday 1 March 2014

WEEK 21 How the Role of Women Has Changed in Movies

I am currently studying the Male Gaze Theory in film studies and in my independent research have found an interesting article that analyses how female roles have changed. There is also a great bit on horror films and the Final Girl theory.

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-role-women-has-changed-movies-108342.html

Male Gaze Theory Explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3lB5XEZXig