The film i am going to be writing about is “A Better Life”. During this assignment i will be explaining:
- Codes And Conventions – These are the rules that govern how you write or shoot a media piece. They talk about the techniques, angles, language, patters, colors and others that go into the making of a Media Piece.
- Audience – This is the target audience for the film, Who Would enjoy watching this film and why.
- Genre – This is simply about the films genre and why the film has been set to the chosen genre.
- Personal Responses – This is what I personally feel about the film and includes my personal opinion of this.
- Narrative – This defines what the story is about and what the story relates too.
- Structuralism – This is what ties the film together as a story. This is also how the film is structured in terms of high and low points in a film.
This film tells a story in the eyes of a mexican immigrant (Carlos) trying to create a life for him and his son. He does this by accepting a loan from his married daughter to purchasing a small gardening business from his boss which included a work truck and professional tools. Carlos then finds himself back at the corner ready to hire himself a work partner like his previous boss did for him. This heartfelt moment causes carlos to trust his new worker however he soon realizes that this is a mistake. Carlos is betrayed by his employee when his truck is stolen from him whilst he is up in a tree by his employee. This is where the story progresses from bad to worse for Carlos and his son. Trying to keep his son out of trouble with gangs carlos struggles with knowing he is in debt with his daughter and he has nothing to show for it.
Codes And Conventions
The codes and conventions of any media piece is often referred to as the unwritten rules. These “Unwritten Rules” apply mainly for the colors and the lighting. For example a horror film relies highly on codes and conventions in terms of being dark and alone. If a horror film had high lighting and bright colors then it would be considered less of a horror. The reason for this is because like any other genre , a horror relies greatly on the mood and atmosphere of the audience. Therefore showing bright colors and high level lighting on screen will get the audience in a happy lively mood and will not prepare them for the main horror scares. When a horror sticks to the traditional codes and conventions of being dark, alone and secluded it gets the audience in a fearful frame of mind to experience the horrors that lie ahead in a film. Codes and conventions are also used to build up to climaxes in a film. For example there are not many horrors that simply jump straight to the scary part, instead there is a build up of events that all include codes and conventions, For example low lighting, mysterious P.O.V camera angles and dark, dingy conditions. These will all be present in the build up to a horrific event in the film. Codes and conventions applies greatly in “A Better Life” due to the contrast that fades from the beginning to the ending of the film. For example at the beginning of the film it shows a stable but bearable lifestyle. However as the film progresses from bad to worse the lighting begins to change from a light , hot working atmosphere to a dark atmosphere that suggests that carlos has problems. Also throughout the film the lighting is seen to change throughout different scenes. For example when there is a scene showing carlos’s son being exposed to gang violence there is a drop in lighting indicating that there is a illegal secret activity present. This is perceived by the audience with a mix of codes and conventions, sound and visuals. Overall A better life uses codes and conventions in an effective way to add to the effect given to the audience. This is done by using these unwritten rules to successfully create the correct atmosphere in which to draw the audience into the film even further.
Genre
The genre of this film is Drama. In my opinion the reason this film is a drama is because of the family struggle that is presented throughout the entire film. Carlos is an illegal immigrant living in the USA and is trying to support himself and his son. His ultimate aim in life is to create a better life for him and his son, Hence the title (A better Life). I think the genre is well fitting towards the film because of the family,social and legal issues that are presented throughout this film. The genre is clear when watching the film as it shows the lifestyle and the struggle a mexican man faces in terms of jobs and legal work in the USA.
Audience
Due to the genre of the film, it is clear that the target audience varies. The most obvious target audience would be men and women over the age of 20. The reason i say this is because people must have a certain mindset to watch drama genre’s and this includes patience. Often if a film does not have violence or some sort of interesting incline then the majority of film viewers may get bored. However people interested in Drama will enjoy this film as it contains some action when carlos and his son steal there truck back. Also throughout the entire film there is a set amount of anxiety to know what happens next. This film goes into detail of there life and gives of vibes that could relate to some audience members as this film is about racial views, struggle and more importantly tells a story about a man trying to create a better life for him and his son. Overall the audience for this film could include anybody who enjoys Drama. However this specific film can relate to a more broad audience. This is because the film relates to gang violence, Racial victimisation which falls into country politics and family struggle. Therefore people who take an interest in these types of films may be attracted to this film. Personally i was attracted to this film due to the interesting and potentially brilliant story line.
Structuralism
Structure is key in any film however is vital in a Drama. The reason structuralism is so important is because it is what makes the film what it is. For example in a better life if Carlos did not take his daughters loan and attempt to create a better life for him and his son it would simply be a film about a mexican men working for another man whilst his son gets involved with violent gang members. We have now established that structure in a film is key in terms of having everything in place. However structuralism is also vital as it determines the structure of the film in terms of how things occur at the times they occur. For example a better life has a structure that is clear. This structure is a mexican man buys a business of his boss, his truck that is the main caterer for the business is stolen by his new found trustee. Him and his son then begin to hunt for the man only to realise he has sold the truck. they then steal there truck and get caught by the police, the man is then deported back to mexico and his son is left to fend for himself with his sister while his father promises his return. This is the basic storyline. If the scene where carlos is seen accepting a loan of his daughter never existed the storyline and general thoughts of the film by its audience would change completely. The reason for this is because there would be no sense of dilemma or anxiety in the film as there would be no interesting heartfelt reason for carlos to rampage about his truck. Overall structuralism is very important in a film as it determines how a film is going to turn out and also adds to the storyline if the structure is chosen carefully and correctly.
Personal Responses
My personal response to this film is as follows. After watching and analysing this film i felt that it was well put together and had a deep meaning behind it. For example it shows an single father trying to raise his son in the correct way. He does his all to give him and his son a better life which is then shown to be a complete fail. This failure can be upsetting for the audience due to the way the film is presented and how the deep emotional issues are addressed in the film. Overall i felt that this was a brilliant film to watch and was a great example of a drama in my opinion.
shaun95 