'No Country For Old Men' Coin Toss Scene Analysis

No Country for Old Men

The extract opens on an establishing shot. The thriller genre is immediately identifiable as the area looks isolated; the setting is stereotypical of a scene from America - with desert style land and a wide empty road. The petrol station is made clear through the Texaco sign, but yet again we can see the isolation as only car is positioned in the shot.

The extract essentially is a long dialogue sequence mainly containing shot reverse shot.

The pace and the feel informs us that the target audience are probably older or are fans of The Coen Brothers, who have directed the film and they are ‘Known for many distinctive stylistic trademarks including genre hybridity, the brothers' films No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man and Inside Llewyn Davis have been ranked in the BBC's 2016 poll of the greatest motion pictures since 2000.’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coen_brothers

The lighting in the extract is mostly low key and naturalistic. In thriller, lowkey and naturalistic lighting is constantly used as it gives off an atmosphere of suspense and created an intense atmosphere. In this extract the lighting is used in such a way that makes Javier Bardem look suspicious and it does in fact create an intense atmosphere.

Similarities and Differences between Short Films

After watching a range of short films i realised a few similarities and differences between the different films. I was drawn more towards the drama and thriller short films so I watched a few of them, as well as other genres.

In my opinion, a short film is any motion picture that isn't long enough to be a full-length feature film but still tells a story like one. In order for a short film, however,t he director must ensure that it is below at least 40 minutes, however many short films are much shorter, usually around 10 minutes. As there is so little time in a short film they must make sure that it is exciting so the audience continues watching and stays captivated throughout. It must also contain everything that makes a full-length feature film (Todorov's narrative structure theory) and remain entertaining throughout. As the film is so short it should only really have one story line and i haven't seen any short films which have have more than one.

For example, i watched a short film called ‘Eleven’ and the story-line was of an eleven year old girl being bullied. It follows all the thing i believe need to be included to be considered a short film.

All the short films feature factors that would be used in full length films. However, there are similarities and differences between them all.

Similarities:

- In all the films I watched there was either a suspense or shock factor in order to keep the audience interested.

- Lots of the drama short films features a child/teenage cast

Differences:

- Range of ages of actors between the films, depending on the genre

- They are all different in length, although they need to be under a certain amount of time (usually under 40 minutes), some can be 1 minute long while others can be half an hour.

How is the Genre Clear to the Audience?

In this screenshot the genre is clear to the audience in a number of ways. for example, the lowkey lighting is conventional to the thriller genre. The close up of the girls face with the blurry, but visible, man in the background shows her vulnerability and fear. She is positioned in a way that looks like she is about to turn around and see the man. the thriller genre is clear to the audience in this screenshot by the low level lighting, positioning of the actors and camera shot type that has been chosen. A close up is a shot that is used a lot in thriller.

Thriller

Drama

Horror

Drama Target Audience Analysis

I think the target audience for this short film is pre-teens and teens probably around 11-14 when they are most influential. This is because this film shows someone being bullied and her best friend turning against her and joining the bullies, then them being friends in the end. This would show them that its good to stick by your friends and not bully anyone. The characters in the film are around 11/12 which is why i have decided that the target audience would be around that age. The story line would connect with the target audience as many people might relate to the girl being bullied and connect with the character that way. Blumler and Katz uses and gratifications theory of how media is represented in this short film shows that it is mostly to entertain and to identify with young girls.

I think the target audience for this short film is teens around 14-18 because that is the age of the boy who is in it is around that age. He is a 15 year old boy who is caught up in the middle of a drug business. he starts off running weed around but ends up delivering more hardcore drugs. He wants to get out of it but cant. This film would teach kids that this is a bad business to go into because it started to ruin his life as he got arrested and his mum had to find out and come get him. The story line may connect with some audience members as they could have been in the same situation at some point or may still be in it and cant escape it. The story line may appeal to the audience as it sort of creates a suspenseful atmosphere which many people enjoy. It also creates a sense or rebellion as he goes behind his mums back and leads a 'secret' life

Narrative Structure Research

- Linear narrative structure is a continuous, logical manner by telling the story in chronological order without flashbacks or flash forwards

- Cyclical narrative structure is where the story ends as is begins (makes a circle)

- Episodic narrative structure is where the story is told in 'episodes'

I haven't really seen any narrative structures other than linear in short films but i have seen them in feature films.

Judging from the short films i have watched, many short films have a linear narrative structure. I believe this is because the films are usually really short so this is the most simple way to fit everything in seamlessly. It is probably more favoured because a cyclical or episodic narrative structure would be hard to achieve with such a small amount of time.

For example, the short film ,Flying eggs, shows the linear narrative structure as well as Todorov's equilibrium theory. It contains a beginning middle and end.

This short film is a drama short film by Logan George and Celine Held.

It was nominated for Short Film Palme d'Or

Conventions:

- a lot of suspense building up from the beginning and continues throughout

- shows a real life setting with genuine characters and story

- the storyline moves the audience

The audience should be able to relate to 'Caroline' in one way or another. Many would probably relate more to her mum but others maybe to the kids.

This film displays a linear narrative structure as everything happens in chronological order.

1) Kids are on their way to be dropped at their aunties houses their mum can go out to run some errands. The auntie isn't there and she has to bring the kids with her.

2) She leaves her kids in the car with the option to turn on the air conditioning if they get too hot and runs inside and sits where she can still see them. She is panicking slightly about having to leave her kids in a hot car.

3) Another woman sees these kids in the car and knocks on the window for her to let them in and sit with them while her husband calls the police.

4) Mum comes back and sees a woman getting out of her car. She is told that the police have been called on her and tries to drive away. The other woman has her keys and tries to fight her.

5) Caroline saves the day by biting the other woman and rescuing her mum

This is a drama short film by the director, Abigail Greenwood, and writer/producer, Kate Prior.

Conventions:

- genuine storyline with convincing characters

- the audience is moved by the story

- a build up of suspense

Because the storyline is that there is a young girl in school being bullied by her classmates and she gets turned on by her best friend, this could be really relatable to children who are in school as in most schools bullying is a prominent issue that is attempting to be tackled.

There is a linear narrative structure which follows Todorov's narrative structure theory, except for the new equilibrium at the end

1) Emily and Rebecca are best friends. They are the weird kids in their school and the popular kids aren't friends with them.

2) Emily is welcomed into the popular kids friend group whereas Rebecca isn't. The popular girls do not like Rebecca and say she smells

3) Rebecca lashes out and hits one of the popular girls because she says she smells and has 'cottage cheese undies'. she rides off on her bike and Emily shouts for her to come back.

4} the popular girls pressure Emily into pulling a joke on Rebecca and pouring red paint onto her chair so it looks like she has started her period.

5) Rebecca runs off and Emily walks past with the popular kids

1) A man is on a run

2) He is interrupted by a little boy throwing eggs at him out of his apartment window.

3) The man goes up to the apartment to talk to the boy and say how its dangerous to throw eggs at people out of the window. Once he is up there he learns that the boy has Down syndrome and feels bad for shouting.

4) The boys parents come home and find this man and their son. They threaten the man with violence if he doesn't leave their home.

5) He goes to leave when the boy runs into the bedroom whimpering.

6) The man opens the door to reveal about 3 other children handcuffed to the bed

7) The man and boy run out of the house and into the street shouting for help

This short film is a thriller short film by Sheldon Chau

Conventions:

- Tackles real life issues

- Has two major surprises which both create suspense and excitement

- tension music

The audience should be able to relate to the main protagonist as he is just a normal man who was on his run when something interrupts him. Others may be able to relate to some other characters as well.

This film also displays a linear narrative structure but doesn't follow Todorov's narrative structure quite as smoothly as 'Caroline' does, but it still follows it to an extent.

Drama short film Analysis

This short film is essentially the story telling of a young boys fall into the drug business and how he deals with it and eventually overcomes it in a linear narrative structure (the story is told in chronological order). It is based on a real interview therefore the majority of the short film is in a voice over. The film opens on a mid shot of the main protagonist, a school boy. He is blankly staring straight into the camera lens and has a stern face and hands in his pockets making him look tough. He is wearing school uniform, with a grey zip up jacket and black puffer coat over the top of it. This is how we know he's a school boy straight away before the voice over tells us his age. judging from the age of the boy, I believe the target audience is teenagers between the age of 13-17. I especially believe this because the voice over is from a man around 20-30 who would be a voice of reason for impressionable teenagers as he is saying how being a drug runner could have ruined his life/future career.

After the opening shot, it jumps to a shot of him stood in the same position, staring into the camera, hands in pockets, except this time he is stood in the rain with his coat zipped up and his hood is up. This suggests to the audience that he perhaps doesn't have any life outside of running drugs for people as each opening shot is the same.

The non-diegetic voiceover suggests that the man speaking is reminiscing over his past life and he has grown from it.

The disequilibrium is obviously that the young boy has fallen into a life of drug dealing and the end of the film resolves it by him getting caught by the police and his mum finding out so he gets out of that life and is brought back to reality.

Horror Short Film Analysis

This short film is a suspense horror which tells the story of what happens to a girl on her 18th birthday. It opens on a series of black backgrounds saying things like the production company name, who the film is in association with and then the title of the film "Special Day". From the title you would be under the impression that this films was happy or had an ending where everything turns out perfect but it is quite the opposite in this short film. While this is being displayed there is non-diegetic background music which sets a tone for the film. The music continues playing into the intro of the film and eventually fades out when the disequilibrium begins to happen. once the text leaves the screen there is a mid shot of a girl blowing out birthday cake candles and being congratulated by her family. This would further the idea which is mislead by the title as it seems that everything is going well. this is until she is told her families secret (that a monster watches over you and is a measure of when you will die. Once its close to you, you know you will die soon).

The disequilibrium is that the girls monster is immediately in the room and everyone else monster also joins in the room. The film ends on a mid shot of the table shaking and the girl holding onto a door frame. There is diegetic noises of screaming, glasses hitting together and the table shaking.

Thriller Short Film Short Analysis

The genre I picked is Thriller because I am most interested by it. I will be analysing a short film from this genre, showing the similarities and differences between them and how the genre is generally approached.

In this short film the genre is made clear to the

audience throughout as there is a growing

suspense. At the end of the short film it really

shows the thriller genre as there is a

detrimental secret that the family is keeping.

The story is told through a linear narrative

structure so the plot keeps developing as the

film continues.

In thriller there is usually a linear narrative structure, and beginning with equilibrium which gets disrupted, and then sometimes (not always) returns to equilibrium

Low-key lighting is a key aspect in thriller genre so create an atmosphere of suspense

There is usually a really intense suspense that builds up to the climax towards the end of the film in thriller genre

Thriller Genre

Camera shot types: in thriller there is usually close ups/ extreme close ups of the protagonist and high angles of the protagonist to show dominance

Loud diegetic sounds such as doors creaking, loud bangs etc..

Intense music or slow and eerie

In thriller films the protagonist is usually young and female as they are usually the most vulnerable people

Settings in isolated places (forests, anywhere that protagonist will be alone)