Analysis of Simular Opening Sequences

Battle: Los Angeles

The title sequence to 'Battle: Los Angeles' is very similar to the idea we had for our movie. As we are using the opening title sequence to give the audience background information about the lead up to the battle, by including it in a news report, it both informs the audience, and makes for a good opening. This new report also allows the producers to show who made the film, and any other relevant companies that have contributed to getting this film to where it is now. Once our film title is shown, we want to send the audience straight into the action of the film, and by using intense music with a heavy climax, this will increase the tension already built up in the audience. 

As the news reports are being read out, and the relevant companies are shown on screen, the lack of footage will force the audience to listen to the majority of the dialogue being read as a voice over. Because their full attention is focused on this speech, they will get a betted understanding of the lead up to war.

Again, once the title of the film has been projected, films moves 3 years ahead, and to let the audience know this, we will do a similar technique to this film, by simply writing the time and date across the bottom of the screen like a CCTV camera. This will not only let the audience the time difference between the two scenes, but it will also give them an idea as to the severity of the war, as it has lasted this long since being declared.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

As we intend, this opening sequence requires a few establishing shots, telling the audience where the characters are, although the exact whereabouts is not know, the audience are given the main idea, that they are running through a different planet in an attempt to return to their space ship. Within the dialogue, the audience is also told this, as well as their intentions. This will become useful with the opening sequence to our film, as because the locations we are using are not actually the building we are intending to make it out to be, for example we will may be using our college as a filming location for our scientist's lab/office, when it isn't so, the audience are made to believe the building is.

Captain America

Captain America uses intense music in its opening sequence, foreshadowing the chain of events about to occur. Their is a build up of background music, before a loud, intense sound due to the discovery of a ruin and Captain America himself. This could be used in our opening scene as the build up to the action, where we intend to play a news report that has no action but is there to inform the viewer, however once the news that a war has been declared is mentioned, an intense 'bong' sound can be used to create a sense of urgency, leading into some action.

Similar Films

Similar films:

-X-men: First Class: 

Plot: Set in 1962 in America during the Cuban missile crisis. A group of mutants, brought together by Charles Xavier and the government, try to take down a man who is attempting start a war between Russia and the USA. The man is also a mutant and killed Eric's parents. The mutants train at Xavier's house and take down the villain but the governments for both sides worry that the mutants are too powerful and fire missiles at them. Eric realises that mutants will never be accepted so he sends the missiles back towards the boats. Charles and the others try to stop him and Charles gets shot in the back when he is caught in the crossfire. Eric and Charles go their separate ways.
Stills:

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-Captain America 

Plot: After being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending USA ideals.
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-Stark Trek: Into Darkness

Plot: After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organisation, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.
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Links to the film:

-The Incredible Hulk

Plot: Dr. Bruce Banner, thanks to a gamma ray experiment gone wrong, transforms into a giant green-skinned hulk whenever his pulse rate gets too high. Meanwhile, a soldier uses the same technology to become an evil version of the original.
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Links to the film:

Similar Films

Captain America

Captain America is very similar to the storyline we have chosen to do as the both include a war scenario where an individual with supernatural powers is called in to help. 

X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class also includes extra terrestrial involvement in possible world war, however this film makes it so the 'mutants' find out about the enemies plans on their own accord. 

 

James Bond

Although James Bond has nothing to do with any supernatural experiences, it includes many situations where two sides are working against each other. It also includes the concept of getting a special agent in to help with a major situation, which is essentially what is going to happen in our storyline.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Although it is only a small portion of Star Trek: Into Darkness that is similar, the fact a highly powerful enemy.

Avengers Assemble

Again, this film includes an organisation that has been set up to deal with major, possible world war situations that normal military and agents may not be able to deal with alone.

Eragon

Like our storyline, this film is all about an individual with a special power, and in Eragon, Eragon has the power to possibly save a whole species of dragon trainers.

Treatment - The Whole Film

Title:
Duration: 120 minutes (2 Hours)
Audience: 15+ by classification, aimed at 15 - 35 year olds. 
Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Synopsis (Summary):
A Russian billionaire called Markov managed to get himself into a position of power by branding himself as a peacemaker and gained the trust of the world leaders. He manipulated countries into forming an alliance with one another until the world was split into two sides. It wasn't long before a nuclear war broke out and left Markov to control his new world. However, a small group of politicians were weary of Markov's motives and formed a new independent army. This army survived the nuclear war and fight to destroy Markov and his army. One of the soldiers has a secret that is the army's main chance of success. One soldier is known as a loner but is respected by all of the superior officers. 

After the prologue, the film opens to them infiltrating a building that was vital to Markov's success. One of the officers is told to keep guard when they are ambushed by enemy soldiers. It looks as though they have no chance of escape but then they appear to use some sort of power to defeat the enemies.

Back at the base camp, a new officer call Anderson attempts to joins the higher ranks of the army and is allowed to know the secrets of the war. However, his physical statistics aren't high enough. His Sargent Major allows him to speak to the quiet, yet intimidating solider, Yuri (who happens to be the same soldier that used the power in the previous scene). The soldier checks the statistics again and agrees that they are too low but they are shocked by Anderson's high mental statistics so decides to let him join Level 5. It is clear that is very out of character. The conversation is interrupted by the Sargent, who has a strong dislike toward Yuri. He talks to the Sargent Major and discusses his fears about having Yuri at the camp but the Sargent Major is dismissive and refuses to talk about it any further.

The General of the army is visiting the base camp so all of the soldiers are expected to be on their best behaviour. Anderson is picked by the Sargent Major to be a guide for the General along side the Sargent. Everything is going well up until Yuri storms in holding a piece of paper and starts shouting at the Sargent Major and accusing the Sargent of trying to get them to have a leave of absence. The General shouts over them and, to the surprise of Anderson, begins to be pally with Yuri and offer them a drink. The General undermines the Sargent Major and tears up the paper. Anderson begins to realise the power that Yuri has in the army.

Anderson is given a note telling him that all new Level 5 officers must report to the main training area. When he gets there, the Sargent Major is talking with other Level 5 officers and Yuri. The Sargent Major explains how the war really started and how they know this information. They also explain why these details are hidden from other levels. Yuri notices that Anderson is aware of what the Sargent Major is saying and that he already knows it because he is saying it under his breath before the Sargent Major does.

Suggested Elements:

• Futuristic battle scenes
• Special effects relevant to the main character's supernatural talents.
• Traditional war scenes with futuristic aspects.
• Relatable characters within a different situation.

Investigation into Distribution

Our film is an action/sci-fi and has elements of a superhero film. This would mean that a mainstream distributor would be better because it has high marketability and the plot would be better suited to this type of distributor.

20th Century Fox-
20th Century Fox is owned by News Corporation. It distributes well-known and marketable films, however these films are usually light- hearted and aimed at a range of audiences.
http://www.fox.co.uk/
Latest films:

- Devils Due

- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

- How to Train Your Dragon 2

- Rio

Paramount-
Paramount is a subsidiary of CBS Corporations and describes its films as "from visionary epics to heart-wrenching romances to blockbuster franchises." Some of its latest films are very similar to our film in that they are set in the future and involves either science, superheroes and war.
http://www.paramount.com/
Lastest films

- Star Trek
- Thor
- Iron Man
- Avengers
- World War Z
- Transformers



StudioCanal UK (formerly optimum releasing)-
StudioCanal is an independent company and describes itself as "one of Europe’s leading companies in the market for co-production, acquisition, distribution and sale of international feature films."
http://www.studiocanal.co.uk/
Latest films
- Alpha Papa
- I Give It A Year
- Robocop
- The Last Exorcism Part 2

Certificate of our Film

From the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) website [x] a 15 film is described as no one under the age of 15 is allowed in at the cinema, able to buy/rent a 15 rated DVD as the content is not suitable for any child under the age limit.
A 15 is stronger than a 12a as it includes the following: Strong violence, frequent strong language, portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references to sex, sexual nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour and drug taking.
There can be strong threat or malice but extreme gore will not pass for a 15, the violence may also be strong. Easy access to weapons cannot be glamourised and although discriminatory themes can be explored it cannot endorse the behaviour.
We decided that our film had earned the 15 rating due to amount of violence that it will contain, the main fight sequence is intended to be graphic but not gory enough to need an 18 rating. We also intend to include a lot of swearing, mainly from the soldiers but they will not be extremely aggressive.

Details of Possible Distributor

After looking though multiple distributors based upon the similar story lines, I wrote down the two most reoccurring ones and chose to use them. Because our film is an Action/Sci fi film, with hints of typical Superhero movie, I believe it will do very well with mainstream distributors, as opposed to independent ones, however I was able to find an Independent film distributor that would work well with our film. These are the three distributors I looked into:

20th Century Fox (M):
Distributed films including:

• The Book Theif
• Avatar
• Rio
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes
• Ice Age
• Titanic

The films produced by 20th Century Fox are generally light harted and animated, however their variety can change from time to time. Most films produced by 20th Century Fox are more Marketable than Playable, due to their high production values.

Paramount Pictures (M):
Distributed films including:

• Star Trek
• Star Trek: Into Darkness
• Avengers
• Transformers
• Thor
• Rango
• G.I. Joe
• Iron Man 3

Most of the films produced by Paramount are rather simular to our genre, with the odd acception. They are mainly action/adventure films, however their recent film Star Trek: Into Darkness is featured in my familiar films section, along with the Avengers, and therefore stood out to me as being a relavent and good distributor to have, as their films are very Marketable.

Metrodome Group (I):

Distributed films including:

• We Are The Freaks
• Slacker
• American Evil
• The Crimson Ocean
• White Tiger

As this distributor is independent, the films it distributes relies on playability to sell the movie, rather than a high production value. Because the film we are producing includes special effects, and has many marketable qualities, I would recommend we use a mainstream distributor, but this distributor would fit the genre of our film.