28 weeks later opening:
Genre
⦁ The sub-genre of 28 weeks later is zombie, the
conventions that prove this true is that there is blood and gore from the start
with people immediately been bitten which immediately connotes a zombie film as
zombie are so strongly linked to this type of action. Also the people who are
doing the biting are evidently zombies as they are human physically but show no
emotions or control over what they are doing
⦁ The generic expectations of the film are straight away
fulfilled as there is immediately an attack on the people in the house by the
zombies, as zombie films are usually associated with action and blood with this
been seen straight away.⦁ The opening scene straight away conforms to the characteristics of a zombie film as there is zombies biting people with them becoming infected straight away, blood and gore is shown which again conforms to a zombie film.
Film Language
⦁ Camera is used very effectively in the opening scene
of 28 weeks later. A tracking shot is
used to show the character running and trying to escape from the zombies it
accentuates him been chased and in danger.⦁ An over the shoulder the shot is next used from the antagonists point of view the zombie in this case also with a handicam. This shows the zombie is out of control with a distorted when of thinking this is especially proven with the handicam as it is shaky and not stable connoting the zombies movements.
⦁ Mise-en-scene is used to convey meaning in this scene. Character blocking is used for when the man is escaping this is to build tension as there is so many zombies chasing him from a distance and close this emphasize the danger the man is in as you can see there is so much zombies chasing him.
⦁ Aesthetics and make-up are clearly used on the zombies to make them look ill and dangerous, using the concept of the near human look to scare audiences more. Their eyes are also portrayed as red further illustrating that the zombies aren’t human.
⦁ When the man leaves the women in the room as the zombies were breaking in she screams his name, this highlights that she’s desperate and in need of help but he can’t get to her so has to run, so she shouts in desperation and shock that he hasn’t tried to help her. The man when he leaves the women has his eyes wide open this portrays him as been scared and not knowing what to do, this is why he runs away
⦁ When he is about to leave the women slow music starts to echo this is non diegetic but fits the seen as it builds tension as he leaves the women to the zombies, the music carries on as he escapes the zombies to add to tense situation he is in. Sound from the zombies is heard things like grunting this highlights their motivation for human flesh as they are lustful to get hold of them and to the horror also as they are shown as nearby by been able to hear the grunting
⦁ Editing is scene in the scene, a parallel line of action is used. This is when the zombies break in the group splits with the camera following all. This highlights that the house is surrounded by zombies as they are present in each seen action. Fast pace cutting is used between the man and the women when he leaves her this is to portray the danger they are in as the zombies are coming for both of them with the edit switching from the zombies to the humans creating tension as you don’t know if they are going to get away.
⦁ This specific opening scene does not show any titles.
Narrative
⦁ The situations are organised as when the zombies break in the group disperses and try to escape. They break off in specific groups of their friends and family before the virus. This is structured and organised as when any of the characters are attacked by the zombies the characters in there company are closer they then show more emotions as they see their loved ones die oppose to someone they just met.
⦁ The audience are strongly positioned with the surviving man as he is the only one to escape from the house. He is presented as the main character with him having the most camera time.
⦁ There are specific narrative techniques in this sequence that are put in place to move the narrative on. The narrative arc suggests this opening sequence follows the conventional horror film opening with conflict at the beginning. There are various codes narrative codes that are essential to developing the film. The action code tells the man is running that he is been chased. Zombies are distinguished from people in the opening sequence with the use of symbolic codes for example the blood on the zombies face makes it evident that they are zombies. An enigma code is seen when the women is positioned in the window shouting for the mans help this presents an enigma to the watching audience as you don't know whether she survives.
⦁ Tension is created by the zombies breaking in and the man leaving the women. Tension from this scene is then maintained as music starts with the man leaving his wife and zombies chasing him. There is tension throughout as the zombies are constantly chasing the man with the audience not knowing if he is going to be caught.
Representation and ideology
⦁ In the opening sequence there are friends and families of different backgrounds all formed into one whole group. This is made evident as when the zombies break in the house the group splits and they start looking out for the ones they care most about.
⦁ In the opening sequence there is a boy who is portrayed as an innocent kid, this reinforces stereotypes of a kid as he is presented as helpless and vulnerable when he is trapped by the zombies. The wife of the man reacts to this further reinforcing stereotypes as women are seen to be more caring than men but also challenges them as she’s portrayed as the braver out of the man and women. Then by the man saying leave the boy presents a regressive ideology as this reinforces negative stereotypes about men that they don’t show caring emotions. Stereotypes are then challenged also as the wife calls out for her husband in need of his help, but he refutes her calls and runs. This presents the man as a coward as usually in films the man is supposed to save the women, this also challenges binary oppositions about men being more dominant than women as in this case he runs away showing him to be a coward, with that not usually being associated with a man.
⦁ The target audience would be core cinema go-ers of a male gender aged between 15-24. This is because males a known to prefer horror movies, blood and gore are presented further calling out for male viewings.
⦁ Potential audience readings would be that the man is a coward as he left his wife when she was in his need and called out for his help. He has no emotions as if he cared that much about her he would of put his life on the line to save her but he didn’t. Also the zombies are faced past and relentless when chasing after the man this presents them as scary to the audience .
⦁ My views are affected by my age and gender but not so much my background. As I’m 17 I fall into the age horror films try to attract. Boys tend to be more keen on blood and gore and this film falls into this category as there is a lot of action with blood and gore also present. So as of my age and gender I believe I am influenced by the scene as I feel more drawn to it because of these factors.
⦁ 28 weeks later was produced by 20th century fox. This is a very big studio so produce a wide variety of films from all genres.
⦁ 28 weeks later is an industrial film as it is distributed by 20th century fox, the budget given is $15million which is large for a horror movie. The overall box office was $64.2 million this highlights the financial backing the film has highlighting it been an industrial film as this is a large amount of money for a horror film.
⦁ There are no A-listers seen in the film, Robert Carlyle can be seen as a good actor though with his role very important in developing the film.
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