Lawless

Audiences and Institutions

  • Title: Lawless
  • Director: John Hillcoat
  • Release Date: 7th September 2012
  • Certificate: 18
  • Awards: 1 win & 7 nominations
  • Genres: Crime, Drama
  • Production Companies: Red Wagon Productions, Annapurna Pictures, Revolt Films, BlumHansonAllen Films.
  • Distribution Companies: The Weinstein Company, FilmNation Entertainment
  • Total Gross: $53,676,580
  • Target Audience: Older teenagers and adults.
  • Advertisement: Cinema posters, film trailers, TV Advertisements, magazine advertisements & articles and bus stop posters.

 

Titles

 

  • What titles come first and why?

 

Firstly, there is the logo and the name of the distribution company followed by four of the production companies. I believe they put the distribution company first because the distribution deal is essential for any film to gain a takeover. Also, it is another form of promotion for future work for the company.

 

  • What font, style and colours are used?

 

The font is quite normal and not really time related. This may have been used to illustrate the fact that it is a film, not real life. Also, white and red colours are used which may be referring to the fact that it is an American based film as USA have red and white in their flag and this film revolves around a specific era and time in The United States.

 

  • What is the size of the font? Where is the text placed in the shot, why?

 

Firstly the credits are placed in the middle but after the production company credits conclude, we see the rest of the credits placed in the bottom corner. This is because the narrative has begun and the director is aiming more for the audience to focus on the story at this point rather than the credits.

 

Order of titles

 

  1. The Weinstein Company
  2. Benaroya Pictures
  3. Red Wagon Entertainment
  4. Annapurna Pictures
  5. Based on a True Story
  6. The Weinstein Company / Yucaipa Films / Revolt Films

And

Benaroya Pictures

Presents

  1. In association with Annapurna Pictures
  2. A

Douglas Wick / Lucy Fisher

Production

  1. A BlumHansonAllen Film
  2. Franklin County Line
  3. Shia LaBoeuf
  4. Tom Hardy
  5. Gary Oldman
  6. Mia Wasikowska
  7. Jessica Chastain
  8. Jason Clarke
  9. Dane DeHaan
  10. And Guy Pearce

 

  • In this title sequence, the film repeats the distribution and production company names as a form of more promotion.
  • Some of the titles are red which links nicely to the genre of Crime similarly to some other films we have deconstructed.

 

 

  • What effects or transitions are used? Why?

 

The key special effect used in the opening clip is the enhanced sound of the gun shot. This is a loud and attracting noise that will always draw the audience’s attention, no matter what film it is as viewers tend to be afraid of guns as they cause death and misery. Also, the loud noise in a way symbolizes the start of the film as in the start of a race at the Olympics, for example.

 

Micro Analysis

 

Camera Shots

 

The film begins with a few close ups of Jack holding the rifle towards the pig. This is done to create suspense and anxiousness for the mood of the audience. Also, a few high angled shots of the pig illustrates that the boys have the power with the guns and the pig is being victimized in this sequence. Then we see an extreme long shot/tracking shot of a forest. The beauty of this shot makes it so much more significant as the audience will appreciate it and be more interested in the film.

 

Mise en scene

 

The costumes in this sequence are very realistic and associated well with the time period of the film. It is set in 1930s America so the clothes that the boys are wearing in the opening clip tell the viewer exactly that it is an old-fashioned and historical film. The lighting in the opening sequence is quite dark and black which reflects the mood and the horror that the main character Jack is experiencing in the scene. This technique of using the character’s emotions through Mise en scene can be very effective in attracting more of the audience’s attention.

 

Sound

 

The very first scripted line is “Come on Jack, just pull the damn trigger.” This is a very strong statement and is associated with guns so it will interest the viewer instantly as it is also said in a loud and aggressive tone by the character. In addition, the squeaky diegetic noise that the pig makes the animal seem more vulnerable and that’s why the audience will feel more sympathy for the pig.

 

The music used in this sequence also plays a key part in attracting the audience and setting the mood of the scene overall. There is light music used during the opening clip and it creates heavy suspense for the audience as it is building up to the gunshot. Then we hear some guitar music that relates to the time period and location of the film. The music is of a hillbilly style which is linked to farm style life in America.

 

 

Editing

 

There is no much editing used in this opening sequence. However, the use of the fades and the narrative voiceover create a big part in the beginning of this story. The fading transitions used move the story along quickly and makes it more fast paced which will intrigue the audience more and not make it dull. The voiceover from Jack tells the audience that he is the main protagonist as we are in his mind at this moment. He introduces some other characters and narrates his life day to day basis so the audience learn a lot about his character just from a few scenes and his voiceover.

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