2. OUR TARGET LEVEL : GREEN B-A
To reach our target we must complete the following :
Title page Mittel’s theory
Level checklist Fuerer’s theory
Exploration of films Semantics
Film of choice and reasoning Syntax
Genre Iconography
Conventions list (At least 8)
Sub genre
Conventions analysis
Hybrid Dominant ideology
Stam’s theory Audience
Audience theory
4. FILM OF CHOICE AND WHY
The film we have chosen to do is My Sisters Keeper, as it has lots of
dramatic elements being a film about terminal illness and the struggle
for life. It creates a lot of suspense in the audience as they want to know
what will happen to the girl who is sick.
Also, the movie shows a great amount of tension between the family and
breakdown between the family members such as the youngest daughter
Anna and her mother. It shows how this illness not only affects the
daughter but the family as well.
5. GENRE
The main genre that the film falls under is drama, as it is based on a
terminal illness, family relationships. It has elements of melodrama as it
provokes sympathy and empathy from the audience.
It is also a tragedy as the sick daughter dies in the end creating even more
emotion from the audience.
Our genre- drama- has many different sub-genres such as docu-
drama, historical drama, tragedy, melodrama and action drama.
Here are some other drama films!
Tragedy Melodrama
6. SUB GENRE
Subgenre Evidence
Based on a book.
Tragedy The patient is dying of leukaemia
throughout the film.
Melodrama It deals with illness and family
issues making the audience
emotional.
7. HYBRID
The film is a hybrid as it has a mixture of drama, tragedy , romance and it is based
on a book.
This scene
shows the
closeness of
the characters
and shows
romance as it is
an intimate
scene.
8. STAM’S THEORY
Other ways to classify our film: Evidence
Big budget film $30,000,000
Based on a book My sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
Mainstream / Blockbuster $12,442,212 for opening weekend
9. MITTEL’S THEORY
Mittel’s theory relates to our film as it is based on a book so people are more
likely to watch it as they know what the film is about.
The actors in our film are iconic and help to sell the film as people know them to
be in good film and they might like the actors and their acting style.
Cameron Diaz Abigail Breslin
10. FUERER’S THEORY
Fuerer’s theory is that genre is abstract, it is not easily defined because
everyone has different Ideals, Ideas and life experiences and therefore
interpret codes and conventions differently.
How does this relate to our film: Evidence
Some people believe it is wrong to The mother has another child to
have donor babies. save her first child who has
leukaemia
Some people might think it is Anna takes her parents to court
wrong that Anna sues her parents. to sue them for medical
emancipation.
That the girl has sex in the hospital In different cultures sex before
–and she’s not married marriage is unacceptable
especially in a hospital.
That the dying girl asks her sister People wouldn’t understand why
Anna to stop helping her. she asks her to stop if she wants
to live.
11. SEMANTICS
Semantics How are these evident in the film:
Characters There are iconic characters within the
film for example the mother who is
really protective.
Locations The location for most drama films are
based around hospitals as the patients
are dying.
Story traits The are normally family arguments
within these types of movies as there
is a strain on the family relationships.
12. Semantics How are these evident in your film?
Costumes
The character
is wearing a
white robe with
his name sewn
onto it. This
costume is
evidence that
he is a doctor.
13. Semantics How are these evident in your film?
props
The machines
around the girl
and the tubes
around her
show that she is
in hospital and
is a patient.
14. Semantics How are these evident in your film?
Rituals
The family is
excited to see
the daughter
in her dress –
this is like the
stereotypical
family
moment.
The ritual here is that the girl is
going to prom and the family is
excited and taking pictures of
her and her date.
15. SYNTAX
What is the purpose of your movie?
The purpose of the movie is to show that life is sacred and that
we shouldn’t waste our live- we should live each moment to the
fullest and enjoy each moment of our lives.
It might help people who are going through the same situation
get through it with hope.
16. ICONOGRAPHY
semantics
characters The mother is over protective and this relates to
the film because in real life mothers are generally
caring and worried about the children
locations This film is located in the hospital most of the time
because the girl is suffering from terminal illness.
Story traits There is a strain on the family relationships as the
girl is ill and the sibling wants to sue for the rights
to her body.
costumes The doctors robe represents hospital which is
where the film is based around.
Props The props shows that she is in the hospital and
shows the serious side of her illness.
rituals The ritual of the girl going to prom and her family
taking pictures shows that the family are happy
and want a little bit or normalcy in their lives.
17. TONE The lighting also represents innocence and
purity. It makes it seem as if this girl is the
The lighting around the girl is
bright showing the intensity of
centre of attention. this scene.
The lighting from
the blinds is dim to
show privacy
between them.
The light around the mother
and her daughter is dark
showing that it is a serious
conversation, this contrasts
with the dying daughter.
18. CONVENTIONS LIST
Conventions of Examples from range of real Use, develop or challenge?
genre/subgenre/hybrid films
Drama movies and generally Titanic uses
serious
The purpose of the story line is The vow uses
to move the audience
emotionally.
The audience can relate to the Freedom writers uses
situations.
Portrays real life situations The pursuit of happyness uses
Conflict between characters e.g taken uses
family conflict
Specific subject matter e.g racial crash Uses – terminal illness
conflict.
Makes the audience feel The hunger games uses
empathy and sympathy.
Makes us think about our Charlie St Cloud uses
situations – what might happen
if we had cancer?
CRIME DRAMAS- someone Taken 2 challenges
gets kidnapped
ROMANCE DRAMA - happy Ps I love you Develops – the family are happy
endings in the end however the daughter
does die.
19. CONVENTIONS ANALYSIS 1#
Conventions of genre/ sub- Examples from your film:
genre / hybrid
Drama movies and generally serious The film itself is based on a serious topic –
terminal illness.
The purpose of the story line is to move the The girl dies in the end.
audience emotionally.
The audience can relate to the situations. People who watch it could also
have cancer
Portrays real life situations Cancer.
Conflict between characters e.g family the daughter is suing her mother.
conflict
20. CONVENTIONS ANALYSIS 2#
Conventions of genre/ sub-genre Examples from your film:
/ hybrid
Specific subject matter e.g racial conflict. The movie is based on terminal
illness.
Makes the audience feel empathy and With the girl who is dying and the
sympathy.
family left behind.,
Makes us think about our situations – what How we might deal with having a
might happen if we had cancer?
donor baby .
CRIME DRAMAS- someone gets kidnapped challenged
ROMANCE DRAMA - happy endings Developed
21. DOMINANT IDEOLOGY
Dominant ideology Evidence / example
That while you are in hospital or sick
you have your whole family there to
support you.
It is wrong to use others They use their youngest for a donor.
The dad is usually the one who stays He is the one who stops the
strong. arguments.
When your dying you want your last She goes to the beach with her family.
days to be happy.
22. AUDIENCE
Details of Target audience Secondary audience Why would they be
audience attracted to the film?
age 18+ 15+ Because this is the age
that would understand
and might have
experienced the same
thing.
gender women Men Because it is showing the
girls life but also her
families struggle to be
whole again.
ethnicity Mixed – mainly white any Anybody would be
attracted to the movie s it
isn't mainly about one
ethnicity – every ethnicity
could go through the
same thing.
Social class Any Any Every social class would
be attracted as anyone
from any social class
could go through the
same thing.
Social group Any any it doesn’t relate
specifically to one social
group
Sexual Any Any This is because it can
orientation affect anyone.
Profession/role Anybody any It isn't aimed at certain
23. AUDIENCE THEORY MCQUAIL
Reasons why people watch the Explanation
film
Entertainment People watch the movie for
Information People might watch this to learn
more about cancer and how it can
affect relationships, and if they
know someone with cancer, it
could help to understand how they
are feeling.
Personal identity They might be in the same
situation and want to be able to
have a better relationship with their
family.
Integration & social interaction They can talk about the film,
