There are 5 main reasons behind watching a film and they consider the Uses of Gratification theory:
1. Escapism
2. Social
3. Information
4. Personal Identity
5. Entertainment
We considered this when mind-mapping ideas for our short film and decided our idea fits in the entertainment catagory. However, common to a lot of other short films it may contain features which place it in another catagory. We felt that by combining a mix of different techniques from different genres, it would create a unique video which would be exciting to watch. I want to ensure that we are challenging or confirming to the codes and conventions of our genre.
Due to the advances in digital technology there is now a high demand for more choice, therefore the amount of short film festivals and competitions are growing day by day. Short films are uploaded for fun, entertainment and competitions, Web 2.0 provides a interactive way of watching and judging other peoples films, and is extremely useful for analysis as we can view a wide variety of alternative films. Film festivals such as
Raindance Film Festival allow amateur film makers to produce short films, ranging in size and genre, along with films there are also short pieces which show behind the scene snippets of the making of the films, these are useful as it we can see how they made the film and what techniques they used.
Richard Maltbys theory that a successful Hollywood film is reliant on the combination of predictable elements and variation is a valuable point, which proves accurate when looking at different films from different genres. This theory suggests that when an audience view a film they are expecting certain elements to happen, for example, when watching a romantic comedy, the incorporation of a happy ending, funny scenes and a romantic embrace is anticipated. This, therefore makes genre seem predictable however it can prove to be a positive as you know what you are going to watch so there won't be any shocking factors, which could effect the viewer anticipating a happy ending.
Rick Altman disagrees with Maltbys theory as he explains that it does not allow the blending of genres, therefore films are viewed by a passive audience. Generally, most blockbusters tend to follow the idea that Maltby discusses, and that is why they prove to be successful from remaining in the correct codes and conventions of that particular genre.
