Introduction
Hello everyone, it’s Matthew back again and in this episode I
will be showing you film analysis of award winning film ‘Dawn of the Planet
Apes’ created by 20th Century Fox.
Purpose
The purpose of the film Dawn of the Planet Apes is to
entertain the audience through action-packed, and at times quite emotional
content. The action packed scenes during the middle to end of the film where
the story twists around can be very entertaining to the viewer. The purpose of
the film is also to provide commercial gain to the company of production; 20th
century fox which happened as the film earned $208,545,589 overall
showing its overall success in the media industry.
Genre
The film could be classed as a multi-genre film as it
could be classed as an action film, but also with a bit of adventure; for this
adventure could be classed as a ‘sub-genre’ to the film. Barry Keith Grant – a
professor and PHD holder for film studies - said that ‘All genres have a
sub-genre’. This is true as most films have an adventure within them, even if
at first this isn’t directly visible to the viewer. Evidence for this genre is
within the middle of the film, in which the apes proceed to ruin the city and
kill many humans with the lead ape Koba at large after the attempted murder of
his leader Caesar. The sub-genre plays a role as there is a storyline in the
film in which the protagonist must save the city from a anti-heroic ape – this
could be classed as the adventure of the film.
Style and Narrative
The style of the film starts with a disequilibrium
as the world is in anarchy and most human contact has been lost. This falls
under ‘Narrative structures’ brought up by Todorov in 1997. In most films this
order is equilibrium (where everything in the film is fine), disruption or
unequilibrium (where the story takes a bad or dramatic turn) followed by a new
equilibrium or resolution (which is a different resolution from the beginning).
Dawn of the planet apes doesn’t follow this plot as it starts with unequilbrium
(the world is in anarchy). This is then proceeded by an equilibrium (in which
humans team with apes to prevent conflict) however this soon changes after a
rogue ape begins war with humans, leading to another second conflict. At the
end peace is established but is left on a cliff-hanger suggesting an overall
equilibrium, put provides evidence to a sequel.
Sound - Non Diegetic:
Background Music – 0:16
-The background music at this point denotes peace with a relaxing tone. Connotations of this part suggest ‘Calm before the storm’, cautiousness and concentration which links to the film by showing the state before the war between apes and humans begins.
Non-Diegetic Voiceover – 0:44 - 0:48 (swap to diegetic) 0:48 - 0:52
“We both have families, you want to protect yours, and I want to protect mine.” This line denotes that the main protagonist wants to protect both families. Connotations of this line include friendship, love and devotion which link to the film by showing the trust between the ape leader (Caesar) and main protagonist. The devotion suggests their leadership skills which play a huge role within the film. The voice spoken in this short belongs to the human protagonist who speaks in a peer to peer mode of address during the line.
Non-Diegetic Voiceover 1:12 – 1:14
“If you threaten his family he will retaliate.” This line denotes that the main protagonist is foreshadowing to the others of impending danger, should the humans threaten the ape family. Connotation of this statement include retaliation, which suggests war or revenge. The word threaten suggests self-defence in terms of the apes and that they will retaliate with a war should their family be threatened, this turns out to be the case within the film where the apes feel threatened by the humans. In this line, the human protagonist speaks in teacher to pupil mode of address as he is providing instructions for other humans to follow.
Diegetic:
Door Opening – 0:13
The door opening denotes a new character being introduced. Connotations of this however suggest a new beginning or a new challenge. It could also connote thought or preparation. In the film the door opening shows the apes preparing to attack the humans therefore symbolising thought for their attack.
Ape Talking – 1:04
“Caesar love humans, more than apes.” The denotation of this line is villain (antagonist) Koba talking to the ape leader about his love to humans more than the love of his own species. It is present that Koba speaks with hatred to his leader, connoting disgust or vileness towards Caesar. As with the previous voiceover, the main antagonist Koba speaks in a mode of address demonstrating a Teacher to pupil. This is because he is speaking to all the other apes in the form of a leader.
Gun Noise – 1:33
Main antagonist Koba picks up a gun and proceeds to shoot two humans, denoting violence. Connotations of this include hatred, horror and unrest towards the shooting of humans. Connotations that also happen in the trailer include fear due to the ape pointing a gun at a human who doesn’t want to die. This shows up later in the film where Koba’s true appearance is revealed.
Explosion – 1:42
An explosion at 1:42 denotes the blowing apart of some highly explosive material, which is suggested with a loud sound. Connotations towards this include war, warmth and death which play roles in the film as a huge war happens, this could be defined as the start of something bigger, as the humans and apes go to war. The factor of death could also suggest later on in the film where antagonist Koba is killed.
Mise-en-scene
Mise-en-scene
Filming Location: The clip in scene is Filmed in Capilano River Regional
Park (in northern Vancouver) and Golden Ears Provincial Park (east of the
city), as well as a location south of Squamish. The rainforest like atmosphere is in low key which
creates connotations of abandonment, nature and wildlife. It also can give
connotations of tribesmen which could be what the apes connote. The locations
denote abandoned areas and large forests in which the apes live. To the
audience this adds verisimilitude to the scene providing a reasonably correct
area for the apes to live. Therefore, affecting to audience to make the film
seem more realistic. The locating links to the narrative stage by providing the
setting for all of the film with a sense of abandonment and conflict.
Acting: The acting within this scene is of the CGI apes only. The
apes act in a way which shows them evolved compared to nowadays using hand
gestures and crafter spears to overcome an enemy. Within the scene the apes are
also seen riding horses which shows their evolved nature. Connotations of this
acting include self-defence (as Caesar teams up to protect his son from a bear)
and Family protection which furthermore connotes emotion and kindness.
The bear in the scene also shows
its power through its size and roar, which throws Caesar’s son off guard
allowing him to be attacked. The bear also uses gestures such as the roar and
standing on its two legs to look bigger which connotes its danger and tension
in the conflict between the apes and bear. The conflict provides stereotypes of
a parent child relationship due to Caesar showing power by protecting and
saving his son. To the audience this adds tension as the apes haven’t yet been
portrayed (as potentially antagonists) which means the audience want the apes
to defeat the (at the time antagonist) bear and win. In terms of narrative
stage this section of the Apes war comes before human encounter, giving the
audience into the advancements of Ape technology following hundreds of years of
evolution. Denotations of the apes include that they are ready for war and
large in numbers.
Costume: As the apes are CGI implemented, they are (in
perspective of the film) wearing nothing which connotes being natural but
showing strength and also living at one with nature (proven as they are riding
horses). The audience would feel these connotations as it is a war scene
therefore demonstrating power and teamwork (how they work at one with nature).
Caesars son also has scars across his face from the bear attack which connotes
pain and also confidence as he then proceeds to stand up and continue like
nothing had happened.
The costume of the bear resembles
the same colour as the apes connoting the same strength as one another. The
colour also resembles the colour for the area which connotes danger and
cautiousness. The stereotypical colours of the apes provide verisimilitude to
the film, making it seem more realistic. The costume links with the genre of
action with the apes riding horses in black colour, which connotes war ready
and once again team building; fore shading the war that is to come.
Props: Props used in the scene include spears made out of wood but
crudely made not to human standard. These props are a form of weaponry for the
apes so connote violence and war, but may also include self-defence. These
connotations exist as in the clip, Caesar is trying to protect his son from a
bear and which he overcomes the bear using the weaponry. The spears also connote
death as one of them is used to kill the bear and almost is used to kill a
deer/moose which narrowly escapes due to the bear attack. Another connotation
of weaponry is protection but also a symbol of the apes. All apes possess the
same or very similar weapons which shows them to be an alliance fighting
against evil. The spears are iconographic to the apes as they portray their
means of weaponry against fighting the humans. The crude shape and style
denotes little time into making these objects and the wood style effect denotes
locally sourced wood for the apes to make their spears from.
Lighting and colour: In terms of lighting in the film, the clip is low key,
being dark and foggy, with colour toned down with only the dark greens of moss
and leaves being visible. This might be this way to connote the danger ahead
which comes in the form of a bear attack, or could also connote hidden nature
in the form on that the area belongs to the apes and is worn down enough to
show no human presence for many years. Connotations also include cautiousness
with the silence in the scene working with the low key lighting and limited
colour to connote this. Furthermore, the scene may be lit like this to make the
colour of the apes stand out more connoting their strength in numbers to
overpower anything thrown in their way. Denotations of the low key lighting are due to
a cloudy sky, with rain and trees blocking the sunlight. This once more
provides verisimilitude to the audience making the scenes seem more realistic
and provides connotations of tension which foreshadows war or the
disequilibrium of the scene. These connotations link to the genre of action
which stereotypically are set at night time or in cloudy weather with many
greys and low key lighting.
Camera Types.
At 16:30 there is an establishing shot of the golden gate
bridge fly by which denoted the opening of the main film, but also the apes
transition out of the forest for the first time. This shot therefore connotes
exploration and discovery due to the shot’s angle showing the bridge in the foreground
and forest in the background. The audience can relate to this verisimilitude of
the scene by knowing the iconic landscape of the San Francisco golden gate
bridge. The bridge also plays a role in the narrative type connoting the
separation between humans and apes, and foreshadows the two sides taken
throughout the film.
At 1:34:55 there is an extreme close up of Caesars’ hand
along with his sons. In the digenesis this denotes Caesar reaching for his
son’s hand on the verge of death (although Caesar does not die). This scene is
quite iconographic as it is the turning point of the film, in which the battle
begins to turn upon a civil ape war with little human input. Due to this the
shot connotes hope and bravery towards his son in finding Koba and later on
being partially the means of death to Koba. The audience may feel emotional at
this point due to the father-son relationship which has been present throughout
the film. This shot also demonstrates the ideal self of Carl Rogers (1980)
although quite indirectly. The bravery and hope given shows how an individual
should be in the real world.
Angles
At 27:01 there is a low angle shot denoting the ‘leader’ of
the humans speaking over an intercom as a leader preparing for war.
Connotations of the leader figure in this shot include power, bravery and team
leadership. The theory of ‘Men act, Women appear’ by John Berger (1972) proves
itself along with the stereotypical representation of men in this shot as the
leader himself is a man, backing up the stereotypes of men having more power
than women. Here the theory is used in a literal sense with the man ‘acting’ by
preparing everyone for war whilst no women figures are present; hence not
‘appearing’. The shot links with the narrative type by showing the point at
which disequilibrium is about to occur in the film.
At 1:55:09 a shot of Koba in a high angle denotes the death
of Koba meaning the diegesis’ resolution of the war. The scene portrays the
camera to be looking down at Koba who is clinging on to Caesar asking for
mercy. The shot also portrays focus as only Koba is in the foreground, making
the audience focus directly at him, whilst the background is blurred. The
connotations from this include, mercy, power (in a sense that Caesar has the
power of finishing the war) and also betrayal from Koba. The shot is powerful
in that it makes the audience feel in power of what happens to Koba, even
though the result is fixed. This creates a diverse audience emotion about what
happens to Koba, giving the film a dynamic twist.
Focus
At 1:32:27 a shallow depth of field focus denotes main human
protagonist Malcolm who turns around after escaping from some apes in the
middle of the war to see a blurred ape holding a gun. At this point
connotations of fear, shock and disbelief play as the blurred ape silhouette
could mean death to the main protagonist. The audience would feel tense at this
point which is what the shot type is meant to produce. The narrative type as
part of the diegesis is that Malcolm is collecting supplies to save Caesar
(leader of the apes) when contrary to the purpose he is in a situation where
his life may be ended by an Ape. The shallow depth of field gives the slow
motion of time effect in which the audience feel to be in the thoughts and
position of Malcolm emphasising the danger he is in.
Camera Movement
Between 57:23 and 57:30 there is a small pan down of Koba
dismounting a horse to speak to Caesars son in what in the diegesis denotes the
disequilibrium’s beginning. The pan down connotes a change or something new.
Along with power of Koba who takes the full camera upon dismounting his horse.
In the character types, this shows Koba to be a new leader, coming to express
news of Caesars ‘betrayal’. The the audience this adds hatred towards Koba due
to the lies he states making the apes turn on Caesar and in the end humans
aswell. Although this shot shows two male apes, the theory of John Berger ‘Men
act, women appear’ plays a role as Koba is ‘acting’ as a leader figure whilst
the rest of the apes listen to him as a powerful figure, hence just
‘appearing’.
Between 1:53:22 and 1:53:30, there is a tilt-pan which
denotes the collapsing of a building whilst Caesar peers over the edge into a
low key setting in which the camera follows and goes above Caesars head to show
the danger beneath him. This combination of two movements in one connotes
danger, tension and intrigue. To the audience this scene provides tension about
Caesar once again battling death, connoting bravery and defiance (towards
death) which proves Caesar to once again be protagonist (character type). The
narrative stage in this scene is nearing ‘Climax’ and the camera emphasises
this with the slow pan over.
Shot Reverse Shot/s:
Between 9:55 and 10:01 in the film, a shot reverse shot can
be seen of Caesar and his wife. In the diegesis this denotes the point at which
the audience finds out that Caesar’s wife is extremely ill. The shot consists
of a medium close up of Caesar as he rushes to see his wife. In the shot Caesar
connotes power which juxtaposes against his wife who seems powerless. The edit
therefore could be seen as a binary opposition of power and weakness for males
and females. The following shot consists of an extreme close up of Caesars wife
reaching her hand out to Caesar. This shot creates an emotional response on the
audience due to being very ill.
Between 1:47:35 and 1:47:41 Malcolm can be seen holding up a
gun to Drayfus (leader of the human camp) which denotes his action to try and
prevent Drayfus from exploding the tower that the Apes are fighting on. The
medium close up of Malcolm holding the gun creates tension to the audience and
the use of the shot reverse shot connotes fear and worry, along with the power
that Malcolm has. Due to Malcolms power over Drayfus (an older man) this
challenges the stereotypical power trait as in this situation the younger male
is more powerful than the older male. This also links in with binary
oppositions of age.
Action Match:
Between 1:18:42 and 1:18:46 an action shot denotes the
beginning of the war between the apes and humans, with new leader Koba in
charge. Koba now representing the authority of the apes makes the audience feel
hatred towards him as the other apes do not know (unlike the audience) that the
war is self-inflicted by Koba. This therefore connotes absence of peace and
conflict, it also connotes unrest and hatred. The multiple shots including a
wide shot of all the apes indicates power and teamwork. This could link to John
Berger’s (1972) theory of ‘Men act, women appear’ as only male apes are seen
going to war juxtaposing against the women who remain at the ape’s hometown off
shot. The multiple camera angles denote the sheer force of the apes as a team.
Cross Cutting:
At 1:54:05 in the film a cross cut takes place from the
battle between the apes to the bottom of the tower in which the holdup is
occurring between Malcolm and Drayfus. The use of a cross shot denotes that two
important events are occurring simultaneously to one another and provides a
tautness to the audience who can see the diegesis unfold before them. The scene
also demonstrates the similarity between both Malcolm and Caesar (main
protagonists) who are fighting to prevent further damage of their species. The
crosscut provides connotations of supportive behaviour and trust due to the
shots being very similar in and out of diegesis.
Insert Shot:
At 1:14:55 an insert shot takes place zooming in on to
Drayfus’ iPad to which power has just been restored. In the diegesis the iPad
is iconographic as the scene follows to show Drayfus’ family and children,
connoting emotion and love along with negative connotations of sadness due to
Drayfus’ family being killed. To the audience this scene is quite emotional and
the close up of the iPad denotes what Drayfus has been wanting to see for a long
time. It also connotes the loneliness of Drayfus as he proceeds to burst into
tears when he sees the photo symbolising his love to his family and
discomposure without them. This challenges Laura Mulvey’s theory (1975) of the
‘Male gaze’ as if Drayfus thought as his wife as a ‘sex object’ then he
wouldn’t be distraught without her juxtaposing to his true emotion.
Eyeline Match
At 1:55:11 an eyeline match takes place between Koba and
Caesar. This shot denotes the turning point – or resolution for the narrative.
Koba can be seen looking towards Caesars hand for assistance which connotes
trust and co-operation along with belief that Caesar will trust him. As Caesar appears
to originally assist Koba, (friend turned antoganist), the audience may feel
angry about Caesars decision but soon realise this isn’t his actual intention.
The binary oppositions theory is challenged here as previous leader Caesar is
now in control of antagonist leader Koba which juxtaposes the leader figure
binary opposition.
Production Process
Production Process
Pre-Production
Scouting occurred for the film Dawn of the Planet Apes, to
find a suitable location that not only was iconic and many people would know
about, but also a location to fit into the narrative perfectly. For this the team
had to create a world that had human influence but was massively declined. For
this San Francisco became the correct location for filming. Location director
for the project Jason Waggenspack stated “We completely
changed a downtown intersection of New Orleans into downtown San Francisco for
our Human Colony Set. We found a dead section of highway that crossed over the
interstate in New Orleans East and turned it into the Golden Gate Bridge, [and]
we turned an abandoned power plant along the Mississippi River into several
sets.”
Pre-production also most likely occurred to
get ideas of the ape’s design for the CGI implementation later on. Some zoos
may have been visited and also some real apes may have been used (for example
the child apes) to provide vermilisitude to the film.
Production
Production was extremely important for this film to have
become the success it was. CGI implementation of the Apes was essential for the
film to be as realistic as it had become. This would have taken a lot of effort
on the animation teams part to get all the details correct and looking as
realistic as they have.
The team would have also had to record all the shots in
little time. Based on the locationguide.com “We also had to
find locations that could support the technical requirements for the film
because 3D and motion capture work adds an element of difficulty. Remote feel
but not too remote!”. The team had to arrange 3-month long street
closures which meant all filming done had to be perfected as quickly as
possible, adding pressure on the actors and camera/sound teams to be finished
as quickly as possible. Getting the right feel to the location in the end
played off however, as the finished film got all the character’s emotions and
settings right.
Post Production
For post-production the editing of shots was important to
provide the tense, low key atmosphere defined in the film. Without the correct shots
the action scenes of the film wouldn’t have been impressive to the audience
leading to a more negative outcome. The editing of transitions was also
specifically important to show the live action occurring in both the human and
ape settlement at the same time.
Furthermore, in post-production background (non-diegetic)
music was added to provide more immersive scenes and to bring the film to the
standard that it set. The music added was mainly incidental which provided the
feeling of a dynamic story that continually changed and always left the audience
feeling on edge. The music also adds emotion into the film through times ie
near the beginning when Caesar’s wife is ill, or at the point where Drayfus
sees his children on his iPad for the first time in a long while.
