Film Spectatorship and ‘Cloverfield’

Introduction

Film is one of the most powerful forms of media, but can be perceived in different ways. How a film is perceived, is up to the viewer.

‘Cloverfield’ is a great film to reference when talking about films as it includes every aspect of a typical film. These aspects include: intertextuality, codes and conventions of its genres, diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, etc.

This blog will detail the different aspects of film spectatorship and ‘Cloverfield’, especially the action between the 19th minute and the 34th minute of ‘Cloverfield’.


'Cloverfield' trailer

Genre

    What is Genre?

Genre (French for ‘type’) is the type of film. Films are categorized into genres, so viewers can see what type of film they would be watching. Film critics use genres to know what aspects of a film they should be looking at and what codes and conventions they should be looking for.

    Sub Genres

A sub genre is a genre used in a film that is a combination of multiple genres. ‘Shaun of the Dead’ is the most famous example of a film with a sub genre. ‘Shaun of the Dead’ used a hybrid genre of horror, romance and comedy, marketed as a ‘zom-rom-com’. ‘Cloverfield’ uses a combination of disaster, action and sci-fi.

'Shaun of the Dead' Trailer

    Codes and Conventions of the Disaster/Action/Sci-Fi Genre

        Narrative and Themes

Action films usually have a narrative based on a challenge. Disaster films usually have a narrative based on an attempt to escape. Science fiction films usually have a narrative based on humans interacting with another planet or creature.

        Characters

The characters in action films usually have a strong physique. The characters in disaster films are usually unknown, in comparison to a-list actors. Sci-fi films usually include aliens.

        Mise-en-Scene
           
            Setting

The setting of action films are commonly in major cities (New York) or areas of huge conflict (Afghanistan). Disaster films are most commonly set in major cities like New York. Sci-fi films are set either in a major city (New York) or outer space. The film ‘Quantum of Solace’ was filmed in Haiti as it is poor and is the most unlikely setting for an action film, making the film unique.

'Quantum of Solace' Trailer

            Costumes

The costumes in action films become dirtier and rougher as the film goes on. Disaster films have clean clothes, but as the film goes on, the clothes get dirtier. Sci-fi films usually invent their own clothing (superhero, supervillain and alien outfits).

            Props

Action films contain weapons as the main type of prop in the film. Disaster films include items of value (cars, houses, etc.) which can be destroyed. Sci-fi films include props with the impression of extra-terrestrial tools and weapons.

            Lighting

Dark lighting is used often in action, sci-fi and disaster films.

        Cinematography

            Camera Shots

In action, sci-fi and disaster films, close ups are used to show emotions in the characters and long shots are used to show action in the background.

            Shot Types

Canted angles are used in found footage films of the action, sci-fi and disaster genres to make the audience believe that the film is made by amateur filmmakers. In all genres, high angles are used to make something look inferior and low angles make something look powerful.

            Type of Camera

Found footage films of the sci-fi, action and disaster genres use handheld camera to add a sense of realism to the film. Sci-fi, action and disaster films which aren’t found footage films would use cinema cameras.

            Camera Movement

Camera movement is fast in sci-fi, action and disaster films to show the speed of the action and panic of the characters.

Codes and Conventions of ‘Cloverfield’

‘Cloverfield’ uses the codes and conventions of action, disaster and sci-fi films by having a narrative of the main characters in an attempt to escape from a huge alien and facing challenges along the way. ‘Cloverfield’ has alien characters (the alien), strong characters (the army) and unknown actors portraying the main characters. ‘Cloverfield’ is set in New York to add intertextuality of 9/11, allowing the audience to understand the film and how the characters are feeling. The characters’ clothes get dirtier as the film goes on. The statue of Liberty’s head is used as a prop because it represents freedom and when it is taken off the statue and thrown by the alien, it signifies strength and power in the alien. Dark lighting is used in ‘Cloverfield’ to get the audience into the sense of panic and danger. Close ups are used a lot in ‘Cloverfield’ to show the characters’ emotions. A handheld camera is used to add a sense that the footage has been filmed by amateur filmmakers. The pace of the camera movement is very fast to increase the sense of panic and stress in the characters.

        Sounds

            What is Diegetic and Non-Diegetic?

Diegetic sounds are any sounds used in a film which are originally in the film (i.e. dialogue, explosions). Non-diegetic sounds are any sounds which have been added (i.e. music)

            Sounds Used in Cloverfield

Cloverfield only uses diegetic sounds to give the film a stronger sense of realism.

        Actors/Stars

            Range in Fees

Unknown actors/stars do not get much money for their work, but some films can offer exposure and a chance of getting bigger roles, which offer more money for their work. Celebrity actors/stars (i.e. Jennifer Aniston, Johnny Depp, Ricky Gervais) can charge more money for their work because their name and appearance brings fans of the stars to the film and great actors can make a bad script sound good.

            Why Cloverfield Opted for Unknown Actors

‘Cloverfield’ opted for unknown actors to add a sense of realism to the film. By not knowing the actors in the film, we find it easier to believe the film as an actual event and we don’t associate the actor’s image with characters in other films, which they have previously portrayed.

    Sequels and Cycles

        The Benefits of Making a Sequel

A sequel usually gains success depending on the amount of success the other films in the franchise have had. Less work is needed to create a sequel as the characters have already been created.

        What is the Cycle of a Film?

The cycle of a film begins with Idea, then development, then it goes onto pre-production, then production, followed by post-production, then onto distribution and finishing with exhibition.



 In the Idea stage, the original idea for a film is thought of and noted down.

In development, a film idea is expanded.

In pre-production, a script is written, release forms are organised, locations are found and a cast and crew is assembled.

In production, the filming takes place.

In post-production, a film is publicised.

In distribution, a film is sold to cinemas and then in other outlets and other ways of generating income are put into action (i.e. merchandise, websites, etc.)

In exhibition, the film is shown in cinemas and other outlets become active.

Film/Genre Pleasures

    Uses and Gratifications Theory

The uses and gratifications theory tells us that audiences choose to consume films in various ways. These ways are diversion, personal relationships, personal identity and surveillance.

Using diversion means to use a film as an escape from everyday problems and routine.

Using personal relationships means to use a film to interact with. For example, some people use soap operas as a substitute for their family life.

Using personal identity means to use a film to see yourself reflected, usually in a character, to teach values and behaviour.

Using surveillance to consume a film means to use the information in the film, which would be useful. For example, weather reports, news, etc.

    Audience Positioning

Film producers can encode a message and allow the audience to decode the message. Although, the producers may want the audience to see the message with a particular opinion, so they, using the film, put the audience into a position for them t view the message in the way the producers want them to.

    Intertextuality

        What is Intertextuality?

Intertextuality is the referencing of something in a film. For example, ‘Cloverfield’ use intertextuality to make the audience compare the films events with the events of 9/11 by basing the film New York, having buildings collapse and using amateur camera movement. Intertextuality is mainly used for the audience to relate to the film and the film’s events by comparing them to other events or other films and texts.

Film Reception

    Active and Passive Audiences

An active audience is an audience which interprets the film in either an oppositional view, a negotiated view or a dominant view. An oppositional view is the opinion that the film teaches a wrong message. A negotiated view is the view that the film sends an approved message, but the audience believes the message should be taught differently. A dominant view is the view that the message is appropriate and should be taught in the way that the film teaches.

    Reception Theory

The reception theory is based on the encoding and decoding of messages. The reception theory suggests that producers choose a message they want to be told in the film and encode it into the film. The audience then decodes the message, usually in the way the producer wants them to, which will then make an influence on their actions.

    Variables in Film Spectatorship

The way in which a film is viewed can often affect how the viewer sees the film.

        DVD

The benefits of watching a film on DVD is that the viewer can watch the film when they want as many times as they want, but the viewer compromises on picture and sound quality. The viewer, when watching a film on DVD, can also be distracted by other people (i.e. knocking at the door), and other events around them (i.e. pets chasing each other).

        Cinema

A cinema is often the most favoured option, but it also means that food and drink is expensive, other viewers may be loud and distracting and if the film is boring the viewer, the viewer feels awkward walking away from the film. The benefits of watching a film in cinema is that sound and picture quality is much better than on any consumer product and watching a film at a cinema brings a sense of occasion to it.

Film Language

    Mise-en-Scene

The props used in ‘Cloverfield’ are weapons (guns and tanks used by the military) and everyday items (mobile phones, TVs). The everyday items will increase the sense of realism as the audience will be able to imagine themselves using them. The characters’ clothes are formal but then get dirtier to show that the characters no longer care about the way they look once the alien attacks New York. Dark lighting is used to add to the sense of danger and tension. ‘Cloverfield’ is set in New York to allow the audience to compare the film’s events with the events of 9/11 and give the characters more to lose.

    Camerawork

The camera movement is very fast in ‘Cloverfield’ to make it look like the characters didn’t expect the attack from the alien and add panic and terror to the film. High angles are used to make the characters look inferior to the alien and low angles have been used in ‘Cloverfield’ to make the alien look superior. Close ups are used to show emotion in the characters’ facial expressions and mid shots are used to show the characters’ expressions in their bodies. A handheld camera is used to make the film look more realistic as it makes the camera movement look shaky and amateur.

    Sound

All sound in ‘Cloverfield’ is diegetic to increase the sense of realism in the film. This technique has been chosen because ‘Cloverfield’ is a found footage film, which is meant to be a documentation of the night’s events, rather than a theatrical experience.

    SFX

Special effects have been used to show explosions of buildings, the decapitation of the Statue of Liberty. The director has only used special effects for these purposes because he wasn’t able to create the actions on location. The director has limited the amount of SFX in ‘Cloverfield’ to increase the sense of realism.

    Editing

‘Cloverfield’ was cleverly filmed in that, although it may seem that the film was filmed in a few long takes, the camera moves very quickly or very close to someone, so the picture is distorted or dark, to make several short takes look like one very long take. This adds to the sense of realism the director wanted to achieve, as no viewer expects it to be possible for a hollywood film to be filmed in real-time.

Conclusion

I conclude that ‘Cloverfield’ has managed to create a narrative, which has never happened and probably never will, look a lot like an event that has happened and could happen again (9/11 attacks). ‘Cloverfield’ seems to have similarities with the 2005 Steven Spielberg film ‘War of the Worlds’, in that the alien attacking has been on Earth longer than we think, the alien attacks a major city and the characters must escape the city to save themselves.
 
'War of the Worlds' trailer

Intertextuality with the 9/11 attacks on New York have helped ‘Cloverfield’ gain success as the audience of ‘Cloverfield’ probably intend to know more about what it would have been like to be in New York at the time of the 9/11 attacks. I believe that ‘Cloverfield’ is a controversial film as people (dominant audience) can see it as a way of telling people what 9/11 felt like to be in, on the other hand, people (oppositional audience) may see ‘Cloverfield’ as a film which publicises an event which is best to be forgotten. Some people (negotiated audience) can see the points of both arguments. ‘Cloverfield’ chooses to display all the codes and conventions of the sci-fi, action and disaster genres, with a linear perspective to allow the audience of the film to understand each event as it happens.