Understanding Neo Noir, with examples

Neo Noir is a modern style, that include elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements. When translated neo noir is "new black". 

Examples of Neo Noir films:

also...

Black Swan (2010)
The Lookout (2007)
The Machinist (2004)
Memento (2000)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)


In class, we watched the opening title sequence of The Red Riding Trilogy, Mullholland Drive, and Blade Runner. Below I will outline how the film is conventional and unconventional of a film noir featured in the 3 films. The unconventional elements combined with the conventional elements make them a Neo Noir.

I have listed the convention and unconventional elements, and in the slideshows from cincopa.com I have shown stills from the movie/movie artwork etc which fits with my list.

The Red Riding Trilogy:

Conventional noir elements:

Non linear

Distopian

Chiaroscuro
Anti Hero's Voice over
Smoking
Crime
Weapons
Rainy weather
Violence
Police

...

Unconventional noir elements:

Rural location

British - Yorkshire

Based in 1974

Acoustic guitar

Sepia - brown tone

Child murder case

Mullholland Drive:

Conventional noir elements:

Chiaroscuro

Urban

Red lipstick

Men in suits

LA

Weapons

Reflections
Mist/Smoke
Spotlights

Unconventional noir elements:

Colourful (intro)

Happy atmosphere (intro)

Stunts

Two female protagonists

Blade Runner:

Conventional noir elements:

Mist

Smoking

Chiaroscuro

Urban area, city

Distopian

American

Rain

Red lipstick

Violence

Extreme close ups

Guns

Dim

Unconventional noir elements:

Sci fi

Multi racial

Electro music
Bright lights

Audiences: Trends, Profiles and Patterns

Pete Buckingham statistics:
People aged 15-24 represent 32% of the population but 40% of cinema audience, while 55+'s represent 34% of the population but only 20% of the cinema audience.

I think 15-24's have double the amount of a cinema audience as more movies are aimed at people between these ages, this is due to them have more spare time as they don't have children, full time jobs, or money problems such as loans to pay off that older people may have. Also as 15-24's are mostly students, they have friends in school they can go with.

Pete Buckingham statistics:
ABC1's represent 49% of the population, but 60% of the cinema audience.

ABC1's are more commonly known as the middle class, I believe they'll be a high percentage of the cinema audience as they have a higher disposable income.

Audience pete buckingham what people go to see from Elaine Humpleby

Why do you watch films?
Some people watch films/go to the cinema because of this
I watch films for the entertainment, I enjoy surprising films, but my favourite genre of film is horror (which has typical conventions, which makes horror films not very surprising) so I also enjoy the exhilaration and excitement of a film.
I mainly consume films through streaming or the cinema, but the overall trend for film consumption is:
(see slide 2)

Research task uk film consumption from Emily Hymus

Driver and barriers:

Drivers:
Things that encourage me to go to the cinema

Genre
Actors

My favourite genre of film is Horror. If I see an advert for a new horror movie that is coming to cinemas I will imediatley be interested in it and so will want to watch it.
If my favourite actor is in a film I will be interested in the film, even if it isn't my favourite genre, as I prefer films featuring them eg. My favourite actor is James Franco, and although he doesn't star in horror movies, I watch and enjoy his films. This is simular for any popular actor not just my favourite.


Barriers:
Things that discourage me to go to the cinema

Cinema price
No spare time

Cinema prices are not cheap, and so I don't go to the cinema as much as I'd like to. When I do go to the cinema I have quite a hedonist attitude when picking a film to watch, as I make quick decisions on most films I watch, instead of planning out a film I really want to see.
Sixth form is my top priority and in my spare time I'm more likely to finish work or revise for certain lessons than go to the cinema.

Sweded Film Definiton

Definition:

A sweded film is the brief re-creation of a popular film using a low budget and a camcorder. The sweded film must be brief, so no longer than 10 minutes.

Useful links:

What is a sweded film and examples
Definition
"7 Best Sweded Films"

Sweded Film example: Be Kind Rewind

Link on youtube (not sure if this works as in school)

Audience Terms

Active - Will take notice of the media, eg. watch the movie, listen to the music and be an active perticipant.

Passive - Will have the media (eg. music, film) in the background as they do something else, or won't want to watch the film but go to the cinema anyway.

Traditional - Watch only their typical favourite genre, usually go to the cinema or buy dvd's. Examples of films for traditional audiences: sequels such as Harry Potter, Star Wars etc.

Hedonist - Take a leap of faith, and watch whatever they want at the time. They don't plan their cinema trips they just go with their sudden feelings. Hedonists tend to go with new ideas and new ways of doing things, for example they'd rather stream movies than go to the cinema. Examples of films for hedonist audiences: Sin city, as it takes different concepts of films into one (eg. film noir)

Post Modern - Usually intellectual films, which use different forms of media. Will usually stream films than go to the cinema or buy dvds like the hedonist views. Sweded films are a post modern technique. Examples of films for this audience: Avatar.

I think I consume media actively, I am hedonistic and slightly post modern. I usually stream films as it's cheaper than going to the cinema, and so I don't mind if the film isn't to my taste. As for going to the cinema, I'm still a hedonist, as my favourite genre is horror, and most horror films are rated higher than my age, and so I cannot watch in the cinema. Also, as my favourite genre is horror, I like to watch other genres as the horror genre is a genre that follows a sequence and most horror films are very similar to each other, (typical conventions slide share seen below) so by watching a different genre of film, I consume inspiring media.

Horror genre conventions from marine18

Vimeo example link.

Audience from cigdemkalem
This slideshare helped me understand different audience types as mentioned in class. The theories mentioned in the slideshare were not mentioned by my teacher, but by finding this slideshare I have a wider understanding.

As my OTS genre is neo noir, my audience will more likely be hedonistic as neo noir is a rather new genre that takes the old genre, of film noir, and recreates it. I believe every person in my media class consumes media actively, and as I will be asking for my peers view on my OTS, I will get a more analysed opinion of it.