Casting Problems

Whilst trying to cast a presidential figure for our political speech our group met a number of problems such as:
- correlating free time,
- the location and
- finding an authoritative figure who looked the part.

These were minor issues however as the most significant difficulty was finding an adult who was willing to take part. One of the candidates we considered raised the point that the speech and set up, if filmed, put on the internet and taken out of context, could tarnish the reputation of the person who had read it.

For the point of our narrative the speech condemns the British media and removes public and private access to free speech in an Orwellian style future.

Fear of Footage Manipulation: Two of the potential actors for the presidential role were teachers and were strongly advised not to perform in our video for these reasons.

This highlights an interesting issue regarding the press and the power the media industry has to manipulate information, aided by the ever growing internet, and also edit original material distorting the truth. These teachers felt that their careers could be put in jeopardy in the future, implying, perhaps, that the media holds more sway over what we think and do than we would freely admit.

Solution: In the end we chose to film the full length speech because we had found a slightly younger actor who was willing to participate. After the speech was filmed we decided to edit it down, not only to reduce the length of the speech but also to remove some of the superfluous and more provocative phrases.

Younger actor:
The younger age of the actor portraying the politician actually worked in our favour.

The Double: - It created a new dynamic for the narrative as it seemed to imply the use of the double, typically a mythological or religious story idea (eg. Romulus and Remus, Cain and Abel etc.) which has become a  prevalent convention in gothic horrors, fantasy and thriller narratives.

Comparisons: - It subtly provokes the audience to compare and contrast the two characters and creates an almost preordained conflict.

Not Right Verses Wrong: - Coupled with one of our potential taglines, the inter-texual phrase, ‘One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’ we hope to intimate that there are two perspectives of the dystopian world and not simply that one is wrong and one is right.

Jon, our actor, could be aligned in appearance to our current Prime Ministers which helped to add  depth and reality to the shots of the speech. We explored the concept of Prime Minsiters in life and film here.

[David Cameron (Left), Nick Clegg (Middle), Jon (Right)]

They all have:
- dark hair neatly styled,
- pale skin,
- slim built,
- clean shaven and 
- middle aged or younger.
We aimed to dress Jon in a similarly smart way as well for authenticity.

'1984' Film Deconstruction

1984 (1984)     Director: Michael Radford     Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

 ‘1984’ is the film adaptation of George Orwell's novel of “a totalitarian future society in which a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love”. The government of the totalitarian society in Oceania, Ingsoc., has perfect the means of retaining power, absolute power, for eternity. Love, Peace, Trust, Freedom, Worship and Humanity have all been distorted in the novel, all that is left is a cruel and endless hierarchy imposing poverty, fear and immorality –in short a society built on hatred where even family no longer matters. The eradication and manipulation of the past and the brutality of the Thought Police creates a horrifying dystopia, and looming over this horrific world is the face of Big Brother: ruler, dictator, idol. The audience follows Winston Smith who attempts to take back a part of his freedom and humanity by allowing himself to feel. (Click here to read about the novel)

Title:
- ‘1984’ is the year the protagonist, Winston Smith, believes he lives in –therefore it is the year the film is set in.
- Orwell’s suggestion?
if the totalitarian model of government wasn't discredited and abandoned, the world might look this way in 1984.
- Original novel was written in 1948, idea came from flipping the last two numbers.
- The original title for the novel was ‘The Last Man in Europe’, ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ was more enigmatic.
- Potentially an allusion to the poem ‘End of the Century, 1984’ by Eileen O’Shaughnessy who was Orwell’s first wife.

Due to the success of this novel the phrase ‘Orwellian’ has come to describe a totalitarian dystopia characterised by government control and subjugation of the people.

Tagline: 
‘Big Brother is watching…’
- motif of posters  throughout the film of Big Brother which bear the inscription “Big Brother is Watching You”.
- The idea of being watched creates an element of uneasiness and a pervading sense of fear.
- Epitomises the film =  the quest to allude being seen, yet it is also a core ‘truth’ in the film’s society.

The term ‘Big Brother’ has become synonymous with the idea of abuse of government power, often at the expense of civil liberty, particularly relating to mass surveillance.

Characters:

Big Brother is the embodiment of The Party who rule Oceania and is at the top of this social hierarchy. In both the novel and film it is not clear whether Big Brother is alive or dead, or even existed – some comments allude to him being merely a fictional character created to personify the Party, and used a substitute for a God or idol.
- The Party claim that he was one of the original founding members of the Party
- devotion is shown through the ‘Two Minutes Hate’ depicted in a cultish way.
Love for Big Brother is controlled and created by the three ministries: the Ministry of Peace – which deals with war,
the Ministry of Love – which is to do with surveillance and torture and
the Ministry of Truth – where propaganda and subversion of history occurs.

Costume: Big Brother’s clothing is never actually seen. His face fills the telescreen in an intimidating manner and he is only a dominating presence throughout the film and book -never met in the flesh.

Type-casting:

Big Brother has slicked back hair and a clipped moustache.

Appearance - bears a resemblance with some infamous European dictators such as Stalin and Hitler.

Age - difficult to gauge because of his features but also because his intense eyes draw the audiences’ gaze in an almost hypnotic way. He is an imposing character and, on sight, one to be feared.

It is believed that the film version Big Brother was partially inspired by the WW1 Lord Kitchener poster.

Winston is the protagonist of the film and it is through his eyes that we discover the world of 1984.
- appears to have strong moral values 
- a man of belief although he is unsure in what exactly he believes in.
- In Winston Orwell explores the concept of humanity and human instinct, whether it is inherent or whether it must be sought and through Winston’s description as the ‘last man in Europe’ the society is presented as lacking this sense of humanity and duty to one another.

Winston records his awakening to the disturbing present he lives in and the audience sees as he verbalizes and finally takes action to rebel against oppression and hatred.
Winston is revealed to be a very noble and selfless hero as he takes these life endangering steps without hope that he will live to see the change he fights for and also without knowing if anyone else will.
He struggles to be human in an environment that is designed to dehumanize. He gives up his life and eventually his soul and spirit so that he can live and think, even for a short time, as a human being, emphasising that the struggle in itself is valuable.
It is his love for Julia that allows him to have this courage and despite being isolated and broken he still believes in his own truth.

Costume: Winston
- a dirty, blue, generic jumpsuit,
- synonymous with physical labour.
- In some ways ironic, Winston strives to be different from everyone else by reclaiming his humanity and control over his feelings yet he is dressed exactly the same.
- His dress also alludes to the poverty endured by the nation.
- Whilst under torture, both physically and mentally, he is denied the human right of clean clothes in order to degrade and humiliate him.

Type-casting: John Hurt, who plays Winston, is middle-aged –fitting the description in the book, and is made to look neither ugly nor handsome.
- aligned with an everyman.
His haircut is eerily similar to George Orwell’s in the photo used for the trailer, perhaps to subtly allude to the author throughout the film.

Julia is a complex character.
- On the surface a true advocator of the Party and their principles
- underneath she rebels and rages at the injustices of the society although not on the intellectual level that Winston does.
- confident,
- sensual and
- athletic character all of which draw Winston to her, initially due to hatred because she is unattainable, at the start of their love affair.
- Her way of rebelling is by reclaiming the right to her own body and experiencing the feelings of intimacy through companionship.
- She lives the rebellion in her present and tries to convince Winston to make the most of their one life without worry about the future.
- Her feelings of self-preservation and self-confidence are greater than Winston’s, making her better adapted to active rebellion in a way that he does not have the capacity for, albeit through minor crimes.
- Both Winston and Julia believe that their hearts cannot be broken by the Party and they cling together to protect their human selves.

Costume: Julia
-  the same blue jumpsuit as Winston,
-  hers is cleaner highlighting that she hasn’t been broken by the society yet, as he has.
- no makeup
- a red sash, worn around her waist. It is, ironically, to show her ‘abstinence and celibacy’; however, red is the colour of passion, love and lust.
- Winston and Julia's sexual relationship mean that they are often shown naked together. The clothes, then, become symbolic of them shedding the oppression of the society.


Type-casting: Julia
- dark hair 
- pale skin,
- just as Winston could be any man, she could be any woman.
- her youth and vitality which makes her desirable and beautiful to Winston. - Her hair is usually neatly pinned back, another way of reducing individuality and highlighting how society imposes on even the smallest details of the character’s lives.

References:

http://www.itiscannizzaro.net/Ianni/booksweb/sito1984/papers/characters.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four#History_and_title

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087803/

http://callcenterpurgatory.blogspot.com/2004/11/winstons-struggle.html

'Blade Runner' Costume and Type-Casting

Costume:

Deckard’s style of dress:
- conforms to that of a stereotypical American detective
- resembles styles from the ‘40’s and 50’s.
- brown trench coat and coloured shirt and the way his weapon is holstered at the hip, have connotations of a Western ranger.
- old fashioned compared with the advanced technology his world.
- Deckard’s weapon although advanced in function has a retrofit look.
- generally dark or duller colours = highlight his skill for blending in.
- constant motif of darkness 
- tie a symbol of professionalism, but rather than creating a sleek image for Deckard his mismatched ties show a certain scruffiness and, like the rest of his outfit, practicality.
- Over the course of the film Deckard’s appearance becomes more dishevelled, particularly directly after the fight sequences where his number of injuries are also increased.

Type Casting: Deckard’s character

- strong and silent

- moments of intense emotion (For example, the kiss scene and the final climatic fight).

- appearance connotes to strength to make his conflicts with the replicants seem plausible

- double layering of the trench coat, with its large collar and the jacket create an enhanced shoulder size and emphasise Harrison Ford’s height.

- Male protagonist chosen for this reason too,

- aggressive and emotionally detached.

- mid-brown hair and lack of distinct facial differences create the image of an ‘Everyman’ that the audience can relate to and follow.

Rachael’s style of clothing:

- sculptural

- accentuates not just her femininity

- also creates the implication that she is an android due to some of the angular lines.

- shoulder padding, use of straight lines and rigidly set hair highlight her perfect proportions.

- her demur outfits share likenesses in style to those from forties Films Noir particularly with the use of black.

**The film has acknowledged the cyclical nature of fashion but they have also altered the richness of those classic outfits to make them more rigid and mechanised.**

- high-heels are a female icon but Rachel's characteristic rhythm on the floor at Tyrell Corp. denotes to the seemingly cold and reserved side of her character. Later this sound is used to symbolise her power as she chooses a new path of her own.- Rachael’s clothing transforms, following her personal development.

- A voluminous fur coat, which has a high, stiff collar that frames her face gives her an edge of softness but also takes on an animalistic look when she kills Leon.

- the colours of her outfit  soften to a light, silk grey girlish dress with horizontal stripes and a small bow.

- most significant change in her appearance is when she lets down her hair. Her messed up curls soften her angular face and create a sense of her vulnerability. Here, with more natural make up (without the dark eyeliner and the bright red lips) she looks less like a porcelain doll and more human, ironically this is when she accepts the truth that she is a replicant.

- smoking, perhaps indicating her deep need for something to rely on but also it gives her an air of mystery as often the tendrils smoke hide or blur her face.

 

Type casting: Rachel's Character

- exceptionally dark hair make her stand out from the two other women in the film, 

- highlighting her internal differences externally, 

- perhaps implying that she is ‘the dark horse’ of the film – the unexpected survivor/winner. 

- Her appearance is to exploit her beauty and present her as a desirable character. 

 

‘Blade Runner’ is a cyberpunk vision of the future and for this reason the style of the replicants (who are treated as a subservient lower class) have costumes that reflect their status.

 

Roy’s Style:

- black and grey scale clothing

- a long, reflective coat-  resembles waste. This is to convey the consumerism and post-industrial fashion of the predicted 2019.

- the coat also resembles Deckard’s with its large collar and, like Deckard’s, is worn mainly for concealment.

- the leather jacket allusion has connotations with rebels even in our society.

- Black in clothing also creates an impression of size and on Roy, who is an A grade physical model, it emphasises his size and potential strength

- creating a very imposing image.

- In contrast with the darkness of his clothing Roy has practically white hair and incredibly blue eyes

-  In the final fight scene, Roy removes most of his clothing and strips to just a pair of black shorts.

In doing so he removes the restrictions society has placed upon him becoming wilder and more animalistic in his attack. However, at the very end before his death, Roy’s near nakedness could be to imply that he was still a child (not yet 4 years old) and return him to a state of vulnerability and innocence.  The rain in this scene washes the blood from him, cleaning him, which could also support this idea.  

 

Type casting: Roy's Character

Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty

- showed both the good and evil within his character

- balanced the violence of Roy with his powerful reflections.

- The appearance of the replicants who are supposed to be superior to humans should be that of physicality, beauty and danger.

- Roy’s image is cold, Aryan and flawless in order to highlight his power,

- Tyrell even describes him as the “prodigal son”.

- The actor’s strong features and large eyes draw focus to Roy’s intense emotion. 

'Gattaca' Costume and Type-casting

Costume:

In the beginning Vincent is seen in casual clothing, slightly scruffy but that never the less mark him out as studious, possibly even geeky as his physically weaker stature also conforms with this stereotype. Once he leaves the relative comfort and safety of his home Vincent loses even this stereotype and identity becoming merely a generic worker, wearing a grey and black jumpsuit, in the eyes of society. His glasses are symbolic of his perceived invalidity. After Vincent takes on Jerome’s identity he dresses in dark colours, usually black, and styled suits, with hair slicked back, in order to present himself as one of Gattaca’s elite. His physical transformation highlights the superficial prejudice of society and highlights that underneath the genes everyone has the same potential. His smart, crisp uniform despite the futuristic diegesis of the narrative is surprisingly traditional and similar to dress clothes today. However the regularity that he wears this smart attire is surprising.

Type Casting: Jerome, Vincent and Anton all have brown hair which is slicked back (except when Vincent isn’t in his role as a ‘borrowed ladder’). This conformity in the casting is to show the reduced individuality of the characters and to allow the audience to see the possibility of their interchangeable identities. Their chiselled features, without facial hair, impress the society’s desire for perfection and to highlight the attractiveness of the actors is also a hook for a female audience. 

Jerome is wheelchair-bound after an ‘accident’ and this is silver and black with no additions to it. Jerome was born as one of the elite and assumes a position of superiority and authority. His dress code matches these feeling as he is always well turned out in a suit styled outfit, shirt, tie and waistcoat with dark trousers and shiny shoes. Although, like the other characters, he is often in darker clothes (particularly dependent on his mood) he is the only character to be seen wearing a bright colour. Whether this is ironic as he is one of the most depressed characters of the film is unknown.

Irene wears the same formal styling of outfit as Vincent. It is black and white and decent, although she wears it with sophistication and its tailoring affords to show her figure highlighting her desirability. Most of her clothes have an air of formality even her all black athletics clothing and elegant black dinner dress. Her gold dress is the first time she breaks free of some unspoken formal clothing code and by having her hair down the idea that she is breaking with normality is accentuated. The richness of the colour gold is often symbolic of something precious and Irene’s role as a love interest would align her with that idea. 

Type Casting: Blonde hair is often associated either with beauty, being angelic or with stupidity. In this film Irene’s blonde hair and blue eyes could be a nod to the Nazi view of the perfection of the Aryan race in order to align the oppressive government with this infamous political party so that the audience will subconsciously understand the threat that this antagonist poses within the film. Uma Thurman also has an angular face and is often considered an interesting beauty. Her model-like looks would show the audience from the beginning that she too was a designer baby – made to be the best in every way.