Exam Question 2013 June
Section A
Urban Stories- Poverty Power and Conflict
‘To find an international audience, films about local and particular problems need to use mainstream techniques such as those associated with Hollywood cinema.’ How far do you agree with this statement in relation to the films you have studied for this topic?

Mainstream techniques- linear narrative, realistic character development, love development with other character to refind them self. commonly holly wood uses straight couple- stereotypical simple easy for audience. Single or double narrative line, confrontation to achieve goal follow men typically

Plan- Rust and Bone is about a woman's life after a horrible accident where her legs get chopped off from a whale attck.- Love development, straight couple, confrontation to achieve goal. (FOLLOWS)

COG- multi protagonist- multi and flexi narrative, little love development yet all men linear narrative strands, confrontation through conflict such as with guns ( IN THE MIDDLE)

ANSWER

Over the films I have studied for this topic there have been unique problems to which the characters within the films have had to face. Directors use mainstream techniques such as used in Hollywood, so that a global audience is reached easier yet some directors use different techniques, uncommon to Hollywood, because they want to challenge film norms. 

One such film which uses its own techniques but does not stray away to far from Hollywood conventions is the action social realism film, City of God (Fernando Mierelles, 2003). The film follows a young boy, named Rocket, who grows up in the fevella of City of God and it is about his struggles with power, poverty and conflict within the fevella. The film uses multiple protagonists to convey the plot. Such as Rocket, Carrot, Lil Ze, Knock Out Ned and Benny. This contrasts to Hollywood block busters such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (David Yates 2016). Yet City of God also uses usual techniques used in Hollywood such as character development is shown predominantly through men and confrontation is shown through action scenes. For example the final scene where Rocket is stood in between the police and Lil Ze's gang and they both start to shoot at each other. In my opinion City of God film applies common Hollywood techniques to find an international audience to a slight extent. It uses these because of the multi protagonists and flexi narrative which they are all included in. Thus City of God needs some mainstream techniques because without them the audience will not understand the main themes of power, poverty and conflict. 

However the social realism romance film Rust and Bone (Jacques Audiard, 2012) follows mainstream conventions to a vast extent to find an international audience. The film entails a woman who loses her legs to an accident involving a whale and a man who's trying to look after his child. Although, to some, having your legs amputated from a whale accident is rare, it is a common technique used in mainstream film; for the character to lose a part of their body, which makes them them, and thus them having to battle with the repercussions. Similar to the film of "Me Before You"(2016 Thea Sharrock). Just like Me Before You The character re-discovers them self from the love of another character. For example in Rust and Bone one of the protagonists, Stephanie, finds love with the other , Alain, and thus re-discovers her passion for sex. Other techniques are implemented such as a linear narrative and the protagonists being straight and white. In my opinion this film follows the mainstream techniques to an immense degree so that it can find an international audience with ease. 

In conclusion we have two films which slightly contrast with each other. Rust and Bone which follows mainstream techniques to a great scale so that it can find an international audience with simplicity to portray the particular problem of disability. On the other hand there is City of God which encompasses techniques used in Hollywood as well as using unconventional methods to find an international audience to show the local problems of living in the fevellas.