My Project Proposal

     Hello! I'm Jazmine and I've been researching on Spy thrillers for the past couple weeks. My team members (Alejandra and Connie) and I decided on this sub genre for our film opening since we can create suspense and tension from the beginning which is perfect for hooking in an audience.

    Our Target Audience 

    This film will be geared towards Millennials, Gen X, and Gen Z  both male and females since those are the most prominent demographics that watch these types of films. This audience shares usually share interests in action and mystery films, which is ideal for spy thrillers that thrive on curiosity and suspense. 

    Representation

    We decided to have a Female lead which will address representation of women which challenges the traditional spy stereotypes. 

    

    Usage of Premier Pro

    We plan to use Adobe Premiere pro which is a software that allows us to edit our videos seamlessly. For equipment we plan to use Canon Camera and Tripods for certain scenes as well as an SD card. Whoever edits would need to learn how to use Premiere pro correctly so that the scenes match up and are continuous, as well as the photographer would learn how to properly do certain camera angles. 

    Generalized Plan for our Opening Film

    An overview of our opening film would be creating a spy thriller with a clear mission based plot, tension building sequences, and a character driven suspense which will be our female lead. Our next blog posts will consist of more planning such as our script and costume design.

    References 

 previous info from my own blogs

Behind the Scenes of Mission Impossible: Producers, Studio, and Distribution success

     When people talk about Mission Impossible they think straight to the stunts and iconic actors yet they don't realize the real success actually begins behind the scenes. The producers, production company, and studio play a huge role in the creation of this global franchise.

       

        The Producers and Production

    The OG Mission Impossible was produced by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner through their production company, Cruise/ Wagner Productions. This was a major move for Tom Cruise since it was one of his first big projects as a producer not just the lead actor, which gave him creative freedom including the hiring of Brian De Palma as the director. The decision to turn the 1960s TV series into a high budget spy thriller was strategic due to its already high popularity. Instead of copying the show exactly they modernized it with bigger actions, international locations, and a more cinematic style. Also the inclusion of Tome Cruise guaranteed star power which greatly increased the films marketability.

    The Studio Behind it

    Mission Impossible was produced and distributed by the well known Paramount Pictures which already had a strong experience with block buster films so backing Mission Impossible gave it major financial and marketing support. Having a major Hollywood studio meant that the production budget would be admirable, allow global marketing campaigns, wide theater release, and strong promotional partnerships. This studio allowed the film to become more than just a mere remake of an old TV show.

    Distribution and Why it was Successful

    Paramount distributed the film officially in 1996, using a wide theatrical release strategy which meant that the film opened in many theaters all at once creating hype and strong opening weekend numbers. This marketing was heavily focused on Tom Cruise star image and the high risk action scenes, which ended with it becoming a huge box office success earning over $450 million worldwide. That strong financial performance proved there was a demand for spy thrillers which led to sequels and eventually turned Mission Impossible into one of the longest running action franchises. This film was successful due to the recognizable brand (the Tv series), a global star, respected director, a powerful studio, and a strong marketing and distribution strategy.

    Reflection

    Researching the distribution of this film helped me realize how important the business side of film really is. Paramount Pictures didn’t just release the movie they strategically marketed it as a summer blockbuster and used Tom Cruise’s star power to build hype worldwide. That wide global release helped turn it into a major box office success. For my own film project, this showed me that distribution and promotion matter just as much as production. 

    References 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_(film)

https://www.paramountpictures.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramount_Pictures

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tom-Cruise

        

Dissecting conventions of Spy thrillers : Mission Impossible

     When you think of spy thrillers Mission Impossible is basically the blueprint, the opening sequence and credits instantly establish the genre through the classic spy thriller codes and conventions. Even before the plot develops the audience they're stepping into a world of secrecy, danger, and high stake missions.

    The Hook

    The opening sequence begins with the iconic burning fuse, which is a major visual code of the franchise. This symbolizes urgency and countdown indicating something explosive is about to happen. It reflects the idea that every mission is time sensitive and dangerous. The fuse works in a metaphoric way during the film once it starts there's not stopping it. The sequence also includes a fast pace editing and quick flashes of action scenes which is a common spy thriller convention because it creates suspense without giving too much away. The audience is able to see glimpses of danger, weapons, disguises, and chasing scenes but not knowing the full context yet leaving them on the edge. 

    Credits 

    Unlike some other genres where the credits feel separate from the story, in Mission: Impossible the credits are integrated into the visuals. The typography is bold and sharp often appearing over moving images, the red and black color scheme is also important. Red suggests danger, risk, and violence while black reinforces that feeling of unknown and secrecy which are classic colors found in spy thrillers.

    Sound and Music

    The iconic theme music is one of the strongest conventions, the fast rhythmic beat builds tension and almost mimics a ticking clock reinforcing the urgency of the mission. In spy thrillers music is used to increase anxiety and anticipation which mission impossible executes perfectly.

    Establishing Genre Expectations

    Through editing, color, music, and symbolism, the opening sequence clearly signals that the film is a spy thriller. We expect deception, hidden identities, advanced tech, and impossible missions. The conventions prepare us for action but also for twists and betrayals. 

    Reflection

    Overall the opening sequence and credits in Mission Impossible serve to build suspense and establish tone. Looking at the opening sequence really allowed me to grasp and understand important codes and conventions and how they shape audience expectations. I learned that the opening sequence isn't just about introducing characters but also establishing tone, tension, and genre. In my own film opening I would definitely want to incorporate symbolic visual and focusing on quick cuts to create mystery.

References 

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/mission-impossible/?

https://spymovienavigator.com/video/mission-impossible-pre-title-sequence-decoded/?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opening_credits?

https://screenrant.com/mission-impossible-opening-credits-sequence-ranked-worst-best/?

Whos watching? Breaking down Mission Impossible

      If you've ever watched a Mission Impossible movie you know that they are the kings of making you forget how to breathe. In this blog im going to deep dive on who's in the seats for these types of movies.

    The Core Crowd

 The more popular people who watch this particular movie are OG fans like Gen X and Older Millennials who grew up on Tom Cruise in the 80s and 90s. This crowd enjoys that nostalgic feel and the fact that the stunts are all legit. Since the plot moves so fast it pulls in another type of audience, adrenaline junkies. This also includes tech nerds due to the movies "ticking clock" and high tech gadgets.

 The Change

The game changer in mission impossible began with Tom cruise dangling from a Dubai building almost 1,700 ft in the air in real life. Prior to this these movies were interesting and cool but this stunt really made this movie a global hit with no green screen being use or a double. This turned the franchise to become a "must watch" experience, this wasn't a movie anymore it drew in dare devils who didn't even care for the spy feel.

    Reflection

 

Learning about the rise of mission impossible allowed me to see that one scene can influence and change the outlook of a movie which can negatively and positively impact it. It also gave me an insight in what the crowd looked like for this particular spy thriller and what the crowd might be in general for other spy thrillers. I look forward to researching about this sub genre further.

References

https://missionimpossible.fandom.com/wiki/Burj_Khalifa

https://www.boxofficepro.com/weekend-box-office-mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-one-sound-of-freedom/

https://medium.com/b-stories/mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning-gives-audiences-the-most-impossible-mission-yet-even-if-d2373bb117da