THEMES
Gaming, feminism, the role of women in the media and it’s change.
Gaming, feminism, the role of women in the media and it’s change.
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
At the start the audience is introduced to the character of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider gaming franchise. The middle of the narrative focussed on the success both the game and the character has had and how the character of Lara Croft has become a feminist icon and rose in pop culture cultivating in many fans bringing her from the virtual world into ‘reality’. The documentary also focuses on the release of the motion picture of the same name starring Angelina Jolie, and whether this was a good or bad idea, and whether this would carry the franchise to new heights. The end, although summed up the documentary’s exposition that Lara Croft has become a major figure in pop culture, but was left open as to whether the film was a success in box office or with avid fans of Lara Croft.
At the start the audience is introduced to the character of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider gaming franchise. The middle of the narrative focussed on the success both the game and the character has had and how the character of Lara Croft has become a feminist icon and rose in pop culture cultivating in many fans bringing her from the virtual world into ‘reality’. The documentary also focuses on the release of the motion picture of the same name starring Angelina Jolie, and whether this was a good or bad idea, and whether this would carry the franchise to new heights. The end, although summed up the documentary’s exposition that Lara Croft has become a major figure in pop culture, but was left open as to whether the film was a success in box office or with avid fans of Lara Croft.
CAMERA WORK
A Canted Angle was used in several interviews to make it seem as though the audience was playing a video game to engross the audience and feel entertained whilst they were being informed.
There were several Mid-shots in interviews with the creator of Tomb Raider, to highlight his importance, yet an extreme close up in the interview with Angelina Jolie, mainly because she is a bigger star and more recognisable, but is also playing Lara Croft in the movie and so is a ‘real life’ Lara Croft, who is, herself, the ‘star’ of the documentary.
A Canted Angle was used in several interviews to make it seem as though the audience was playing a video game to engross the audience and feel entertained whilst they were being informed.
There were several Mid-shots in interviews with the creator of Tomb Raider, to highlight his importance, yet an extreme close up in the interview with Angelina Jolie, mainly because she is a bigger star and more recognisable, but is also playing Lara Croft in the movie and so is a ‘real life’ Lara Croft, who is, herself, the ‘star’ of the documentary.
Several panning shots were used to slowly capture the physical attributes of Lara Croft in the game. This emphasises her forward sexuality.
There was also a mixture of Extreme close ups of people’s hands playing the Tomb Raider game, showing the importance that the gaming community has to the ‘Lara Croft’ product.
There was also several panning shots of website entrees, notably letters written to Lara Croft, emphasising how in-demand Lara Croft is, that people have begun to see her as an existing person.
In each of the interviews, the interviewee was placed to one side, while the green screen of game footage could clearly be seen to entertain the audience and also fully understand what the interviewee is saying.
Many interviews took place while the interviewee was playing on the tomb Raider game, highlighting its mass effect on the video gaming community.
Several interviews were also shown on a computer screen, which is relevant to the theme of gaming, and is also aesthetically pleasing to the audience and makes a change to the original way of showng an interview.
SOUND
We could hear a lot of game footage sound, notably the over-sexual sounds that Lara makes in the game when jumping or climbing to reinforce the impact of her sexually played character. This was also created through using Lara to ‘speak to the audience’ in such a way e.g. at the end when the character said ‘Thank you Boys’
We could hear a lot of game footage sound, notably the over-sexual sounds that Lara makes in the game when jumping or climbing to reinforce the impact of her sexually played character. This was also created through using Lara to ‘speak to the audience’ in such a way e.g. at the end when the character said ‘Thank you Boys’
There was also some non-diegetic background music which related to the topic being discussed, notably when an interviewee spoke of Madonna as a feminist, one of her songs could be heard.
EDITING
There was a section, cleverly edited at the beginning when several interviews were inter-twined around game footage of Tomb Raider. An interviewee would offer an adjective(s) to describe the character of Lara Croft, it would then cut to a sexually orientated pose of Lara, and then back to a complimentary interviewee and back to game footage repeatedly until the documentary began. This is entertaining and original in conducting interviews, yet also highlights the popularity of the character.
There was a section, cleverly edited at the beginning when several interviews were inter-twined around game footage of Tomb Raider. An interviewee would offer an adjective(s) to describe the character of Lara Croft, it would then cut to a sexually orientated pose of Lara, and then back to a complimentary interviewee and back to game footage repeatedly until the documentary began. This is entertaining and original in conducting interviews, yet also highlights the popularity of the character.
Also, when the creator of the game spoke in the middle of the documentary, it would cut to a clip of Lara Croft answering him s though they were having a conversation, reinforcing this idea that Lara Croft is becoming more and more of a living entity in the lives of avid fans.
Game footage was used to demonstrate the game demographics but also to emphasise Lara Croft’s sexuality. Film footage was also used to create this effect.
The interview with Angelina Jolie was likely to have archive as the low budget documentary would not have been able to afford to interview Angelina in person.
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