Genre research
The urban drama genre focal
points are on issues that tend to
surround our modern society and
contemporary urban lives.
Sometimes in these films city are
almost personified to give an
impact on its characters, usually
the protagonists. Many topical
issues are aroused to show how
the characters can be affected, like
corruption, race, culture and
chaos.
The urban drama genre is somewhat a contemporary version of the gangster film genre, hence its history can be related back
to the early 1930s where the release of such films like Little Caesar(1930) and Public enemy (1931) were positively acknowledge for
success. Gangsters did not have a sense of literary about them like cowboys or detectives, however they appeared on several
contemporary newspapers as the front page headlines. Likewise, the use of strong topical issues placed a great impact on its
audience as they were able to relate to the situations in which were occurring in the gangster films. Consequently, urban drama are
focuses on the everyday issues within our contemporary society. What became predominantly known in the 1930s as gangster crime
films was not essentially the first time a film of this type was made. In 1912, The Musketeers Pig Alley exploited an urban-based
crime topic for its storyline. Additionally, The Racket (1927) and Underworld (1928) discretely laid down an establishment for the
urban/gangster genre. Furthermore, as people moved from the country to cities there was an influx of fascination towards the urban
genre.
Moreover, the urban genre continues to be on the rise as the video market for urban movies is acclaims superiority. DVD
Consumers are finding independent urban movies more appealing. ‘Filmmakers are pushing the complexity and overall look of the
urban genre to new levels.’(as quoted on buzzle.com)
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Film director behind the urban movement include:
Craig Brewer
Charles Dutton
Damon Dash
Sid Kali
Hype Williams
John Singleton
Dale Stelly
Mike O'Dea
The Hughes Brothers
The Crook Brothers
Quentin Tarantino.
Kidulthood
•Released in 2006
•Directed by Menhaj Huda
Bullet boy
•Released in 2004
•Directed by Saul Dibb
Shifty
•Released in 2008
•Directed by Eran Creevy
Juice
•Released in 1992
•Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson
Stomp the yard
•Released in 2007
•Directed by Sylvain White
Boyz n the hood
•Released in 1991
•Directed by John Sigleton
As the urban genre tends to revolve around a contemporary society there are a lot of generic conventions when it comes to
mise-en-scene.
Location/Setting
Council flats
City streets
Corner shops
Back alleyways
Lighting
Dark- the scenes which are meant to be more obscure occur during the evening, so that the protagonists do not get
themselves involved with the law, ideally police.
Light- some conflicts occur during the day to show that the protagonist are rebellious when it comes to doing things they
know is not morally or lawfully acceptable.
Props
Guns
Knives
Baseball bats
Costume and make-up
School uniform
Urban clothing- hoodies and caps
Promiscuous clothing- short skirts, tight tops
Colour
A variety of colours are used to accentuate a sense of realism
Dark colours- black and blue bring a sense of severity amongst the characters
Character position
There is usually an ensemble of characters shown together to emphasise friendship and rivalry amongst different friendship
groups. Vulnerability is emphasised if characters appear solely.
Camera shots
Significance
How can we incorporate them into a trailer?
Tracking shot
•Closer affinity with
moving characters
•When a character is being chased by the antagonist this
type of shot can be used so that the audience is able to
keep up with the pace at which the character is running.
Close-up
•Emphasises
emotions to evoke
audience meaning.
• When a character is contemplating on his/her actions
this shot can be used, especially in times of sadness
when the audience are may to feel sympathetic towards
them.
Crane shot
•Highlights times of
vulnerability by
looking down on a
character
• This has been incorporated in such films as Kidulthood,
where the shot is taken from a higher level on a estate
flat. This possibly give a sense of inferiority to the
character who is position on ground level or superiority
for the character above whom is looking down on
something.
Wide shot
•Allows the
audience to see
how characters
may react to their
surroundings or to
one other.
•The streets of London can be recognised through this
shot most clearly, however the focus of the character is
not lost as we can see how he reacts to his/her
surrounding.
Over-theshoulder shot
•Allows the
audience to be in
the perspective of
the character.
•This can be incorporate to put emphasis on a
friendship, like shown in Shifty. As a hug symbolises
unity, the over the shoulder shot is used to capture a
moment in time were two friends may be showing
platonic affections.
Two shot
•Emphasises the
importance of
friendship in certain
cases.
• A platonic relationship or intimate relationship can be
used to incorporate this shot, as shown in Boyz n the
hood. Conversations are usually highlighted through
such as shot.
Examples
Type of editing
Significance
Montage
•Helps to tell the story briefly by using a variety of
clips from the film.
Motion editing
•Each clips last a few seconds as a teaser trailer
usually ranges from 30-60 seconds. Enough clips need
to be used so the audience are given a good
understanding but are still left to wonder what else
could happen.
•Some clips are fast-forwarded in trailers to show
that they are less significant or to possibly emphasise
a quick change in mood or events.
•In a urban drama trailer, some clips are rewound as
the first few clips illustrate a clip which takes place
later on in the film and not necessarily at the
beginning of the film.
Wipe
Makes a clear distinction between two clips.
Picture effects
•Split screen emphasises rivalry
•Blur gives a character a greater significance. In
situations like drug consumption a blur can be used to
show how the character is feeling.
Sound
Significance
Diegetic
Natural sounds mark a sense of realism,
for e.g. :
•Screams
•Footstep
•Dialogue
•Music within scenes
Non-diegetic
•Crescendo- builds up a climax
(characters running)
•Rhythmic- shows consistency in the
trailer and emphasises that the societal
issues are in reoccurrence.
•Gun shots (dubbed on after production)
This is an artistic movement in which can be expressed through visual
to portray social conflicts such as racial injustice, economic
hardship and the general struggles of life. This movement is a style
of painting, however it can be related to the urban film genre as
scenes usually convey a social protest with a satire edge to it.
Contemporary
issues is the focal point of an urban film so there are many issues in which
can surround a film of this genre.
Urban films are based around what is going on in the lives of many today, such as
knife and
gun crime (as shown in Bullet boy). It would be ideal to include this aspect in a n urban film.
Rivalry between
two groups is common as it put emphasis on the calamities that occur not
jus in our society but on a worldwide scale.
Friendship
is a topical issue and also a focal point to this genre. It subverts the saying ‘blood
is thicker than water.’
A recent
stereotype of British teenagers is that they are promiscuous. Promiscuity is
exhibited through such films, like Kidulthood.
Todorov’s theory suggests that all narratives follow a simple structure. The beginning of any
film has a sense of tranquility surrounding it as the situations are in equilibrium. However, the
calmness is interrupted towards the middle of the film as a conflicting situation arouses
between protagonists and a possible antagonist. In contrast, at the closing stages of a film the
problem is resolved and a new equilibrium is reached. Consequently, a connection can be
made between Todorov’s theory and the narrative structure of an urban drama.
In an urban drama the narrative begins with a neutral atmosphere, however, towards the
middle of the film a conflicting issue arouses to bring about a period of unsettlement.
Nevertheless, towards the end there is a solution to the problem which sets a new equilibrium
for the film.
Movie Name
01/01/1971
Sweet
Sweetback's Baad
Asssss Song
-
$15,200,000
-
14/12/1988
-
$13,030,057
-
-
30/06/1989
I'm Gonna Git You
Sucka
Do the Right Thing
$3,563,535
$26,004,026
-
$6,000,000
12/07/1991
Boyz n the Hood
$10,023,462
$56,190,094
-
$6,500,000
17/01/1992
18/11/1992
19/08/1994
04/10/1995
Juice
Malcolm X
Fresh
Dead Presidents
$8,085,715
$9,871,125
$7,943,778
$20,146,800
$48,169,910
$8,094,616
$24,120,194
-
$35,000,000
-
23/06/2006
05/01/2007
Waist Deep
Freedom Writers
$9,404,180
$9,405,582
$21,344,312
$36,605,602
$43,090,741
$21,000,000
12/01/2007
12/08/2008
Stomp the Yard
Belly 2: Millionaire
Boyz Club
$21,833,312
-
$61,356,221
-
$76,356,221
-
$14,000,000
-
$330,261,832
$30,023,803
$351,746,971
$31,976,997
$82,650,000
$13,775,000
Totals
Averages
1st Weekend
US Gross
Worldwide Gross
Budget
$150,000
http://www.thenumbers.com/movies/series/BlackUrban.php
Released