Michela Seedanee
Four weeks after a mysterious,
incurable virus spreads
throughout the UK, a handful of
survivors try to find sanctuary.
A climatologist tries to
figure out a way to
save the world from
abrupt global
warming. He must get
to his young son in
New York, which is
being taken over by a
new ice age,
A post-apocalyptic tale of a
man and his son trying to
survive by any means
possible.
Information and Promotion
Release Date
28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic science
fiction horror film It was directed by Danny Boyle, and
was released in the United Kingdom on November 1,
2002 and in the United States on June 27, 2003.
US theatrical release poster
Biohazard warning
On 13 April 2007, 28 days before the release of the film in UK cinemas, a huge biohazard
warning sign was projected against the White Cliffs of Dover. The sign contained the
international biological hazard symbol, along with the admonition that Britain was
"contaminated, keep out!".
Viral advertising
Removable chalk-powder graffiti was sprayed in locations around London and Birmingham
featuring the web address 'ragevirus.com'. However, the web address was found to be
unregistered and was quickly snapped up. The advertising agency who made the mistake
agreed to purchase the rights to the domain name for an undisclosed sum.
Release date:
27th May 2004 UK
It was promoted:
The Day After Tomorrow was promoted
ith the tagline, 'Where Will You Be?
Had a fan site and website
Set up.
They used traditional push
And pull advertisement aka
Some billboards, posters,
Adverts, etc. To help
Promote the film.
Adverts, billboards, trailers, teasers.
A book already on the book by
Cormac McCarthy.
There was also a website which gave
special features and
clips to watch.
Release Date : The Road
was officially released in
2009, however it was only
released
in the UK on the 8th Jan
2010.
Often promoted the story about how
in April 1951 he
wrote the novel in three weeks,
typing continuously onto a
120-foot roll of teletype paper.
Themes:
Christianity-The theme which shows up a lot in 28 Days Later is the
symbolisms of Christianity in society and how plays an important part in
our present day lives in keeping hope alive.
The Director; Danny Boyle uses this religious symbolism throughout the
film in the form of mise en scene and with a priest that looks almost
demonically possessed when the main protagonist comes across the first
infected.
http://vimeo.com/22742223
Scene in church. (Excuse backing music)
Anger-The Director mainly wanted to point out that the Rage virus was a
representation of today's increasing tensions of travel rage and everyday
rage. There are many scenes in the movie where symbols are used to
show these feelings of anger and frustration.
The Road Themes:
Death- Death is shown through the
landscape, the protagonists' struggle to
survive, and the constant Threats of murder
and starvation. The earth is already steeped
in death and ashes.
Paternal love- The theme of paternal love is
shown through the Father and son, the
movie even highlights that the only reason
the man is still living is to keep care of his
soon.
Good versus Evil
The theme of good versus evil is common for a post-apocalyptic
film/ novel. The boy seeks
confirmation from his father that they are the "good guys" and that
the "bad guys" are those
who seek to hurt them through the film. And that when they start
to become the “bad guys”
They have lost their humanity.
Day After tomorrow Themes
Nightmarish consequences of Global Warming:
The idea of not being able to control or stop the
destruction that is happening but wait the event
out.
Parental Love:
Travelling to New York to find his son, shows
connection between family and children and
that with family shows humanity and in times
like that it is important.
Romance: Common in post apoc as it shows
hope in all the destruction.
http://www.zimbio.com/watch/ly4qgZGOZSg/28+Days+Later+Scene+Hello/28+Days+Later
This 3:00 clip from the film shows how the setting can create a tense yet
Lonely feeling for the audience.
28 days later
Day After Tomorrow
City Huge population, common zombie post
Cities Showing the
apoc setting . Another place were you are
events hitting main
meant to feel safe, this is used to make you
areas making it seem
feel uncomfortable like there is nowhere to go
more intense for the
and hide.
audience. When they
know the places were
the destruction is
happening.
Lab Setting for how outbreak accrued for zombie
apoc aka infection, virus, gas. Or just even nature it
self. 28 days later shows how the infection is passed
through rage within the monkeys that had been
tested on in a medical research lab. Which is a
common aspect of apoc genre film to show
corruption within human society.
A church Safe zone/ sanctuary. It is meant to feel.
The idea of Christianity and being no hope. 28 days
later struggle shows the theme of religion of the
movie by having the first place the man gets
attacked by infected in an church. Which symbolises
the ending of hope for humanity. Later he finds
survivors which relights that hope only to be crushed
by another downfall later on in the film.
Around the world
There are scenes were
ice is falling in Japan and
global catastrophe are
happening all around
the world. Showing that
the events are
happening worldwide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_1VnGp8Lls
This link is to a YouTube 5 min clip of Tsunami that
happens in New York. Shows how a big, well
known city can create such a tension when
destruction happens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5Gfw63Yl6c
This link shows how the events are taken around
the world which makes it more thrilling for
audience.
In my research of ‘Nick Lacey’ he taught
me
That characters are placed in scenarios
Different form the normal world. Aka
‘The Roads’ post apoc genre. Means
Characters are placed in setting a way
that can change their humanity.
The Road
Cities Old ruins of cities and towns are
what you see normally throughout the film
this shows you the amount of destruction
and has accrued and allows you to feel how
much the world has become, and how many
little people there are alive. Making the
audience feel lonely which is common in
post apoc films.
The road The two characters tend to
always follow a road hoping that their will be
a brighter future at the end of the road. This
is also common in post apoc as it gives the
audience the hope of humanity.
Fields and open area Another way they
have made the world seem like such a small
place and so few in it now. Another way of
showing loneliness and just how serious the
film is which creates tension which is also
good in an post apoc and is used frequently.
Setting
Characters 28 days later- Male main character is first represented
quite weak and helpless aka wimp. Women character showed strong and
brave, which is a normal aspect of role reversal in apoc genre. Its shows the
confusing likes to make the audience feel uncomfortable with the situation.
However later on in the film the roles are switched again and the man saves
the women’s life and a child’s.
The antagonists are represents to the audience of
what the big fear of them is really about and that is
‘cannibals’ they people are starving and they have
lost so in touch with their humanity that killing and
eating their own kind is now understandable to
them. They show this in the film when one of the
female cannibals in the house the protagonist are
hiding in, States about the smell which is of the
flesh and people they have eaten. The men say
they cannot smell anything showing that they now
see it as normal human behaviour. This Makes
them seem almost cave men like and unintelligent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgdWA0Xw7
uM&feature=related 3:58 – 4:28 shows you the
scene that shows their loss of humanity.
Day After tomorrow- Protagonist.  Like
hero's he is smart and brave for example at
the
Beginning when ice caps are breaking he
‘heroically’ jumps to ‘save’ the important
Core samples which will in a way ‘save the
world’ from the events which are
Going to happen.
Mike’s Son  He is also a protagonist and he
is smart he helps save the women he loves
In the film and is brave like his father. The boy
and the father make the normal parental
Being parental instinct to keep care of your
children.
*The dad and little girl help them when they could
Have let them die another idea of hope and that
There are still good people left.
*Army who takes advantage of the situation in a bid to
Get control and power. And the main power is normally
Over female sex. Although the main character being
Uncorrupted saves them from these power hungry
People that try to harm them.
The Road- The two main protagonists are the father
and son, a small family which keeps care of each
Other. This lets the audience see there is still love
and care in the world even though the end
Of the world has happened. This compassion gives a
sense of humanity which is ideal in the
Film as many believe with restrains people will do
unbearable things and although the father
And son have kept their hope, they are constantly
threatened by the antagonists.
“Characters can be
a defining factor of
genre.” – Nick
Lacey
Pan Shot:
Pan at beginning
showing scenario
and ice, there are
also pans at major
events in the
movie. Makes it
more thrilling to
watch.
Camerawork
Extreme close-up shot: Allows you too see the
change and emotion in the
characters. Which helps target the audience and
create adrenalin in scenes of
action.
Camera angles in this post apoc show the terror
of the situation, rather than having the
Viewer stand back and just watch objectively,
they bring the audience into the scene more. In
one scene, there is a car in the background
driving along a road; behind the car is a field of
flowers.
Establishing Shot: Establishing shot allows
you too see the impact of the
situation on the setting for example this
post apoc there is no one in site the
area seems deserted
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=vYLBo2oKTVk
This is behind the scenes
footage when recording
A intimate scene between
protagonists father and son
and how this sort of close up
creates a feeling as if ‘ to
protect a loved one’ common
in post apocalypses films.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=7xXf9o8BNf0
This clip from 0:26- 0:40 shows the
camera man in the filming of 28
days later trying out variety of
different low angel shots. Low
angle shots are common in post
apoc, this is because low angle
shots make the audience feel
confused and powerless. This shot
was particularly used when the
protagonist was having a
nightmare that his friends had left
him.
Shot reverse shot helps communication in scenes, it
also helps to divert the attention of the audience on
specific actors that they should be concentrating on.
The diegetic sounds are placed in for
everyday city life, chattering cars and people
walking on the pavement, however non
diegetic sounds are also placed in that sound
like everyday sounds for example; strong
winds for the hurricanes and heavy rushing
water when New York is flooded.
Underneath
this is also a
non diegetic
background
music using
wind and
string
instruments
to help
create a
tense
atmosphere
which is also
very
common in
post apoc
films.
Editing
The non diegetic music is placed on top of
that to help create the atmosphere the
director wants the audience to feel. For
example when being chased by cannibals
they music becomes tense.
Another non diegetic sound used was the
commentary of the father telling the story of
his life and how it came about letting the
audience know only little information at a
time.
The diegetic sounds of trees and birds are shown in the beginning of the
film when everything is normal, then after when the world has become
‘post apoc’ all you can hear is the strong wind, sound of earthquakes as if
all life has gone.
28 days later uses some strange
techniques to give us images and scenes
that present the material in an
interesting way. It makes it very stylish.
Where there is action and fear in some
scenes, the camera work and visual
images jump at us frantically making it
dramatic and together creating an
atmosphere.
This general editing work in post apoc
films are used by directors to create the
tension in the audience and allow them
to feel as the character would feel with
the frantic visuals and idea of chaos.
Continuity editing like
other post apoc is
normal editing in a post
apoc film as it also quick
scenes to build tension
and create a sort of
feeling the want the
characters to feel.
http://www.zimbio.com/watch/iHae8s
HmEGo/28+Days+Later/28+Days+Later
This trailer shows the action and how
the editing is placed to make it
thrilling.
Comparing 28 days later post apoc to The road…
Both show the breakdown of society in a post disaster world, in which a majority of human
survivors have devolved into a savage survival of the fittest type mentality. Furthermore
both films create a bond between adult and child and the protective instinct that
accompanies this.
The savagery of the soldiers in 28 days later is down
to choice this is shown by the hesitant behaviour of
some of the soldiers when the leader suggests the
rape of the two. Female lead characters furthermore
one soldier refuses and turns against the others. Their
actions are purely wants as a pose to the necessity
shown in the road, the acts of cannibalism and the
general dog eat dog attitude of the remaining humans
are for the most part survivalism.
Comparing The Road to The Day After Tomorrow…
The similarities in these two films is the idea of parental love, and to keep care of your child
from harm. Even at the cost of your own life.
Another similarity is the intelligence of the protagonist for example the father shows
intelligence when comforted by an cannibal giving audience impression he was once
a doctor and the protagonist in Day after tomorrow is an scientist.
The establishing shots of Day after tomorrow and The road show scenes of
destruction and the end of the world.
References
Teachers notes from PowerPoint on VLE.
http://www.gradesaver.com/the-road/study-guide/major-themes/
http://voices.yahoo.com/28-days-later-analysis-1752755.html
http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/20213/t466903-theme-of-movie/
http://www.shmoop.com/the-road-mccarthy/literary-devices.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later
http://www.videoforums.co.uk/general-software-problems/6257-28days-later-style.html