What is Sci-Fi?
Sci-Fi or Science Fiction is a genre of fiction which deals primarily on the impact of imagined innovations of Science & Technology and often in future settings.
My view on Sci-Fi & why I chose it:
I chose Sci-Fi not because I believe that it is not just a genre but it is more of an art form. I feel it is a creative way to bring to 'reality' or 'life,' things you couldn't do on this earth. You have a limitless freedom & capacity to produce, there's no wrong or right way of doing things. I believe that no Sci-Fi text is stupid and that they are all amazing because it is something that was thoughtfully planned & created by an individual. Like every media text, a lot of time & effort was invested into creating such a thing, especially a Sci-Fi. I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion & have the freedom to imagine and create. However, seeing something that was just a thought or words written on a piece of paper come to life, I find magnificent.
Conventions of Sci-Fi (Films):
Like the definition states above, it is a genre of 'fiction,' it's fake. It's not necessarily 'real.' However, this does not take away the fact that just because something is unseen or unheard of (no supporting evidence) doesn't mean we can fully justify that it can't be real. That is why Sci-Fi films are predominantly based around horror, widespread disease outbreaks and alien intervention because we humans have a tendency to believe that even though we might believe that something is impossible and cannot happen, we still have this other side in us that wants to believe that it can (hypothetical thinking).
Mise-en-Scene, Narrative Structure & Other Characteristics
The Diegesis of Sci-Fis are normally outside of planet earth in a fictional universe or space and the setting is usually in the distant future or post-apocalyptic times. However when they do take place on planet earth in current, they can be set in past or future times and this usually happens when the producers want to convey a specific message or reinforce an ideology such as the probability of a widespread global crisis such as the end of earth's natural gases, or a disease causing death.
Even though some films might take place on planet earth, 9 times out of 10 there will always be sophisticated technology involved as this is associated with us humans because we are very intelligent and want to reinforce that.
A Narrative structure of a Sci-Fi or Action & Adventure film usually suggests that there is a protagonist (good people/hero/humans) and an antagonist (enemy/aliens). Media Theorist Levi Strauss suggests that in media texts are based on binary opposites, a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning. He supports the idea that if there is something good, there must also be a bad side to it and suggests that it helps to structure a media text.
What normally happens next is that there is a disruption in equilibrium within the diegesis, something happened which compromised the balance. In the case of Sci-Fis it's the usual: aliens invade earth or human based world OR the humans themselves caused a disruption from an error caused by scientists or the government etc. that is why aliens aren't always necessarily the antagonists, the human themselves could have caught a disease or something which caused them to transform into flesh eating creatures- the possibilities are endless.
There's always going to be 'conflict,' a fight, a quest, it's necessary, that's what builds the narrative and usually accounts for 1/3 third or 2/4s of the film. As a narrative structure suggests, there has to be a disruption in the Equilibrium between the protagonist (humans) and antagonist (aliens, creature). That then leads to the quest & conflict in the diegesis and then re-equilibrium happens, it has to because of the ideologies of Sci-Fis, it's a must that we humans want to come out as victorious because we hate defeat.
That is why even before a film ends, especially one that deals with aliens invading earth we have preconceived ideas of the ending, it's normal to think that we (humans) will find balance and defeat the aliens. However, it will not be the same equilibrium. Thing's might be similar to the way things were before the disruption but it will never be exactly the same. Something happened, which caused something else to happen; one thing leading to another (cause+effect).
But what about Sci-Fi Film Trailers?
With no doubt at all the same exact conventions would apply to them as well. As I mentioned before in an earlier post on Sci-Fi Film trailers, these are key conventions associated to them:
-Generally moderate to very fast pace editing
-Really dark Mise-en-Scene
-Dark, dramatic music which create mystery & suspense
-Sometimes hardly any music at all with just sound effects, voice overs & speech from the actual film
-There's a story being told most of the time to give viewers an idea of what the film might be about
-Heavy usage of CGI and Special Effects
-Aggressive usage of text enhanced with movement & lighting effects.
-Voice Overs (Narration)
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