Post Apocalyptic Genre

In nearly every post-apocalyptic films, the future world is broken and extremely dangerous. In films such as I Am Legend, Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man, the lone man on Earth plot device is used. Generally, the main character is not alone, and there is a hidden threat that always outnumber and outgun the hero. As it is post-apocalypse, the world is in a massive disarray, with gangs and murderers commonplace in each films 'New World'. New post-apocalyptic films such as The Road or Children of Men use harsh, bleak lighting and colourless worlds to achieve the hopeless despair of the characters. Children of Men is especially convincing with it's use of extended tracking shots and realistic, torn characters who are simultaneously disillusioned, but they also indifferent. They know they can do nothing about it. Their disillusionment turns into indifference.

The modern post-apocalyptic thrillers are generally quite bloody, dirty and grim. After World War Three or some similar nuclear fallout, surviving humans turn to the very depths of their primal nature to survive. It's 'natural selection' under unnatural circumstances. These films have affected our own short film, because we are filing our drama under the post-apocalyptic sub-genre. There are obvious conventions such as the lack of gas, electricity, running water, harsh lighting, hardened characters etc. These are logical differences between the current world and a broken one. The tone of the films are bleak, despairing and hopeless. Lighting, make up and setting are generally the most recognized traits of such films. The settings are destroyed cities, destitute and crippled families. The make up gives a look of unwashed and dirtied faces and clothes, which are complemented by the low-key lighting, and drained colours.

Use of lighting and colour will be key in our project, as we are aiming for the de-saturated palette of colours. If we light it poorly, the shadows will create no effect in highlighting characters feelings and the overall emotion of the film. Although we can de-saturate the colours during editing, we must do half the job during filming. We must also make our actors look like they've been in a cellar for a few weeks. They can't have a washed, clean shaven appearance. Their clothes must be dishevelled, dirty, their attitude; depressing and honest.

Posted by Michael McGroarty