Gangsters Research.

Names

Although not many of us dislike our regular names, it can be difficult to fit in with a 'hard-core' gang if your name lacks a certain something. Creating a gangster name can express your individuality and personality, and become a regular pet name. However, I realised that creating a gangster name isn't as easy as it sounds, and can often leave you feeling frustrated and stumped.

I did some research outside of school in my free time and I found out that there are a few steps in order to help you think of one. These are as such:

1)      Think about your characteristics. Many people create a name based on a characteristic or habit that people commonly know them by. For example, if you're known to be cheeky and daring, adding "Dirty" or "Crazy" to the front of your name is a good idea to express the character as a being. Using this method means that your name gives people an idea of what kind of person you are, and also makes it easier to come up with ideas. However, my group and I must be careful that we make the name clear, and don't choose something that may give the audience the wrong idea before they even watch them.

2)      Consider adding an inside joke or story. A lot of gangsters get their names from background stories and histories, or a private joke. In the movie 8 Mile, the main character gets the name "Rabbit", because when he was a baby he looked like a rabbit. Another character was called "Future" because people considered him the future of music. Although these names may not seem very gangster or "cool", they easily grow popular and often convey your personality easily.

3)      Think about length. Some gangsters have three or four individual names that merge together, and others simply use one word. It depends on you, your actors and their style. If you're looking for a more expressive and traditional name, you will find it more convenient to come up with a longer name. If you just want something different for people to call you by, you can look at just one or two names.

4)      Choose your style. There are various styles to gangster names. One popular style is Italian gangster names, which are often quite long. Other gangsters simply go for short, blunt names that are self-explanatory. Once you select a style, you'll get a bigger understanding of what exactly you want. You don't have to abide by the rules, though creating your own style and rebelling on the traditions will probably make you considered as more gangsters anyway.

5)      Consult your gang (actors). If your gang all have names that seem to follow a theme, you may draw inspiration from there. My group and I could also picture what the actor(s) should be called and whether it suits them, aside from their real name. Asking them generally what they think would be a good gangster name for you may not come up with a specific name, but probably will give you some good ideas.

I am confident that these steps will help a lot when we come to name thinking. However I do think that it is going to be fairly bemusing at times because we are not thinking of just one gangster name, but 5-6.

Hair

Not only is thinking of a name important but the style of a gangster is also just as significant as we want to portray the typical gangster so the audience can immediately identify them. After some research, I noticed that most of the gangsters have either that perfect, silky smooth curly/straight hair look or that bald skinhead look to give that rough ferocious impression. Some also wear big sunglasses too to make them look mysterious and arresting.

This shouldn't be a problem for my group and I because not only are we all girls so styling is our expertise, we can also simply look at magazines, films or even hair tutorials on youtube for guidance if needed.



Bankrolls and the 'cool' look

Gangsters are stereotypically known as 'filthy rich' and arrogant. So in order for us to follow the typical gangster look, we need to make sure we need to make our actors conform to the typical gangsters and act like them. This way they need to maintain an air of casual disregard for money.

A way of making them look rich excluding the dinner suit and smart hairstyle, is a big handful of money.

It is obvious that my group and I do not have the money to form a big pile of money for 5-6 'gangsters', so for us to be able to pretend our actors have the money, I have formed a list, these are as such:

• Stuff the centre of the roll with fake money or suchlike (Monopoly money). You can also put cards to give the appearance of lots of money.
• The real money on the outer side of the roll would be best if it was straight from the bank as you want your folding crimp crisp.
• If going to the bank is a problem, then you or someone you know who has the required talent, a warm, dry iron can help make your wrinkly, old money look like new.
• If you put single notes in the microwave for a few seconds (around five) this will achieve the crisp look and is considerably easier and less risky than ironing the bills. But we need to be careful not to overdo it.

We need to achieve the crisp look as we don't want our 'rich gangsters' to carry something that doesn't conform to the rich look as the audience would not believe it or like it. Not only do they need to bring or carry something to make them look rich, but they also need to act well enough too. To get this look, they need to act like they couldn't care less about money. If they are going to 'flash the roll', it is essential to make sure they look the part. This means they can't wear that non-ironed shirt with small trousers - no one's going to buy it.

After a lot of research focusing on gangsters, I have a far more in-depth knowledge on what my group and I need to do to create this look. I think this task would be just as enjoyable as it seems and I am looking forward to the day we start filming.

Storyboard.

Making a storyboard is where it begins. The first step is to understand what we are trying to show and what our intended message is. If we don't understand our message, neither will the audience. Creating a script or storyboard will help ensure that we and the audience understand our intent. It is like a basic picture story, but we must keep in mind the ‘5 W’s’ – Who, What, When, Where, and Why as it helps us fill in the main body of the story. Additionally, we must also keep in mind other terms such as protagonist, antagonist, plot, setting, dialogue, points of view and so on.

By creating a storyboard, it is easy to map out the whole concept of our story. We can pre-visualise each and every shot, each line of dialogue, each beat of the soundtrack, and factor in other vital elements such as background and special effects.

Although the interaction between the storyboard and us is limited, there are many advantages of producing one. These are as such:

• It is more meaningful than flowcharts and other more technical diagrams for conveying the user experience.
• It is vague enough that the audience will pose questions that are useful
• It is a way to gain early-stage feedback
• It does not require programming skills
• It does not require artistic skills
• It  is a quick way to sketch ideas
• It is easier to organize into a coherent description of users' actions
• It helps audience to also pre-visualise

I believe that by making a storyboard before filming, it would be very beneficial as we could always look back at it if we forget what we have to do next. It is also less time consuming if you think about it logically because if we did not acknowledge the importance of a storyboard and we began to film straight away, there would be more disagreements within our group as we would want to use our own outstanding ideas. We could also easily take out the shot we don't want or edit it whereas, it would take longer filming it as we cannot really pre-visualise what's happening.

Monday 12th December.

For a change, we decided to work together as a group today as we had to create a storyboard. We brainstormed all of our ideas together and narrowed them all down to what we thought would be the best and effective. We had to take into consideration that our idea(s) had to fit in with the genre (Crime & Gangster).

During our working progress on the storyboard, we had to decide as a group when and when not to add the music in, what effects should be added, how we are going to structure all of the different shots and how we should make it look arresting.

This turned out to be easier than expected as I thought there would be a lot of disagreeents, however we all compromised and all of our ideas were great and not weak. I believe the outcome of our media coursework would turn out to be very successful.

Production Company Research.

A major film studio is a movie production and distribution company that releases a considerable number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box-office revenues. The "Big Six" majors, whose movie operations are based in or around Hollywood, are all centred in film studios active during Hollywood's Golden Age. 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount were part of the "Big Five" majors during that era as well. Columbia and Universal were also considered majors, but in the next tier down, part of the "Little Three". And finally Walt Disney Studios was an independent production company during the Golden Age; it was an important Hollywood entity, but not a major.

The major studios are today primarily sponsors and distributors of films whose actual production is largely handled by independent companies—either long-running entities or ones created for and dedicated to the making of a specific film. The specialty divisions often simply gain distribution rights to pictures with which the studio has had no previous involvement.

Due to having to make a trailer for our media coursework (genre being Crime & Gangster), we have to take into consideration as to what would be the most suitable production company to use. We could however, create our own production company so it would be different, but that would be time consuming and frustrating to make sure that it looks effective.

During outside of school, I did a lot of research on production companies in order to gain a more in-depth knowledge. Also, I looked back at my notes that I made in Film Studies last year as production companies was one of the main topics in AS. By having some knowledge on production companies, I am aware of what production companies used to do what kind of films and what they do now.

From what I remember from last year in Film Studies, Warner Bros. used to release mainly gangster films but over time they now release a wider range of films. Paramount gives more freedom so directors could use more of their own particular styles in the film and choose what they like and pick out what they don’t like.

When I looked on the internet, I found a table of all films that the production companies released. I looked through the films to find out the genre of them and researched on some that I haven’t heard of. I found out that all the majors released different types of films and this became a relief of mine. This means that my group and I could use any production company we’d like.

Below are one or two action/thriller film(s) for each production company that I thought would relate to our media coursework the most. These are as such:

20^th century fox:

Die Hard – It is about a New York cop (John McClane) who gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building. Genre is a hybrid of Action and Thriller. This is similar as there are guns used throughout and the film contains violence.

Fox searchlight pictures:

Home Alone – It is about an 8-year-old boy, who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, and he has to defend his home against idiotic burglars. Genre is a hybrid of Adventure, Comedy and Family. This film is fairly similar as the men act brutally and violently in order to achieve their goal.

Paramount pictures:

The Godfather – It is about the aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty who transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. Genre is a hybrid of Crime and Drama. This is very similar as it is gangster related, it is about authority and violence is present.

Vertigo - A San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her. Genre is a hybrid of Crime, Mystery, Romance and Thriller. This is fairly similar as the film contains a film noir look/style to it even though the shots are not printed in black and white. The way in which they wear their costumes and how they act makes it seem like a film noir film. This is similar as the actors in our media coursework will be dressed similarly.

Columbia:

Snatch – It is about unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewellers fighting to track down a priceless stolen diamond. The genre is a hybrid of Crime and Thriller. This is fairly similar as they wear smart suits, it is violent and weapons play a big role.

Warner Bros:

A Clockwork Orange – It is about in future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem... but not all goes to plan. Genre is a hybrid of Crime, Drama and Sci-Fi. This is very similar as they are a gang, they wear same/similar outfits and they are very rebellious.

Goodfellas – It is about Henry Hill and his friends that work their way up through the mob hierarchy. Genre is a hybrid of Biography, Crime, Drama and Thriller. This is very similar as it is gangster related, guns and smart attire are present and they are taking part in something illegal.

Universal Pictures:
Public Enemies – It is about the Feds trying to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s. Genre is a hybrid of Biography, Drama, Crime and History. This is very similar to our media coursework as the film is gangster related; they wear dinner suits and use weapons.
After doing a lot of research, I think the best production company to use would be Paramount. Not only do you get more freedom when filming but also leverage which would be beneficial for my group and I.

21st November.

Unfortunately I was in Berlin for my school trip and still will be for the next couple of lessons.

However, in my absence, I was able to keep in contact with my teachers and my group. I emailed my teachers and a member in my group to keep me updated with all the work and homework set to ensure that I wouldn't be behind and slow down the working progress within my group.

I was told that they studied on magazine front covers, how the main character is usually used as a unique selling point, what we should include and what we should NOT include. I thought it was really beneficial for my group who were there at the lesson as they could start having a discussion as to what our magazine cover should contain in order to gain full marks. Because they will be ahead of me, I did not want them to go through it with me as it would slow down our working progress, so in order for me to gain knowledge and understanding of what I missed out on, I did a lot of research inside and outside of school to make sure I am on the same level with my group.

When I was doing some research, I noticed that the majority of successful film magazines (e.g. EMPIRE), they usually use one main character to promote the film. This began to be a worry of mine as my group and I are hoping to have around 5 gangsters to promote instead of using just the gang leader. After  doing more research, I also looked at posters of This is England and Kidulthood, these films are similar in terms of violence and a number of characters were used to promote, therefore if we make sure that we think clearly as to how they should stand/pose, I think it would look just as outstanding as using one person.

I cannot deny that it's going to be slightly more advanced as it is always difficult dealing with a larger number of people but I relish the challenge and I think that if my group and I work hard enough then the hard work will definitely pay off.

The Gaze.

‘The gaze’ (sometimes called ‘the look’) is a technical term used in film theory in the 1970s but now, it is more broadly used by media theorists to refer both to the ways in which viewers look at images of people in any visual medium and to the gaze of those depicted in visual texts.

Mutual gaze is now possible in forms of personal communication other than direct face-to-face interaction. In the case of mass media texts, an exchange of gazes through the textual frame is of course not possible - the viewer can look at those depicted in the text and cannot be seen by them - giving the viewing of all mass media texts and ‘realistic’ figurative art a voyeuristic aspect. The impossibility of mutual gaze between viewers and those depicted in media texts unfortunately means that much of the research by social psychologists which relates to the human gaze tends to be of limited relevance to media theorists. 

Forms of gaze

A key feature of the gaze is that the object of the gaze is not aware of the current viewer (though they may originally have been aware of being filmed, photographed, or painted). Viewing such recorded images gives the viewer's gaze a voyeuristic dimension. As Jonathan Schroeder notes, 'to gaze implies more than to look at - it signifies a psychological relationship of power, in which the gazer is superior to the object of the gaze'.

Several key forms of gaze can be identified in photographic, filmic or televisual texts, or in metaphorical graphic art. These are as such:

The spectator’s gaze: the gaze of the viewer at an image of a person (or animal, or object) in the text;

The intra-diegetic gaze: a gaze of one depicted person at another (or at an animal or an object) within the world of the text;

The direct [or extra-diegetic] address to the viewer: the gaze of a person depicted in the text looking ‘out of the frame’ as if at the viewer, with associated gestures and postures;

The look of the camera - the way that the camera itself appears to look at the people (or animals or objects) depicted; less metaphorically, the gaze of the film-maker or photographer.

Some theorists make a distinction between the gaze and the look: suggesting that the look is a perceptual mode available to all whilst the gaze is a mode of viewing reflecting a gendered code of desire (Evans & Gamman). John Ellis and others relate the 'gaze' to cinema and the 'glance' to television - associations which then seem to lead to these media being linked with stereotypical connotations of 'active' ('male') for film and 'passive' ('female') for television.

Direction of gaze

It is useful to note how directly a depicted person gazes out of the frame. A number of authors have explored this issue in relation to advertisements in particular.

In his study of women’s magazine advertisements, Trevor Millum distinguished between these forms of attention:

    attention directed towards other people;

    attention directed to an object;

    attention directed to oneself;

    attention directed to the reader/camera;

In conventional narrative films, actors only very rarely gaze directly at the camera lens. Paul Messaris notes a common assumption that a direct gaze at the camera lens by a depicted person may remind viewers of their position as spectators, but that where such shots are subjective point-of-view shots within a narrative this effect is invalid (Messaris). 

In studying social interaction, Michael Watson (1970) found cultural variability in the intensity of gaze. He distinguished between three forms of gaze:

    sharp: focusing on the other person's eyes;

    clear: focusing about the other person's head and face;

    peripheral: having the other person within the field of vision, but not focusing on his head or face. 

Male gaze

Before talking about the male gaze, it is first important to introduce its parent concept: the gaze. According to Wikipedia the gaze is a concept used for “analysing visual culture… that deals with how an audience views the people presented.” The types of gaze are primarily categorized by who is doing the looking.

The term 'the male gaze' has become something of a feminist cliché for referring to the voyeuristic way in which men look at women.

While the ideas behind the concept were present in earlier uses of the gaze, the introduction of the term “the male gaze” can be drawn back to Laura Mulvey and her theory. In it, Mulvey states that in film women are typically the objects, rather than the possessors of gaze because the control of the camera (and thus the gaze) comes from factors such as the assumption of heterosexual men as the default target audience for most film genres. 

The male gaze in advertising is actually a fairly well-studied topic. This is because, more than just being an object of a gaze, the woman in the advertisement becomes what is being bought and sold. In this way, the male gaze enables women to be a commodity that helps the products to get sold. Even advertising aimed at women is not excused.

As feminist popular culture critics emerge, so does the use of the term. 

If you look at the image, you can see that the image being sold to men is that of an attractive woman (they are encouraged to look at her in the same way the man on the picture is) while the image being sold to women is that if they buy the product that they, too, can be the recipients of male attention. Thus the image being sold, for both men and women, quite literally becomes that of the male gaze. The way in which the female is staring directly at the lens, makes the viewer think as if they are getting looked at.

 

By doing a lot of research on The Gaze theory, I am able to feel more confident in order to make the poster/magazine cover look qualified with my group because we will know what has to be done to achieve that particular outcome we want. Because the genre is going to be ‘crime & gangster’ we want our actor(s) to strike a cunning pose in order to relate it to the theme of the genre. We don’t want our actor(s) to look happy or vulnerable as we want him/them to come across as tough, ferocious and unmanageable.

Film Magazine Research.

Advertising is a form of 'communication' used to persuade an assembly of viewers, readers or listeners to take some action with products, ideas or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behaviour with a commercial offering. Advertising messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various traditional media; including mass media such as newspaper, magazines, television, and radio; or new media such as websites and text messages.

Commercial advertisers often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through 'Branding', which involves the repetition of an image or product name in an effort to associate certain qualities with the brand in the minds of consumers.

A new form of advertising that is growing rapidly is social network advertising. It is online advertising with a focus on social networking sites. Although this is a relatively juvenile market, it has shown a lot of promises as advertisers are able to take advantage of the information the user has provided to the social networking site, and social networking sites are also becoming increasingly popular so people would be updated by new offerings. 

Putting film magazines up on the internet is a good way of promoting, not only is it a free way to approach quickly and easily, it can also be passed on from one social networking site to another by friends so therefore the users help the producers to do their job by directing the advertisements on other networks and spreading them around.

I have chosen to thoroughly analyse the ‘The Dark Knight’ film magazine cover mainly because I think it is well thought out and effective. I will be focusing on the images, narrative, colours, layout, and texts. I will also show how and why they are used to relate to the target audience. The genre is a hybrid of crime, drama and action and the film magazine cover clearly confirms it.

Immediately, you can identify that this cover is extremely arresting. The use of texts, imagery and stereotypes are used so successfully that they all stand out in order to grab your attention. However, you can also notice that it is done carefully as all the elements used do not render the focus of each other. This is what makes the cover as a whole unique and impressive; purely because it is neither mainstream nor conventional and you can be brave enough and dare say that it is probably deliberately done to suggest that everything is just as important and everything should be made aware of?

The dark red title ‘EMPIRE’ positioned at the top highlights and juxtaposes the darkness and the sense of the film and it mirrors the title ‘Dark Knight’. It also show-cases or give subtle hints about the genre of the film, for example the colour red denotes death, violence and retribution so the audience will have a clear understanding of what the film has to offer. EMPIRE is the only text that is deliberately enlarged so it forces the audience to be aware of it; this is due to the fact that everyone or the majority of people who are interested in films/media know that EMPIRE is the world’s leading movie magazine and with a reputation like that, the audience will immediately believe that the film they are promoting is going to be an outstanding picture. What helps it stand out even more is the small font which is above the letter ‘M’ which tells you the date and price of the magazine. Furthermore, if you look into the title in more detail, the font used is so simple when the genre contains heavy violence so you can say that it challenges the conventions of the genre. Although the title stands out, the way in which the character is positioned renders the focus of it so it does not steal all the attention.

Above the title ‘EMPIRE’, the title of the film is shown - ‘The Dark Knight’. The way in which it is placed right on top of the film cover (on the same line as the logo) reinforces the fact that it holds relevance to the magazine and film. The colour white that is used for the font contrasts with the dark background which helps the title to stand out even more. Just because it is the title of the film, it does not necessarily mean it has to be the largest font, this is because the Joker is unique enough for the audience to gain recognition and know what film it is, it also doesn’t help that Batman was created a long time ago so by modernising it, it can be related or will be enjoyed by the contemporary audience as the era when Batman was created, now seems ‘old-fashioned’ and boring.

The character that plays Joker (Heath Ledger) is placed right in the middle of the cover. Undeniably, it is clear that he plays the antagonist role in the film because of the way he looks, dresses and comes across. The image looks as if it is taken from a scene of the film and it is a very powerful picture which instantly shows the joker’s personality and style. The way he smiles forebodingly creates a sense of discomfort for the audience because not only is his smile dark, the messy clown make up applied on his face sums up the whole sinister look he carries within him. He seems laid back and content with what he is doing/has done which makes him look even more twisted and psychotic. To back up or support my point that he is malevolent, the way in which the lighting is dim makes it clear that the Joker does not contain any sense of warmth inside him and the way he wears colourful clothing gives me different impressions, you can say that it seems as if he is mocking the people who are not the same as him, he is giving emphasis to what he is known as, or to challenge mainstream antagonists. And although he is wearing a suit (despite the green and purple colours), his top button is undone and his tie is loose which reinforces his defiant side.

Moving on from the Joker and going back to texts, it is clear why the magazine is done so magnificently. ‘WORLD EXCLUSIVE!’ is placed at the top right hand side and these words almost sum up the release or preview of Dark Knight making it seem big and successful. This also promotes the magazine saying it cannot be read elsewhere and by using this method, it makes the audience feel like the magazine contains something fruitful and the magazine was made specifically for them. If you look at the magazine cover as a whole, you can see splashes of green and purple with white fonts everywhere. You can say that the Joker is unavoidable as the colours represent him as a being. Quite subtle yet powerful use of graphics is used which may suggest that the magazine is unique with its crazy and funky fonts which looks eroded and very grunge-like with paint sprays and scribbles, it looks as if it has been vandalised which also links to the theme of the film and the Joker. The ‘X’ suggests the nature of vandalism linking to the Joker’s actions.

Last but not least which I think is one of the unique selling points – ‘HE’S A COLD BLOODED, MASS MURDERING CLOWN’ is written as if an adolescent child wrote that by hand. The way it is all jittery makes the audience feel edgy and fearful, it tells the audience that the film will offer heavy violence and bloodshed. 

Overall, I am confident enough to say that this film/magazine lends itself more to the male audience mainly because it is based on ferocity and that is what men thrive on. The reason why I don't think it will target the female audience as much as stereotypical girls enjoy chick flicks more and this is the total opposite of what is enjoyable to them. However, I cannot deny that some females enjoy watching these type of films as they like watching attractive men fight.

Typical gangster plot.

All Crime and Gangster films are developed around their sinister actions of criminals.

They are usually seen operating outside the law, violently and ruthlessly murdering their way through life in order to achieve their goal(s).

Crime stories in this genre often highlight the life of a crime figure or a crime's victim(s). Or they glorify the rise and fall of a particular criminal(s), gang, bank robber, murderer or lawbreakers in personal power struggles or conflict with law and order figures, a competitive colleague, or a rival gang. You can also say that gangster films are almost like a 'celebration of violence' as they get pleasure from acting upon their aggressive and violent behaviour so it is basically glamourising violence.

Headline-grabbing situations, real-life gangsters, or crime reports have often been used in crime films. Gangster/crime films are usually set in large, crowded cities, to provide a view of the secret world of the criminal: dark nightclubs or streets with lurid neon signs, fast cars, piles of cash, sleazy bars, contraband, seedy living quarters or rooming houses. Exotic locales for crimes often add an element of adventure and wealth. Writers dreamed up appropriate gangland jargon for the tales, such as "tommy guns" or "molls."

Film gangsters are usually materialistic, street-smart, immoral, megalomaniacal, and self-destructive. Rivalry with other criminals in gangster warfare is often a significant plot characteristic. Crime plots also include questions such as how the criminal will be apprehended by police, special agents or lawful authorities, or mysteries such as who stole the valued object or who slaughtered the victim. They rise to power with a tough cruel facade while showing an ambitious desire for success and recognition, but underneath they can express sensitivity and gentleness.

Gangster films are morality tales: Horatio Alger or 'pursuit of the American Dream' success stories turned upside down in which criminals live in an inverted dream world of success and wealth. They often attempt to achieve what is called the 'American Dream'. Traditionally, Americans have sought to realise the American Dream of success, fame and wealth through thrift and hard work, therefore the chance to be the leader of other gangsters would be their 'dream' and in order for them to 'success', they'll need 'power, fame and wealth' and especially 'hard work'. Often from poor immigrant families, gangster characters often fall prey to crime in the pursuit of wealth, status, and material possessions (clothes and cars), because all other "normal" avenues to the top are unavailable to them. Although they are doomed to failure and inevitable death (usually violent and graphic), criminals are sometimes portrayed as the victims of circumstance, because the stories are told from their point of view.

By doing research on typical gangster plots, I can almost use this as a template and use this as some kind of guidance. We will be using a very similar plot in our media project so the audience's expectations will be satisfyingly confirmed.

Typical gangster clothing.

1950's gangsters were often shown in movies and on television, which displayed their distinctive fashion. However, most gangsters in the 1950s projected an image of a typical businessman because of their formal attire. Typical gangster clothing was very similar to the common outfit worn to work by most men in the '50s. It usually included a slim-fitting suit, fedora and a skinny tie with a simple design. However, the way in which the gangsters wear the dinner suits challenges the conventions of a formal look/style as they wear their ties loose with top buttons undone in order to create a look that creates a sense of rebellion and dark violence.

Skinny Necktie

In the 1950s, men's fashion was dominated by conformity. However, there was much advancement in the men's necktie, which became a staple for the '50s gangster. For fashion aficionados or men with money, like a typical gangster, the '40s and '50s were a great time in history for the classic necktie. Men acted and dressed less conservatively after Word War II and therefore, tie designers expanded their necktie lines. The Art Deco look was born through a wider range of man-made fibers, colors and dyes as well as new weaving methods. In the late '50s, ties became very narrow and involved simple designs. Many gangsters wore the skinny tie at the time until the early '60s when the necktie became wider and more colourful.

Fedora

Another distinctive feature of gangsters in the 1950s were their hats, which was commonly a fedora. The gangster fedora originated in the 1930s and came in a variety of colours. Gangsters were looked at negatively as being thieves and murders; however, most gangsters projected an image of a typical businessman because of their formal attire. Some New York designers at the time were requested to make clothing imitating gangsters, which included a fedora, this shows how this type of clothing is influencing and dominating the fashion. Today, the gangster hat and fedora are making a comeback and sold at many hat stores.

 Furthermore, I think that the hat makes the character look ambiguous, mysterious and sinister. It also conforms to the film noir genre and not only do the costumes fit into the film noir genre, the plot/storyline also fits in as typical film noir movies usually focus on gangsters and crime.

Slimmer suits

The typical 1950s gangster dressed very similar to a common businessman not only because of their fedora but also because they wore suits. Men's suit style in the '50s remained more conservative and did not change much from the '40s styles. Suit pants typically hid the cuffs and, in some cases, the pleats. Men's suit jackets were also much slimmer than they are today, and they typically had two to four buttons. Wool was one of the more popular fabrics used for suits, while sharkskin was sometimes worn by wealthier men. Suits were usually paired with a fedora style hat and a skinny tie. The slim-styled suits that were commonly seen on gangsters in the 1950s are making a comeback in today's fashion and sold by many major retailers.

After a lot of careful research, I was able to have a clearer knowledge and understanding as to how gangsters are dressed to express themselves and to give a particular impression among the audience. We have decided as a group to follow the traditional gangster look and not challenge ourselves to offer something unique and different because even in modern mainstream gangster films, the gangsters still wear the same kind of style and if we were to change the look, I highly doubt that the audience would agree with our decision as it is not considered as the norm.