Gangster Films Research Homework

For my homework I had to create an idea for a gangster film and come up with an opening sequence.

Title: The Don

Characters:

• The Don
• Marco (Italian Guy)
• Leonardo (Italian Guy)
• Stefan (Italian Guy)
• Antonio (Italian Guy)
• Frank Zepherelli
• The guy

Setting: Brooklyn

Plot: The plot follows the four Italian guys trying to take out Frank Zepherelli. The Don tells the four Italian guys that whoever kills him will receive a large sum of money so they have a race to kill him first. However, he is well protected and the four Italian guys will have to use all of their cunning to get the hit on him.

Description of opening sequence:

• Very dark lighting, can only see the guys face.
• The camera starts off as a mid-shot of the back of The Don and slowly zooms in to the guys face.
• The guy is tied to the chair and is very scared and confused.
• The Don is explaining something to him.
• It ends when the guy screams "who the fuck are you?!" Then a loud gunshot is fired. The guy falls over dead and the Don casually says "I'm the Don."

5 key conventions of gangster films:

• Murder
• Rich gang bosses
• Heavy swearing
• Light humour
• Weapons and smoking

1 thing I will change is:

• It will be heavily influenced on comedy.

I received feedback from my peers.

Kayleigh said: "Maybe include comedy in your opening if it really is a big feature of the film."
Andrew said: "It sets up the tone of the film and is an effective opening to the film."
Alisha said: "It uses the usual conventions well, but the plot of the opening sequence needs comedy to show the change you've made to the genre.