12 Years a Slave
By: Hugo, Bruno, MartĂn, Pablo P.
Table of contents
Table of contents
1
INTRODUCTION
2
FILM SYNOPSIS
2
TECHNICAL DATA SHEET
2
DESCRIBING MAJOR CHARACTERS
4
William Ford
4
Solomon Northup
5
Patsey
6
Edwin Epps
7
POSTER ANALYSIS
8
TRAILER ANALYSIS
9
CONVERSATION
10
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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INTRODUCTION In this group work, we analyzed the film: “12 years a Slave”. Before doing this group work, we did an Individual work where we analyzed some characters of the film. We analyzed the official poster and the official trailer of the film. After this, we wrote an unreal situation in the film
FILM SYNOPSIS The film relates how two men kidnapped a black men and they transformed him in a slave, this film contains hard scenes because the director wants to show the slavery as it was in the past. That film raises issues slavery or African discrimination. This film relates that story chronologically. This film only has one narrative thread. The film has a climax amongst conflicting perspectives about the slavery. In the end, the story is closed.
TECHNICAL DATA SHEET The film was directed by Steve McQueen, the film was filmed in New Orleans in the summer of 2012 and that film was presented in the Tellurides’ film festival in 2013. Between film’s actors, the ones who stand out are Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’o, Brad Pitt; who helped in the script of that film, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfre Woodard, Paul Dano and Garret Dillahunt. This film is based on a book which was written in 1853. “12 years a slave” is a film that tells us a man’s story and how slavery changed his life. This film is a drama.
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In the film, we can know all character’s perspectives but the film focuses interest on the protagonist. Watching this film, we can know the interior life of one of the characters, but, we can understand the characters watching their actions, dialogues, responses… In this film there aren’t any narrator. The director shows us the characters’ attitudes causing adversities, looking at the character’s response, we can find out the character’s feelings. This film hasn’t any funny parts. I like the protagonist called Solomon because he didn’t quit, he didn’t want to fall into desperation, he puts up all adversities because he had hope. I like Samuel Bass too because he had courage and he helped Solomon in order to get his liberty. This film is based on New Orleans in the 40’s and 50’s. In this film, represents the africans’ harder life. This film has music which dramatises situations. In some scenes, the silence has a great importance and that silence can dramatise as much as the music. This film was nominated for 9 Oscars, it got 3, including “ The best film”; it won the Gold Glove to “The best dramatic film”, it was designed on BAFTA Awards, and Chiwetel Ejiofor won the “best actor” award. For us, all the actors in this film where fantastic.
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DESCRIBING MAJOR CHARACTERS William Ford William Ford is the first slave trader who bought Salomon, he is an elegant man, he wears gabardines, the director creates him as a rich character who belongs with the others slave traders. He defends black people’s rights but he bought them to work for him. He represents a realistically depicted in the 40's and 50’s, a lot of people thought black men had rights, but they didn't treat them like a white man and William Ford represents this people..I think William is inconsistent when he was doing that action and this is believable because people in the 40's and 50’s weren’t sensitized with that. He didn't change.
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Solomon Northup Solomon is a free man that is kidnapped and two men sell him as a slave. He learns how to survive and how to fight for his rights. He is wearing broken and dirty clothes. He wants to save other slaves and he wants to escape and to stay again with his family. Solomon in the film is lit with a few light. He is wearing dark trousers and a white shirt and black shoes. He is physically strong because he won a fight against John Tibeats. We learn things because Salomon says that he doesn't is a slave but the people don't help him to escape. Salomon doesn't collect a lot of cotton and his kidnapper hits him with the whip. Salomon says that he is a free man and his kidnapper hits him many times and he says that he is a slave. Then, Salomon says to the foreman that his instructions are wrong and he hits him but Salomon wins and the foreman wants to kill him. This character is represented realistically because the film is based on a true story written by Solomon Northup in 1850 that says what he did in this twelve years. The character is described as a black man that has black hair and brown eyes. This is important because in the film white people treat him inferiorly because he is a black man. I can judge Salomon for the traits and actions because he did good actions and he didn’t is a bad man because he wants to help Patsey to escape from there. The character is consistent because he didn’t abandoned and he fights to escape and stays with her family again. Solomon changed from the beginning because at the final he learned to become stronger and to survive.
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Patsey She is a sad character for all the bad things that happen to her. She's dressed with a pink dress. She is short, thin and she has short hair. We can learn about the situation of the slaves, because she works more than a man and she was abused and no rewarded. It Ě s represented realistically, because she knows her situation and she gets upset about it. We can judge her because the decisions or acts that she wants to take, for example, when she wants that Solomon kill her. Patsey is a credible character because all the abuses and emotions of which she is part of their owners and her inner thoughts and actions, and is credible in the situation that she lives in the film. The character changes because she, at the beginning, has the wish that Solomon kill her but, at the end, she wants to stay alive in part thanks to Solomon's help to support her.
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Edwin Epps Edwin Epps, we think he’s the worst person in all the film: He wears luxury clothes and is in this era fashion, is a red haired middle aged man, by his actions he feels like being crazy, for example, forces his slaves to dance in front of him while Solomon plays the violin, or, when he wants, he hits them with the whip. He also suppresses a girl and rips her and by the only fact of not being on his sight he hits her. Is a man that wants to all “his” slaves collect more cotton day after day, something impossible, and blames “his” slaves for all the problems he has. In conclusion,
he’s
a
very
bad
person.
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POSTER ANALYSIS In the poster of this film we can see a black man, that is the main character in the film. He is on the right side of the poster. At the top we can see the names of the main characters because people can like or recognise one of them and go to watch the film. Under that, we can see the director's name and below, we can see the title of the film in big letters and the subtitle in small letters. At the bottom of the poster, there are the names of all the characters who work in the film. On the left side of the poster, there are many opinions about this film published in newspapers. The tittle’s font is bigger than the font of the other text and showier too. The number 12 and the 5 stars rating are in orange colour.
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TRAILER ANALYSIS The trailer starts with Solomon talking with Samuel Bass about what part of the world he comes from. This is important because Solomon says to Bass that he is a free man and if he can help him. In the next shot he appears with two men and he says that he is a free man. After that, they kidnap him and sell him as a slave. This shot means that Solomon is going to be a slave, Epps buys him and he works in a plantation with other slaves. Epps gets angry because he doesn't work. Solomon fights with John Tibeats and remembers when he was with his family. Epps wants to hit Solomon but Patsey stops him. This is very important because Solomon is going to be hang from a rope and Henry Ford is going to help him. Finally, Solomon talks with other slaves on a ship and he says “I don't want to survive, I want to live!�. https://youtu.be/z02Ie8wKKRg
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CONVERSATION Epps tied solomon and Patsey because he discovered a letter written by Solomon. Solomon had told him that he didn’t know how to write. Them, when Epps have caring Solomon, Patsey tried to stop him. EPPS: I will whip you until you die! SALOMON: Patsey, be strong! If you cry he will enjoy it! EPPS: Shut up, nigger! You can't do that! (FORD appears in the scene, walking among the people) PATSEY: Hey, hey, please, help me!! EPPS: Don’t disturb them, Patsey, next time you disturb people, I will whip you stronger. Wait a moment… Is he Mr. Ford? FORD: Mr. Epps! Mr. Epps! I have to talk with you! EPPS: Didn't you see me? I’m busy. If my slave disturbs you, don’t worry, she will receive what he deserves. FORD: Your slave didn’t bother me. EPPS: So, what do you want? Be fast, I don’t have all day. (Ford stops whipping Patsey) FORD: I want to buy a slave. EPPS: OK, come with me, my slaves are behind my home. FORD: It will be not necessary, I want this slave. (Ford points at Solomon) EPPS: This slave isn’t for sale. FORD: I give you 5.000 pounds. EPPS: Solomon, today is your lucky day, you can express gratitude to Ford, he saved your life.
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SOLOMON: (Starts to cry) no! You can’t leave her, we must buy her or she will die! FORD: That’s impossible, I don’t have more money. EPPS: I would not sell her, she is a black goddess, she is perfect, she is different to the rest of niggers, she is mine. FORD: Came on Solomon, you will forget her, don’t worry. PATSEY: Don’t worry Solomon, save yourself, don’t worry about me, you must survive, go away, I will survive. FORD: Come on Solomon, follow me. (Solomon stays still) SOLOMON: No, I will stay here. FORD: if you stay here, you will not survive. SOLOMON: I don’t want to survive, I want to live.
https://youtu.be/4OKugK5WyBU
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Picture of Edwin Epps (Villains fandom wiki/ Edwin Epps) [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Picture of William Ford: (http://treeofcinema.blogspot.com/2014/04/12-years-slave-fidelity-in-portrayal-of.html ) By (Sean Bobbitt) [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Picture of Patsey, Fandom, Falcón, Karla: https://doblaje.fandom.com/es/wiki/Karla_Falc%C3%B3n [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Picture of Solomon Northup (https://mltellezcav.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/doce-anos-de-esclavitud) [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Virtual Classroom, Lago,Loly: https://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesfene/aulavirtual2/pluginfile.php/13877/mod_res ource/content/2/Working%20as%20a%20Script%20Writer.pdf [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Virtual Classroom, Lago Loly: https://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesfene/aulavirtual2/pluginfile.php/13860/mod_res ource/content/1/WORKING%20AS%20A%20SCRIPT%20WRITER%20-%20Group% 20Work.pdf [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Virtual Classroom, Lago, Loly: https://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesfene/aulavirtual2/pluginfile.php/13881/mod_res ource/content/1/Movie%20Quotes.pdf [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] Virtual Classroom, Lago, Loly: https://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesfene/aulavirtual2/pluginfile.php/13862/mod_res ource/content/1/Project%20on%20Movies.pdf [Last accessed: March the 5º Of 2019] Virtual Classroom, Lago, Loly: https://www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/iesfene/aulavirtual2/pluginfile.php/13864/mod_res ource/content/1/3rd%20Term%20Rubrics.pdf [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019]
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WordReference: https://www.wordreference.com/ [Last accessed: March the 5º of 2019] 12 Years a Slave awards: 12 Years a Slave awards [Last accessed: April the 22º of 2019]
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