EvaluationQuestion 1

Short FilmIn what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Unlike similar real media which begin in a dark and isolated location, in our film opening the location used is a well light, open and communal area. The reason why we have challenged this convention is because we wanted to start our film in a state of equilibrium where protagonist is in there natural environment and is unaware

of the trouble that lies ahead. I was also so our audience could relate to the subject area in which they would be familiar with. We also have used a convention of having the first frame being an establishing shot to show audiences the location of the film, in our case it was effective because the audience could relate to the

location.

1.

Our film uses the conventions of many Thriller films by having a protagonist who is stalked or followed by the narratives antagonist. We followed this convention because it shadows our Fable “The wolf in Sheep’s clothing's” moral of “Appearances are deceptive” as well as it being a very significant element of Thriller films. In many Thriller films the protagonist does not make a conscious effort to meet or see the antagonist, we have challenged this convention by “Sophia” deciding to and going to meet “Kwame”. This was done because of the theme of the narrative and under lying themes which are related to and relevant to the target audience life. In the Morden day may teenagers meet up with strangers they don’t know or who are unfamiliar to them. This again is a challenge of conventions as many protagonist in real media products do not know their stalker.

In this frame my media product has used the technical conventions of real media products through its camera work; the extreme close up gives an up-close look into the main character this allows the audience to become familiar with them in the aim that they empathise with the protagonist when bad or negative incident happens to them. This shot also allows for the emotion if it be stress, shock or concentration to be see; similarly all three shots are side angles close up, this is one of the efforts we made to get our film to mirror real media products.

For many Thriller films there is a significant journey which leads to the stalker making contact with the protagonist, this was so in some of the real similar media products however we have choose to develop on this convention by in stead documenting the protagonist making a journey but documenting the protagonist getting dressed and prepared for her meeting with the antagonist. We have done this to add a creative flair to the conventions of thriller films as well to make the comparison between the preparation the antagonist makes to that of the protagonist. We have also developed the technical convention of using extreme close ups in our split screen format.

Similar to real media products our film has used costume to disguising clothing worn by the antagonist this is common convention which we have used this is due to the notions attached to antagonist being mysterious and unpredictable characters, this is a character profile which we have incorporated in our narrative. The reasons for us using this character profile was to convey the idea that “appearances are deceptive” our underlying message/moral; because although “Sophia” decided to and “knew” who she was going to see we the audience and her did not actually see his face clearly.A second convention which we used is concealing the antagonist face with clothing my real media example the concealing is done with a hat, and in our short film the face is concealed by a hood. The reasons for this was to reinforce the concept above and have the antagonist identity some what hidden.

Following on from the fact we aimed to hide “Kwame’s” face to a certain extent we filmed a close up which had a lengthy duration in which he was zipping up his hoody. This longer shot duration challenges the technical codes used in thriller films; ideally each scene should be short and sharply cut however here we have a long durating shot which is followed by a straight cut. We have done this to play on the fact you do not see the antagonist face, as the zip is pulled up you expect to see his face but instead its harshly cut; this creative shot has a successful effect of suspense something always found in Thriller films.

Double Page SpreadIn what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Challenging code and conventions of Real Media Products

Here I have challenged the typical codes of placing the page numbers in the right and left hand corners; I have done this because I wanted my page to have a more creative look and not look like a carbon copy of the film and other subject magazines. By doing this the page also has a symmetrical layout which I was aiming for through a clean and simplistic layout.By justifying the website for “Filmbook” my magazine I again challenged the typical positioning however I through doing this achieved the symmetrical layout I was aiming for. This layout style makes for easy reading and does not distract from the main elements such as the image and text.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Developing codes and conventions of Real Media Products

I have choose not to use the convention of placing the image on one page or of A4 dimensions, instead I have placed one large landscape image on the 2 pages this challenging of conventions means I was able make full effect of the altered image. With doing this I also made use of the image which was a screen shot of a frame where the protagonist was in the mirror getting ready to meet the antagonist; this being a element of Thriller films I felt it was fitting.

As I am developing my magazine from traditional film magazine spreads who audience would be a lot older than that of mine, I have chosen to use a modern sans serif font as a pose to using a traditional serif font. This development will appeal more to my younger audience and I feel is also fitting of my film and its modern approach to a traditional moral.

Magazines especially review magazines have begun to include reader reviews and read’s input I have chosen to develop on this idea my using new media platforms (Twitter) to include read reviews, this mainly was to appeal to younger more in touch with social network sites. Not only this but I have include this element to be innovative and set my magazine apart from the other similar products.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Using codes and conventions of Real Media Products

Here I have used elements of similar real media products to construct the image for my double page spread. I have drawn on the effect and sepia filter used, these types of effects are common amongst Thriller films as they are able to capture the scary and mysterious foundations of the genre. I chose to do this because I wanted to make my double page spread as professional and reflecting of the genre as possible in which I would have to be aware and use the codes and conventions.

Similarly I used the conventions of most

magazines where there is a large text for the

film masthead this was done to draw attention

to the name with it being a new and

unknown film. However I did develop on the

convention of placing the masthead above

the article and placed it over the image, this

was done to efficiently use the spread.

To further make use of the double page spread in an attractive fashion I used columns which is

a known code in magazine layout. I did

however add a creative change to the columns

and aligned the left column to the right and

vice-versa. By developing on this I

feel my magazine has a modern and distinctive

look.

I have also used an indent for the 1st

paragraph as a eye catching technique which encourages

viewers to read the article. This

convention is widely used in real media products for the same reason.

Film Poster In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My media product uses, develops and challenges codes and conventions of read media products. I did through identifying the constant conventions of similar media products.

Images With both ancillary tasks I have used the convention of real media products in reference to the images used.

With thrillers a film poster tends to have an image which is clearly identifiable to its genre yet has elements which are held back to encourage the views to watch the film.

With is film poster you can see that the actors leg but you are unaware of whether the subject is dead or sleeping is a element of suspense and a intelligent play on the title of the film.

I too this technique on board when choosing and constructing my main image. I used images of the antagonist putting his hood up, this is the form of identification with the genre as he has a ghostly and mysterious hood. The actors back being to the camera is the element of suspense as the audience becomes curious to the character and what they do in the film. I have used image where the subject is not full visible because it corresponds with my film by drawing images from the film there will then be a clear link between the two. As well as this these codes and conventions used will enable me to have the same ambiance which real thriller film posters has through conveying mysterious characters.

However some elements of my poster challenge the elements of real media products. This is done through the fact that most commercial thriller films with high status actors show the actors face on film posters. I have challenged this because I have found that the reason this is done is not relevant to my media product in the sense that our film has been made to send out a message the “appearances are deceptive”. Not only this but I felt there would be more depth with an image where you could not see the actors face because of the genre of the film.

Contin…The uses of shadows is very much a convention of physiological thrillers, I have chosen to use this convention and develop it within my poster. I have done this through the use of two images and “Photoshop”. Where many thrillers use shadows with in films and trailers I have tried to incorporate this with in my poster. Reasons for this is one to hopefully draw attention and urge audiences to watch the film or read the interview with the main actor. As well as this I have used the shadow/ghostly effect to emphasis the fact that some thing thrilling obviously happen because of the sinister nature of the image.

Text – CreditsWith the construction of my poster’s credits I wanted to use the convention of gradient text size which you will see in a large proportion of film posters.

Contin…

I did this through using a range of text sizes a similar font and also changing the colour to grey which I identified as the most used colour used for credits.I had use this convention of real media products in the aim to make my media product as professional as possible. Small elements such as the colour, font size and positioning I documented could take my poster to levels of similar media products.

MastheadI have used the convention of real media products in reference to the masthead. The fonts used are normally ones which fit a thrilling nature for example clock fonts sowing time is of the essence.

Or ones where there is an element of blood or gore.

I have chosen to use the blood type font as well as using red as an accent colour. I have used this convention to make my media product as realist and professional as possible similar to posters in its genre. By doing this it makes my media product identifiable to the thriller genre, which will attract more to my target audience. The masthead I then used through out my ancillary which is a convention I used which creates brand identity.