Evaluation 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

  In our 2 minute opening we used many conventions of the genre we were aiming to achieve this genre was thriller. We used many different props our setting different editing techniques and sounds we used to be able to achieve the look we wanted to with our two minute opening. 

     The first thing we thought about was the mise en scene so when we filmed we has everything how we wanted it; the setting was a key feature of this as it sets the scene was it what happens to the main character. Our first setting was reculver towers this was for the flashback parts of our film these part where the main parts to create a thriller as these supported the thriller idea. The day in which we filmed was dark and gloomy this helped with adding atmosphere to our film as it looked more dangerous and looked like somewhere which a young girl should not be in by herself as it looked dangerous and mysterious. The natural lighting was also darker which helped to add to the atmosphere as it darker lighter is a great sign of danger which is a key convention to a thriller. Another convention which we adhered when filming at reculver towers was the costume which our main character was wearing this was ripped up grey t-shirt with mud and blood all over it this helps to reinforce the idea of danger and also helps to show that the character is hurt and something awful has happened to her; the costume is a key part of creating the idea that the character is not normal and something has happened to her which would later be discovered during the rest of the film this also helps to tie the audience in to want to watch the rest of the film. The makeup we used is also a key idea as to what has happened to the character this helps to create the idea that it is a thriller as shows danger again. The office space filming also helps to show the genre as thriller as it adheres to some conventions such as the main character has a prop of a blanket which shows her vulnerability and helps to shows how she needed to be cared for. Something however which challenges the conventions of a thriller in the office space is the idea that there is a female interviewing here however police officer jobs are normally taken by males whereas most people would expect the position to be taken by a male not a female.

 

  Another feature which helps to adhere to conventions to thrillers is the sound we used we used background music which followed through the whole of the film this showed continuation flowing throughout the film ; also as the music has peaks we had added the peaks in the tense moments so that it adds to the tension of the film. We also added in some whispers into the build-up of the main character freaking out getting the loudest it can when the character is at her most venerable state this adds to the atmosphere of the film as it makes the audience feel more tense and uptight these feelings are very key conventions to thrillers. We also added some sharp booms in towards the end of the two minutes this was to add tension when the figure is about to appear so that the audience is scared and expect something bad to happen.  

   
 

    Our editing also helped to adhere to the conventions of thrillers as we focused on making the flashbacks being very clear as to what they are; we done this through the effects we added and the order which we put the different scenes in. We decided to start with the flashbacks to get the audience caught in to the film and wanting to watch on, we the added the dream effect so that it was clear these scenes were flashbacks and not actually happening on the current day we went with this effect as we felt that it was the most effecting in making the scenes see like flashbacks. I feel one of the key pieces of editing which helps to adhere to the conversion to a thriller is the scene where we have used point of view shot of the character running and then shot of her running towards the camera going between these shots which creates match n action this is effective as it shows a sense of rush from the character which makes the audience fear where and why she is running; these things all add tension. We also did match on action in the office space to show her  opening the door we done this so the process of her opening the door was slowed down which adds tension as to what is behind the door as it taking her a while to open the door. Another feature which while editing was slow motion we used this during the flashbacks to give the effect that the character is not mentally stable and this is affecting her vision and view of the world.We decided on the idea of having flashbacks from the film ‘I am a legend’  this films uses flashbacks to show different elements to the main character life we have tried to do this with our film adding in flashbacks from when the character is unstable.

The last thing we used to develop the conventions of a thriller was camera angles and shots; we decided to use many different camera angles and shots so the audience a range of features which we had included. One shot however we used quite frequently was a close up we used this a lot to that audience saw the pain and fear which the main character is feeling, also to show the physical pain which the character has experience/ been through to bring her to where she is. Another shot which we was very keen on including during our 2 minute opening was a point of view shot this was to give the feeling that the main character is telling her story through the flashbacks and makes the opening more personal to the character so the audience will feel more tense when something happens to her as they have formed some sort of attachment to the character.