2. QUESTION ONE
In what ways does your media product
USE, DEVELOPE, or CHALLENGE forms and
conventions of existing media products?
3. How we got the name..
We came up with the name ‘Mancunian Way’ by mixing
‘The Only Way Is Essex’ and ‘Made In Chelsea’.
We kept the theme of wealth and drama but tried to stick
to the typical Mancunian niches as the area isn’t as
wealthy as Chelsea or Essex.
We looked at different soaps codes and conventions, to
ensure we understood them fully before creating our
own.
Within our soap there are different parallel narratives
due to the multiple characters within the soap, which
keeps the audience interested at all times.
4. Conventions..
To keep the audience interested there are various
character storylines which are constantly changing
throughout the trailer.
To make the trailer more realistic I used close
up, over the shoulder and medium shots.
This was so the audience felt as if they were
experiencing the emotions of the characters.
The camera is generally the fourth wall within most
of the shots.
5. Before looking further into scripted reality
Before we looked further into scripted reality, we
deconstructed a Hollyoaks trailer to understand the
differences between the two, you can find this on my
blog.
http://lilyberrisforda2media.blogspot.co.uk/2012/0
9/hollyoaks-review.html
6. Scripted Reality Conventions
Heavy, glamorous, unrealistic make-up
Frequent close ups, Artificial lighting
Glamorous clothes
Fake tan, fake nails, extensions, heels, big hair..
Jargon Language specific to the programme (Reem –
TOWIE) (Waah – MIC)
Dramatic storylines
Over the top acting to entertain viewers
7. Scripted Realities
Here are examples of other scripted realities, we
watched and compared all four to ensure we knew
exactly what we wanted.
8. Scripted reality trailers
Usually lasts about 45 seconds long
Music doesn’t play until about 3 seconds into the
trailer to create dramatic effect
Beats of track match the edits
Trailers are used to promote the programme along
side a sponsor
9. FABULOUS MAGAZINE
Masthead
Issue number & date
Main features
Rule of thirds
2 colour scheme
One image – main star
10. MY FRONT COVER
Date & issue number
Masthead
Main feature
One image
Rule of thirds
2 colour scheme
11. Similarities and differences
Both contain the same fonts – Masthead
Both contain one image
Both contain date and issue number
Both contain main features
Both follow the rule of thirds
Both have no buttons or mastheads
My own version has a different colour scheme
Different star choice
Black and white photo
12. How I challenged conventions..
I used a completely different colour
scheme, including a black and white photo
The stars pose is different to match the theme of the
front cover
I placed features in different places
Choice of clothing, this is due to the place of where
the programme is set – it would be out of place to say
most males wear suites in Manchester..
13. How I challenged conventions..
I challenged conventions completely, by changing colour
scheme, pose and outfits to make it more realistic to the
surroundings, Manchester.
14. The Only Way Is Essex Billboard
Bright colours
Glamorous
Clear layout
Usually has a logo
on or a strap
containing brand
identity
Multiple images
15. My Bill Board
Bright colours but
toned down to look
less tacky
Strap containing logo
and brand identity
Multiple images
Clear layout
More casual
Brick background –
manchester
16. How I challenged conventions..
Both contain colours
Both contain multiple characters
Both have a clear layout
My version has a logo and brand identity
I toned the colours down
I used a brick background
My version has fewer characters
17. How I challenged conventions..
Instead of a random layout - we ensured that all characters would
be staring at Tarquin Jackson in the middle bottom area. This
showed that the trailer was likely to revolve around him and by the
expression on all the characters faces (especially Tarquin), that he
was more likely to be the one cause trouble.
19. My final trailer compared to a Made in Chelsea trailer
SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES
Logo • I used up to a
Music maximum of 3
Close up shots people in a shot
Multiple • Panning shots
characters (too shaky for my
trailer)
Length
• Surroundings
Varied shots
slightly different
Similar storyline
• Weather
20. Scripted Reality
We deconstructed a few trailers to understand the
typical codes and conventions of a scripted reality.
All of them are planned which means it needs re-
shooting a lot of the time.
Before each episode this is shown to ensure all
viewers know that it is acted out, purely for
entertainment.
21. Made In Chelsea
MADE IN CHELSEA MY SOAP
This is an example of a shot used within ‘Made in Chelsea’, a scripted reality
which is already playing on e4. I didn’t use an over the shoulder shot like in
the first clip above, as it didn’t work very well due to the surroundings.
However I did use a medium close up shot to match the mise en scene.
22. Made In Chelsea
MADE IN CHELSEA MY SOAP
I matched this point of view shot by using the bar to show the levels of height
and power. I also matched the number of people within the shot as it’s a
medium shot which can involve more people.
23. Made In Chelsea
MADE IN CHELSEA MY SOAP
Here I matched the trailer by using a reaction shot. I also kept the over the
shoulder shot to make it more realistic and closer to the actual soap. This made
the audience feel more involved and more likely to feel the emotions of the
characters.
24. How I challenged conventions..
I used effects to edit the e4 logo and strap onto the
trailer (keynote)
I slowed shots down to get a longer take during
reaction shots
I split clips but kept the sound from it and played it
over another clip without sound to show reaction
shots
I focused more on actions than specific characters
during the trailer
25. How I challenged conventions..
I used these shots to challenge the typical
conventions of a scripted reality, as they aren’t
normally included as they focus more on context
than one main character close up.
26. USE, DEVELOPED, CHALLENGED
I have used nearly all the same conventions as Made in
Chelsea, but still made it my own trailer will typical
connotations of Manchester rather than Chelsea.
I have developed some conventions like the
soundtrack. Within my trailer the sound doesn’t kick
in until about 3 seconds, when the trailer starts to go
into further detail about the storyline.
I have challenged convention by using more shots
which most scripted realities wouldn’t use, this has
worked very well as it still keeps all key concepts and
follows the mise en scene excellently.
27. OVERALL – Trailer and Ancillaries
I used the conventions of existing products in all of
my final pieces. The main conventions I followed
within my trailer were the shots and music. This
made the trailer more realistic to this sub-genre.
I challenged the typical conventions of existing
products within my ancillaries making them unique
as this would be a completely new programme.. I
wanted something that would stand out from other
scripted reality programmes as most of them are
currently all very similar.
