1. In what ways does your media product use, develop, or challenge
forms and conventions of real media products?
The magazine that I have createdfollowsmanyof the conventionsof the Empire magazine andit
had to as itsharedthe same title. One of the mainthingsthatI have changedfromthe usual
magazine isthe backgroundthat I have used.Itismore dynamicwhencomparedtothe
conventional singlecolourbackgroundsthatEmpire use. Idecidedtouse thisunconventional
backgroundas it wasfittingto the characters that I wastryingto portray inthe film.Thisisthrough
the change in colourfromthe bottomto the top of the magazine cover.The dense blacksmoke at
the bottomof the magazine seemstobe engulfingthe characterat the bottom, whichis making
subtle referencestohisexperiencesinthe film.Whenthe backgroundbecomesmore white towards
the top of the page isreflectshowthe othercharacter iswhat of what isgoingon andhas complete
control of the situation.
For the magazine Ihave slightlydevelopedthe conventionsthatare usedinthe photoof the
protagonistandantagonist.Ihave done thisthroughthe use of positioningandhow the antagonist
has hishandson the protagonist’sshoulders,thisisrepresentative of the control thathe has over
himfor the film.The message thatisconveyedthroughthataction,whichisthatJake is being
controlledbyMark and thatall thathe istryingto accomplishthroughoutthe filmisbeing
unknowinglycounteredbyMark. Anotherpointaboutthe photothat was usedisthe way the both
of the modelsare addressingthe camera.The antagonistisindirectaddresswhile the protagonistis
facingslightlyoff centre.Ididthatas it furthershowsthe characters personalityandrolesinthe film
once again.Jake is lookingoff screentoshow thathischaracter is notaware of the situationthathe
isin,or that he isbeingplayed.Thatisthe reasonthat Dr Mark is indirectaddressas itshowsthat
he is the opposite of Jake,andthathe isable to control and manipulate the situationtosuitwhathe
wants.
The stickeron the magazine isa conventional figure thatisusedinmanydifferent Empire
magazines.Ihave adapteditto fitthe colourcode of my magazine while makingitstandoutlike on
2. a professional magazine,andalsobyhavingitseemlike ithasbeenstuckontothe magazine asit is
overthe maincover image.Ihave done thisby followingthe conventionsof how Empire magazine
use the stickers andtherefore adding itsothat itlookslike aprofessional one.Ihave done thisby
havingitplacedoverthe maincharacters that are onthe frontcover,creatinga borderaround the
side of it sothat it standsout againstthe backgroundand havingthe textinside itsizedandcoloured
differentlytothe restof the magazine cover.
The main coverstoryon the magazine hasbeencreatedto fitthe conventionsof Empire magazine.I
have done thisthroughhavingitas a largertitle thanthe othersonthe magazine andalsoshowingit
by havingitin a differentfontandsize tothe other coverstoriesinorderto make it standout as the
mainpiece forthe magazine.
The filmtrailerhasfollowedthe conventionsof aregularfilmtrailer.Duringthe creationof the
traileritwas basedheavilyonothertrailersformsof editing The filmtrailerfollowsthe basic
conventionsof trailersasithasthree distinctsectionsthatare inmajorityof the filmtrailersthatare
produced.Itmay be challengingordevelopingotherthingsthatare commonlyusedinfilmtrailers
such as the sense of notknowingthatis similartogone girl.The trailerdoesalot to create mystery
as that isone of the mainsellingpointsthatithasbeinga psychological thriller.Butitalsodoesa lot
inleavingthe characters unclear;itdoesgive a goodideaof protagonist,suchaswhothe real
antagonistisinthe film,thisissimilartothe trailerfor ShutterIsland. Howeverformostof the
trailerthathas beencreateditusesconventionsfromotherstomake itseemlike a professional
productionratherthanan unfamiliarstyle of trailer. Duringthe climacticpartof the trailerthere are
a lot of quickcuts that are usedwhichfollow trailerconventions andthroughthiscreatesa more
professionaltrailer.The use of fast shotsin the trailerisanotherexample of how conventionswere
followed. The use of quickshotsare good fortrailersas the audience willnotbe able toget any
majorplotpointsfromthemmeaningthattheyare useful inthe climacticpartof a trailer.
3. The posterusesthe same ideaas the magazine cover andisusedto show the characters that are in
the film.Thisisespeciallytrue withthe protagonist. Thisposterhasfollowedconventionsof having
the postersetin a portrait,althoughIhave challengedsome postersasIhave the actor directly
addressingthe audience.Ihave challengedthe conventionsof filmpostersbyusingthe blackand
white colourchangestoshowthe Silhouette of anothercharacterinthe background.Idecidedtodo
thisas it would anenigmaaboutwhothe personinthe backgroundis,whyis he a silhouetteand
whatdoeshe doin the filmashe mustbe an importantcharacter. The tag line “there are twosides
to everystory”followsconventionsasithas beenplacedunderneaththe title andiscentredonthe
page. The tag line alsofitswiththe silhouette of the character,as itreferencesthe ideaof twosides
whichisa prominentthemeinthisposter.
I didchallenge the restof the posterhoweverbymakingit redwhichseemstogoagainstthe black
and white colourscheme thatIhad adaptedforthe poster.HoweverIfeel thatthishasa better
impacton the feelingof the filmandcreatesanextrameaningthroughthe connotationof the colour
red, such as anger,jealousy,loveetc. whilesimplyhelpingittostand outwhile onthe posterforthe
magazine.The creditsthat I createdforthe posterfitthe conventionsof normal filmposters. Tofit
inwiththe backgroundI slightlychallengedtoconventionsof the namesof the actorson the poster
by havingthemappearindifferentcolourssothatit iseasiertosee them.Thisappliesmosttothe
middle one asitgoesacross both the white andthe blackbackgroundand therefore neededtobe
twodifferentcolours.Thisissomethingthatisnotnormallydone infilmpostersandtherefore can
be seenas challengingconventions. The image onthe posterchallengesconventionsof typical film
postersbyhavingthe main protagonistsplitupandput ontodifferentsides.Ididthistohelpshow
the characters personalitymore ashe isa verybrokenpersonthatis havingproblemswithhis
mental stabilityduringthe filmmeaningthatthe image hasmore meaning.
