In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
1. Q1- In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 9 shot analysis of Thanatos
2. For our first shot we decided to use a long shot/establishing shot to set the scene. Using a tripod, we panned left to right. We used ambient sound and natural lighting as we wanted to create a sense of realism. In this shot we filmed behind some tree branches to give the illusion that the male protagonist is being spied on. The camera shot is shot from the murderers point of the view, and makes it look like we are looking through the murderers own eyes. The camera crabs left to right so that it looks like the murderer is moving about to spy on the innocent victim. We decided to have a long shot of the male and his dog. We filmed at eye level so that the viewer feels more on a personal level with the actor. We also wanted to use a long shot of the actor so the viewer is properly introduced to the actor. We wanted to get a natural shot of the actor and his dog to create a sense of true life.
3. This is a close up, reaction shot of the male lead. We decided to film his easy going, calm facial expressions so the viewer can see his reaction before his murder. We filmed at eye level. The props used in this shot was a mobile phone which shows the modernity of the male protagonist. We also filmed a close up shot of the dog. In this part of the thriller, the dog is barking. This connotes danger. We thought that using synchronous sound helps contribute to the realism of the thriller. We filmed this shot using worms eye view. This brings more attention to the ball and the males facial expressions. We slowed down the turning of the ball to create suspense. According to our focus group suspense is one of the key conventions of a thriller.
4. This scene is shot in a dark room which connotes death and mystery. We decided to have the teddy bear in this shot subtly so the viewer can relate the death with the bear. The only lighting is this shot is by candle light which connotes fear as the room is very dark. The male is looking down which shows his vulnerability. This is a wide angle shot of the cellar. We decided to use this shot so that the viewer can see the whole cellar. As the thriller progresses and the deaths become more gruesome the lighting darkens. This also highlights the difference between good vs. evil. We used quite spooky mise en scene to show the severity of the situation and danger. The enigma which is the teddy bear is also shown in this shot. We built up suspense by not showing the murderers face in the background and only showing the back of him. In this shot we slow motioned a glass which was falling to create a more dramatic effect an to amplify violence. We did this to make it seem like the room was shaking. We used quite spooky mise en scene such as burnt out candles and an old dusty ornament. We used a deep red fabric as red connotes murder and blood.