1. In what ways does your
media product use,
develop or challenge
forms and conventions of
real media?
By Diana Odoom

2.  Our group recognised that for audiences to be
attracted to our film we had to show specific
codes and conventions of films within the
same genre. We watched a range of title
sequences from films like ‘The
Orphanage’(2007) ,‘The Blair Witch
Project’(1999) and ‘ Seven’(1995) which
became very successful psychological
horror/thriller films. Psychological films focus
on details in depth that get audiences
thinking, whilst thriller films are expected to
make you excited and keep you on the edge
of your seat.

3.  The name of our production company is ‘Cat
Flap Films’ and the title of our film is ‘Legacy’.
The film tells the story of a young woman
called Alice who lost her farther and with no
remaining family, as she is left to continue life
alone, it appears that someone is after her, to
find out who they ask the first question she
needs to answer is why?

4.  We intentionally set out to keep certain conventions
such as background music that slowly built up,
creating enigma for the audience. But, We avoided
using music of a lighter mood because that was not
the style of horror we were trying to show, instead we
were going for a psychological thriller which had hints
of horror. By combining images, sound and text we
tried to create a film reflective of the specific genre.
Our product was made over a low budget so this
prevented us from using special effects such as CGI,
but in our defence our group thought that not having
CGI of any other special (unnatural) effects or sound
made our product more realistic.

5.  In most common films you can expect to be introduced to the
main character/s within the film, this can be done from many
different angles but is known as the establishing shot. For
example, the opening sequence for ‘Se7ven’ (released in 1995), is
a collective of clips and images that imply what goes through the
mind of a killer. In our film we subverted from this idea and
challenged usual conventions by beginning our title sequence with
an establishing shot of an empty park, with trains going past .This
was done because parks are usually packed with people
preferably children and their carers but when they are not there it
brings a sense of vulnerability. The shots of the park helped to
establish the location of the film.

6.  Once this was done, we then
introduced our main
character Alice (played by
Tenise Codling), through a
side mid-shot , where she
can be seen looking over a
lake with a concerned face,
we then go into a close-up
where ‘Alice’ is holds onto a
pendent placed around her
neck . Alice’s behaviour
conforms to the stereotypical
image of a fragile female,
who is the victim.

7.  Our second main character is Leo who is
orphan and who was raised by an agency. In
the picture on the left we are not shown
Leo’s face, in this scene we used an over the
shoulder shot because it allowed us to show
Leo’s presence without taking any focus
away from Alice and Argona. Nevertheless,
throughout the sequence Leo’s face is hidden
from the viewers, this is to keep the mystic
around Leo’s character and purpose. The
picture below shows ‘Alice’ struggling to
recognise Leo’s daunting figure in the
distance.