2. My media products uses and develops
forms and conventions of real media
products in effective ways in order to
engage the audience throughout the
narrative and satisfy their expectations.
However I challenge forms and
conventions so that it doesn’t always meet
the predictions by the audience, this will
enhance their attention and create a bigger
impact on them; which will be the end
results I am hoping for.

3. In my short film after
researching a range of real
media products that fit in to
the romance-drama genre it
soon came apparent that
there are regular forms and
conventions used that help
to prescribe the narrative to
the audience.

4. Camerawork conventions used in real
media products such as ‘Gone Goodbye’
helped me to aspire and create my film, as
the director used continuous high angle
shots which helped develop the
vulnerableness of the protagonist in the
short film so that the audience will be able
to gain sympathy for him. I used this
convention and used it in my own so that I
was able to create the same effect, one
example of this is when the protagonist in
the first scene is sitting at the table, so that
an immediate reaction can be made by the
audience.

5. This complimented smoothly with other camera shots I used such as close ups of
the protagonists facial features. This is a key convention that I have included
throughout my short film and my ancillary tasks; this is because it is important that
the audience gain a connection with the protagonist to create the mood to be
upsetting and hollow. ‘Moments’ a short film I analysed use this technique
continuously throughout the film and the bond that was formed once it had finished
really helped develop and dramatize the ending. I feel that using this convention was
a success as it showed from when I screened my short film at the Media Awards
Evening, the feedback I was given was exactly how I wanted the results to be such
as upsetting, sad and scared. I was also informally told that it definitely pulled on the
heartstrings. I was pleased with the impact that it had on my audience.

6. A convention that I have learnt most real media products use
is the appearance of a character and how they are portrayed.
In ‘Moments’ and ‘Greif’ a good looking actor plays the role
of the protagonist, whereas in ‘Gone Goodbye’ a middle
aged man plays the protagonist. Instead of challenging my
audience I used this convention as it is important that I
thought about my target audience and what would appeal to
them. Due to ‘Moments’ and ‘Greif’ being targeted to a
similar aged audience to what I had planned too I decided
that it would be a safer option to follow the convention rather
than challenge it, so that my film will be about to appeal to a
larger market.
Moments
Grief
Gone Goodbye
Goodbye

7. When editing my short film I had already the knowledge that the durations of
each shot is very important, the short film ‘Gone Goodbye’ used extremely long
durations of shots to develop the tension before moving on to a next shot. I took
this inspiration and adapted it so that I would have a long duration for a shot and
then it would go to a black screen for a few seconds before introducing the next
scene. I challenged this convention as it helped develop a delayed reaction to
help intensify the scenes. This would emphasise the drama genre. As I found
that it was important that I varied between romance and drama conventions
considering it is a hybrid genre film, this encourages a larger target audience.

8. My short film uses symbolic codes, the
elements help to visually narrate the
narrative so that it is more effective and
interesting for the audience to watch. The
short film ‘Grief’ uses a rose as a symbolic
code to represent the genre romance. The
audience will associate this prop as a
symbol for the lover who is not seen in the
film. I was inspired by this code and used it
in my short film so that it was able to create
an upsetting mood that the audience will be
able to distinguish to help create the mise-
en-scene.

9. To create sympathy certain conventions are
used in real media products to be able to
produce this. I found that the location was a
key convention that really helped to
develop the mood to be quite isolated. The
film ‘Gone Goodbye’ used a big open rural
space near a river which could be
insinuated by the audience that the location
was a connotation of his emotions and
feelings. I adapted this idea and set the
location of one scene in my film at a
reservoir. This will engage the audience’s
attention, as they are constantly wanting to
know what has happened to the lover and
set the mise-en-scene to be daunting and
tension building due to the mix of emotions
the audience will be feeling.

10. In all three real media products that I had analysed in
fine detail it was clear that including a voiceover to
narrate what the audience were visually seeing was an
effective element to become more personal for the
audience. The audience would be able to associate
the voiceover to possibly their own lives or
imaginations so that they are able to understand what
the protagonist is feeling in depth. I produced a
voiceover in my film after realising that a voiceover is a
key convention found in romance dramas. The
audience feedback I received from the Media Awards
Evening informed me that it was a success when 31
out of 34 people who filled out the questionnaire said
that the voiceover did feel personal to them. I was
pleased with the results of this and how effective the
convention is.

11. A common convention used in a romance drama
film is the music. The music is an extremely
important element that creates the mise-en-scene
to be the intended effect the director has in mind.
The short film ‘grief’ uses music that is played by a
piano. Audiences associate pianos as sad and
depressing instruments due to the sounds they are
able to make. I used this convention and found a
piece of music that involved a piano and violin in
order to create the mood to be upsetting for the
audience, this complimented well with the running
voiceover when I soon came to edit the film.

12. I developed a convention of a real media
texts by using quick short scenes of a point
of view shot of being in a car driving fast. I
used foreshadowing to slowly entice the
audience of what could happen before
finally there is a crash. This emphasis the
drama genre from the hybrid and I
purposely included it so that it would appeal
to a wider target audience, due to the
tension building it creates for the mood. I
was inspired by this from the film ‘Moments’
where is uses a non-chronicle order.
Shot 1
Shot 2
Shot 3

13. I challenge codes and conventions of real media texts by implying that the
protagonist isn’t as innocent as the audience may think. In the films I have
analysed such as ‘Grief’ and ‘Moments’ the protagonists are portrayed to be
innocent which creates the developing sympathy the audience feel for them,
however in my film I challenged this convention because the protagonist is
drinking alcohol. Alcohol is stereotyped as a negative appeal and drinking it; the
audience will associate that she has done something wrong. This will question
the audience’s predictions and entice them to watch further into the film.

14. I also challenge the forms and conventions
of real media products by having a non-
linear narrative that doesn’t cross between
positive and negative themes. In the films
‘Grief’ and ‘Moments’ both of them are non-
linear narratives however one scene is the
present where it portrays a negative mood
and the other scene used is going back in
time to the memories that the protagonists
have. I challenged this in my short film by
not having any happy moments, the only
reminiscing scene is the car scene which
obviously the end events is the cause for the
purpose of the film. I feel this worked more
effectively as it helped develop the sympathy
the audience have for the protagonist and
makes the mood even more remorseful.
Present
Present
Present
Past
Past
Past

15. My ancillary task one was to create a film poster.
I researched into all kinds film posters and
established the main conventions that was
found on every single one. The film name was
the vital convention that was produced clearly
after researching the film posters ‘Dear John’
and ‘My sisters Keeper’ I liked how they were
positioned to be in the middle of the poster so
that it will catch the audiences eye more
effectively. Also another convention used is the
main image. I was inspired by the ‘My sisters
Keeper’ poster that had two images as it made it
more intriguing to look at. I took this inspiration
and applied it to my poster so that it helped to
represent the film genre. As it is important that I
thought about my target audience and what
would appeal to them.

16. I made sure that I used all the necessary
conventions that were on all the posters I
looked at such as the small text, the names
of the actors starring in it or directors and
the branding logo so that it will meet the
audiences expectations of what a film
poster looks like. However I developed a
convention as the posters I had analysed
which are ‘My sisters Keeper’, ‘Dear John’
and ‘Twilight’ all had specific dates of when
the films were released, I challenged this
and just wrote ‘Coming soon’ so that it will
keep the audience interest to keep a look
out for my films release date.

17. Another convention I
challenged for my film
poster was the colours I
used. I was inspired by
‘Twilights’ film poster that it
was quite dark which helps
to emphasise the drama
genre, this challenges
codes and conventions as
the colour black does not
have connotations that
could resemble to romance,
only the image of the
protagonist holding the rose
does.

18. My ancillary task two was to create a film magazine review. Like the poster
there are important conventions that must be included for the audience to
be able to identify that it is a film magazine review. After analysing the film
posters: ‘Spiderman 2’, ‘Due Date’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ I realised
that all of them more or less included the following conventions: Mag title,
Credits main image, Name of film, Film details, Body text, Second image,
Verdict and star rating and a branding logo. I used all these conventions
as they will help to not only promote my film in the magazine but give it a
good reputation.

19. I was inspired by the ‘Spiderman 2’
magazine review to the colour scheme
used for the magazine itself. I used this and
chose a darker blue to be the branding
colour for the magazine as it makes it look
professional.

20. Overall I feel that my media
product uses, develops and
challenges forms and
conventions so that it fulfils the
audience’s needs and
expectations. I feel I use and
address them appropriately and
professionally to represent a real
media product.