1. Lucy Froud
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?
The Title
When choosingthe title for myfilm openingI wanted to have
something that left the audience witha bit of thought and
mystery. The title ‘Absent Presence’ does this bymaking the
viewer’s thinkhowcana presence be absent? I believe that this
title conforms to the conventions ofa horror movie.
The wayinwhichI designed the title alsoconforms to
conventions ofmychosengenre, horror. Usingadobe after
effects (a new skill) allowed me to make the title seem as if it was
floatingbehinda pool or ‘dust’ of blood. The blackand red
colours correlate to death, evilness anddarknesswhichall relate
to horror. Also, within the backgroundI have put a faint
silhouette of the doll that I usedinmyfilm. This alsohelps to conform to the genre as
usuallythe title has some kind ofhint or correlationto the events within a horror film. The
chosen font is simple but effective, it doesn’t shout ‘comedy’ or ‘rom com’ but alsoit
doesn’t shout ‘gore’. After looking at other horror movie titles I purposefullydesignedthe
title to be like this. Here is anexample of another horror movie title ‘Insidious’
Setting/Location
I chose to shoot myfilm in one room of a house and the corridor.
The room I shot inwas the little girl’s room where it was
reasonablydark. The reason I chose this locationis because inmy
film it was set at night (puttingJessica to bed). Again, this is
conformingto the conventions ofa horror as manyhorror movies
that have young childrenacting tendto begin in the bedroomof
the young child. Having shot the film opening in the bedroom
allows the audience to put themselves inthe young girl’s shoes. It
helps the audience get to grips withwhere theyare andhelps
them put to mindanyfollowing events that mayoccur inthat room.
Costumes
For character 1, Jessica (the young girl)I chose for her costume to be pyjamas. InitiallyI wantedher to wear white andpink
pyjamas as these were signs of purityandlove. However as I got more intodepthwithin myproductionI decidedthat black
and pink wouldbe more appropriate as it hints that she mayhave a sense ofevil (black)but underneathit she is kindand
loving(pink). The reasoning behindher beinginpyjamas ifpurelyfor the fact that the filmis set at night andit makes sense
for her to be going to bed inpyjamas. Eventhoughthis maybe simple it still conforms to horror conventions as most young
children inhorror films are dressedinwhite/pink pyjamas, especiallyyoung girls. For character 2, the older character inmy
film I chose to dressher incasual jeans, white T-shirt anda greycardigan. The causalityof the clothes helps her to appear
run down andtired (as most characters are inhorror films) rather than outgoing. The white T-shirt helps the character
appear pure andinnocent and allows the audience to notice she mayhave noconnection to the evil within the filmat all.
The greycardigan allows her run downstyle continue; greyusuallymeans conservative, drabanddepressing. Again, I
believe that mycostumes conformto the conventions ofa horror.
Character 2
Character 1

2. Lucy Froud
Props
There are minimal props used within the opening of my films however, there is one very
important prop that helps set the story linefor the audience. The firstshot is of a young
girl saton her bed cross legged, playingwith a doll thatplays the music ‘my favourite
things’. Immediately, this allows theaudience to have a preconceived idea of the roleof
the doll.Usually,in horror films they pan around the house revealingdifferent objects
or props that have a significantconnection to the horror within the film. Sometimes,
specific objects arefocused on as the doll is in mine;this once more means my films
opening conforms to the genre horror.
Characters
When choosinghowto introducemy characters I decided to use the similar ideasto most
horror movies. This involved introducingthe characters withoutthe audienceknowing little
to nothingabout them. In other genres such as comedies, characters areusually introduced
in a way in which the audience can determine them such as their: history,personality,
occupation etc… However, in a horror movie the audienceis usually introduced to few
characters (usually themain ones) and knows very littleabout them; hints are revealed
throughout, as in my film. If a horror movie stars a young child then
this character is usually introduced first.They are also normally
behavingin a way in which relates to the horror later on; for
example, playingwith an imaginary friend (the imaginary friend is
evil).In my opening, I introduced the young girl playingwith the doll which firstly
reveals to the audience she is mostprobably the main character and the doll mustbe
related to horror in some sortof way. Secondly, the second person to be revealed in a
horror movie is the ‘peacekeeper’ or the character which tries to conceal the evil and
protect the loved ones. My filmopeningconforms to this as the second character
introduced is the older sister,if the filmwere to continue she would play this character.
How does the openingsetthe story?
In myfilmopeningIhadto make sure that the audience coulddetermine
the genre withoutrevealingtoomuchinformationaboutthe story.Whilst
at the same time Ihad to allowviewerstotry anddetermine whatthey
thinkmayhappeninthe film.Ina generichorrormovie the viewerscan
usuallydetermine whatkindof horrorispresentinthe film.Forexample,in
the horror film‘DragMe To Hell’ the horrorisclearlysome formof satin
that literallydragspeople tohell.Inmy horrorfilmitisapparentthat there issome kindof presence
but we do notknowwhat itis.We knowthisbecause asthe sisterwalksoutof the room the young
girl beginstolaughas if someone isinthe room withherbut we nevergettosee whythe little girl
was laughing.Myfilmopeningalsorevealsthatthe littlegirl ismischievous(hidingfromherolder
sister).Forthese reasonsIbelieve thatthe openingof myfilmconformstothe openings of most
generichorrormovies.

3. Lucy Froud
What filmsdidmy openingconformto?
From annotatingcertainaspectsof myfilmopeningandcomparingthemtoothergenerichorror
movies,Ican clearlysee thatmyfilmdoesuse conventionsof real mediaproducts.Ibelieve thatif I
had challengedthese certainconventionsIwouldnothave beenable toproduce afilmopeningthat
wouldbe clearlymarkedasa ‘horror’.
As mentioned above I
used the idea that there
needed to be a
reasonably determinable
story linewithout giving
to much information
away.
Alsomentionedabove,myfilmuses
similarconventionstoInsidioussuch
as the title sequence,andthe
openingscene where the youngboy
isthe firstcharacter we see.
When deciding onthe storyline for
my film,I researchedmanyfilms to
gather ideas about what
conventions are most popular. I
discovereda new film ‘Annabelle’
that was highlypopular with people
in range ofmytarget audience. I
then decidedto use the ideaof a
‘possessed’ doll however, I made
sure not to copyAnnabelle.
The Woman In Blackis famously
knownforits use of children.It
isa popularmovie andtherefore
I conformedtoitsconventions
by decidingtouse a childinmy
filmopening.
The film‘The Conjuring’usesthe
ideathat a mothergetspossessed
by some sortof presence.Myfilm
conformsto thisas there isa
presence whichisaffectingthe
younggirl (eventhoughthismaynot
be entirelyclear).IlikedThe
Conjuringasit leftsuspenseaswe
didnot knowwhatthe presence
was andtherefore Iwantedto
create the same feelinginmy
opening.