Evaluation question 1

1. EVALUATION
QUESTION 1
In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?

2. Mise-en-scene - Location
The main location of my film
opening follows similar
conventions that are found in
other post apocalyptic film
openings, such as “The book of
Eli”
The location of the main part of our film
opening is set within a cold, dreary
looking forest which is stereotypical of
post apocalyptic film openings as these
areas are normally seen as wild and
shows the harsh environment the
character has to travel through.
As the location of post apocalyptic
films are normally seen as barren,
decaying wastelands we have also
tried to reciprocate this by using an
old rusty metal barrel as a fire pit to
keep the characters warm. This
would also further emphasise the
harsh environment of post
apocalyptic settings. These areas
often look cold and have a
depressing look in terms of colour,
with dark dimly lit backgrounds
which look drained of colour and
life, amplifying the depressing
environment.

3. Mise-en-scene - props
The props used in our
opening film include money,
which is thrown away as it is
useless in the post
apocalyptic world, and a
lighter which the characters
keep as it can actually be
used usefully. This makes the
world seem more realistic as
the characters actually need
these items to survive. These
types of items are also seen
in other post apocalyptic films
such as the road, when he
ignores money and just walks
straight over it.
We took inspiration
from 28 days later
with the newspaper
as this was a good
way of describing the
plot, and a good way
for the character to
discover what has
happened.

4. Costume and makeup
Before the apocalypse
the main character wears
quite scruffy clothing, to
enhance the fact that he
is an alcoholic druggie
who's life is a mess.
However after the
apocalypse a clear
change in character is
seen as the character is
wearing army clothing
which associates our
character with being a
strong person who can
look after himself. The
same can be associated
with the female character,
as she is wearing similar
clothing, this also makes
the female character
seem strong, along with
the fact she has dirt on
her face.
A strong use of makeup was
used as well in our film, as
frequent face paint was used to
show dirt. This would show the
harsh environment the
characters have to traverse
through as there is clearly no
time to clean up. Make up was
also used to show the bullet
wound on the dead characters
head. This shows the brutality
of the post apocalyptic world
as travelling through the wild
and seeing a dead body is the
norm for these characters.

5. Camera angles/shots
• There are plenty of close ups in the opening scene. The first close up is of a text conversation
between the protagonist and his mother, which helps explain the plot and drive the narrative
forward. Another extreme close up is used of a needle which is used to show that the protagonist is
a drug addict. When Luke and Maddie are travelling through the woods, they come across a dead
body, where a close up is used of the bullet hole. This shows the genre clearly as it expresses the
violence of the post apocalyptic world, and shows that this is considered normal in there every day
life.
•
In our opening film long shots are used of characters to show them traveling as this shows
the full body of the character and the environment around them.

6. Camera angle/shots
• A high angle shot is used of the protagonist in the very first scene, to show the audience looking
down on him because of his drug addicted and an alcoholic. However the very last shot of the film
is a shot looking up at me to show how the protagonist has changed and is now a survivor.

7. Lighting
• The lighting in our opening scene is dim during the
apocalypse to show that the life has been drained out of
earth, similar to what happens in the road. The drizzly
cold weather helps set the miserable mood in the film as
well.

8. Characters
• There are 4 characters in our opening film, the protagonist Luke, who is a drug addict alcoholic
turned hero who the audience will look down upon at first but will grow to like as her saves his
friend at the end of the film. The supporting actress madeleine, is an enigma for the audience as
they do not know her origin, however she is a strong character countering the stereotype for
women in film, which is shown by her carrying a heavy bag. The other two characters in our
opening film have little screen time. One is a dead body who is there for the effect of what the
apocalypse has done to our characters and the other is a villain who tries to kidnap the female hero
in our film.

9. Music and sound effects
• For a lot of the first half of the film non digetic music is used to add effect to the scene, as the
character is having a very hard time with drug abuse and being an alcoholic, the music is used to
reflect on how he is feeling. Similar music is then used again during the actual apocalypse as this
once again reflects the depressing mood of the film at that point. Just before the apocalypse
happens the digetic noise of the protagonist ringing his mother is used to show that she isn't
answering creating an enigma, as the audience doesn’t know where she is or why she isn't home.
During the scene of the characters walking around the sound of nature is used to show how wild
the world has become, but also that there is still innocence in the world, so this could be a symbol
of hope. At the end of the opening a fight breaks out between the bandit and protagonist, although
there is no music used, there is sound effects to the punches to show how brutal the world has
become, and to make it a more realistic violent scene of survival.

10. Music and sound effects
• For a lot of the first half of the film non digetic music is used to add effect to the scene, as the
character is having a very hard time with drug abuse and being an alcoholic, the music is used to
reflect on how he is feeling. Similar music is then used again during the actual apocalypse as this
once again reflects the depressing mood of the film at that point. Just before the apocalypse
happens the digetic noise of the protagonist ringing his mother is used to show that she isn't
answering creating an enigma, as the audience doesn’t know where she is or why she isn't home.
During the scene of the characters walking around the sound of nature is used to show how wild
the world has become, but also that there is still innocence in the world, so this could be a symbol
of hope. At the end of the opening a fight breaks out between the bandit and protagonist, although
there is no music used, there is sound effects to the punches to show how brutal the world has
become, and to make it a more realistic violent scene of survival.