In what way does your media product use,develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

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

2. Conventions of a thriller
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The codes and conventions of a thriller include mirrors, low key lighting, shadows, obtrusive editing, quick cuts, changes in camera angle, tension
music, stairs, flashbacks, use of photographs in black and white, disorientation of time and space as well as montage editing.
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In further detail: The narrative centres around a crime eg. a theft or a murder.
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The protagonist is fallible and has an 'Achilles heel' that is exploited by the antagonist.
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The title of the thriller may relate to this weakness eg Vertigo and Insomnia.
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The protagonist will be seen 'in peril' in one or more scenes before the resolution.
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The antagonist ensnares the protagonist in an increasingly complex web, until the protagonist feels isolated and helpless.
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The narrative presents ordinary situations in which extraordinary things happen.
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Micro elements combine in a build up of suspense. ( Micro means film elements like camerawork, sound, narrative, genre, mise-enscene, lighting, costumes, actors and facial expressions, etc.)
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Themes of identity are common: mistaken identity, doubling/doppelgangers, amnesia.
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Themes of seeing, reflection and mirroring. Manipulation of perspectives, visual McGuffins, and optical illusions are common.
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The audience of a thriller is placed in the ambiguous position of voyeur. Voyeurism can also be a theme and the objectification of female characters
is common especially in earlier thrillers.
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One important enigma (maybe more) is set up in the opening sequence of the film, is further complicated during the first part of the film and only
resolved at the very end.

3. Conventions we have included
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Used: Integrated Titles, Dark clothing, Elements of the unknown, Mystery, Unanswered questions, A twisted narrative, Antagonist, Nonchronological, Flashbacks, Time Change, A threat, A
chase, Trapped, Voiceover, Titles, Enigma, Isolation, Tension building
soundtrack, High key lighting Vs Low key lighting, Ident and Hyperreal sound.
Developed: Fast paced editing, Protagonist and Silence.
Challenged: Light Clothing, Gloomy and dark weather.

4. Comparison
I have chose to compare our film (The Pursuit) with Panic Room as that is also a Psychological Thriller. Panic
Room is a 2002 American thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp. The film stars
Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart as a mother and daughter whose new home is invaded by burglars, played
by Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto and Dwight Yoakam.
Panic Room
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Tension creating music
Themes portrayed as crime and death
Non-Diegetic sound
Open Location contrasted with Closed Location
Protagonist against the clock
No Characters in the opening
Camera Pans
Many High and Low angle shots
Low key Lighting
Large, Bold titles
Integrated Titles
City setting
Ariel shot
My film

5. Stereo-typical techniques?
When developing and applying the conventions of a thriller to our piece we used traditional ones
and developed some. Some of the developments were with purpose and some were because of
difficulties. We decided to stick with the things that create enigma like a
threat, chase, mystery, tension building soundtrack, time change and much more as our task was
to create a thriller, and without these we wouldn't’t succeed to the best of our ability because
the audience wouldn’t be asking questions.
In our piece we felt that a voiceover would help with the un-answered questions as the
Protagonist would be giving little hints but not giving away too many details. The tension of this
added to the chosen soundtrack created the best tension we could have. With titles, we chose
integrated as they are more linked to thrillers. We also chose a very stereo-typical thriller
convention, flashbacks. These helped us have a twisted narrative and time change. Even though
this may not seem original this helped us be able to use more techniques, have a flowing plot
and progress our learning.
The only anti stereo-typical convention we used was a developed Protagonist. Hints throughout
the opening title sequence push the audience and plot into the thought she wont always be the
Protagonist. This is a major twist and moving a way from a stereo-typical thriller which is what
we were aiming for. We changed this because it gives more depth to the character and plot also
acting as a catalyst for mystery and problems throughout the entire film.