The document discusses conventions of camera techniques, editing, sound, and mise-en-scene in horror and thriller films. It provides examples from the student's own media production of how it follows these conventions, such as using jump cuts and creepy background music to create tension. Camera shots in the student's work included close-ups and zooms to clearly show the setting of a park and baby's room. Dark clothing and lighting were used to set an ominous tone. The document compares the techniques used in the student's work to established horror films like Se7en and Blade 2.

1. 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?<br />Titling<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />Typical titling for a thriller/horror convention is usually done with red or white writing with a black background nearly all the time. The style of the font of thriller/horror is usually done with big bold writing. <br /> <br />My production:<br />The titling of my film was white writing with the background being the film but it does vary as the titles of the directors and characters is not very big and is during recording but the title of the film is in very big bold writing and a black background for the audience to understand the importance of the title.<br /> <br />Comparison to existing products:<br />From the thriller “Se7en” which is a thriller the credits are put up in small writing but it is significantly white writing with black background which is a typical thriller convention. We decided to create our titles with white writing and black background because it gives the audience a desired meaning of mystery instead of red writing which would of been revealing murder/blood which is a horror convention.<br /> <br />Camera Movement:<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />Camera shot for a typical thriller/horrors are most commonly used are close up and zoom ins so that the audience get a full insight of the gory moments but also the closer the shot the more focus and also pan shots to provide the audience with an idea as to where the location of the film is set. (e.g. pan shot from “The Grudge” and the close ups from “Dawn Of The Dead)<br /> <br />My production:<br />The camera shots used in our film were from a variety of different ones from zoom ins to high angle shots which was done to give the audience a clear view as to what is being revealed on screen about the setting of our film which the audience can tell is a park and a baby’s room.<br /> <br />Comparison to existing products:<br />The ways in which my film can compare with a typical thriller in the camera movements is with the way the zoom ins are done at a slow and steady passe which is a typical convention for a thriller.<br /> <br />Framing a shot:<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />“Medium shots” and “close ups” and “extreme close ups” are commonly used for thrillers to get a clear idea as to what is being represented onscreen. Shots that focus closer on the situation are usually based around thriller genres as it causes more tension then it would if it was a long shot, the closer the shot the more interactive the audience get.<br />My production:<br />Our clip consisted on close ups and also medium shots which were good as they revealed what was needed to be on screen as with the long shot the main focus was the boy on the swing and the zoom in made log shot seem suitable for that precise moment.<br /> <br />Comparison to existing products:<br />For example in the blade 2 all the framing shots are revealed but they all have their different purposes. The extreme close up is revealing the importance and is trying to show the audience something e.g. in this scenario his (tattoos) and the medium long shots are just trying to reveal to the audience what the person is wearing. Using different shots are vital as they all symbolise different themes that could be in one scene on the same person and have their different purposes and importance.<br />Camera Angle:<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />Thriller usually consist on low angle shots to keep get the audience in a position where they feel as if there not watching it from a distance but are actually there and this helps them interact with the scenes of the film as a higher angle would not do that as it would block out of interacting with the production being revealed on screen.<br />My production:<br /> <br />Our film consisted on higher angled shots for example the cot. This signified the vulnerability of a baby being in the cot but also revealing to the audience that there actually was not a baby in there and this angle was the perfect angle to use in this shot.<br />Comparison to existing products:<br />A prime example as to how the higher camera angle is a familiar convention for thrillers is to give a specific purpose to the audience which is usually trying to reveal the vulnerability of what is being revealed on screen.e.g. The house being looked at with police officers around it is signifying the importance but also mainly the vulnerability of the house. This “screen grab” was taken from the film “Hostage”.<br />Mise-en-Scene:<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />Usually for miss en scene for thrillers/horrors are done in dark secure places such as houses where there is limited to space to create the feeling of entrapment and depending on the character the evil character usually is revealed as wearing the colour black<br />My production:<br />Miss en scene was done according to the genre we chose which was a thriller and was done e.g. is the darkish room of the girl as to wear she is on her laptop is giving the audience the desired meaning of something dodgy. The personas clothes throughout the clip is dark and giving audience an idea of what sort of nature she has. The boys costume which was a uniform symbolises innocence. <br /> <br />Editing:<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />The most common editing techniques in thrillers are jump cuts which are commonly used for thrillers to create tension and suspense and to create a dramatic point<br />My production:<br />The editing technique that was used in our video had a lot of jump cuts from the room to the park to create tension and give the audience an indication as to what is being revealed on screen is trying to signify. Our video also consists on slow fade in which is good for our production as it gives the audience a sense of peace.<br />Comparison to existing products:<br />Watching blade 2 opening made me realise that it had a lot of uses of jump cuts and quick cutting rhythm which helps speed up the clip but also is a good way of getting audience to focus on what the editing shots are representing by doing it which was basically just different angles as to what the personas costume. Blade also consisted on cutaway shots which are also good uses for thriller but mostly used for mystery thrillers such as “Se7en”<br />Sound:<br />Typical horror conventions:<br />Usual thriller sounds are “diagetic sounds” such as slamming of doors, footsteps which are good to cause tense in the scene and also another sound used for horrors and thrillers is “soundbridge” which is commonly used which creepy music in background while characters are speaking to create a creepy mood. “sonic exaggeration” is usually used to get the audience to jump at a specific moment usually used as a slam of a door or a gun shot. <br />My production:<br />The sound we used in our video was very good for a thriller sequence as it was a lullaby (non diagetic sound) which is good as it leaves the audience in an uncertain state to think about what it could be representing as it sounds creepy but also is something that is usually related to babies. We used sonic exaggeration with the camera shots to get the audience to interact with what is being represented here which the girl was taking pictures of a little boy.<br />