The document discusses how a horror film sequence uses and challenges genre conventions. It begins with establishing generic horror conventions like dull colors, an obscured main character dressed in black, and tense instrumental music. However, it also challenges conventions by not making the genre obvious, excluding things like graphic violence. The sequence hints at psychological horror through repetitive behaviors and stalking. It aims to blend ideas without being overdone by focusing on the psychological subgenre. Influences like the psychological thriller Se7en are evident through its secretive yet distraught opening tone and style.

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

2. Generic conventions Throughout the sequence a number of generic conventions are used so that the audience is aware that the genre of the film is Horror. Throughout the beginning sequence a lot of dark and dull colours are used which usually are only used in horrors or thrillers to set the scene. We see that there is a man dressed all in black and we do not get to see his face. Using the colours black implies that this man is dark and is hiding himself away for a reason, which then makes the audience think that he is a bad character. The setting of this sequence is in quite a run down area and house which shows that the character may not have much money and possibly lives alone. Music is played throughout this sequence to help set the scene of it being quite dark and dull. A lot of instrumental music is used which gives of quite a tense setting along with the darkness.

3. Sequence development We see that throughout the conventions in the sequence develop and are challenged. The sequence challenges these conventions by not using them in obvious ways so that the audience don’t straight away know that the genre is horror. Although a few obvious things are used such as the dull setting and the image of a knife which relate to horror, the more obvious things that make us think it could be a horror such as blood and dead bodies are not used. In the opening sequence we see no sign of death but do see a knife. This makes the audience unsure as to what is going on as usually in a horror when a weapon is shown a death that has occurred also is shown. The man that we are shown is just shown as a typical man and doesn’t show any sign that he could be a murder or a bad guy although the colours could hint on this. We see the location he lives in is rundown but we are not shown why he lives here or what other people live around him making us unknown and unaware of his area.

4. Subgenre During the sequence there are a number of conventions which indicate that the film subgenre is psychological. These conventions include things such as repetitive behavior, obsession and stalking. All of these conventions show that the character could have something wrong psychological making it a psychological horror. Although we do see the character with a knife it wouldn’t be categorized as a slasher as we don’t see the weapon being used. Without using a subgenre in your film this could then allow you to use a number of ideas all together which can sometimes be too much for one film. This is why films tend to have a subgenre which then allows only a number of ideas which can be included in the film, making sure it is not too over board.

5. Influences Use of conventions in our horror help indicate what other horrors have influenced our work. The horror which most influenced our work was Se7en. Just like our film Se7en has a psychological twist. In the opening sequence we have used a similar idea keeping it quite secretive and not much understanding as to what is going on. It also has quite a distraught look as does Se7en.