The document discusses conventions of science fiction and drama genres that were utilized or avoided in a student film project. It includes a list of 11 science fiction conventions and 8 drama conventions. For each convention, the student explains whether and how their film incorporated or avoided that convention. For example, they included isolated locations and quick cuts to build intensity, but avoided intense social interaction due to the protagonist being alone after a nuclear war. The summary analyzes the conventions used and opportunities to better engage the audience emotionally.

1. Conventions of A Sci- Fi
and a Drama
Question 1, Evaluation Tom Roalfe

2.  Used by scientist to show their • High Tech Machinery
beliefs about the future. unknown to the audience
 The day the earth stood still
• Type of pacing is linked to
the amount of action in
 Narrative is anti government the narrative.
 Conventional to use quick cuts
at moments of intensity
List Of Sci- Fi Conventions

3.  The Sci-Fi genre is often a chance to
shows belief about the future for example
what the world will look like.
• However we chose
not to do this as we
wanted to shows the
devastation caused
by the Nuclear war.
1.Used by scientist to show their
beliefs about the future.

4.  We have done this but a good example of
this would be ‘The Day The Earth Stood
Still’ in I Am Legend. This convention is
basically the end of the world where
nothing is left. Our protagonist is
portrayed as being
the last person on
the planet. Being
the last person
connotes this
stereotype.
2. The day the earth stood still

5.  Often the protagonist is anti government
making the government the antagonist.
We wish to do this Our Antagonist
At The
so we did include Disequilibrium.
a individual
antagonist in the
opening sequence
but a team of
antagonist in the
actually film.
3.Narrative is anti government

6.  Quick cuts are used to create intensity or
to change the mood of the narrative. They
are also used to create shock .
We have used them to
distinguish between the
flashbacks and the current
happenings. It also helped to
connote an intense
atmosphere where the
protagonist was scared.
Finally it helped us to build up
to the climax.
4. Conventional to use quick cuts
at moments of intensity

7.  High tech machinery is normally
something which the audience go :o. for
example: Iconography for the
genre.
We have included high tech
machinery. When the
disequilibrium is revealed
there is a apple mac
computer where the
antagonist is watching the
protagonist. This is extensive
surveillance equipment.
5. High Tech Machinery unknown
to the audience

8.  Varied pacing can connote different
things. For example fast paced takes can
connote a scared character.
We have differentiated
between the pacing of our
clips in order to connote the
calm manner our protagonist
is in when he realises he is the
last man alive and then the
flashback shots from where he
is running to save his life are
faced paced to connote
distress .
6. Type of pacing is linked to the
amount of action in the narrative.

9.  This will give the effect of the end of the
world which is the stereotype of what we
think the world will look like if it ends.
We have decided to use
low key lighting effect
as it connotes a sinister
atmosphere. However
we have also used a
quite bright tinted glow
during our flashbacks to
connote the effects of
the Nuclear war on the
atmospheric conditions.
7. Low key lighting with hints of
grey.

10.  It is conventional to use sharp repeating
sounds as this connotes the extensity of
the disequilibrium. For example this could
be a Siren in I Am Legend.
We have used a diegetic sound
of repeated bomb blast to
connote the nuclear war and
also a bullet like noise with a
sharp diegetic sound to
connote the intense
atmosphere the protagonist is
in.
10. Conventional to include sharp
repeating sounds.

11.  They are often set in these locations as
they often follow the narrative structure of
the end of the world.
We have used this
establishing shot of an
isolated locations to
connote the loneliness
and seclusion of the
protagonist after losing
his family in the
nuclear war.
11. Sci-Fi are often set in very
remote, isolated locations.

12.  Exhibits real life situations with • Conflict included inner and
realistic character, setting and outer struggles
narrative
• Audience can relate to the
character - uses and
 Portrays journeys of a character gratifications personal
development identity
 Intense social interaction • Structured with climaxes
and anti-climax to keep the
 Has a dramatic story line to move audience emotionally
the audience emotionally attached and to build
tension.
 A form of realisation at the end
List Of Drama Conventions

13.  The audience from this can obtain a sense
of verisimilitude, therefore they will relate
to the narrative and characters more.
We kept the setting
To an extent we have real by filming in
tried to make the locations which aren't
situation real as a out of earth like some
nuclear war could Sci-Fi films or CGI but
happen at any time. we filmed in locations
However we followed which our audience
stereotypes as to what can relate to a they
it would look like if it probably live
did as we have never somewhere like it.
experienced one before.
1. Exhibits real life situations with
realistic character, setting and
narrative

14.  This journey can be the revealing of the
narrative. We have done this by using Todorov’s
equilibrium theory as our character journey
unveils with the disequilibrium at the end of our
trailer. We
Used
This
2. Portrays journeys of a character
development

15.  Intense social interaction was hard for us
to portray as we were trying to show our
protagonist as being isolated so other
people wouldn’t have connoted this. So
this is a convention we avoided.
3. Intense social interaction

16.  We have included this convention as we
showed sensitive flashbacks of our
protagonist parting with his family. This
helped the audience to gain uses and
gratifications of entertainment.
Blumer
and Katz
4. Has a dramatic story line to
move the audience emotionally

17.  We have included a form of verisimilitude
at the end of our opening sequence by
showing that the protagonist isn't the only
person left on earth, when we show the
disequilibrium.
OMG
THERE
IS A
PERSON
AT THE
DOOR.
5. A form of realisation at the end

18.  We have included both
as he has outer
struggles which are
represented by our
flashbacks and inner
struggles to cope with
the devastating
disasters.
 We chose a male
protagonist because
stereotypically males can
cope more with these
struggles.
6. Conflict included inner and
outer struggles

19.  I believe we have avoided this convention as
it is hard to relate to our protagonist as he is
in a nuclear war. However some males may
relate to his emotions as he has lost his
family. This is also a convention of a drama.
PUT YOURSELF IN
THE
PROTAGONISTS
PLACE
7. Audience can relate to the
character - uses and gratifications
personal identity

20.  Being honest I believe more than
anything we wanted to achieve that but
we didn’t. We tried to achieve it at the
disequilibrium and when the radio was
portrayed, however I don’t believe it was
emotional enough and was a big enough
climax to keep the audience attached.
8.Structured with climaxes and
anti-climax to keep the audience
emotionally attached and to build
tension.

21.  As we didn’t do this we could of solved
the problem by having a much more clear
narrative of showing the actually nuclear
war happening rather than flashback.
However this would change the whole
narrative. We could of also used more
edits such as quick cuts to build climaxes.
8.Structured with climaxes and
anti-climax to keep the audience
emotionally attached and to build
tension.

22.  Overall I believe we achieved the majority
of the conventions which we wanted to
however we couldn’t produce some
essentials conventions which let us down.
Conclusion