This document contains a student's responses to evaluation questions about a media project they created. The student discusses how their project challenged conventions by placing the title at the end, and used camera techniques like quick cuts to build tension. They represent a youth stalker culture and compare it to the film "The One Hour Photo." The project would be distributed online and targeted at teenagers. The student learned filming techniques and how to use editing software in creating their thriller opening.

1. Evaluation – Media Josh Fry Candidate Number: 4073 Centre Number: 64820

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? We placed the title of the film at the end of the project, we used it as a sort of climax to the opening because I believe the tension that had built up to that point was released on the silent title. Therefore, the name, "The Silent Obsession" felt appropriate for this project. The camera angles, movements and techniques we used in our project hopefully reflect the tension we were hoping to create as it builds throughout the scene. This is combined with the decision to use ‘quick cuts’ and more focus on the movements (for example the use of legs to show haste rather than full body shots). These factors are continued to both challenge and support different aspects of ‘real media’.

3. How does your media product represent particular social groups? The person we cast to play our stalker possibly relates to the stalker character in the thriller film 'The One Hour Photo‘. In this film I believe there are similarities between the two stalking characters in that they both stalk their victims in a particular way that is borne out of obsession. However, there are differences in the social representations of the stalker characters. Our film uses representations of youth culture but with a negative feel as the stalker is dressed casually in dark clothing with a ‘hoodie’ and boots. By contrast, the Robin Williams character typifies all social norms and therefore appears non threatening. This – as it is unexpected – is emotionally more sinister than the visually dangerous character in our film. A major difference could also be the style of stalking as it is much more brutal and quick in our project in comparison to the long drawn out descent into insanity for 'OHP'.

4. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? Our production could be distributed to the online population as it was low budget and with the rise in online media viewers the project would have a better possible chance of success. This is in keeping with the target audience who are more likely to access via this media. The Project would most logically be a Certificate 15+ as it contains scenes of violence, blood and other murder related injuries. The project contains minimal bad language and a weapon clearly drenched in blood and would therefore be unsuitable for anyone of a younger age. This may affect the options for mainstream distribution.

5. Who would the audience be for your media project? The target audience we had chosen was important because the setting and characters would hopefully be related to the situation and see themselves in one of those scenes. I have experienced this myself as during Thrillers viewers are likely to navigate around the circumstances, considering what they would do in the situation portrayed. If the viewer can relate by being engaged in the scenes with the feeling of knowing they are there and the victim is completely unaware. The teenage audience would hopefully enjoy it and find the tension appealing, especially where it is implied in the opening and would possibly have the same effect watching horror/thriller films from the box office standard.

6. How would you attract/address your audience? I believe there are a number of factors that have drawn our target audience to our project. One of these factors I believe is the use of a younger cast and the fact they are in a relationship which most teenagers can relate to and also stalker films are perhaps more likely often targeted at an older audience. This would therefore be a fresh look that is made to appeal to young adults as a sign that we understand the types of film younger people want from contemporary producers.

7. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? I learned a number of lessons from using this technology. The first was the number of different technologies I was able to use and learn about to create the most successful thriller opening I could. I experienced the upsides and downsides of the media production technology and have gained a greater experience of all of this hardware and software. The first and most important piece of equipment was the Apple Mac, the Mac had a number of editing and both diagetic and non diageticmusic constructors which can be made into a project that contains either dialog and/or a soundtrack.

8. The (Handy Cam) video camera was a useful tool in the filming of the project. I learned a number of techniques to use this camera properly and I would argue that it was the most important and versatile tool in the creation of our thriller project. Blogger is a good blogging program that Iused to document my process leading up to and ending in my final project. There is a range of features on Blogger that allow you to make your own personal detailed Blog. Garageband is the program that allows you to create looped music, soundtracks, and many other musical combinations using a range of instruments and sound effects.

9. What have I learnt from my preliminary task up to my final project? I feel I have learned a huge amount since the production of my preliminary task to do with everything from the use of camera angles, techniques and movements. From the experience of my preliminary task and the earlier failed version I learned a lot on the necessary technicalities to create film with qualities including the correct tension, atmosphere and other aspects that I would not have understood from behind the camera before going through this learning and development experience.