The document discusses how the media product "Stolen" both used and challenged conventions of real crime/psychological thriller genres. It analyzed conventions around titles, mise-en-scene, framing and editing in films like "Black Swan", "4321", and "Misery" and applied similar techniques. However, it also subverted some conventions, like delaying the title for 80 seconds to build suspense. Overall, the document argues the film successfully represented the genre through familiar conventions while also keeping it fresh with some variations.

1. AS Media Studies Evaluation
Hannah Cox

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Upon making our media product ‘Stolen’, we used, developed and challenged forms and conventions of real media
products. We met the conventions and key concepts of a typical crime / psychological thriller genre, but also challenged
these conventions through our development. This way the audience received familiarity and repetition, but also variation.
Before trying to achieve this goal of making a crime-thriller
however, I explored into previous thriller texts and analysed the
use of camera, editing, sound and mise-en-scene. This helped me
understand the typical codes and conventions that thrillers have.
So I firstly watched ‘Black Swan’ and noticed the use of a black
screen and white font for the titles. I noticed this format for titles
was used again in other thrillers, hence why we intended of using [See 2:03].
this generic convention in our media product.
As well as this, with my research into mise-en-scene I found
examples that connote certain meanings. For example in ‘4321’
weak characters are shown to be in unappealing clothes with
rubbed make-up. This compares to our weak female character as
[See 0:47]
she too shows similar mise-en-scene. Thus, this develops the form
of generic conventions as females are presented stereotypically.
Again, with my research into framing, I found out certain shot
types connote certain representations of characters. The use of
the mid-shot highlights certain props to the audience. In ‘Misery’
the character is shown in smart clothes next a typewriter, thus
portraying intelligence. We used this generic convention as our
[See 1:00].
male character is shown in smart clothes in a study. This portrays
our antagonist as the dominant male. I believe this shots were
successfully as they portray the right meanings we wanted to
create.

3. In some cases however, our media product subverted the forms and
conventions to real media products. An example of this is through
the titles. I looked at ‘Black Swan’ and found that the titles appear in
order. With our media product however, there is a 80 second gap
until the title of the film is shown. Even though this is challenging
the conventions, we believe this creates impact and suspense and
doesn’t take any drama away from the actual footage.
However, the choices we made during the filming and editing process
reflect the genre of our film. Through our use of conventions it indicates
the crime / psychological genre. This provides familiarity to the audience
as we are uses key concepts from existing products. This is evident
through the content, editing, mise-en-scene, titles and camera work.
Firstly, our content reflects the genre as it covers a typical feature of a
thriller: a kidnapping. Audience’s would be able to recognise this, thus
providing evidence of repetition in our thriller. The editing also reinforces
this as from [1:20], pace is increased through the intercutting from male
to female to show the desperation of the female trying to escape.
The mise-en-scene also indicates the crime/psychological genre as
the clothing represents the good and bad: the protagonist in white
and the antagonist in black. The lighting also adds to this as most of
the shots consists of dark saturation, expect for the detective scene.
Therefore, this reflects a typical crime/psychological. The titles also
reinforce the thriller genre as they provide a simple purpose which
doesn’t take away any drama from the shot. Finally, the camera
shows use of generic conventions as there is a contrast between
different angles of the characters: female shot in a high angle-
connoting weakness, and male shot in low angle- connoting power.
Personally, I believe the titles add edge and variation towards our thriller. As genres are always evolving, we are subverting
the conventions, thus keeping the genre alive. The audience would respond to this positively, and towards the familiarity
through representing gender in a stereotypical way. I believe we were successful through using, and subverting the
conventions as our research proves this. However, we could have gone more into dept in the genre of crime, as we were
more focused on our idea rather than the actual genre.

4. What thrillers have influenced our work?
During our brainstorming and storyboarding, I looked back at
some of my favourite thrillers to gain inspiration for our product.
I looked at ‘Shallow Grave’ and used the simplistic approach to
presenting titles. We used sans serif to add the minimalistic
tone. This way no drama is taken away from the footage.
I was also influenced by the film ‘Misery’ as we
included the same idea of having someone trapped
to a bed. Even though the character roles different
in gender, the same idea is used. This shows that
we have successfully produced a typical convention
of a thriller:
•Centring dominant characters in middle of the
shot convey they are more powerful
•Holding onto the bars portray ideas of control
•The bed bars connote ideas of entrapment as it is
similar to jail
Furthermore, the film ‘Taken’ is also similar to our film through
the use of the female character being ‘stolen’. We used this
idea but changed the narrative. The title for both films are also
similar as they are simplistic which is a typical thriller
convention: Stolen | Taken.
The name ‘Stolen’ also connotes ideas of isolation and the
younger audience can relate to this. As our characters reflect a
similar age, the audience can be included as this is how some
young audiences feel in society.