Evaluation question 1

1. Evaluation Q1
In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
The genre of the shortfilm ‘Jade’isa drama social realism.Dramasocial realismfilmsfocus onissues
inthe modernsocietywhichisrepresentedthroughdifferentideologies,typicallytheseissues
include money,drugs,sexuality,class,religionandpolitical views.Notall of these topicsare included
ineveryfilmbutthese are the typical issuesincludedin the films,theyare conventionsof drama
social realismfilms.Myfilmlooksatissuesof the modernsociety,theseincludeadaptationand
sexuality,anotherissuethatthe filmlooksatisthe lossof
a familymember.Otherconventionsinclude using
unknownactors,thisisdone to helpemphasisethatthe
charcters couldbe anyone whichmakesthe filmmore
realistic.Due to the budgetof my filmbeingverylow,
unknownactorswere usedbut thisprovedto be
successful asithelpstocreate the realisticfeelingof the
audience knowingnothingaboutthe characters.Social
realismfilmsfocusesoncharctersof the workingclass,for
example ‘BillyElliot’(2000).Thisconventionisconformed
inmy filmasthe familyare seenasa typical familywhich
includesasingle workingmumandtwokids.
The locationina drama social realismfilmtendstobe a rundownareaor a council state,however
sometimesanice neighbourhoodcanbe usedtocreate juxtaposition.Inmyshortfilmthe location
challengesthe typical conventionof asocial
realism, howeveritisanordinarylocationas itis
mainlyfilmedinaschool and the local woodsthis
helpstomake the filmmore realistic.Age isalso
importantintermsof conventions,typicallyina
drama social realismthe protagonistsof the film
are teenagersandyoungadults(13-20 yearsold),
for example in‘Kidulthood’ (2006) theyfilm
focusesona group of troubledteenagersaged15
inWest London.My short filmfitsthisconvention
as the mainprotagonist of the filmwouldbe seenasJade whois a 17 yearold girl.
The target audience fordramasocial realismfilmsdoesvarybuttypicallythe targetaudience tends
to be the youngadultsages18-30. The target audience isusuallythe age of the mainprotagonistsof
the filmanddue to the maincharcters ranging18-20 the target audience ranges18-30 yearolds.My
filmsupportsthisconventionasthe targetaudience for‘Jade’isyoungadults.Toensure thatmy
filmappealstomytarget group,I askedfor regularlyfeedbackfromafocusgroupthat wouldbe part
of mytarget audience throughoutthe portfolio.The feedbackwouldbe usedtoproduce the final
products,thisisincludedthe final poster,filmreviewandcut.
Regardingthe ancillarytasksforthisportfolio,the conventionswere supportedparticularlyinthe
filmposter.Aftercompletingthe researchatthe beginningof the portfolio andanalysingdramafilm
postersitinspiredme whenproducingmyown.Dramaposterstypicallycreate mysteryto intrigue

2. the viewer,thisisdone bythe use of dark
and dull colours,rhetorical questionsand
lowkeylightingtocreate shadows.Formy
short filmposterIdecreasedthe contrastof
the mainphotographto create a black and
white theme tocreate thatsense of mystery.
The posteralso includedthree shortsharp
questions‘AmInormal?AmI ill?DoI need
help’,these questionsare linesfromthe film
fromthe protagonistcharacterand were
usedon the posterto intrigue the viewerto
watch the filmtofindoutthe answerstothe
questions.
Overall,Ithinkthatmy filmdoessupportthe conventionsof adrama social realismfilmwhichis
whatI had aimedto do.I wantedto conformthe conventionstoensure thatthe viewerknew what
theywere getting.However,some conventionswere challengedthis wasdone tomake the audience
wary of what wasgoingon and to keepthemintriguedandengaged. Forexample itwouldbe seen
as unusual fora drama social realismfilm
to beginwithwhatTodorov’snarrative
structure theorywoulddescribe asthe
equilibrium,where the charactersare seen
livinga‘normal’life.However,Iwantedto
engage the audience rightfromthe
beginningandtherefore Iwantedto
challenge thisandstartedwithan
equilibriumasthe charactersare seen
livinganormal day anddoinga dayto day
routine of goingto workand school.Bystartingwith an equilibriumitwouldmake the audience feel
on the edge as theywouldbe expectingatwistastheyfindit unusual.The equilibriumisshortly
overaftera voiceoverof amonologue fromthe protagonistisplayedoverthe top.Ihave foundthis
to be successful asthe feedbackfromthe focusgroupwas positive.
In all the final cut,filmreviewandposterthe conventionsof adrama social realismfilmare mainly
supported,howeveratsometimestheyare challengedtokeepthe viewerintriguedandengaged.