This document analyzes how the creator's media product uses and challenges conventions of real films and television shows targeted toward teenagers. Specifically, it takes elements from the structure and tone of the film "The Bucket List" by starting sad and ending upbeat. It aims to be a teen drama like shows such as "Skins" by including relatable clothing, language, and themes of dealing with difficult life situations in a humorous way. Throughout, it considers conventions like using sound, characters, locations, and shots to effectively set genre, tone, and elicit audience sympathy for the main character as he goes on a quest before his untimely death.

1. In What Ways Does My Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms & Conventions Of Real Media ProductsQuestion 1

2. The Bucket List This film played a big role in the idea of my film, and I took conventions from the trailer of this film, and incorporated this conventions into the idea of my trailer. For example, in the trailer of the bucket list, there is a moment of realisation and sadness, where one of the main characters was lost and confused (Morgan Freeman), and the film ends with an upbeat feel, and this is due to changes within the sound, lighting and activities that the characters partake in. I took a similar line with my film, and was originally going to incorporate a list, but changed this idea, and dropped the use of a list. What I have taken from The Bucket List though, is the idea of the trailer going from a sad feel, to an upbeat feel. I did this in several ways, which, throughout this PowerPoint, will be addressed. I did also play on the idea of having two characters on a quest to complete the list, but I thought this was too similar to The Bucket List, and decided to use the more original idea. Also, if I had gone with the idea of copying The Bucket List, it would have been de-motivating, as I would have compared it too much, and it would be very difficult if not impossible to create a similar product to a multi-million pound production.

3. How I Created The ‘Feel’ Of The Film And The Conventions Used To Do This And How This Puts It Into A Particular Genre

4. Genre My media product that I have created would be put into the teen drama genre, and it influences from a mixture of documentaries, films and programs. I have looked at programs such as Skins, and the Inbetweener’s, and although these have a completely different storyline, they are aimed at the same target audience that I am going for. From these programs, I have taken the clothing into account, and also considered the use of language, and how this would be used if my media product were to be made into a full-film. My storyline is a sad one, but it is also meant to reflect the importance of life, and how in the most complicated, and difficult situations in life, how people can make the best out of them. This is my summary of what the film is about, but I have also added the twist of making it appeal to the teen audience, and therefore making it a teen drama. This is why the activities that Jim partakes in are slightly humorous, and ridiculous, as they are not conventional things to do with you spare time. This attitude that is taken by Jim is what makes it appeal to the teen audience, and makes it an effective teen drama. My media product challenges the convention of a serious drama that would normally be made for this type of storyline, and twisted what would be expected into something more fun, and upbeat.

5. Sound The use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound has enhanced my product/teaser trailer, it has added more substance to it, and it also plays an influential role in the change of moods. There is a point, about half way through my trailer, where through the use of a close up rotation shot, and mood music, I use non-diegetic sound, with a rhetorical question to make the trailer more upbeat. I have tested the change, by showing the trailer to my target audience, and the feedback I have received has indicated that it works, and the mood does change. The song changes from being quite a slow beats-per-minute song, with minor chords, an acoustic guitar, and male singer, to a fasted paced song, with major chords playing on an electric guitar. The change of song between tempos, and instruments is a typical convention that is used in movie trailers. Also, trailers will often have voiceovers, that help narrate the trailer, and I have adapted this into my trailer.

6. Main Character I used a male main character, and this is fitting with this type of film, or production. I looked at the documentary ‘A Boy Called Alex’ which was aired on Channel 4 a couple of years ago. This was a documentary, where a young boy of about 15, was told that his life would be cut short, and they didn’t know when he would die. In the documentary, ‘Alex’, was a musician, and he wanted to direct and rehearse an orchestra, and the do a performance with them. From this, I thought the idea of the main character being a boy would be perfect. In this genre, using a boy can have a touching effect on the audience, as it is not normal for a boy/man to show emotions, and when they do, it can create sympathy for that character. This goes for The Bucket List as well, as the main character in this was a male, other films include About A Boy, which has similarities.

7. Mise En Scene I chose the particular locations, and other aspects of mise en scene within my film, as I felt that they would fit with the generic conventions that you would usually expect of a teen drama. For example, the clothing worn is used to show age, the designer clothing with a slightly scruffy look, as this is the current ‘fashion’ for this age range. The first location shown as well, the doctors, was used to show that there is something wrong with that particular character. The mix of music, sad, lost facial expressions and doctors location would be enough to make the viewer feel sorry for the main character (Jim), and therefore, like him, which is essential for a teen drama, as the character has to be liked for it to work. When he is on top of the hill, with the overlooking view of the surrounding area, it adds to the level of sympathy felt towards Jim, and it also shows he is lost. These are typical conventions and methods that would be used to create sympathy, and sadness for a character.

8. Shot Analyse

9. This is a key shot within my film, as it makes the audience feel for the character, it is placed right at the start of the trailer to give Jim an immediate likability factor. Clothing is typical of what a teen would wear, can see there is an interest in fashion trends, and this is suitable to the target audience, and the clothing helps to show his socio-economic background. Similar clothing is worn in programs such as Skins. Doctors surgery is used in order to show that the is a problem, which links Todorov’s theory that there is an equilibrium-disequilibrium, and then a new equilibrium. The use of mise en scene in order to help tell the narrative is a typical media convention used in all programs and films.

10. Overcast sky helps show that there is a problem, and adds a certain sadness, as dark clouds and wind are conventionally seen as they are creating are disruption, there was a good chance of having an overcast, windy day, as it was filmed in November.No people or buildings shows isolation, and loneliness. This is typically used in the media industry, where they show a lack of life around them in order to show of their loneliness. A good example of the would be Tom Hanks in the film Cast-Away. Clothing again helps show his background, also, by not wearing tracksuit bottoms and a hoody, it makes him more likable, as in today's society, that type of clothing would stereotypically give him the label of ‘chav’, which can be seen as a disruption to society in a generalised view by the public.

11. I have used this camera angle when filming, as the magnificent lens glare effect was there from this angle when filming, and this helps tell narrative, so I had to take advantage of this opportunity. The lens glare ties in with his situation, because he is dying, this whole clip symbolises the fact that he would go to heaven. In films where a person going to heaven is attempted to be symbolised, lighting is used to create a bright light from the sky, but fortunately I managed to get this through natural ways, and I feel it is just as effective. The bike is a prop that I used in order to show some humour, and it helps create the teen-genre feel, as it is a ‘young’ thing to be done.

12. By not showing his face, it creates the feel as if you as the audience are climbing as well, and is more captivating to the audience. I used this shot in order to show the height. This camera angle is often used to manipulate what the audience thinks about its height, or other things. In the professional industry, because of bigger budgets, they can get away with having other shots in order to manipulate the audience.

13. This shot shows the change in emotion. This type of shot from below is typically used in order to create a change in position of the character. By having the shot from below, its shows that Jim now has a sense of control on his life, although there is a inevitable, he is controlling what time he has left. The use of facial expressions is one of the most important parts of a successful actor, if helps convey the emotion, as is what gets the audience to feel involved.

14. The title coming across one of the last clips of a trailer is used to add something different, throughout my trailer, the black background was used for the titles, and now this is the film ‘title’, I needed it to stand out. This shot is playing on the idea of rising to heaven, or going into the unknown. It challenges the usual way of showing something such as this, as usually, as shown in films like Bruce Almighty, where the stereotypical bright light is used, I have instead opted for something unusual, that would appeal more to my target audience.

15. This is where the montage of ‘fun’ activities end, before going back to a shot of Jim in a field, it ends with Jim in the air. Clothing shows he is about to get wet, before the water is even shown, as they are swimming trunks. The water symbolises depth, and a sense of danger, or unknown, but the reason I decided to cut short of Jim landing in the water is because I wanted to convey it as if Jim was in control, and almost walking on water, which is a symbol of power, as shown in Bruce Almighty when Morgan Freeman (God)and Jim Carrey walk on water.