The document discusses how the media product challenges conventions of the social realism genre in three key ways: 1) It features all female characters rather than following the typical male-dominated narratives. This portrays the strong female characters overcoming difficulties alone. 2) It features Asian characters in the leading roles, challenging stereotypes that social realism stories only surround white or black characters. 3) Rather than revealing all backstories immediately, it gradually reveals details about the characters' problems throughout the opening to build intrigue. This pacing technique deviates from conventions.

1. In what ways does your
media product use,
develop or challenge
forms and conventions of
real media products?
RAKHA TEWANY

2. Introduction
 During the production of our opening scene of our film, we have
made sure that we have referred to existing films with the same
genre to lead us through the process. The research that we did
before hand, really helped us to understand the typical
conventions of a opening scene of a film under the genre of social
realism. Through doing the research on our genre made us see
what we had to include to make the genre clear, it also helped us
include things which would attract the audience such as the title,
actors, storyline and so on. All of the research helped us to do the
correct things to attract our target audience.

3. Before-hand Research
 Before making our opening scene of the film, we have looked at other films, such as:
‘Adulthood’, ‘Offender’ and many more. By doing this before filming we learnt what is
used in films (social realism) and what attracts the audience to watch the film. It also
allowed us to realise what kind of font gets used within our genre. When we done the
research we watched a few different openings of films to decide on what genre we
would like to do, yet, by watching the opening parts to some films, made us feel that
genres such as thriller and horror would be hard to do and make look professional as
we would not have the correct equipment so we decided on the genre of ‘Social
Realism’ because we thought it would be easier to make as it basically real life stuff
what happens.

4.  Our film is similar to many other social realism films due to the generic
conventions in which most social realism films have. The first important
convention is that of keeping the audience at the edge of their seats
due to not knowing what will happen next. We had made this
effective by using a voice of both characters. The voice over allowed
the characters to express how they were feeling in that moment of
their life. Also we had a sad non diegetic sound for where the voice
overs weren’t. However, we also added in a sound effect for the
ending where the title appears, this sound effect built up the tension
as the audience did not know what was going to appear.
Social Realism

5. Social Realism
Representation of Gender
 In most social realism films, men are seen
as the dominant and stronger characters
as opposed to women being seen as
weak and emotional. Yet, within our film
there is just females. The two characters
which are the main characters, also we
have a another character which is also
female. From the beginning, the audience
will see that our characters are strong. This
is shown through what they are going
through, and that they are going through it
alone.
Representation of Class.
 Social realism is mainly based around
working class people. However, within
our film the characters are both students
as they are still in school (college) and
going through what they are going
through alone. It shows that our
characters are strong girls, also it shows
our audience that teenager girls do go
through these problems.

6. Social Realism
Camera Shots
 Within the genre Social Realism handheld
movements are often used as it puts the
audience in that situation. In Social Realism
films, point of view shots are often used as it
lets the audience know the surroundings of
the characters. In our film’s opening scene,
we decided to include a picture of the
whole of Birmingham, from a high angle
shot, so it shows the audience that the film is
based in Birmingham. We also filmed the
outside of the school and the character
house to show the audience where the
scenes are taking place. This lets the
audience create expectations about the
whole film.
Music
 Social Realism films often use soundtracks
that relate to the situation which the
characters are in, to connect with their
thoughts, emotions and feelings. In our film,
we added in voice overs, sound effects and
backing music. Within our film we used the
voice overs of each character when they
were on scene, this was because it helped
to explain their stories and what’s
happening in their lives.

7. Props and Costumes
 Props – The props that were used within the opening scene such as phone, laptop, sandwich,
toilet and plate. These props allowed to show the storyline and what was happening within the
girls lives at that moment. The phone and laptop represented the cyber-bullying scene where
the girl was getting bullied, and the rest of the props represented the other scene which was
one of the characters having a eating disorder. The props used the form and conventions of
social realism films, we used these props as social realism films having a weird atmosphere,
however as our film represents human beings going through a hard time in their lives.
 Costumes - The costumes which we decided to use were very basic, the characters dressed as
everyday teenagers, we thought this would be a good way to show our audience that
everyone has a background and story out of school. We thought that dressing the characters in
every day teenager wear would make the audience reflect back on our storyline even better
as they are the same age as our characters. We used forms and conventions of social realism
films, as most social realism films wear basic, casual clothing.

8. Location and Lighting
 Location – We decided to place our film within a school and one of the characters
home. We decided one scene within school because it shows our audience that
anyone can hide their problems, no matter where they are, so we chose to do it
within a school as there is high amount of people within the school yet no one realises
she has a problem. Our character keeps herself to herself, which does not really give
the story away. The next scene we decided to do it within the characters home, we
used a naturalistic teenage girl’s bedroom this was because it showed people get
bullied over the internet such as Facebook, Twitter and so on. The location used are
mainly naturalistic settings, so that is keeps the film likelihood.
 Lighting – When filming we never really thought about the lighting, we just filmed the
scenes. However, when editing the film we decided the lighting was too bright for our
genre/ storyline so we added a edit on to the whole film, which made it a lot better.

9. Colouring of entire film
 When producing the film, we never thought about colour, we just filmed as it was on the
storyboards. Yet, when editing our film, we decided that the colour of the lighting does not fit
in within the storylines, so we decided we needed to add a edit on to the entire film, we went
through a couple different effects and edits and we could not decide which looked best. So
we decided to ask our target audience for feedback, they decided one. The edit over all our
film made it look more dull, however, the edit was not white and black, it just made the film
look more realist as with the bright colour it did not make the film look professional. By adding
this edit on to our film it made the film look more professional rather than it looking like it has
been filmed by school children.
 We decided to go for the dull look as our storyline was quite upsetting, therefore the dark
lighting would also add effect onto the film.

10. Forms
 In most Social realism films, at the beginning the credits are shown straight way, yet, within
our film after every step forward to realising what the girls problems are a credit appear. So it
is in order to appear every time the audience find out something about the characters. Yet,
we also made credit appear on things such as the stairs as it fits in well, makes it look like the
credit is there in real life and not edited in.
 Editing allows the same event to be a shorted length, this keeps the audience involved.
Within our film, during the school scene, we edited to shorten the length and take us to the
Lamya Ali main part of the story. This added the effect that Lamya Ali could not keep the
story and her problem to herself anymore.
 Social Realism films start to reveal everything to audience right from the beginning when the
film starts, this reduces the sense of mystery. In our film, we decided to reveal a large part of
our story, however we never revealed their background stories which led them to their
problems. We decided to show a large part as the opening, because from us watching
other films such as ‘adulthood’ and so on showed a large part of their film. We did it on
purpose as it grabbed the audience attention straight away.

11. Conventions
 Natural lighting is mainly used within Social Realism as it keeps the naturalistic feel of the film.
In our film, within the house scene we used natural lighting which came through the
windows, the light created a natural feeling. Yet, it also created a eerie atmosphere as the
light just focus’s on her in that scene.
 Social Realism films use untrained actors, so our characters were untrained as well as it gave
our characters acting experience.
 In Social Realism films, they often surround the story around black or white, working class
people as they are stereotypically the ones who are seen in these kind of life situations.
However, we decided to use Asian characters as we wanted a challenge. This challenged
certain stereotypes that people have for Asians. Stereotypically, Asian girls are often known
as quiet but good girls, yet, within our film it shows that Asian girls are just like everyone else,
and can be in any situation, not just white or black people. This leaves the audience
questioning, why hasn’t this been done before.