The film is a slasher horror that both conforms to and subverts genre conventions. It utilizes high-angle and POV shots, along with ambient sounds, to create suspense and a false sense of security, while the unconventional credits challenge typical designs found in horror films. The title 'Redwood' diverges from common naming conventions in horror, and the narrative builds mystery around the killer's identity, enhancing the overall tension.

1. EVALUATION QUESTION 1
IN WHAT WAY DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE DEVELOP
OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL
MEDIA PRODUCTS?

2. • Our film is a slasher horror film, many aspects challenge and support, the
conventions of the genre for example it takes place in a forest a
stereotypical horror location, as the tall trees and isolated area creates an
eerie effect to the film. This is often used in horror films, but as well as
forests places like haunted houses, graveyards, rural locations, however we
decided to use a forest to emphasize characters vulnerability. In terms of
camera angles we very much develop the forms and conventions as we used
a lot of high angle shots to create a lurking effect for the killer. Also POV
shots would also be used to see through the killer’s perspective. To further
the conventions, we used a lot of close ups as these are used to show fear
and emotion but we also used them to create a false sense of security. The
use of a handheld camera very much gave it an amateur lurking feel which is
what we wanted to achieve to make it feel more realistic.

3. • In terms of sound the enhancement of birds tweeting at the start of the
sequence creates a false sense of security often used in horror films to
develop the plot. But later on still developing connotations we enhance the
ambient sound to make it more suspenseful, you can hear the leaves under
the characters feet and birds in the background, this creates a false sense of
security. Also we use a track called Crypt by Rannar Sillard and even though
none of us had never heard it before we definitely agreed that it was
something well suited for a horror film. We used it to create suspense which
is what our target audience wanted so in terms of the opening sequence
upon approaching the camp at the realisation of Alfie’s disappearance the
music crescendos as it progresses. Also we added the sound effect of a
heartbeat, this symbolises that something is about to happen as the pulse is
emphasized as going faster.

4. Within our credits we very much challenge conventions as in my research I
found a lot of opening sequences had red fonts on a black background such
as Scream and Paranormal Activity, however within our sequence we decided
to use a typewriter effect, this creates the effect that this has been a story that
has been passed down and that someone is typing it up as it seems worthy.
None of us came across credits like this within our research so we very much
challenge conventions here. Also the title of our film, “Redwood,” is one that I
think uses and furthers conventions, many horror films opt for the one word
titles such as Psycho, Scream, Saw, Poltergeist, and Halloween.

5. • However our title also challenges conventions as it doesn’t
really have relevance to the film, I thought of the title just
simply because of the blood on the trees red symbolising the
blood, and wood representing the forest. Most horror film titles
use names of the antagonist or words associated with horror
like Scream but ours is challenging that convention. In terms of
narrative it initially starts as a normal narrative, the equilibrium
however like all films and especially horror films something bad
happens, the disruption of Alfie’s disappearance.

6. • Something we used the conventions of horror films for was the mystery surrounding
the killers identity, a convention in horror films is that the killer’s identity is not
revealed till later in the film. Originally we were going to have a few shots of the
killer especially not showing his face however these shots did not look amazing upon
review as the costume we told Dan the killer to wear was too casual and did not look
intimidating at all, so we decided to not show any part of the killer what so ever
apart from his point of view, this way the audience gets a feel of enigma as they have
no idea who is also in the woods with the group. The shots that we also had planned
was a couple of seconds of the killer holding the axe covered in blood, firstly the
blood looked amateur so we were hesitant to put it in, but also this just gives a clear
indication of what happens and we wanted to develop conventions of horror films
and progress the mystery a bit more so we decided to show barely any indication of
what happened to Alfie. The only indicator we included was the blood on the tree,
this is a symbol however it is not clear who’s this blood is or how it got there it is
just when the dialogue of Alice saying where’s Alfie that plants a seed of thought
into the audience’s mind that “could the blood be to do with Alfie’s disappearance?”

7. • Within editing we used the blade tool to cut between characters within
dialogue, this is often used in horror films to develop characters
personalities and create a false sense of security, we also used effects like
video cameras to make it seem like the killer was stalking them, this is often
used in horror films to create suspense to incorporate symbols and signs
that a character is lurking.
• Finally for the mise en scene, for costumes we just asked actors to dress
normally, most horror films do this to make it seem like a normal day to
make the climax of the plot more surprising so the stereotypical outfits for
our characters convey that everything is fine at the moment. This follows the
typical conventions as most horror films also have everyday clothing to
create the false sense of security that it’s a normal day.