This document discusses the conventions used in a student's media project and how they develop or challenge conventions of real media. It examines the use of titling, mise-en-scene including costumes, lighting, and camera shots. For the opening scene, a titling image was used instead of a background based on conventions from the film Misery. Costumes were used to portray the main character as young, insecure, and vulnerable. Low key lighting conveyed feelings of fear. Over the shoulder shots were used to show the relationship between characters and draw comparisons to their use in The Ring.

1. Evaluation Questions
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real media products?
Our media product uses develop and challenging forms of convention by using different
varieties of camera shots, Mise-en scene and editing to show the audience what the
meaning is to the two minutes opening film. I also challenged the forms of convention by
researching six different opening films to get an idea how our opening scene will look like
for e.g. titling image or titling background. Overall in my media project I used convention
method to get an idea on how psychological thrillers begin and if they use diegetic or non-
diegetic sounds. We decided to have a titling image in our opening film this is because if
we had a background it will waste time. The idea we’ve used in our research was from
Misery. Misery also had titling image in the opening scene we decided to use the titling
image rather than use a background this is because its more effective and signifies that
most psychological thrillers have a titling image.

2. Mise-en-scene Conventions
• The use of costume the characters were wearing in our film suggests their particular
background and social group. The main character the client (Zara) in this film is represented
as young insecure and vulnerable this is because she had visions and flash forwards. The use
of costume also tells the audience that she's young this is because she’s wearing a hood and
jeans which signifies that she’s a teenager. In our conventions we decided to have a younger
female character rather then a male this is because in psychological thrillers young female
characters are often the seen as victims and vulnerable. For e.g. The ring had two teenage
girls who were seen as victims because they were terrified about the video tape. It also
signifies to the audience that she’s a teenager this I because their both living in a urban
environment. The lighting used in our film and the media product uses low key lighting which
suggest powerless and insecurity. Low key lightings are often used when the character feels
scared and shocked.

3. Camera-shots conventions
• The use of camera angles in our film signifies to the audience how the characters feel. Over
the shoulder shot (OVS) was often used in our film when the two characters were
communicating. This signifies that this shot helps to establish the position of each person,
and get the feel of looking at one person from the other's point of view. This mainly happens
when one character feels down whereas the other character tries to comfort the character.
According to this we’ve juxtaposed our film’s OVS shot to The Ring. Our film symbolizes that
the camera is focusing on the vulnerable character and that the other character is in high
position of power trying to comfort her whereas the ring the position of the character feels
horrified by the other character telling her tragic stories.