In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products, evaluation question for a2 media coursework

1. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR
MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP
OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS
CHARLES HARRIS

2. • IN MAKING MY MEDIA PRODUCTS I MAINLY LOOKED AT THE ADVERTISING
CAMPAIGNS FOR THE FILMS “INSIDIOUS,” “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT,” AND “THE
WOMAN IN BLACK,” SO THAT I COULD GET THE CONVENTIONS OF A HORROR
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN. I ALSO LOOKED AT THE FILMS “DEMONIC,” “THE
PACT,” “THE PURGE,” “YOUR NEXT,” “AFFLICTED,” “ANIMAL,” “DARK WAS THE
NIGHT,” AND “THE RING.” FROM THIS I WAS ABLE TO CREATE A LIST OF
CONVENTIONS FROM WHICH I COULD USE, DEVELOP AND CHALLENGE THEM IN
ORDER TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE PRODUCT.

3. THE STRUCTURE
• IN MY TRAILER, THE 1ST SCENE IS SCARY TO GRIP THE AUDIENCE AND TO GET
THEM HOOKED
• THIS DEFIES CONVENTIONS AS IN THE TRAILERS I’VE LOOKED AT THEY
NORMALLY START BY INTRODUCING THE CHARACTERS THEN GET SCARY
TOWARDS THE END OF THE TRAILER
• THIS MEANS THAT I’VE DEVELOPED THE CONVENTION BY ADDING AN INITIAL
SCARE

4. TICKING
• I HAVE USED THE CONVENTION OF SOMETHING TICKING TO GIVE PACE TO THE
TRAILER
• IN INSIDIOUS THEY USE A METRONOME BUT I DEVELOPED THIS AND USED A
CLOCK WITH IS MORE EVERYDAY AND RELATABLE

5. INDUSTRY LOGOS
• I’VE FOLLOWED THE CONVENTION OF HAVING INDUSTRY LOGOS AT THE START
OF THE TRAILER
• THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO BUILD A TRUST WITH A VIEWER IF THEY RECOGNISE
THE LOGO FROM OTHER FILMS THAT THEY’VE LIKE
•

6. BACK STORY AND ALCOHOL/ DRUGS
• I FOLLOWED THE CONVENTIONS OF SHOWING THE CHARACTERS BACK STORY
TOWARDS THE START OF THE TRAILER, THIS MEANS THAT THE VIEWER FEELS
INVESTED IN THE CHARACTERS LIFE'S AND CARES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO
THEM
• I ALSO FOLLOWED THE CONVENTION OF SUPPLYING YOUTHS WITH ALCOHOL,
THIS CONVEYS THE MORALS OF IF YOU DRINK AND ACT IRRESPONSIBLE… BAD
THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU – WHICH IS A POSITIVE MESSAGE TO PUT OUT

7. SEX APPEAL
• I CHALLENGE THE CONVENTION OF HAVING THE FEMALE CHARACTER BE
REPRESENTED IN A SLUTTY FASHION BECAUSE MY QUESTIONNAIRE SAID THAT
OVER 40% OF THE PEOPLE WATCHING WERE WOMAN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
DIDN’T LIKE THE NEGATIVE REPRESENTATION AND STEREOTYPES.
• TO COMBAT THIS, I PUT THE MALE ACTOR IN ONLY A TOWEL IN ORDER TO ADD
SEX APPEAL TO LADY VIEWERS AND PORTRAY THE MALE AS BEING SLUTTY

8. CHILDISH
• I ADDED THE MINION TOY TO THE BACKGROUND OF THE SHOT TO MAKE THE
PROTAGONIST SEEM CHILDISH. I FOLLOWED THE CONVENTION OF A NAIVE
PROTAGONIST AS IT MAKES THE VIEWER PITY HER – MAKING THEM ENGAGE
WITH THE FILM

9. CHILD ENDANGERMENT
• A HORROR FILM CONVENTION IS TO PUT CHILDREN AT RISK OR IN DANGER, I
DEVELOP THIS CONVENTION IN ‘WILL’ BY PUTTING AN UNBORN CHILD IN
DANGER

10. LOW KEY LIGHTING
• I FOLLOW THE CONVENTION OF USING LOW KEY LIGHTING, THIS IS A GOOD WAY
TO CREATE MYSTERY AS THE VIEWER CAN ALWAYS SEE EVERYTHING THAT’S
GOING ON AND PLAYS ON THEIR FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

11. FEMALE EMPLOYMENT
• AS PART OF MY QUESTIONNAIRE, I FOUND OUT THAT PEOPLE DON’T LIKE THE
NORMAL REPRESENTATIONS IN HORROR FILMS, THIS IS WHY I CHALLENGED THE
CONVENTION OF FEMALE PROFESSIONALS AND HAD A FEMALE LAWYER – A VERY
WELL EDUCATED AND RESPECTABLE JOB

12. JUMP CUTS
• I FOLLOWED THE CONVENTION OF USING JUMP CUTS TO DISORIENTATE THE
VIEWER, I FEEL LIKE ITS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO MAKE THEM CONFUSE ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEREFORE MAKE SCARES MORE SCARY.

13. SYMBOLS AND RELIGION
• I USE RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS OF PESTA TO FORSHADOW THE DEATHS OF THE CAST
MEMBERS, THIS IS DEVELOPING THE CONVENTION OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH MANY HORROR FILMS USE RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM – VERY
FEW USE SCANDINAVIAN

14. THE AUTHORITIES CAN’T HELP
• I FOLLOWED THE CONVENTION OF HAVING THE AUTHORITIES BE UNABLE TO
HELP THE SITUATION, I DID THIS BECAUSE HAVING THE PEOPLE WHO’S JOB IT IS
IT PROTECT US, UNABLE TO PROTECT US SHOULD STRIKE FEAR INTO THE VIEWER

15. DIRECTORS VANITY
• I FOLLOWED THE CONVENTION OF PUTTING THE DIRECTORS NAME BY THE
TITLE, I FEEL LIKE IT MAKES THE PRODUCTION COME ACROSS MORE
PROFESSIONAL

16. THE POSTER
I followed the convention
of putting a slogan onto
the poster
I followed the convention
of putting reviews on the
poster
I challenged conventions
as I putt social media
links on the poster

17. THE COVER
I followed the
conventions of
putting a masterhead,
cover lines, pull
quotes lure and a pug
on the cover
I challenged conventions by
having a grey colour scheme
in order to have a contrast of
black and white without
adding too much colour