The document discusses conventions of real media products and whether the student's own media products followed or challenged these conventions. It analyzes conventions of magazine covers, film posters, and film trailers. For each media type, it identifies conventions from real examples and indicates whether the student's work followed or challenged each convention. It provides explanations for conventions that were challenged, such as not using a red masthead on the magazine cover for visibility reasons. Overall, the student aimed to follow conventions but also challenged some, such as featuring a person of color on the magazine cover.

1. Question 1 : In what ways does
your media product use, develop
or challenge forms and
conventions of real media
products?
Here I have presented existing media products and listed the
conventions I identified in the research stage of my blog. I have
then used a tick and cross system to see which conventions I
followed or did not follow in my own media products. Any
conventions that I previously identified that I did not follow I have
explained my reasons for not following.

2. Conventions of these magazine covers:
. Big, bold masthead often in the color red
. Issue info and price under masthead
. Main cover lines bigger and bolder than other text
. Cover lines on the left of the page in a list style layout
. Barcodes
. The same color scheme is often used for the whole cover
. Main character is featured
. Quotes from the films featured on cover, not much plot info
revealed from cover.

3. Identified conventions of the magazine covers
on the first slide:
. Big, bold masthead often in the color red
. Issue info and price under masthead
. Main cover lines bigger and bolder than other text
. Cover lines on the left of the page in a list style layout
. Barcodes
. The same color scheme is often used for the whole cover
. Main character is featured
. Quotes from the films featured on cover, not much plot info
revealed from cover.
KEY:
I have followed these conventions:
I have not followed these conventions:

4. What convention/s did I not
follow in my magazine cover?
Big, bold masthead often in the color red
Why did I not follow this convention?
I chose not to follow the convention and make my masthead red because I
did not think that the masthead would stand out enough if it was colored
red.
I have however, made my masthead big and bold and positioned it in the top
center of my magazine cover which therefore does follow conventions.
Any other conventions that I have
challenged/followed?
I have followed several other conventions which I did not initially identify in the research
stage, these conventions are:
. Textured background (Several of the magazine covers I have featured on the 2nd slide
feature smoke/textured effect backgrounds) this conveys the genre of horror more.
I have used puffs/plugs and tag lines to entice the reader and therefore allow my product
to carry out its purpose.
I have challenged another convention, regarding ethnicity. All of the magazine covers
featured on the 2nd slide feature white actors. I have decided to feature a black actor. This
is positive as it is suggesting that black actors are just as good as white actors and
suggests equality.
An example
of a cover
with a
textured
background
similar to
the one I
have used.

5. Conventions of these film posters:
. All of the posters either feature stills from the film or
photography based on the film
. All of the posters have a black background or a black banner
with white text on it. Also, the film title is nearly always in the
color red. The film title is also bigger than the other text
. Most of the posters feature either a character and/or a
location from the film on them.
. Most of the posters feature a slogan or quote from the film.
.The posters always have the actors names and company
names at the bottom of the poster
. Characters are shown conveying emotion
. Dull, black and white, un-emotive colors are used for most of
the poster apart from certain parts of the image or text which
is meant to be more important or more noticeable than
others.

6. Conventions of the film posters on the third
slide:
.
KEY:
I have followed these conventions:
I have not followed these conventions:
. Feature stills from the film or photography based on the film
. All of the posters have a black background or a black banner
with white text on it. Also, the film title is nearly always in the
color red. The film title is also bigger than the other text
. Most of the posters feature either a character and/or a location
from the film on them.
. Most of the posters feature a slogan or quote from the film.
.The posters always have the actors names and company names
at the bottom of the poster
. Characters are shown conveying emotion
. Dull, black and white, un-emotive colors are used for most of
the poster apart from certain parts of the image or text which is
meant to be more important or more noticeable than others.

7. What convention/s did I not
follow in my film poster?
Why did I not follow this
convention?
Any other conventions that I
have challenged/followed?
Characters are shown conveying emotion
I have photographed from the rear of my characters therefore their faces are not visible so
there is no obvious emotion conveyed. Emotion is still conveyed however, as the black &
white filter and the red text conveys the genre and emotions associated with horror.
Where there is no obvious emotion, it also leaves the viewer to guess what emotions the
character is feeling making it more personal and involving to the viewer.
I took major influence from the funny games poster (Right).
Most horror film posters have a fairly plain/blank background however I chose to
incorporate the film location into the poster also. Although this is not challenging
conventions a such, the majority of horror film posters do have a plain background.
Not many of the posters feature the cinema release date on them. I have, however, chosen
to do this. I took reference from the funny games poster.

8. Conventions of these film
trailers:
I analyzed these three horror trailers in the
research section of my blog. Below are some
of the conventions I noticed in these trailers.
. dramatic music is used to build up the
tension
. quick cuts, fades, close ups, some point of
view shots
. title of the film is written and other
information such as slogans and directors
information
.Weapons are often used
.psychologically unstable or possessed
characters
.establishing shots are used
. flashes between shots

10. We placed an establishing shot at the
beginning the same as the type of shot used
in the shining (below) scary music also starts.
We placed a title screen at
the start of the trailer to tell
the audience what the video
is and who it is suitable for.
These screens are common in
the film industry however are
not as conventional for being
placed in trailers.

11. We used a shot of paintings on a wall similar
to the shot from rosemary’s baby (below)
the wall paintings worked well as they had
scary faces in which conveys the horror
genre.
We placed a series of shots of the interior
acting as establishing shots at the start and
throughout the trailer, this allowed the
audience to get to know the location and
therefore start to work out the plot. Lots of
interior shots are present in the shining
trailer.

12. These shots act as a narrator and the dialogue
reveals the plot in a similar way to the shining
trailer. This allows the audience to get an idea
of the plot. It also allows the audience to
familiarize themselves with the characters.
This scene is similar to the scene in the shining
trailer where the men are talking in the room
and discussing bad things that have happened.
We added a shot of the production
company’s logo, the same as the type
of shot used in the shining (below) and
rosemary’s baby.

13. This shot shows the characters going up the
stairs, we used jumpy editing to speed the
clip up and produce an effect conveying the
genre.
We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text
used in the shining trailer. (below)

14. We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text
used in the shining trailer. (below)
This shot reveals some of the plot as it
shows the box being found.

15. We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text
used in the shining trailer. (below)
This shot is similar to the shot in the
shining trailer. (below)

16. We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text
used in the shining trailer. (below)
This shot also reveals more plot to the
viewer.

17. We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text
used in the shining trailer. (below)
This shot is in black and white which
conveys the genre conventions of horror.
The screams are also a conventional
feature of horror films.

18. This shot suggests the idea of death. The
outline signifies that there was a person
lying there or that this is a crime scene.
This reveals more plot to the audience.
We used an over the shoulder shot like in
the shining trailer. (below)

19. We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text
used in the shining trailer. (below)
We used this shot to convey emotion. The
shining trailer includes a lot of shots of the
characters to convey emotion and how
they’re feeling.

20. We placed flashcards in between footage
with simple text on similar to the text used
in the shining trailer. (below) We used
slogans. Rosemary’s baby features a slogan
also.
This shot is similar to the shot from the
shining trailer below. The antagonist is
trying to get through the door to reach the
protagonist.

21. We placed flashcards to tell the audience
what the title of the film is and other
important information. We placed a
hashtag and social media links so the
target audience can find out more about
the film. We placed this at the end of the
trailer which is conventional.
This shot is used at the end. This is our final
scare, along with the screech sound effect
and the words don’t get lost. The idea of
having a final scare is conventional in horror
trailers. This shot also shows the characters
making eye contact with the camera and
audience. This is conventional and is done in
the shining trailer (below)

22. Conventions of the real film trailers I looked
at:
KEY:
I have followed these conventions:
I have not followed these conventions:
. Dramatic music
. quick cuts, fades, close ups, some
point of view shots
. title of the film is written and
other information such as slogans
and directors information
.Weapons are often used
.psychologically unstable or
possessed characters
.establishing shots are used
. flashes between shots
Any other conventions that I have
challenged/followed?
We have used a green title screen. This is
conventional in the film industry before a
film but is not conventional before a trailer.
This suggests we have followed but also
challenged this convention.
In the last shot we followed the “last
scare” convention and also the characters
made eye contact with the viewer which is
also conventional.
We have also used the color scheme of
red, black and white which are genre
conventions.
We have used fades in between shots and
in the beginning in the establishing shot
the shot flickers and flashes as it cuts.
We use a series of shots towards the end
which are very fast paced and the music
has a screeching sound to it, this builds
suspense and adds drama. The fast paced
series of shots is a conventional sequence
used in horror trailers.