The document summarizes Reece Jones' media project of creating an opening sequence for a comedy film. It discusses how the opening sequence follows conventions of the genre like including ordinary characters and locations, while also challenging conventions through its soundtrack and spoofing of the Rocky training montage. The intended audience is described as teenagers aged 12-16, with alternative/indie groups and students as secondary audiences. Caveman Films and Handmade Films are identified as media institutions that might distribute the film due to their experience with independent comedy films.

1. Project EvaluationReece Jones

2. For my media product I chose to do an opening sequence to a film.

3. Q1: In what ways does you media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media texts Every opening sequence to a film follows certain conventions in order for the audience to feel comfortable watching them and recognise them although I wanted my film to be unique I needed to add in typical conventions in order for the film to sell. Films reassure the audience by demonstrating the conventions of the chosen genre.Comedy conventionsIdeologiesIdeologies that are not agreed with by the audience or are seen to be amusing

4. Strange ideologiesEnigmasEnigmas are usually set up, this hooks the audience so they watch the rest of the film in order for these enigmas to be resolved.CharactersUsually ordinary people

5. Either serious or humorous

6. Clumsy, accident proneLocationSuburban landscape

7. Open spaces

8. Places of everyday occurrenceMise en sceneProps that relate to genre

9. Inferior products

10. Everyday mise en sceneExample of a comedy film with an Urban landscape

11. I chose to do a slapstick comedy film, this is because in my research I found that comedy films were the most enjoyable genres for my targeted age group which was for “teens”.All the participants to the questionnaire were teenagers proving that to be most successful in producing a film and to achieve maximum gross profits, a comedy film would be the best option.An example of a slapstick comedy with the main character hurting themselves which the audience will find amusing.

12. USPAlthough magazines need to follow certain conventions in order work and be successful comedies it is important that it challenges the genre and is unique in order for it to sell and not be a duplicate of another film.For our unique selling point of my film we made the storyline similar to a serious film and spoof it, to my knowledge this film has not been spoofed before and the amusement would be down to the comedy swing which incorporates the main character hurting themselves.Rocky in the middle of his serious training in the iconic training montage in Rocky IV.We decided to spoof the serious blockbuster action film rocky IV which is a which has the iconic training montage, adding a more up to date and exaggerated comedy touch the opening sequence shows a sense of recognition to the audience as they are likely to have seen the film but yet it is different with the juxtapositions involved. I felt that this would therefore be a popular option.

13. How my work follows conventions of a comedyTypical slapstick comedy- Hot RodMy opening sequenceLocationEveryday location- (suburban street, bedroom)Natural lightingCharactersCharacters hurting themselvesWearing exaggerated clothes that are specific to there activity

14. Mise en sceneInferior products-motor cycleInferior product- small weightsHumorous moustacheLots of close-up shotsHumorous facial expressionIdeologiesIdeologies that we find funny- believing in spiritual eagles and the fact that the character thinks he is muscularEnigmasEnigmas over there activities...Why is he trying to do stunts?Why is he working out?

15. How my work challenges conventions of a comedyMusicTypical slapstick comedy- Hot RodMy opening sequencehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV1Yf_mJJ1Ehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZm-4bMRsrkThe music soundtrack to hot rod on the link is a serious electronic style music that stops after his impact with the ramp, while my soundtrack is a cheesy 80s rock Ballard with guitar solos which I believe adds to the humour through sound which Hot Rod is lacking. The soundtrack continues throughout the opening sequence to my film also and is similar to the soundtrack in Rocky IV.The album I received the track “Way of Warrior”

16. Q2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?Social groups are often represented through stereotypes, whether it is movies, magazines or television however stereotypes are not true representations of social groups as most people believe. In my opening sequence it represents;Teenagers- this is because most media texts do not represent teenagers in the right way and is usually portrayed in a derogatory way that scare society but my opening sequence is attempting to but a brighter side to teenage life. The character in my opening sequence is a typical teenager.

17. The teenager is represented as a harmless teenager who is from the alternative stereotype and Is a geek, this stereotype is a commonly used character in vast amounts of comedies and are familiar to the audience as a humorous figure.Alternative/Indie StereotypesThe alternative stereotype has often been portrayed at the teenage years due to their artistic and experimental approach to life, not following tradition and the rule books and attempting to forge their own paths.This group enjoy comedy and that is why they are an interesting group to target my opening sequence to. They are hardly ever targeted as a social group and therefore my film will be individual in that sense. This genre has gone through leaps and bounds and is now a strong stereotype meaning a large target audience.Jam-jar GlassesSlicked back hairThe alternative trend is often involved with the stereotype of geeks.Buttoned shirtRevising large books

18. In my opening sequence I attempted to represent teenagers in a light hearted fun way instead of the usual negative “Yob” stereotype that frightens most adults and look more at the harmless people they are and how they are misinterpreted.However there is the humorous approach to the geek stereotype which sees them as weaklings but yet the negative representation of a geek is not a negative view as a whole as it is not a real view of society and this group does not exist. A recent fashion trend styled by the fashion designer Gok Wan is called “Geek chic” which has become a major recent trend.Geek RepresentationChildish fascination of Potato head off Toys StoryGeek chicDarth Vader figure- Star Wars is a geeky filmCalculator- hard worker, always doing math sumsRetro alarm clock- Getting up early, as they are determined characters

19. Usually represented as weaklingsStruggling to lift small weightSmall musclesIn-game footageRetro headbandRetro Casio watchPlaying computer gamesPlaying video games

20. Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?In order to be successful my film would need to be supported by a media institution to be put into surplus and gain publicity in order for it to sell. These are 2 British film companies that produce alternative films such as my own;Caveman is a new British film company specialisingin cutting edge comedy, horror and thriller films. Founded in 2009. The Caveman mission to expand the imagination and scale of British independent film-making.Handmade Films emerged in the late 1970s The initial impetus for the company was to rescue the well known comedy Monty Python film - Life of Brian.

21. Researching into both Caveman Films and Hand Made Films, they both seem like the media institutions that would be perfect in distributing my film this is because they are institutions that are specific in producing alternative films such as comedy films, they will have previous films along the same wavelength as mine meaning they would be able to handle my film with the right decisions being made. Hand Made Films produced the alternative comedy Life of Brian and with its small budget it is similar to my film and it has tremendous recognition for such a low budget production . The audience having prior knowledge of other films that the company have produced will want to watch my film more than if it was with a media institute that did not have the CV that Hand Made Films can boast. I would be able to contact my specific audience quickly. One disadvantage of going with a small British film company is that they are not a conglomerate like Warner Bro’s who own many media institutions which help the media product enhance its resources and get round copyright problems without paying.http://www.cavemanfilms.co.uk/

22. Q4: Who would be the audience for your media product?The audience that films are aimed at are key ,as getting it wrong will completely ruin the films chances of success. Using the various theories of GRASS (Gender, Race, Age, Socio-economic status)Teenagers aged 12-16- This age group is usually not fairly and widely represented in media texts as they are produced by adults, that is why this film would be different from most other films as well as having witty comedy which teenagers love.However- This film can be targeted by most age groups to the flexibility of the storyline which maximises audiencesTarget Audience Alternative/indie group- aimed at the group of individuals that like differences and are paired with humour regularly, perfect for a comedy target audience.both male and female audiences- although the main character is male the film will be enjoyable to both sexes because a training montage or working out is no longer seen as a male dominated activity is was first believed but now it is widely done by females. Limiting the magazine to one sex would be halving the potential audiences.

23. Teenagers are a good group to target my film on, this is because they are the largest users of the cinema as spare time is frequent especially university students. Teenagers also have the largest disposable income as they do not have to pay for taxes and children, this means a large proportion of their income is spent and therefore they will be more likely to spend their time and money on watching and buying films.Secondary Target audiences could be;Adults 16-25

24. MainstreamersStudents were the most asked age group and there favourite film genre was a comedy film proving that the right genre was chosen.