1. The document discusses the opening scenes of a crime film the author created. Visually, the first shot establishes a group of men loitering outside shops to set up their importance to the story and create a sense of potential tension. 2. The next shot establishes the specific location of a Tesco Express store to give context to the setting. Crime films often set the scene before events happen. 3. Subsequent shots increasingly cut back to the group to build mounting tension leading up to a violent confrontation, conforming to crime film conventions of raising anticipation through suspense.

1. Question 1 - In what ways does your
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media
products?

2. 1
I began the film with a long shot of the group of lads loitering outside the shops.
Visually, through their costume and the way they hold themselves, we already get the
idea they are trouble. I also decided not to start the music yet and let this scene play in
silence as it instantly draws the audience in and creates a sense of (if only potential)
tension. The fact that these characters are shown in the very first shot implies that they
will play an important role in the film or might even be one of the protagonists – this
concept conforms to the general convention of most films, let alone just crime films. I
tried to incorporate a common thriller technique of not revealing too much too quickly
so as to suggest they’re trying to remain in the dark. For example I could have used a
medium close-up of their faces; but that would have shown their identities
immediately, whereas I wanted the gang to represent a sense of impending danger
rather than the actual people themselves – at least just at the start.

3. 2
This shot comes after a series of establishing shots to give a rough sense of the area in
which the following events will transpire. On the other hand this shot is more specific,
determining the exact location: Tesco Express. Generally, films tend to establish the
setting before anything happens to give some context to the scene; in crime films, the
location usually reflects the mood and feel of the scene too. I waited until the evening
to film this shot, using the darkness to convey an impression of threat, with Tesco being
a light, safe, familiar place amid the danger. I thought it was important to put across
this idea early on so it would stick in the viewers’ minds.

4. 3, 4, 5The general convention of crime
films, particularly film noir (anti-hero,
voice-over, urban setting, chiaroscuro), is
that you should create increasing tension
preceding the incident. To do this in my
film I decided to keep reminding the
audience of the gang and the impending
danger implied by their presence. This, in
conjunction with the first shot being of
them hanging out outside the shops, is a
hint towards their importance and threat.
In addition, by cutting to increasingly
frequent shots of the gang I was able to
create a mounting tension leading up to
the beating up. Thereby establishing
audience expectations before I shattered
these expectations (revealing the
narrator).

5. 6, 7
Many crime films play with
the idea of light and dark
(especially film noir which
literally means “black film”)
in both a literal and
metaphorical sense. I
decided to use the bright
indoors of the shop to
present it to the audience as
a very safe place, and the
darkness outside to
represent all the potential
danger out there. To do this
I darkened the outdoor
footage and brightened the
indoor in post – using Adobe
After Effects.

6. 8, 9
This is the first point in the
film where the man actually
acknowledges the gang.
Until now there was just
dramatic irony (the
audience knowing what’s
going on but not the
character) fuelling the
anticipation, but the
moment we see him notice
them, the tension rises. This
idea of playing with tension
and suspense is very
Hitchcock-esque and
conforms to general crime
film convention, and also
very real human experience
of potentially dangerous
encounters.

7. 10
This freeze frame shot is the most important one in my film because it reveals the plot
twist at the end. It is also a homage to Martin Scorsese’s crime films where this is a
common asset. He uses them to serve a kinetic, as well as narrative, function. They
deliver a visual punch and also signpost moments which he wishes to call our attention
to. For example this cinematic technique is employed in his film “Goodfellas” to mark
the moment at which Henry Hill breaks into the gangster life (the freeze frame is of him
blowing up the rival cab stand). It signifies to the audience that it is an important
moment in the film. Scorsese uses it again in the opening of the film (pictured bottom
right) while Ray Liotta begins narrating. My shot mimics it’s purpose, chronological
positioning and composition as a very obvious conformation to the genre and also as a
powerful start to a film.

8. 11
I wanted the last shot of my opening to encapsulate all the themes related to the genre
and also maybe suggest to the audience what is to come in the rest of the film. In the
foreground is the body of the victim lying on the floor; his face isn’t showing in an
attempt to present him to the viewer in the way the gang sees their victim. In addition,
the only thing not stationary in the frame (drawing attention to them) is the gang
walking away in to the distance. This gives the implication that they are going on to
commit more crimes and wrongdoings. Finally there is the title: I chose “Hard Luck” as
it aptly fits the situation we just witnessed but mainly as it is a common prison tattoo.
So, in combination with the Sailor Jerry-esque tattoo font, it suggests to the audience
that “prison” might feature later on in the film.