By Kezia Downing

1. My media product involves the immediate use of non-
diegetic, mysterious music alongside opening credit
logos of producers. The name of the production
appears in a panning shot, to which we see a glimpse
of what the story line may be about (the ‘burgled’
home). It then goes straight into the intro action,
which concludes in a despairing, distressed set, at a
very fast pace.
Question 1: In what ways does your media
product use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real media products?

2. One convention my media product uses is Roman Barthes theory of the
hermeneutic code; this consists of the concept that an unresolved, unanswered
story line results in the audiences growing anticipation, an enigma, and
therefore an increased desire to continue watching the product further. I have
developed this concept with the use of the main male character’s unanswered
death; all the audience encounters is the males’ dead body, however there is no
reason as to how or why he is dead, with the purpose of building intensity and
anticipation. However, the opening sequence challenges Todorov’s Theory of
Equilibrium; for example, ‘Gone Girl’ involves very slow paced shots which do
not infer a thrilling sense, with low contrast lighting, alongside non-diegetic
slow-paced, chilled out music, almost inferring a sense of naïve safety,
maintaining Todorov’s theory of equilibrium. Instead of entering the film with a
calm and more slow paced, consistent opening sequence (with the idea that the
main plot drama will occur in the middle of the film, with the resolution at the
end), my media opening sequence begins with the dilemma. The fast-paced,
thrilling music exaggerates the shock of the male dead body, with no sense of
tranquillity at all, resulting in a disequilibrium. This reversed film structure is
therefore designed to increase the use of Barthes hermeneutic code, by
presenting the unresolved dilemma.

3. With further reference to Gone Girl, cast names and
production names are also included in white and black
intervals depending on cast names and production names,
with no use of production logos. My product however almost
completely contrasts this, with reference to the dim, low lit
lighting, mysterious and threatening non-diegetic music, fast
pace shots, which all infer a thrilling sense to the opening
sequence. Secondly, my media product uses production logos
on entrance, addressing the name of the film to start off with.
One of the few similarities between my media production and
‘Gone Girl’ is that they both involve immediate entry of non-
diegetic music, which evolves as the opening sequence goes on.
Thrilling music is a stereotypical convention of most thrilling
films however; ‘Se7en’ begins with a very uncomfortable,
daunting non-diegetic piece, alongside ‘The Babadook’, ‘The
Visit’ and a huge quantity of other thriller films.