1. In what way does your product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?
The Title of My Film
The title of my film,Mollie,suggeststothe audience thatthe filmisgoingtorevolve around
whoeverthischaracteris.It doesn’tgive muchaway,howeverwill buildsome suspensionforthe
audience asto whothischaracter isand what hashappenedtoher,as she isn’tintroducedinthe
firsttwominutes.Thiscanoftenbe the case with Drama films.
For example - Gone Girl,inthe firstfewminutesof the filmthe onlycharacterwe see ismale,and
there isnothinggoingonthat suggeststothe audience whothe girl isthatgoesmissingandhow she
goesmissing.Itisbuildingsuspensewiththe audience astowhoshe is, andtheyare waitingto
uncoverthisinformationasitunfoldsthroughoutthe film. Therefore Ihave conformedtothe
conventionsof Dramaswithmytitle.
2. The Props
The props I have usedinmy film portrayconventionsof a Drama.They include sympathycards,
flowers,teddybears,photographsetc.Ihave usedthemasthe teddybearindicatesinnocence and
someone young,whichisexactlythe case.Ihave usedthe sympathycardsandflowersinorderto
indicate thatsomething badhashappened,andastheyare shownstraightaway thiswill be the
instantreactionfromthe audience. Thisisgenerallydone in Dramafilms,asfromthe outsetthe
audience are hookedintothe emotional journeyof the characters.
Thisis similartohowinthe film Gone BabyGone,there isa verypowerful shotinthe openingof the
filmshowingribbonsandteddybearstiedtoametal fence,anda picture of a younggirl saying
‘missing’.Althoughthishasbeendone lateronthanin myfilm.Itis applyingwiththe conventionsof
a kidnapDrama as it isusingthe props to give acrossthe message tothe audience thatsomething
tragic has happenedandleftadeepemotional effectonthe characters.
3. Cinematography
I have useda lotof close-upsandmidshotsin myfilminorderto portray the characters emotions
throughtheirfacial expressionsandtheirbodylanguage.Forexample,towardsthe endof myfilm
whenthe detective tellsthe familythattheyhave discoveredabody,there isaclose-upof hisface
and he is lookingverydisturbedbywhathe isgoingto say,showinghow upsetandmovedhe isby
the situation.Similarly,whenthe sisterof the characterthat has gone missinghearsthe news,there
isa close upof herface lookingdistraughtandina state of shock,and itlingersonherface to
portray hertrue emotion.
I have also usedmidshotswhen showingthe motherlookingatherdaughterspicturesandteddy
bears,as theyaudience cansee byher stance and the bleaklookonherface thatshe is very
distraught.Ihave done thisinorder to getthe audience tosee thatthe charactersare goingthrough
an emotional journey,whichistypical of a Drama film, especiallywhenconcerningakidnap.
Therefore Iam conformingtothe conventionsof a Drama withthe way I have done this.
Close Up ofDetective Close Up ofSister
Mid Shot of motherlookingat the picture of her daughter
4. Similartothis,inthe film‘AlongCame aSpider’,there isaverypowerful shottowardsthe endof the
filmopeningof one of the charactersfaces.Hiswife hasjustfallendownthe edge of a damin her
car whentryingtotrack downa criminal anditlingersonhisface showingthe true painand emotion
he is feelingatthat time.
5. Setting
As I discoveredinmyresearch, Drama’sportrayrealism, andtryto presentthingstobe as real and
as relatable aspossible.Theyalsoaimtobuild tensionthroughout,whilsttakingthe audience onthe
characters’emotional journeyanddevelopmentthroughoutthe film.ThisiswhyIdecidedtosetmy
filminmyhome,as itis a familyhome thatislivedin,andthiswill be veryapparent andfamiliarto
the audience. Itisverybelievable,andrelatabletothe audience.
The same settinghasbeenusedformany Drama films,suchasThe LovelyBonesforinstance,the
filmrevolvesaroundayounggirl whohas beenmurderedwatchingoverherfamilyuncoveringwhat
happenedtoher,andthe majorityof the filmissituatedinherhome.
6. As well asthis,itwasimportantthat I usedactors that were the charactersages,as Drama filmswill
oftenrevolve aroundmore adultcharactersandlessoftenteenagersmyages,soI needtoget this
rightin orderto be able to complywiththe conventionsof a Drama.
The Sound
Duringmy researchinto Dramas,I discoveredthatemotional musictendstobe usedforthe non-
diegeticbackgroundmusicinordertoimplycertainemotionsonthe audience andinorderto build
tensionincertainsituations. Idownloadedvariousdifferent tracksanddecidedwhichone would
create the most effectonthe film,asI neededtogetitright inorderto create certainfeelingswithin
the audience. Therefore inmyfilmopening,itbeginswithveryemotional musicasthe audience are
shownall of the sympathycards,flowersandanimage of a younggirl.Thisisin orderfor the
audience tofeel veryemotional towardsthe situationandforthemtorecognise thatsomething
tragic has happened.Aswellasthis,Ialsouse veryemotional musiclateron inthe filmopening
whenthe character SergeantMoss reveals thata bodyhas beenfound,inordertobuildtensionwith
the audience andalsoto emphasise whathasjust beensaidandtriggermore emotionuponthe
audience.
An example of emotionalmusicbeingusedinaDrama filmwouldbe inMy Sister’sKeeper. There is
a voice overof one of the main charactersexplainingtothe audience thatshe wasbroughtintothe
worldto save hersisterslife,whilefamilyvideosare beingshowedinthe background. There isalso
non-diegeticemotionalmusicbeing playedontopof thisvoice over,whichplaysuponthe
audience’s emotions, makingthemfeel sadandfeel empathytowardsthe characterandthe theme
of the film.Italsoitimpliestothe audience thatthe filminvolvesatragedy fromthe outsetof the
film.Aswell asthis,there isa scene lateroninthe filmwhenthe motherrealisesthatherdaughter
wantsto die,andemotional musicisusedtobuildsuspenseandalsotobuildupemotionwithinthe
audience.
7. Todorov’s theory
Todorov’stheorystatesthatthere are 3 stagesto a film.The Equilibrium,the
Disequilibrium/Disruptionandthe NewEquilibrium.Most Dramafilmscomplywiththistheory,and
go throughthe stagesthroughoutthe course of the film. Myfilmbeginsinthe recognitionof
disruption,andthenbeginsagaingoingthroughthe stages,althoughIhave notshownthisthat is
whatI have aimedfor the filmtobe like. Therefore Ihave challengedthe conventionsof a Drama
filmhere,asitis notoftenthat thiswouldbe the case for a Drama filmasthe audience are taken
throughan emotional journeyfromthe equilibrium.
However,Iam complying withthe conventionsof typical crime Dramas.Mostcrime/kidnapping
Dramas beginwiththe disruptionstagesof the theory,andeitherworktheirwayfromthere intothe
newequilibrium orstartfromthe beginning atthe equilibrium.Forexample,ingone girl,the film
beginswiththe disruptionstage –the wife hasgone missing.The audience onlyseethe equilibrium
inflashbacks that the girl has. Anotherexample wouldbe alongcame aspider,aswe are thrown
straightintothe action of the film,where the maincharacteristryingto trap a criminal,andhiswife
iskilledin the midstof the action – the disruptionstage of the theory.
How my film conforms to the Drama Genre
To conclude,I thinkthat myfilmdemonstratesthe conventionsof aDrama film.Ihave represented
the genre throughmy music, cinematography,mise-en-scene,the filmtitle andmycharacters.I
have beenable todevelopmyunderstandingof whatI neededtodoto create thisgenre through
thoroughresearchintoDrama films,andithas helpedtocreate a typical Drama filmopeningthat
includesakidnap.
