Enhancing Consumer Trust Through Strategic Content Marketing
Evaluation Question 1
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms of conventions of real media
products?
QUESTION ONE
2. Plot
We established a plot for our narrative accordingly to the genre chosen, a psychological
thriller. After researching characters in psychological thrillers we were inspired by the film The
Silence of The Lambs, deciding our main protagonist Alice O’Brien would be a psychologist
with a haunting past. We also thought this idea of Alice having being somewhat tortured
mentally by a past client suiting to the genre as it has been done in other films such as Harley
Quinn in Suicide Squad. In the narrative she is victimised by ‘H’ and we include flashbacks of
O’Brien being stalked and tortured by ‘H’ following a non linear timeline, giving insight into
past events and leaving a viewer to wonder what happened to her after hearing in the voice
over some details of O’Briens occupation and unstability of her current mind. This suspense
being a common factor in the genre chosen.
3. Genre
There are many points in our film where our genre (psychological thriller) is evident.
For example, at the very beginning of the film the surrounding office is clearly shown
of O’Briens workplace, hinting of her profession which is then clarified by her telling
the veiwers “I had studied as a psychologist for five years” being experienced in her
occupation, intensifying the surprise that a client could mentally scar her so easily. I
also think towards the end it looks like said genre with the fast paced shaking of ‘H’s’
head, not coming across as a jump scare which would relate to the horror genre, but
something deeper, more creepy, and thrilling about it – the head shaking representing
‘H’ not being able to get out of O’Briens mind.
4. Cinematography
The shots used in our film represent the genre quite clearly. At the beginning of the
film using slow panning shots of a light office setting the scene for O’Briens place of
comfort allowing the audience to begin to relate to the character, especially our birds-
eye shot of O’Briens desk, looking at her belonging signifying her psychologist
profession. We then had a close up shot, used in many psychological thrillers, allowing
a detailed view of facial expression key to this genre as it revolves around a
protagonists emotional equilibrium. The close up was of O’Briens face, looking straight
down the camera grabbing attention, clearly disturbed, then we see an extreme close
up of a tear rolling down her cheek, conveying the break down that has happened in
her mind.
5. Editing
One of the main parts of our first 2 minute film is the fast paced editing showing a compilation of
shots showing O’Briens torture from ‘H’. This fast paced editing is common of the genre and we
thought it highly appropriate to include this being the big idea of the first part of the film. The fast
editing of shots picks up the pace of the film, also rasing the heart beat of veiwers as they relate to
the quick editing. The short cuts all give insight to different pain endured, not showing them all in
scenes to help a viewer almost create it in there mind, the amount of shots in this also allow us to
show the sheer amount of times O’Brien had been tortured, conveying that this pain was endured in a
longer amount of time, the audience fearing for O’Brien as they watch. This contrasts with the first few
shots of the film where the panning of the camera is slow and steady creating a sense of calmness,
but showing an almost eerie silence in comparison, still conveying the genre of the film by doing this.
With regards to more editing at the end of the film we included shots of ‘H’s’ head moving violently,
creating a feel of madness and not of a sane human nature, showing the genre of the film. This was
inspired by a scene in Jacob’s ladder, doing this by filming ‘H’s’ head moving around slowly and
speeding it up, adding a ghost effect to create the non-human image.
7. Sound
Sound was a main feature in our film, the main sound being O’Briens voice over, talking
to the viewer of her experiences as a psychologist who dug in too deep. This is significant
to the genre and conventions as its almost heard as her thoughts, the mental side of the
genre being clearly voiced, you can hear the sadness of her slow paced talking and
lowered tone, creating a feel of her drained emotions.. We used an upbeat classical piano
track for the torture compilation, starting when Obrien puts on her record playing, linking
this to her past pain. This music contrasted the dark of the film, making it more
psychologically disturbing and creepy, inspired by the films clockwork orange and
reservoir dogs, creating a feel that the characters are mentally disturbed in someway.
8. Locations/Props/Costume
The locations used were typical of the genre, the darkly lit alleyway outside revealing ‘H’
was used to show he is unescapable, whereas the darkly liit garage using a spotlight to
shine on O’Brien revealing her torture was used to show where ‘H’ keeps his victims. These
dark locations reflect the genre of where a twisted antagonist and a mentally tortured
protagonist would be in the narrative, not nice places of comfort or relaxation but quite the
opposite. For ‘H’ we used black and white makeup to create the skull face, not showing his
true identity and creating questions into who he is. We also included half of O’Briens face
with the skull on at the very end of the film, creating the image that ‘H’ has taken over her
soul. We dressed O’Brien in quite ordinary clothing; jumpers, leggings, jeans, and glasses
hsowing her ordinary personality.
9. Title
The typography of syndicate was bold but hidden behind the smoke, reflectiong
‘H’s’ hidden identity, the monochromatic colours reflecting the genre.
