In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?
Examples of a British urban movie/tv show:
2. Cast/Characters
Characters are usually working class, northern, single parents,
focused around male protagonist, with the socio-economic
group C2DE.
In our opening sequence, we focus on 4 female protagonists
instead of a male but they are of working class and within the
socio economic group C2DE. They are also of 4 different
ethnicities just like the cast of ‘Some Girls’ above. This signifies
that they live in a diverse area like London where it is possible
for these 4 ethnicities to be friends in contrast with somewhere
like Wales, for example.
3. Lighting
Lighting which is low key which is more mundane
and plain which differs from Hollywood which is
high key glitz and glam.
We have used this convention as we wanted to
make it more urban and realistic to its genre. Using
a local park in the mid afternoon helped us
achieve that lighting.
4. Setting
The location is usually in a working class area, which
is usually run down.
We have used our local park in the area of Kilburn
which is a rather run down, estate filled borough,
this gave us a more realistic and urban setting.
5. Filming style
The shooting style is often more documentary style as
oppose to Hollywood, and more shaky (possibly
handheld/headcam).
We used a DSLR and handheld camera as we did not
have resources such as a big professional camera but in
doing so, we have seen how hard it is when you have
limited resources available and/or are on a cheap
budget as most British urban films are.
6. Themes
It tends to highlight current social issues within those areas.
Underage sex, Knife crime, Drugs, Pregnancy and Bullying
are main themes that seem to occur in British urban films.
Our film is focused on the themes of social cliques, bullying
and friendships. We chose this as teenagers can relate
easily as they have been through it. Jade, is being bullied
in our film and she goes through a summer of hell.
7. Costume
Costume is plain dull and may include uniform/working
clothing as seen in 'Kidulthood'.
In our film, we used this convention and had our cast
wear normal teen clothes, such as hoodies and uniform,
so that they could be clearly identified as working class
and it suited their specific characters. E.g. Jade and her
nerd glasses and hoodie, identified her as the nerd.
