Evaluation Question 1

In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our task was to plan, film, edit and promote a 2 minute opening sequence for a film genre of our choice. We were recommened to choose ethier horror or thriller as there codes and conventions were the simplest to create and keep to. We decided to choose the Thriller genre after looking into other genres we seemed to produce more storylines with this genre. After researching into the Thriller genre we discovered that the key elements within this genre was suspence, tension and cliff-hangers so we kept this in mind when creating the story line. After devising a plot, we discovered that our thriller could be classed under two subgenres of thriller which were crime thriller and psychological thriller.

This media product uses the conventions of using false paths to create hope within the audience only to make them disappointed creating the tension that  will want them to carry on watching. We included a struggle/fight between the antagonist and protagonist where the protagonist is disadvantaged by being tied up around the hands making the protagonist vunerable and defenceless creating a suspence for the audience as they come to the struggle and surprise/relief when the protagonist succeeds in defeating the antagonist. Branching from this scene we created hope and a sense of satisfaction amongst the audience only to keep them hooked by adding a twist near the end of the opening sequence which creates a cliff hanger this has the audience sitting on the edge of their seats. As well as using some of the more in depth conventions we found it important to strictly keep to the more basic conventions such as the audience being able to identify between the characters and a crime occuring in the storyline. We felt that this was best kept to as the enigma is what we want the audience to try and solve rather then distract them in a sense, so they can't figure out what is the motive of the villian and unintentionally losing the interest of the audience. Certain shots were used to create a sense of suspence and enigma such as the worms-eye view of the antagonists in feet walking past which then cuts to him walking in to the toilets this then hooks the audience as they want to discover who he is. An over the shoulder shot was used to create an enigma within the shot as the last shot creates suspence as the audience wants to know who ths new antagonist is.

As it was an opening sequence some conventions were not included such as a resolution for the enigma although we did challenge the expectant resolution for the enigma as the audience feels that she has escaped or is on track to escape and then the twist in the storyline throws the audience's predicted resolutions out of their minds, drawing them in further to watch on. The antagonist does not take advantage of the protagonist flaw as the opening sequnce is too early in the film to resolve the movie so that the audience is reassured. Although these are involved within the entire film, are placed in such a way that it keeps the audience on their toes and all the villian is revealed early on his motives are unclear and his actions towards the protagonist is unknown.

Mise-en-scene is not a convention but it did create a good layout for conventions to occur as the locaton and costume did not match which instantly creates suspision within the audience and it makes them question what is happening. Once these questions are raised it then draws in the audience to watch more as the want to find the answer to thier own questions.