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

products? Media evaluation question (1)

By: Reginald Kensah

Introduction

Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something. Also Conventions are the meanings derived from codes. They direct the views understanding and view and give the views more understanding of how to read the image and gain meaning.

OBSESSION (Protagonist) – 'Seven'- DAVID MILLS In my thriller opening sequence the protagonist was the main character in the first scene (John). He was a

detective who was obsessed with investigating the illuminati. I presented him in a way that would make the audience empathise with him. I showed the audience his life at home and the audience can pick up straight away that he was a peaceful and heroic character who wanted the best for society. The main character in my thriller opening sequence was influenced by David Mills (Brad Pitt) from the film seven. He was also a protagonist detective was obsessed with investigating and catching a murderer.

Thriller convention- Antagonist

Another typical thriller convention is the antagonist character. This is the character whose function in a plot is to oppose the protagonist.

In straightforward hero's journey plots (most action adventures), the antagonist can be referred to as the villain. In my opening sequence the antagonists were not featured in the opening itself, but the audience can sense that they are there, they can almost feel the presence of the villains.

For example in the last scene the main character (John ) was in the bathroom panicking because he heard some people break into his house, the audience clearly know that these unknown characters are the antagonists but they don’t actually see them thus building up the tension and suspense.

Sound- 'Insidious'- Diagetic/ background music

One way that my media product uses forms and conventions of real media products is the use sound. I used sound to create tension suspense and also give the audience the sense of danger. Sound is one of the main conventions of thriller films for example in the film 'Insidious' sound is used when something bad is about to happen to build up the anticipation and suspense. In the bathroom scene of my thriller project my team and I decided to use a soundtrack under the theme danger and suspense. We found the sound on a non copy right website after a lot of research. I noticed that the sound worked well with scene the beat got heavier as the main character's rage increased. Also in the final scene we used a soundtrack with a slower pace which gradually built up to give the audience a clue that there was something bad about to occur.

I also used non diagetic sound to create suspense, tension, and anxiety. For example my team I decided to pre record a creaking door sound. This sound can be heard in the bathroom scene, the main character hears the sound and begins to panic because he knows someone has broken into the house. This alone gives the audience a sense of horror and uncertainty.

Editing- 'Brick'- Film noir

Another way my media product uses and develops forms and conventions of real media products is through the art of editing. Through editing my team I were able to use different types of lighting, transitions, sounds, effects, frames etc. The second scene of the thriller opening sequence was a flash back scene of the main character (John) and his mate (Jack) on a crime scene, my team and I had one major problem our problem was that we could not make the flashback scene look like a flashback thus causing the audience to be confused.

However we found effects on Final cut pro X such as 'indie red' which helped us transform the footage into a flashback scene. Through the thriller opening sequence my I used different back ground lighting to match the mood. One other film that features a good amount of transitions in lighting is 'Brick', this is a classic neo noir film about a boy who was obsessed with investigating the murder of

his ex girlfriend.

Mise-en-scene- Location- Developing from of conventions

Further more another way my media product uses and develops forms and conventions of real media products is through mise-en-scene and location. My team and I conducted a lot of research before choosing the location to film at.

Most of the filming took place indoors (in a house) but the flash back scene took place place on a bridge in an area that appeared half deserted. If I could compare this to any other film it would be the neo noir film 'Brick'. In the first scene of 'Brick' we can see that character under a bride with water flowing, also we can see a dead body on the floor not far from him. This setting resembles the flashback scene from my thriller opening sequence even, though in my thriller opening sequence the dead body is not showed to the audience they still have a sense that someone died in that location. Which to some extent works just as well as having an actual dead body on the floor.