Evaluation - Question 1

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

The media products that I have produced can be seen as following the forms and conventions of real media products. This can be mainly seen throughout the genre that we have chosen. Genre is something that can be seen as a basic level of communication between the encoder and decoder, as it is the encoder’s responsibility to ensure that the conventions of the chosen genre are met to the decoder’s expectations. This is established through key elements that are used frequently throughout a number of different methods. In my research I outlined the main conventions of a film trailer, this helped me to ensure that we included the main qualities in my trailer (link to the trailer convention research). The main conventions of the film trailer are shown below, as well as how they help anchor the horror genre:

Iconography has been used with the abandoned house. As this clip shows the teenagers approaching the building. Iconography is something that belongs to a genre, e.g. a prop or setting. The abandoned house scene is something that can easily be linked with horror films. The mis-en-scene helps to create an element that results in matching the conventions of other products. Showing the main setting of the trailer is a common convention that has been used in all previous products. Because of this, having an establishing shot of the abandoned house is a vital quality for our trailer. The low close up camera shot at the beginning of this clip showing the teenagers walking, builds up tension, and further increases tension. 

Another convention that clearly shows the genre  of horror is the music. Music is a vital convention that is in all the trailers that I have done in my research.The music throughout the trailer is full of suspense and drama; I have chosen a clip from the trailer as the music has built up to match the anticipation that is going on in the footage itself. This helps to anchor the genre.

This clip shows our use of different camera angles to create a professional looking trailer. At the beginning it shows a tracking long shot of three girls sitting on a bench. This has been done so that it establishes the scene as well as showing the characters. This is important so that the audience gets to know the characters. The camera angles help the characters/trailer to be more likable. The next shot shows a low camera angle looking up at the abandoned house. This low shot is significant as it signifies how big and powerful the building is, resulting in the audience feeling small. The next significant shot in this clip is a medium shot of the three people talking. This is a good and effective way of showing the conversation.

This clip shows examples of how we have adapted the use of conventions into our trailer. At the beginning it shows a blacked out screen with text saying 'THIS WINTER', this is what the voice over also says. This convention is a quality that is shown in many other trailers, so we saw it important to include it in our footage. As well as having a voice over the top of the footage, I have also given an example of how we have involved sound. The screams that have been edited into the trailer anchors the genre, as well as fitting well in with the footage.

The genre horror has been chosen for our trailer mainly due to the fact that we felt we could match the qualities that are needed for it better than any other genre. As well as that we felt that the genre fits the target audience more specifically, as horror films are more commonly watch by people aged 15-25. We felt that people can relate to our film by the fact that the characters are the same age as our target audience (this was obviously a practical decision, as our group have done the acting), as well as the plot being something that is common for people of this age range, exploring and getting into difficult situations. This has resulted in our genre being the perfect fit for what we were aiming to achieve.

The generic textual features of our 3 products have occurring themes within them that relate them to other products similar to them. This can be shown by the creepy setting, basic themes that are related to horror films, as well as the plot following the normal conventions.

Through the use of research on both my magazine front cover and poster I was able to use specific techniques used ensure that they reflected accurately what is required whilst still maintaining a horror theme. The poster that I produced has the normal conventions that any other poster has and requires. This is demonstrated by the use of a bold title that is the main focus of the product, as well as, relevant images, release date, reviews, and a strong representation of the theme of the trailer. All of these elements help to anchor the horror theme that is necessary when it comes to advertising such a film. My magazine front cover also achieves this with the use of the conventions of any other product likes it. This is done through the title, selling of inside articles, main focus image, strapline etc…. All of these elements help to produce a magazine cover that reflects accurately other real media products.

I have compared my magazine cover to an existing product, this demonstrates the basic codes and conventions that both products have:

Overall the three products that I have produced have been developed through the use of other real media products like them. The research that took place before starting each piece helped me to create an accurate reflection of what the real product would look like. This has helped through the essential conventions that I have interpreted in my own way to produce a product that is specific to my film, ‘Evil Awaits’.