Q4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

Job Roles

Within our production we have offered different job roles suited to a specific person who has the skills and the work ethic necessary to complete the tasks allocated. The job roles will advocate in understanding the certain areas that require more expertise and it’s was evident that between us four individuals we all have different strengths and weakness and also a varied ability.

Chloe Daniels, 16

Ø  Storyboard

Ø  Typography/Poll Everywhere

Ø  Actress

The reason why Chloe was selected to take on these tasks was because she was seen as more creative and considerate in terms of how effective the audience would feel about the typography.  Due to the story board involving drawing, it was immediately thought to have Chloe take on the responsibility of this part, as Chloe had done GCSE art and would be able to make the camera shots clear by her use of drawing skills.  When Chloe volunteered to be an actress in was unexpected however she had been the one that caught our attention due to her realistic acting and maturity.

Grace Pengelly, 17

Ø  Storyboard

Ø  Soundtrack

Ø  Timeline

Ø  Camerawoman

Grace was chosen for these roles due to her determined and persistent traits. However, it was her choice to complete the soundtrack analysis, as she is very fond of soundtracks in many films. It was clear to the rest of the group that Grace wanted to do this section as she is known to have a great interest in the sound in thrillers, for example Se7en. Therefore as a group we believe that grace would be suitable to complete this task because she was deemed as more enthusiastic and eager. Grace had also done half of the storyboard, this was due to the fact that she enjoys the drawing aspect of it and therefore we believe that grace is suitable to complete the storyboard. She was also selected to be the camerawoman because she has a steady hand and can take clear/distinctive shots that would benefit the audience.

Kirsten Johnson, 17

Ø  Shot list

Ø  Actor auditions

Ø  Production schedule

Ø  Director

Kirsten was selected for these roles because she was considered as organised and efficient. The shot list involved specifying what occur in the shots, what shot type it is, props and characters etc. Kirsten is best suited to this task as she can clearly express the narrative and go into certain detail regarding the shots. Owed to the fact that she had completed her 2 year of GSCSE drama, it was then put forward that Kirsten should be allocated this role because she can identify the acting skills required to portray these two characters. The production schedule was given to her because she is believed to be well thought-out and can manage her time very well. The reason for Kirsten being the director is because she can offer many great and unique ideas to the group and can provide good advice that is crucial to create a successful production.

 

Natasha Shadat, 16

 

Ø  Shot list

Ø  Location scouting

Ø  Production ident

Ø  Actress

I was accessible the job of doing the shot list because I am considered as organised and prepared to describe t=each and every shot featuring in our production. The location is going to be my house, so the rest of the group thought it was essential for me to complete this task. This was fairly simple because I could analyse the house in a more efficient way because I live there and could make specific decisions on where and why to film in these areas of my house.  I was very eager and enthusiastic when it came to wanting to create the production ident because I did GCSE media which helped me to gain Photoshop proficiency. I would say that I am somewhat creative and original, so therefore this characteristic helped in creating the ident. Also I wanted to develop my Photoshop skills and become more aware of it because I haven’t done it in a while. 

Location Consent Form

Q3: What kind of media institute might distribute your media product and why?

Q3 by Kirsten Johnson on Scribd

Q2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Within my media product there are many different social groups that have been represented within. One of these is the second character, the protagonists within the thriller. This character can be compared to the main character in the film ‘Gone Girl’, Amy Dunne. Both characters fit the female stereotype often seen within films, they are both seen as the victim within their film. Within the thriller genre it is typical for women to play the victim, this is shown within ‘Backlash’ and so it can be compared to the thriller ‘Gone Girl’. Another similarity is that despite their stereotype, they both come back for revenge or alternatively end up as the antagonists within the thriller. Despite their similarities there are also many differences between them. One of these is their ethnic differences, ‘Amy Dunne’ is a white, American, Christian women. This is again typical for a thriller or any other genre to place a white woman as the victim within thrillers. However for our thriller production we have used an Asian, Muslim woman as the victim. By doing this our thriller defeats any stereotypes that are given and also represents a broader majority of people not just the typical people represented. The costumes are also similar, both characters are wearing normal clothing as they represent normal people. However in ‘Backlash’ the character is wearing plain black clothing, this allows the attention to be put onto what has happened to the character (her being attacked) rather than on the clothes she is wearing. The class of the two characters is also very similar as it can be said that they are both middle class. However the character of ‘Amy Dunne’ is seen as a higher class and so it can be said that this is representing a large range of classes within thrillers. The age of the characters are also very different, the character in our thriller production is around the age of 20 years old. However the character in ‘Gone Girl is 37 years old. These ages aren’t too far apart however it does show that these things can happen to anyone, whatever age.

 

The antagonist used within the thriller is a 20 year old, middle class, white, and a female. It can be said that this a typical of a thriller due to the characters ethnic background and social class. However it also goes against a typical thriller as this is not a common antagonist. The antagonists in most thrillers or any film is primarily a male character, by using a female a larger group are represented and the stereotype is demolished. The antagonist is shown to be of a high class, she drives a wealthy car and owns her own house and so it can be said she is of a high wealth which could portray her job to the audience. The costume used for this character is smart clothing covered in blood, this connotes what she has done. The smart clothing connotes that she is professional and has a serious job or mission that she has completed. This is also not typical for a thriller, the women are usually dressed in normal clothes as they normally play the part of the victim. Many different camera angles have been used throughout. Many close ups have been used, this allows the character’s identity to remain unknown however their race, ethnicity, gender and age can be seen. The antagonists is also shown as a powerful woman within the thriller which is also not stereotypical for a thriller. Typically in thrillers the antagonists are a male, whereas in the case the antagonists is a female. Despite their identity being kept hidden throughout the mise-en-scene gives a lot away about the character. They are covered in blood and so this shows their role and also power within the thriller. The feminine clothes and use of makeup denotes their gender which is not stereotypical for a thriller.

The characters have been used in order to represent people of different ethnic backgrounds. This has been done so that the audience are made aware that the events can happen to anyone not just stereotypical characters used. The characters within are also of a similar age and class to the target audience. This therefore means that the audience can possibly put themselves into the character’s situations and thus feel more involved in the thriller.

Q6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I have learnt many different things while constructing this product, many of which were during the filming and editing process. When using a digital video camera I learnt many things about the different shot types and how to shoot effectively. One thing that I found was important while using the camera is the stability of it while filming. Due to the high quality of the camera, it is very clear when a shot is unsteady and so I learnt that a key thing to take into consideration while filming was the stability of the camera. Another thing that helped this was the use of a tripod for shots such as mid shots and long shots. This is as it can track smoothly and is able to get a completely stable shot without the risk of it being unsteady or unclear. Not only this but I also learnt that it is important to ensure that the camera is focused during close ups. If the camera was not focused then the shot would be blurred and unclear. When the camera was focused the topic of the camera is clear to the audience and therefore a much more effective shot. An example of this was the close up of the zip, it had to be ensured that within this shot the camera was completely focused, meaning the shot was clear and not out of focus, thus making it an effective shot type. I also learnt the importance of when certain shots should be used within the opening. One significant factor of this that was learnt was that close ups should be used after the build-up of an action. For example this is demonstrated when the bag is placed onto the surface, there is then a close-up of the zip, this draws attention to what is happening. The same is demonstrated when the character walks to the fridge and takes out the cranberry juice, there is then a close-up of the juice being poured. I also learnt that panning shots are most useful when demonstrating the character is walking, these have been done throughout, and also when the car pulls into the driveway. The use of these shots means that an illusion that the camera is imitating the action is created, it is also clear that movement or a journey is happening. The location of filming was also an important aspect, due to factors such as the weather and continuity. The weather while filming was successful for what we wanted within the thriller opening. The weather was quite sunny but cold, this meant that we had the options to edit any filters in, in order to make the weather look darker. The lighting within the house was also light enough to allow options for change in the editing process, however when it got darker a torch had to be used to ensure the clips were clear and not effected by the natural lighting. Also to avoid any continuity errors we filmed each shot in the order they would come in. This meant that the thriller imitates a complete day and there are no changes in weather that look irregular within the narrative. Within the camerawork I also learnt a lot about framing within shots. One thing that I learnt was the importance of rule of thirds, I learnt that shot types such as mid shots, it is important that the character or topic of the shot is in the centre, this allows the attention of the audience to be diverted onto the centre rather than anything else that is framed within the shot.

There are also many different things that I learnt within the editing process that ensure that the meaning is clear to the audience. One thing that I learnt during the process of editing was the importance of editing to structure the narrative. It was clear that while editing clips that made the narrative clear and had no continuity errors had to be used in order to make sure the opening made sense. However I also learnt that some clips were not needed and that the narrative would not be effected without them. An example of this was the footage of the character walking, many clips were cut out during the editing process as they were boring and unnecessary once all the clips were put together on IMovie, the software that was used to edit. Another thing that was done during the editing process was the use of transitions. Due to the pace of our editing I learnt that transitions were not necessary for the majority of the opening. However in order to make the title have more impact a harsh transition was used, making the title have a better appearance within the opening. Another thing that I learnt during the editing process was the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. In many of the clips there were successful diegetic sounds that were created such as the pouring of the kettle, the gasps and the shattering mug. However some sounds were too quiet or not effective and so non-diegetic sound had to be placed in the opening in order for these shots to be effective, an example is the doorbell. Many different soundtracks were also placed within the opening in order to achieve pace and also normality. The overall soundtrack used creates pace and the use of the end soundtrack adds tension to the final scene. Also placed within the opening is a soundtrack that imitates the sound of nearby roads and people, adding normality to the opening and making the other soundtracks have a softened sound. The editing speed was also extremely important, I learnt to edit to the pace of the soundtrack and to also ensure that each shot was only around one or two seconds long. By having the shots this short, the audience do not get bored and therefore a fast pace is achieved.

Q5: How did you attract/ address your audience?

There are many shots within the thriller opening that have been used in order to attract the audience to the thriller. One of these shots is this:

This attracts the audience through the use of close-ups and bloody imagery. The reaction of one of the characters at the end of the opening allows the audience to see the climax and how it has affected the main character. Not only this but it fits the expectations of the target audience. This is due to the bloody images within the shot, and so this gives an aspect of violence and horror within the thriller, which were common conventions the target audience said they would enjoy. The shot also shows the character’s reaction as being shocked, connoting that this is out of the ordinary and will be a significant event within the thriller. This will attract the target audience as the shot is thrilling and has a clear climax at the end, which was described as a key part of a successful thriller film. Also denoted within the shot a bloodied arm grabs the wall for stability. This attracts the target audience due to the enigma that is created, the use of this adds mystery as to who it will be, this was also mentioned as a key aspect in a thriller. The sound used within the shot is very minimal, a quiet and simple orchestral track is used in the background, this adds a sense of eeriness to the shot. The use of little music means that the shot is therefore eerie, this attracts our target audience as it was stated that this is necessary for a successful thriller. The editing within the shot also attracts the target audience. The use of pace means that the bloodied character remains a mystery and also the reverse shot between the two characters shows each reaction clearly.

The second shot that attracts the audience is:

This attracts the audience due to the mystery that is created within. The use of props within the shot may attract the audience, denoted in the shot is the woman crossing out the face of another girl. This may attract the audience sue to the enigmas created, they will want to know who this girl is, why she is being crossed off. Also it will attract the target audience as from my research I know that the target audience want a mysterious thriller that will grab their attention, I believe this is created within this shot. The soundtrack used within this shot is very fast paced, this will attract the target audience as they enjoy thriller that are fast paced and quick to watch. Due to the soundtrack and the pace at which the editing has been done at, this has been achieved within this shot. Another aspect of the shot that will attract the audience is the use of mise-en-scene. Very little of the character is shown, this once again creates mystery within the narrative this is due to the framing used that allows much of the surroundings hidden. By keeping the character’s identity as hidden as possible the audience will want to watch more in order to find out the rest of the narrative.

The third shot that attracts the audience is:

This attracts the audience due to the eerie atmosphere created within. The target audience stated in the research that they enjoy thrillers will an eerie and twisted atmosphere. Denoted within the shot is hair being twisted around a finger and then a bloodied hand being brushed along a wall. The use of the hair twisting, connotes that this character has done something very wrong but is happy about it and it seems normal in a sinister way. Not only this but the bloodied hand scraping the wallpaper also created a twisted atmosphere, the attention of the hand suggests that the hands have been used in a more sinister and possibly disturbing way. Due to these the audience may be attracted to the shot as it contains conventions that were said to be thrilling in the research that was done. The editing of the shot also attracts the audience, the use of slow-motion within the shot also once again makes the shot sinister. This is due to the attention put onto the character’s body, this could suggest to the audience that she has done something out of the ordinary or something unnatural. Therefore, there are many ways in which this shot can attract the audience.

The fourth shot that attracts the audience is:

This shot will attract the audience in many ways, one way is through the use of normality. The shot denotes the character going about her normal night routine, therefore creating a creepy outlook on the shot. The normality of the shot will attract the audience due to the eeriness that this could happen to anyone, it will also intrigue them as to what she has done since she is acting so normal. The mise-en-scene is also extremely normal, a dressing gown and shower are shown, therefore once again creating a sense of normality and thus attracting the audience. The soundtrack is fast-paced and so this will attract the audience due what the research said they would like within a thriller soundtrack. The close-up of the dressing gown also creates a tense atmosphere; the focus of the hands suggests they have done something sinister previously. This attracts the audience as they will feel a sense of enigma, this is because they will not know what is going on. The shot also creates a sense of mystery throughout, something that was said to make a thriller effective in my research. Therefore, this shot will attract the audience due to the mystery created and the normality of the character’s actions.

The fifth shot that attracts the audience is:

This shot will attract the audience in many ways, one way is through the use of enigmas that are created throughout this shot. The enigmas will attract the audience as they will be enticed to discover who this person is and what they have done. Not only this but they can see that this young woman is able to drive, thus meaning the target audience may be able to relate. If they can relate it makes the thriller interesting due to the sense of normality that is created. Another thing within the shot that will attract the audience is the blood splatter on the clothing of the woman. This will attract the audience as they will want to find out where these came from and why she has them, therefore intriguing them to watch the rest of the thriller.  The soundtrack is fast paced once again as well as the editing, this allows the shot to be snappy and so more attractive for the audiences viewing.

There are many other films and TV shows that can be said to relate to my thriller opening. One of these films is ‘Mr and Miss’s Smith’ this is said to relate to my thriller opening due to the pace of the opening. They are both extremely fast paced and show a routine throughout. The use of fast paced editing and a routine allows the opening to be interesting for the audiences viewing and also does not give too much away about the thriller and the narrative. A TV show that my thriller can be compared to is ‘Dexter’ this is due to the close-ups and the slow motion used throughout. Dexter uses a series of different close-ups of everyday things but this is done in a sinister way which turns ordinary objects into a lot more disturbing actions. In my thriller opening this has also been done, the twisting of hair and pouring of the cranberry juice demonstrate this. This relies on its connotations of blood and danger due to the red colour, therefore this also adds mystery. This will attract the ordinary as it is an unusual way of making the ordinary seem unordinary, which we’ve tried to achieve within ‘Backlash’.

There are many different genre conventions, uses of music/ sound, editing, mise-en-scene, plot and plot sequence that was used in order to attract the audience. Some of the genre conventions included were the use of jump cuts and the creation of suspense. Jump cuts are used throughout, this can give the audience the audience a disorientating feeling and so the thriller attracts the audience. Another way in which the thriller attracts the audience is through the use of sound. The soundtrack used is extremely fast paced which makes the thriller more exciting for the audience to watch. The speed of the music and the beats throughout mean that the opening is snappy, thus interesting to watch. Towards the end of the opening an orchestral soundtrack is used, this attracts the audience as it creates an eerie atmosphere and so is an effective thriller. Another use of sound is a radio broadcast, this allows the audience to see the change in atmosphere from the upbeat soundtrack to silence and just a report. The report also allows the audience to learn more about the narrative and some of their questions may be answered from this. There are many natural sounds that can be heard throughout, these make the opening natural and so the audience feel more involved in what is happening throughout. The editing is done to a fast pace, this matches the soundtrack and also means that the shots are long and uninteresting for the audience. Not only this but slow-motion is also used within the editing, this means that some parts can be focused on more, suggesting their significance to the audience. Mise-en-scene used in the thriller attracts the audience as many enigmas are created throughout. The main enigma is why the clothing has blood all over it, this as well as why props such as a bloodied knife is used and so the audience are drawn to the opening as it is going to answer all their questions.  The plot of the opening sequence will also attract the audience. This is due to the mystery within the plot, the identity of the woman remains a mystery as well as what she has done. Due to the suspense being built throughout, it isn’t until the end that the narrative is completely revealed. This means that the audience have to watch all of the opening in order to have any questions answered and also they are more likely to be intrigued as to what will happen.

Q1: In what ways does your media product use develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

A thriller is a genre of film that includes a large amount of suspense, excitement and anticipation within. Thrillers typically keep the audience on the ‘edge of their seats’, meaning that thrillers typically have more of a climax than other genres of films. Within thriller films there are many different sub-genres such as, crime, mystery, horror, psychological, action, conspiracy, historical and many more. The thriller I produced, ‘Backlash’ is of the thriller sub-genre crime and mystery. These sub-genres of thrillers were chosen for your thriller due to the typical conventions and that they were suited to the narrative of our thriller. Crime and mystery thriller, I believe, add more suspense, as the audience are able to try and piece together the narrative due to the use of enigmas. These sub-genres also allow little of the narrative to be revealed to the audience but this is done in an effective way. Not only this but crime thrillers and mystery thrillers create a lot of suspense, meaning that the climax at the end can be reached and is therefore also effective. It can be stated that there are many different audience expectations for theses thriller sub-genres. Expectations may consist of suspense built throughout, little of the narrative given but revealed at the end, weaponry used throughout. There are many elements of the genres that have been used within the thriller that we produced. Some of these elements include the hidden identity of the main antagonist, little narrative being revealed until the very end, build-up of suspense and lastly the use of weapons such a knife and bloody imagery used throughout. There are other elements which we challenged within the thriller, one of these is the use of suspense. This was challenged due to the upbeat and quick pace throughout, this allowed the suspense to be built and I believe that this element did work well within the thriller.

 

There are many different conventions that are used to make an effective thriller opening. One of these conventions is the way in which the narrative has been constructed is in order to give the audience hints throughout. Throughout the narrative hints of the antagonist’s identity and actions are given, not only this but also hints of what she has done and who it was done to has also been hinted at. This has been done through the bloodied clothing, the bloodied knife, the pictures of the protagonist and her belongings that are shown. The shots are edited together in a fast pace, this allows the audience to hold their interest and also the thriller is more enjoyable to watch. Sound is used throughout the editing also, certain diegetic sounds are kept within the thriller. This is done in order to add normality to the thriller and draw attention to the antagonist’s movement and actions, thus intriguing the audience. Non-diegetic sound is also used within the use of a soundtrack and a radio news report that is also used within the thriller in order to help explain the narrative. The soundtrack used is upbeat and so works well with the pace of the editing, making it short and snappy for viewing. Towards the end of the opening the music cuts out and a track of diegetic sound can be heard as well as white noise, this adds to the normality and brings the audience back to reality as well as creating an eerie atmosphere. On top of this a news report can be heard, describing the victim within the thriller and also explaining more of the narrative to the audience. This again adds normality but also allows the narrative to be revealed right before the climax of the thriller. While the reports carries on but has been edited to fade out slowly, the climax of the thriller is reached and a more orchestral and dramatic soundtrack is used. The use of this change in soundtrack means that there is a clear change in narrative to the audience. Mise-en-scene is also used throughout, the use of bloodied clothing and makeup adds a sense of mystery and that a crime has been committed, clearly linking to the conventions of the sub-genres. The location of the thriller is a normal house, this is typical of a thriller as they are often in normal places to show the audience that it can happen to anyone and adds a sense of realism. There are many thrillers that we can compare ‘Backlash’ to due to the conventions that have been used throughout. One thriller that inspired ‘Backlash’ was ‘Mr and Miss’s Smith’ this was inspiring due to the pace and upbeat editing used. The idea of a routine meant that little narrative can be revealed and the pace also keeps the audience involved and intrigued in the thriller. Another inspiring thriller was ‘Psycho’ this was inspiring due to the setting, throughout they use quite a normal setting of a bathroom in their main scene, similar to the climax at the end of ‘Backlash, with the front door of the house being used.

There are many ways in which thriller conventions were used in our thriller opening compared to real thrillers. One way is the editing, the use of straight cuts means that the pace of the editing is fast within ‘Backlash’ in order to keep the narrative interesting for the audience’s viewing and also connotes the rush the antagonist may be in due to what they have done. The shots are in the correct order and aren’t disorientated, this is so the editing clearly shows the antagonists routine that she is doing. There are many editing effects that have been used such a fast-motion and slow-motion. These have been used to either put focus on particular actions or to make them seem out of the ordinary. An example of a thriller that also includes this is the TV show ‘Dexter’, within this thriller many different slow-motions are used, this makes the actions seem more disturbing, just like what we’ve tried to achieve in our thriller opening. The narrative is a single narrative, this allows the focus to be put onto this one character and also little of the narrative is revealed, which is typical of a mystery thriller. No flashbacks were used, this has again been done in order to not reveal too much of the thriller and so the thrillers climax can be reached and suspense can be built. The font style used for the titles was a printed out piece of paper for many, this was then placed within disturbing areas, allowing the titles to be focused on.  The font is conventional for the thriller as it denotes blood splatters and is bold in its appearance, therefore making it conventional. Another way titles were done was written in blood in the shower, this again includes blood imagery and suggests something disturbing has happened. Another was that a title was written on the mirror in lipstick, this shows the antagonists personality and also interests the audience. The ident is simple and sophisticated, it used black and white and the font is clear to the audience, this has been done so that the ident can be focused on.

There are many different shot types, angles, composition and framing used within the thriller. One of the shots that has been used throughout the thriller is the shot type of extreme close ups.

This type of shot type is an extreme close-up, these have been used throughout in order to make the audience feel claustrophobic and trapped. This shot also allows the audience to focus on exactly what the character is doing, this puts meaning into her movements. The zip running along slowly also makes the shot seem sinister, it connotes something is being opened, possibly that the narrative and secrets are being revealed. This extreme close up incorporates the rule of thirds as the zip is in the centre of the frame. By doing this it denotes the significance of what is happening and also connotes that something may be revealed within what is being unzipped. This shot type can be compared to the film ‘SE7EN’ this is due to trapped feeling the shot creates and the use of these shots within ‘SE7EN’. Within ‘SE7EN’ close ups denote a hand completing and handling many different objects, this can therefore be compared to what is being shown within this shot type in ‘Backlash’ The mise-en-scene within ‘Backlash’ can also be compared, as both characters are wearing smart clothing. The editing is also fast paced in both openings making them similar and so they can both be compared.

Q7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to a full product?