QUESTION ONE: IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?JOSH AND CHARLIE P

INTRO

• Through independent and group research we have discovered different codes and conventions used throughout thriller films. I have used my previous knowledge of conventions from the horror projects last year and tried to use thriller conventions in the same way. To get a real understanding of these we watched openings from professional thriller films and by watching previous student films. Additionally, we researched different directors and how they would use these conventions and whether they would follow certain stereotypes.

EXAMPLE OF SOME THRILLER CONVENTIONS AND TECHNIQUES

• Setting• Themes• Character-types• Narratives• Special Effects• Sound• Ideology

• POV• Tracking shot• Low key lighting• Exaggerated Sound• Silence• Iconography• Visual Style

• Dramatic Angles• Jump cuts• Obtrusive Editing• Off Screen sounds

TECHNICAL CONVENTIONS- CAMERA

• In our final film,, we used several technical camera conventions such as POV and tracking. • We decided to implement POV shots into our final idea as it makes

the audience curious as to who is in the POV at the time and they can see things from their perspective. • We used it when the stalker was peering through the window at the

party. This creates suspense as we get to see exactly what the stalker is doing from his view.

TECHNICAL CONVENTIONS- SOUND

• We also included many different sound techniques in our final film. Including Eerie, tense music, Silence and exaggerated sound.• Our film was heavily consumed by Eerie tense music to build up

suspense for each of the dramatic scenes. We did this as it makes the audience connect with the film and feel what the characters are feeling.• Silence was used at the end of the film where we purposely cut the

music early to create a dramatic ending to the film. It worked really well as silence is really effective in a thriller film.

TECHNICAL CONVENTIONS- EDITING

• Conventions of editing include things such as jump cuts, transitions, parallel editing, obtrusive editing, fast paced and slow paced.• We included many transitions in between each of our clips as

it makes the flow of the film look smoother and neater.• Also, we included slow paced editing at the start of the film

to show the stalkers point of location where he does the stalking. Not only this, but the audience can see that his identity has been covered.

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES

• Narrative Conventions include things like plot twists, flashbacks, deadlines and making the audience work.• The main one we decided to include was making the

audience work as we tried to make the narrative as complex as we could. By making the audience work we can get them to really interact with our film.

CHARACTER CONVENTIONS

• There are several different thriller characters that can be used in thriller films. These include criminals, stalkers, assassins, cops, innocent victims etc.• We included a stalker and young vulnerable girl.• We included a stalker as it is very common in the thriller genre and we thought

we would use it and try it out ourselves. It also, makes an interesting storyline.• The young vulnerable girl was used as it is very stereotypical and easy to be

fitted into a thriller film and the audience will know what to expect but it has a very interesting storyline.

THEMES

• The three different methods and ideas are Crime, Mystery and Psychological.• In our film, we have chosen to use a Crime, which includes a stalker

kidnapping a young girl.• Crime sounded like the one that was more interesting than the other two.

Not only this but it was the one that we really wanted to include a stalker.• It’s good to follow conventions as it then suits the genre and the audience

will then be aware of the film that they are about to watch.

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH• We also researched into different thriller sub genres and we

decided to take on the Mystery Thriller genre as it would leave the audience guessing throughout the film. We chose this as we wanted to use a stalker in our film and this sub genre made it perfect for us to choose it• We didn’t have much inspiration from choosing our film but

we did have a few shot ideas that we liked the look of on previous student and professional films.

IMPACT OF OUR RESEARCH ON OUR FINAL IDEA• We made a survey monkey which we needed people to answer

as we were still were unsure of different parts of the film.• The main answer we wanted from the questionnaire was whether

the stalker was to remain anonymous or not. The audience (80%) voted that we kept him anonymous which we also agreed with as it keeps the audience guessing throughout the film.• After watching openings, and sequences we wanted go with a

dark theme as this also is very typical of a thriller film and we didn’t want choose an unconventional convention.

SUB-GENRE: MYSTERY

• This a sub genre of the thriller genre. • It differs from a regular mystery by being much more fast

paced, with the protagonist is in trouble from the antagonist. • Storyline- we made the stalker anonymous to create the

‘mystery’ genre• Location- We chose to have an abandoned barn as it also

adds to the mystery sub genre of a thriller film.• Costume- The stalkers clothing is very dark which again

creates the mystery to the sub genre.

FILMS SIMILAR TO OURS

• The Call (2013)- Our film is very similar to ‘The Call’ as it has used the same idea as a stalker and the use of mobile phones having a big impact on peoples lives.• Kidnap(2017)- Our film is very similar to ‘Kidnap’ as we have

an anonymous stalker who captures another character.

UNCONVENTIONAL CONVENTIONS

• We decided not to use any unconventional conventions as it would go against the thriller genre and we wanted to have a film that you could tell would be a typical thriller film.• We kept the characters, locations and mise en scene all

stereotypical of a typical thriller film as it makes the narrative slightly easier to understand as we have quite a complex storyline.