In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Developing Conventions
1- Distribution company first, followed by Production Company
2-POV shot of character waking up in a hospital (Resident Evil)
3-Waking up in a hospital,unaware of whats happening (28 days later)
4-Typically safe location = Scary (Wes Craven)
5-Titles using the colours black, white and red, conventional horror colours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQTwVuhTTtY
6-Used a young, pretty, blonde as a site of activity to appeal to make audience (scream)
7-high angle shot of the character vulnerable character
8-Kidnapping shots https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1vEdlD59mQ
9-Red eyed bloody zombie similar to 28 weeks later
1- Distribution company first, followed by Production Company
2-POV shot of character waking up in a hospital (Resident Evil)
3-Waking up in a hospital,unaware of whats happening (28 days later)
4-Typically safe location = Scary (Wes Craven)
5-Titles using the colours black, white and red, conventional horror colours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQTwVuhTTtY
6-Used a young, pretty, blonde as a site of activity to appeal to make audience (scream)
7-high angle shot of the character vulnerable character
8-Kidnapping shots https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1vEdlD59mQ
9-Red eyed bloody zombie similar to 28 weeks later
For this question we filmed our group in front of a green screen to discuss the conventions of our film and how they challenge other films. The reason why we filmed in front of a green screen was so we could show the examiner evidence and actually show a comparison between our opening title sequence and other media products.
We also challenged other conventions of horror when making our opening title sequence was the use of red contact lenses. This prop determines how real your zombie looks to the audience. When we were choosing which was ones to buy we wanted red lenses. We knew that red is the main colour used in zombie films as it conveys death and torture. This challenges other media products such as The Walking Dead (2010-14) and 28 Days Later (2002) as their zombie used contact lenses are white/silver. However from research we found out that Executive producer and show creator of The Walking Dead (2010-14) Frank Darabont said to maintain a high level of carnage, blood he had to edit the zombie footage to make them look more inhumane.
Another convention we challenged was casting a woman to play the victim. Men are known for playing a heroic leading role showing power and male dominance. Females however are known for being the victim, especially in Horror movies. When casting for our opening title sequence we chose a blonde innocent female to play the main role. The reason why is because we knew the audience is always more sympathetic with female when they're scared and screaming and they're not so much with males as they follow the men are tough guys stereotype. This is a theory supported by a horror theorist Carol J Clover which she says that men are known to be the hero or the killer and women are known to be the victim because to be the hero and killer you need masculine attributes. This challenged conventions in other media products such as Scream (1996), The Exorcist (1973).
The POV (Point Of View) camera shot is a convention of horror which we included in our opening title sequence. This camera shot is used to put the audience in the middle of the action. We used this camera shot in our opening title sequence as it's traditionally used in different media products. We used this camera shot to invite the audience in and make a particular scene tenser for the viewer. A Point Of View camera shot can be used to see through the killer's eyes but it can also be used to see through the victim's point of view. Point Of View shots are typically seen in the middle or towards the end of a Horror. When filming our opening title sequence when deciding to do a POV shot thought that it was essential that the audience should be looking through the victims eyes. This challenged other media products such as Evil Dead (1981). In Evil Dead there is a POV shot of Ash being chased the shot is in the point of view of the killer. We challenged this by using the victim as the point of view. Also we challenged it by using our Point Of View shot at the start of our sequence.
Another convention in horror which we followed was the use of Non Diegetic sound. This is sound which is not visible to the audience and sound which isn't in the shot. An example of Non Diegetic sound is added sound effects or Narrated commentary. Non Diegetic sound is a big part of Horror as it's usually add to dramatize a scene and create suspense and tension. This is a cinematic technique which is a big factor towards scaring the audience. Non Diegetic sound I think is essential in Horror as it can manipulate the audience into feeling what you want them to feel. In our opening title sequence when the title of our film appears we added a sound effect to get our audience of their seat. This challenged other media products such as Insidious 2 (2013) which used a Non Diegetic sound when the title appeared which created a good atmosphere. The sound affect which was used in Insidious 2 wasn't a typical Horror sound. The sound was abrasive, frightening and gets your heart racing. We challenged this convention by making sure the sound we used was unsettling and very sudden.
This is the title which was used in our opening title sequence. When the title was playing it had a Non Diegetic Sound in the background which was mysterious and very effective. After the title disappeared the Non Diegetic sound continued for another three seconds to give long lasting unsettling effect on the audience.
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This is the Non Diegetic sound used in Insidious 2 (2013)
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