EVALUATION.Exam numbers:

Abigail Edwards – 6091

Gledis Dedaj – 6085

Joanne Aroda – 6040

Vera Osei – 6270

In what ways does your media product use, develop or

challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?

Question one:

Convention Explanation Use/Develop/Challenge

Ghosts/Spirits

Our character is haunted by a ghost in her home.

Using – We used this as we made an opening sequence about possession which is quite a typical feature.

Mystery

Mysterious things keep on happening to the character, and as she becomes aware of this, these happenings get worse.

Using –We used this convention by including mystery throughout the plot.

Possession

At the end of film, our character is fully possessed. But during the opening sequence, the character has numerous close encounters with the ghost.

Developing – We developed this because our character is possessed slowly and is aware of her possession.

Conventions of our

opening sequence.

Challenging Conventions.

• We challenged the usual stereotypical characters normally used in thriller opening sequences.

• This is normally a dumb bimbo type character who tends to be quite clueless which is the opposite of our character.

• We challenged the form by breaking the linear narrative by having a flashback in the beginning.

Inspirational Films.

• An inspirational film to us was The Ring, and this was because of the lighting used in the film, as it remained consistent and made the film creepy.

• This inspired us to use a similar effect in the final draft of our opening sequence.

Inspirational Films.

• Another inspirational film was The Haunting In Connecticut, and the inspiration we took from this was the use of slamming doors.

• It was also inspiring to see a film set in a haunted building, and this stimulated us to do the same.

Inspirational Films.• Paranormal Activities.

• The idea of characters documenting their own experiences was motivating for us all, as it makes the paranormal activities experienced by the character even more scary.

How Our Inspirational Films Challenge Forms.

• The most obvious film that challenges forms is paranormal activity. This film completely challenged traditional forms, as the characters documented their entire experience, and you almost lived through it with them as you can see exactly what they can see.

How We Challenge Forms.• We challenge forms through the documentation of our

paranormal events. Additionally, throughout our entire planned film, our character would be aware that she is being possessed, and we think that this completely defies how thrillers are usually made.

Drew documenting her experiences and the outward manifestations in her home.

Similarities & Differences Between Our Film and Real Films (Forms)

Similarities Differences

The Film

Paranormal Activity • Being aware of possession• Documenting own experiences of paranormal activity.

• Our character doesn’t try to seek help from those specialising in the paranormal

The Ring • The lighting with our opening sequence is quite similar and has that blue consistent tinge to make it cold looking and sterile.

• The character types in The Ring are different to the character types that we use, and the ghost is roughly the same age as the character, not younger.

Typical Conventions Of Thrillers – U/D/CConvention Use/Develop/

Challenge/Not usedGhosts/Spirits It all about the ghosts paranormal

activity inside our character’s home.

Mystery We develop mystery, because its never clear why the ghost has chosen our character to possess.

Obsession

Revenge We use this, as our ghost is seeking revenge for an injustice – this is quite typical in thrillers, where an character is seeking revenge (e.g. In Eye For An Eye)

Investigation We develop investigation, as our character does a lot of research into what is happening to her as it happens.

Mind Games

Similarities & Differences Between Our Film & Real Films (Conventions)

Similarities DifferencesThe Film

Stir of Echoes •Central character is desperate to try and find what is actually going on in his home.

•Meets the stereotypical curious-character type and fits the conventions of a thriller.

• Our character is possessed. However, in Stir of Echoes, the character isn’t possessed but becomes a ‘receiver’ accidentally – meaning communicates with ghosts.

How does your media product

represent social groups?

Question two:

Different Stereotypes & Social Groups.

Popular Girls

Goths

Geeks

Who Is Being Represented?

• We choose to represent typical teenage students of today, who are inquisitive and curious about everything

• This is perfect for us as it enables us to show a vulnerable character, and to then emphasise her transformation during the film as she grows in her curiosity to find out what is happening to her in her home.

Our Character vs. Stereotypical Geek

Geek glasses

Simplistic clothing

How Our Target Audience Can Relate.

• Will relate to our character and our portrayal of the stereotypical geek, because of:

• 1) Her age2) Blog she uses to document her information.

• Everyone is exposed to social media!

What kind of media institution might distribute

your mediaproduct and why?

Question three:

Media Institutions We Looked At.

Film Distribution – Our Research.• We made numerous PowerPoint's looking at the various

distribution companies, which included information about their budgets for films and where they mainly distribute their films to.

Our Research.We all had our favourite option for a distribution company, and we nearly chose Columbia as our distributor as they make many excellent films, such as The Grudge 2...

Our Research.• Lionsgate appealed to us because they worked with Film

4, a company we briefly looked at, and they have made successful thrillers.

• Whilst looking at them, we found that...

Lionsgate Entertainment

own

Mandate Pictures

who own

Ghost House Pictures!

Ghost House Pictures.• The types of films they release:

• The Grudge

• The Grudge 2

• The Messenger

• Boogeyman

Genre = Horror/Mystery

Genre = Horror

Genre = Drama/Horror/Thriller

Genre = Drama/Horror/Mystery

Ghost House Pictures

• The type of films they release are like the ones that we wish to release, as our film idea is a Thriller with certain qualities of a Horror.

• We also looked at the budgets of the films that they make, which also helped us chose them as our distributors.

Ghost House Pictures.