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

One of the ways Meant To Be develops the convention of a romantic comedy film, is by uses the classic romantic comedy plot structure. As a genre, the films often focus more on the male lead than the female lead, Meant To Be is no different. The narrator of the film is all seen through the eyes of the male lead, therefore, it is highly unlikely that the audience will witness a scene without him in it. Romantic comedy plots are usually light-hearted and humorous, while remaining centred on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. A dictionary definition suggests that a romantic comedy is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily". In recent years, some romantic comedies narratives have offers space for debates about gender, along with social and cultural values. !During the production of Meant To Be, we used created applicable settings to re-create a realistic teenager boys bedroom. A bedroom is a great location to shoot a scene, because the room itself is able to say a lot about the character it belongs to. As Danny is a stylish and creative teenager, I have used a realistic setting to express the character of Danny. The setting including the unique and snazzy wall decor that furnishes the walls of his bedroom. Along with a single bed with an appropriate bedspread. This set up uses the conventions of a few successful films with the same genre. Most notable, the film Easy A. In which the main character addresses the camera like Danny in Meant To Be. The setting of both scenes are very similar and share many qualities. Interesting, in the film Easy A, the plot focuses on a female lead. My production challenges this convention and follows the story from a male protagonist.

!In my production, I created a side plot between the two characters that are mutual friends of both the two main leads. The side plot consists of the two character betting on the chances that Danny and Kayla (the two leads) will

end up in a relationship. This addition of a sub plot, gives the film that extra edge that keeps audiences interested all the way to the end.

I believe the selection of props and location used in the scene pictured above are appropriate due to the film’s unique narrative. Because the story is told from the perspective of Danny looking back, it is likely that many of the details of the story would likely to have been forgotten. This is why the paper they are throwing is blank, and why the whole rooms has a slight vacant and bare feel to it. This challenges genre conventions because it is expected that romanic comedies take place in colourful and often bustling locations. For example, in Valentine’s Day, there is a scene in a flower market. !In the montage of Kayla, she is wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a t-shirt with a comic-book reference on it and a nice blue coat, along with a pair of brown boots. Her costume perfectly forms with the conventions of the romantic comedy genre, especially due to the fact that this is the start of the film and it is often that at the beginning of the film the female lead is wearing average, casual clothes and slowly throughout the film shifts into a more formal and make up heavy appearance until the ‘big makeover’ before the final scene in which she is revealed as stunning and incredibly well dressed. For example, in the romanic comedy Love Actually, the character of Natalie is pictured as wearing work clothes at the beginning, then an exceptional and formal red dress in the final scene.