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

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

Genre conventions:

We are looking at is the action/gangster genre (i.e. Lock Stock, Snatch etc). The conventions that are typical of this genre are outlined below:

•Mise-en-scene - busy cities, alleyways, subways, train stations

•Narrative - good vs. bad, chase, power, success, gambling and debt;

•Characters -

•Camera work – close up to show facial expression in moments of tension, long/ establishing shots to show setting, low angles to make villain appear powerful…

•Editing – straight cuts, some continuity - some jump cuts, flashes, fades…

•Sound – diegetic: footsteps, non-diegetic sound track may be fast to match action in the scene, may be edited synchronously

The conventions of film trailers are:

•Generate an interest in the film;

•Name the characters;

•Show the highlights/ best parts of the film;

•Create excitement for the film

•Give a vague plot of the film but not give to much of the plot away;

•Tease the audience to watch the film, giving them an idea of what to expect;

•Release date;

•Images from the film;

•Soundtrack;

•Production company information;

•Name of the film.

Genre Theory

Many genre theorists argue that films can be classified as a result of our own perceptions; created through our experience of media texts. Definitions of genre may differ from one person to the next.

Orthodox definitions are based on belief that genres contain particular conventions. For example, Steve Neale states that genres are instances of ‘repetition and difference’. He also argues that genres are ‘systems of expectations and conventions that circulate between industry, text and subject’.

In the same way as Neale argues, we followed and repeated various forms and conventions of the crime/ gangster genre. By repeating generic signifiers that have become common place, we have met audience expectations, guaranteeing the success of the film.

Following forms and conventionsFollowing forms and conventions

Mise-en-scene - In our film we filmed in similar settings to those that are conventional to the crime genre. Our main setting was an urban area called Croydon. We used alleyways and subways. We set the main events in our film trailer at night-time; this is also a common feature in the crime genre. We chose to do this because the time of day creates a dramatic mood.

Narrative – Gambling and debt are the main themes in our film, as they are common conventions used in existing gangster/crime films. For example, many explore ways of losing money and then being in trouble as a result. Films normally contain the ideas of planning, winning money or losing money, then show the consequences of this situation. Our film is the latter – the main character ‘The Kid’ loses money in a game of poker, which is a typical convention in other films of the same genre. The rest of the film shows what happens as a result of this loss.

•Character types – the main character in our film is the stereotypical boss who is strong, powerful and intimidating. He has a large amount of money, which he uses to manipulate people and situations. The other main character being played in the film is ‘The Kid’ who is young, acts confidently and cocky; he constantly challenges those with a higher reputation, which ultimately ends up getting him in trouble. We chose these characters as an audience would expect to see them in this type of genre. They would identify with them as they would understand them from existing films.

Other forms and conventionsforms and conventions

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Campaign continuity and coherence

•Product Company logo

We used our production company logo on our main product and two additional texts. This provides consistency and coherence and also allows the audience to recognise who produced the film from looking at the marketing products. By making the audience aware of this, they may be more interested in watching the film and other films produced by the company and therefore generate more success for the company.

•Colour

We used the same colour scheme over all of our main products and also the additional ones. This provides a consistency over all the products. We have used the same colour scheme which is mainly a dark style / an old sense as well to give it the classic gangster feel where as it is being played in the 21st century.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Campaign continuity and coherence

•Images – most of the images that have been done on Photoshop show a representation of the actors to be strong and powerful

•Genre – we have followed the genre the whole way through by using key representation of the convention of the film genre crime/gangster by using urban areas and having the stereotypical illegal deals, private poker games, kidnapping etc.

• Title of film - The title of the film has stayed current throughout, Dangerous Game in a way is very narrative of the film.

• Name of actor - Jack Stockham throughout has the nickname of The Kid, this connotes youth, adventurous also potential risky and scene as a little kid with a small reputation.

•Shots (lead actor) - there was a lot of tracking camera work, also majority of the shots were either low angled or mid-shots.

•Representation of the actors is to be those who don’t care about the law, trying to gangster and life the life of one.

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Magazine front cover

The magazine was produced by a publishing company.

We sent a media pack out to a a publishing company for our film.

Media pack: Involves a zip email that has photos from our photo shoot and couple that is in our film poster. Also a copy of the film trailer.

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

vs

Qualitative Data – Data which is not measurable, where you gather more information, better research and mainly in-depth opinions. Taken through observations, interviews and open ended questions.

Pros•Researcher can explore in more depth.•Gives rich and in-depth information that other methods may not cover.

Cons •Difficult to analyse the data.•Unique to one person, so not generalisable to others

QuantitativeQualitative

Quantitative Data - Data collected using a measure. Normally statistical data taken from closed questions which require a fixed response. There is a choice but no opportunity to say anything else or to expand on their answers.

Pros•Quick, easier to put on to graphical data therefore visually sometimes this is a better option

Cons •The answers might not show a representative of what the participants think.

What have you learnt from your audience feedbackWhat have you learnt from your audience feedback

From our experience from this advanced media portfolio, we have From our experience from this advanced media portfolio, we have realised that the things that we would do differently would be, have a realised that the things that we would do differently would be, have a greater sense of time management in which we could have got things in a greater sense of time management in which we could have got things in a lot earlier meaning that we would have a greater time to evaluate our lot earlier meaning that we would have a greater time to evaluate our products. For a small percentage of our clips we could have arranged our products. For a small percentage of our clips we could have arranged our settings of them in a more productive way.settings of them in a more productive way.

Audience feedback was a vitally important process in all stages all of the Audience feedback was a vitally important process in all stages all of the production. The reason for this being so important is that it gives a basis production. The reason for this being so important is that it gives a basis for us to work on and aim for, so we know what the people who would for us to work on and aim for, so we know what the people who would watch the type of movie are looking for e.g. typical characters, camera watch the type of movie are looking for e.g. typical characters, camera shots setting. shots setting.

Focus GroupsFocus Groups From our focus groups we found out, what people thought of the film, what we could do to From our focus groups we found out, what people thought of the film, what we could do to

improve it next time, what would appeal them to the film/trailer.improve it next time, what would appeal them to the film/trailer. There comments were also able to help us have a greater insight into our own film and there There comments were also able to help us have a greater insight into our own film and there

for made it easier to edit our film to the target audience preferences.for made it easier to edit our film to the target audience preferences. Another idea that the focus group gave us were much better ideas for our re-shoot, which Another idea that the focus group gave us were much better ideas for our re-shoot, which

helped with the quality of our film.helped with the quality of our film.QuestionnairesQuestionnaires Here once again the questionnaires helped us to get a greater look at what was needed to be Here once again the questionnaires helped us to get a greater look at what was needed to be

added or taken away from the trailer.added or taken away from the trailer. They also gave us a different vary of ideas for the filmThey also gave us a different vary of ideas for the film Gave us reasons for why people who would be interested would go and see this film, and Gave us reasons for why people who would be interested would go and see this film, and

also the people that wouldn’t want to see this film they gave ideas for why they wouldn’t also the people that wouldn’t want to see this film they gave ideas for why they wouldn’t want to see it.want to see it.

It gave the chance for anonymous data so people could give there try feelings without It gave the chance for anonymous data so people could give there try feelings without thinking bad about what has been said (such as a filmed focus group). Given honest answers. thinking bad about what has been said (such as a filmed focus group). Given honest answers.

New technologyNew technology Facebook was there to tell people about the film and alert people to the film and getting Facebook was there to tell people about the film and alert people to the film and getting

audience feedback, we also used Facebook for audience feedback by putting out film onto FB audience feedback, we also used Facebook for audience feedback by putting out film onto FB and then asked a number of people who were in the target audience. and then asked a number of people who were in the target audience.

Web 2.0 is a new generation of web where people like us could just post films with ease.Web 2.0 is a new generation of web where people like us could just post films with ease.

Evaluation of feedback:

There was a few limitations with our audience feedback the main one being there was one problem with one of the clips in our trailer, the dealing of drugs offended a person in our focus group, therefore we had to make a decision on whether to keep it in or not, the overall decision was to keep it in, even though it was a downfall we made an executive decision to keep it in as its represented to the genre. Also the amount of people in our main focus group, was one large group next time I would make a number of smaller group as personally even though our big group we had a great conversation with a number of different ideas I feel that in smaller group we would of got deeper knowledge from our participants.

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

How we used:

• Our Group Blog – was done throughout the year, post were posted and eventually we posted all of our PowerPoint of planning and research onto the blog. The blog is a internet based which other can preview and read.

•The internet was used for the technologies of the Blog, slideshare which is a programme where you insert your slideshow then puts your slide show presentation onto the internet which creates a link for you to insert onto the blog. Also the internet was used with our focus group with the programmes such as Youtube and Facebook which allows other to comment and give feedback.

•The filming equipment was used well, to start we had a minor problem on our practice filming as the battery run out, therefore from then on we know what we had to do. Also the tripod came in extremely useful, its steadiness and different height allowed us to get exactly what shots we wanted.

•The quality of our photos were second to none, as we hired out a professional camera and we had to adjust the lighting as we had two different photo shoots one in the dark and the other was in a light room.

•Mac – we uses this for all of our editing, the amount of different editing that was used and fade in/ out etc was used. Different effects and transitions was used to create and edit our film trailer.

How we used:

Photoshop - was used loads in our production, mainly for the two print products the magic wand tool was used to help us insert different fonts from a specialised font website, also to help us make our logo and different credits was created on Photoshop.

Filming of focus group – filming was a success, there comments were also able to help us have a greater insight into our own film and there for made it easier to edit our film to the target audience preferences.