Question 1

Within my group; consisting of myself, Mikaeel Khaliq and Tyler Osman, we created a media product; a 2 minute opening sequence to a thriller film. In this sequence, it shows a girl being stalked through alley ways and a forest as she attempts to get away, after an argument and break up with her boyfriend in the street. I was responsible for writing the opening sequence, selecting which aspects of mise en scene would be effective in each scene of the sequence and playing the character of the female victim. These roles taught me how to create a potentially successful thriller film as I had to think about what would draw the audience in, what would make the sequence conventional and how each transition would link the next scene so the narrative made sense. The opening sequence could not have been successful without my other group members; we worked well together as a group and ensured decisions were made thoroughly so everything was done to the best standard. 

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
In films, conventions are elements that are common within different film genres, for example thrillers. Conventions can be any aspect of the four micro-elements: mise en scene, cinematography, editing and sound. For example in a thriller film, sound, specifically a diegetic sound of footsteps, is often used to create suspense and an eerie atmosphere.
Within my media product, I included a variety of forms and conventions that are used in real thriller films, during the opening sequences. For example, the protagonist in my opening sequence is a female with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is portrayed as the victim, which demonstrates her as being vulnerable. This is used in a lot of other thriller films because it makes the audience have sympathy for the victim. I developed a conventional part of a real media product, by including iconography, such as a knife, because it can be used as a dangerous weapon, which when shown in the opening sequence would also create enigma; as the audience anticipate what the audience is going to do. The font of the credits in the frame of the opening sequence, appear jagged, slanted and distorted to imply the genre and the themes that will be included in the film that follows. This is conventional to a thriller as the font shows the audience that the film is going to be creepy, therefore creates an eerie atmosphere for the audience to experience. My opening sequence is conventional as it includes low key lighting throughout which builds suspense. The hidden identity of the antagonist is also conventional as it keeps the audience on edge and questioning who it might be. Without these key aspects included in my thriller, the genre would not be recognisable as the audience would not experience surprise, shock or suspense.