1. 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Narrative:
In this screen grab from my
opening, I’m trying to use the
thriller convention of creating an
enigma straight away for the
viewer. This is because I have used
the briefcase as a vehicle to drive
the storyline forward. I have
researched that thrillers such as
Disturbia use a narrative subject to
drive the story. An example of this
is when the main characters dad
dies and as a result it creates a
chain of establishing enigmas and
problems. The briefcase uses this
convention because it creates the
enigma of what the briefcase is,
what’s inside it and what’s its
importance to the story. I have
recognized beforehand that
traditional thriller openings contain
a narrative convention to start the
story. This may be in a case of a
murder or, as I have done, used a
prop to do this. An example of this
is in Enemy of The State where
there is a murder within minutes of the opening. To continue on with this convention of
narration, I have also included the thriller convention of a murder in my thriller. This is
shown in the screen shot below the
briefcase where a sniper rifle is
looking at the main character. This
convention also drives the story
forward as it creates the
convention of something
extraordinary in an ordinary
situation.
Sub-Genre:
My thriller uses many conventions to make
it into the sub-genre of a conspiracy. This is because the thriller creates enigmas for the audience
to question and many times. A typical conspiracy allows for audience to have to work out many
different problems to do with the thriller but also it lets them prejudge
with there own opinion of the thriller. In my thriller the main character
is using this convention as he turns from being ordinary to being a
mysterious and anxious character who gets put in an extraordinary
situation. I have used mise-en-scene to create a typical conspiracy
thriller by using the location and costume that seems ordinary but it
isn’t. The narrative itself is full of conventions such as establishing
enigmas with a pattern, use of a murder and an extraordinary situation
in an ordinary one. A typical conspiracy uses these conventions.

2. In these
pictures above are
screen grabs of the
many enigmas that I
think my film has
created. It this uses
the
convention of creating enigmas as I have made many on a variety of different ways. More
importantly these enigmas are also using the convention of a narrative pattern of establishing
enigmas. In this case the first enigma is the briefcase where the audience questions its contents
and relevance. The next enigma is the location; the audience is shown that it’s in a barn or farm
location that seems ordinary. The other enigmas include: The character calling someone the
audience aren’t told about, another character is unveiled but you don’t see his face and you only
see him for 5 seconds, the caller being unknown and finally the guy in the passport which is
shown to have relevance to the storyline as he is flashed up onto the screen.
Character:
My thriller develops on the convention of a
typical thriller character. In my thriller
opening the main character is, for the first
half, the only character shown to the
audience. I think that I develop on the
convention because the character doesn’t
originally seem weak or powerless and
also doesn’t seem like a hero or anti-hero.
Instead the character is dressed in a
business costume and acts in an ordinary
situation. This then develops as the
character arrives at the destination and
decides to ring someone unknown to the
audience. The fact that he looks around
and feels the need to ring shows that the
character is anxious. I feel that this is
developing on the convention because the character was originally challenging the
convention because everything about him seemed regular however, halfway through the
opening he then changes the audience’s opinion due to the phone call and events to
follow.
Titles and Fonts:
In this screen grab I have tried to show that I
have used the thriller convention of typical
thriller titles and fonts. I think I have done this
by having the convention of the titles referring
to the characters state. This happens by the
titles moving around at all times that causes
confusion, the way the titles appear and also the
font I’ve used. The titles mostly either spin in or

3. spin at some point in motion. I have done this to try and get the audience to think about
it as it comes across as hard to read. The font I have used is a typical thriller font that
looks like handwriting or a typewriter. I did some research into thriller titles and fonts
and got inspired by the thriller opening of Se7en. This included fonts like this to link the
character to the handwriting of the fonts. In my thriller I’ve linked it to the character by
showing the characters current state as the film leaves him. This is a state of confusion
and leaves the viewers and character with many enigmas. The titles are shown to be
hard to read and understand and I think this is how our character is relates to this.
Location:
My thriller is set in a barn and farm location
to represent an ordinary situation. We see
the character walking along a country road
which is aligned with houses. We then see
the reveal of the barn and farm to show its
main location. This may be typical for some
thrillers when they are planning for
something extraordinary to happen. I have
tried to use the typical thriller convention of
having an extraordinary situation in an
ordinary situation. I think that happens in
my thriller as it seems to be set in a farm, which looks normal, however it then changes at an
instance. I have got inspiration from the film Shooter. This is because near the beginning there
are people driving in an ordinary situation yet, they are being severely watched and then get
sniped. I have used this in my thriller because the guy is always being watched by at least two
people who are shown briefly.
Techniques:
The screen grab in the top right, showing the gate, was used to try not to reveal the main
characters face to the audience. It was trying to use the convention of using microelements to
build up suspense by not revealing the characters face. I used camerawork of the microelements
to not show the characters face when he is walking and also using the close-up of a hand pushing
a gate open. This then links to the image below it as I used a point of view shot to try and not
reveal that characters face to the main character and to the audience. You can tell it is a point of
view shot because I used handheld camerawork to try and give it this effect. This is also using the
convention as linked with the gate.
In the top left image I have used a film reel effect overlaying the main video. This was trying to
create more enigmas as there is footage on the film reel that you can’t quite make out. I used this
to build on what has already happened in the film and trying to get the audience to work out that
they need to judge the film in there own way based on the conspiracy sub-genre that is created.