natalie arzu media evaluation

AS MEDIA STUDIESTHRILLER FILM

OPENING SEQUENCEEVALUATION

Natalie Arzu

Natalie Arzu Media Evaluation 2

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? Every thriller film takes great pleasure in building up the action. I did

this in my opening sequence by putting the scene where the intruder is climbing up the stairs in slow motion.

Another form and convention of a thriller film iscreating fear, apprehension and doubt over a character. I did this in my opening sequence by keeping the significant character covered in ahooded jacket and never revealing their face.


Thriller films create suspense using soundtrack music. I used this form/convention in my opening sequence by browsing and listening to a selection of tracks on www.freeplaymusic.com There was a category called Dark/Mysterious.I found the piece of music I used in my opening sequence within this category, called Close To The Evil.

Another form and convention of thriller films is a realistic setting to create a sense of the‘unusual’ occurring within a normal setting.I applied this to my opening sequence by filming my sequence on a residential roadand inside a family home.

http://www.freeplaymusic.com/


An element of my media product that challenged the forms and conventions of thriller films was the fact that I filmed my sequence in daylight whereas, a form/convention of a thriller film is a dark, shadowy atmosphere to create suspense and apprehension.

The sub-genre of my film is a mystery thriller. I feel that by not showing the face of one of my characters and having scenes in slow motion indicates this by building up to the action.

I took inspiration of not showing the characters face from thriller films Se7en and Usual Suspects.


How does your media product represent particular social groups? The only social group

represented in my thriller are 17 year old girls. The character is home alone watching television. This could be seen as stereotypical. This relates to my target audience as the character and target audience are around the same age.


What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I researched film production companies and decided that my film would be produced by an independent company instead of a Hollywood studio. When researching film institutions for my credits, I found the company Dark Castle Entertainment, a production house associated with conglomerate Warner Bros. I found that this company had also produced a number of thriller films with Warner Bros, for example House on Haunted Hill, Thir13en Ghosts and Gothika.

I could see my thriller film being shown as a feature length drama shown on ITV rather than being shown in a cinema.

It could be released to accompany a campaign that promotes awareness of safety when alone in situations.


Who would be the audience for your media product? My film is for both male and females and has no gender

specific audience. As my film has a 15 Certificate, my target audience has an age barrier. My film targets people over the age of 15 who have an interest in crime thrillers, detection, criminals and their motives.

By using a young actress, it encourages people of that age and social group to watch the film. By making the film in the genre of a crime thriller, this will appeal to the older audience.

I gathered a focus group together and showed them my opening sequence. I also showed my opening sequence to older family members to see if the film would appeal to the older audience like I had planned. I then asked them to fill out a questionnaire to help me see how my film would be perceived.


Questionnaire1. Are you male or female?

Male Female

2. What reaction did you have when watching my opening sequence?

3. Was the setting appropriate for the thriller? If so, please give a reason why.

4. Were the characters appropriate for the thriller? If so, please give a reason why.

5. Did it make you want to watch the rest of the film?Yes No

6. Did you think the title of the film related to the opening sequence?Yes No

7. What effect did the music in the opening sequence have on you?

8. Do you think the opening sequence is authentic?Yes No

9. Do you think the opening sequence is effective in drawing in the audience?Yes No

10. What do you like most about the opening sequence?

11. What do you think could be improved?

By asking what gender they are, I can see which gender my film appeals to more. If any suggestions were made on any improvements that could be made, I would know what to change if I were given the chance improve or re-shoot my film.

1. 50 % Female50% Male2. Slightly Scared, Mysterious, Nervous, Tense,

Suspense, Exciting3. The dark gloomy atmosphere added to the

suspense, Relates to the title, The house shows it happens to anyone in everyday life, Ordinary atmosphere so it wasn’t too obvious, Naturalistic., Similar to other thriller films.

4. The hooded character was mysterious and scary, The intruder remained anonymous, A young girl could be seen as vulnerable, Man following women, Original.

5. 100% said Yes!6. 100% said Yes!7. Added to the suspense, It kept me wanting to watch

the movie, Made me feel on edge-suites the opening sequence, Creates anxiety, “Edge of seat” reaction.

8. 90 % said Yes! 10% said Maybe9. 100 % said Yes!10. Slow motion and different camera shots, The music

and setting, Good range of shots- you get a feel of the location, Good use of camera shots and music, Mise-en-scene, The scene where the character is looking in at the house.

11. Steady camera shots, The door movement and add floorboard creaking, Some of the shots were shaky- maybe use a tripod, Use a tripod, Use a real man, The duration of the film and the storyline could be improved.


How did you attract/address your audience? I attracted my audience by keeping

them on the edge of their seat by using a different range of camera shots and tense music.

When the young girl comes face to face with the intruder, I feel that this particular scene will alarm the young females who are watching the film for fear of the same thing happening to them.

The audience is able to see the both characters point of view, but focuses mainly on the intruder. I have achieved this by using over the shoulder camera shots behind the intruder, looking in on the girl. I also achieved this by filming the hooded character from behind so that the audience could see exactly what the intruder could see.


What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing the product?

Before the Preliminary task, I had never used a video camera before so had to spend 20 minutes learning how to work the equipment.

I had never used iMovie before either, however, a teacher who was familiar with the programme was always on hand to help. My skills on iMovie have improved and if asked to do this task again, I feel that I could make more use of the tools available on iMovie.

I did not know that the tripod extended, and when asked to re-film my sequence, I found that the quivering and shakiness created without the use of a tripod actually went in my favour as it created an eerie atmosphere.


Looking back at the Preliminary Task, what do you feel that you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? The planning stage helped me to produce my final product with the

use of still images of my location and camera shots for my storyboard. This meant when it came to filming my thriller, I knew exactly what I was doing and could develop ideas on the spot.

I can now use Apple Macs and software such as iMovie. I have learnt how to apply different effects that create different atmospheres, and how to create different moods and reactions by changing the speed of the clip and using appropriate transitions between shots.

I used a range of different shot types compared to the ones used in my preliminary task. I feel that this is evidence of how I have gained more of an understanding when it comes to media techniques.

natalie arzu media evaluation

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