How do your products use or challenge conventions and how do they represent social groups or issues??

Media product is a text that has been designed to be consumed by an audience E.G a film, radio show, newspaper etc.

My movie is a Hollywood inspired film; out of all big studios I choose 20 th century fox institution because they are known for producing highly grossed chick flicks. Moreover, I have chosen David Frankel as my director because he has produced films like Devil Wears Prada which is one of my reference films.  

Genre is a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form or content. It can be judged by the codes, conventions, mise-en-scene and the style of the media content.

 One of the main and highly used genres is Romantic. Romantic genre is famous for its mish mash of passion, emotion, affectionate involvement of the main characters, and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. There are many sub-genres of romance; one of them is chick flick. It is one of my favorite genre and that is the reason my film is based on this.  

Audience can depict a specific genre through its conventions. Convention is the characteristic ‘ingredient’ of a particular genre and the elements which make it recognizable.

Camera Angles, shots,  As chick flick main target audience is woman so the editing of the film favors them and is seen through their point of view. They have more close-ups and long shots in order to portray the personality and emotion of the character. It is usually shot in a slow pace however, in makeover scenes the pace is usually fast, such as in Devil Wears Prada.

         Long shot (Andy from Devil wears Prada)

Close-up  (Miranda from Devil Wears Prada)

Music Sexual innuendos and non-digetic music are normally part of the film, and music tends to fit with characters for e.g. upbeat and popular songs that young girls can relate to.

SettingNormally, chick flick movies are based in a high school or a flat or a city and therefore comes across to the audience as feminine, a good example is from Confessions of a shopaholic where the opening scenes pans across ‘girly shops’.

Office (from confessions of a shopaholic)

Room ( confessions of a shopaholic)

PlotChick flicks are designed to appeal to a largely female target audience, and the characterization and the storylines relate to mainly woman's life. They are typically used only in reference to films that are heavy with emotion or contain themes that are relationship based, so there is nearly always a love interest within a chick flick. There is nearly always one or more moments or scenes in which a main character cries, even if it is tears of happiness or sadness. There is a strong female leading woman or group of women in chick flicks. Also, most have happy endings such as in Monte Carlo, Theo meets Grace.

Costume/propsTypical outfits that people wear in this film vary it could either be: very stereotypical, high fashion, quite “sexy”, or the main characters can wear what would be stereotyped as quite “nerdy” clothes. The fashion and designer label is iconic as they are trying to set apart the difference between some characters e.g. the rich to the less privileged. The difference is also shown in the accessories of the wealthier characters such as their cars, bags and houses. Technology is up to date in chick flicks such as blackberrys, iphones, etc. This is because teenage audience finds this appealing. Devil Wears Prada can be a perfect example for this.

Nerdy character( devil wears Prada)

Fashionable ( confessions of a shopaholic)

These conventions are applied to my movie as well

Camera Shots and AnglesMy movie has more close ups and long shots in order to show the difference between each character. It is mostly shot in slow pace and it also includes makeover scenes in the beginning.

Makeover scene

Long shot( veronica)

MusicIn my film, I mainly made use of an upbeat popular song from the movie Devil Wears Prada as it suits the characters and the situation shown. For the introduction of a male protagonist I made use of an action drama type of music in order to portray that something important is happening and to differentiate him from the rest of the characters.

LightingBeing a chick flick High key lighting is used throughout my film to create a mise-en-scene which explains the generic codes. In some scenes I made use of not low key but a bit dull lighting to give a dramatic effect.

SettingAs my movie is based on three friends who get a job in a high profile fashion company and being a chick flick as well. I choose an office and a house as my setting because it’s very safe and feminine. Though, offices normally does not relate to woman. But Fashion Company’s offices somehow do and to follow the conventions of chick flick I choose a colourful one.

                            Office

House

COSTUME/PROPS

The costume of the characters is according to their characters. The two fashionable girls wore dresses that make them look trendy and attractive. While the simple one made use of decent clothing. Even the props used go with their personality like accessories, heels, cosmetics, darker makeup for the fashionable ones. Moreover, shirt with dress pant, sweater, tie and briefcase to show the male character as a boss. Technology is also up to date such as iphones are used.\

PLOT My film completely has a common chick flick plot because firstly it revolves around three friends who are interested in their office boss. Then there is a comparison between a simple and two fashionable girls which is experienced by many teenage

girls. Most importantly, the guy falls in love with the simple girl. Also, it’s a mixture of emotions; there is happiness, evilness and tears. At last, there is a happy ending.

How do they represent social groups or issues.

A social group has been defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics and collectively have a sense of unity. Characteristics shared by members of a group may include interests, values, representations, ethnic or social background. Social groups are based on gender, age, class, race and etc.

Here my focus will be on two groups which are class and gender.

Gender is divided into two social groups Male and Female, where males are regarded as dominant, powerful and strong, whereas females as inferior, caretaker and expensive.

Class is a set or category of things having some property or attribute in common and differentiated from others by kind, type or quality. Status is a relative social or professional position, There are different classes like upper class, middle class and working class. The upper class is composed of the wealthiest members of society, who also wielded the greatest political power. Middle class is the social group between upper and lower classes, including professional and business people and their families. The working class are those employed in lower tier, subordinate jobs.

In my film,the house shown is big and in a posh area. The rooms and washroom are girly. This means that Veronica belongs to a higher class than the two as she owns the house and Ellie belongs to a middle class family.

It is also evident through their dressing style as Veronica and Sarah wear branded and trendy clotheswhile Ellie prefer decent clothing.

 On the other hand, the introduction of the male protagonist portray that he has a high status and that he belongs to an upper class fashion office.

The props used shows that it’s a posh office.  

Also, the use of iphones connotes that they belong to a well off office.

GenderGender inequality is clearly depicted when Adam and Ellie are in conversation. Adam position is justified through the high angle shot and Ellie is shown lower to him through the low angle shot. Also, women are sexually objectified through their costumes and makeover. Especially, when Adam is shown staring at Ellie while she picks the file. This connotes the male gaze of women as sexually objectified females.

Characters Moreover, I tried to show similarity between my film characters and reference film characters

Luke from Confessions of a Shopaholic

Adam from my film ‘That’s my Boss’

Theo and Grace meets at the end

Adam and Ellie meets at the end

                                                                Happiness and style

Friendship between three females