Question 1:In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products.

This slideshow will analyse how my film trailer has used, developed and challenged typical forms and conventions of real media products.

SUBTITLINGTYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

SUBTITLING

When researching into forms and conventions of metafilms, I found that a typical convention was subtitling.

At the beginning of Tall Jake, I have used introducing subtitles, similar to Paranormal activity and The Blair Witch Project trailer.

This successfully introduces key themes and ideas regarding the film, as well as building suspense.

The colour scheme is black and white; I chose this after creating a mood board and looking at other similar film representations. This instantly makes Tall Jake appear recognizably part of the Thriller genre.

TYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

WHITE NOISETYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

WHITE NOISE

Here I have developed the forms and conventions of similar media products.

I have combined white noise and subtitling together to increase and build the suspense throughout the trailer.

It acts as a break between shots, successfully heightening the tension.

It also implies a key theme and idea of technology through the hypodermic needle audience theory. It slowly suggests that technology and communication are going to be issues in the film that contribute to the plot line.

TYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

ENTRY’STYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

ENTRY’S In the corner of each shot there is a ‘ENTRY (number)’

Here I have challenged the typical conventions of media products by using Marble Hornets entry structure.

This is an alternative way of presenting a film; using an ongoing series of entries. This different method would make my product stand out in the film industry in comparison to others.

At the beginning of the trailer, the subtitling revealed that one of the entries is missing. This acts as a real hook for the audience to come and view the film; provoking a sense of mysteriousness and wanting for questions to be answered.

The introducing scene is a developed version of ‘The Blair Witch’ project. After experimenting with my actors, it was a successful method in introducing the urban myth. I think it is an interesting technique combined with the Marble Hornets entry structuring.

TYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

CAR SCENETYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

CAR SCENE

The car scene is a combination of ideas from Marble hornets and Catfish.

This developed idea is in my opinion the most thrilling and scariest scene featured in the film trailer.

I think this scene adds a sense of realism to the trailer, similar to how Catfish, Marble Hornets, Paranormal activity and The Blair Witch Project manage to too.

The car scene is a successfully developed version of similar media products. It is also a good representation of the thriller genre – heightening suspense and building tension through the accompanying use of white noise and subtitling.

TYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

IMAGERYTYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

REPEATED EYE IMAGERY

IMAGERY

AUDIENCE THEORY was an important element that was vital in my trailer.

The use of eye imagery is an adaptation of the Hypodermic needle theory and signs and signifiers theory.

The eyes are important to the plot as you must ‘light a tear drop’ to get taken away by Tall Jake.

I have ‘injected’ the audience with the eye imagery and they have no control over how they must interpret. It is deliberately vague and ambiguous for a evocative effect.

TYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

NIGHT VISION/TIMELAPSETYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

NIGHT VISION/TIME LAPSE

The night vision time lapse is a development of Paranormal Activity.

It also includes the reappearing figure which incorporates similarities between Marble Hornets also.

The effect of night vision is instantly sinister. The setting is instantly established at night - while you as the audience would be completely unaware of what is going on around you.

Another important idea regarding audience theory is the psychology behind it. The night vision also adds a sense of realism to the meta film, evoking a sense of paranoia and fear in the audience.

TYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

THE REAPPEARING FIGURETYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

Tall Jake is an idea challenged from the typical childhood monster. The reappearing figure has been inspired by death art and the malice book characters.

The skull mask is iconic of the film: similar to the Blair Witch logo, paranormal activity footprints and the Marble Hornets cross.

Established as the antagonist, the deliberate mask uses the hypodermic syringe and signs and signifiers audience theory – connoting themes of identity, mystery and death.

THE REAPPEARING FIGURETYPICAL FORM + CONVENTION:

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.