Question 1 – In what way does your opening sequence use, develop, or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In the process of creating my opening sequence, I had to think about the codes and conventions for the type of genre that I was doing, which was a horror and thriller. These two genres fit with one another because horror is the more gorier sides of the film, such as the audience can see blood and the victim’s death, such as the film ‘Saw’. On the other hand, thriller films are more about the suspense and tension, such as the series of films ‘Paranormal Activity’.

The conventions that I had to think about, were the uses of lighting and camera angles. The location choices and why I had chosen those particular locations. The costumes that we had chosen and how they challenge and conform the conventions of horror and thriller. Finally, also the choices of the actors and why I had chosen them.

LIGHTING

Lighting is very important in horror and thriller films, as they create suspense and tension, for example, in my movie, I used quite dark lighting where the suspect is typing an e-mail to the victims, on the computer. This created suspense as the low lighting shows the audience that this figure has some kind of anonymous view, power, and control. This doesn’t really challenge the forms and conventions because most or every horror/thriller films consist of this type of lighting, such as ‘Saw’ and ‘Scream’.

CAMERA ANGLES AND MOVEMENT

Camera angles and movement are just as vital as lighting. Lighting creates an atmosphere of fear while some camera angles create an atmosphere of suspense, such as high-angle shots and close-ups. I stuck to the codes and conventions by using similar shots in various thriller films, such as ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘Psycho’. In my opening scene, I used various shots and movements, such as Close-ups, two-shots, long-shots, and tracking shots.

Long-shot

Close-Up

Two-Shot

Normally in horror and thriller films, especially in horror, the audience gets to see the murderer’s point of view, which gives the audience an insight of the murderer’s eyes. I have decided to challenge that idea and give the audience an insight of the victim’s sight of him typing on the computer. I also used a high-angle shot, looking down at the computer, which creates tension and fear, and to show that the people on the other side of the conversation are weak, whereas the suspect is the dominator.

LOCATION

For me, since I already knew my storyline (plot), I kind of knew exactly where and what I was going to do in the locations I had in mind, which was at one of the actor’s house, and in a very dark room. The only problem I had with the dark room was that it was hard to find, until Luqman told me that he had an old, dark art room.

The only question I kept asking myself about the room was if it was effective enough for the opening sequence, I mean, I wanted it to be a very dark room, so it would be good enough to not show much vision of the suspect’s hands, by using suitable darkness.

In the end, I think that I’ve conformed to the forms and conventions of a Teen Horror movie, as my main location is set in a graveyard and graveyards are sometimes a quite typical place where something horrific happens. Some other typical places are churches, schools, government places or a home of some sort.

COSTUMES & STEREOTYPES

The costume I used for my actors is just what I expected. For example, the victims are wearing smart uniforms, and usually the smart-dressed people are the ones who are first murdered. However, it’s not all the time, like in some movies for example, the parody of ‘Scream’, from ‘Scary Movie’ you could clearly see the popular girl wearing very revealing clothes, which automatically tells us that she is either Popular, The Silly Blonde, or the girl who sleeps around. This doesn’t just come under Horror films, but all types of genres such as the movie ‘Mean Girls’.

However, the choice of the murderer’s clothes is not seen, which is expected from Horror/Thriller films until the very end, as they are supposed to be hidden or blended into the background, so dressing the murderer in black just conforms of Horror/Thriller films.

The actor I chose to do this film with does challenge the conventions. What I have decided to do is change and challenge the codes and conventions by making the murderer an Asian. This is so that my film isn’t stereotypical as many produced films normally have the typical British White, and some facial-haired murderers. I just wanted it to be different so that my Opening Sequence wouldn’t be a stereotypical Horror and Thriller film. From this, I will be able to reach a broader audience to the opening sequence, instead of just one particular type.

Question 2 – How does your media product represent certain social groups?

The opening sequence has represented my social groups which are late teens from 15-19, either in college or high school as the location for my sequence is set in the graveyard and someone’s house. In the sequence, the audience already know that it is immediately representing teenagers just by looking at the characters, as they are very young and feminine, and they take pride in what they are wearing.

Not only teenagers have been represented, but girls aged 15-19 as well. I have used them in the movie, such as the type of clothes the actress is wearing, such as smart skirts with loose tops and hoop earrings. Also the colours that are used, such as the dark red and dark yellow. The dress sense isn’t very stereotypical, as it shows the girls in school uniforms, and isn’t really what is expected.

This shows the uniforms with the red jumper, and blue and yellow tie, as well as the bright red skirt.

However, I also represented the Asian community, as my actor is Asian, which is how I have challenged the codes and conventions, because you don’t really see British films with ethnic actors. I chose this type of ethnicity because I would like to begin the use of Asian actors in Horror films, because you don’t see them in those types of films. The only places you can see Asian people, are in Bollywood films, or American films. But, on occasion, you see the minority of British films as Pride and Prejudice.

Question 3 – What kind of media institution might distribute your opening sequence, and why?

WHAT IS A PRODUCTION COMPANY?

A production company is the company which makes and creates the video physically, and produces the end product which is the film. The production company is most possibly responsible for fund-raising for the project, or someone who has links to many other larger companies to fund the film.

The opening sequence I created, ‘Unexpected E-Mail’, was made by FL Productions, which is mine and Luqman’s production company. In order for me to release my film to the public, I would need a suitable distributor to distribute my film. What I have already done during the process, was looking up some major film distributions, such as Universal Studies, Columbia Studios, and other film companies.

Our production company is British, therefore this film would be shown in Britain first. However, I would first like my film to be distributed by an American company, as most of the distributors are very successful with the public eye, and I would like my film to sell either through buying tickets or DVDs and Blu-Rays.

I decided that I would choose Lions Gate to distribute and support my film, since they are one of the leading production companies across the whole world, but also the work and visuals they created, got a lot of responses from the audience, such as Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1, which was released on November 18th 2011 had an estimate of 3.2 million units on the first weekend of release. This instantly tells me that I will have some support on those who watch Lions Gates movies or the lovers who like the Horror/Thriller genre.

I also chose this type of Production Company as some of my favourite films were made or co-part in the movie such as Day Breakers and Saw 2, which have the same type of genre, which is Horror. Lions Gate was founded in 1997, so this company is not really old, compared to 20th Century Fox, which was founded in 1935. So I decided to use this company as this production is new and continues to strive for something.

However, this is only Option A. Even though Lions Gates is known to be a major independent company, you always have to have an Option B, so I decided that if the major label company in America won’t fund my movie, then I could always come up with the funding on my own and distribute my film independently with independent companies. Or I could use a British company, so I also decided to use Hammer Studio to distribute my film, as this is a British film company, and the type of genre the films distributed are Horror/Thriller films.

HOW FILMS ARE DISTRIBUTED?

1. Any production company who created a film but is funded by another company.

2. The production company who created the film will send the film to the company who funded them to create the film.

3. The production company who funded your film will sell the film to various areas of ways to be consumed.

4. DVD.5. Movie Download Websites, e.g. NetFlix or Love Film.6. Blu-Ray.7. Cinemas.8. Television.9. TV On-Demand, e.g. Virgin or Sky.10. Smaller distributors tends to distribute through Download, YouTube, Vimeo,

The distributor’s website, Social Networking Sites (e.g. Facebook, Myspace Blogs)

Question 4 – Who would be the audience for your Media Product?

My target audience was teenagers between the ages of 15-18, who supposedly like social activities, such as going out and watch films with colleagues. As this group of people are normally in school or college working hard, they sometimes also need a break and watch a good film, which gets them over the edge with fear and suspense.

According to the Blumer and Katz, I have used their theory on Uses and Gratifications which is where they believe that there are5 functions that they believe on why the audience is attracted to one type of film.

5 Functions; Escapism Entertainment Social Interactions Education Identity

I have identified 4 out of 5.

ESCAPISM

As my target audience are students, and are always studying or doing some other type of education, where it be degree levels, GCSE, A-Levels, or higher education, they would want to escape from the real world, and be sucked into a different world as their stress and troubles will be drifted away into the back of their minds.

SELF IDENTITY

This is where my audience can relate to those who are represented in this film, such as the suspect, which is who the people would identify straight away to claim that he is the murderer, and so on.

SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

My target audience is centred on young people. Young people tend to go out and interact with each other and also learn from others, which is secondary socialization. This would be a great opportunity to release a film to teenagers as they socially interact with each other, including doing stuff, such as watching films together.

ENTERTAINMENT

This means that my particular target audience goes out to be entertained by something or someone, but in this case, it’s our film.

DECISIONS

I decided this type of audience as my actors are both male and female and I feel this would attract the males just as much as the females. However, in this opening sequence, the actresses are shown more than the actor, therefore bringing in an attraction of mainly just males.

I also chose this type of audience because I am also a teenager who likes Horror movies, so I would be able to look at my work with a teenager’s perspective and figure out if this particular bit in the movie was good or not.

As my location is set in a council house, and not in a public, crowded area, I feel that I am attracting a certain amount of people who are possibly around the same area, rather than a higher amount of middle/higher-class society.

Looking at previous films, I found out that Paranormal Activity 3’s YouTube view-count has a massive impact on audience type. I calculated that adult women liked it just as much as male and female teenagers aged 13-24.

However, the age range seems to be quite complicated, as 13-24 year olds enjoyed this film which is weird, because this film is aged 15, so the younger children had some way to access the film, somewhat through downloads, or by watching it online. However, this is very popular with teenagers as well as people who have higher education or people who like fright.

Question 5 – How did you address/attract your audience?

I attracted my audience by setting my location and plot in a graveyard and independent houses, which instantly tells what type of audience I am trying to attract, which is teenagers aged 15-18. I also attracted my audience by looking at films previously made during last year, such as a British film, directed by James Watkins,

called ‘The Woman in Black’. I noticed that many young people aged between 12-18 wanted to see the film.

I asked some people about it, and the majority of the reasons were that they wanted to be scared. I thought it could have been the type of genre I have picked, which was Horror/Thriller. It could suggest that teenagers normally care to watch themselves get scared and scream in horror.