In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?

INTRODUCTIONMedia products are classified into categories of genre. Genre is a ’type’ or ‘class’ of product. Media genres appear within a medium (film, television) such as the ‘horror’ film or the television ‘situation comedy’. A genre can be recognised by its common set of distinguishing features and these features are associated with a genre's style and what it’s content may be, for example, a particular setting, character types or technical codes (lighting or music).

INTRODUCTIONThe conventions of genre are all of the aspects that make up a certain type of film and distinguish it from another type. The expected conventions in a thriller movie are:•TENSION•MYSTERY•SUSPENSE•ACTION

In terms of the plot to my thriller, it shares conventions with other media products such as films, TV shows, music videos, video games etc.

28 DAYS LATERDIRECTED BY: Danny Boyle

PRODUCTION COMPANY: DNA Films, UK Film Council

RELEASED IN: 2002

STARRING: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns,

Christopher Eccleston.

PLOT LINE28 Days Later shows the protagonist waking up in isolation, with no knowledge to his whereabouts. This is of similar concept to my thriller ‘Beaten’, wherein our protagonist is shown in an unknown location which he does not recognise. Like Beaten, the protagonist in 28 Days Later is shown exploring his way around in search for an exit but is found by zombies who chase after him in attempt to attack him. However the setting of Beaten in comparison to 28 Days Later, shows a smaller, more sheltered and dark area.

PLOT LINEThere is a scene in 28 Days Later, wherein we are shown a man transitioning into a zombie as is vomiting blood. Similarly, we used this concept in Beaten, however our character is already a zombie and is merely shown vomiting blood as a form of attack towards the protagonist.

Overall, this aspect is used commonly as a convention in horror thrillers to create a sinister element of blood and guts. This kind of shot creates a very gruesome effect, thus receiving a squeamish reaction from the audience, although at the same time, is something that appeals to them as it is expected in zombie-apocalypse type movies.

CAMERA AND EDITING TECHNIQUE

28 Days Later, used a close up to focus on the protagonist, giving the audience a feel of his emotion and importance of his role in the situation in the given scene. In this given scene, we are shown a close up of the protagonist in 28 Days Later, to give us insight to his reaction to the world he once knew as normal which is now shown taken over by zombies.

Comparably, in Beaten, we used a close up of our protagonist to express his emotions of fear and frustration to being trapped an a place which is unknown to him, as he tries to find a means of escape.

THE DESCENTDIRECTED BY: Neil Marshall

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Celadon Films

RELEASED IN: 2006

STARRING: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring, Nora-Jane Noone.

PLOT LINEThe Descent resembles my thriller, Beaten, as it displays scenes of the characters being chased

after by inhumane monsters as well as, many confined elements and features,

showing characters isolated and trapped in claustrophobic areas, having

to scramble their way out.

In Beaten, we presented our audience with the same aspect of our protagonist being followed by zombies and having to crawl his way out of a tunnel.

CAMERA AND EDITING TECHNIQUE

The Descent shows a shot of a character crawling through a tunnel. This image of confinement is a typical convention of a horror/thriller film as many, including my own, show some sort of confinement wherein the character is looking for a means of escape. It also makes the audience react tensely as the claustrophobic feeling from the characters perspective is mirrored by their audience, making them feel uncomfortable. The feeling of anticipation in situations like this also keeps the audience on edge as they are expecting an image of horror and gore to jump out.

However, this aspect of thrillers like my own is what attracts an audience, giving them an adrenaline rush feeling through the anticipation of something or someone about to jump out at the characters.

CAMERA AND EDITING TECHNIQUE

The Descent portrayed their creatures to look very animalistic and inhumane by the use of low-angle camera shot, showing them crouched over their victims as they are being attacked.

In Beaten, we portrayed our zombies similarly with animalistic aspects through the same low-angle shot, such as when one of the zombies is shown above the protagonist before vomiting blood on him. This camera angle and frame shows the power and dominance that each creature has over their human victims who are shown in fear in both The Descent and Beaten.

LEFT 4 DEADLeft 4 Dead is a video game which conveys a theme of zombies wherein the player acts as a hero, having to eliminate all the zombies that get in the way and try to attack.

PLOT LINEA shot of the Left 4 Dead gameplay shows zombies surrounding the player, making it difficult for the player to eliminate each and every one of them thus creating a bigger sense of tension and an adrenaline rush feeling for the player as the game increases in intensity.

My thriller, Beaten, shows a zombie falling from above whilst the protagonist is trying to fend off another zombie coming at him. This moment of the opening sequence creates a heightened feeling of tension as having both the zombies attacking him, increases the likelihood that he will be able to escape them both. These two shots are similar in the sense that by the number of attackers increasing, the harder it is for the victim to fight them off, making the situation more intense.

OTHER MEDIA PRODUCTS SIMILAR TO BEATEN

• TV SHOW THE WALKING DEAD

OTHER MEDIA PRODUCTS SIMILAR TO BEATEN

• MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER MUSIC VIDEO