Evaluation: Question 1

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

For the first evaluation question I will be talking about our final media production and whether it uses the same conventions and forms of real media products or whether it develops or challenges classic horror/thriller conventions.

Horror/Thriller movies normally have guidelines or criteria to match. Things such as:

Themes

Our final media production addressed quite a few themes common to the genre

·         Kidnapping

·         Stalking

·         Dangers of social media

·         Twisted friendship

·         Revenge

·         Death

·         Deception

Camera

The camera work in this genre of film tends to be at weird angles to unsettle the audience such as:

·         High angle shots – These kind of shots are used to make the figure/object being looked down on seem completely powerless and vulnerable.

·         Close up shots – Used to see reactions (usually fear/terror) on the actors face.

·         Tracking/panning shots – Usually used in horror/thriller films to make out a character is being followed/watched.

·         Tilted angle shots – A good use of this type of shot in horror/thriller films is to act as though the camera is a victim on the floor and you are viewing everything from their point of view.

·          Low angle shots – to emphasize how intimidating and powerful the figure/object is.

·         Hand held shots – This is used very often in horror/thriller films to add a sense of reality. It makes the audience feel involved and adds to the horror of the scene as the audience feels like they are there.

Setting

·         Most horror/thriller films tend to be shot somewhere remote or secluded using the “nobody around to hear you scream” idea. For example, abandoned buildings, heavily wooded areas, dark alleys and desolate houses in the middle of nowhere are all good locations used to unsettle the audience.

Annotation